Bookshelf Speakers
Klipsch RP-600M II Review: Easy to Drive, Fun at Any Volume
Quick Take
The Klipsch RP-600M II hits hard for a bookshelf speaker. Owners praise the lively dynamics, clear voices, and strong punch for its size. Setup is simple and the speakers are easy to drive, so you don’t need a monster amp to make them sing. A few listeners hear a bright top end in lively rooms and suggest a little toe-out or the grille if you’re sensitive. With careful placement, these Klipsch deliver a big, room-filling sound that keeps movies and music exciting without fuss.
Pros
Cons
Introduction
The Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-600M II is the second generation of one of Klipsch’s most talked-about bookshelf speakers. The promise is simple: give listeners a big, energetic sound from a compact box that plays happily with everyday receivers. The recipe mixes a one-inch titanium LTS tweeter inside a hybrid Tractrix horn with a vented tweeter housing, an updated six and a half inch Cerametallic woofer with motor refinements, and a rear Tractrix port. The cabinet is braced, the binding posts allow bi-amp or bi-wire, and sensitivity is high, which means easy volume in real rooms.
What makes these speakers compelling isn’t only the hardware, it’s how they behave where most of us listen. Many buyers move up from TV speakers or a soundbar. Others want a compact two-channel rig for vinyl and streaming. In both cases the feedback carries the same theme. These speakers bring life to the room. Voices stand out, drums hit with purpose, and the stereo image stretches wider than you expect at the size.
Key Features of the Klipsch RP-600M II
1-inch titanium LTS tweeter in a hybrid Tractrix horn. The horn focuses energy toward your ears, so treble carries without strain. In the real world this means dialogue that stays intelligible at lower volumes, cymbals that cut through a mix without riding the volume, and clarity that holds together for off-center seats on a wide couch.
Vented tweeter housing. The vent behind the tweeter reduces standing waves and lowers distortion around the diaphragm. You hear cleaner detail at modest levels. Small textures in acoustic guitar or vocal reverb remain audible without cranking the system.
6.5-inch Cerametallic woofer with updated motor design. The cone is stiff and light to stay pistonic through the midbass. That translates to snappy kick drum, bass lines that start and stop on time, and a smooth handoff at the crossover so voices sound connected across registers.
Rear Tractrix port. The flared geometry moves air efficiently for bass extension without chuffing. Give the cabinet a little breathing room from the wall and you get punchy low end that supports music and TV without sounding loose.
High sensitivity and 8-ohm compatible load. Their generous sensitivity lets even modest AVRs get loud in a medium room. Power is always welcome, but you don’t need to chase big watt numbers to enjoy full-bodied sound.
Dual aluminum binding posts. If your amplifier supports true bi-amping, you can experiment later. Most listeners will leave the jumpers in place and be perfectly happy; the option is there for tinkering.
Magnetic grilles and furniture-grade finishes. The grilles attach cleanly for a quick look change, and the satin baffle with ebony or walnut vinyl blends into living rooms without begging for attention.
RELATED: Klipsch R-51M Speaker Review
Sound Quality and Setup
Owner comments often land on dynamics first. These speakers feel quick on their feet. Snare hits jump, horn lines have presence, and action scenes gain scale that outpaces the footprint. Listeners moving from smaller bookshelves or TV audio often comment that the Klipsch RP-600M II “wakes up” the room even at moderate volume. That immediacy comes from high sensitivity and controlled directivity. The speakers move air easily and aim energy at the listening area, so the presentation feels direct and alive rather than distant.
Voices are a strong suit. The center image locks in, which helps with news, podcasts, and dialogue-heavy shows. After a week of use and a little placement work, many report that the midrange opens up and the system sounds more even. The top end has bite and can sound lively in bare rooms. If you’re treble-sensitive, don’t reach for EQ first. With horn speakers, aiming behaves like tone control. Crossing the speaker axes just in front of your head subtly softens the top octave, while crossing behind your seat adds sparkle. A tiny five to ten degree change can be audible. The horn’s vertical dispersion is tighter than its horizontal pattern, so get the tweeter pointed at ear height. If your stands sit low or your seat is tall, a degree of tilt can stabilize the image and tame edge. The magnetic grilles act like a gentle top-octave pad on some setups and can help without blurring detail.
Bass is better than the compact cabinet suggests, especially in the sixty to eighty hertz region where music carries weight. That punch supports rock, pop, jazz, and most TV without a sub. For film effects and the last octave, a subwoofer still earns its place. Integration is where you can unlock another level. Start with the speakers a hand’s width from the back wall and move in small steps. If midbass turns boomy, pull them out two inches. If bass feels light after that, nudge them back an inch at a time. Near-wall tuning like this is cleaner than heavy tone controls. If you’re placing them on a desk or in a tight space, a loosely inserted foam plug in each port trades a little depth for tighter, faster bass and more flexible placement.
