Immersive sound from bookshelf speakers

The RP-600M II bookshelf speakers offer incredible performance for their price. They provide detailed mids and highs and can dish out surprisingly articulate bass for a bookshelf speaker. The company reworked the woofer and tweeter to give them a leg up on the previous generation.

These versatile speakers serve many roles well. You can use a pair of them as your main speakers in a two-channel stereo setup. Or you can use them as front- or surround-channel speakers in a home theater system. No matter what they're doing, they'll serve up detailed sound.

Smooth, articulate highs

The 1" LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) tweeter features a vented housing to reduce standing waves that can compromise sound quality. The hallmark Tractrix® horn it's housed in has a widened mouth for better soundstaging and directivity. That means a wider "sweet spot" overall and better imaging within that sweet spot. The horn also sports a soft silicone face and a unique phase plug to keep the highs smooth and non-fatiguing.

Under-the-hood driver upgrades

Metallic drivers aren't anything new for Klipsch speakers, but the company has made significant improvements to the motor structures behind the 600M II's cone. Each speaker's 6-1/2" woofer uses a 70% larger voice coil for greater control, speed, and accuracy. The woofers also have new aluminum shorting rings that help reduce distortion and let the drivers handle some extra power.

A ported cabinet for deeper bass

The cabinets have a rear-firing Tractrix port that helps deepen each speaker's bass response. The port's horn shape promotes more efficient airflow in and out of the cabinet, minimizing port noise and low-frequency distortion.

Since these speakers use a ported cabinet, you don't want to place them up against a wall. Instead, I recommend giving the speakers some "breathing room" by pulling them away from your wall a little. Their bass response will thank you.

Product highlights:

• 1" LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm tweeter with Tractrix® horn
• 6-1/2" Cerametallic™ cone woofer
• frequency response: 44-25,000 Hz (± 3dB)
• power handling: up to 100 watts RMS
• sensitivity: 94 dB
• impedance: 8 ohms
• bass-reflex design with rear-firing Tractrix port
• magnetic grille protects drivers and looks stylish
• furniture-grade ebony vinyl with scratch-resistant design and satin-painted baffles
• aluminum binding post speaker terminals with audiophile-grade internal speaker wiring
• cork pads on bottom add stability and security while helping decouple the speaker from surfaces
• dimensions: 8"W x 15-13/16"H x 13-1/16"D
• weight: 18.1 lbs. (each)
• warranty: 5 years