In this review, we will be comparing RP-502S II and RP-5203S, two Passive Surround speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II and Klipsch RP-5203S first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II | Klipsch RP-5203S |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 62-25k Hz | 62-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-400 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.60kg / 16.7lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-3/16" x 11-15/16" x 7-5/8"
360.0 x 303.0 x 194.0mm | 14-3/16" x 11-15/16" x 7-5/8"
360.0 x 303.0 x 194.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II and Klipsch RP-5203S 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* |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II |
Klipsch RP-5203S |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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
Both RP-502S II and RP-5203S are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S IIKlipsch RP-5203S
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II |
Klipsch RP-5203S |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
RP-502S II features a 1" Titanium LTS vented Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1500Hz. On the other hand, the RP-5203S features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1500 Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-502S II and RP-5203S has exactly the same frequency range of 62-25k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround 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
RP-502S II and RP-5203S have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 94 dB.
Sensitivity
Surround 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.
RP-502S II can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas RP-5203S has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the RP-502S II.
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.
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
RP-502S II features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. RP-5203S has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II's and Klipsch RP-5203S's external dimensions. Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II has external dimensions of 360.0 x 303.0 x 194.0mm (14-3/16 x 11-15/16 x 7-5/8inch) whereas Klipsch RP-5203S has external dimensions of 360.0 x 303.0 x 194.0mm (14-3/16 x 11-15/16 x 7-5/8inch).
In this case, we can see that Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-502S II and Klipsch RP-5203S have the exact same height, width and thickness.
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.
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 Reference Premiere RP-502S II is approximately 587.8cm2 / 91.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-5203S is approximately 587.8cm2 / 91.1inch2.