Which - Klipsch RP-150M or RP-280F

[Photodan]

First - I'm an old guy - I'm 80! While I like surround for home theater I listen to classical, jazz and rock (OLD ROCK!) music only in stereo. My room is around 3,000', I use a Denon AVR-3313i AVR and I've used Martin Logan Motion 12s as my primary speakers. I've no problem with these, other than I'm antsy for "one more" set of speakers (who hasn't said that?)

I've been looking at the Klipsch RP-280Fs for several weeks but after looking at, and being confused by, the specs for this speaker versus the RP-150M I wonder:

Since I use a pair of SVS 12 sealed subwoofers below 80Hz, wouldn't the RP-150M serve me better, since I don't really need the deeper bass extension of the floorstander. Sensitivity for the bookshalf is 93dB and the 280 is 98dB??????? Plays a bit louder? They both use the same tweeter but have slightly different crossover frequency. In other words, the 280 will play a bit louder at the same amp power.

So...the question I have for you technical guys; will the RP-150M serve me well, all things considered. (Two SVS subs, room size, blah, blah, blah)

I'd truly appreciate it if a couple guys would jump in and motivate me to get off dead center.

Thanks in advance..............old old Photodan

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, the higher sensitivity speaker means louder with same amp power. Could be a nice thing, give you a bit more headroom. I'd use subs even with the 280, so that wouldn't be a key thing for me. I did recently move from bookshelf mains to towers (similar in terms of driver sizes of the 150/280, but different brands) and do prefer the towers especially for louder 2ch listening, they seem to fill the room better (and the bookshelf speakers went into my bedroom, a much smaller room, where they work better in comparison to the larger room). I've heard nice things about both speakers so as usual it more depends on your preference....

 

[Lil klipsch]

RP280. more volume and your not gonna have to buy pedestals for them, there already set for ear level.

 

[Beave]

(Nitpicking, but the higher sensitivity means louder with the same amp voltage. If the two speakers have the same impedance curves, then it would also mean louder with the same amp power.)

As to the original question, you're comparing the biggest tower in the lineup to the smallest (?) bookshelf speaker in the lineup.

With two subs covering the low bass, you don't need the biggest tower (unless you are playing really, really loud). On the other hand, even though the two subs cover the lowest bass, you have a big room, so the small single woofer in the RP150M might not be enough to play the region just above the subwoofer to sufficient levels.

So how about instead of either extreme, consider one of the models in between: the RP250F or RP260F. You'll get two midwoofers per tower to play the range just above the subwoofer. That should allow you to play them louder without damage/distortion/compression.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I agree with Beave, and I'd recommend the RP260F. The dual SVS subs are easily good to about 28Hz, and using an 80Hz crossover point to the subs will reduce modulation distortion in the towers, since the Klipsch's use a high 1770Hz crossover between the woofers and the tweeters. I'd definitely prefer towers over bookshelf models.

Don't believe Klipsch's 98db sensitivity rating, I'm sure it's inflated, but they are more sensitive than typical vented towers.

I should mention that for well-recorded acoustic the recent Klipsch offerings aren't my favorites; they are definitely colored with fat bass octaves and more output in the "presence" octaves than I care for, but I use them for HT/video, and for that they are excellent. (Movies and TV have unnatural audio by design, so accuracy is not necessarily a worthy objective - only "sounds good" is.)

For loud HT use you might consider upgrading the subs to a single (or dual) larger 15" thing. I have a 12" sealed SVS sub, and it's fine for my little apartment, but I wouldn't want it in my primary home.

 

[Photodan]

(Nitpicking, but the higher sensitivity means louder with the same amp voltage. If the two speakers have the same impedance curves, then it would also mean louder with the same amp power.)

Whew? There's why I needed a few technical guys.............

As to the original question, you're comparing the biggest tower in the lineup to the smallest (?) bookshelf speaker in the lineup.

