Name: Klipsch Reference R-112SW
Brand: Klipsch
SKU: 714R112SW
Rating: 5 (495 reviews)

by Crutchfield's Dave Bar

The thunder down under

When the drummer in a concert video takes his solo, you want to feel the vibrations as if you were standing next to the stage. And when aliens attack in your favorite sci-fi flick, you want to feel the floor shake beneath you. Klipsch's R-112SW powered subwoofer provides your home theater with a solid foundation of bass. Its high-output 300-watt amplifier delivers the power to bring your movies, music, and video games to life.

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The thunder down under

The sub's strong-yet-light 12" Cerametallic™ woofer is designed for quick, precise movement for more accurate sound. Its ceramic-coated aluminum cone helps to dampen unwanted vibrations, while the integrated dust cap adds stability and strength to resist twisting that can cause distortion. The slot-ported cabinet features an internal flare that minimizes port turbulence and noise for cleaner bass. And the front-firing design allows for greater placement flexibility.

Easy system integration

Line-level and LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) inputs let you easily connect the R-112SW to almost any home theater or stereo receiver. Its back-panel volume, crossover, and phase controls help you fine-tune the bass to your liking, and blend its sound into your system. The sub comes housed in a durable MDF cabinet finished with a brushed black polymer veneer. A front-mounted LED power indicator makes it easy to tell when the sub is powered up and ready to rock.

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Product highlights:

Featured in our article: Best home theater subwoofers for 2024
300-watt RMS amplifier (600 watts peak power)
12" front-firing Cerametallic™ cone woofer
front slot port with internal flare technology for reduced turbulence and flexible installation
frequency response: 24-125 Hz
variable low-pass crossover
phase switch to fine-tune the subwoofer to your main speakers and room
line level/LFE (low frequency effects) input
auto on/off
compatible with the optional Klipsch WA-2 wireless audio adapter kit (not included) for an easy connection to a sound system
durable MDF cabinet finished with brushed black polymer veneer
15-3/8"W x 17-3/8"H x 20-15/16"D
weight: 48.75 lbs.
warranty: 5 years woofer, 2 years amplifier
MFR # 1060700

What's in the box:

Klipsch Reference R-112SW owner's manual

Powered subwoofer
Grille
8.5' AC power cord
User Manual
Important Safety Instructions
Warranty Information

Featured review

This unit nicely compliments my pair of Klipsch RP-280s. I had considered buying the 15-inch model, but the nice Crutchfield customer service rep recommended this model. I'm very glad I listened to him. I keep it turned down low; otherwise, the house would shake apart.

Dean from Lake Isabella, CA

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Customer Q&A

I have a denon receiver with only one plug for a subwoofer. Can you hook up two of them?

Greetings Timothy, and thank you for your question. If you only have the one subwoofer out, but want two subwoofers, you split the one sub out to 2 with an RCA splitter.

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Researched by Crutchfield's Stacey B.

Features & specs


Enclosure	Ported
Woofer Size (inches)	12
Woofer Composition	Cerametallic
Firing Direction	Front
Amplifier Output (watts)	300
Frequency Response	24-125 Hz
Connections
Preamp-Level Inputs	Stereo RCA/LFE
Speaker-Level Inputs	No
Speaker-Level Outputs	No
Wireless	Optional
Controls
Low-Pass Crossover Freq	40-160Hz
High-Pass Crossover Freq	N/A
Phase Switch	Yes
App Control	---
Remote	---
Other Info
Height (inches)	17-3/8
Width (inches)	15-3/8
Depth (inches)	20-15/16
Weight	48.75 lbs
Speaker Parts Warranty	5 Years
Speaker Labor Warranty	5 Years
Amplifier Parts Warranty	2 Years
Amplifier Labor Warranty	2 Years

The Klipsch Reference R-112SW replaces these items:

Klipsch SW-112

Product Research

Features

12" Cerametallic Woofer: The Klipsch R-112SW features a front-firing 12" spun-copper Cerametallic woofer that is exceptionally light yet extremely rigid, while providing remarkably low frequency response with minimal cone breakup and distortion.

