In this review, we will be comparing R11 Meta and RP-8000F II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R11 Meta and Klipsch RP-8000F II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R11 Meta | Klipsch RP-8000F II |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Vented dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-300 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 36.59kg / 80.5lbs | 28.00kg / 61.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51" x 12-1/4" x 15-1/8"
1296.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm | 43-3/16" x 10-7/8" x 17-9/16"
1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R11 Meta and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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* |
KEF R11 Meta |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 R11 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the RP-8000F II 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.
KEF R11 MetaKlipsch RP-8000F II
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R11 Meta |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
R11 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Vented dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 330Hz and 2500Hz. On the other hand, the RP-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz.
Frequency Response
R11 Meta has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R11 Meta's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
R11 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-8000F II which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the R11 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R11 Meta sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the RP-8000F II's is rated at 98 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R11 Meta, 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.
R11 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R11 Meta.
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
Both R11 Meta and RP-8000F II features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R11 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R11 Meta and RP-8000F II 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.
KEF R11 Meta 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 KEF R11 Meta's and Klipsch RP-8000F II's external dimensions. KEF R11 Meta has external dimensions of 1296.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm (51-inch x 12-1/4-inch x 15-1/8-inch) whereas Klipsch RP-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm (43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch).
Klipsch RP-8000F II is 35mm narrower and 199mm shorter than KEF R11 Meta but it is also 62mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R11 Meta and Klipsch RP-8000F II in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R11 Meta and Klipsch RP-8000F II Size and External Dimensions
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 KEF R11 Meta is approximately 1201.2cm2 / 186.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2. The R11 Meta requires 3% less surface area than the RP-8000F II 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 KEF R11 Meta weighs 36.59kg / 80.5lbs and the Klipsch RP-8000F II weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs. This makes the R11 Meta 31% heavier than the RP-8000F II.
Here is a comparison of how R11 Meta and RP-8000F II'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 KEF R11 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R11 Meta:
- R11 Meta
- Microfiber grille
- Plinth and spike accessories
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F II?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Rubber cap (pre-installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1201cm2
vs
1238cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1097mm
vs
1296mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
6498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R11 Meta |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II |
| Brand |
KEF |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-300 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Cerametallic cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Vented dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
330Hz and 2500Hz |
1630 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1296.0mm (51") |
1097.0mm (43.2") |
| Width |
312.0mm (12.3") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
385.0mm (15.2") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
36.59kg (80.5lbs) |
28.00kg (61.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF R11 Meta costs roughly 3.6x what Klipsch RP-8000F II 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 | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II digs deeper - 32Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II is more sensitive (98dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF R11 Meta takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | KEF R11 Meta: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-8000F II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. Klipsch RP-8000F II sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II is cheaper - $1,798 against $6,498, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF R11 Meta B Klipsch RP-8000F II
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 II is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF R11 Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R11 Meta the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-8000F II for 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.