In this review, we will be comparing RP-8060FA II and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RP-8060FA II | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Cerametallic | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 98 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.40kg / 75.7lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Polk R700 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 |
Polk R700 |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RP-8060FA II is a 2-way design whereas the R700 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.
Klipsch RP-8060FA IIPolk R700
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-8060FA II has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the RP-8060FA II can go slightly deeper then the R700'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-8060FA II and R700 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 R700's is at 88 dB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8060FA II a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas RP-8060FA II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R700.
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 R700 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
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
RP-8060FA II has a rear firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch RP-8060FA II with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
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 Polk R700'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 Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Klipsch RP-8060FA II is 43.7mm narrower and 44.8mm shorter than Polk R700 but it is also 99.7mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8060FA II and Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The RP-8060FA II requires 6% more surface area than the R700 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-8060FA II weighs 34.40kg / 75.7lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 4% heavier than the RP-8060FA II.
Here is a comparison of how RP-8060FA II and R700'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 Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in one 6.5 inch woofer and one 1-inch tweeter
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1099mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1373cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8060FA II |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
98 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1630 Hz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
528.0mm (20.8") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
34.40kg (75.7lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Ebony |
Black, Walnut, White |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Klipsch RP-8060FA II digs deeper - 35Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch RP-8060FA II is more sensitive (98dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Klipsch RP-8060FA II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Polk R700: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Polk R700 is cheaper - $2,198 against $2,998, about 27% less. |
A Klipsch RP-8060FA II B Polk R700
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 RP-8060FA II measures better, Polk R700 costs about about 36% 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 Polk R700 for a very large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-8060FA II 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.