There are not many hi-fi companies left in the world that have retained, so to speak, “dynastic purity.” This means that, firstly, they continue to produce what it all began with, secondly, they develop (at least) these products all in the same country and, thirdly, they are headed, if not by the founder, then his close relative, bearing the same surname that gave the name to the brand. Klipsch is such a company, and next year it will be 75 years old. Given this factor, it is completely unique.
Klipsch RP-8000F II
And yet Klipsch is both the preservation of tradition and innovation. The brand is associated with horns and eye-catching Speaker diffusers in the signature “copper” color, which, by the way, can also be found in the finish of other company products – for example, in-ear headphones. And in its extensive assortment, there are both retro models (including the very first – Klipschorn), and wireless speakers with voice control or sound bars.
However, the basis of the catalog is the extensive Reference family of speakers for home theater and stereo systems, which is divided into the Premier and Base series. A couple of years ago it was completely updated, and acquaintance with its latest version begins with the flagship model of the Premier Klipsch RP-8000F II line.
These are floor-standing units of quite impressive dimensions (the depth of the cabinets is especially impressive), which are suitable for installation in a large room. With protective grilles, the speakers look like simple parallelepipeds, but if you remove them, the eye will have something to focus on.
Cabinets made from MDF are available with a quality vinyl film finish in ebony or walnut.
First of all, of course, on the bright diffusers of the midrange/woofers, made of metal ceramics with a copper coating, as well as on the proprietary Tractrix hybrid horn located above them. It is a conical funnel in the inner part and a quadrangular truncated pyramid with smoothly curved edges in the outer part. This front section is made from injection molded silicone that is soft to the touch, dampening resonant vibrations and eliminating the resulting noise.
Three speakers – two stripes
In the center of the horn, you can see the titanium dome of the proprietary one-inch compression tweeter with a carefully calculated phase equalizer covering it. It performs the function of a mechanical filter and allows you to optimize the amplitude-frequency response of the RF module.
This emitter is equipped with an effective magnetic system, and the proprietary LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) technology used in it ensures the piston movement of the dome over a wide frequency range. Its ventilated casing prevents standing waves from establishing behind the back of the membrane.
The speakers and horn are built into a single, thick front panel with no visible mounting hardware, and the grilles are held in place by magnets. Thin circles of “copper” color emphasize the peculiar harmony of these structural elements
The horn design, which increases the efficiency of the tweeter, as well as the well-thought-out design of the latter, made it possible to set the crossover frequency at a value of 1.75 kHz, and entrust the middle and lower subranges to two identical 20-cm speakers without band separation for them.
Bass reflex acoustic design with a rectangular port on the rear panel is provided to support bass. The profile of its output horn is the same tractrix as the Tractrix horn, which in this case allows for a reduction of the level of turbulent noise.
The Klipsch RP-8000F II has a distinctive and recognizable appearance. At the same time, attention to detail and aesthetic accents are felt, which makes their design harmonious and attractive, despite some bulkiness of their cases.
In the listening room, quite suitable in size for the Klipsch RP-8000F II, their partners in the audio path were the Lyngdorf CD-2 CD player and two integrated amplifiers: Parasound HINT 6 and a hybrid Magnat RV-4 with a tube preamp. As it turned out, the nature of the sound of these speakers is largely determined by the choice of amplifier.
With HINT 6, energy, bass delivery, dynamic scope and rhythm come to the fore. Muse’s Black Holes and Revelations sounds great. The loudspeakers can’t handle the step-by-step increase in volume, which is characteristic of the compositions of this disc, and it does not have to be adjusted at the beginning, so as not to grab the remote control later to avoid distortion. They simply don’t exist – at least as long as your ears (and neighbors) can stand it.
Powerful rhythms are elastic, their bass foundation reveals previously unnoticed details. The musical stage is large-scale and well-organized, low frequencies do not obscure the vocals, the soloist’s voice is articulated and expressive, his image is clearly focused. The arrangements of these songs contain a lot of interesting electronic effects, but in this case, you don’t want to look at them, since emotions and drive take over.
