In this review, we will be comparing R500 and R-625FA, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R500 and Klipsch R-625FA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R500 | Klipsch R-625FA |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-38k Hz | 38-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.70kg / 38.9lbs | 22.20kg / 48.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41.1" x 10.1" x 13.7"
1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm | 40-3/16" x 9-3/8" x 16-3/4"
1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R500 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* |
Polk R500 |
Klipsch R-625FA |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 R500 and R-625FA are 2-way speakers.
Polk R500Klipsch 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 |
Polk R500 |
Klipsch R-625FA |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R500 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. 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
R500 has a frequency range of 49-38k Hz whereas R-625FA has a frequency range of 38-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R-625FA can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R500's min frequency of 49Hz.
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
R500 and R-625FA have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R500 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R-625FA's is at 96 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-625FA a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R500, 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.
R500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas R-625FA has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the R500.
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
R500 features Post type posts and R-625FA has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R500's Post terminals
Klipsch R-625FA's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R500 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 Polk R500's and Klipsch R-625FA's external dimensions. Polk R500 has external dimensions of 1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm (41.1 x 10.1 x 13.7inch) 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 R-625FA is 16.4mm narrower and 23.5mm shorter than Polk R500 but it is also 77.2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R500 and Klipsch R-625FA in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R500 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 Polk R500 is approximately 890.8cm2 / 138.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-625FA is approximately 1018.1cm2 / 157.8inch2. The R500 requires 13% less surface area than the R-625FA 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 Polk R500 weighs 17.70kg / 38.9lbs and the Klipsch R-625FA weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs. This makes the R-625FA 25% heavier than the R500.
Here is a comparison of how R500 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 Polk R500?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R500:
- 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
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 |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
36k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
890cm2
vs
1018cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1298USD
vs
1658USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in 1 x 5.25
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1044mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R500 |
Klipsch Reference R-625FA |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
49-38k Hz |
38-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1044.5mm (41.1") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
255.4mm (10.1") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
348.8mm (13.7") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
17.70kg (38.9lbs) |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 R-625FA digs deeper - 38Hz against 49Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-625FA is more sensitive (96dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk R500 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch R-625FA: Atmos drivers. Polk R500 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk R500 is cheaper - $1,298 against $1,658, about 22% less. |
A Polk R500 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 R-625FA measures better, Polk R500 costs about about 28% 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 49Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk R500 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R500 the better fit for a large room, and Klipsch R-625FA for a small 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.