In this review, we will be comparing Navis ARF-51 and RP-8000F, two Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and Klipsch. The main difference between these two speakers is that the ELAC Navis ARF-51 is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the Klipsch RP-8000F is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Navis ARF-51 and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Navis ARF-51 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 300-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 43-28k Hz Frequency Response
- N/A Max Depth / N/A Max Sample Rate
- Optional Bluetooth
- Weight:21.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1070.0" x 9.6875" x 11.5625"( 1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm )
Klipsch RP-8000F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer
- 32-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 98 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:27.27kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1099.0" x 10-7/8" x 17-1/2"( 1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Navis ARF-51 and Klipsch RP-8000F 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 Navis ARF-51 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.
| Driver |
ELAC Navis ARF-51 |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Navis ARF-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the RP-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
Navis ARF-51 has a frequency range of 43-28k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Navis ARF-51's min frequency of 43Hz.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Navis ARF-51 and RP-8000F 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.
Klipsch RP-8000F Port
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 ELAC Navis ARF-51's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. ELAC Navis ARF-51 has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm ( 42.125 x 9.6875 x 11.5625inch) 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) .
Klipsch RP-8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 29mm taller and 151mm deeper than ELAC Navis ARF-51.
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 ELAC Navis ARF-51 is approximately 726.2cm2 / 112.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The Navis ARF-51 requires 41% less surface area than the RP-8000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of ELAC Navis ARF-51?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Navis ARF-51:
Powered floorstanding loudspeaker8-feet AC power cordBase plate4 Spikes4 Isolation pucks4 ScrewsOperating Instructions
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F:
Floorstanding loudspeakerStabilizer feet (installed)Grille (installed)2 Terminal jumpers (installed)User ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information