In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RF-7 III | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.75" dome | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Cerametallic | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.10kg / 97lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 RF-7 III 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 RF-7 IIIPolk 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 RF-7 III |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 8-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 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
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k 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 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
RF-7 III and R700 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 R700's is at 88 dB. This 12 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 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 RF-7 III and R700 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
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III's and Polk R700'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 Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Klipsch RF-7 III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 34.3mm wider, 103.2mm taller and 27.7mm deeper than Polk R700.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The RF-7 III requires 18% 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 RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 23% heavier than the R700.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III 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 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 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 |
100 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 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 |
 Height |
1143mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1373cm2
vs
1618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
4398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, Walnut |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch RF-7 III costs roughly 2x what Polk R700 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| 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 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Polk R700 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; Polk R700: bi-amping. Polk R700 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk R700 is cheaper - $2,198 against $4,398, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III measures better, Polk R700 costs about about 100% 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. 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 Polk R700 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RF-7 III 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.