In this review, we will be comparing RP-6000F II and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-6000F II and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RP-6000F II | Klipsch RP-280F |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic cone | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-25k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 125 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.50kg / 49.5lbs | 28.41kg / 62.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-5/8" x 9-5/16" x 16-15/16"
1007.0 x 237.0 x 431.0mm | 43-1/16" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"
1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RP-6000F II and Klipsch RP-280F 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 RP-6000F II |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both RP-6000F II and RP-280F are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch RP-6000F IIKlipsch RP-280F
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 RP-6000F II |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
RP-6000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1770 Hz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-6000F II has a frequency range of 38-25k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-280F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RP-6000F II's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
RP-6000F II and RP-280F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RP-6000F II sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the RP-280F's is at 98 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch RP-6000F 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
RP-280F can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas RP-6000F II has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the RP-280F.
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 RP-6000F II and RP-280F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-6000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RP-6000F II and RP-280F 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
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 RP-6000F II's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-6000F II has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 237.0 x 431.0mm (39-5/8 x 9-5/16 x 16-15/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-280F has external dimensions of 1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm (43-1/16 x 10-9/16 x 17-3/8inch).
Klipsch RP-280F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 32mm wider, 87mm taller and 11mm deeper than Klipsch RP-6000F II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-6000F II and Klipsch RP-280F in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-6000F II and Klipsch RP-280F 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 Klipsch RP-6000F II is approximately 1021.5cm2 / 158.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The RP-6000F II requires 14% less surface area than the RP-280F 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-6000F II weighs 22.50kg / 49.5lbs and the Klipsch RP-280F weighs 28.41kg / 62.5lbs. This makes the RP-280F 26% heavier than the RP-6000F II.
Here is a comparison of how RP-6000F II and RP-280F'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-6000F II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-6000F II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Rubber cap (pre-installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-280F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker (Ebony)
- Speaker base
- Detachable magnetic grille
- Four 1-inch #6 Wood screws
- 4 Spike feet
- 6 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
- Important Safety Instructions
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1094mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1021cm2
vs
1189cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
96 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6000F II |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 125 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-25k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1770 Hz |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
1094.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
237.0mm (9.3") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
431.0mm (17") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
22.50kg (49.5lbs) |
28.41kg (62.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Walnut, 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 |
A generation apart: Klipsch RP-6000F II is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-280F digs deeper - 32Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-280F is more sensitive (98dB vs 96dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (125W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Klipsch RP-6000F II is easier to place; Klipsch RP-280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch RP-6000F II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Klipsch RP-280F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-280F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-280F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,498, about 20% less. |
A Klipsch RP-6000F II B Klipsch RP-280F
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-280F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Klipsch RP-6000F II 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 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-280F 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.