In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and RP-8000F, 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-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-8000F 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-8000F 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Tower is a 3-way design whereas the RP-8000F 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.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Tower |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
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 8-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-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go slightly deeper then the RP-8000F'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
Prime Tower and RP-8000F 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-8000F's is at 98 dB. This 11 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F 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. 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.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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
RP-8000F 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
Klipsch RP-8000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Tower and RP-8000F 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.
Klipsch RP-8000F 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 SVS Prime Tower's and Klipsch RP-8000F'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-8000F has external dimensions of 1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm ( 43-1/4 x 10-7/8 x 17-1/2inch) .
Klipsch RP-8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 73mm wider, 168mm taller and 148mm deeper than SVS Prime Tower.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-8000F in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Tower and Klipsch RP-8000F 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-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The Prime Tower requires 51% less surface area than the RP-8000F 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-8000F weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the RP-8000F 50% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower and RP-8000F'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 loudspeakerGrille (pre-installed)4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discsOwners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F:
Floorstanding loudspeakerStabilizer feet (installed)Grille (installed)2 Terminal jumpers (installed)User ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2 (204x297mm)
vs
1232cm2 (277x445mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1658USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
SVS Prime Tower |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F |
| Brand |
SVS |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| 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 |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| 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 |