Floorstanding speakers Klipsch Reference R-600F Black

The bass drivers are loaded onto a patented Trastrix bass reflex port - a port of this design, which provides very low noise levels and excellent efficiency, was previously used in Klipsch road speakers. The placement of the output hole in the lower part of the body indicates that the entire internal volume of the speaker is used to load the bass drivers. Thanks to this solution, these relatively compact speakers sound powerful and rich. To eliminate sound coloration at high volumes, the Klipsch R-600F's cabinet is reinforced with internal bracing. The input connector block is a pair of gold-plated screw terminals.

The Klipsch R-600F's tweeter is installed in a new Tracrix horn with opening angles of 90 x 90 degrees, the inner surface of which has become smoother. The increased area of the opening horn has improved the coordination of the tweeter installed in it with the woofer. This made it possible to make the crossover filter response smoother, improving the sound at mid frequencies. The tweeter features an aluminum dome mounted on an LTS linear motion suspension made from Kapton. The tweeter reproduces sound over a wide range with minimal distortion, allowing the speakers to create an extended and focused stereo image.

Review of Klipsch Reference R-600F/R-800F

The Reference series occupies the lower position in the Klipsch line, despite the loud name. These are actually basic speakers, nothing simpler or cheaper is offered, but a detailed acquaintance with a couple of models proved that they rightfully have their own sound. A little less than two years have passed since we examined a couple of floorings in detail and it’s time to re-acquaint ourselves with this series - after all, the manufacturer has completely updated it. The updated Reference Series contains two sizes of almost every type of speaker, including subwoofer and center channel, allowing you to create stereo systems and home theaters of different sizes. We couldn't do without original solutions either. There is only one quite typical-looking Dolby Atmos speaker in the line, but it performs two functions at once: in addition to being placed on floor-standing speakers, it can also be hung on the wall, using it as rear and side surround sound speakers.

In a situation where this model is used as high-altitude Dolby Atmos channels, the developers offer a rather original connection method - through a cable line embedded inside the rug. The input terminals for both the main stereo pair and the height speakers are located in the lower part of the rug, and the output terminals for banana connectors are hidden in the upper part of the case, to which the height channels are connected. But the miracles don’t end there either. For real movie fans, a special version of the junior floor-standing speakers R-605FA has been developed, into which Dolby Atmos acoustics are already integrated. But at the time of the test, the most interesting speakers with built-in height channels were not yet available, so we examine two classic floors - the R-600F and R-800F.

While working on the design of the new Klipsch Reference, the company's specialists accomplished an almost impossible task - they changed most of the design elements without disturbing the classic design of the series. Look from afar - the usual Klipsch: black housings, square horns, copper-colored speakers. You come closer, look at the details - and the impression is the opposite: the new References have nothing in common with the old ones. The texture of the finish is completely different, more brutal, with a deep, pronounced wood relief. The edging of the front part is now beveled, so it looks more complex and rich, and the front panel itself is black to match the tone of the body. The flanges of the LF/LF speakers have become more aesthetically pleasing - they are solid, without holes with screw heads.

The square Trastrix horn is also neatly integrated into the front panel design, now occupying the entire top section from edge to edge and again has no visible mounting holes. If you put the previous and current versions of Refernece side by side, they look like a brutal working prototype and the final result brought to perfection by the designers. The only element of construction and design that, in my opinion, has not changed at all are the supports. At the base we can still see plastic strips with aggressive legs protruding beyond the body. They give the acoustics a slight tilt back, for more efficient propagation of sound waves in the room, and are not adjustable in height in any way. And the most strict thing is that there are no threaded bushings in the speaker bodies and optional legs or spikes cannot be used. Unless you put the speakers on a vibration decoupling podium with adjustable supports. Or you can adjust the installation height and the inclination of the coin base the old fashioned way. This will obviously require dimes and quarters. As for the design of the case, it is quite traditional. MDF, internally reinforced with spacers and partially filled with sound absorber. It’s hard to be sure of both, looking inside the bass reflex.

