In this review, we will be comparing RP-8000F II and R11, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and KEF. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8000F II and KEF R11 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Klipsch RP-8000F II and KEF R11 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-8000F II and KEF R11 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-8000F II is a 2-way design whereas the R11 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-8000F II |
KEF R11 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
RP-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz. On the other hand, the R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R11's min frequency of 46Hz.
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-8000F II and R11 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RP-8000F II sensitivity is rated at 98 dB and the R11's is at 90 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R11, 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-8000F II can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-8000F II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the R11.
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-8000F II and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RP-8000F II and R11 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-8000F II's and KEF R11's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm ( 43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch) whereas KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm ( 51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch) .
Klipsch RP-8000F II is 35mm narrower and 204mm shorter than KEF R11 but it is also 58mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8000F II and KEF R11 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8000F II and KEF R11 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-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2 and base area of the KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2. The RP-8000F II requires 2% more surface area than the R11 which gives it a small disadvantage 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-8000F II weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs and the KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the R11 35% heavier than the RP-8000F II.
Here is a comparison of how RP-8000F II and R11'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-8000F II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-8000F 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 KEF R11?
Here are the items that come with the R11:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Foam port plugs4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes4 Protective discs4 Screws4 WashersWrenchHex-keyUser ManualWarranty Information
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
90 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
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1097mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1213cm2 (312x389mm)
vs
1238cm2 (277x447mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II |
KEF R11 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
15-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
98 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic cone |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1630 Hz |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1097.0mm (43.2") |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
447.0mm (17.6") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
28.00kg (61.6lbs) |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| 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 |