Paul Klipsch defined the sound of their speakers by the four acoustic principles he set out a the very beginning. First, high efficiency with less power and less distortion; second, controlled directivity for a lifelike soundstage; third, a wide dynamic range and, finally, controlled frequency response without any frequency bias, unnatural highs or lows and reproducing sounds accurately and without coloration. I can confirm that to my ears the RP-8000F II ticks all of those boxes.

The Klipsch RP-5000F floorstanding speakers sound great, look good, and are available for a very attractive price.

Not only have Klipsch succeeded on that front, but 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.

The V2’s soundstage gets another upgrade over the older 600M. There is terrific dispersion left to right and top to bottom. Seriously, this speaker is pretty great off axis, which includes vertically as well. There is very little, if any, change in tone or timbre when seated vs standing. Those of you with stadium-like seating in your home theaters should take note. Center imaging is terrific, though I achieved slightly better focus with some subtle toe-in. Detail throughout is excellent as the new 600Ms have ZERO issues aurally disappearing within your room.

Relatively unfussy regarding placement and partnering equipment, the RP-600M II is a great choice if your music collection runs the gamut of popular styles from ABBA to Zappa, but maybe less so if you're inclined towards Beethoven and Bach. Enormous fun, this Klipsch really tries to make the most of any music – but doesn't always succeed. It has a big character alright, one that many but not all will take to. Given its modest price, it's well worth a listen and could well suit you down to a tee.

In summary, the Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-600M II improves upon the original in several key areas including greater transparency, enhanced detail, and deeper, more articulate, bass. On the other hand, I did find the top end to be a bit brighter than the first 600M, necessitating even more care in terms of matching electronics.

As is the theme of this website there’s a strong theme of ending with what would I do. Honesty is the best policy and that allows you to find other speakers I like and follow along just know my tastes might not match yours. Now with that sound as a pure music speaker, the RP-80000F II is very capable but not optimal. For me, I will get more value out of a Magnepan or Martin Logan. However, where they are designed to shine is where they really shine. As an all-rounder.

As is the theme of this website there’s a strong theme of ending with what would I do. Honesty is the best policy and that allows you to find other speakers I like and follow along just know my tastes might not match yours. Now with that sound as a pure music speaker, the RP-80000F II is very capable but not optimal. For me, I will get more value out of a Magnepan or Martin Logan. However, where they are designed to shine is where they really shine. As an all-rounder.

They sounded clean, musical, and full-range. Plus, they have the unfettered dynamics of the best horn designs. Of course, they aren’t going to unseat my current reference speakers, but these Klipsch speakers are for regular audio and cinephiles who want great sound at an approachable price point. It should come as no surprise that this formula has made Klipsch among the most popular speaker brands in the world.

In the introduction to this review, we asked if the RP-8000F II was a substantial improvement over the original RP-8000F, and do those improvements justify the price increase. I would say that the RP-8000F II is largely an improvement. The original did have a flatter on-axis response across its entire frequency band, but other than that, this sequel speaker is superior on every front: better build, better crossover, better waveguide. Does all that justify the price increase over the original? When we factor in inflation, I would say YES. It is a significant improvement but not a huge improvement. However, the original would have had to incur a price hike to keep up with inflation anyway, much as so many other commodities. The original RP-8000F was a good speaker, but this one is better.