In this review, we will be comparing RTi A9 and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk RTi A9 and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk RTi A9 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer
- 30-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-500watts
- Weight:34.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1221.0" x 10-11/16" x 21-1/2"( 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm )
Klipsch RP-280F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer
- 32-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 98 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:28.41kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1094.0" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"( 1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm )
What size room are the Polk RTi A9 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* |
Polk RTi A9 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk RTi A9 and Klipsch RP-280F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RTi A9 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-280F is a 2-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.
| Driver |
Polk RTi A9 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 7-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer . On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the RTi A9 can go slightly deeper then the RP-280F's min frequency of 32Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
RTi A9 and RP-280F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RTi A9 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the RP-280F's is at 98 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk RTi A9, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
RTi A9 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-280F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 350 watts less than the RTi A9.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both RTi A9 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
RTi A9 has a front firing port whereas RP-280F has a rear firing ports. Polk RTi A9's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch RP-280F with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Polk RTi A9's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm ( 48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch) 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) .
Polk RTi A9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 127mm taller and 105mm deeper than Klipsch RP-280F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk RTi A9 and Klipsch RP-280F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk RTi A9 and Klipsch RP-280F 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 Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The RTi A9 requires 25% more surface area than the RP-280F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.