In this review, we will be comparing RP-5000F II and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Jamo. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-5000F II and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Klipsch RP-5000F II and Jamo C 97 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RP-5000F II and Jamo C 97 II 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 RP-5000F II is a 2-way design whereas the C 97 II 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.
| Driver |
Klipsch RP-5000F II |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
RP-5000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900 Hz. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
RP-5000F II has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go slightly deeper then the RP-5000F II's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
RP-5000F II is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the C 97 II which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. RP-5000F II sensitivity is rated at 95 dB and the C 97 II's is rated at 89 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-5000F II a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo C 97 II, 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.
RP-5000F II can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-5000F II has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the C 97 II.
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
Both RP-5000F II and C 97 II features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-5000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RP-5000F II and C 97 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.
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 Klipsch RP-5000F II's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-5000F II has external dimensions of 918.0 x 208.0 x 364.0mm ( 36-1/8 x 8-3/16 x 14-5/16inch) whereas Jamo C 97 II has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm ( 42-1/8 x 9-3/4 x 15-13/16inch) .
Jamo C 97 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 40mm wider, 152mm taller and 38mm deeper than Klipsch RP-5000F II.
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 Klipsch RP-5000F II is approximately 757.1cm2 / 117.4inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The RP-5000F II requires 24% less surface area than the C 97 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 Klipsch RP-5000F II weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 40% heavier than the RP-5000F II.
Here is a comparison of how RP-5000F II and C 97 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 Klipsch RP-5000F II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-5000F II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerStabilizer feet (pre-installed)Grille2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Rubber cap (pre-installed)User ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet8 Machine screws2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Hex-keyUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
918mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
757cm2 (208x364mm)
vs
997cm2 (248x402mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-5000F II |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 100 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
95 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic cone |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1900 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
918.0mm (36.1") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
208.0mm (8.2") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
364.0mm (14.3") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |