In this review, we will be comparing RP-8060FA II and RF-7 III, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Klipsch RF-7 III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RP-8060FA II | Klipsch RF-7 III |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 1.75" dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Cerametallic | 2 x 10" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 98 dB | 100 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.40kg / 75.7lbs | 44.10kg / 97lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-1/8" x 10-7/8" x 20-13/16"
1099.0 x 277.0 x 528.0mm | 49-1/16" x 13-15/16" x 17-15/16"
1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Klipsch RF-7 III 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-8060FA II |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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-8060FA II and RF-7 III are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch RP-8060FA IIKlipsch RF-7 III
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-8060FA II |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 10-inch
|
RP-8060FA II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz. On the other hand, the RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-8060FA II has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RF-7 III can go slightly deeper then the RP-8060FA II's min frequency of 35Hz.
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-8060FA II and RF-7 III have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RP-8060FA II sensitivity is rated at 98 dB and the RF-7 III's is at 100 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch RP-8060FA 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.
RF-7 III can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas RP-8060FA II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the RF-7 III.
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-8060FA II and RF-7 III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8060FA II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RF-7 III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RP-8060FA II and RF-7 III 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-8060FA II's and Klipsch RF-7 III's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-8060FA II has external dimensions of 1099.0 x 277.0 x 528.0mm (43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 20-13/16inch) whereas Klipsch RF-7 III has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm (49-1/16 x 13-15/16 x 17-15/16inch).
Klipsch RP-8060FA II is 78mm narrower and 148mm shorter than Klipsch RF-7 III but it is also 72mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Klipsch RF-7 III in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Klipsch RF-7 III 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-8060FA II is approximately 1462.6cm2 / 226.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2. The RP-8060FA II requires 10% less surface area than the RF-7 III 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-8060FA II weighs 34.40kg / 75.7lbs and the Klipsch RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 28% heavier than the RP-8060FA II.
Here is a comparison of how RP-8060FA II and RF-7 III'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-8060FA II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-8060FA II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (pre-installed)
- Front grille
- Top grille (pre-installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Rubber cap (pre-installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Klipsch RF-7 III?
Here are the items that come with the RF-7 III:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Plinth
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Machine screws
- Owners Manual
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in one 6.5 inch woofer and one 1-inch tweeter
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1099mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
1618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2998USD
vs
4398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
98 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8060FA II |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
98 dB |
100 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1630 Hz |
1300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
528.0mm (20.8") |
456.0mm (18") |
| Weight |
34.40kg (75.7lbs) |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Ebony |
Black ash, Cherry, 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 |
A generation apart: Klipsch RP-8060FA II is the newer design, against a 2017 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 RF-7 III digs deeper - 32Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RF-7 III is more sensitive (100dB vs 98dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Klipsch RF-7 III takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch RP-8060FA II is easier to place; Klipsch RF-7 III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Klipsch RP-8060FA II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Klipsch RF-7 III: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-8060FA II sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Klipsch RP-8060FA II is cheaper - $2,998 against $4,398, about 32% less. |
A Klipsch RP-8060FA II B Klipsch RF-7 III
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?
The usual trade-off: Klipsch RF-7 III measures better, Klipsch RP-8060FA II costs about about 47% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Klipsch RP-8060FA II the better fit for a mid-size room, and Klipsch RF-7 III for a very large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RF-7 III 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.