If you’re looking to upgrade your home audio system with powerful new tower speakers, two great options to consider are the Kicker 11 tower speakers and the Wet Sounds tower speakers. Both brands offer high-quality speakers engineered to deliver booming, immersive audio. But how do you choose between the Kicker 11 and Wet Sounds tower speakers? This comprehensive comparison guide examines the key features, performance, sound quality, price and other factors to help you decide which tower speakers are the better fit for your needs and budget.
Overview of Kicker 11 Tower Speakers
Kicker is a leading U.S.-based car and home audio brand founded in 1973. The Kicker 11 tower speakers represent one of their flagship home audio lines. Some key details about the Kicker 11 towers:
- Driver Configuration: 3-way tower speakers with dual 8″ subwoofers, 6.5″ midrange drivers and 1″ tweeters
- Power Handling: 150 watts RMS, 600 watts peak
- Frequency Response: 27Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 93dB
- Key Technologies: Kicker’s Double Helix subwoofer voice coils, ribbed polypropylene cones, and vented pole pieces for enhanced bass
- Design: Tall, slim profile tower design in black vinyl cabinet
- Dimensions: 17″ x 8.25″ x 47.75″ (HWD)
The Kicker 11 towers are designed to deliver powerful, deep bass along with clear mids and highs. The dual 8″ subwoofers provide impactful low end, while the 6.5″ midrange drivers and 1″ tweeters reproduce the midrange and treble frequencies with accuracy and detail.
Kicker highlights proprietary technologies like the Double Helix subwoofer coils and vented pole pieces that enhance bass output and minimize distortion. The speakers are easy to integrate into a full home theater setup and have the output capability to fill large rooms with sound.
Overview of Wet Sounds Tower Speakers
Wet Sounds is a specialized marine and powersports audio company that also makes home audio speakers. Here are the key facts on their tower speakers:
- Driver Configuration: 2-way or 3-way tower speakers with 8″ or 10″ subwoofers, 6.5″ midrange drivers, and 1″ or 1.4″ tweeters
- Power Handling: 150 to 350 watts RMS
- Frequency Response: 30Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 90dB to 93dB
- Key Technologies: Proprietary poly/mica injected cone material, customized crossovers,airy vented pole mounts
- Design: Slim, curved tower enclosure in black or white finish
- Dimensions: Varies (up to 47.75″ H)
Wet Sounds tower speakers like the WS-TW11 and WS-TW280 models are designed to deliver room-filling audio with enhanced bass, mids and highs. Their speakers feature proprietary driver materials and tuned crossovers for optimal sound quality.
Many Wet Sounds towers have curved enclosures for aesthetics and to reduce internal standing waves. The pole mounts are vented to increase airflow and enhance bass response. Overall they aim for accurate, powerful audio reproduction suited for home theater use.
Sound Quality and Performance
When it comes to sound quality, both the Kicker and Wet Sounds tower speakers impress with impactful bass, clear mids and smooth treble. Here’s a more detailed breakdown comparing their audio performance:
Bass
- The Kicker 11 towers equipped with dual 8″ subwoofers put out very deep, authoritative bass. The extra cone area provides lots of low frequency output.
- Wet Sounds’ towers with 8″ or 10″ subwoofers also deliver robust low end punch and extension down to 30Hz or below. Their proprietary driver materials and vented mounts further enhance bass output.
- For maximum bass performance, the Wet Sounds models with bigger 10″ subs have a slight edge. But the Kicker 11’s dual sub design also cranks out powerful, room-filling bass.
Mids
- The Kicker 11’s 6.5″ polypropylene midrange drivers offer smooth, accurate reproduction of vocals and instruments. Their output blends seamlessly with the lows and highs.
- Wet Sounds midrange drivers also provide excellent clarity and detail across the crucial midrange frequencies where much musical information lives.
- Both deliver great midrange performance; the Kicker 11s may have a slightly warmer, smoother character.
Highs
- Kicker outfits the 11 towers with 1″ silk dome tweeters that reproduce treble cleanly and without harshness or distortion.
- Wet Sounds uses high-quality 1″ or 1.4″ tweeters in their towers to deliver smooth, extended high frequency response.
- The tweeters are well-matched to the other drivers, providing airy highs that complete the listening experience. The Wet Sounds may have a bit more sparkle and detail.
Soundstage
- The Kicker 11s have good stereo imaging qualities, with the ability to project a wide, immersive soundstage.
- Wet Sounds tower speakers also throw a big, expansive soundstage with excellent instrument separation.
- Overall, both deliver an enveloping, room-filling listening experience.
