In this review, we will be comparing ZX-3 and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission ZX-3 and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission ZX-3 | Klipsch RP-280F |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminium | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-24k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.40kg / 44.9lbs | 28.41kg / 62.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 9-7/16" x 14-1/4"
1025.0 x 240.0 x 362.0mm | 43-1/16" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"
1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission ZX-3 and Klipsch RP-280F 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 ZX-3 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 ZX-3 and RP-280F are 2-way speakers.
Mission ZX-3Klipsch RP-280F
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 ZX-3 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
ZX-3 features a 1.5" Silk Ring Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.4kHz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
ZX-3 has a frequency range of 42-24k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-280F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ZX-3's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
ZX-3 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-280F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the ZX-3 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ZX-3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the RP-280F's is rated at 98 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission ZX-3, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though ZX-3 is rated 25-150 watts and RP-280F up to 150 watts.
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 ZX-3 and RP-280F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows 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 ZX-3's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Mission ZX-3 has external dimensions of 1025.0 x 240.0 x 362.0mm (40-3/8 x 9-7/16 x 14-1/4inch) whereas Klipsch RP-280F has external dimensions of 1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm (43-1/16 x 10-9/16 x 17-3/8inch).
Klipsch RP-280F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 69mm taller and 80mm deeper than Mission ZX-3.
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.
Klipsch RP-280F needs about 37% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-280F is 80mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-280F is 69mm 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 ZX-3 is approximately 868.8cm2 / 134.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The ZX-3 requires 27% less surface area than the RP-280F which gives it a small advantage 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 ZX-3 weighs 20.40kg / 44.9lbs and the Klipsch RP-280F weighs 28.41kg / 62.5lbs. This makes the RP-280F 39% heavier than the ZX-3.
Here is a comparison of how ZX-3 and RP-280F'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-280F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker (Ebony)
- Speaker base
- Detachable magnetic grille
- Four 1-inch #6 Wood screws
- 4 Spike feet
- 6 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
- Important Safety Instructions
 Height |
1025mm
vs
1094mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
868cm2
vs
1189cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Mission ZX-3 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F |
| Brand |
Mission |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-24k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Ring Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.4kHz |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1025.0mm (40.4") |
1094.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
362.0mm (14.3") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
20.40kg (44.9lbs) |
28.41kg (62.5lbs) |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Mission ZX-3 is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-280F digs deeper - 32Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-280F is more sensitive (98dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-280F is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Mission ZX-3 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission ZX-3: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-280F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-280F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-280F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,499, about 20% less. |
A Mission ZX-3 B Klipsch RP-280F
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?
Klipsch RP-280F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Mission ZX-3 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 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Mission ZX-3 the better fit for a small room, and Klipsch RP-280F for a large 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.