In this review, we will be comparing AE520 and RP-6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE520 and Klipsch RP-6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE520 | Klipsch RP-6000F |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with waveguide | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone | 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30Hz - 28kHz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | up to 125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.00kg / 66lbs | 22.27kg / 49lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.5" x 7.3" x 12.6"
1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm | 39-3/4" x 9-5/16" x 17"
1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE520 and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE520 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-6000F 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.
AE520Klipsch RP-6000F
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 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE520 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 373Hz and 2.8kHz. On the other hand, the RP-6000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE520 has a frequency range of 30Hz - 28kHz whereas RP-6000F has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the AE520 can go slightly deeper then the RP-6000F's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RP-6000F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE520 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the RP-6000F's is rated at 97 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-6000F a more sensitive speaker compared to AE520, 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 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas RP-6000F has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 175 watts less than the AE520.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE520 and RP-6000F 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
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's and Klipsch RP-6000F's external dimensions. AE520 has external dimensions of 1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm (44.5 x 7.3 x 12.6inch) whereas Klipsch RP-6000F has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm (39-3/4 x 9-5/16 x 17inch).
AE520 is 52mm narrower and 112mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-6000F but it is also 120mm 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 is approximately 592.0cm2 / 91.8inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-6000F is approximately 1023.8cm2 / 158.7inch2. The AE520 requires 42% less surface area than the RP-6000F 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 weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the Klipsch RP-6000F weighs 22.27kg / 49lbs. This makes the AE520 35% heavier than the RP-6000F.
Here is a comparison of how AE520 and RP-6000F'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-6000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
592cm2
vs
1023cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1010mm
vs
1130mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1378USD
vs
4999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE520 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6000F |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
up to 125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30Hz - 28kHz |
34-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon fibre 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 |
373Hz and 2.8kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1130.0mm (44.5") |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
237.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
22.27kg (49lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - AE520 costs roughly 3.6x what Klipsch RP-6000F does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
AE520 digs deeper - 30Hz against 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Klipsch RP-6000F is more sensitive (97dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Klipsch RP-6000F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
A |
AE520 takes more power (300W vs 125W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
AE520 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-6000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Klipsch RP-6000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-6000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
Klipsch RP-6000F is cheaper - $1,378 against $4,999, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A AE520
B Klipsch RP-6000F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Klipsch RP-6000F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate AE520 the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-6000F for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch RP-6000F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE520 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.