In this review, we will be comparing 3040c and RP-4000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3040c and Klipsch RP-4000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3040c | Klipsch RP-4000F |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.9" Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4.75" Paper composite | 2 x 4" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-30k Hz | 37-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 95 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | up to 75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.60kg / 32.1lbs | 13.18kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37-1/16" x 11-1/4" x 11-1/16"
942.0 x 285.0 x 281.0mm | 34-1/4" x 7-3/8" x 11-3/8"
870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3040c and Klipsch RP-4000F 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* |
Q Acoustics 3040c |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 3040c and RP-4000F are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3040cKlipsch RP-4000F
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 3040c |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.9-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4.75-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
3040c features a 0.9" Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4.75" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the RP-4000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 4" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1500 Hz.
Frequency Response
3040c has a frequency range of 43-30k Hz whereas RP-4000F has a frequency range of 37-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the RP-4000F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 3040c'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
3040c is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RP-4000F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 3040c sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the RP-4000F's is rated at 95 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-4000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 3040c, 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.
3040c can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas RP-4000F has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the 3040c.
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-4000F features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 3040c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 3040c and RP-4000F 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 Q Acoustics 3040c's and Klipsch RP-4000F's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3040c has external dimensions of 942.0 x 285.0 x 281.0mm (37-1/16 x 11-1/4 x 11-1/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-4000F has external dimensions of 870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm (34-1/4 x 7-3/8 x 11-3/8inch).
Klipsch RP-4000F is 97mm narrower and 72mm shorter than Q Acoustics 3040c but it is also 8mm deeper.
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.
Q Acoustics 3040c needs about 47% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics 3040c is 72mm 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 Q Acoustics 3040c is approximately 800.9cm2 / 124.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-4000F is approximately 543.3cm2 / 84.2inch2. The 3040c requires 47% more surface area than the RP-4000F 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 Q Acoustics 3040c weighs 14.60kg / 32.1lbs and the Klipsch RP-4000F weighs 13.18kg / 29lbs. This makes the 3040c 11% heavier than the RP-4000F.
Here is a comparison of how 3040c and RP-4000F'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-4000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-4000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
4.75 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
870mm
vs
942mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
543cm2
vs
800cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3040c |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-4000F |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
up to 75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-30k Hz |
37-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4.75" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.9" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
1500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
942.0mm (37.1") |
870.0mm (34.3") |
| Width |
285.0mm (11.2") |
188.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
289.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
14.60kg (32.1lbs) |
13.18kg (29lbs) |
| 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 |
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-4000F digs deeper - 37Hz against 43Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-4000F is more sensitive (95dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-4000F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Q Acoustics 3040c takes more power (120W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch RP-4000F is easier to place; Q Acoustics 3040c is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-4000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-4000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 3040c is cheaper - $599 against $698, about 14% less. |
A Q Acoustics 3040c B Klipsch RP-4000F
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-4000F leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Q Acoustics 3040c is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Q Acoustics 3040c much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics 3040c has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch RP-4000F is the easier speaker to get right.
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.