New Reference Premiere Home Theater Speakers: What's New?

New Reference Premiere Home Theater Speakers: What's New?

Klipsch
May 16, 2022

The year was 2014. My favorite record was, “Run the Jewels 2.” Everything was, “on fleek,” and Klipsch introduced Reference Premiere speakers to the world.

Nearly a decade later, we’re unveiling the biggest upgrade to these world-class speakers since their inception. Refined speaker designs, more flexibility on speaker placement options, and all-around better sound quality make Reference Premiere some of the best speakers Klipsch has ever created.

So, let’s go through what’s new, shall we

The New Reference Premiere Line-Up:

You'll see similarities in the names for the sake of simplicity. At the end of the day, it's really not what's in the name, but what new tricks we have up our sleeves for the way these home theater speakers sound.

RP-8060FA II Dolby Atmos Floorstanding Speaker (replaces RP-8060FA)

RP-8000F II Floorstanding Speaker (replaces RP-8000F)

RP-6000F II Floorstanding Speaker (replaces RP-6000F)

RP-5000F II Floorstanding Speaker (replaces RP-5000F)

RP-600M II Bookshelf Speakers (replaces RP-600M)

RP-500M II Bookshelf Speakers (replaces RP-500M)

RP-504C II Center Channel Speaker (replaces RP-504C)

RP-500C II Center Channel Speaker (replaces RP-500C)

RP-404C II Center Channel Speaker (replaces RP-404)

RP-502S II Surround Sound Speakers (replaces RP-502S)

RP-500SA II Dolby Atmos Surround Sound Speakers (replaces RP-500SA)

As you can see, the home theater speaker system combinations here are nearly limitless.

Reference Premiere Home Theater Speaker Upgrades:

Close-up of Reference Premiere New Horn

New Horn Size:

Horn-loaded technology is our thing and has been since 1946.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HORN-LOADED TECHNOLOGY>

After more than three-quarters of a century of recreating the power, detail, and emotion of the live music experience in homes around the world, we know a thing or two about creating a rich sound stage.

New Reference Premiere speakers have a new, larger 90° x 90° silicone composite hybrid Tractrix® horn. This provides a more efficient transfer of high-frequency waves into the listening area. The updated horn also delivers best-in-class high-frequency reproduction and controlled directivity. This, in turn, creates a more accurate soundstage and larger sweet spot in the room for your home theater system.

A bigger horn equates to better sound aimed directly where you want it.

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Updated Woofer Design:

Close-up of Reference Premiere woofer 2022

Lower distortion is always a good thing. For Reference Premiere speakers, that comes from making a few additions to our Cerametallic woofer design.

“Aluminum shorting rings were added to the current woofer designs,” says Product Director Vlad Grodzinskiy. “The result is lower distortion compared to the previous generation of Reference Premiere speakers.”

The updated Cerametallic woofer design also incorporates higher power handling and greater output. What you get is some of the cleanest sound on the planet for your movies, music, and games.

LTS Tweeters:

LTS Tweeter Reference Premiere 2022


If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Linear Travel Suspension (LTS) 1” tweeters are a hallmark of Reference Premiere home theater speakers. LTS Titanium tweeters minimize distortion so you hear more details, right down to the backing vocals of your favorite songs.

Enhanced Cabinet Bracing:

Cabinet bracing for Reference Premiere new speakers
Cabinet bracing on the RP-8000F II Floorstanding speaker

Using tech from the legendary Klipsch RF-7 III floorstanding speakers, new Reference Premiere speakers have additional bracing and divided cabinet volume to add rigidity. This reduces vibration and resonance for sound clarity.

Refined Speaker Design:

Reference Premiere speakers in home theater 2022

One of the truly unique aspects of any Klipsch speaker is how it looks and fits into your home decor. We refer to our Heritage speakers as "heirloom pieces" to be passed down from generation to generation. We want the new Reference Premiere speakers to be a part of your home for years to come as well. “The new speaker designs are aimed at showcasing the elegant, detailed craftsmanship,” says Grodzinskiy.

The cosmetic updates include a curve extending to the bottom of the cabinets that runs parallel to the horn. A subtle curve on the grille frame inverts the angle, a contrast from the first generation of Reference Premiere speakers. This creates a slimming effect on the floorstanding speakers and an improved angle for the center channel speakers.

RP-5000F II floorstanding speaker grille on

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BEST SPEAKERS FOR HOME THEATER>

What About Dolby Atmos Systems?

Graphical depiction of Dolby Atmos sound waves

With more than 500-million people owning a streaming subscription for TV, movies, and music, Dolby Atmos is a must for any Klipsch home theater speaker series. New Reference Premiere speakers are no exception

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Side-by-side Dolby Atmos options Reference Premiere speakers


The Klipsch RP-500SA II function as immersive Dolby Atmos elevation speakers that can easily be added to any floorstanding or bookshelf speaker, or as rear/side wall-mountable surround sound speakers. The RP-8060FA II floorstanding speaker features a Dolby Atmos speaker built into the top, which also creates that 360° experience.

Any of these options will drop you right into the middle of the action.

What AV Receivers Work Best for New Reference Premiere Speakers?

As luck would have it, select Onkyo and Integra AV Receivers (audio/video) include the precise crossover values for new Klipsch Reference Premiere speakers, taking the guesswork out of room calibration solutions. It's easy to set up in the AVR menu. The result is peak performance out of your already amazing-sounding speakers.

While it’s hard to improve on the best, it’s always good to evolve to a better future state. The sound quality of these speakers surpasses their previous-gen counterparts and offers an even clearer soundstage. Of course, don't take our word for it. Experience it for yourself.

SHOP NEW REFERENCE PREMIERE NOW>


REFERENCE IS ALL-NEW AS WELL. GET THE SCOOP>

CHECK OUT OUR CURATED PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY TO TEST OUT YOUR NEW KLIPSCH REFERENCE PREMIERE SPEAKERS!