Klipsch RP-8000F Tower Speaker Review

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Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
I’ll definitely need to hear this newer series for myself, even though I may be drinking the koolaid on doing bookshelves over towers. :)
Eh towers are great in big rooms like mine but in smaller listening areas I totally get why you'd go bookshelves and subs. Same result in smaller rooms more cost effective

I'm going to pick up a pair of the Klipsch RP600m's there top of that line bookshelves and a sub for my office setup and you know how much I love towers
 
A

Altoqur

Audiophyte
Excellent post. Listened to my RP 6000's with recommended music and love my speakers. The 8000's would be too much for my house. Thanks for the great review.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Excellent post. Listened to my RP 6000's with recommended music and love my speakers. The 8000's would be too much for my house. Thanks for the great review.
Man thanks for the post! I'm thinking of matching up my system and going all klipsch all around I'm thinking of using the RP 6000's for my surrounds overkill I know but I'd rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it Lol
 
Y

yepimonfire

Audioholic Samurai
Man watched a ton of movies last night.

Well meant to watch one but I just got sucked in by these speakers.

They have this quality that just makes you want to keep watching more and more.

I need some time to jot down my thoughts organize what I'd like to say.

I'll post tonight everything Id like to say about them

But color me friggin impressed I mean extremely impressed. Stayed up till 5 in the morning just couldn't stop watching.
I fell in love with Klipsch speakers because they sounded just like the big horn speakers at the cinema. They just sound so dynamic and larger than life and i actually like how the controlled directivity images.

Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
I fell in love with Klipsch speakers because they sounded just like the big horn speakers at the cinema. They just sound so dynamic and larger than life and i actually like how the controlled directivity images.

Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
Man I just got done watching movies and listening to music man these things rock. For the price point they are just amazing what you get. I can't get over how good these are.

I loved Klipsch too grew up on them Really glad to see they have stepped up there game with this new lineup. I haven't enjoyed music or movies this much in a long time
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Gotta say they are some really nice looking speakers.
Sexy Piano Gloss Black RP-8000F for $750, Titanium Tweeter, Aluminum Woofers, Copper Aesthetics, +/-2dB superb on-axis, very good off-axis, and very good sensitivity.
 
Phase 2

Phase 2

Audioholic Chief
If anyone happens to get the 6000 or 5000 please post up your thoughts thoughts.. Prices are very reasonable.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
If anyone happens to get the 6000 or 5000 please post up your thoughts thoughts.. Prices are very reasonable.
I'm definetly interested in those too hope we both get to hear some good feedback I'm also interested in the RP600m there top of that line bookshelf for my office any feedback on those would be great as well
 
