In this review, we will be comparing S60 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 S60 and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk S60 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
- 26-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:23.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1131.0" x 11-3/4" x 15-3/4"( 1131.0 x 299.0 x 401.0mm )
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 S60 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 S60 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 S60 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
Both S60 and RP-280F are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk S60 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
S60 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
S60 has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the S60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
S60 and RP-280F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S60 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 S60, 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.
S60 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-280F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the S60.
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 S60 and RP-280F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk S60's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
S60 has a bottom firing port whereas RP-280F has a rear firing ports. Polk S60's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch RP-280F with its rear-firing port.
Polk S60 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 S60's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Polk S60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 299.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 15-3/4inch) 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 30mm narrower and 37mm shorter than Polk S60 but it is also 41mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk S60 and Klipsch RP-280F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk S60 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 S60 is approximately 1199.0cm2 / 185.8inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The S60 requires 1% more surface area than the RP-280F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.