Yeah - I compared the smallest and the largest deliberately, wanting to see if the 150 was inadequate for my setup and if the 280 was overkill for the same setup.

With two subs covering the low bass, you don't need the biggest tower (unless you are playing really, really loud). On the other hand, even though the two subs cover the lowest bass, you have a big room, so the small single woofer in the RP150M might not be enough to play the region just above the subwoofer to sufficient levels.

Now that's very helpful! Apreciated!

So how about instead of either extreme, consider one of the models in between: the RP250F or RP260F. You'll get two midwoofers per tower to play the range just above the subwoofer. That should allow you to play them louder without damage/distortion/compression.

Hadn't considered that....bit I will - thanks

 

[Beave]

How far away do you sit from the speakers? That's a really big space.

As for the subs, I'd rather have two 12" subs than one 15" sub. But in a space that big (!), you might want two 15" subs, or even more/bigger.

You probably already know, but this Klipsch line is getting a 'refresh' with new models soon, so the existing lineup should be available at steep discounts.

 

[Beave]

(Nitpicking, but the higher sensitivity means louder with the same amp voltage. If the two speakers have the same impedance curves, then it would also mean louder with the same amp power.)

I should clarify this further. I guess you could say it depends on how they spec their sensitivity: is it X dB/W/m or Y dB/2.83V/m? If you're talking about specifying sensitivity in terms of dB/W/m, then you are right in what you said. But I like to think that sensitivity is more correctly specified in terms of dB/2.83V/m.

 

[Irvrobinson]

How far away do you sit from the speakers? That's a really big space.

I think he means 3000 cubic feet, not 3000 square feet.

 

[Beave]

Darn! I was hoping we were giving advice on relatively inexpensive Klipsch speakers to Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk.

 

[Photodan]

Darn! I was hoping we were giving advice on relatively inexpensive Klipsch speakers to Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk.

Ha! A fixed-incomer and a certified cheapskate. My side and back surrounds are Polk 15s ($50/pr.)

 

[Photodan]

I think he means 3000 cubic feet, not 3000 square feet.

How far away do you sit from the speakers? That's a really big space.


Yeah, I meant room volume. It's 15-1/2' wide and 20-1/2' long. The ML Motions are on the long wall and 92" apart, driver to driver, and 53" from the front wall.I sit 68" from the plane of the drivers. Took quite a while getting that dipole soundstage.

My wife asked, "Why are they so far out in the room?" I replied, "I thought it would annoy you." Hey! I'm a cranky old guy!

 

[Beave]

I should have known that you meant room volume.

That's still a decently sized room, but now it's reasonably sized.

I'd say with your two subs, the RP-280Fs are overkill (but there's nothing wrong with that in the audio world!).

The 260s or 250s would do fine.

The RP-160Ms might be enough.

The RP-150Ms are probably best suited to smaller rooms and/or not-very-loud levels.

 

[Photodan]

Thanks, Gentlemen,
I'll order the RP-160Ms first, just to hear Klipsch in my room and compared to the MLs, and exchange them for the RP-260s if I feel it's necessary. I'd far prefer stand-mounted speakers, crossed to the subs under 80Hz, and they're far easier to return if inadequate.

 

[yepimonfire]

Are you sure it's not just your room causing the fat bass? The speakers measure very flat to 10khz. There is a slight tilt in the upper air region but I'd definitely not call them colored sounding.

I agree with Beave, and I'd recommend the RP260F. The dual SVS subs are easily good to about 28Hz, and using an 80Hz crossover point to the subs will reduce modulation distortion in the towers, since the Klipsch's use a high 1770Hz crossover between the woofers and the tweeters. I'd definitely prefer towers over bookshelf models.

Don't believe Klipsch's 98db sensitivity rating, I'm sure it's inflated, but they are more sensitive than typical vented towers.

I should mention that for well-recorded acoustic the recent Klipsch offerings aren't my favorites; they are definitely colored with fat bass octaves and more output in the "presence" octaves than I care for, but I use them for HT/video, and for that they are excellent. (Movies and TV have unnatural audio by design, so accuracy is not necessarily a worthy objective - only "sounds good" is.)