H

HowardS

Enthusiast
My review of the RP-8000f tower speakers, SVS SB-3000 subs and Marantz SR-8012 Receiver
I apologize in advance for the long read.
I consider myself a high-end audiophile with a keen attention to detail. I have been building audio systems for personal use for over 40 years. This review and opinion are of course subjective and specific to my ears. Your mileage may vary. I listen to 80% music and 20% home theater. I listen to classic rock, jazz and anything good other than RAP.
My wife, best friend and life partner passed away recently after 38 years of marriage and I sold my house and moved into a small apartment until I can decide on something permanent. She passed away in our home under hospice care and I just could not stay there any longer, so I sold. I put my entire audio system in storage with the rest of my life. My small apartment is much too small for my current audio system. The system consists of two Thiel CS7.2 speakers, they cost 7,000.00 each and are incredible speakers approaching 17 years old. Thiel MCS1 center, Musical Fidelity M-250 mono blocks for all three front and center. Arcam AV9 processor. Anticables Level 2.1 performance series speaker cables. The sound from this system has been the pinnacle of anything that I have ever built. All speakers were on two inches of granite coupled with Black Diamond carbon fiber racing cones.
With this system in storage I decided to get a new system for my apartment with the hope I could simplify my setup for the future and build a much smaller family room.
I have always wanted to try a horn loaded speaker but always steered away from them because most would tend to wear me out quickly at volume. I had an opportunity to hear a pair of RP-8000Fs and was impressed with them. They were far more neutral than anything I had heard from Klipsch before. (I have not listened to the RF 7 III 2 or 3s. The 1s wore me out)
I purchased two RP-8000Fs in piano back finish along with a matching RP-504C center channel and two SVS SB-3000 subs. I decided I wanted to try the new immersive sound formats, so I pulled the trigger on the Marantz SR-8012.
I purchased the Marantz SR-8012 and a pair of passive KEF LS50s a few months before the Klipsch and SVS speakers. I was not able to get to a state of happiness with the KEF LS50s and was disappointed in what I was hearing. I know the subs would have helped the LS50s and I may revisit them later. For now, I’m focusing on the Klipsch.
On with the review:
Immediately the RP-8000s outperformed the LS50s in a few key areas. First was the ability to listen at low volumes and hear everything. I was blown away because these are the first speakers, I have owned that I can listen to at low volumes and still enjoy the detail. Second, I noticed that I can listen to less than stellar CD recordings which make up a majority of my 2300 CDs. They sound fresh and new with more fidelity and are no longer as painful to listen to. Thirdly the Marantz seemed to drive them effortlessly All three of these performance metrics where a problem with my 7.2s and LS50s. I’m not comparing bass between the LS50s and the 8000s for obvious reasons.
I prefer to listen to everything flat. For me its Pure Direct and Analog with no additional tone adjustments. I’m amazed at how neutral yet articulate the RP-8000s are. To my ears the sound is not colored in any way, similar to my CS 7.2s and better than the LS50s. This was surprising to me because everything I have read always stated that horn speakers where toned for Rock music and could be fatiguing. High quality, high resolution recordings are jaw dropping on the RP-8000s and they are not a one trick pony, because you can still enjoy the lessor quality recordings.
The RP-8000f speakers have not been fatiguing at all and have excelled in all forms of music genre punching well above their weight in price. It usually takes me a while to warm up to a new set of speakers especially through the break-in period. To my ears it took about 100 hours before they finally broke in and started to sound effortless.
Regarding power amplification I’m using the Marantz SR-8012 which I have been very impressed with overall. When I was driving the LS50s they sounded good but always left me thinking I needed to go to my storage unit and get two of my Musical Fidelity mono blocks to get more out of the LS50s. My CS7.2s would be impossible to drive from the Marantz unless I pre-out to the mono blocks. This is another reason that led me to the Klipsch speakers because of their efficiency and my goal to perhaps not go forward with mono block amplifiers. (Only for simplification and space saving).
The Marantz SR-8012 drives the RP-8000fs with great precision at low and high volumes and with perfect punch for music and movies. I’m completely satisfied with the sound. Yes of course I would like to hear 8000fs driven by the mono blocks, however its not needed to make me happy with the sound, a first in many years!
In the past I have used only one subwoofer which was one of the original analog RSL speed woofers. I didn’t need more bass because of the epic CS7.2 full range abilities. I used it only for home theater to get that little bit of extra pressurization. The RSL speed woofer is an excellent subwoofer for the money and blends very well.
However, the dual SB-3000s are a different animal and are the icing on the cake for the RP-8000f setup for both music and home theater. To my ears this combo produces stunning sound. I elected to go with the SB-3000s vs the PB-3000s because of the amount of time I spend listening to 2 channel music vs. home theater. Don’t let that mislead you though the dual SB-3000s produce all the thunder I can stand for home theater and are spot on tight for music.
For months I played around with cross over settings, sometimes going weeks at a specific cross over point. Of course, room size and acoustic dampening plays a key role here. I ended up settling on 60hz for the RP-8000f and 80hz for the RP-504C. I felt that 60hz for the RP-8000fs really let the Klipsch shine across their frequency range and gave a little less to the subs which in my room was the best balance. Music is tight and articulate with excellent sound stage and imaging. The SB-3000s blend so well they make the RP-8000s sound incredible.
All I can say is what a great speaker the RP-8000f is for the price.
Hope this helps those that are trying to decide on a specific direction.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
