Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-600M II Ebony Bookshelf Speakers

Why it's worth it

The RP-600M II pairs a horn-loaded titanium tweeter with a 6.5-inch Cerametallic woofer, and its high sensitivity means a cheap receiver can drive it loud. It's the rare speaker that works as well for movies as it does for records.

If you're buying one pair of speakers and a modest receiver, this is the pair to buy. Sound & Vision lists the RP-600M II at 96dB sensitivity. That number matters more than most shoppers realize. Crutchfield notes that every 3dB of sensitivity you give up requires double the amplifier power to hit the same volume. So a 50-watt receiver driving these plays about as loud as a 200-watt amp driving a typical 90dB speaker. You get headroom without spending it on watts.

The Tractrix horn is the other half of the story. Klipsch widened it to a 90-by-90-degree pattern on this generation, and a horn does something a plain dome tweeter doesn't: it aims the treble at you and keeps it off your ceiling and side walls. In a live room with hardwood floors and not much furniture, that's a real advantage. You hear the recording instead of the reflections.

From our review of 8 bookshelf speakers

What we like

• +If you're buying one pair of speakers and a modest receiver, this is the pair to buy
• +The Tractrix horn is the other half of the story
• +These speakers lean bright and forward, and whether that's a plus depends on you
• +The cabinet is a genuinely nice piece of furniture

What to know

• –The forward treble is the main thing to know
• –At 18 pounds each and nearly 16 inches tall, these aren't small