The new Klipsch Reference delighted us with its clear and focused sound, establishing generational superiority from the very first notes. All the main features of the signature sound signature have been preserved - with some changes, however. But it’s worth starting with the main thing. Klipsch acoustics sound much more collected and strict than many home Hi-Fi speakers, and the frequency response tends to be linear without softening the sound of dips in the midrange. This is what confuses some home audio connoisseurs and gives rise to talk about noisy speakers and other imperfections caused by the design. In order to understand the issue, it is enough to listen to good studio monitors. They have an even frequency response without softening or darkening the middle, which makes the sound not only bright and light, but also as informative as possible. This is exactly what Klipsch sounds like. And in the presence of horn coloration, the sound would be bright, but not informative, with outright confusion in the mid-frequency zone.

There is no confusion in the sound of the R-600F and R-800F - on the contrary, both models cope well with metal, without causing discomfort and making every guitar riff well readable. Excellent intelligibility across the entire frequency range is complemented by excellent timing and controlled bass, making listening to alternative commands particularly interesting. Good old Primus and Rage Against The Machine sound great. Need I say that there are no problems with classic rock and modern indie? I cited rock and metal as an example not because Klipsch are genre rocker speakers, but because these musical styles on acoustics with a soft “home” sound often do not sound convincing and realistic enough. In general, Reference floors have proven to be absolutely universal. Perhaps even more versatile than the previous version.

The capabilities of the new Klipsch could be felt during a kaleidoscopic change of genres. Rock just sounded perfect - and right after that chamber classical sounds just as exciting. From a technical point of view, these are diametrically opposed tasks. In the first case, the acoustics must be as dynamic as possible in order to effectively paint a sound picture with large strokes, and in the second, it needs to reproduce subtle shades and overtones as accurately as possible, work with the nuances of sounds and draw beautifully shimmering melodies.

In both cases, the Klipsch Reference performed successfully, conveyed the essence of the music, and did not create discomfort or a feeling of lack of any components of the sound picture.

An amplifier could very well help as the system's secret ingredient. There are models that make absolutely “dead” speakers play. But the situation turned out to be the opposite: the acoustics performed well with fundamentally different models, as a result of which the selection of an amplifier became more of a way to change the sound character of the system. If you need the most accurate, detailed and focused sound, you should choose a class D amplifier; if you want a little warmer - you can find it among the transistor models of class AB; even warmer - a hybrid amplifier with a tube pre-stage, it will soften and round the sound without compromising its drive. Well, perhaps the softest, most homely and comfortable sound can be obtained with a tube amplifier. Moreover, even large R-800Fs can be safely connected to a device with an output of 25-30 W; there were no signs of overload or lack of volume in such a situation. The only thing worth remembering when choosing an amplifier and source is that it is better to inspect them in a price category higher than that to which the acoustics belong.

Returning to the question of comparing the old and new Reference: their sound signature is as similar as possible, but the updated audio part is superior to the previous one in a number of parameters. These differences are not always radical, but they all benefit the sound. As a result, the presentation of music has become even more holistic, continuous, detailed and balanced. The new References performed noticeably better on delicate musical material, squeezing out more shades and nuances. In a word, the developers have successfully worked their magic on the speakers, and the joining of the strips turned out to be more seamless. The second comparison, which cannot be avoided, is a comparison of small and large floors, and the difference between them was noticeable only in the bass part of the range: in the midrange and high frequencies they were almost identical. Accordingly, differences can only be noticed on recordings that have a pronounced lower bass and infracture - and this, as a rule, is electronic music.

Specifications Klipsch R-600F

• Number of lanes 2
• Number of speakers 3
• Housing type: Trastrix bass reflex on the rear panel
• Tweeter 1" (25mm) aluminum dome tweeter housed in a 90 x 90 degree Tracrix horn
• MF/LF driver 2 x 6.5" (165 mm) MF/LF driver with IMG copper-plated cone
• Frequency range 38 Hz - 21 kHz
• Sensitivity 96 dB (2.83 V/1 m)
• Nominal impedance 8 ohms
• Amplifier input power 100-400 W (peak)
• Crossover frequencies 2000 Hz
• Input connectors: pair of screw terminals
• Grill is removable
• Dimensions (WxHxD) 240x1017x386 mm
• Weight 18.6 kg