Klipsch RP-600M II

Sources split three ways. The biggest single block of weight — Erin's Klippel data, Stereophile, Andrew Robinson, STEREO and several owners — hears a Klipsch that is refined and close to neutral. An equally large but more diffuse group hears the familiar lively, forward, bright-leaning house sound. StereoNet likes it that way ('a Marmite loudspeaker'), eCoustics and HiFi Trends say it needs careful amp matching, and some Crutchfield owners found it bright and fatiguing. A smaller camp hears it as warm or soft instead: Qobuz, with the pair directly on a sideboard, and a Crutchfield owner who compared it with PSB and ELAC speakers. Amplifier and toe-in come up again and again as the deciding variables.

Mostly praised as full and articulate for a 6.5-inch standmount. Stereophile heard rare even-handedness in its room, eCoustics heard timpani with authority into the 40 Hz range on stands 30 inches from the wall, and Qobuz found no need for a subwoofer in small rooms. HiFi Trends and STEREO call it punchy and quick. About a quarter of the weighted sources want more: an ASR owner found it leaner than the first version, a Reddit shoot-out in a 14 × 18 ft room with a subwoofer said the low range 'lacks', and several owners say a subwoofer is a must for bass-heavy music. cheapaudioman found the original punchier. One Amazon owner went the other way and called it boomy and muddy. The rear port makes wall distance matter (see placement).

“This degree of even-handedness, particularly in the bass, is something I almost never encounter with moderately priced ported standmounts”

Herb Reichert, Stereophile

“Listening to big timpani strikes, it was clear that the RP-600M II have greater authority and definition down into the 40Hz range and certainly more texture.”

W. Jennings, eCoustics (26-inch stands, 30 inches from the wall)

“With the more stiff cabinet, this naturally leads to a leaner bass that ins return can hit a lot harder.”

Foxxy, ASR owner (compared with the RP-600M)

“Others who have purchased these speakers have, in their reviews, indicated that you do not need a subwoofer with them. I disagree.”

Amazon US verified owner (workshop system)

Sources split, and in opposite directions. The largest group finds the midrange natural and clearer than the first version's: eCoustics, Andrew Robinson (who heard little tonal difference from a Revel bookshelf) and Steve Guttenberg, plus owners who moved up from the RP-600M. A near-equal weight hears it as recessed, soft or coloured. StereoNet heard a 'raspy' rendition of jazz horns and wouldn't recommend it for voice and strings, Qobuz found the midrange less well defined, and Crutchfield and Amazon owners call it 'recessed', 'almost absent' or 'non existent'. A third, smaller camp hears the opposite fault: a Reddit shoot-out and cheapaudioman found the mids pushed forward.

Sources split three ways. The largest camp — Stereophile, Andrew Robinson, Guttenberg, Qobuz and owners with tube, class-A and receiver setups — says the bigger horn has tamed the old Klipsch edge. A large minority still finds it bright. eCoustics and HiFi Trends hear a top end brighter than the original's, and HiFi Trends needed a 9 W tube amp to calm it. Crutchfield owners called it 'unpleasantly bright and tinny', and an Amazon owner found it harsh with metal. A smaller camp hears too little treble: cheapaudioman preferred the original's air, an owner on a Yamaha A-S301 missed cymbal crispness, and another heard 'a blanket' over the drivers. Grilles, toe-in and amp choice run through all three camps.

Strong agreement. eCoustics calls it far superior to the original's, wider and deeper. Qobuz heard a stage well beyond the speakers, HiFi Trends one that snapped into focus with the speakers facing straight ahead, and StereoNet a deep soundstage. Andrew Robinson says the speakers disappear, and STEREO says it plays bigger than its size. One owner found it wide but 'not 3D deep'.

“The imaging and soundstage are far superior on the RP-600M II; wider and deeper with every recording when it exists, and the imaging is much better defined.”

W. Jennings, eCoustics

“The RP-600M IIs reproduce a wide soundstage that extends well beyond the two-speaker boundary”

Alban Amouroux, Qobuz Magazine

Mostly praised as precise. Erin, eCoustics, StereoNet ('a broad sweet spot'), HiFi Trends and Andrew Robinson all rate the focus highly, often with a little toe-in. The comparisons are what temper it: Guttenberg found the pricier ELAC UniFi Reference more precisely focused, and a Crutchfield owner returned a pair for lacking the imaging of Paradigm's 200B.

“Really good balance of precision of instruments/vocalists in the soundstage while still having good horizontal dispersion (±50° to ±60°).”

Erin's Audio Corner

“i would say that the elac had a more precise sound especially in the focus of the imaging”

Steve Guttenberg, Audiophiliac (vs the $1,200 ELAC UniFi Reference)

Sources split, unevenly. Most — Stereophile, eCoustics, HiFi Trends, Andrew Robinson, Guttenberg and an ASR owner — find it more transparent and resolving than the original. About a fifth of the weight disagrees. cheapaudioman heard less vocal and cymbal detail than in the first version, a Crutchfield owner found an ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 clearer from the midrange up, and another owner heard a veil.

