In this review, we will be comparing AE109 MII and RP-4000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Klipsch. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE109 Mark II and Klipsch RP-4000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the AE109 Mark II and Klipsch RP-4000F speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE109 Mark II and Klipsch RP-4000F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE109 MII is a 3-way design whereas the RP-4000F is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
AE109 Mark II |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
AE109 MII features a 1" fabric dome with waveguide Tweeter , a 5.2" Midrange and 1 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 275Hz and 2.5kHz. On the other hand, the RP-4000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 4" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE109 MII has a frequency range of 41Hz - 26kHz whereas RP-4000F has a frequency range of 37-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the RP-4000F can go slightly deeper then the AE109 MII's min frequency of 41Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE109 MII is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RP-4000F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE109 MII sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RP-4000F's is rated at 95 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-4000F a more sensitive speaker compared to AE109 Mark II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
AE109 MII can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-4000F has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the AE109 MII.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE109 MII and RP-4000F have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE109 Mark II's and Klipsch RP-4000F's external dimensions. AE109 Mark II has external dimensions of 860.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm ( 33.9 x 6.5 x 9.8inch) whereas Klipsch RP-4000F has external dimensions of 870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm ( 34-1/4 x 7-3/8 x 11-3/8inch) .
Klipsch RP-4000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 23mm wider, 10mm taller and 39mm deeper than AE109 Mark II.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE109 Mark II is approximately 412.5cm2 / 63.9inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-4000F is approximately 543.3cm2 / 84.2inch2. The AE109 MII requires 24% less surface area than the RP-4000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE109 Mark II weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs and the Klipsch RP-4000F weighs 13.18kg / 29lbs. This makes the AE109 MII 21% heavier than the RP-4000F.
Here is a comparison of how AE109 MII and RP-4000F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-4000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-4000F:
Floorstanding loudspeakerStabilizer feet (installed)Grille (installed)2 Terminal jumpers (installed)User ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
5.2 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
860mm
vs
870mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
412cm2 (165x250mm)
vs
543cm2 (188x289mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
41 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
698USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE109 Mark II |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-4000F |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 175 watts |
up to 75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
41Hz - 26kHz |
37-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
275Hz and 2.5kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
860.0mm (33.9") |
870.0mm (34.3") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
188.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
250.0mm (9.8") |
289.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
13.18kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Satin Black |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |