The Klipsch R-41PM is a pair of powered bookshelf speakers which have plenty of features and an affordable price tag. Their compact size allows them to easily fit inside most listening rooms and would be great as desktop speakers. The R-41PM small speaker cabinet and 4″ (100mm) woofers do give us a hint they will need an active subwoofer to supplement their bass performances.
Fortunately, the Klipsch R-41PM comes with a subwoofer output and we can use it to connect to an active sub. Now we just need to find a matching subwoofer to partner up with these powered stand-mounters. Let us learn more about the Klipsch R-41PM speakers before we start sharing with you a list of subwoofers that you can aim for.
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Sound Characteristics of Klipsch R-41PM Powered Speakers
Above the 4″ (100mm) Spun-Copper IMG woofers will be the 1″ (25mm) Aluminum LTS tweeters using Klipsch’s Tractrix horn technology. You will find a rear-firing bass port located at the back of the cabinet. You might want to leave some distance between the Klipsch R-41PM and the rear walls if not, it may reinforce the bass by too much and upset the overall balance. The frequency response of the R-41PM powered speakers is only 76Hz-21kHz (+/-3dB) which comes as no surprise. And it is obvious they won’t be able to deliver subsonic bass frequencies with prominence.
If you are using the Klipsch R-41PM as desktop speakers and for multiple types of entertainment such as watching movies, listening to music, and playing video games. Integrating an active subwoofer will certainly enhance your experience with either of them, especially for movies. For this case, we suggest going with a ported subwoofer unless you only listen to music then a sealed cabinet subwoofer will be a better option. Sealed subwoofers are able to produce bass more accurately and with a tighter delivery when compared to ported subs of the same price range. These are some of the reasons why sealed subs are usually better for music playbacks.
As mentioned earlier, the Klipsch R-41PM has a plethora of features to get your money’s worth. It even has an in-built phono preamp which is really rare for an active speaker at this price range. The other notable feature will be the Bluetooth connection for wireless music streaming. When it comes to sonic performance, the R-41PM speakers are surprisingly loud. At a nearfield listening distance, you don’t really need to turn up the volume dial by too much. The treble doesn’t sound overly bright and has a high level of clarity.
More Details on Klipsch R-41PM at Amazon
The stereo imaging of the Klipsch R-41PM is pretty amazing but it does lack body due to the light bass. The R-41PM also doesn’t produce deep bass prominently and it kind of took away the entertaining experience of watching an action movie scene. This is where a subwoofer will be great in these situations. You might want to consider how deep you require the sub to dig into the bass extension. The further it reaches down, the more expensive the subwoofer may get, not to mention, the size will likely increase as well. Looking at the price point of Klipsch R-41PM, you shouldn’t really go for expensive subwoofers even if you have the budget for them. Unless you are planning to upgrade to another pair of speakers in the future. The list of the best matching subwoofers which we will be sharing later would have the subs’ price points being taken into consideration.
For a desktop sound system set-up, you don’t really need a large-sized subwoofer since it should be placed near your sitting position. You should consider more potential subwoofer requirements before proceeding to have a look at the subwoofer list we have prepared for you.
Klipsch R-41PM Specifications
- RMS Power Output: 70 Watts
- Drivers: 1″ (25mm) Aluminum LTS Tweeter, 4″ (100mm) Spun-Copper IMG Woofer
- Frequency Response: 76Hz-21kHz (+/-3dB)
- Wireless: Bluetooth
- Audio Inputs: RCA, Optical, USB. Aux
- Audio Outputs: Subwoofer Out
Best Matching Subwoofers for Klipsch R-41PM
The Polk Audio PSW10 is certainly one of the best subwoofers to match with your Klipsch R-41PM powered speakers. The PSW10 has amazing bass performance for a subwoofer with such an affordable price tag and this is supported by loads of rave reviews given by its satisfied users. It has a 10-Inch driver powered by a built-in amplifier which provides up to 100 Watts (Peak). The deep bass delivery is tight and doesn’t sound bloated, and the loudness the Polk Audio PSW10 could reach is more than enough for nearfield listening.
More Information about the Polk Audio PSW10 at Amazon
The Klipsch R-100SW costs more than the Polk Audio PSW10 but it could reach deeper into the bass extension and has a higher amplifier power output. Furthermore, the R-100SW is designed and made by the same company as your Klipsch R-41PM speakers. We can expect their sound signatures to blend in together and deliver a full-range sound reproduction seamlessly. This is also an active sub with a 10″ driver and it could deliver clean deep bass. The low-end delivery is accurate and quite agile for a ported sub of this price point.
More Information about the Klipsch R-100SW at Amazon
SVS SB-1000 is a high-quality sealed cabinet subwoofer with a price tag that doesn’t break our wallets. The SB-1000 is considered very powerful for an entry-level sealed sub, its 12-Inch bass driver is been powered by an amplifier and provides up to 720 Watts (Peak). It has a frequency response of 24Hz-260Hz (+/-3dB) and it would be enough for most music genres. The SVS SB-1000 will be a worthy match to your Klipsch R-41PM speakers, adding authoritative and articulate deep bass frequencies to the overall sound reproduction.
More Information on SVS SB-1000 at Amazon
Do you need a compact subwoofer that has a small footprint but without compromising the bass quality? The Yamaha HS8S is an ideal choice for you and will be an amazing subwoofer partner for your Klipsch R-41PM active speakers. This is an 8-Inch studio subwoofer with an impressive frequency response of 22Hz-150Hz. It is capable of producing highly accurate bass with weight and the delivery is taut as well. Due to its size and performance, the Yamaha HS8S would be an excellent subwoofer for a desktop sound system setup.
More Details on Yamaha HS8S Studio Sub at Amazon
The Jamo S 808 SUB is another subwoofer suitable for listeners who are facing space constraints and would be a good match with your Klipsch R-41PM. It is a slim and compact active subwoofer with an 8″ bass driver, allowing you to fit the S 808 SUB into any room. The ultra-slim subwoofer is powered by a Class D amplifier with up to 100W of peak power. The tight bass performance of the Jamo S 808 SUB will suit the Klipsch R-41PM speakers, adding more weight and delivering deeper low frequencies.
More Details on Jamo S 808 SUB at Amazon
For listeners who have the budget and are planning to upgrade their Klipsch R-41PM powered speakers in the future. The SVS PB-1000 Pro will be an exceptional subwoofer choice for you to go for. It is a more powerful and upgraded version of PB-1000, capable of reaching down to 17Hz bass extension. This 12″ ported subwoofer uses a Sledge STA-325D amp to drive up to 820+ Watts of peak power. With this size and power, the SVS PB-1000 Pro is able to shake your room floor and vibrate your furniture.
More Info about the SVS PB-1000 Pro Ported Sub at Amazon
Subwoofers Auditioning
If you have any bass-heavy soundtracks which you are familiar with, you should use them during the auditioning of the chosen subwoofers. From there, you can see how much bass improvements you are hearing and whether it blends in nicely with your Klipsch R-41PM powered speakers. The acoustics of the room will affect the bass quality produced by the subwoofer and so you might want to arrange the audition inside your own room. This allows for more accurate testing.
