With its grille on, the R-121SW isn’t a very distinctive subwoofer. That isn’t to say it looks bad at all but rather it is a fairly routine black box like many other subs. It uses a black vinyl faux wood grain finish that can be seen in many other speakers and subs in this class. What is nice is that it is a fingerprint-resistant finish, unlike many satin or gloss finishes. All of the edges are hard angles and there is no edge rounding, so the cabinet doesn’t make much effort in hiding its boxiness. It disappears easily into a room corner for those who do not want something that attracts much attention. What helps in this respect is that it is on the smaller side of 12” ported subs, and it’s not a large subwoofer by most people’s standards, although it certainly wouldn’t be considered tiny either. It is only when the grille is removed that the sub visually separates itself from competitors. Removing the grille unveils Klipsch’s trademarked copper cone. To me, the copper cone design of Klipsch has always added a touch of class. Removing the grille also exposes a front-mounted LED power indicator that lets you know the sub’s power state. Overall, it is not a pretty subwoofer nor is it an ugly one. It just looks like a typical subwoofer.

Features

• 12″ front-firing woofer made of spun-copper TCP (Thermoformed Crystalline Polymer)
• built-in digital amplifier delivers 200 watts RMS of continuous power (400 watts peak dynamic power)
• frequency response: 28-120 Hz
• bass reflex (ported) cabinet design with rear-firing port
• maximum output: 118 dB
• 3/4″ MDF enclosure
• scratch-resistant textured woodgrain vinyl finish
• internal bracing for reduced vibration
• acoustically transparent low-profile grille
• adjustable low-pass crossover (50-160 Hz)
• phase switch (0/180°)
• auto on/off
• RCA line-level/LFE input
• front LED power indicator
• dimensions (measured by Crutchfield): 16″W x 16-5/8″H x 20-15/16″D
• weight: 35.2 lbs.