Who Is It For?
Choose the Klipsch RP-600M II if you want bold, engaging sound that fills a living room without a power-hungry amp. They suit movie fans who value clear dialogue, music listeners who want snap and drive, and households where people sit across a wide couch rather than on one narrow sweet spot. If your room is very reflective or you’re sensitive to treble, plan on simple placement tweaks, a soft rug, and maybe using the grilles. If deep bass without a sub is a must, a larger bookshelf or slim tower might be a better fit.
Tips for Better Results
Start with the tweeters at seated ear height and aim the speakers so their axes cross just in front of your head if you want a smoother top end, or just behind you if you crave extra sparkle. Place the cabinets six to twelve inches from the back wall and adjust in small steps to balance punch and control; tiny moves matter more than you think. If you’re adding a sub, set the speakers to Small and begin with an eighty hertz crossover. Match phase by ear on a steady bass line before you touch levels; that removes the “hole” at crossover many blame on the mains. If late night sessions feel edgy, try a slight toe-out, add a fabric panel at the first side-wall reflection, and tilt the speakers down a degree to lower the center image. Their high sensitivity means watts are cheap, but noise floor and damping still count. A quiet entry AVR will do well; a modest Class AB stereo amp can add tighter bass and blacker backgrounds. They shine at six to ten feet; much closer, toe-out a bit more to avoid beaminess, and much farther, raise the tweeter precisely to ear height to maintain treble reach. If the sub’s auto-on naps during quiet listening, raise the AVR’s sub trim a couple of decibels and lower the sub’s gain by the same amount so the sub “sees” a stronger signal without getting louder overall. Passive bi-amping with the same AVR rarely moves the needle; you’ll net bigger gains from careful placement and sub integration.
Alternatives and How They Compare
- The KEF Q350 counters with a concentric driver that images like a laser on the main seat and a gentler treble balance. Sensitivity is lower, so it appreciates a bit more power. Listeners who favor long, relaxed sessions often lean KEF; those who want live-venue energy in a bigger seating area gravitate to Klipsch.
- The ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 brings a warm, even tone and polite highs that can be a lifesaver in bright rooms; it’s less immediate at low volume but very easy to live with.
- The SVS Prime Bookshelf offers a neutral studio-leaning balance, tight bass for its size, and strong build; it scales nicely with amplification, though it won’t project quite as big at the same SPL.
- Polk’s Reserve R200 delivers a step up in bass reach and an airy top end; it’s a refined, balanced listen that suits mixed music and movie use.
- Against all of these, the RP-600M II remains the punchier, more forward option that brings dialogue front and center and keeps energy high across a wide couch.
Final Thoughts
The Klipsch RP-600M II is a crowd-pleaser for the right room and taste. It plays loud with little effort, brings dialogue forward, and gives music a sense of movement that keeps you engaged. The tradeoffs are honest. You manage placement to keep the top end polite, you give the rear port some air, and you plan on a sub if thunderous lows are on the menu. Do that, and these speakers deliver a fun, cinematic sound that belies their size and turns everyday listening into something you’ll look forward to.
FAQ
Do I need a powerful amplifier to drive the RP-600M II?
No. Their high sensitivity lets a solid entry receiver get loud in a medium room. More power adds headroom, but it’s not required.
How far from the wall should I place them?
Begin with six to twelve inches behind the cabinet and adjust in small steps. Pull out if bass booms; nudge back if it feels thin.
Are they bright?
They can sound lively in reflective rooms. Aim the speakers so their axes cross just in front of your head, try the grilles, and add a soft rug to tame edge without EQ.
Do I need a subwoofer?
For film effects and the last octave of bass, yes. For everyday TV and most music, many are satisfied without one thanks to the strong midbass punch.
Can I use them as fronts in a home theater?
Absolutely. Match with an RP-series center, such as RP-500C II or RP-504C II, to keep dialogue timbre-matched across the front stage.
What stands should I use?
Choose sturdy stands that put the tweeter at ear height. Stability preserves imaging and midbass definition.
Does bi-amping help?
Only if your amp truly provides separate channels and crossovers. With a typical AVR, passive bi-amping rarely changes dynamics meaningfully. Placement and sub integration matter more.
How do I integrate a sub smoothly?
Set the mains to Small, start at an eighty hertz crossover, and match phase by ear first. Then set levels. This sequence avoids the common dip at the crossover point.
What listening distance works best?
They’re happiest at six to ten feet. Closer, toe-out more; farther, ensure the tweeters are exactly at ear height to maintain treble reach.
Any small-room tricks?
If the room is tight or the speakers sit near walls, loosely plug the ports with foam to tighten the bass and reduce boom. You’ll trade a little depth for speed and placement freedom.
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