300 Watt Amplifier: The Klipsch R-112SW powered sub employs an all-digital 300 watt RMS (600 watt Peak) amplifier for dynamic bass performance. The built-in all-digital amplifier delivers ample power with high efficiency and true-to-source accuracy in reproduction.

MDF Cabinet: The R-112SW is housed in a durable MDF cabinet and finished with a brushed black polymer veneer. The MDF enclosure is rigid and protects against unwanted vibration and distortion.

Front-Firing Slot Port: The front-firing slot port with proprietary internal geometry minimizes port noise for clean undistorted low frequencies. This highly efficient enclosure design produces more output using less energy.

Controls: The level control, low pass crossover, and phase control allow you to blend the powered subwoofer's low-frequency tones with your system's other speakers, as well as establish the ideal level of bass.

Level Control: The level control adjusts the subwoofer's volume relative to the rest of your home audio system. After the sub's level control has been set, the volume control of your AV receiver will be the volume control for both the Klipsch powered subwoofer and your connected loudspeakers.
Low Pass Crossover: The variable lowpass crossover is adjustable from 40-160Hz. The crossover point chosen determines where low bass frequencies are "handed-off" from your AV system's loudspeakers to the Klipsch powered subwoofer. Set the crossover point based on the size of your systems' main left/right speakers.
Phase Control: This control is used to acoustically match the subwoofer's output to your main speakers. Select the position either 0˚ or 180˚ in which your subwoofer has more output at the listening position.

LFE/RCA Inputs: The Klipsch R-112SW powered subwoofer is equipped with a pair of line-level RCA-type inputs to connect the sub to your receiver or integrated amplifier.

LFE Input: Most of today's AV receivers have a line-level subwoofer output (LFE). If your receiver has an LFE output, connect one end of a subwoofer cable (sold separately) to this output and connect the other end of the cable into the powered subwoofer's line-level input labeled "LEFT/LFE". Set the powered sub's built-in crossover to "LFE" with this type of connection.
Stereo Input: In absence of a subwoofer (LFE) output on your receiver, as an alternative hookup, you can connect Left & Right channel pre-amp outputs from the receiver to both the "Left/LFE" and "Right" inputs on the powered subwoofer.

WA Port (optional): The Klipsch powered subwoofer is fitted with a proprietary 4-pin "WA-Port" connector for wireless operation, using Klipsch's optional WA-2 wireless subwoofer kit (714WA2, sold separately). The Klipsch WA-2 wireless subwoofer kit consists of two components; a wireless Transmitter & wireless Receiver. The WA-2 wireless subwoofer kit makes adding the Klipsch powered subwoofer to your home theater system much easier, because it replaces the need for a separate subwoofer cable that traditionally must be connected between the receiver and the powered sub. Now, you can easily place your powered subwoofer where it both sounds and looks best in the room since you're not restricted by an audio cable.

LED Indicator: The front-mounted LED power indicator lets you know when the sub is powered on or off. The LED will light green when the powered subwoofer is on and receiving a signal. If the LED is dark and not lit, the powered sub is off.

Auto Power On/Off: With the power switch in the Auto position, the subwoofer will automatically turn On when it senses an audio signal. It will automatically go into "Standby mode" after 15-20 minutes with no audio signal. You can also manually turn the sub On/Off (Standby) using the 3-position power switch on the back.

Placement: Klipsch powered subwoofers are designed to reproduce deep bass and deliver the impact that makes your movies and music come alive. For optimum performance, place your subwoofer in a corner of the room on the same wall as your front channel speakers. Please note that room placement can have a dramatic effect on the performance of your powered subwoofer. Corner placement, as suggested above, will increase the amount of bass output, while placing the subwoofer along the middle of a wall, or out in the room will decrease the amount of bass output.