Power Handling
- With 150 watts RMS / 600 watts peak power handling, the Kicker 11s can get extremely loud when powered by a capable receiver or amplifier.
- Wet Sounds towers match or exceed the Kicker’s power handling capabilities, with options ranging from 150 watts to 350 watts RMS.
- When it comes to maximum output, the Wet Sounds have a slight edge but both can provide high listening volumes with clean headroom.
Efficiency
- The Kicker 11s have a moderately high rated sensitivity of 93dB. This allows them to reach decent volumes with modest power input.
- Wet Sounds tower speakers vary more in sensitivity, with ratings from 90dB to 93dB depending on the model.
- The Kicker 11s will play a little louder at the same power level. But both speakers deliver sufficient efficiency for home theater use.
Overall
- Kicker 11 towers provide deep powerful bass, smooth mids and clear highs that add up to highly dynamic, enjoyable sound.
- Wet Sounds towers compete directly with authoritative bass, crystal clear mids/highs and expansive stereo imaging.
- For the best combination of lows, mids and highs, the Wet Sounds towers have a marginal edge, but both provide outstanding audio performance.
Design and Build Quality
Beyond sound, design and construction also impact the ownership experience. Here is how Kicker and Wet Sounds tower speakers compare in terms of their design attributes and build quality:
Enclosure Design
- The Kicker 11 tower speakers have a tall, slim profile cabinet standing nearly 48″ high. The minimalist rectangular enclosure is conventional but attractive.
- Wet Sounds enclosures feature a more curvaceous, rounded design for visual flair. They also come in multiple height options including 47″ towers.
- For contemporary style, the uniquely shaped Wet Sounds cabinets have an advantage. But Kicker’s simpler towers fit easily into more environments.
Driver Design
- Kicker outfits the 11 towers with polypropylene woofers and silk dome tweeters, well-suited for home audio use and delivering good sound quality. The drivers match the capabilities of the cabinet and network.
- Wet Sounds applies high-tech proprietary materials like poly/mica injected cones to build robust drivers that also produce great sound. Their custom crossovers also maximize performance.
- Both speakers use well-designed transducers. Wet Sounds drivers may have a durability edge thanks to materials science innovations.
Build Quality
- The Kicker 11 cabinets feel well constructed from thick MDF and display quality vinyl veneer. The terminals are adequate but not overbuilt. Overall assembly is good.
- Wet Sounds enclosures exhibit excellent fit and finish. Their drivers are built for marine use so also extremely durable. High grade terminals complete the premium package.
- For build quality, Wet Sounds pulls ahead based on tough proprietary materials and rigorous construction standards.
Aesthetics
- Visually, the Kicker 11s have a clean, understated look highlighted by the tall tower design. The all-black color scheme fits into most decors seamlessly.
- With curved enclosures and optional white finish, the Wet Sounds towers make more of a style statement. Their unique shapes stand out from traditional boxy speakers.
- Buyers looking for something visually distinctive may gravitate to the Wet Sounds aesthetic. But for pure blending in, Kicker wins.
Overall
- The Kicker 11s are smartly designed for tower speaker performance, without going overboard on flashy visuals or overbuilt extras.
- Wet Sounds aims for form and function, with leading-edge engineering and attractive contemporary styling.
- For innovation in both sound and style, Wet Sounds carries the edge. But Kicker still produces quality enclosures.
Ease of Use
Home audio towers should also excel when it comes to usability, including setup, placement and overall convenience. Here is a breakdown of ease of use for each brand:
Setup Process
- The Kicker 11s have a pretty straightforward setup. The speaker terminals accept banana plugs or bare wire connections, and the towers work with a wide variety of home theater receivers and amplifiers.
- Wet Sounds towers are just as easy to incorporate into a system. Their binding posts also accommodate different wiring options, and the speakers play nicely with most electronics.
- For simplicity out of the box, it’s effectively a wash – both Kicker and Wet Sounds towers set up with minimal fuss.
Placement Flexibility
- Given their tall and slim profile, the Kicker 11s fit into many listening positions, whether up front, beside or behind a display. They integrate flexible with room constraints.
- The curved Wet Sounds enclosures consume a bit more space width-wise, and may fit into fewer tight spots. But they still offer very good placement flexibility overall.
- The Kickers win this category by a small margin thanks to their compact footprint. But Wet Sounds towers still work in most rooms too.
Controlled Performance
- Kicker provides basic controls like crossover setting switches on the 11 towers for tweaking performance and matching to your system. This helps optimize the listening experience.