Strong agreement on its best trait. StereoNet, Andrew Robinson, Guttenberg, Future Audiophile and STEREO describe punch, energy and no compression at high levels. Owners say it fills large rooms without distortion, and it stays engaging at low volume. The only complaint is one owner's: drawn-out, down-tuned doom metal made the 6.5-inch woofers 'flub out' until a subwoofer took the low end.

“Powered by my solid-state Naim amplifier, this speaker generates a lot of excitement, delivering a dynamic, impactful listening experience.”

John Pickford, StereoNet

“these speakers pack an absolute punch”

Andrew Robinson (YouTube; large room, SVS subwoofer)

Mixed, and mostly about the rear port. eCoustics wanted 2–3 ft from the back wall. Future Audiophile found it fussy: boomy close to a wall, lean far from one. Owners report good results from 14 inches out (with 25° toe-in) to 4 ft out, and a wall-mounted pair less than 6 inches from the wall lacked bass. Against that, StereoNet calls it relatively unfussy about placement, HiFi Trends had it focused pointing straight ahead, and a Crutchfield owner tamed it a foot from the wall with a tone control. On the listening area, Andrew Robinson found the sound barely changed off-axis, even standing up, but Erin measured a narrower vertical window, so keep the tweeter near ear height.

“Good directivity horizontally, but the vertical directivity could use some work.”

Erin's Audio Corner

“require at least 2-3 feet from the walls behind them to really work properly.”

W. Jennings, eCoustics

“Relatively unfussy regarding placement and partnering equipment”

John Pickford, StereoNet

“I recommend turning the speaker about 20° out (facing out into the room) or using the speaker grille to help lower the high frequency tilt a bit.”

Erin's Audio Corner

Easy to drive, and a favourite for low-power amps. Stereophile ran it from a 3.5 W 2A3 tube amp and a 5 W class-A kit, Guttenberg from a 2 W Decware, StereoNet from a 14 W Leak, HiFi Trends from a 9 W Cayin, and an Amazon owner from a 3.5 W single-ended triode in a 12 × 12 ft room. eCoustics adds that it comes alive with 40–75 W, and a 2 W Schiit Rekkr owner heard the amp struggle as he turned it up. The caution is the rating. Klipsch's 94.5 dB is a half-space, in-room figure, anechoic measurement gives about 86 dB, and an ASR member calls the rating misleading for buyers of tiny valve amps. Several sources add that the amp's character shows through.

“In my system, it sounded exactly as romantic or resolving, as thrilling or dull, as the amp I chose to drive it with.”

Herb Reichert, Stereophile (Elekit TU-8900 3.5 W and Amp Camp Amp mini 5 W)

“2 watts actually played loud enough”

Steve Guttenberg, Audiophiliac (Decware Zen Triode)

“Can you live with 8 watts of SET power? Absolutely, but both speakers tend to come alive with 40 to 75 watts”

W. Jennings, eCoustics

“They need to sort out their sensitivity ratings.”

Mart68, ASR

Solid for the price and better finished than the original. Reviewers note the new aluminium bi-wire posts, the flush-mounted port and terminal plate, cork base pads and an inert cabinet. The recurring gripe is the finish: both options are vinyl wraps, which one review mistook for wood veneer. A Reddit reviewer thought the cabinet the least impressive of three he auditioned. A couple of Amazon buyers received a chipped cabinet or a missing grille, but no failure pattern turned up.

“Cosmetically, both the tractrix-flare port and the binding-post mounting plate are now mortised flush with the cabinet—a subtle but elegant touch at this price point.”

Herb Reichert, Stereophile

“a quick rap on the side reveals the enclosures to be a little more inert than the originals from my judgment.”

Paul Cash, HiFi Trends

“sadly the speaker's finish options did not receive an upgrade over the outgoing model”

Andrew Robinson (YouTube)

Good to excellent at today's ~$450 pair price, more arguable at launch. eCoustics called it one of the best buys around even at $750, STEREO rated its value excellent, and an ASR owner called it a steal at $400. A Crutchfield owner put it neatly: a 4-star speaker at $425, a 3-star one at its $650 list price. The dissent names rivals. Owners and Andrew Robinson point to the Polk R200 or Signature Elite ES20, a Reddit shoot-out ranked the Revel M16 and SVS Prime above it, and cheapaudioman and Guttenberg say owners of the first RP-600M needn't upgrade.

“they have created a $750 pair of loudspeakers that compare favorably with other loudspeakers below $1,500 USD and that makes them one of the best buys around.”

W. Jennings, eCoustics

“The Polk Audio ES20 is a better buy.”

Amazon US verified owner (3 stars)

“the r200 is even more composed and neutral compared to the improved 600mv2”

Andrew Robinson (YouTube, vs the Polk Reserve R200)

“I wasnt super impressed, think they might be a tad overhyped”

BaconCheeseBurger, r/BudgetAudiophile (shoot-out vs SVS Prime and Revel M16)