The Klipsch Reference R-112SW replaces these items

Klipsch SW-112

Powered subwoofer

25 reviews

12" front-firing woofer
built-in 300-watt amplifier (continuous power)
frequency response 26-120 Hz

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19 questions already asked

I have a denon receiver with only one plug for a subwoofer. Can you hook up two of them?

tim Dec 27, 2022

1 answer

Greetings Timothy, and thank you for your question. If you only have the one subwoofer out, but want two subwoofers, you split the one sub out to 2 with an RCA splitter.

hogan Dec 27, 2022 (Staff)

Does anyone have any input on these speakers in a larger area? I have a 3600sq/ft garage that I am putting a sound system in. I called crutchfield and they are recommending this sub, but after reading the reviews it seems no one is running these in an area more than 1000sq/ft so I feel this is not enough for what I want. I wound rather have bass that I can turn down when needed rather than something that either isnâ??t enough or something that is running at its max at all times. I will be running a Denon DRA800 receiver and KLH Kendall floor standing units for mids/highs a of now

matthew Oct 30, 2021

2 answers

Hello, I used this sub in my basement for my Home Theater System, and it pumped out plenty of bass that I can hear and feel. Of course, my basement is well insulated so that what I would have expected, but since I don't know if yours is a finished garage, but I suspect that you would not have problem with this sub performance, in my opinion. Take care, and good luck! Sang

sang Nov 01, 2021

Look at SVS subwoofers. I think those would do a much better job.Enter an answer to this question.

jeff Oct 30, 2021

I would appreciate some help. I recently purchased and hooked up the R-112SW. I have a Denon AVR-X4200W home theater receiver, a Panasonic DP-UB820 DVD player and the speakers are Klipsch Forte' main and other Klipsch speakers from the Heritage or Reference series. I hooked up the sub using the Klipsch WA-2 wireless audio adapter. I reran setup on the receiver to send information to the subwoofer output on the receiver. The sub performs amazingly on movies (i.e. James Bond Spectre) but I do not hear it on CDs or when watching television. The auto mode does not seem to work. The other morning I heard some sputtering/muttering and with the help of my dog we traced it to the sub. The system was off. The sub in auto mode was on. Most of the time the sub seems dormant. The green LED light is on, but nothing seems to be coming from the sub. The sub goes to 24db which is about 5 decibels lower than the Fortes. I would like the sub to work on music. It is impressive when watching movies. What am I doing wrong?

sam May 13, 2021

1 answer

If you purchased the product from Crutchfield, feel free to contact our Tech Support team. Our toll-free Tech Support number is printed on your invoice, and is also available under the "My Orders" tab in the "My Account" section of our website. If you did not purchase the unit from Crutchfield, then you may want to contact the manufacturer.

kristina May 13, 2021 (Staff)

is this sub appropriate for use with my Klipsch Heresy speakers used to play vinyl thru my NAD 388 integrated reciever or is this more for home theater systems??? Thanks!

glen Apr 10, 2021

2 answers

I use this sub in my vinyl set up through an integrated receiver and it sounds awesome.

william Apr 10, 2021

I will say that I only use mine for music and the occasional movie, for me, I set it different for movies then music, so I tend to only use it for music. I own three different brands of subwoofers in this price range and this one does out shine the other two. This is from working within a certain budget. Takes a little tuning in to find that sweet spot, depending on your room and placement. For the price range, I am happy. It accents my floor standing speakers well. Set right, this brings out that bass drum and fills the bottom end. I prefer my subwoofers to blend in and fill, rather then knock the pictures off the wall. I will say that there are better subs out there that might be considered more musical, but you will have to jump up to another price range, and not all are better just because they cost more.

daniel Apr 10, 2021

Will 2 112sw be ok to put with 2 focal chorus 836... Will it add or take away from the quality of sound?

angela Jan 06, 2021

2 answers

It will add a lot of better bass, I have a 12 and 15 with my tower speakers and it sounds great.

brian Jan 06, 2021

A good sub will enhance any speaker set up as it can be adjusted to fit right in. I like mine. Hope that helps!

everett Jan 06, 2021

I would like to purchase this subwoofer but I don't see an LFE input?

frank Oct 08, 2020

6 answers

Yes, there is a LFE input

saeed Oct 12, 2020

The LFE is located in the rear of the speaker (line In ). Easy to find. By the way, these Subs are great.

william Oct 08, 2020

It has an LFE input. It is the white input.

ryan Oct 08, 2020

It does but its the White or left RCA option if you zoom in you can see it. I dont personally use it that way though.

