In this review, we will be comparing BP-9020 and RP-8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Definitive Technology and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Definitive BP-9020 and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Definitive BP-9020 | Klipsch RP-8000F |
|---|
| Brand | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 3 x 3.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polypropelene | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-40k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.64kg / 30lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35-9/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm | 43-1/4" x 10-7/8" x 17-1/2"
1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Definitive BP-9020 and Klipsch RP-8000F 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* |
Definitive BP-9020 |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that BP-9020 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-8000F 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.
Definitive BP-9020Klipsch RP-8000F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Definitive BP-9020 |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
3 x 3.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
BP-9020 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 3.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer. On the other hand, the RP-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
BP-9020 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the BP-9020 can go slightly deeper then the RP-8000F's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
BP-9020 and RP-8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. BP-9020 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the RP-8000F's is at 98 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive BP-9020, 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.
BP-9020 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the BP-9020.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
RP-8000F features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BP-9020 has a 5-Way post, RCA which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-8000F Port
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 Definitive BP-9020's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. Definitive BP-9020 has external dimensions of 904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (35-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-8000F has external dimensions of 1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm (43-1/4 x 10-7/8 x 17-1/2inch).
Definitive BP-9020 is 195mm shorter and 94mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-8000F but it is also 4mm wider.
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 RP-8000F needs about 25% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-8000F is 94mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-8000F is 195mm 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 Definitive BP-9020 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The BP-9020 requires 20% less surface area than the RP-8000F 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 Definitive BP-9020 weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs and the Klipsch RP-8000F weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the RP-8000F 100% heavier than the BP-9020.
Here is a comparison of how BP-9020 and RP-8000F'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 Definitive BP-9020?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BP-9020:
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Top-plate (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owners Manual
- What Obsession Sounds Like card
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 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
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
904mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
986cm2
vs
1232cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1658USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Definitive Technology BP-9020 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F |
| Brand |
Definitive Technology |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-40k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropelene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
904.0mm (35.6") |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
351.0mm (13.8") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Definitive BP-9020 digs deeper - 28Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is more sensitive (98dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Definitive BP-9020 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Definitive BP-9020 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-8000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Definitive BP-9020: Atmos drivers; Klipsch RP-8000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-8000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,498 vs $1,658 a pair). |
A Definitive BP-9020 B Klipsch RP-8000F
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?
Definitive BP-9020 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 Definitive BP-9020 the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-8000F for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch RP-8000F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Definitive BP-9020 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.