In this review, we will be comparing R-820F and RTi A9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch R-820F and Polk RTi A9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch R-820F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 35-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 97 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:24.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1096.0" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"( 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm )
Polk RTi A9 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 30-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-500watts
- Weight:34.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1221.0" x 10-11/16" x 21-1/2"( 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm )
What size room are the Klipsch R-820F and Polk RTi A9 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 R-820F |
Polk RTi A9 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch R-820F and Polk RTi A9 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 R-820F is a 2-way design whereas the RTi A9 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 R-820F |
Polk RTi A9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 7-inch
|
R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer . On the other hand, the RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz whereas RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the RTi A9 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-820F's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
R-820F and RTi A9 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R-820F sensitivity is rated at 97 dB and the RTi A9's is at 90 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk RTi A9, 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.
R-820F can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-820F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 350 watts less than the RTi A9.
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
RTi A9 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-820F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 R-820F's and Polk RTi A9's external dimensions. Klipsch R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm ( 43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch) whereas Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm ( 48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch) .
Klipsch R-820F is 125mm shorter and 121mm less deeper than Polk RTi A9 but it is also 5mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch R-820F and Polk RTi A9 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch R-820F and Polk RTi A9 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 R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2. The R-820F requires 21% less surface area than the RTi A9 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.