sherman Oct 08, 2020

It does not have one but will work fine from the pre amp outputs of your amplifier. My Marantz PM8006 even changes the sub woofer power with volume adjustments at the amp. Buy it and enjoy!

everett Oct 08, 2020

Yes it has one. It's right above the wireless adapter input. The setting on the low filter ranges from 120 to LFE. I run one subwoofer cable from my sub to my receiver.

carmen Oct 08, 2020

Does the speaker has a Bluetooth connection?

jimmie Sep 22, 2020

3 answers

No Bluetooth connection

jeremy Sep 24, 2020

I don't believe this model has Bluetooth capability. I connected mine via sub cable to my receiver

carson Sep 23, 2020

ralph Sep 22, 2020

Any suggestions on where to set low pass cross over frequency?

paul Jul 23, 2020

2 answers

I am using mine in a 12'x14' room and have mine set up at just past 80, by a third.Enter

kevin Jul 25, 2020

As you no doubt know this is a powerful Sub. I've had my best results with the crossover set just below 80hz and gain right in the middle of the spectrum. Hope this helps.

travis Jul 25, 2020

I am in the market for a sub and this has a price that seems too good to be true. Do these have the updated amp, or the amp that will go out relativity soon?

new user Jun 30, 2020

2 answers

I am not "in the know" about amplifier updates, when an update may have been implemented, what products and/or serial #'s were included, etc. That said, I purchased the R-112sw in the Fall of 2018 and have not had a single issue. It sees moderate usage, and we typically stay way below it's available output range. This sub can easily fill a room much larger than my theater room. Based upon my experience, I would absolutely recommend it as a great option for adding low end.

zachary Jul 03, 2020

J. I have been very happy with the sub I listen to a lot of music and I like it loud I have a lot of klipsch and I don't think you can go wrong with klipsch lol it must be updated

jeremy Jul 03, 2020

Hi, Original r112sw Amps seem to have some issue which I think is addressed by Klipsch , are these subs updated with latest amps or still have old amps?

pj Jun 07, 2020

1 answer

I do not know about that. But I do not have any issues and they are really powerful. vibrates the whole house :)

ashok Nov 11, 2021

Do you sell the r- 112sw in cherry finish ?

jeffrey Mar 23, 2020

1 answer

No we don't carry that subwoofer in cherry or black any longer.

casey Apr 21, 2020 (Staff)

will this connect to a klipsch soundbar that has a 8"sub now? will switch the 8 for 12 if it does.

shawn Dec 24, 2019

2 answers

I use a separate receiver to push 2 - 8" Klipsch subs and 1 - 12" Klipsch sub. I have a seperate receiver to push a pair of MTX AAL 1240 / 200watts each.Enter

kevin Jan 09, 2020

Should. This woofer has an amp.

walter Dec 24, 2019

How is the sensitivity for the auto on and off? I tried the Klipsch spl-120 and it would not come on automatically until I turned the volume up loud. Klipsch's response was to just flip switch to on and leave it there as it does not consume much power. I sent it back but I did love the sound. Would be willing to try the r-112sw if the auto on worked properly.

jerry Dec 12, 2019

6 answers

Mine has worked fine, and I use the Klipsch RF remote. Great sub.

mark Dec 16, 2019

The auto on\off is fully based on your front speakers configuration, what is the setting of the crossover frequency from the receiver\amp and are the speakers set to small or large.

albert Dec 13, 2019

I found the auto feature to work great! I do have the gain turned up to about a 6 (just passed the mid detention) but wouldn't consider them to require a 'loud' setting at all. The only sensitivity is to the appropriate frequency. They won't turn on until your set frequency is detected. So if you're turning on your system to resume a movie and you're in the middle of a dialogue with no low/deep music notes they'll stay off until the appropriate frequency is detected. I have 2 of these units now and they turn on simultaneously every time.

tim Dec 13, 2019

I have had no issues, works at any volume

charles Dec 13, 2019

Mine comes on at very low volume. Love this speaker

al Dec 12, 2019

I enjoy having mine and it adds to the sound but there definitely has to be a significant signal on the SW channel for the unit to come on automatically. I've not really noticed a gap in response when it isn't on so I suspect it's sensitive enough to come on by the time I would notice the lack. You shouldn't expect to see it come on every time you use the stereo, however, unless there's more bass content than a fair bit of the orchestral music I listen to. Mine definitely comes on reliably for heavy organ pedal work, Tchaikovsky's 1812, and movie themes in the John Williams genre.

