In this review, we will be comparing R600 and RP-6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R600 and Klipsch RP-6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R600 | Klipsch RP-6000F |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-38k Hz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87.5 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | up to 125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.50kg / 47.3lbs | 22.27kg / 49lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41.9" x 11" x 15"
1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm | 39-3/4" x 9-5/16" x 17"
1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R600 and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 R600 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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 R600 and RP-6000F are 2-way speakers.
Polk R600Klipsch RP-6000F
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 R600 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the RP-6000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer.
Frequency Response
R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz whereas RP-6000F has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the RP-6000F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R600's min frequency of 43Hz.
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
R600 and RP-6000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R600 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the RP-6000F's is at 97 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-6000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, 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.
R600 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas RP-6000F has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the R600.
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
RP-6000F features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R600 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R600's Post terminals
Klipsch RP-6000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R600 has a bottom firing port whereas RP-6000F has a rear firing ports. Polk R600's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch RP-6000F with its rear-firing port.
Polk R600 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 Polk R600's and Klipsch RP-6000F's external dimensions. Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm (41.9 x 11 x 15inch) whereas Klipsch RP-6000F has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm (39-3/4 x 9-5/16 x 17inch).
Klipsch RP-6000F is 43.7mm narrower and 53.8mm shorter than Polk R600 but it is also 50.4mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R600 and Klipsch RP-6000F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R600 and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-6000F is approximately 1023.8cm2 / 158.7inch2. The R600 requires 5% more surface area than the RP-6000F 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 Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs and the Klipsch RP-6000F weighs 22.27kg / 49lbs. This makes the RP-6000F 4% heavier than the R600.
Here is a comparison of how R600 and RP-6000F'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 R600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R600:
- 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 RP-6000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1010mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1023cm2
vs
1071cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1378USD
vs
1698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6000F |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
up to 125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87.5 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-38k Hz |
34-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
| Width |
280.7mm (11.1") |
237.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
381.6mm (15") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
22.27kg (49lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
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 RP-6000F digs deeper - 34Hz against 43Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-6000F is more sensitive (97dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk R600 takes more power (200W vs 125W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-6000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-6000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-6000F is cheaper - $1,378 against $1,698, about 19% less. |
A Polk R600 B Klipsch RP-6000F
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-6000F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Polk R600 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 43Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-6000F 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.