Klipsch RP 600M ii Review! Should you upgrade your 600Ms?
Klipsch RP-600M II video review by Andrew Robinson
Klipsch RP 600M ii Review
Should you upgrade your 600Ms?
There’s no denying that the Klipsch Reference Premiere 600m is one of the most popular loudspeakers Klipsch has made in recent years. It’s also THE ONE speaker we’ve never given a proper review. Well that changes today, because we’ve got the 600M v2 –yes, the brand new updated model –and, well, we need to talk. Should you upgrade your 600Ms?
600M II SPECS
At first glance –at least from the front –I doubt many would notice a difference between the original 600M and the 600M v2. The speaker is still a two-way, rear ported design featuring a one inch, vented titanium tweeter mated to a six and a half inch midrange driver. However, with version two, the tweeter sits inside a new, larger silicon Tractrix horn waveguide for greater dispersion. The cerametallic woofers also got an upgrade in the form of larger diameter voice coils and aluminum shorting rings, which (according to Klipsch) give the speaker better linearity throughout the bass, decreasing distortion while upping power handling resulting in improved speed and accuracy. These changes, along with the rear-facing tractrix port give the new 600M a reported frequency response of 44Hz to 25kHz which is unchanged from the previous model. The new 600M has an in room sensitivity of 94.5dB, which is a DECREASE compared to the original’s reported sensitivity of 96, though impedance is unchanged at 8 Ohms, meaning that like its predecessor, the new 600M isn’t going to be difficult to drive.
While the new 600M may LOOK similar to the old, it’s easy to see how the two differ –especially when you turn your attention around back. The v2’s cabinet has better bracing and thanks in part to redesigned chamfer and its larger horn waveguide, the new 600M looks a little more tailored. Around back the new speaker is a clear departure from the original, sporting an all-new binding posts and crossover plate that elevate the 600M to proper Reference Premiere status. The binding posts are the same that you’ll find on Klipsch’s costlier Heritage speakers like our Heresy IV. Sadly, the speaker’s finish options did not receive an upgrade over the outgoing model, leaving customers with the same ebony or walnut wraps, which is, in my opinion, a missed opportunity
TESTING THE KLIPSCH 600M V2
We’ve had these speakers for a while so we’ve been able to pair them with a wide range of electronics. Like I said earlier, the new 600Ms are NOT difficult to drive, though they do get better as you “upgrade” your associated equipment –just don’t expect night-and-day changes as you move upmarket. You CAN expect more subtle refinements to what is an already solid sounding speaker. We tested the 600Ms with our Audiolab 6000A Play, Marantz Model 40n, Decware Zen Amp, as well as the Bluesound Node acting as a preamp connected to one of my Crown XLS DriveCore 2 amplifiers. All of which sounded excellent –though with the Crown amp I did have to turn the levels down about four clicks to combat tweeter hiss, but this is NOT the fault of the Klipsch.
For home theater duties we incorporated the (older) RP-600C center speaker and Klipsch in-ceiling speakers using the Onkyo 7100 as well as the new Marantz SR8015 –both of which did an exceptional job and sounded great with the new 600M. I preferred the sound and flexibility of the SR8015 with the 600Ms to most everything we tried, though if I were going just off ABSOLUTE sound quality and nothing else, the Decware Zen Amp sounded the best overall so long as I didn’t attempt to hit peaks in excess of about 85dB in our larger room.
While I spent considerable time with the original RP-600M speakers, they never saw an official review here, because, well, by the time we got them, there was always a new speaker from Klipsch that bumped it from our schedule. Nothing against the 600M, in fact I mostly agreed with the reviews that were out there with respect to its performance, and to be honest, I expected the new v2 to be more of the same –I mean after all, they’re not THAT different on paper. Boy was I wrong.
One of the things that Klipsch DOESN’T share with you is the fact that the crossover tuning has been tweaked with version two; along with the subtle changes in the speaker’s physical design by way of bracing, waveguide tweaks and voice-coil enhancements, it all adds up to a decidedly different sound signature for the speaker –if not the brand. One of my initial comments to Kristi when first listening to the new model was that it reminded me of how I felt going from the Heresy IIIs to the IVs, and how the new speaker sounded so much more refined than the outgoing model despite there being seemingly few changes.
I would never classify ANY Klipsch loudspeaker as neutral or linear, they have a sound, one that historically has resulted in some bass accentuation mixed with a scooped out midrange and boosted treble –at least around where the midrange and treble crossover with one another. This results in a response that is more “smile-like” - a sound that is dynamic, captivating –dare I say “live” –which a lot of folks prefer. Can it be too much of a good thing at times? Sure. But it can also be damn good fun, which is no doubt why Klipsch and many of their product lines, the Reference Premiere in particular, have been so popular. While the new 600M doesn’t completely do away with these traits, it does have a more refined sound that is keeping in the recent tradition of Klipsch becoming more…mature, some may even say, more respectable.
Klipsch 600m ii speaker review by Andrew Robinson
THE NEW 600M SOUND
The new 600M sounds far more linear than any Klipsch speaker we have tested. I could still hear a mild rise in the bass around 40-50Hz, though I doubt many listeners will mind because it gives a fuller sound down low, and in some smaller to medium spaces may negate the need for a subwoofer. This being a rear-ported speaker, placement is key. Obviously you can boost the bass even further by parking the speaker closer to your front wall, or lessen the bass by pulling it out into your room; nevertheless, there is a rise in the speaker’s lower octaves that helps the bass to sound deeper not to mention just down right larger than you may expect a bookshelf like this to sound. But even with this slight boost in the lower octaves the resulting bass was more articulate than expected, possessing terrific speed and detail that blended well with the designer's sprinkling of manipulated weight.
When it comes to the midrange, that all too important part of a speaker’s frequency response, resting between say 200Hz and 4,000kHz, the new 600M is at its most linear. With vocals, Klipsch speakers have always had an immediacy to them, though at times that immediacy was born out of a forwardness that some could find objectionable. That’s all but GONE! The new 600M is very easy to listen to for long periods of time and while it still has a presence, a speed and transparency to the artist or instrument –at least with respect to the midrange –it is not AS forward sounding as past designs. Sure there is still some subtle –emphasis on subtle –manipulation happening, especially as you approach the highs, which gives certain instruments and vocal ranges a little kick, which I like, but nothing nearly as noticeable or should I say as egregious as past designs. In truth, when listening to Robyn, Norah Jones and even Collective Soul, there was very little difference in tone –with respect to the mids –between the new 600M and a costlier Revel bookshelf, which is something I NEVER thought I would say!
It’s much the same story for the tweeter, where the new 600M proved to be surprisingly flat, but best of all, not the least bit fatiguing. While the speaker’s tweeter may be titanium it doesn’t ring or have that metallic sheen to its highs that you get with the 600 Anniversary Series from B&W. The V2s Highs are airy and extended but they simply do not shout at you nor do they become sharp at high volumes the way some metal dome tweeters can. If anything, at the absolute extremes –think anything above 14kHz – they’re more reserved or rolled off, trading the potential for shrill and fatiguing for breathy. While this speaker hits the highest of highs, it doesn’t do so with the same energy as the Sonus Faber Lumina IIs or the Monitor Audio Silvers, meaning, of the three, the Klipsch pairs a little better across a wider range of music genres, which is something I don’t believe I’ve said about any Klipsch speaker…ever!
KLIPSCH RP-600MII SOUNDSTAGE PERFORMANCE
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.
Dynamically the new 600M delivers! This is a Klipsch speaker after all. These speakers pack an absolute punch and when crossed over with a sub around 60Hz or so, I doubt many listeners will be left with much to complain about. Hell, I doubt many would even need towers –but I digress. But the 600M is more than just a blunt instrument. Its dynamics –especially when listening to piano tracks from the likes of Alexis Ffrench –can possess a delicacy I simply wasn’t prepared for. Moreover, the 600M remains musical and engaging at lower volumes, those of you with smaller spaces (or shared walls) will really appreciate.
ADDING 600M II SPEAKERS TO YOUR HOME THEATER
Jumping over to home theater, I LOVED the new 600Ms for movies. They can absolutely anchor a surround sound system and feel completely cinematic! We weren’t able to get the new RP-500C II, so we relied on the older 600 center. While I could hear a subtle difference in tone and presence between the new 600M v2 and the old 600C –with the center sounding a little more forward and directional in comparison, the difference wasn’t THAT jarring. If you use auto room correction like Audyssey or DIRAC, the difference will be even less noticeable. My advice, if you have an existing Reference Premiere setup and are itching to try the new models, start with the left and right mains and perhaps center FIRST. What I wouldn’t do is throw out all your older RP speakers for newer models. When it comes to surround or overhead channels, I doubt you’re going to benefit THAT much.
WHICH MODEL IS BETTER? KLIPSCH 600M VS 600M II
But the answer I know you’re looking for is which model is better? While I would not call the differences between the two night and day, that does not change my opinion that the new 600Ms are better and the ones I would buy right now given the choice. Does that mean you need to rush out and upgrade your old 600Ms or that you made a mistake buying the older model? No, I don’t think so; especially if you are happy with them. They are both solid speakers.
HOW DOES THE 600M II COMPARE TO OTHER SPEAKERS?
These are the speakers we directly compared to the new Klipsch 600M II. To find out just how the new 600Ms compare to other speakers, you’ll need to watch the video starting at 11:56.
SHOP THE KLIPSCH RP-600M II HERE, HERE AND HERE.
All images, video and words are property of Andrew Robinson © 2022 Andrew Robinson.
