In this review, we will be comparing F502S and RP-8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F502S and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F502S | Klipsch RP-8000F |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.49kg / 62.7lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.8" x 11.8" x 15"
1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm | 43-1/4" x 10-7/8" x 17-1/2"
1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F502S 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* |
Fyne Audio F502S |
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 F502S 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.
Fyne Audio F502SKlipsch RP-8000F
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F502S |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
F502S features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. 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
F502S has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the F502S 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
F502S and RP-8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F502S sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the RP-8000F's is at 98 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Fyne Audio F502S, 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.
F502S can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the F502S.
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. F502S has a Binding post 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 Fyne Audio F502S's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F502S has external dimensions of 1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm (43.8 x 11.8 x 15inch) 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 22.7mm narrower and 13.5mm shorter than Fyne Audio F502S but it is also 64mm deeper.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch RP-8000F is 64mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F502S is 14mm 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 Fyne Audio F502S is approximately 1141.9cm2 / 177.0inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The F502S requires 7% 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 Fyne Audio F502S weighs 28.49kg / 62.7lbs and the Klipsch RP-8000F weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the F502S 4% heavier than the RP-8000F.
Here is a comparison of how F502S 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 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 |
180 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 |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1141cm2
vs
1232cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1099mm
vs
1112mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1658USD
vs
3499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F502S |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 180 W watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1112.5mm (43.8") |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
299.7mm (11.8") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
28.49kg (62.7lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
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 - Fyne Audio F502S costs roughly 2.1x what Klipsch RP-8000F 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (30Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is more sensitive (98dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (180W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-8000F: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is cheaper - $1,658 against $3,499, about 53% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fyne Audio F502S 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?
Klipsch RP-8000F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Fyne Audio F502S if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F502S the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-8000F for a mid-size room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-8000F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.