Short answer: the Polk Reserve R500. It ranks #36 of 71 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $699; the Klipsch RP-6000F II ranks #54 and costs $1500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Polk Reserve R500 offers: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Surprisingly neutral overall compared to Polk’s smaller bookshelf models - notably more even-handed than the brighter-sounding R200 the reviewer tested previously. Good linearity on-axis, within about -3/+2dB. Sensitivity close to 86dB, easily driven to adequate levels in a small-to-medium room with a 100W-capable amplifier. Takes very well to EQ - a single band of correction (about a 2dB cut around 4-5kHz) resolves the main tonal issue and transforms the sound. Dynamic range and compression performance is solidly “medium,” holding up fine through about 20dB of level increase before higher-frequency and bass output start to taper at extreme volumes. Watch for: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble. Counterintuitively, toeing the speaker out to reduce brightness makes this worse rather than better, since the ring-radiator tweeter’s directivity narrows rapidly above about 6-7kHz - pointed on-axis retains enough top-end air to balance the bump, but toed away that air drops off and the shoutiness stands out more. Bass is adequate for its 5.25” woofers but lacks real weight below about 40-50Hz; a subwoofer is still needed for movies and bass-heavy music. A cabinet resonance around 160-170Hz subtracts from rather than adds boom to the mid-bass region. Vertical listening window is fairly narrow - sitting more than about 10-20° above or below the tweeter axis causes a suckout in the 2-5kHz range, reducing clarity and attack. Multitone distortion ramps up noticeably around 1kHz, and crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t meaningfully reduce it - likely a surround-related effect rather than excursion-related. Without applying corrective EQ, the reviewer says the 4-6kHz brightness would make it harder to live with day to day.
What the Klipsch RP-6000F II offers: Highest power handling and clean, well-behaved compression at typical volumes. Precise imaging from the controlled horn directivity. Watch for: Worse baffle-step coloration than the smaller RP-5000F II (3-4dB swing vs 2dB), plus a sibilance issue the 5000F doesn’t have - a real regression in tonal balance despite the higher price. Bass extension is mixed - less deep at -3dB (67Hz) than the 5000F - and needs a subwoofer regardless. Narrow horizontal dispersion (~50-60 degrees).
Buy the Polk Reserve R500. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Klipsch RP-6000F II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Klipsch RP-6000F II. It ranks near the bottom of the 71 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Reserve R500 | Klipsch RP-6000F II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699.00 | $1500 |
| Ranked | #36 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #54 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) | 39.6" x 9.3" x 17.6" (1006 x 236 x 446 mm) |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter | 1" titanium tweeter with Tractrix horn, dual 6.5" cerametallic woofers |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each | 49.4 lbs / 22.4 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Frequency Response | - | 38Hz - 25kHz (+-3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 1770Hz |
| Output Power | - | 125W continuous, 500W peak |
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- Revel F206 vs Polk T50
- Polk T50 vs JBL Studio 590
- Focal Chora 816 vs Dynaudio Emit 30
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
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The Two Speakers In Full
Polk Reserve R500: $699.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Surprisingly neutral overall compared to Polk’s smaller bookshelf models - notably more even-handed than the brighter-sounding R200 the reviewer tested previously. Good linearity on-axis, within about -3/+2dB. Sensitivity close to 86dB, easily driven to adequate levels in a small-to-medium room with a 100W-capable amplifier. Takes very well to EQ - a single band of correction (about a 2dB cut around 4-5kHz) resolves the main tonal issue and transforms the sound. Dynamic range and compression performance is solidly “medium,” holding up fine through about 20dB of level increase before higher-frequency and bass output start to taper at extreme volumes.
Cons: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble. Counterintuitively, toeing the speaker out to reduce brightness makes this worse rather than better, since the ring-radiator tweeter’s directivity narrows rapidly above about 6-7kHz - pointed on-axis retains enough top-end air to balance the bump, but toed away that air drops off and the shoutiness stands out more. Bass is adequate for its 5.25” woofers but lacks real weight below about 40-50Hz; a subwoofer is still needed for movies and bass-heavy music. A cabinet resonance around 160-170Hz subtracts from rather than adds boom to the mid-bass region. Vertical listening window is fairly narrow - sitting more than about 10-20° above or below the tweeter axis causes a suckout in the 2-5kHz range, reducing clarity and attack. Multitone distortion ramps up noticeably around 1kHz, and crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t meaningfully reduce it - likely a surround-related effect rather than excursion-related. Without applying corrective EQ, the reviewer says the 4-6kHz brightness would make it harder to live with day to day.
Full Polk Reserve R500 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R500 vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- Polk Reserve R500 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Klipsch Forte IV
- See all 34 comparisons
Klipsch RP-6000F II: $1500 Amazon eBay
Pros: Highest power handling and clean, well-behaved compression at typical volumes. Precise imaging from the controlled horn directivity.
Cons: Worse baffle-step coloration than the smaller RP-5000F II (3-4dB swing vs 2dB), plus a sibilance issue the 5000F doesn’t have - a real regression in tonal balance despite the higher price. Bass extension is mixed - less deep at -3dB (67Hz) than the 5000F - and needs a subwoofer regardless. Narrow horizontal dispersion (~50-60 degrees).
Full Klipsch RP-6000F II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1770Hz |
| Dimensions | 39.6" x 9.3" x 17.6" (1006 x 236 x 446 mm) |
| Drivers | 1" titanium tweeter with Tractrix horn, dual 6.5" cerametallic woofers |
| Frequency Response | 38Hz - 25kHz (+-3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Output Power | 125W continuous, 500W peak |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 49.4 lbs / 22.4 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Dynaudio Emit 30
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Polk T50
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Sony SS-CS3
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Infinity Reference 253
- See all 35 comparisons