In this review, we will be comparing RP-8000F II and Heresy IV, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Klipsch Heresy IV first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch RP-8000F II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer
- 32-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 98 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:28.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1097.0" x 10-7/8" x 17-9/16"( 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm )
Klipsch Heresy IV Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 1.75" Midrange
- 12" Fiber-composite Woofer
- 1.75" Midrange
- 48-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 99 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:20.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 631.0" x 15-1/2" x 13-1/4"( 631.0 x 394.0 x 337.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RP-8000F II and Klipsch Heresy IV 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 Heresy IV 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 |
Klipsch Heresy IV |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 1.75-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 12-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 Heresy IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fiber-composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Heresy IV has a frequency range of 48-20k 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 Heresy IV's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 Heresy IV 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 Heresy IV's is at 99 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heresy IV a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch RP-8000F 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-8000F II can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Heresy IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the RP-8000F 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-8000F II and Heresy IV 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
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 Klipsch Heresy IV'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 Klipsch Heresy IV has external dimensions of 631.0 x 394.0 x 337.0mm ( 24-13/16 x 15-1/2 x 13-1/4inch) .
Klipsch Heresy IV is 466mm shorter and 110mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-8000F II but it is also 117mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Klipsch Heresy IV in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Klipsch Heresy IV 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 Klipsch Heresy IV is approximately 1327.8cm2 / 205.8inch2. The RP-8000F II requires 7% less surface area than the Heresy IV which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.