Klipsch RP-600M II Review: That Legendary Horn Sparkle Will Either Seduce You or Send You Running

The Klipsch sound is like hot sauce, some people can’t get enough, others find it overwhelming after a few minutes. These RP-600M II bookshelf speakers are absolutely no exception, delivering that signature horn-loaded presentation that makes cymbals shimmer, vocals pop forward, and your ears perk up the moment you hit play. Whether that’s a good thing depends entirely on your ears and your music library.

Unboxing & Build

Right out of the box, these things feel substantial. At 18 pounds each, they’re hefty for 6.5-inch bookshelf speakers, which usually translates to well-braced cabinets. The Ebony vinyl finish on my review pair looks surprisingly premium — it’s not real wood, but Klipsch has nailed the texture well enough that you won’t feel embarrassed putting these on stands in your living room.

The copper-colored woofer and Tractrix horn are pure Klipsch DNA. Love it or hate it, nobody’s going to confuse these for anything else. Build quality is solid, with tight seams and a substantial front baffle. The removable magnetic grilles are a nice touch, though honestly, these speakers look better naked – that copper cone is part of the aesthetic.

The binding posts are chunky and well-spaced enough to accommodate banana plugs or bare wire without any fussing. The rear-firing Tractrix port is fairly large, so you’ll want to keep these at least 12 inches from the wall or things get boomy fast.

Sound Quality

Let’s cut to the chase: these speakers are exciting. Throw on “Royals” by Lorde, and Ella’s vocals are right there in the room with you, forward and intimate. That 1-inch titanium LTS tweeter paired with the 90×90 Tractrix horn creates an incredibly focused and present midrange-to-treble presentation. It’s intoxicating for the first hour.

Treble: Here’s where we need to talk about that signature Klipsch character. The top end is hot – not bright, but hot. There’s a noticeable presence peak that makes hi-hats, cymbals, and sibilants incredibly detailed but occasionally crosses the line into aggressive. Spinning up “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, the cymbal crashes have serious sparkle and air, but after a full album of classic rock, I found myself reaching for the volume knob. With well-recorded material like Patricia Barber’s “Code Cool,” the detail retrieval is stunning. With compressed modern pop or mediocre streaming quality? It can get fatiguing.

The horn loading does create exceptional efficiency though, these things are rated at 96dB sensitivity, and they absolutely sing with low-wattage tube amps. I drove them with a modest 20-watt-per-channel integrated and they played louder than I’d ever need.

Compare Similar Products

Mids: The midrange is where these speakers really shine when you feed them the right material. Male vocals on Ray LaMontagne’s “Trouble” have weight and body without getting lost. The 6.5-inch Cerametallic cone woofer handles vocal frequencies with surprising naturalness. There’s a bit of coloration, everything sounds like it’s being projected at you rather than existing in space, but it’s not unpleasant. Just forward.

Bass: Don’t expect subwoofer-level extension, but the bass these put out is impressive for the size. The RP-600M II go low enough to handle most music without feeling lightweight. On Massive Attack’s “Angel,” the bass line has punch and definition down to maybe 45Hz before rolling off. They’re not going to rattle your walls, but in a small-to-medium room, they deliver satisfying low-end impact. The port can get chuffing if you really push them with bass-heavy electronic music, but for most listening, it’s well-controlled.

Soundstage & Imaging: Here’s where things get interesting. The imaging is laser-precise, like, almost holographic when you’re in the sweet spot. On “Hotel California (Hell Freezes Over),” you can pinpoint every instrument with surgical precision. But the soundstage isn’t particularly wide or deep. Everything happens in a relatively narrow bubble between the speakers. Compared to something like the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0s, which throw a huge soundstage, the Klipsch feel more intimate and focused. Neither approach is wrong; they’re just different.

The horn loading creates excellent directivity, which means the sweet spot is smaller but more focused than dome tweeter designs. Move off-axis and things don’t fall apart, but the magic definitely diminishes.

Who It’s For

These speakers are perfect for you if:

• You listen at moderate volumes in small-to-medium rooms
• You love that “live” PA system-like energy
• Your music library skews toward jazz, acoustic, classic rock, and well-recorded material
• You’re running tubes or low-wattage amplification
• You want speakers that command attention

Skip them if:

• You’re sensitive to hot treble or tend toward long listening sessions
• Your music is heavily compressed modern pop or aggressive metal
• You want a big, expansive soundstage
• You prefer a laid-back, BBC monitor-style presentation

Verdict

At around $649 per pair (street price), the RP-600M II sit in a competitive space. Are they worth it? That depends entirely on whether the Klipsch house sound works for you.

Here’s my honest take: these speakers are seriously fun with the right music and incredibly fatiguing with the wrong material. I genuinely enjoyed spinning jazz records and acoustic albums through them, they have a “you are there” quality that’s addictive. But after two hours of Spotify’s algorithm throwing compressed pop tracks at me, I wanted a break.

They’re not neutral. They’re not relaxed. They’re designed to grab your attention and make you feel the music, consequences be damned. If that sounds appealing, you’ll probably love these. If you value long-term listenability over initial impact, look elsewhere.

Final score: 7.5/10 – Excellent for the right listener, but that hot treble keeps them from universal recommendation.

Tested with: Yamaha A-S501 integrated amplifier, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO turntable, Audioquest Golden Gate interconnects, 14-gauge speaker cable, 24″ Monoprice speaker stands in a 14×16 treated room