In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and R-625FA, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch R-625FA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RF-7 III | Klipsch R-625FA |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.75" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Cerametallic | 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 38-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.10kg / 97lbs | 22.20kg / 48.8lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 40-3/16" x 9-3/8" x 16-3/4"
1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
RF-7 III and R-625FA are members of Klipsch's Reference (R) Floor-standing series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Reference (R) Floor-standing Series
History
What size room are the Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch R-625FA 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 RF-7 III |
Klipsch R-625FA |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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 RF-7 III and R-625FA are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch RF-7 IIIKlipsch R-625FA
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 RF-7 III |
Klipsch R-625FA |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 R-625FA features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas R-625FA has a frequency range of 38-21k 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 R-625FA'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 R-625FA 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 R-625FA's is at 96 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch R-625FA, 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 R-625FA 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
RF-7 III features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-625FA has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Klipsch RF-7 III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch R-625FA's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RF-7 III and R-625FA 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 R-625FA'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 R-625FA has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm (40-3/16 x 9-3/8 x 16-3/4inch).
Klipsch RF-7 III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 116mm wider, 226mm taller and 30mm deeper than Klipsch R-625FA.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch R-625FA in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RF-7 III and Klipsch R-625FA 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 R-625FA is approximately 1018.1cm2 / 157.8inch2. The RF-7 III requires 59% more surface area than the R-625FA 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 R-625FA weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 99% heavier than the R-625FA.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III and R-625FA'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 R-625FA?
Here are the items that come with the R-625FA:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
96 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in 1 x 5.25
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1018cm2
vs
1618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1658USD
vs
4398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
Klipsch Reference R-625FA |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
38-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Klipsch's Reference (R) Floor-standing series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Klipsch RF-7 III digs deeper - 32Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch RF-7 III is more sensitive (100dB vs 96dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Klipsch RF-7 III takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-625FA is easier to place; Klipsch RF-7 III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch RF-7 III: bi-amping; Klipsch R-625FA: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-625FA is cheaper - $1,658 against $4,398, about 62% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch RF-7 III B Klipsch R-625FA
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 R-625FA costs about about 2.7x the price% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch R-625FA much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Klipsch RF-7 III the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Klipsch R-625FA for a small room and a mid-size room.
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.