About the Klipsch Reference R-12SW

Deep bass for any system
Deep bass for any system

It's impossible not to get swept up in the emotion of your music and the action in your favorite movies when Klipsch's R-12SW Reference is kicking out the bass. It delivers powerful, extended bass response thanks to the beefy 200-watt amplifier that effortlessly drives the 12" woofer. With the R-12SW in your system, you'll hear and feel your movies, music, and video games come roaring to life in your living room.
Easy system integration
Line-level and LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) inputs let you easily connect the R-12SW 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 and 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.
Product highlights:
- bass-reflex (ported) enclosure
- 200-watt RMS (400-watts peak) amplifier
- 12" high-excursion IMG (Injection Molded Graphite) front-firing woofer
- frequency response 29-120 Hz (±3dB)
- MDF enclosure with brushed black polymer veneer finish
- variable crossover control
- phase switch to acoustically match the subwoofer's output to your main speakers
- auto on/off
- line level/LFE (low frequency effects) input
- 14"W x 16-1/2"H x 19-1/4"D
- weight: 33 lbs.
- warranty: 5 years woofer, 2 years amplifier
- MFR # 1068530
What's in the box:
Klipsch Reference R-12SW owner's manual
- Powered sub
- Grille (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Sheet
Reviews (112)
Customer reviews for Klipsch Reference R-12SW
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More details on the Klipsch Reference R-12SW

Features & specs
Enclosure | Bass Reflex | |
Woofer Size (inches) | 12 | |
Woofer Composition | Copper IMG | |
Firing Direction | Front | |
Amplifier Output (watts) | 200 | |
Frequency Response | 29-120 Hz | |
Connections | ||
Preamp-Level Inputs | Yes | |
Speaker-Level Inputs | No | |
Speaker-Level Outputs | No | |
Wireless | No | |
Controls | ||
Low-Pass Crossover Freq | 40-120Hz | |
High-Pass Crossover Freq | N/A | |
Phase Switch | Yes | |
App Control | --- | |
Remote | --- | |
Other Info | ||
Height (inches) | 16-5/8 | |
Width (inches) | 14 | |
Depth (inches) | 19-15/16 | |
Weight | 33 lbs | |
Speaker Parts Warranty | 5 Years | |
Speaker Labor Warranty | 5 Years | |
Amplifier Parts Warranty | 2 Years | |
Amplifier Labor Warranty | 2 Years |
Product Research
Features
12" Woofer: The Klipsch Reference series R-12SW powered sub is fitted with a powerful 12" copper-spun IMG (injected molded graphite) front-firing woofer for deep bass. The copper-spun IMG woofer is exceptionally light while being extremely rigid, providing remarkable low frequency response with minimal cone breakup and distortion. The front-firing woofer gives you greater placement flexibility than a down-firing woofer.
200 Watt Amp: The Klipsch R-12SW powered sub employs an all-digital 200 watt RMS (400 watt Peak) amplifier for high efficiency and dynamic bass performance.
MDF Cabinet: The R-12SW 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.
Rear Firing Port: The R-12SW's enclosure uses a bass reflex design with a rear-firing port for greater efficiency and bigger bass.
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 40-120Hz. 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-12SW 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.
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: The powered 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 choose to turn the powered sub On or Off manually from the rear-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.
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Customer Q&A
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Very good subwoofer for the money. I'm running two of these in my home theater. Very clean bass output with plenty of headroom. Works well for both music and surround content.
Donald F from Greencastle,PA