In this review, we will be comparing Concord and RTi A9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Concord and Polk RTi A9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Concord | Polk RTi A9 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2 x 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar | 3 x 7" Polymer composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-23k Hz | 30-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 225 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 34.09kg / 75lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 48-1/16" x 10-11/16" x 21-1/2"
1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm |
|---|
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 Concord is a 2-way design whereas the RTi A9 is a 3-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.
KLH ConcordPolk RTi A9
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Concord |
Polk RTi A9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 7-inch
|
Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz whereas RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go slightly deeper then the RTi A9's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
Concord and RTi A9 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concord sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the RTi A9's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk RTi A9, 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.
RTi A9 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Concord has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 275 watts less than the RTi A9.
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
RTi A9 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
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 KLH Concord's and Polk RTi A9's external dimensions. KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm (48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch).
Polk RTi A9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 60mm wider, 195mm taller and 167mm deeper than KLH Concord.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Concord and Polk RTi A9 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Concord and Polk RTi A9 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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2. The Concord requires 46% less surface area than the RTi A9 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 KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the Polk RTi A9 weighs 34.09kg / 75lbs. This makes the RTi A9 67% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how Concord and RTi A9'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 KLH Concord?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A9?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A9:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Detachable black cloth grille
- 4 Screw-on spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1221mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1487cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
KLH Concord |
Polk Audio RTi A9 |
| Brand |
KLH |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 225 watts |
50-500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-23k Hz |
30-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1221.0mm (48.1") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
547.0mm (21.5") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
34.09kg (75lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Cherry |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Concord is the newer design, against a 2008 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (28Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk RTi A9 takes more power (500W vs 225W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; Polk RTi A9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Polk RTi A9: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $1,498, about 33% less. |
A KLH Concord B Polk RTi A9
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?
Polk RTi A9 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KLH Concord looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk RTi A9 appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Polk RTi A9 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Concord is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord 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.