Siblings in Klipsch's Reference (R) series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch Reference R 605FA digs deeper - 38Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch Reference R 605FA is more sensitive (96dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch Reference R 50M is easier to place; Klipsch Reference R 605FA is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Type | depends | A Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Floor-standing - a different job rather than a better one. |
A Klipsch Reference R 50M B Klipsch Reference R 605FA
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?
Klipsch Reference R 605FA has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch Reference R 605FA has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch Reference R 50M is the easier speaker to get right.
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.