In this review, we will be comparing LX-4 MKII and RP-4000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission LX-4 MKII and Klipsch RP-4000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission LX-4 MKII | Klipsch RP-4000F |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 2 x 4" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 37-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 95 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | up to 75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.50kg / 34.1lbs | 13.18kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-1/4" x 7-7/8" x 10-3/4"
920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm | 34-1/4" x 7-3/8" x 11-3/8"
870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission LX-4 MKII and Klipsch RP-4000F 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* |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 LX-4 MKII and RP-4000F are 2-way speakers.
Mission LX-4 MKIIKlipsch RP-4000F
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
LX-4 MKII features a 1" Microfibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.0kHz. On the other hand, the RP-4000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 4" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1500 Hz.
Frequency Response
LX-4 MKII has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas RP-4000F has a frequency range of 37-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the RP-4000F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LX-4 MKII's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
LX-4 MKII and RP-4000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. LX-4 MKII sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RP-4000F's is at 95 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-4000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission LX-4 MKII, 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.
LX-4 MKII can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas RP-4000F has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the LX-4 MKII.
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 LX-4 MKII and RP-4000F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 Mission LX-4 MKII's and Klipsch RP-4000F's external dimensions. Mission LX-4 MKII has external dimensions of 920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm (36-1/4 x 7-7/8 x 10-3/4inch) whereas Klipsch RP-4000F has external dimensions of 870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm (34-1/4 x 7-3/8 x 11-3/8inch).
Klipsch RP-4000F is 12mm narrower and 50mm shorter than Mission LX-4 MKII but it is also 16mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch RP-4000F is 16mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Mission LX-4 MKII is 50mm taller.
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 Mission LX-4 MKII is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-4000F is approximately 543.3cm2 / 84.2inch2. The LX-4 MKII requires 0% more surface area than the RP-4000F 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 Mission LX-4 MKII weighs 15.50kg / 34.1lbs and the Klipsch RP-4000F weighs 13.18kg / 29lbs. This makes the LX-4 MKII 18% heavier than the RP-4000F.
Here is a comparison of how LX-4 MKII and RP-4000F'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 RP-4000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-4000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
870mm
vs
920mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
543cm2
vs
546cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-4000F |
| Brand |
Mission |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
up to 75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
37-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3.0kHz |
1500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
920.0mm (36.2") |
870.0mm (34.3") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
188.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
273.0mm (10.7") |
289.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
15.50kg (34.1lbs) |
13.18kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-4000F digs deeper - 37Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-4000F is more sensitive (95dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Mission LX-4 MKII takes more power (120W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission LX-4 MKII: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-4000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-4000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Mission LX-4 MKII is cheaper - $599 against $698, about 14% less. |
A Mission LX-4 MKII B Klipsch RP-4000F
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 RP-4000F measures better, Mission LX-4 MKII costs about about 17% 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 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Mission LX-4 MKII much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-4000F 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.