tubetwister

And here is a former thread on the R-12SW...

On sale, right now at Costco. We have two of these in the rear of our theater. I like them so much, I bought another one today to go into a bedroom. Don't let this deal get away! $149.

These are still available, from Sam's and even directly from Klipsch, at $249.00 US. I am considering buying this, but a bit hesitant based on the feedback on this forum. But really...how widespread are these problems? Certainly Klipsch has sold many (thousands?) of these, and there are only a handful of negative reports here. Or maybe wait for the Cinema 600 to go on sale, and just get that model. Or buy a competing brand...

Thanks for the info. That answers my question, as I want something that will pass 4K video and audio through. Most of the soundbars I have looked at have multiple HDMI inputs, sometimes 3. With one output.

Does this allow 4K pass through? Can I plug the HDMI in from the receiver, and then run it to the TV?

$169 is a heck of a bargain. With free delivery. You won't get anything near this level of performance unless you want to spend $250+, and more. We absolutely love ours, positioned in the rear of our theater. It has made a huge difference in the overall impact of sound tracks.

You can do that, but they won't likely drop any more.

BACK ON SALE! At Costco, for $169! I might buy another one! Sale ends 4/4/21. Don't let this get away.

This thread was / is about the R-12SW. When on sale for $169, we bought two of them. And we are extremely pleased with their performance, both on music and movie LFE soundtracks.

I see the R-12SW is on sale a Amazon, now $220.89.

Agree with the above, my RF-7 III’s have killer bass! No sub required when listening to two channel stereo music.

Of the 18 Klipsch speakers in my home, only three of them (RF-7 III's / RC-64 II) were made in Hope, Arkansas. All others made in China. That is not to say China cannot make good speakers (or other high end products), because we love our RP-160M's. It is a matter of economics, and competing for survival in the modern world. My wife and I always buy Made In USA if that is an option.

The R-12SW is back at $250. Both at Costco and Klipsch. I’m so glad a pair was snagged! These make all the difference in the theater.

We have an elevator in our home, and this is what we always use when moving anything (RF-7 III's) that is heavy and/or bulky. No way would I attempt carrying large items up a stairs! So my subs got elevated before they got elevated.

After living with the 4 subs for a short time, it is clear that more really is better! The bass line, along with LFE in soundtracks, is so smooooooth. All enveloping, each seat now gets the full impact. I thought my dual sub setup was good before, but now I am blown away with the impact of 4 subs. Don't know what took me so long to make the leap, but I'm glad I did. The difference is night-and-day!

In my case, using 4 subs, two front and two back, how might this play out? My only EQ has been done with my ears. My Yamaha CX-A5200 can do all the magic calibration stuff, but I just use my own ears. Note the rear subs are about 4 feet higher than the front subs. So by default, the rear subs are raised, and at the ear level of front row center. But they are aimed at a 45 degree angle outboard, with the idea of reflecting the sound off of the side walls.

The other consideration is the floor surface. Is it tile, hard wood, concrete, or carpet? My theater seating is a series of 3 riser platforms. The rear most two subs are elevated as a result, being nearer the center rows ear level. The front subs are in corners, at floor level, but near ear level for those seated front row center.

This makes sense. Steve Guttenburg gave a presentation that having the sub closer to the seating position would also improve your listening pleasure. Like he stated, a sub should not be heard, as it needs to blend in seamlessly with the main speakers.

Lets bump it up a bit. What is available for $250 (the current list price at Klipsch) or less that will out perform the R-12SW? In a side-by-side comparison, double blind. Forget my $169 price tag (still on sale at Costco). I just found some info that when this sub was introduced as a new model, the list price was $350. The following is my post on another HT forum: You did not come off as rude, not at all! You make valid points. The reviews that were looked over come from average folks. For some, this might have been a first time purchase. For others it was an upgrade from another brand, or from a smaller sub. With so many responses, I would not discount their input simply because they are not professional audio engineers. Yes, there were a handful of 1 star ratings, saying this sub totally sucked (pardon my French). I used to scour all of the Hi-Fi and Stereo / Home Theater publications religiously. And numerical measurements are good to know for a products performance. But in the end, we listen with human ears, so perhaps scientific measurements don’t always tell the whole story. I am not a fan of subs! They have a bad reputation in many circles, perhaps based on the cars that I pass on the road with some "Boom Box" blasting away at a very high db level. But that is another story... With the R-12SW's augmenting the 2 subs up front, the sound has been nothing short of awesome. The Space Shuttle lift off (IMAX - Space Shuttle, in 4K), is as close as you can get to the real deal. No, I'm not in denial, as there are certainly subs on the market that will blow this one out of the water. But if I spent $2000+ on a pair of new subs, my wife would blow me out of the water! My RF-7 III's go down to 35 hz, just like my R-820F's. The 7's have bass response that has to be heard! I replaced my VMPS Towers, which were hand built by Brian Cheney, with the 7's. These Klipsch speakers sound so much better than my previous VMPS Towers, and Cheney is legendary in the industry for his designs. The main thrust here is to let others know that a decent performing sub is available, at an entry level price ($169), for those who might be on a tight budget. The R-12SW had an original list price of $350, when introduced as a new model. I appreciate your input, as well as input from others on their personal experiences with subwoofers in general.

You might find this interesting.

My front subs are from Madisound, the same company in your link above. Sealed enclosures, 12 inch drivers. Powered by a B&K amp. These perform well. The subs were purchased as complete kits, and I assembled them. Very easy! But I now have learned the advantages of a powered sub. More flexibility in tuning and tweaking. Before most of the info I saw stated that powered subs are prone to failure of the amplifier due to cabinet vibration. The R-12SW’s are holding up well, and playing nice with the other subs. Had to boost the sub level by 6 db, and then back off the Klipsch subs a bit to get an overall balance in the room. These are hyper efficient! While these do perform decently with music, they really shine with sound track LFE. I have the IMAX movie Space Station, in 4K. The liftoff of the shuttle is impressive, and you can “feel” the power of the rockets as they all fire up. So far, we are very happy with this purchase. Klipsch no longer has them on sale, but the price at Costco is still $169.

We just augmented our theater with 2 more subs, R-12SW’s, on sale at Costco for $169. Correct, I did not know that 2 more subs were needed until I heard the impact with 4 subs.

Not a deal breaker, as it is easy to repair. Just order a replacement speaker from Klipsch. I did this myself many years ago with a Klipsch CC. Of course, make the owner cover the repairs. No big deal. Or just pony up the $1499 for a III.

Ok...after living with these two subs, they are performing at a level that is way above their pay-grade! Smooth bass lines literally roll across the seats in my theater. With great low end. Tight and clean...yes, really. These sound so good that I actually enjoy the music tracks in some commercials on TV. These are positioned in the rear inner corners in the theater. Having an all around bass sound (4 subs, 2 front, 2 rear) has done wonders for soundtracks in movies like Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge, etc. Yes, there are better ($$$) subs available. But to realize a significant upgrade in overall performance, you would have to spend several multiples of the current $169 price tag. Anyone who is looking for a bargain, this is your chance. And you will not be disappointed.

Did a search, and found this. So I’m not the only one who is looking into this...