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Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Model number: SUB-12 |SKU: 7039527
Get heart-pounding, earthshaking bass from your music and movies with this 12" subwoofer that adds a kick to your home theater system. 12" powered subwoofer delivers thunderous bass for awesome home theater audio Built-in BASH digital amplifier supplies 650 watts peak power, 300 watts RMS (continuous) 12" driver in a bass-reflex enclosure with rear-firing, 4-1/2" round port efficiently transmits bass energy to the room for powerful, tight, dynamic bass reproduction
Average Customer Rating:
4.9 out of 5(71 Reviews)
Rating Breakdown
(71 reviews)
5 stars
(68)
4 stars
(1)
3 stars
(2)
2 stars
(0)
1 star
(0)
69 of 71 (97%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Review 1 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
WOW, Awesome subwoofer!09/11/2009
By gr8tdanefrom Holland Patent, NY
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Thunderous bass What's not so great: Really bright LED in the front, very distracting
"My JBL 12" subwoofer blew, the factory couldn't fix it and Best Buy dropped them out of their store, thank god for the 4 year ext. warr. They gave me this big boy as a raplacement, this kicks the hell out of my old JBL which lasted only 1-1/2 years. The only tiny thing is that super bright LED right in the front, you can use it as a night light. That's the ONLY thing about this that I don't care for. Just spend a buck and get one, you will tick off your neighbors!! LOL"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 2 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Absolutely Outstanding!08/22/2009
By Jazzbufffrom Palm Coast, Florida
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
4.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Sound quality and ease of set up. What's not so great: Length
"I'm a professional musician and have had my present home theater for over three years. I've never felt that my home theater sound was that great despite having five high-end Sonance ceiling speakers. My old subwoofer stopped working so I conducted research on a replacement. The evaluations and reviews for the Klipsch 12" were outstanding. I bought the Klipsch and compared it with another 8" subwoofer. There was no comparison in the sound quality and projection between the 8" and Klipsch 12". My home theater square footage is less than 300 square feet. Theoretically, an 8" or 10" subwoofer should be sufficient. However, based on my experience, if you live in a home, the 12" is much better. My home theater now sounds the way I always envisioned it to sound -- outstanding. I can't wait to invite my buddies over for the Super Bowl."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 3 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Good Quality Bass07/23/2009
By FrostedFlakeJakefrom Detroit, MI
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Great Bass, Great Great Value, What's not so great: Lacks hitting high notes
"I received this subwoofer for Christmas in 2007. I love it. I've never used it for a home theater system; only for music. It enhances the sound and experience of any genre of music. You may need to make some small adjustments depending on what your listening to (more bass on things like jazz and rock. less bass on things like rap and hip-hop). Most of the time, mine is hooked up to a pretty low quality sony bookshelf cd player system. To be honest, the sub doesn't really care. It works amazingly. Right now i have it hooked up for the first time to a yamaha system including a yamaha head unit. It really pushes the bass.
This bass is strong. It's quite simple. It will rattle the dishes on the other side of your house if you turn up the volume. For this price its amazing. For another couple hundred bucks i would still say its worth it. I have some experience with things that make noise. In a rock band. And have about $2000 into my car audio. Make sure to try several different placements for the sub. For example, in my room, i have it placed so that when im in my chair, the bass sounds amazing. But if your standing by my door, you can't even really hear it. You can feel it, but can't hear it. Which is by no means the speakers fault, you just have to experiment with different placements. If i remember correctly the subwoofer comes with a guide to help you with that. It's a great sub and i got it because at the time, it was the most powerfull one at bestbuy. The only thing i fear is what i fear with all my speakers, blowing it. I keep my gain setting at about 40% and the bass at 0db. With this yamaha head i have to have my bass at -12db!!! I'm too afraid of blowing it."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 4 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
INSANE!!!!07/11/2009
By Nick51from Twin Cities, MN
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Great for movies and rap with huge bass What's not so great: not as good for rock
"When i first got this sub hooked up to my system i played my subwoofer test song... Lets just say that i do not turn the sub up past 60% of its own volume and i have not turned up my receiver past -10 Db. This is the best sub i have ever heard. I know a lot about music, electronics and anything relating to these things. This sub is more than worth the price. It hits HARD and can pick up the really low frequencies if you have it set up right. i have this sub in the basement of my house (the house is pretty big) i can easily hear and feel it in my room upstairs and on the other side of the house. I can hear and feel it probably about 200+ feet away outside easily. i am afraid to turn the sub up louder because it honestly feels like the walls are going to fall down.
the only thing about this sub that im not a fan of- but i knew it would be this way before i bought it- is the fact that it does not respond well to rock. This type of music generally responds better to an 8 and sometimes even a 10 inch sub. it still hits alright here and there- better for some songs than others but i primarily listen to rap with huge bass and watch movies so it responds perfectly!
