In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and Forte IV, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch Forte IV first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RF-7 III | Klipsch Forte IV |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.75" dome | 1" horn-loaded |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 1.75" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Cerametallic | 12" Fibercomposite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 38-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 99 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.10kg / 97lbs | 32.73kg / 72lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49-1/16" x 13-15/16" x 17-15/16"
1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm | 35-3/4" x 16-5/8" x 13"
909.0 x 423.0 x 331.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RF-7 III is a 2-way design whereas the Forte 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.
Klipsch RF-7 IIIKlipsch Forte IV
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 RF-7 III |
Klipsch Forte IV |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 1.75-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz. On the other hand, the Forte IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fibercomposite Woofer.
Frequency Response
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Forte IV has a frequency range of 38-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RF-7 III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Forte IV'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
RF-7 III and Forte IV have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RF-7 III sensitivity is rated at 100 dB and the Forte IV's is at 99 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch Forte IV, 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 Forte IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 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 RF-7 III and Forte IV features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 RF-7 III and Forte IV 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 RF-7 III's and Klipsch Forte IV's external dimensions. 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) whereas Klipsch Forte IV has external dimensions of 909.0 x 423.0 x 331.0mm (35-3/4 x 16-5/8 x 13inch).
Klipsch Forte IV is 338mm shorter and 125mm less deeper than Klipsch RF-7 III but it is also 68mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch Forte IV in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch Forte 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 RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2 and base area of the Klipsch Forte IV is approximately 1400.1cm2 / 217.0inch2. The RF-7 III requires 16% more surface area than the Forte IV 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 RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs and the Klipsch Forte IV weighs 32.73kg / 72lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 35% heavier than the Forte IV.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III and Forte IV'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 RF-7 III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RF-7 III:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Plinth
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Machine screws
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Klipsch Forte IV?
Here are the items that come with the Forte IV:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
99 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
4398USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Passive Radiator |
rear-firing 15-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
909mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1400cm2
vs
1618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
Klipsch Heritage Forte IV |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB |
99 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
38-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Fibercomposite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
horn-loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
1.75" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
909.0mm (35.8") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
423.0mm (16.7") |
| Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
32.73kg (72lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
A generation apart: Klipsch Forte IV 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 |
A |
Klipsch RF-7 III digs deeper - 32Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (100dB vs 99dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
Klipsch RF-7 III takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Klipsch Forte IV is easier to place; Klipsch RF-7 III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Klipsch RF-7 III: bi-amping; Klipsch Forte IV: bi-amping. Klipsch Forte IV sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
A |
Klipsch RF-7 III is cheaper - $4,398 against $4,998, about 12% less. |
A Klipsch RF-7 III
B Klipsch Forte IV
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 RF-7 III is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Klipsch Forte IV if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch RF-7 III has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch Forte IV 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.