jim Dec 12, 2019

Where is it made?

brian Mar 12, 2019

2 answers

Klipsch says made in America, but likely made in China.

charles r Mar 20, 2019

China

constantino Mar 20, 2019

I can't get any sound out of my subwoofer, is there a setting I'm missing on my receiver? I've connected the subwoofer to the Subwoofer 1 Pre Out output on the receiver and L/LFE on the subwoofer input. I have the lowpass knob as high as it will go on the sub, and I have the front and center speakers set as "small" on the received with a crossover at 90hz. Am I missing a setting on the receiver, the sub just isn't getting a signal?

matthew Aug 04, 2018

2 answers

If you are going Sub pre out, it is a preamplifier out for a powered subwoofer. If your sub is not powered, you will need an amp for that channel.

lowell Oct 28, 2020

kristina Aug 08, 2018 (Staff)

Can someone explain what the wireless adaptor for this will allow me to do? I am looking to send a signal from my integrated amplifier to a subwoofer wirelessly. Is this at all a possibility?

paul and mary Feb 26, 2018

2 answers

I use a Klipsch WA2 Wireless Subwoofer kit to connect my subwoofer to my system. I love it because it allows me to put each component where I want without running wires.

randy Apr 13, 2020

No idea

thomas Feb 28, 2018

I have a room thats about 15x18. Would one of these 12" subs be adequate for my space or is 2 recommended?

ryan Sep 02, 2017

4 answers

This sub will rock that room, I can hear my sub shaking my living room right now!

stanley Sep 03, 2017

I have my R-112SW located in the basement and the sound fills the riom. Considering that you only sit 9-10 feet away from the TV or stereo system when you listen I would think that one subwoofer would do the trick. However, if you are overly concerned about the sound filling the room, you could always step up to the R-115SW, you'd be spending the $$ anyway if you get 2 R-112SWs

michael Sep 03, 2017

Hi Ryan I have mine placed in a room about 12x16 and I have the gain turned down to around 40 to 50%. This sub is so smooth and so strong I would think it would sound great in a larger area with the gain turned up a bit. Worst case, but one and see if it's enough.

michael Sep 03, 2017

This sub when turned on at even 50% capacity creat such a wonderful balance in sound. I watched movies listened to songs and Hans Zimmer this puppy is one of the greatest buy. I highly recommend a decent receiver to optimize performance

nasir Sep 02, 2017

Does the Klipsch Reference R-112SW support 220v?

wariso Oct 12, 2016

2 answers

On the backplate of my unit by the power input it shows110/120 - 220/240 50/60Hz. Hope this helps it is a great speaker.

daniel Oct 17, 2016

Yes it does. It has a switch in the back for 220V.

de la llata Oct 13, 2016

Any info regarding +- db in frequency response ?

sotirios Mar 22, 2016

2 answers

I have no empirical way of measuring how close this subwoofer comes to reproducing advertised frequency, however I can say that movies are more immersive, with the subwoofer providing that extra "punch" when appropriate. Formula 1 and Nascar races are fun to watch, as the subwoofer makes you feel like you're there. Music is more real sounding as the bass produces more depth to overall experience. Overall I'm really impressed with this subwoofer! I hope this helps!

michael Mar 24, 2016

I'm not sure this will be of much help, the frequency response on the R112SW is 24-125 The following info was pulled directly from the Klipsch website. Klipsch subwoofers are equipped with spun copper, front-firing CerametallicT woofers that are exceptionally light yet rigid to provide a remarkable low-frequency response with minimal cone breakup and distortion. Each subwoofer's all-digital amplifier delivers ample power with high efficiency and true-to-source accuracy in reproduction. Their front-firing slot ports utilize exclusive internal flare technology to minimize port noise for clean, detailed sounds. Each model also houses a satin painted MDF plinth to produce incredible acoustic decoupling so the subwoofer is heard-not the room.

joseph Mar 24, 2016

SHOW MORESHOW LESS

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