If you're looking for a sub and are even remotely serious about music or movies, do not settle for a cheap $200 sub. read other reviews if you have your doubts but there really is no better sub for the money. i would never spend money on the "high end" subs because i really think that this sub is better than them."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 5 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Top 250 Contributor
Customer Rating
5.05
Klipsch Sub1206/21/2009
By Ronnie12from Albany, NY
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: The power and price
"The klipsch sub12 is an extraordinary subwoofer. The bass from this sub can make the whole house shake. I am considering buying this subwoofer on top of the klipsch sub10 that I already own. I have seen the subwoofer on sale at bestbuy before for around $375 and regret not buying it now. Even for its regular price at $475 its worth it. It delievers more bass than some subwoofers that are $1000 or more. For the price and the performance of the subwoofer you are definitely getting your moneys worth. I would recommend this subwoofer to anyone who wants to add some incredible deep bass to their home theater."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 6 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Buy THIS sub. Don't waste money on anything less06/14/2009
By LiveFreeChrisfrom New Hampshire
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Plug it, crank it... enjoy. What's not so great: I can't find anything I don't like
"This thing is a joy. You can get all technical matching it with this speaker set or that... that bottom line is this sub will adapt. It plays well with others.
:)
I moved it to multiple systems throughout the house. The little cheapy receiver in the bedroom cranked just as hard as the Marantz in the living room and I feel the earth move... under my feet.
I love it.
You can spend less and you will get less. DO NOT PURCHASE a cheapy sub... go the extra mile for this 12" beauty and you will be rewarded.
Want to cheap out? Go for the SONY 10" 100 Watt... it's awesome for what it is. If you want EARTH SHATTERING bass that rumbles you to the bone... Klipsch 12" 650 Watt.
(recommended with flying colors)"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 7 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
3.05
a little too underpowered for my taste05/11/2009
By graham776from Cleveland, Oh
Value for Price
3.05
Sound Quality
3.05
Appearance
4.05
Power
3.05
What's great about it: simple, clean design What's not so great: not loud enough for my system
"I bought this sub along with the Klipsch Icon XW-500d from BB. I got this one first and hooked it up to my receiver (Yamaha DSP A-1) via the coaxial LFE input on the sub as recommended by Klipsh. I powered up the Blue Ray and put on Quantum of Solace to watch the opening sequence with the car chase.
At first I thought there was a problem with the sub as I didn't really notice much of any difference with it on compared to without it. I adjusted the gain and low-pass filters on the sub and had to have the sub at well over 1/2 gain (actually closer to 2/3) in order for it to be noticed over my mains (Klipsch KLF-20's). I really thought that with 300w RMS on tap and a 12" passive driver being pushed by a 10" powered driver that there would be a lot more bass response from this speaker, especially after reading so many positive reviews of the sub-12 on this site as well as on Klipsch.com.
I played around with better locations for the speaker including placing it in a corner with the tuned port facing the wall with no success. I even tried it on bare floors and didn't really notice any appreciable difference in the output.
In my experience when you pump up the gain on the sub too much it gets boomy and less musical and accuracy suffers greatly. Maybe my other speakers are really just that good, or maybe this sub is underpowered for my application, but I was disappointed in it's performance in my home theater. Hopefully, the XW-500d is better suited for my system. It arrives tomorrow and I'll review it once I've had a chance to audition it in my home.
I'm not going to say this subwoofer is a bad product as I have had great luck and satisfaction with all my previous Klipsch products in the past. It's just that the sub-12 isn't powerful enough to hold its own against my KLF-20's and KSW-C7 center channel. The sub-12 is a little long in the tooth having been introduced by Klipsch a couple of years ago, so maybe they have something newer and stronger in the pipeline. Myself, I'm going to have to look elsewhere for a subwoofer that's able to really pound out the lows for my movies and music. But, for someone looking to fill a small room or an apartment with decent bass this item may be the ticket to round out a moderate sized home theater system."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:No
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Review 8 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Blast the neighbors out from their dreams.04/27/2009
By SkynetG35from Atlanta, GA
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: This is AWESOME BASS. Earthquake trembling bass. What's not so great: Huge box sitting in corner of room.
"I'm loving it. Maybe a little too much. Just purchased my HTS w/ this sub. I'm sure the sub-10 is more than enough....but this 12 sends earth shattering bass throughout the house. The entire room will tremble whenever there's and explosion in the movie and the volume is high enough....(evil laugh)...and then the neighbors will probably jump out from their dreams....EARTHQUAKE! Imagine 2 of these on a 7.2 setup....LOL. Bring the house down.
This sub provides the theater like experience....thats if you have good speakers as well.
