Short answer: the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if sound quality matters most, the Klipsch RP-8000F II if price matters most. The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower ranks #6 of 71 floorstanding speakers at $5698. The Klipsch RP-8000F II ranks #52 at $1159.98, $4538.02 cheaper.
What the Klipsch RP-8000F II offers: Highest sensitivity of the RP II floorstander line (~92dB measured) and the best dynamics/compression behavior of the three under load - the cleanest at high output. Dual 8-inch woofers and the highest power handling in the line. Watch for: Mid-bass sounds lean despite the dual 8-inch woofers, and bass extension disappointed for its size - expected to reach 50Hz, didn’t get there in-room. Has its own edgy upper-mid bump (2-6kHz) that’s harder to EQ out than the other two models’ issues, since it stems from the vertical horn/woofer offset rather than simple tonal balance. The most placement-critical of the three, with the narrowest horizontal (~40-50 degrees) and vertical (+5/-10 degrees) dispersion.
What the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower offers: A RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter and dual SEAS Excel aluminum woofers in a 3-way, 4-driver bamboo tower measure a genuine 38.7Hz extension point with a nearly flat on axis slope of 0.05dB per octave, among the best measured towers in this batch. The bass alignment Q of 0.62 keeps the low end well damped rather than peaky. Backed by a 7 year parts and labor warranty and hand assembled in Orange County, California, with each pair matched within +/-1.5dB. Watch for: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some of the passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models in this same batch. At $5,698/pair it is Ascend’s most expensive tower, well above the Titan dome tweeter version of the same cabinet. The manufacturer’s own claimed sensitivity (87.5dB) runs nearly 1.5dB higher than the independently measured average (86.1dB), worth accounting for when matching an amplifier.
Buy the Klipsch RP-8000F II if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch RP-8000F II | Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,159.98 per pair | $5,698 per pair |
| Ranked | #52 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #6 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Sensitivity | 92dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Drivers | 1" titanium tweeter with 90x90 Tractrix horn, dual 8" cerametallic woofers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6" SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6" SEAS Excel aluminum woofers |
| Weight | 61.3 lbs (27.8 kg) | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 25kHz (+-3dB, Manufacturer specified) | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1630Hz | - |
| Power Handling | 150W continuous, 600W peak | 400W continuous, 600W peak |
| Dimensions | 43.1" x 10.8" x 18.3" (1095 x 275 x 464 mm) | 43"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.47 | 6.36 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.21 | 7.81 |
| Enclosure | - | ported |
| Warranty | - | 7 years parts and labor |
| Country | - | United States |
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How Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower compares with other leading options:
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch RP-8000F II: $1,159.98 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Highest sensitivity of the RP II floorstander line (~92dB measured) and the best dynamics/compression behavior of the three under load - the cleanest at high output. Dual 8-inch woofers and the highest power handling in the line. Measured bass extension of 67Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 92dB.
Cons: Mid-bass sounds lean despite the dual 8-inch woofers, and bass extension disappointed for its size - expected to reach 50Hz, didn’t get there in-room. Has its own edgy upper-mid bump (2-6kHz) that’s harder to EQ out than the other two models’ issues, since it stems from the vertical horn/woofer offset rather than simple tonal balance. The most placement-critical of the three, with the narrowest horizontal (~40-50 degrees) and vertical (+5/-10 degrees) dispersion.
Full Klipsch RP-8000F II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1630Hz |
| Dimensions | 43.1" x 10.8" x 18.3" (1095 x 275 x 464 mm) |
| Drivers | 1" titanium tweeter with 90x90 Tractrix horn, dual 8" cerametallic woofers |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 25kHz (+-3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 150W continuous, 600W peak |
| Sensitivity | 92dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.47 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.21 |
| Weight | 61.3 lbs (27.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower: $5,698 per pair Ascend Acoustics eBay
Pros: A RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter and dual SEAS Excel aluminum woofers in a 3-way, 4-driver bamboo tower measure a genuine 38.7Hz extension point with a nearly flat on axis slope of 0.05dB per octave, among the best measured towers in this batch. The bass alignment Q of 0.62 keeps the low end well damped rather than peaky. Backed by a 7 year parts and labor warranty and hand assembled in Orange County, California, with each pair matched within +/-1.5dB. Measured bass extension of 38.7Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some of the passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models in this same batch. At $5,698/pair it is Ascend’s most expensive tower, well above the Titan dome tweeter version of the same cabinet. The manufacturer’s own claimed sensitivity (87.5dB) runs nearly 1.5dB higher than the independently measured average (86.1dB), worth accounting for when matching an amplifier.
Full Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 43"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) |
| Drivers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6" SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6" SEAS Excel aluminum woofers |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Frequency Response | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 400W continuous, 600W peak |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.36 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.81 |
| Warranty | 7 years parts and labor |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs JBL HDI-3800
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66
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