Klipsch PRO-10SW-LS

A subwoofer buried in the garden, with just an aluminum cap flush with ground level: the principle of the PRO-10SW-LS neatly sums up Klipsch’s approach to outdoor audio. The enclosure disappears underground, but the sound does not. With its 25 cm IMG-cone driver and band-pass design, this passive subwoofer delivers the low frequencies missing from the Landscape range’s satellite speakers, while remaining almost invisible in a flower bed or at the edge of a patio.

An enclosure designed to live underground

The PRO-10SW-LS is a semi-buried subwoofer: a hole is dug to match the enclosure’s dimensions, it is placed inside, and only the aluminum cap remains visible at the surface. This cap, with a metallic brown finish, blends fairly naturally into a planted environment. If the color is not suitable, it can be repainted: Klipsch has provided a surface compatible with painting. The enclosure itself, in matte black high-density polyethylene, can also be painted, although in practice it is buried and therefore invisible.

The choice of semi-burial (as opposed to the PRO-12SW-LS, its larger 30 cm sibling that is fully buried) is a compromise between discretion and ease of installation. The cap remains accessible, which makes maintenance easier, but you have to accept that an element a few centimeters high will be visible on the ground.

IMG cone and band-pass loading

The 25 cm driver uses IMG (Injection Molded Graphite) technology, common to most Klipsch speakers. The injection-molded graphite cone is both rigid and lightweight, two qualities sought after for a woofer: rigidity limits unwanted cone deformation at high levels, while lightness promotes responsiveness and efficiency.

With a sensitivity of 90 dB, the PRO-10SW-LS takes advantage of this efficiency. The stated frequency response goes down to 40 Hz (± 6 dB), and even 33 Hz if a wider tolerance is accepted (± 10 dB). Outdoors, where there are neither walls nor ceiling to reinforce bass through reflection, this is an appreciable point: the bass must propagate through an open space, and a subwoofer that reaches low with good efficiency starts with a definite advantage.

The band-pass design also plays a role here. The driver radiates through the enclosure’s air volume, which naturally filters out high frequencies and concentrates energy in the useful bass band. The advantage: no need for a complex external crossover, and good power handling (200 W).

Dual voice coil and impedance flexibility

This is one of the most interesting technical aspects of the PRO-10SW-LS. The driver features a dual voice coil that allows three different impedance configurations, without resorting to a transformer.

In 70 V mode (250 W), the subwoofer integrates into a 70-volt distribution line, a standard used in commercial installations and large residences to power many speakers over long distances with a single amplifier. Avoiding the transformer is a deliberate choice: in a subwoofer, a transformer acts like a high-pass filter that cuts the very lowest frequencies, exactly the ones you want to reproduce. The dual voice coil gets around this problem.

In low-impedance mode, wiring the two coils allows either 8-ohm stereo operation or 4-ohm mono operation. The 8-ohm stereo mode is suitable when the subwoofer is connected to the two channels of a conventional hi-fi amplifier. The 4-ohm mono mode is suitable for a dedicated subwoofer output. This versatility allows the PRO-10SW-LS to be used both in a simple residential system and in a large-scale distributed installation.

The integrated four-conductor cable, suitable for direct burial, is used to select the impedance mode without an external switch. The absence of a switch is a technical choice related to waterproofing: any switch constitutes a potential entry point for water.

Construction designed to last outdoors

IP45 certification guarantees protection against water spray and solid objects larger than one millimeter. It is not complete waterproofing (the subwoofer would not withstand prolonged immersion), but it is sufficient to resist rain, automatic watering, and ordinary bad weather.

The rustproof aluminum cap resists corrosion and UV rays, two enemies of equipment left outdoors permanently. The high-density polyethylene enclosure withstands impacts, temperature variations, and ground moisture. The whole unit weighs nearly 16 kg and measures 55.5 × 40.9 × 40.9 cm: a substantial size, but consistent with the enclosure volume required for good low-frequency extension.

Pairing the PRO-10SW-LS with the rest of the system

This subwoofer is passive: it needs an external amplifier. In a standard residential installation, a stereo amplifier or an amplifier with a subwoofer output will do the job. In a commercial or distributed installation, a 70 V amplifier is required.

The PRO-10SW-LS is designed to complement the satellite speakers in the Klipsch Landscape range, such as the PRO-500T-LS or PRO-650T-LS, which are stake-mounted speakers covering the midrange and treble. These satellites do not go below about 90-130 Hz: the subwoofer takes over below that point and ensures the overall spectral coherence. Several subwoofers can be distributed throughout a garden to even out bass coverage over a large area.

Technical Specifications

Design and Architecture

• Type: semi-in-ground outdoor subwoofer (bandpass)
• Speaker: 1 x 25.4 cm (10”) long-excursion IMG
• Technology: dual voice coil, transformer-less
• Application: residential and commercial outdoor audio systems

Audio Performance

• Frequency response:
  • 47 Hz – 103 Hz (± 3 dB)
  • 40 Hz – 110 Hz (± 6 dB)
  • 33 Hz – 123 Hz (± 10 dB)
• Sensitivity: 90 dB
• Power handling: 200 W

Connectivity and Compatibility

• Impedance:
  • 70 V at 250 W (transformer-less)
  • 8 ohms stereo
  • 4 ohms mono
• Wiring: integrated 4-conductor cable for secure in-ground installation

Construction and Durability

• Certification: IP45 (weather resistance)
• Grille:
  • Material: stainless aluminum, UV-resistant
  • Finish: metallic brown (paintable)
• Enclosure:
  • Material: high-density polyethylene, impact-resistant
  • Finish: matte black (paintable)

Dimensions and Weight

• Dimensions (H x W x D): 555 x 409 x 409 mm
• Weight: 15.9 kg