Klipsch RW-12D Omnimic Frequency Response Graphs

I currently am borrowing a pair of Klipsch RW-12D subs from my brother as we used the pair for a room reference during the 2012 KC Blind Subwoofer Meet linked in my signature. I figure as long as I have them available I'll grab some frequency response graphs to show just what the native EQ DSP settings do on these subs. I turned off all external EQ in my Onkyo TX-NR 1007 receiver (no Audyssey, no dynamic eq, mains crossover set to 100hz, sub LFE set to 120hz) and just measured the pair of Klipsch RW-12D sub's frequency response in my 3500 cubic foot room using my Omnimic and their three native EQ settings. Distance calibrations in the receiver were accurately set. The following frequency response graphs are taken with no smoothing but averaged over 10 captures each from my main listening position (8-10 foot away from the subwoofers). The sub placement for these measurements is one on each side of my projector screen facing outward toward the outside room walls. (this configuration is the best/flattest position I've found in my room) Here are how the subs measured per Klipsch DSP EQ setting.

Note: SPL interval is 2dB

Flat


Punch


Depth


All three EQ overlays (still 2dB spacing):


And the same overlays again using the more common 5dB spacing on y axis


It appears, at least in my room, that Depth is the flattest Klipsch DSP EQ setting. I would probably recommend that as a starting place for most Klipsch RW-12D owners. I also noticed the quick settings music and movies mean nothing in and by themselves - you can save or change them to be anything including volume levels, LFE crossovers settings and native EQ setting. I don't know if they come from the factory configured one way or the other, because I didn't pull the subs new out of the box, but in messing with these used subs I determined that only the EQ setting (flat, punch, depth) matters until you save it one way or the other as music or movies. If all other EQ settings are the same, then the movie and music toggle does absolutely nothing to frequency responses or spl levels. Perhaps Music could be saved as "punch" and Movies saved as "depth" with the other settings (volume levels and LFE 'crossover') varying per individual's subjective preference.

I'd say good to great product for $300 to $350 based on my experience, but at $500 - $700 per unit I'd look elsewhere.

It does make 'plastic'ky' creaking noises when pushed hard at the lowest hz. It does sound 'boomier' than many/most of the more expensive sub options I've heard and compared over the last year... (after attending 3 sub meets and owning and auditioning dozens of sub pairs in the last year or two).

---But at the $300-$350 purchase price you can typically find them at -- I have no hesitation recommending these subs to someone budget conscious.

That said...I'm very glad I own my Captivator Pro pair and think they are very much worth the significantly higher price tag - (as are many of the other top shelf subwoofers praised on this forum - they are worth the cost of entry in my experience). I'm stating the obvious here but these are no where near the sound quality class of the typical $1000 subwoofers recommended on this forum.

These subs won't put a forced grin on your face, but they will make movie watching enjoyable! My wife and I watched a couple episodes of the HBO WW2 series "The Pacific" and the experience was enjoyable on these Klipsch subs. And they possess enough authority that on more than one occassion in playing with them last night my wife told me to TURN IT DOWN.

I did the same testing on a BIC F12 and a couple of BIC V1220 subs in my room tonight.

If you bought the Klipsch and were half worried the BICs might be as good for less money??!! They aren't. They are cheaper, but the Klipsch has a significantly stronger frequency response which is quite noticable in listening even with music. The deepest bass is just completely missing on the BIC products. The BIC's are good for the money, as are the Klipsch, but I'd prefer the Klipsch pretty strongly if you can swing the extra coin. That isn't to say the BIC products aren't worth their entry price. I think they are, but they are outclassed by the Klipsch.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1391243

Shift the fr numbers are not a max spl graph. Its just set arbitrarily above room noise floor. I don't know what max spl is, but it is much higher than what you see in that chart.

Pioneer SW-8 omnimic review up
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...2#post21820292

Here is some further discussion on my room measurements with this sub.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1394073

Between Punch and Flat - perhaps yes
Between Depth and Punch - no

IE If you put an imaginary pivot point on the center of each line on the x axis (a bit under 45hz where green and red interesect) for depth and punch settings their respsective frequency responses are tilted opposite.

Depth brings up the lower end and drops the higher end FR
Punch drops the lower end and brings up the higher end FR

The dfiferences are slight - but they are there -- compare 30hz and 60hz to see what I mean between the two settings. You'll see the green and red lines have swapped places.



yes - flat dsp setting just seems to lower the gain a little bit in comparison to punch. - though the difference is a bit more prounounced at 70hz than it is at 25 or 30 hz even between these two more similar settings. Like 5dB difference vs. 2 or 3dB difference. So all settings are somewhat unique - though the difference between a couple dB's is somewhat arbitrary to our ears.

For these comparisons no EQ was used except the subwoofers front panels Punch, Depth, and Flat settings, and no volume changes made to the source signal from the AVR.

On sale again at newegg for $299 shipped.

It remains the best sub I know of for the price -- when on sale for $300.

small room and low volumes = fine.


You could consider a Jamo Sub 650 currently on sale for $300 at vanns - but there isn't much in the way of reviews, and Jim Wilson who bought one appears to possibly have got a defective unit.

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/549645163/jamo-sub-650?s_c=site_search


A friend of mine in KC bought one, and I should hopefully have some measurements of the Jamo unit in the next couple months to compare with. As far as cost - the Jamo plate amp at 650 watts amost would almost make up the $300 cost by itself if you needed to buy the amp seperately from parts express so the sale price is more than reasonable. But the Klipsch is vetted as a good preformer at a price point much higher than $300, and the Jamo is mostly unvetted.