Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs Klipsch Forte IV

Last updated: September 16, 2026

Short answer: the Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 for better sound quality, the Klipsch Forte IV for the lower price. The Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 ranks #5 of 71 floorstanding speakers at $7998. The Klipsch Forte IV ranks #41 at $5499.98, $2498.02 cheaper.

Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs Klipsch Forte IV

What the Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 offers: ASR’s revised Spinorama measurement shows bass reaching 32.2Hz at -3dB and 27.8Hz at -6dB, giving substantial low-end weight without a subwoofer. The response spans 2.3dB from 300Hz to 5kHz, with preference scores of 5.10 standalone and 6.12 with an ideal subwoofer. The review’s exceptionally low bass distortion at ordinary levels complements that extension, while dual 6.5-inch Purifi woofers provide a strong foundation for full-range listening. Watch for: Vertical directivity is narrow and horizontal coverage is uneven, so listening height and placement affect tonal balance. Treble resonances and response irregularities keep it from reference-level neutrality. Spinorama’s modeled EQ improves the scores to 6.09 standalone and 6.99 with an ideal subwoofer, but those are corrected results, not stock performance. Measured sensitivity is 85.9dB at 2.83V/1m with a nominal 4-ohm load; use an amplifier comfortable driving 4 ohms. Distortion rises at very high playback levels.

What the Klipsch Forte IV offers: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison - images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced. Watch for: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain - anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies - a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5,000/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.

Buy the Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Klipsch Forte IV when the price outweighs sound quality instead.

Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 Klipsch Forte IV
Price$7,998 per pair$5,499.98 per pair
Ranked#5 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers#41 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers
Bass Extension (-3dB)32.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner)
Bass Extension (-10dB)24.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner)
Sensitivity85.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified)93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic)
DriversCustom waveguide-loaded tweeter with beam-expansion fins, 2x 6.5" Purifi USHINDI aluminum-cone woofers1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn
Dimensions40.4"H x 8.7"W x 14"D (1025 x 222 x 355 mm)36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm)
Weight101.4 lbs (46 kg) each117.3 lbs (53.2 kg)
Impedance4 ohms nominal8 ohms
Crossover Frequency2.4kHz-
Woofer Cabinetported, large rear portpassive radiator
Spinorama Preference Score5.102.89
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub6.124.84

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66:

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The Two Speakers In Full

Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66: $7,998 per pair Radiant Acoustics eBay

Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 ranking card

Pros: ASR’s revised Spinorama measurement shows bass reaching 32.2Hz at -3dB and 27.8Hz at -6dB, giving substantial low-end weight without a subwoofer. The response spans 2.3dB from 300Hz to 5kHz, with preference scores of 5.10 standalone and 6.12 with an ideal subwoofer. The review’s exceptionally low bass distortion at ordinary levels complements that extension, while dual 6.5-inch Purifi woofers provide a strong foundation for full-range listening. Measured bass extension of 32.2Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.9dB.

Cons: Vertical directivity is narrow and horizontal coverage is uneven, so listening height and placement affect tonal balance. Treble resonances and response irregularities keep it from reference-level neutrality. Spinorama’s modeled EQ improves the scores to 6.09 standalone and 6.99 with an ideal subwoofer, but those are corrected results, not stock performance. Measured sensitivity is 85.9dB at 2.83V/1m with a nominal 4-ohm load; use an amplifier comfortable driving 4 ohms. Distortion rises at very high playback levels.

Bass Extension (-10dB)24.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)
Bass Extension (-3dB)32.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)
Crossover Frequency2.4kHz
Dimensions40.4"H x 8.7"W x 14"D (1025 x 222 x 355 mm)
DriversCustom waveguide-loaded tweeter with beam-expansion fins, 2x 6.5" Purifi USHINDI aluminum-cone woofers
Impedance4 ohms nominal
Sensitivity85.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified)
Spinorama Preference Score5.10
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub6.12
Weight101.4 lbs (46 kg) each
Woofer Cabinetported, large rear port

Klipsch Forte IV: $5,499.98 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay

Klipsch Forte IV ranking card

Pros: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison - images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced. Measured bass extension of 82Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 93.8dB.

Cons: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain - anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies - a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5,000/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.

Bass Extension (-10dB)39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner)
Bass Extension (-3dB)82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner)
Dimensions36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm)
Drivers1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn
Impedance8 ohms
Sensitivity93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic)
Spinorama Preference Score2.89
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub4.84
Weight117.3 lbs (53.2 kg)
Woofer Cabinetpassive radiator