In this review, we will be comparing 5040 and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 5040 and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 5040 | Klipsch RP-280F |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-30k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91.5 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs | 28.41kg / 62.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-1/8" x 14-1/4" x 11-1/2"
969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm | 43-1/16" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"
1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 5040 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* |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both 5040 and RP-280F are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 5040Klipsch RP-280F
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 5040 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
5040 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer.
Frequency Response
5040 has a frequency range of 39-30k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-280F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 5040's min frequency of 39Hz.
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
5040 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RP-280F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 5040 sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the RP-280F's is rated at 98 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 5040, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though 5040 is rated 25-150 watts and RP-280F up to 150 watts.
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-280F features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 5040 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5040's Binding post terminals
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 5040 and RP-280F 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 5040's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 5040 has external dimensions of 969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm (38-1/8inch x 14-1/4inch x 11-1/2inch) 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).
Q Acoustics 5040 is 125mm shorter and 149mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-280F but it is also 93mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 5040 and Klipsch RP-280F in scale.
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 5040 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 Q Acoustics 5040 is approximately 1060.7cm2 / 164.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The 5040 requires 11% less surface area than the RP-280F 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 Q Acoustics 5040 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the Klipsch RP-280F weighs 28.41kg / 62.5lbs. This makes the RP-280F 57% heavier than the 5040.
Here is a comparison of how 5040 and RP-280F'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 Q Acoustics 5040?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 5040:
- 1x 5040 loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
- 4x Spike feet
- 4x Spike cover
- 4x M5 screw
- 2x Rear stabiliser
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-280F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker (Ebony)
- Speaker base
- Detachable magnetic grille
- Four 1-inch #6 Wood screws
- 4 Spike feet
- 6 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
- Important Safety Instructions
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
969mm
vs
1094mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1060cm2
vs
1189cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91.5 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
39-30k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuous Curved Cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
969.0mm (38.1") |
1094.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
293.0mm (11.5") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
28.41kg (62.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Relfex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Holme Oak,Satin Black,Satin White,Santos Rosewood |
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 |
A generation apart: Q Acoustics 5040 is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Klipsch RP-280F digs deeper - 32Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Klipsch RP-280F is more sensitive (98dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Klipsch RP-280F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size |
depends |
Q Acoustics 5040 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Klipsch RP-280F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-280F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
Klipsch RP-280F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,498, about 20% less. |
A Q Acoustics 5040
B Klipsch RP-280F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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-280F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Q Acoustics 5040 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 39Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-280F 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.