# Dual Klipsch rw-12d or single Outlaw lfm-1 ex?



## lupp5214 (Feb 15, 2013)

I've been reading about the benefits of dual subs lately. I had my mind set on an outlaw Lfm-1 ex but can't swing two of them. With the Klipsch subs being such a good price lately would I be better off running two Klipsch subs or stick with a single outlaw?


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

I have never heard the Outlaw sub, but I have a RW-12d in a second system. It is OK; lots of boom. Low freq extension is good. Not considered a "musical" sub; by that I mean the transient response - like a kick drum - won't be as "tight" as a sealed sub. But for movies, it is fine.

Watch Newegg's Friday sales. Once in a while, they sell the RW-12d for $300, and that is new, not B stock. That is who I bought mine from and for that price last summer.


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## lupp5214 (Feb 15, 2013)

I watch pretty much 95% movies and maybe some music once in a while. I haven't had any type of home theater system in almost 10 years so I'm guessing dual 12's will blow away the single 8" I remember. Ha!


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

That being the case, I am sure you will be pleased with two of the RW-12ds.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

I only have experience with the LFM1-EX.
it is a good sub and I am very satisfied with it.
When it comes to getting two of the RW-12D or one LFM1-EX, here are the questions I would consider:
1) How important is getting the lowest extension ? Multiple subs do not increase extension, and the EX has lower extension. 
2) How many places can the sub actually be located ? While two subs may produce more even sound they may also cause cancelations. 
3) Are you the type of person that will set your sub up once as good as you can and then leave it alone, or are you going to want to always be messing with it by changing modes or jacking the volume of the sub way up ? The Klipsch has a remote control.
4) Resale value, in the event you ever want to sell, a lot more people have heard of Klipsch than have heard of Outlaw.

I thought long and hard about a single RW-12D, in the end I went with the EX, if I was doing it again I might consider going even higher up the food chain and get a SVS PC-13 Ultra.


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## lupp5214 (Feb 15, 2013)

Those are some good points and worth considering. A few I hadn't thought of and will definitely have to consider. I'm thinking I may just get the two Klipsch subs, set them up and see how they sound. If I like it great, if not then maybe I just go with one Outlaw now and then save for another if need be. Decisions, decisions.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I have heard dual Klipsch RW-12D's and they definitely impressed for the money. Haven't heard the Outlaw, but it's reputation is very solid. There is very little doubt the LFM-1 EX is superior to the RW-12D.

If you are able to swing dual LFM-1 EX's eventually, I'd highly recommend going with one now and save for the next.


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## ratm (Sep 17, 2010)

tesseract said:


> I have heard dual Klipsch RW-12D's and they definitely impressed for the money. Haven't heard the Outlaw, but it's reputation is very solid. There is very little doubt the LFM-1 EX is superior to the RW-12D.
> 
> If you are able to swing dual LFM-1 EX's eventually, I'd highly recommend going with one now and save for the next.


+1 to all of this.


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## Archaea (Jun 5, 2011)

The Klipsch RW-12D will begin to go below port tune at around 24Hz, and response will fall off hard because this is a ported sub. That said these are IMPRESSIVE little guys for $300. The Outlaw EX seems to be capable of 16-18hz in room. If you have a small room I'd take a single outlaw over dual Klipsch. If you have a medium size or big room I'd take a pair of klipsch for the same money. It's hard to fill a large room with the lowest frequency audio --- yet the 20hz stuff is some of the 'most fun' most tactile of any of the subwoofer spectrum. Both outlaw and klipsch are going to be similar in max output sound pressure levels - - so in a big room with the additional difficulty of pressuring it - you'd better just get two and be happy with subwoofer performance down to 24hz'ish.

As the others have said - two points are very true

1) buy the most sub you can afford and buy a second later
2) you can't get more deep extension by adding more subs - you can only get more 'volume' (SPL) in the frequencies the sub's can produce - this is especially true in ported subs because the frequencies recreated below port tune are largerly distortion. IE you could have 8 Klipsch RW-12Ds and you'll never have clean 18hz material reproduction.


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