I was using an older Denon 7.1 surround sound receiver with these speakers. I drive them with a modest Marantz NR-1504 receiver. These speakers make a great addition to a home theater surround sound system. The first chart shows the frequency response of the RP-280FA, the second shows the impedance. In fact, the slight elevation in the treble made the sound bigger and more open, and his vocals and guitar lead sound clearer. Both are well-designed, good-sounding speakers. The recess is lined with foam to minimize reflection of sound. I had either the RP-280F or the RP-280FA plus the other Reference Premiere speakers for a few months, so I listened to lots of movies and TV shows through them. Brent Butterworth explores the new Atmos-enabled RP-280FA tower speakers from Klipsch, as well as other new models from the company's Reference Premiere line. Since the grills are not necessary, this isn't a deal killer albeit disappointing. The problem I had reviewing them is that I didn't encounter any problems, so it was all too easy to get sucked into a movie and forget I was supposed to be listening critically. Whether I was listening to stereo music or surround sound movies, the RP-280FA delivered a big, spacious sound, with a broad and deep soundstage. I expect that, if I (and most other listeners) did a blind test with no idea what speakers I was hearing, I would prefer the Klipsch's bigger, more lively sound. The Klipsch speakers have a sleek design that’s quite easily recognizable as theirs. 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The fourth chart compares the on-axis and 30° off-axis responses of the RF-280FA's top-mounted Atmos section and the RP-140SA add-on Atmos speaker. I got rid of the grilles because I think that's how most people will listen to them; they look great without the grilles, and with the tweeter domes recessed deep into the horns, there's little chance they'll be damaged unless your child attacks them with an ice pick. Like others have said these speakers are huge and heavy. I think a lot of audiophiles will dig the way the RP-280FA's subtly, slightly elevated treble brings out the details in movie soundtracks and music without messing up the experience, and I know home theater fanatics will appreciate the way these speakers can crank really loud off practically any amp...and sound great doing it. Perhaps that's because they're bipolar, with identical driver arrays firing at angles to one another; however, I've heard countless bipolar and dipolar surrounds, so their sound isn't new to me. The Reference Premiere RP-280F floorstanding speaker is the largest in the Reference Premiere family, producing cinematic sound from two 8" Cerametallic™ woofers and a Hybrid Tractrix® Horn. I thought the RP-280FA might make his vocals sound harsh, but it didn't. Here's another example: In "Sentenza del Cuore: Allegro" from The Coryells, a Chesky Records recording of jazz guitarist Larry Coryell and his sons all playing acoustic, the castanets in the background sounded like they were made of plastic instead of wood; the speaker's elevated treble buried the subtleties in the instrument's tone. The RP 504C is the newer version of the 450C I just purchased and the RP 800F is the newer version of my RP 280F's. That gives the RP-280FA a 55-percent advantage in woofer surface area, and its drivers have a larger box to work in, plus probably more excursion. Bottom line, I love watching movies with these thunder machines, but unless you have a larger listening space, you may want to consider only one of these bad boys, or dropping down to a smaller model in the series, especially if you own the RP-280F or RP-280FA towers. super tv and audio sound for music and movies. The mic was placed at a distance of two meters at tweeter height, and a pile of denim insulation was placed on the ground between the speaker and the mic to help absorb ground reflections and improve accuracy of the measurement at low frequencies. I knew it'd be lame not to review the Atmos stuff, and fortunately Klipsch was able to get it to me fast. Contact Ryan at HiFi Heaven for comparison and better pricing details. However, they really shine when being used for listening to music. The sound was definitely on the trebly side; no upright I've ever heard in person sounds this bright. Sold individually. Even though the Denon receiver listed for just $1,200 or so when I bought it, the high efficiency of the Klipsch system allowed the modestly powered receiver to get the whole system cranking at high volume with no sign of strain. The grille on the newer RP-8000F is a higher quality, more durable fabric. This should produce a fairly subtle "click" with each note. 8. It can fill a larger room with theater-quality sound with minimal effort - immersing you in the ultimate listening experience. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. I consider the 0° on-axis and horizontal 0°-30° curves the most important. The only issue I really had with this system was with the RP-450C center speaker, which exhibited what sounded to me like a dip/peak in the two-kHz region (an effect I know well because the Genelec HT205 recording monitors I use have a similar dip/peak at 1.5 kHz). These drivers let the RP-280FA play +3dB to +8dB louder than most competitors from the same wattage. Besides the general excellence of the system, I noted three important characteristics. It's also worth mentioning that the … And not just that, the bottom speakers are given a 2-degree tilt as to maximize the ideal angle adjustment. My only complaint is that after unpacking and putting them into place, I became determined never to move houses again – because the thought of having to move these things again is daunting (they are not petite). The front drivers are protected with a magnetically attached grille, while the top-firing drivers get their own, friction-fit grille. It was obvious on a quick listen that the tower speakers had broad, consistent dispersion, so the aim wasn't critical, but I went ahead and toed them in to point right at my listening chair just because that's what I usually do. Make sure you have room for them. The Atmos modules built into the tops of the towers are just icing on the cake. That makes the combo $1,250 per side, about the same price as the RP-280FA. 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The RP-280F's Cerametallic™ woofers dish out smooth midrange and articulate, well-defined bass. The bass is by no means bad, but probably not the best option for an avid hip hop listener. Go to popularity ranking The surround's response is elevated by +2 to +3 dB above 1.8 kHz, but that's as it should be, because this speaker's drivers will not face you directly; without that elevated treble, the surround might sound a little dull. Not surprisingly, the RP-280FA sounds very much like the RP-280F--since the only major difference between the two is the RP-280FA's up-firing Atmos array. Third is that the surrounds sounded a little better than average. The RP-280FA incorporates the very latest home theater sound technology, in the form of up-firing Dolby Atmos-enabled drivers intended to create a ceiling-speaker effect; yet it still relies on the horn tweeter and high-efficiency woofers that Paul Klipsch preferred way back in 1946.