Short answer: the Klipsch RP-600M II. It ranks #114 of 203 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $449.99; the Polk R200 ranks #163, rated 3.2/5, and costs $639, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Klipsch RP-600M II is the more accurate choice. Redesigned waveguide extends flush to the baffle edge, reducing diffraction compared to the original RP-600M. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.64 against 5.09 for the Polk R200. The tradeoff: On-axis, the treble runs notably hot (even hotter than the original RP-600M in some respects) and needs about 20° of toe-out or the grille installed to sound balanced.
Why pick the Polk R200: Two-way design with a 6.5” midwoofer and 1” ring radiator tweeter, giving reasonably tight, well-defined imaging. The catch: A resonance and associated distortion increase around 800Hz-1kHz creates a “tinny,” occasionally glaring quality on certain instruments and vocals, confirmed both by ear and in the frequency-response and distortion measurements.
Buy the Klipsch RP-600M II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Polk R200 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch RP-600M II | Polk R200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.99 per pair | $639.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #114 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #163 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 15.7”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (398.8 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) | 14.1”H x 7.5”W x 13.9”D (359.0 x 190.0 x 353.8 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB |
| Drivers | 6.5” Cerametallic cone woofer, 1” titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn | 25mm soft dome + 165mm woofer |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each | 31.3 lbs (14.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.64 | 5.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.77 | 7.61 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Klipsch RP-600M II compares with other leading options:
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs TAD Compact Reference One (CR1TX)
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Perlisten S4b
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
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The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch RP-600M II: $449.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Older model: the Klipsch RP-600M (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5).
Same family: the Klipsch RP-500M II (smaller bookshelf, rated 4/5), the Klipsch RP-5000F II (smallest floorstanding, rated 4/5), the Klipsch RP-6000F II (floorstanding, rated 3.9/5), the Klipsch RP-8000F II (largest floorstanding, rated 3.9/5), the Klipsch RP-404C II (smallest center, rated 3.7/5), the Klipsch RP-500C II (center, rated 3.9/5) and the Klipsch RP-504C II (largest center, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: Redesigned waveguide extends flush to the baffle edge, reducing diffraction compared to the original RP-600M. Roughly 10-20° wider horizontal radiation than the original, giving more soundstage envelopment while retaining precise imaging. A major step up in overall tonal neutrality compared to the original RP-600M, largely eliminating that model’s midrange resonance issues. Unusually, sounds better with the grille on: the grille smooths out the elevated treble rather than degrading the sound, a rare trait among speakers the reviewer has tested. More refined back-panel hardware, including anodized binding posts and jumper cables for optional bi-amping. Responds well to EQ correction (verified using measurement software and a miniDSP), letting the on-axis response be made genuinely linear. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
Cons: On-axis, the treble runs notably hot (even hotter than the original RP-600M in some respects) and needs about 20° of toe-out or the grille installed to sound balanced. Horizontal dispersion is very slightly less linear across angles than the original RP-600M, a minor trade-off for the wider overall radiation pattern. Klipsch’s marketed sensitivity (about 94.5dB) is, like the original, a half-space rating roughly 9dB above the anechoic reality (closer to 85-86dB). In-room bass rolls off around 60Hz in practice, and a 120Hz boost paired with a midrange scoop gives kick drums their “tambour” without real low-end weight: a subwoofer is still recommended. Vertical listening tolerance is limited to about ±10° from the tweeter axis. Toeing the speaker out for better on-axis tonality (rather than using the grille) introduces slightly more diffuse imaging from added sidewall reflections.
Full Klipsch RP-600M II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 15.7”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (398.8 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Cerametallic cone woofer, 1” titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.64 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.77 |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: The Truth about Klipsch’s “NEW” Sound. RP-600M Update. More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Klipsch RP-600M II
- GR-Research: We Bought The "NEW" RP-600M II Is KLIPSCH Listening?! More from GR-Research →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Erin’s Audio Corner: KEF Q1 Meta vs Emotiva vs Klipsch | The Real Differences
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs JBL 708i
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs PS Audio Aspen FR5
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Theory Audio sb25
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Polk Signature Elite ES20
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Aoshida Audio Musician Knight I V2
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Dynaudio Emit 20
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs MoFi SourcePoint 10 Master Edition
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
- See all 118 comparisons
Polk R200: $639.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Same family: the Polk Reserve R100 (smaller bookshelf, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5), the Polk Reserve R500 (smallest floorstanding, rated 4.2/5), the Polk Reserve R600 (floorstanding, estimated 4.2/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R700 (largest floorstanding, rated 4.3/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R300 (smallest center, estimated 3.6/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R350 (center, rated 3.7/5) and the Polk Audio Reserve R400 (largest center, estimated 3.8/5).
Pros: Two-way design with a 6.5” midwoofer and 1” ring radiator tweeter, giving reasonably tight, well-defined imaging. Neutral through most of the midrange (roughly 200Hz-1kHz). On-axis response holds within about 1.5dB up to 10kHz. About 20dB of usable dynamic range (76dB to 96dB) before more significant compression sets in. Reasonably close to a 4-ohm nominal load, giving some flexibility with amplifier choice, though a dedicated 4-ohm-capable amp is still recommended. Measured bass extension of 74Hz (-3dB).
Cons: A resonance and associated distortion increase around 800Hz-1kHz creates a “tinny,” occasionally glaring quality on certain instruments and vocals, confirmed both by ear and in the frequency-response and distortion measurements. Above about 10kHz, the ring-radiator tweeter takes on an artificial, “digital-esque” quality, then falls off quickly above 16kHz. F3 of 74Hz and F10 of 50Hz mean there’s essentially no meaningful bass “thump” below about 60Hz: a subwoofer is strongly recommended even just to restore basic kick-drum presence. The ring radiator tweeter’s dispersion narrows sharply above about 8kHz, so the speaker should be aimed close to on-axis (no more than 5-10° of toe-out). Vertical listening position is fairly critical: moving more than a few degrees above or below the tweeter line causes a noticeable timbre shift due to a gap in the crossover region. Multitone distortion spikes substantially (to around 10%) in the 600Hz-1kHz region at higher output levels (around 96dB/1m), meaning the glare gets worse the louder it’s played. At the highest tested output (102dB, 26dB of dynamic range), the woofer shows clear signs of struggling; crossing to a subwoofer around 80-100Hz helps prevent bottoming out but doesn’t fully eliminate the compression.
Full Polk R200 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 7.5”W x 13.9”D (359.0 x 190.0 x 353.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm soft dome + 165mm woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.61 |
| Weight | 31.3 lbs (14.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons