Klipsch’s Reference Premiere II speakers, side by side. Here is the slim RP-5000F II floorstander alongside the RP-600M II bookshelf and the larger RP-8000F II floorstander, showing what your money buys at each step.

The RP-5000F II is the slim, affordable floorstander in Klipsch’s Reference Premiere II range, and it exists to bring the scale and bass of a tower to a room without demanding much floor space or amplifier power. It is a 2.5-way design using two 5.25-inch woofers rather than one, in a narrow cabinet no wider than a bookshelf speaker, and it carries the range’s signatures: the titanium LTS tweeter in a large Tractrix horn, Cerametallic woofers, and very high sensitivity. It also builds in Dolby Atmos passthrough for add-on height modules, so it slots into a home cinema as easily as it works in stereo.

Brief product overview

A 2.5-way floorstander with a 1-inch titanium LTS vented tweeter mated to a 90 by 90 degree hybrid cross-section Tractrix horn, and two 5.25-inch Cerametallic cone woofers with aluminium Faraday shorting rings, the voice coils 70% larger than the previous generation. The internally braced, divided MDF cabinet vents through dual-chamber rear-firing Tractrix ports. Sensitivity is a very high 95dB with an 8-ohm impedance, so it is easy to drive; power handling is 100 watts continuous, 400 peak, the crossover is at 1,900Hz, and response reaches 40Hz. Dual aluminium binding posts allow bi-wiring or bi-amping, and hidden rear connections let you add RP-500SA Dolby Atmos modules cleanly on top. It measures 917 x 207 x 375mm and weighs 17.55kg each, in ebony or walnut vinyl with satin-painted baffles.

How it sounds

The RP-5000F II delivers the dynamic, effortless, punchy sound Klipsch is known for, with more scale and bass authority than any of the bookshelf models thanks to its twin woofers and floorstanding cabinet, reaching a genuine 40Hz. The larger second-generation horn widens the soundstage and the reworked woofers give tighter, more controlled bass. As with the rest of the range it is a forward, lively speaker with the horn’s characteristic energy, thrilling on the right material and worth hearing to confirm the presentation suits you. The defining quality is efficiency: at 95dB it is among the easiest floorstanders to drive, coming alive on modest power, so it does not demand an expensive or powerful amplifier to fill a room.

What we’d partner it with

The Arcam A15+ is a well-judged match, and Arcam positions it for exactly this: floorstanders and larger rooms. It delivers 80 watts into 8 ohms and 120 into 4, far more than the 95dB RP-5000F II needs, with a Class AB output stage, an ESS DAC, HDMI eARC for a television and aptX Lossless Bluetooth, so it drives the speaker with total ease. Good alternatives from brands we carry are integrateds from Rega, Audiolab and Pro-Ject.

For network streaming, note the A15+ has Bluetooth but no Wi-Fi, so Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify Connect need a source; Arcam’s matching ST5 streaming DAC is the tidiest route.

For vinyl, the A15+ has a moving-magnet phono stage, so a turntable connects directly. The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is a fine partner, supplied with a moving-magnet cartridge that runs straight into the amplifier’s phono input.

On cabling, use a well-made speaker cable of appropriate gauge for the run; the RP-5000F II’s dual terminals allow bi-wiring or bi-amping if you wish. AudioQuest and Chord are the cable brands we stock.

Who shouldn’t buy it

If your room is small, the RP-600M II bookshelf shares the same horn and Cerametallic technology and will not overwhelm the space. If your room is large and you want the fullest scale, the RP-8000F II uses bigger woofers for more bass and output. And if you want network streaming built into the amplifier, the A15+ offers Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi, so budget for the ST5 or another streamer alongside it.

The RP-5000F II is a floorstander, so fit the supplied feet or spikes and level each cabinet. The dual rear Tractrix ports mean a little space behind the speakers improves the bass, and the horn is directional, so toe them towards the listening seat, or a little less if the treble feels bright. Connect a television to the A15+’s HDMI eARC input for automatic switching. For vinyl, connect the Debut EVO 2 to the moving-magnet phono input and its earth to the ground terminal. If you build a cinema, the hidden rear connections take RP-500SA Atmos modules; the dual binding posts allow bi-wiring or bi-amping otherwise.