My review of the RP-8000f tower speakers, SVS SB-3000 subs and Marantz SR-8012 Receiver
I apologize in advance for the long read.
I consider myself a high-end audiophile with a keen attention to detail. I have been building audio systems for personal use for over 40 years. This review and opinion are of course subjective and specific to my ears. Your mileage may vary. I listen to 80% music and 20% home theater. I listen to classic rock, jazz and anything good other than RAP.
My wife, best friend and life partner passed away recently after 38 years of marriage and I sold my house and moved into a small apartment until I can decide on something permanent. She passed away in our home under hospice care and I just could not stay there any longer, so I sold. I put my entire audio system in storage with the rest of my life. My small apartment is much too small for my current audio system. The system consists of two Thiel CS7.2 speakers, they cost 7,000.00 each and are incredible speakers approaching 17 years old. Thiel MCS1 center, Musical Fidelity M-250 mono blocks for all three front and center. Arcam AV9 processor. Anticables Level 2.1 performance series speaker cables. The sound from this system has been the pinnacle of anything that I have ever built. All speakers were on two inches of granite coupled with Black Diamond carbon fiber racing cones.
With this system in storage I decided to get a new system for my apartment with the hope I could simplify my setup for the future and build a much smaller family room.
I have always wanted to try a horn loaded speaker but always steered away from them because most would tend to wear me out quickly at volume. I had an opportunity to hear a pair of RP-8000Fs and was impressed with them. They were far more neutral than anything I had heard from Klipsch before. (I have not listened to the RF 7 III 2 or 3s. The 1s wore me out)
I purchased two RP-8000Fs in piano back finish along with a matching RP-504C center channel and two SVS SB-3000 subs. I decided I wanted to try the new immersive sound formats, so I pulled the trigger on the Marantz SR-8012.
I purchased the Marantz SR-8012 and a pair of passive KEF LS50s a few months before the Klipsch and SVS speakers. I was not able to get to a state of happiness with the KEF LS50s and was disappointed in what I was hearing. I know the subs would have helped the LS50s and I may revisit them later. For now, I’m focusing on the Klipsch.
On with the review:
Immediately the RP-8000s outperformed the LS50s in a few key areas. First was the ability to listen at low volumes and hear everything. I was blown away because these are the first speakers, I have owned that I can listen to at low volumes and still enjoy the detail. Second, I noticed that I can listen to less than stellar CD recordings which make up a majority of my 2300 CDs. They sound fresh and new with more fidelity and are no longer as painful to listen to. Thirdly the Marantz seemed to drive them effortlessly All three of these performance metrics where a problem with my 7.2s and LS50s. I’m not comparing bass between the LS50s and the 8000s for obvious reasons.
I prefer to listen to everything flat. For me its Pure Direct and Analog with no additional tone adjustments. I’m amazed at how neutral yet articulate the RP-8000s are. To my ears the sound is not colored in any way, similar to my CS 7.2s and better than the LS50s. This was surprising to me because everything I have read always stated that horn speakers where toned for Rock music and could be fatiguing. High quality, high resolution recordings are jaw dropping on the RP-8000s and they are not a one trick pony, because you can still enjoy the lessor quality recordings.
The RP-8000f speakers have not been fatiguing at all and have excelled in all forms of music genre punching well above their weight in price. It usually takes me a while to warm up to a new set of speakers especially through the break-in period. To my ears it took about 100 hours before they finally broke in and started to sound effortless.
Regarding power amplification I’m using the Marantz SR-8012 which I have been very impressed with overall. When I was driving the LS50s they sounded good but always left me thinking I needed to go to my storage unit and get two of my Musical Fidelity mono blocks to get more out of the LS50s. My CS7.2s would be impossible to drive from the Marantz unless I pre-out to the mono blocks. This is another reason that led me to the Klipsch speakers because of their efficiency and my goal to perhaps not go forward with mono block amplifiers. (Only for simplification and space saving).
The Marantz SR-8012 drives the RP-8000fs with great precision at low and high volumes and with perfect punch for music and movies. I’m completely satisfied with the sound. Yes of course I would like to hear 8000fs driven by the mono blocks, however its not needed to make me happy with the sound, a first in many years!
In the past I have used only one subwoofer which was one of the original analog RSL speed woofers. I didn’t need more bass because of the epic CS7.2 full range abilities. I used it only for home theater to get that little bit of extra pressurization. The RSL speed woofer is an excellent subwoofer for the money and blends very well.
However, the dual SB-3000s are a different animal and are the icing on the cake for the RP-8000f setup for both music and home theater. To my ears this combo produces stunning sound. I elected to go with the SB-3000s vs the PB-3000s because of the amount of time I spend listening to 2 channel music vs. home theater. Don’t let that mislead you though the dual SB-3000s produce all the thunder I can stand for home theater and are spot on tight for music.
For months I played around with cross over settings, sometimes going weeks at a specific cross over point. Of course, room size and acoustic dampening plays a key role here. I ended up settling on 60hz for the RP-8000f and 80hz for the RP-504C. I felt that 60hz for the RP-8000fs really let the Klipsch shine across their frequency range and gave a little less to the subs which in my room was the best balance. Music is tight and articulate with excellent sound stage and imaging. The SB-3000s blend so well they make the RP-8000s sound incredible.
All I can say is what a great speaker the RP-8000f is for the price.
Hope this helps those that are trying to decide on a specific direction.
First of all I wanted to express my deepest regards to your loss you recently have been through.