The live recording on CD “Toute la musique” by Patricia Kaas takes the listener into a hall filled with people: the audience vigorously greets the first guitar riffs that fill the surrounding space, and then the singer herself. The weighty bass chills you to the bones – they also reveal a lot of new things.
The hoarse voice sounds lively and emotional: leisurely compositions in the style of a ballad or blues, and downright hard rock with mighty honed rhythms and a sharp attack are equally wonderfully served. Again, no volume limits except your own.
But here the presentation of classical music was somewhat disappointing: restrained microdynamics, smooth highs, and also not quite exactly tonally balanced middle affected.
“Requiem” by G. Verdi is very impressive in some moments. For example, “Dies Irae” really frightens with its suddenness and inevitability: the drums beat sharply and powerfully, the voices of the choir rush from side to side across the stage, dynamic stresses are set precisely and expressively.
However, two female vocals singing in the octave of “Agnus Dei,” although quite distinct, do not form the necessary harmonic unity. In addition, the soprano has more details – and this soloist can be heard better than the mezzo-soprano.
Everything changed dramatically after connecting the RP-8000F to the Magnat RV-4 amplifier. It was as if these Klipschs had met an old friend – after all, the horn design of the speakers in the years when the company was formed made it possible for low-power tube amplifiers to drive speakers reliably. The RV-4, with its 110W into 8 ohms, hardly needs such support, but the tubes in its input stage clearly appealed to these speakers.
The speakers are mounted on cast aluminum platforms with integrated feet. They provide the bodies with a slight tilt back
The sound acquired the sophistication that it lacked. Microdynamics have improved significantly, as has the focus and organization of the music scene. The tops acquired a subtle outline and roundness; the middle also became more detailed and expressive. Changes in dynamics have become subtler, and more nuances have appeared. These metamorphoses had the most positive impact on the performance of “Requiem”: it became both informative and pleasing to the ear.
An increase in sound quality in these areas was noted on all previously listened material – it is worth noting that the bass remained the same deep, but added texture. In the recording of Bizet-Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, which was very sensitive to the accuracy of reproduction, everything fell into place: the strings acquired euphony and naturalness, the percussion gained variety and recognition, and the stage became spacious and airy.
Klipsch RP-8000F II Owners Manual
The subtle rendering also benefited the compositions of Muse – they did not lose their drive, but thanks to the increase in detail they became more interesting. However, the dynamics became not so explosive and easy to lift, and distortions sometimes slipped at very high volumes.
Conclusion
The Klipsch RP-8000F II is perfect for filling a large room with music. They can play loudly, energetically, and rhythmically, and are endowed with a deep, weighty bass.
They also have a very high sensitivity, which makes it easy to choose the right amplifier for them. It should be borne in mind that it can significantly affect the character of the sound of the speakers and even determine their genre preferences.
We can assume that with tube models the RP-8000F will be less loud, but more refined and detailed. The more interesting it will be to find a suitable partner for them, taking into account their own tastes and genre preferences.
Pros And Cons
Advantages: powerful dynamics, rapid attack, rhythm, deep weighty bass, large-scale stage, memorable appearance.
Disadvantages: They require careful selection of an amplifier, which will ultimately determine their character.
Specifications
Frequency: 35-25kHz +/- 3dB
Sensitivity: 98dB @ 2.83V / 1m*
Power (Continuous/ Peak): 150W / 600W
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Tweeter: 1″ Titanium LTS Vented Tweeter with Hybrid Cross-Section Expanded Tractrix® Horn
Transducers: Dual 8” Cerametallic Cone Woofers with Faraday rings
Enclosure Material: MDF
Dimensions: H-43.10″ (109.5 cm) x W- 10.84″ (27.5 cm) x D- 18.25″ (46.3 cm)
Weight: 27.85kg
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