In this review, we will be comparing Model Five and RP-8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Model Five and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KLH Model Five Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 10" Pulp-Paper Woofer
- 42-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 90.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:20.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 13-3/4" x 13"( 660.0 x 350.0 x 292.0mm )
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 )
What size room are the KLH Model Five 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* |
KLH Model Five |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KLH Model Five 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Model Five 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 |
KLH Model Five |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Model Five features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 10" Pulp-Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 2850Hz. On the other hand, the RP-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
Model Five has a frequency range of 42-20k 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 Model Five's min frequency of 42Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Model Five is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RP-8000F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Model Five sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the RP-8000F's is rated at 98 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to KLH Model Five, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Model Five can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Model Five.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
RP-8000F features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Model Five has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Model Five's Binding post terminals
Klipsch RP-8000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 KLH Model Five's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. KLH Model Five has external dimensions of 660.0 x 350.0 x 292.0mm ( 34-1/4 x 13-3/4 x 13inch) 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) .
KLH Model Five is 439mm shorter and 153mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-8000F but it is also 73mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Model Five and Klipsch RP-8000F in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Model Five and Klipsch RP-8000F 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 Model Five is approximately 1022.0cm2 / 158.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The Model Five requires 17% less surface area than the RP-8000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.