In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and RP-5000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-5000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Tower | Klipsch RP-5000F |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-25k Hz | 35-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | up to 125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.23kg / 40.1lbs | 16.36kg / 36lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-5/8" x 8" x 11-11/16"
931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm | 36-3/16" x 8-1/8" x 14-5/16"
920.0 x 207.0 x 364.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-5000F 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* |
SVS Prime Tower |
Klipsch RP-5000F |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Tower is a 3-way design whereas the RP-5000F is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
SVS Prime TowerKlipsch RP-5000F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Tower |
Klipsch RP-5000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Prime Tower features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the RP-5000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800 Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas RP-5000F has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RP-5000F's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
Prime Tower and RP-5000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Tower sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the RP-5000F's is at 96 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-5000F a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Tower, 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.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas RP-5000F has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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-5000F features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Prime Tower has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Tower and RP-5000F 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 SVS Prime Tower's and Klipsch RP-5000F's external dimensions. SVS Prime Tower has external dimensions of 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm (36-5/8 x 8 x 11-11/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-5000F has external dimensions of 920.0 x 207.0 x 364.0mm (36-3/16 x 8-1/8 x 14-5/16inch).
SVS Prime Tower is 3mm narrower and 67mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-5000F but it is also 11mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-5000F in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-5000F 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 SVS Prime Tower is approximately 605.9cm2 / 93.9inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-5000F is approximately 753.5cm2 / 116.8inch2. The Prime Tower requires 20% less surface area than the RP-5000F 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 SVS Prime Tower weighs 18.23kg / 40.1lbs and the Klipsch RP-5000F weighs 16.36kg / 36lbs. This makes the Prime Tower 11% heavier than the RP-5000F.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower and RP-5000F'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 SVS Prime Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-5000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-5000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2
vs
753cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
920mm
vs
931mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1038USD
vs
1400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS Prime Tower |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-5000F |
| Brand |
SVS |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
up to 125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
35-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
1800 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
920.0mm (36.2") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
364.0mm (14.3") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
16.36kg (36lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
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: Klipsch RP-5000F 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 | A | SVS Prime Tower digs deeper - 30Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-5000F is more sensitive (96dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | SVS Prime Tower takes more power (250W vs 125W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-5000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-5000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-5000F is cheaper - $1,038 against $1,400, about 26% less. |
A SVS Prime Tower B Klipsch RP-5000F
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch RP-5000F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Prime Tower the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-5000F for a mid-size room.
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.