- Wet Sounds towers do not provide any onboard adjustments or controls. You’ll have to rely on receiver settings or outboard gear to fine tune performance.
- The ability to tailor the sound gives Kicker an advantage for ease of use and versatility.
Overall
- For quick and simple integration into a music or home theater system, both the Kicker and Wet Sounds check all the boxes.
- Kicker provides added flexibility for placement scenarios and performance tuning.
- Overall Kicker earns the ease of use win thanks to onboard controls and adaptable footprint.
Price and Value
Affordability is often an important factor when choosing new audio gear. Here is how the Kicker and Wet Sounds tower speakers compare based on MSRP pricing and overall value:
MSRP Pricing
- The Kicker 11 tower speakers have an MSRP of $800 per pair in standard black finish. That positions them as a mid-priced option in the category.
- Wet Sounds tower speakers range from around $800 to $1200 MSRP per pair, depending on model and specifications. The more premium models reside at the higher end of mid-tier pricing.
- Considering the upper models, Wet Sounds carries a moderate price premium over the Kicker offering.
Value Ratio
- The Kicker 11s deliver lots of performance and complete home theater sound for a reasonable price point. You get excellent bass and clarity for the money.
- Wet Sounds provides added technology and contemporary style to justify its mildly higher asking price, while still presenting good value.
- Overall thespeakers are evenly matched for value. The Kicker 11s offer great bang for the buck, while Wet Sounds provides some extras.
Resale Value
- Kicker audio products in general maintain good resale value over time if kept in good condition. The 11 towers should be no exception.
- As a specialist brand, Wet Sounds gear may have less recognizability and demand on the used market over time compared to mass brands.
- For long term value retention, the widely known Kicker name has a slight edge.
Overall
- Considering performance for dollar, the Kicker 11s and Wet Sounds towers both reward buyers with pleasing sound at fair prices.
- The Kicker 11s compete well on value while Wet Sounds justifies its pricing with innovative engineering.
- For shoppers on stricter budgets, the Kickers provide plenty of audio for the money spent.
Warranties and Support
Home audio gear represents a significant investment, so strong warranties and post-purchase support are essential. Here are the coverage and assistance highlights buyers can expect:
Warranty Comparison
- Kicker provides a standard 1-year limited warranty on their tower speakers covering defects in workmanship and materials. This protects against early flaws.
- Wet Sounds offers a 1 to 2 year limited warranty on their home audio speakers depending on the model. The longer coverage is a benefit.
- Considering the extra year on some models, Wet Sounds provides a small advantage in initial defect protection.
Customer Service
- Kicker offers customer support by phone and email to address issues and answer buyer questions. Their service team aims to promptly solve any problems.
- Wet Sounds also has a customer service department to field inquiries and warranty claims. They generally provide helpful guidance.
- In terms of responsiveness and solving post-purchase issues, both brands offer decent assistance to consumers.
Serviceability
- The standard warranties are limited, but Kicker offers reasonable options for repairing speakers past the coverage period. Extra service extends the useful life.
- Wet Sounds support is more opaque for out of warranty repair costs and options. DIY repairs are very difficult for the complex designs.
- For ongoing service beyond the warranty, Kicker pulls ahead based on greater transparency and repairability.
Overall
- Kicker and Wet Sounds both ease initial purchase with fair warranty protection against early defects.
- Kicker has a slight advantage for providing service info and moderate repair options down the road.
Final Verdict: Kicker 11 vs Wet Sounds Towers
Based on this detailed comparison, both the Kicker 11 and Wet Sounds tower speakers are great options for premium home audio. They offer powerful, nuanced sound and attractive designs at reasonable prices for the category. While they take slightly different approaches, either brand will significantly upgrade your music or home theater listening experience.
That said, if choosing an overall winner, the Wet Sounds towers claim a small victory primarily thanks to their cutting-edge engineering and audio performance. Models like the WS-TW280 provide reference-level sound quality, versatility for stereo or surround use, compelling contemporary aesthetics and robust construction. Their strong warranties also instill confidence.
However, the Kicker 11 towers remain an excellent choice especially for shoppers watching their budget. The Kickers still sound amazing, have smart useful features like onboard settings, and carry the cachet of a leading brand name. Given the hundreds in savings, bargain hunters may prefer the Kicker deal.
Ultimately you can’t go wrong with either of these top-tier tower speaker options. Your home, budget and style preferences should dictate which is the better fit. If you seek the pinnacle of audio engineering and performance, Wet Sounds deserves the crown. But for buyers maximizing value, the well-rounded Kicker 11s remain a top choice in tower loudspeakers.