Second thank you for such an excellent review. Everything you said is spot on with what I experienced it's refreshing to know that it's not just me and my subjective experience

I too was really floored at theyre ability with music. I bought 3 of them for my front 3 channels and really I'm more 65% home theater 35% music but I have found myself listening to music a lot more way more on the theater system as I call it.

I'm also amazed at there ability to create great sound out of imperfect sources and at low volumes. I had several ways I could have gone with this speaker purchase but every time I listen to these speakers I never ever regret my decision. I could never let these speakers go

I know your not new to our shared hobby but if your new to this forum I would like to say welcome and I look forward to interacting with you in the future. My love for this hobby helped me through a very rough time in my life I hope it helps you through your time as well right now
 
H

HowardS

Enthusiast
First of all I wanted to express my deepest regards to your loss you recently have been through.

Second thank you for such an excellent review. Everything you said is spot on with what I experienced it's refreshing to know that it's not just me and my subjective experience

I too was really floored at theyre ability with music. I bought 3 of them for my front 3 channels and really I'm more 65% home theater 35% music but I have found myself listening to music a lot more way more on the theater system as I call it.

I'm also amazed at there ability to create great sound out of imperfect sources and at low volumes. I had several ways I could have gone with this speaker purchase but every time I listen to these speakers I never ever regret my decision. I could never let these speakers go

I know your not new to our shared hobby but if your new to this forum I would like to say welcome and I look forward to interacting with you in the future. My love for this hobby helped me through a very rough time in my life I hope it helps you through your time as well right now
Thank you for the kind thoughts. I appreciated your review as well.
I would like to add one thing to consider. I always find that I need to let the amplifier warm up for at least 15 minutes before I start to do any critical listening. This applies to Mono blocks as well as something like the SR-8012
 

Attachments

D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Addendum to my review. I just watched KPAX with my parents 2nite. They've never seen it before.

Watched it off of a recording from my dish DVR playing it for me folks at 60 on the Denon volume keeping it low for the folks

It sounded fantastic and those Klipsch front 3 towers are a big reason for that

These 8000f's have an amazing ability to pull detail and sound good at low volume levels.
Not just effects and music or soundtracks but also voices.

Nothing is lost and I'm super impressed at there ability to still sound good with sh×÷%!y sources.
Then when you play them from a high quality source out of this world

The more I have these speakers the more impressed I am with them
 
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bigkrazy155

Audioholic
I'm trying to figure out if the 8000s would be overkill for my room. It measures 22ft x 11ft x 7.5ft (basement foundation/tile floor, drywall and drop ceiling). It does open into a reasonably sized stairwell (close to 1000 ft cubed) that has a door at the top. Usage will be 90/10 in favor of movies and I'm going to get subs regardless. The primary seating position will be about 10 - 12 ft from the LRC.

I'm pondering the 8000 vs 6000 vs 5000 or the 600m on stands. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I'm trying to figure out if the 8000s would be overkill for my room. It measures 22ft x 11ft x 7.5ft (basement foundation/tile floor, drywall and drop ceiling). It does open into a reasonably sized stairwell (close to 1000 ft cubed) that has a door at the top. Usage will be 90/10 in favor of movies and I'm going to get subs regardless. The primary seating position will be about 10 - 12 ft from the LRC.

I'm pondering the 8000 vs 6000 vs 5000 or the 600m on stands. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I don’t think it’s overkill for a 22ft long room.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
I'm trying to figure out if the 8000s would be overkill for my room. It measures 22ft x 11ft x 7.5ft (basement foundation/tile floor, drywall and drop ceiling). It does open into a reasonably sized stairwell (close to 1000 ft cubed) that has a door at the top. Usage will be 90/10 in favor of movies and I'm going to get subs regardless. The primary seating position will be about 10 - 12 ft from the LRC.

I'm pondering the 8000 vs 6000 vs 5000 or the 600m on stands. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I have the 8000's they'll be great in your room size. Especially with your distance sitting back and that open area the room opens off to. The 8000's will be great Id pick them over the 6000's for that room size.

Happy hunting! Lol
 

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