In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Klipsch. Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6203F is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the RP-5203S is a Surround speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-6203F and Klipsch RP-5203S first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RP-6203F | Klipsch RP-5203S |
|---|
| 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 | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-25k Hz | 62-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 125 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-5/8" x 9-5/16" x 17-9/16"
1006.0 x 236.0 x 446.0mm | 14-3/16" x 11-15/16" x 7-5/8"
360.0 x 303.0 x 194.0mm |
|---|
RP-6203F and RP-5203S are members of Klipsch's Reference Premiere (RP) III series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Reference Premiere (RP) III Series
History
What size room are the Klipsch RP-6203F 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 RP-6203F |
Klipsch RP-5203S |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
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Drivers
Both RP-6203F and RP-5203S are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch RP-6203FKlipsch 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 RP-6203F |
Klipsch RP-5203S |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
RP-6203F features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1770 Hz. 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-6203F has a frequency range of 38-25k Hz whereas RP-5203S has a frequency range of 62-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the RP-6203F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RP-5203S's min frequency of 62Hz.
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-6203F and RP-5203S have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RP-6203F sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the RP-5203S's is at 94 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-6203F a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch RP-5203S, 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-6203F can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS, whereas RP-5203S has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the RP-6203F.
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
RP-6203F 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 RP-6203F's and Klipsch RP-5203S's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-6203F has external dimensions of 1006.0 x 236.0 x 446.0mm (39-5/8 x 9-5/16 x 17-9/16inch) 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).
Klipsch RP-5203S is 646mm shorter and 252mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-6203F but it is also 67mm wider.
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-6203F is approximately 1052.6cm2 / 163.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-5203S is approximately 587.8cm2 / 91.1inch2. The RP-6203F requires 79% more surface area than the RP-5203S which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.