The entry-level Klipsch Sub-10 home subwoofers have an excellent bass response and attractive design. They are manufactured and sold under the Klipsch name by a corporation that owns several subsidiary companies. This corporation, known as the Klipsch Group, is comprised of several companies that manufacture and sell audio equipment, including Energy and JAMO, which both have home subwoofers in our lineup.
Klipsch home subwoofers are renowned for their excellent sound quality and design. Although the Sub-10 is a lower-end subwoofer speaker, it packs a punch that is clear and commanding. While it ranks lower than the BIC F-12 and the more comparable Emotiva Ultra Sub 10, it still earned a high ranking in our lineup due to its quality and the excellent user reviews it has received.
The Sub-10 Klipsch subwoofer has a frequency-response range of 28Hz to 120Hz (+/- 3dB), with a crossover range of 40Hz to 120Hz that allows you to set the crossover frequency to almost any frequency this subwoofer speaker can hit. Anything below 40Hz that is not routed through a sub is going to be lost anyway since the crossover frequency determines which frequencies are sent to each speaker and only subwoofers can handle frequencies below 40Hz.
The 200-watt BASH amplifier built into this powered subwoofer can reach a peak power output of 420 watts for a maximum volume output of 115 decibels. This output level rivals the power of any of the home subwoofers in our lineup.
The Sub-10 is one of the few down-firing home subwoofers in our lineup. What that means is that its 10-inch woofer cone is located on the bottom of the cabinet, which increases the ground-shaking effect of its powerful output. This does not affect the volume level, since bass frequencies are omnidirectional. The port is located at the rear of the enclosure, which helps to increase the volume level of these home subwoofers.
The subwoofer speaker, driver and amplifier are encased in a smooth cabinet with rounded edges. The cabinet rests on four arced, protruding legs, giving it a unique and modern look. Its sleek appearance is augmented by its matte black finish with titanium accents.
The Sub-10 Klipsch subwoofer handles bass notes and sound effects equally well. If you plan to use this sub primarily to listen to music, you will be pleased with its tight, impactful musicality. Klipsch home subwoofers are renowned for their powerful output that exceeds the expectations set by their diminutive size. Unless your stereo system is set up in a large room, you’ll probably want to set the volume between one third and one half of the maximum setting. At full volume, you run the risk of mistaking its room-shaking output for an actual earthquake.
Klipsch Sub-10 home subwoofers have a number of excellent features. Of its features, the most impressive, but by no means unique, is a signal-sensing automatic on/off setting that puts the sub into standby mode after a period of inactivity. An LED light on the front of the cabinet indicates whether the Sub-10 is in active or standby mode. These home subwoofers are also equipped with rotating dials to adjust the volume and crossover frequency and a toggle switch to set the phase at either zero or 180 degrees.
There are several ways to connect your Klipsch subwoofer to your AV receiver. You can run a single cable from the LFE or sub out connector on your receiver to the Sub-10’s LFE or left-channel RCA input, or you can use two cables to connect the left and right inputs on the subwoofer to the left and right outputs on the receiver for a stereo signal. If your receiver does not have an LFE output, you can connect the main speaker output on your receiver to the sub’s high-level speaker binding inputs and route the signal to your other speakers with the sub’s two left and right high-level outputs.
Klipsch home subwoofers are covered by a five-year warranty on the electronic components and a two-year warranty on the internal amplifier. The Klipsch website has many options for technical support. Their website has a FAQs page, downloadable product manuals and a user forum in addition to email and a number for phone support.
The Klipsch Sub-10 is one of many great audio components that this company manufactures. It is definitely the best down-firing sub we reviewed. If you’re looking for powered subwoofers that mercilessly thump the competition, this is certainly an option to consider.
