question for the ear

[prodj101]

after getting your RSW-15, would you say it does pomps and pipes justice?

[TheEAR]

Prodj,

Does the Klipsch RSW15 do Pomp & Pipes justice. The answer is NO

The RSW15 is lunch for the Sunfire Signature down low!Let me go into detail about sub performance at extreme depths(below 30Hz that is)

Last night I did play track four(Vikings)on the Pomp & Pipes CD.I did listen to my lesser Klipsch system and my true High-End Dynaudio/Spendor system.As you know I have a five Sunfire subs and four Klipsch subs including the newst addition the RSW15(a very godo sub BTW,musical,fast and NO nasty BOOM if set right).

And in my larger systm I have the HGS18,Revel B15 and Aerial's SW12.Much more expensive subs with more output down low.

Now...

On the Sunfire Junior the Vikings has no real weight,the tiny sub as good as it is simply cannot move the air or play with any gusto under 30Hz.After came the Carver Knight Shadow subs(two),the Knight Shadow starts to shake the room a good bit but still lacks the frtitude to do the Vikings much justice,at 25Hz its starts to go.Then came the Mark II,this sub took a hinest stab at track four but failed to recreate the organ deepest notes and energy,for its size its an amazing performer,both the KSW12 and 15 combined could not even touch it down low!.Next my most powerful compact sub the Sinfire Signature. This mighty minimite shook the room with force and displayed amazing power.It does however loose clarity as distortion gets in the way at high output,this sub is good to about 20Hz flat(around 100dB in room at 20Hz!in my small room).

Now came Klipsch top of the line subs,first the RSW10.I know this sub is weak below 35hz and starts to fall of very fast.Again track four...not an pipe organ sub.As tight and fast as this sub is its better for those with compact monitors and want some weight to extend monitors that start to fall under 60-70Hz.So as you can gess a no show.

Now came the largest sub in the test so far the RSW15.This sub looks mighty compared to even the Signature or RSW10.Track four came it did atempt to recreate some energy but in comparison to the Signature it failed miserably! It simply does not have sub 25Hz might needed to do justice to this high energy recording.

With this done I moved to my pride and joy...my mainsystem.

Fist I disconected all but the Revel B15.Now time to press play.Set go

Track four came with the most force and impact so far,the subsonic waves really had some power.It felt more powerful in the large room then the Sunfire Sig. felt in mt smaller room!!! Very good This sub does not go really much deeper then the Signature but has more power down low(20-35Hz).Below 20Hz the Revel falls...well with room bass gain it still mainatins some output but nothing spectacular.

Now the would famous HGS18,the largest sub.Well it looks like a giant from the view of its huge massive 18" woofer.Knowing this sub I knew it would go as deep as the disk could provide deep bass.It wend looooooow,true subsonic bass was heard like never before.Simply down very low again the sub does drop a great deal(the price to pay for massive EQ use in a small...for the driver size box).Still the HGS18 can dig as deep as anyone can hear and ...below with little trouble.And sub bass quality is FIRST RATE,as clean as clean will ever be.

Now my fave sub the awesome Aerial SW12.I think of this sub as a great looking powered SVS Ultra.It sits in the best bass spot of the room(yes an advantage over the other subs here,but then it deserves its spot).That track four again...went as deep as the HGS18 with more power! WOW from a 12" driver(HGS18 uses a 18" and Revel a 15")! Very impressive,the only subs with more power down low were the two first generation SVS Ultras I borrowed.So the winner in this comparo would be SVS Ultra then Aerial SW12,HGS18 in third place and Revel B15 in fifth with the Sunfire SIgnature in fifth.

As you can see the competition is not EL Cheapo trashcan subs,only serious contenders need apply.I think the RSW15 was designed for more impact then true deep subsonic bass.For almost all movies it does work great,well for just about anything its ...impressive.But a few pipe organ recordings can show its weakness.

I hope when I purchase the SVS super sub it will leave all competition in its dust down to 16hz

So that is it...

For now