In this review, we will be comparing 5040 and RP-8000F II, 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-8000F II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 5040 | Klipsch RP-8000F II |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone | 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone |
|---|
| 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 | 28.00kg / 61.6lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 43-3/16" x 10-7/8" x 17-9/16"
1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 5040 and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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-8000F II |
| 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 5040 and RP-8000F II are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 5040Klipsch RP-8000F II
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-8000F II |
|
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-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz.
Frequency Response
5040 has a frequency range of 39-30k Hz whereas RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F II 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-8000F II 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-8000F II's is rated at 98 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II 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-8000F II 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-8000F II 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-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 5040 and RP-8000F II 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-8000F II'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-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm (43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch).
Q Acoustics 5040 is 128mm shorter and 154mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-8000F II but it is also 85mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 5040 and Klipsch RP-8000F II in scale.
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 5040 and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2. The 5040 requires 14% less surface area than the RP-8000F II 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-8000F II weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs. This makes the RP-8000F II 55% heavier than the 5040.
Here is a comparison of how 5040 and RP-8000F II'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-8000F II?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Rubber cap (pre-installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
969mm
vs
1097mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1060cm2
vs
1238cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 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 |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
| General |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II |
| 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 cone |
| 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 |
1630 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
969.0mm (38.1") |
1097.0mm (43.2") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
293.0mm (11.5") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
28.00kg (61.6lbs) |
| 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 |
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-8000F II digs deeper - 32Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II is more sensitive (98dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II 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-8000F II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-8000F II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. Klipsch RP-8000F II sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 5040 is cheaper - $1,498 against $1,798, about 17% less. |
A Q Acoustics 5040 B Klipsch RP-8000F II
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-8000F II leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Q Acoustics 5040 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 39Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Q Acoustics 5040 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-8000F II 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.