The Klipsch RP-600M is one of the more popular bookshelf speakers currently on the market and has received high ratings from many of its satisfied owners. It is partly due to the speakers’ modest price tag and mainly because of their amazing sonic performance for the money. When partnered with matching HiFi gears, the Klipsch RP-600M will be able to sound its best but there is still a limitation that you might want to look into.
This is after all a pair of modestly priced bookshelf speakers which also means when it comes to low-end performance, the Klipsch RP-600M may not have enough punch or be unable to dig deep into the bass extension. When we look at the RP-600M frequency response of 45Hz to 25Hz, it does show some promise. Still, playing bass-heavy movie soundtracks through these bookshelf speakers does reveal the lack of authority and weight in their subsonic bass performances. Midbass also lacks impact and slam, making the speaker sound a little lightweight.
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The overall bass delivery of the Klipsch RP-600M speakers is not tight enough as we wanted it to be but all in all, the quality is still considered good for the price we are paying. Adding an active subwoofer will help but before making this commitment, you might want to find out if you really need a sub. You can do so by learning more about your subwoofer requirements and also deciding what type of subwoofer best suits you.
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Potential Subwoofer Requirements to Consider
The Klipsch RP-600M sound quality may be on the lean side but they are still able to bring out the energy of certain music genres such as rock and roll. To make your sound system to be more suitable for music that is bass-heavy, we highly suggest going with sealed cabinet subwoofers. Sealed subs are ideal for music playbacks due to their articulate and agile bass performance. They have a tight and fast low-end response as well, able to keep pace with the energetic Klipsch RP-600M bookshelf speakers.
For HT enthusiasts, ported subwoofers should be a better option for you as they are able to provide a more exciting home cinematic experience. This is due to the ported subs’ high bass output and SPL. Ported subwoofers are also ideal for bass fanatics. Listeners who are looking for more midbass punch should get an MBM instead. Sealed subwoofers can be used for movie playbacks as well and so you might want to take some time to consider which type of subs do you really want.
The sonic traits of a subwoofer are some of the main requirements to consider and there are others that you should look at too. For instance, the size of the subwoofer and bass driver to go for. This is usually depended on the size of your room, the bigger it is, the larger of a subwoofer you will need to fill the room with subsonic bass energy. Another requirement to consider will be how deep you want the subwoofer to reach down into the bass extension. Movie soundtracks tend to hit down to 20Hz and some music can even hit below that.
The more powerful a subwoofer is, the more expensive it will be and with so many models to choose from, you might want to limit your choices by setting up a budget. If you are planning to go for a large and bulky subwoofer, you will need to make sure you have enough room space to accommodate it. You might also seek your spouse’s approval first since the powered sub will take up a permanent spot in your home. Feel free to list out more subwoofer requirements on your own and once you have a concrete idea of what kind of sub you’ll need then please take a look at the list of the best subwoofers to pick and match with your Klipsch RP-600M speakers.
Best Subwoofers to Match with your Klipsch RP-600M
For HT enthusiasts who have mid-to-large-sized home theater rooms, the SVS PB-2000 Pro will be an excellent choice for you and your Klipsch RP-600M speakers. The PB-2000 Pro is a powerful and high-performance ported subwoofer, with the capability of reaching down to 16Hz bass extension. With up to 1500+ Watts of Peak power, the SVS PB-2000 Pro is able to rock your HT room with immense subterranean bass energy. To provide even more value, you can switch the SVS PB-2000 Pro to “Sealed” mode for slightly faster and tighter bass transients.
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A sealed cabinet subwoofer will always be a solid choice for music listeners and for those who prefer bass quality over quantity. Rythmik Audio F12 Signature Edition is made specifically for audiophiles who want a sealed subwoofer which have tuneful and powerful subsonic bass performance with articulation. The Rythmik Audio F12SE is most certainly a worthy match to your Klipsch RP-600M speakers. Not to mention, the F12SE sealed sub is capable of producing subterranean bass frequencies of down to 14Hz.
For seamless overall sound reproduction, you might want to partner your Klipsch RP-600M with a powered subwoofer from the same brand. The Klipsch Reference R-112SW will be one of the top choices in this case. R-112SW is a 12″ subwoofer with a front-firing slot port and an amplifier driving up to 600 Watts of dynamic power. Klipsch Reference R-112SW is very modestly priced as well and doesn’t compromise the performance. The bass delivery is tight and accurate, providing you with impactful subsonic bass frequencies without sounding bloated.
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SVS PC-2000 Pro is an amazing choice for listeners who have limited space and don’t want to compromise bass output. It has a cylindrical design which allows the PC-2000 Pro to have a smaller footprint while using the height of the cabinet to deliver high bass output. The SVS PC-2000 Pro is an extremely powerful subwoofer with 550 Watts RMS power and can reach down to 16Hz bass extension, it is definitely a good match for your Klipsch RP-600M speakers. This ported cylinder subwoofer is more suited for home theater use.
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If midbass performance is critical to you then the HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 is an exceptional choice to go for. It has 2 operating modes where one of them you can use the ULS-15 MK2 as a mid-bass module with plenty of power and headroom. The 2000 Watts (short-term) of amplifier power enables the HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 to dish out body-pounding midbass frequencies. You can easily switch it back to sealed operating mode. This is a powerful 15-Inch sealed subwoofer and will be a great match with your Klipsch RP-600M speakers.
The Polk Audio HTS 12 is one of the best subwoofers to partner up with the Klipsch RP-600M bookshelf speakers. It is a very highly rated ported subwoofer with a 12″ front-firing long-throw woofer driven by an in-built amplifier with up to 400 Watts of peak power. The HTS12 patented power port technology uses a floor firing design to provide us with a clean and extended bass performance, reducing unwanted port noises. This is a solid subwoofer with a modest price tag and a fantastic choice for home theater use.
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To Conclude
We suggest adjusting the crossover to 80Hz at the start and you can increase it later to 100Hz/120Hz for more pronounced bass performance, so as to see which crossover setting you will prefer. If you are using an AVR, you should set the Klipsch RP-600M to “small” or simply let the subwoofer take over the bass reproduction role. Before choosing a subwoofer, you should always audition it first before making your final decision. Do take a look at the Best Amplifiers for Klipsch RP-600M if you have the time.