My system: Klipsch Quintet III speaker system with Klipsch sub-12 all powered by the Yamaha receiver model 663."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 9 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Great non-Magnolia sub03/22/2009
By jswrightfrom Lawrence, KS
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: GREAT value for price What's not so great: Nothing
"If you are buying a subwoofer, and you're not shopping at Magnolia - this really should be the only one you consider. I don't think I can praise the quality of the Sub-12 enough. It will rock your entire neighborhood if you want it to. Definitely a great buy."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 10 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
stop looking, this is the sub U want03/13/2009
By buxfan11from tampa fl.
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: everything What's not so great: none whatsoever
"this sub is replacing a velodyne vrp 1200- 130 watts rms, and to me was a great sounding sub. my original receiver was a harmon kardon avr 7300. a few weeks ago I got a onkyo tx sr 806 with polk rti 10's fronts, polk cs2 center, and what was originaly meant to be as fronts polk monitor 70's, turned into rears when I found the rti's. I had wanted a little more bang/boom for ht experience, and did some research. I had a price range of $300 to $400, but after reading the reviews on bestbuy for this klipsch I decided to take a chance. I sold the velodyne for the extra $, and I can tell you with no reservation that not one person with a positive review on the klipsch lied or stretched the truth. this sub has to be the most important piece of my audio equipment, I have spent around $6000 and am most happy about this purchase. my A/V room is 15X20. I was about to send the onkyo back and keep the hk, but this sub really brought my entire system to life. when I first plugged this sub in and powered up, the gain was at half, and if i had a dog, he would have ran away, and probably not have come back.I also had to switch walls where the sub was placed, because two pictures had been knocked off the wall in the next room behind the sub. I have heard and read about more pricy units such as svs, hsu, and the like, but why spend the extra $$ when this sub will be plenty for any size of room. It plays music very well also, but is really at its best for home theatre, I dont think I will ever need to go out to a theatre again."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 11 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Very Good02/15/2009
By audiofanfrom Central California, USA
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
4.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: good for 40Hz and lower What's not so great: so so for frequencies above 40Hz...
"I have very picky ears. I've spent a lot of money (too much, actually) trying to find the perfect sound for both music and movies. I've tried subwoofers from the cheapest to the most expensive models from various sellers, including online only companies. I've found that eight inch subwoofers are best for music because they're accurate and tight, and 12 inch ported subwoofers are best for rendering Low Frequency Effects for movies. None---I repeat---not one single subwoofer, can satisfy me for both music and movies at the same time. To meet my needs, I had to have a dual subwoofer system.
I am using the Klipsch Sub-12 in conjunction with a Definitive Technology SuperCube II 8 inch subwoofer. The SuperCube II has very tight accurate bass which is great for music, but it lacks 'punch' in the 40Hz and lower frequencies for earth shaking bass in movies.
That's where the Klipsch Sub-12 comes in. I have the Klipsch Sub-12's Low Pass Filter set at 40Hz, and the volume just at 1/4. It shakes the very foundation of my house. With the Sub-12, I can FEEL gunshots, explosions and earthquates in movies. In my setup, I have the Klipsch Sub-12 dedicated to reproducing only the frequencies 40Hz and lower, and the Definitive Technology SuperCube II focusing on frequencies from 40Hz up to 80Hz. My regular speakers (Definitive Technology Mythos One) take care of the frequencies 80Hz and above.
I won't use the Klipsch Sub-12 for frequencies above 40Hz because to my ears, the sound becomes 'boomy', and too sloppy for accurate and critical music listening. I recommend the Def Tech SuperCube II for that.
For my purpose, at the bargain basement sale price of $375, this subwoofer works. My 5 star rating for "sound quality" applies only to 40Hz and lower."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 12 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Number One Contributor
Customer Rating
5.05
Awesome!!!02/14/2009
By CallawayManfrom Grand Forks, ND
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
"This is a great sub! It has a very clean sound. More power than you will ever need. The best sub I have heard yet!! I love it."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 13 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Well woth it!02/13/2009
By Nismofrom Albuquerque, NM
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Room crushing bass! What's not so great: Nothing yet
"I picked this little gem up on sale for only $375. It was well worth every penney. This powerfull monster brings a whole new level to my home theater system. The first movie I watched with my new sub was Transformers on Blu-Ray. All I could say is WOW. I rediscovered my home theater. If you are in the market for a powerful sub without spending a lotta cash this is the one for you."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 14 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Low Bass02/11/2009
By freqenginefrom Tacoma, WA
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
4.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: House rattling Bass What's not so great: Not enough low frequency range
"This sub made my old 10" sub sound like dogmeat. The low frequency response is excellent. It makes watching old movies feel like you are watching them for the first time.
