In this review, we will be comparing AE520 Mark II and R-620F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE520 Mark II and Klipsch R-620F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE520 Mark II | Klipsch R-620F |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1.0" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" carbon fibre cone | 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-28k Hz | 38-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.00kg / 66lbs | 18.64kg / 41lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41.3" x 7.3" x 14.2"
1050.0 x 185.0 x 360.0mm | 40-3/16" x 9-3/8" x 14-1/2"
1021.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE520 Mark II and Klipsch R-620F 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:
| Listening Environment* |
AE520 Mark II |
Klipsch R-620F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE520 Mark II is a 3-way design whereas the R-620F 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.
AE520 Mark IIKlipsch R-620F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE520 Mark II |
Klipsch R-620F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE520 Mark II features a 1.1" soft dome Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 220Hz and 3.6kHz. On the other hand, the R-620F features a 1.0" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
AE520 Mark II has a frequency range of 28-28k Hz whereas R-620F has a frequency range of 38-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the AE520 Mark II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-620F's min frequency of 38Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE520 Mark II is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-620F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE520 Mark II sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the R-620F's is rated at 96 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-620F a more sensitive speaker compared to AE520 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
AE520 Mark II can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas R-620F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the AE520 Mark II.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE520 Mark II's and Klipsch R-620F's external dimensions. AE520 Mark II has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 185.0 x 360.0mm (41.3 x 7.3 x 14.2inch) whereas Klipsch R-620F has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm (40-3/16 x 9-3/8 x 14-1/2inch).
AE520 Mark II is 54mm narrower and 9mm less deeper than Klipsch R-620F but it is also 29mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Klipsch R-620F needs about 32% more floor or shelf area. AE520 Mark II is 29mm taller.
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 AE520 Mark II is approximately 666.0cm2 / 103.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-620F is approximately 881.9cm2 / 136.7inch2. The AE520 Mark II requires 24% less surface area than the R-620F 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 AE520 Mark II weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the Klipsch R-620F weighs 18.64kg / 41lbs. This makes the AE520 Mark II 61% heavier than the R-620F.
Here is a comparison of how AE520 Mark II and R-620F'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 R-620F?
Here are the items that come with the R-620F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
666cm2
vs
881cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1050mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE520 Mark II |
Klipsch Reference R-620F |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-28k Hz |
38-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon fibre cone |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.0" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
220Hz and 3.6kHz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
360.0mm (14.2") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
18.64kg (41lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White,Piano Gloss Black,American Walnut wood veneer |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: AE520 Mark II is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | AE520 Mark II digs deeper - 28Hz against 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-620F is more sensitive (96dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-620F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | AE520 Mark II takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | AE520 Mark II is easier to place; Klipsch R-620F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
A AE520 Mark II B Klipsch R-620F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate AE520 Mark II the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Klipsch R-620F for a small room and a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.