For loud HT use you might consider upgrading the subs to a single (or dual) larger 15" thing. I have a 12" sealed SVS sub, and it's fine for my little apartment, but I wouldn't want it in my primary home.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

 

[yepimonfire]

I should clarify this further. I guess you could say it depends on how they spec their sensitivity: is it X dB/W/m or Y dB/2.83V/m? If you're talking about specifying sensitivity in terms of dB/W/m, then you are right in what you said. But I like to think that sensitivity is more correctly specified in terms of dB/2.83V/m.

Klipsch adds 4dB to their anechoic rating to account for in room gain, so subtracting that will get you closer to the real number.

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[Photodan]

Klipsch adds 4dB to their anechoic rating to account for in room gain, so subtracting that will get you closer to the real number.

A very good review of the RP-150M over at your blog. Thanks! In fact, it drove me to order a pair from Amazon, mainly to get a taste of Klipsch and to compare them with my ML Motions.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Are you sure it's not just your room causing the fat bass? The speakers measure very flat to 10khz. There is a slight tilt in the upper air region but I'd definitely not call them colored sounding.

You've measured the RP260F?

 

[Photodan]

I guess it's time to admit to you fellows (very embarrassed - with egg on my face) that I've never heard a Klipsch speaker. My loudspeaker Chronology is:
1. Bose 901s: long ago - before most of you were born. I never really liked their sound. They did fill the end of the room with sound but it was just sound but with no imaging or a real soundstage. But they cost a lot, for me at the time, and I kept them for several years.
2. Acoustic Research AR-9s: Those I loved and kept from 1982 until 2010. They were the flagship of AR products, back when AR was a force in the industry.They were huge 4-ways, at 5' tall and around 110#, with prodigious bass from 2 side-firing bass drivers that thrived on the power of my old used Adcom GFA-500 amp. I lived with, and loved, those monsters for nearly thirty years. In fact, when the new owner drove away with them in the back of a big SUV I thought, "What are you doing? Are you nuts?"
3. Ascend Sierras Ones: A very nice bookcase speaker but they never had a chance - their great neutral sound lacked what those AR9s had. Warmth! Yep - I know - those AR9s added a decided warmth to jazz and classical recordings that the Sierras lacked. In other words, I found I didn't like their accuracy (neutrality).
4. Martin Logan Motion 12s: In 2013 I sold the Ascends and bought the ML 12s for an astounding price of $400. More; I took them home, spent days breaking them in (still don't believe in break-in period),spent a couple days inching them into their perfect spot and was thrilled with their sound. In fact, today, I can find no reasonable explanation for wanting to try the Klipsch speakers.
Except: For years the legend that is Paul Klipsch and his speakers have intrigued me (and, of course, I now reside in his home state). The fingernails on the blackboard highs always kept me away (remember; I like warm speakers) but today that seems to have been eliminated. And last, the idea of an 8-ohm horn system, effortlessly playing Dvorak's 9th at concert hall levels is pulling me in the direction of Klipsch.
Could Klipsch remind me of my beloved AR9s? Probably not. Still, since I'm an admitted cheapskate and also can't afford anything over $1k, I've ordered a pair of RP-150Ms, just to get a taste of Klipsch. If I like them it's done - game over but if I find them a bit lacking in dynamics (?) I'll swallow my miserly ways and spring for the new RP-280s (those new copper rings around the drivers are sexy).
Anyway; if you've read this "essay" I admire your stamina and hope you can offer an alternative path.
Thanks to all!

 

[yepimonfire]

You've measured the RP260F?

Here is the larger 280f. I've also heard from those who've owned them, and they've never been described as bassy. https://hometheaterreview.com/assets_c/2015/09/Klipsch-group-FR-thumb-650xauto-14540.jpg[ /IMG]

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