I bought this Sub to match with the Quintet SL system. I used an audio CD that I used in the past to test car stereos and the very low frequency sound is excellent. The downfiring ported enclosure gives you a lot of rumbling bass. Unfortunately, it does not give good response throughout the whole low freqeuncy range. Normally I would recommend a sealed enclosure or a smaller speaker to get a full range of bass response. I'm not sure if the sub-10 would be better, but you would be giving up some power.
I will probably have to get a front firing 8" subwoofer to get a full range of sound. So just be aware of that depending on what speaker system you match the sub-12 up with. Regardless, it is an awesome subwoofer and I'm sure my neighbors don't like me anymore."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 15 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Sub 12 is great for theater room02/08/2009
By Anonymousfrom Copley, Ohio
What's great about it: Sub 12 is great for theater rooms would buy Def Tech SubPro 1000 for music What's not so great: Music listen.
"I bought the 12" Klipsch Sub 12 which is a 650 watt downward firiing sub and a scratch and dent Def. Tech ProSub 1000 which is a 10" 300 watt forward firing sub to have a 30 day bake off between them. Well, I am keeping them both. The 12" Klipsch Sub 12 is in my theater room shaking my house and the neighbors house as well. The Def Tech ProSub 1000 is in my family room where I mainly listen to music. It does not shake the house like the Klipsch, but it is very tight and a dream to listen too. So depending on what you are using this sub for music or movies would determine which I would recommend buying."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 16 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
great bass sound and well built11/28/2008
By PETEYWOODfrom mount royal, nj
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: nice tight sound What's not so great: n/a
"great bass response with tight reflex. this thing is very powerfull. i only need to have up half way and it thumps the entire house! i piked it up at best best on sale for $375. very happy with the this purchase."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 17 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Great Sub11/26/2008
By David400from Arizona
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Excellent sound What's not so great: Nothing yet
"I got this sub to go along with my new surround sound package and ever since I hooked it up I have been nothing but happy. It was extremely easy to hook up and the sound is better than I imagined. I use it for movies, games and music and it adds the final touch to everythnig that comes out of my reciever! In my opinion you can't get a better sub for the money!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 18 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer11/16/2008
By possin08from Fond du Lac, WI
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: It does its job very well What's not so great: nothing
"I bought this sub to go along with my Klipsch - Quintet SL 5 speaker system. This sub matches very well with the system and provides plenty of response. The adjustible power controls allow you to turn this sub way up or down, so don't even think about getting the 10" and coming up short changed."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 19 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
Take everything off the walls10/30/2008
By Nick19from Naples,Fl
What's great about it: Bestbuy had a 20% off two day sale....what a great deal for the money. What's not so great: The light is a little distracting.
"Great subwoofer.....it will complete your home theater system."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 20 for Klipsch 12" 650W Powered Subwoofer
Customer Rating
5.05
One Awesome Subwoofer10/20/2008
By fuzzywuzzy
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
4.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Big, Punchy, Low Bass You Can Feel! What's not so great: Large Footprint
"Early this year I finally decided to begin building a home theatre/audio system. I had some old speakers I knew I could use for a while, but did not have a receiver or subwoofer. First, I purchased a Denon 2808CI AV receiver. A wonderful receiver I highly recommend.
My next purchase was a subwoofer. I wanted to spend between $400-$600. I spent months researching the internet and reading reviews on many subwoofers. I went to Best Buy and listened to most of the subwoofers in the Magnolia showroom. Based upon the many positive reviews of the Sub-12, I asked the salesperson if he could bring it into the showroom so I could compare it to others. The Sub-12 blew away every other subwoofer! The other subwoofers sounded very localized. In other words, I could definitely tell where the lower frequencies were coming from. In contrast, the Sub-12 filled the room and it sounded as if deep, low, crisp bass was coming from every speaker in the showroom. Because I was interested in getting Definitive Technology speakers for the rest of my system, I compared the Sub-12 with the Pro Sub 1000. Again, no contest, especially at $399, which was my sale price for the Sub-12.
When I installed the Sub-12 at home, my decision was confirmed. I have wood floors. I placed the Sub-12 in a corner, the recommended location. The sound from this thing was pure joy. With every kind of music, I got jaw-dropping, punchy bass, that sounded as if it was coming from every inch of my 25 X 21 foot family room. As I cranked the volume, the sound got better and better. At 300 watts RMS (650 watts peak) there is plenty of power here. I like it loud and even with the volume on the unit just a tad past 12 o'clock, this thing cranks. With movies, it got even better. During the explosion of the Charlotte scene in National Treasure, the deep rumbling and shattering of the wood ship was truly awesome and we could feel the sound in our stomachs. Honestly, the sound was better than in most theaters.
You simply can't go wrong with this sub. You surely can't do better at this price. By the way, I recommend you place it in a corner, use a good coax subwoofer cable, and that you use a "Y" cable to plug into both LFE inputs behind the unit. I believe Klipsch recommends this set up."
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