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Klipsch RP-600M amp recommendation

bystander

bystander

Active Member
I’m helping a friend put together a first-time system. He is leaning towards a pair of RP-600M speakers. I haven’t heard them myself, but as a long-time Klipsch Heritage user and fan, I like what I’m reading about the company today and these speakers in particular.

I need help recommending an amp to pair with these speakers. Here are the requirements:

- Integrated, not separates or receiver

- New, not used/vintage

- Solid state, not tube

- Built-in phono stage

- Under $1,000.00

All thoughts/opinions greatly appreciated.
 
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bystander said:
Thanks for those suggestions.

Any thoughts on how the NAD D 3020 V2 would pair with these speakers?
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My tube and SS amps sound better than my class D SMSL AD-18 with my R-51M’s and KG4’s. That said my Allo Volt + D sounds great with both.

I tried a friends 600’s a couple months ago but did my try my SMSL with them.
 
Thanks for that. As a vintage SS McIntosh guy, the world of modern electronics and Class D amplification is foreign to me. I'm just trying to help my friend get great sound without scaring him off or breaking the bank.
 
bystander said:
Thanks for that. As a vintage SS McIntosh guy, the world of modern electronics and Class D amplification is foreign to me. I'm just trying to help my friend get great sound without scaring him off or breaking the bank.
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You'll have a difficult time getting any further answers here at AK as many of us are into vintage ...

The Yamaha integrated amps certainly look the part but matching a new direct coupled unit to new Klipsch speakers might just be too much muchness ...
 
FA46E490-9AB7-457C-9EE9-9C96201CF025.jpeg I’ve got a pair of RP 600m’s that I use for the fronts for my video setup. They are the little guys on the right side of the pic with the copper woofers. They are fantastic. They are super efficient (~95 dB watt/m) so you can drive them with just about any amp. Currently they are being driven by a Sony STR 1080 AVR. A Dayton 1200 subwoofer provides the bass.

But I’ve also driven the Klipschs with some vintage amps/receivers including a Yamaha M40 (125 watts), Onkyo 4500 (55 watts), Kenwood KR 4070 (40 watts), Realistic STA 77 (16 watts) and STA 47 (11 watts). The RP 600s sounded great with each of them.
 
damacman said:
You'll have a difficult time getting any further answers here at AK as many of us are into vintage ...

The Yamaha integrated amps certainly look the part but matching a new direct coupled unit to new Klipsch speakers might just be too much muchness ...
Click to expand...

I suspect you’re right. I love everything about vintage hi fi, but let’s face it, it’s not for everyone.
 
hornbostel said:
View attachment 2039259 I’ve got a pair of RP 600m’s that I use for the fronts for my video setup. They are the little guys on the right side of the pic with the copper woofers. They are fantastic. They are super efficient (~95 dB watt/m) so you can drive them with just about any amp. Currently they are being driven by a Sony STR 1080 AVR. A Dayton 1200 subwoofer provides the bass.

But I’ve also driven the Klipschs with some vintage amps/receivers including a Yamaha M40 (125 watts), Onkyo 4500 (55 watts), Kenwood KR 4070 (40 watts), Realistic STA 77 (16 watts) and STA 47 (11 watts). The RP 600s sounded great with each of them.
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You’ve got a nice combo of vintage and modern there!
 
When Klipsch is mentioned in audio circles many still have the outdated notion that the Klipsch tweeters are hard on some ears. A notion well earned IMO. One of my nephews have a 5.1 Klipsch RF setup, the RF-52's being the L/R mains. I can handle about 10 minutes of semi-loud music on those RF-52's before I need a rest. I recently heard some Klipsch RP-300(?) towers at a friend's home, it got me to thinking how good they sound in the highs vs my nephew's RF-52's.

I now have 5 Klipsch RP speakers in a 5.2.2 setup, an RP-440c center, RP-140SA Atmos speakers, and RP-150m L/R mains. Easily driven to very high SPL with my Yamaha RX-A2070 AVR. Oh, and a pair of Emotiva ERD-1's for surrounds. Sounds pretty danged good IMO. Klipsch has tamed the harsh highs that many listeners did not care for. Never thought I'd own Klipsch, but there it is!

I think your friend would be well served with any of the recommendations mentioned above. These are 96db at 1 meter and 1 watt, IOW, high efficiency speakers that can probably be driven to high sound levels with 10wpc. My preference would be to go for a Marantz or Yamaha integrated. But that's just me.
 
bystander said:
You’ve got a nice combo of vintage and modern there!
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Thanks. Vintage simply doesn’t cut it for some things, like surround sound. Need a solid AVR with all the bells and whistles for movies! Similar for digital. I have a modern Onkyo TX 8270 (100 watts channel) that I purchased for the DACs and audio streaming capabilities.
 
I have a pair of 600s on the way. I plan to use my Yamaha A-S301. I'm not familiar with the Klipsch sound but wanted something different to replace my MA Bronze 2 that developed a bad driver and the Elac UB5s that I never fell in love with. From what I have read, the Klipsch RP and R series were designed to work well with SS amps. Plus the "gentle" use of the tone controls can optimize them to the room (and my ears!)
 
Thanks everyone for your input. What I’m getting is that maybe these modern Klipsch speakers aren’t as amp-sensitive as the older Heritage line, and that just about any decent mid-level amp today may work just as well as any other with them.

It’s a tricky thing helping someone get their start in the hi-fi world. It can become so overwhelming to them so quickly. Maybe that’s why “the masses” today settle for just their phones and earbuds, or listen to music through their TV or Alexa device.

When someone expresses an interest in getting started, it’s up to us “advocates” to gently guide them without scaring them off!
 
GChief said:
Have you personally listened to “good” earbuds?

Just a curiosity of mine when people make statements like this.

:beerchug:
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No, I can’t say that I have.

I wasn’t meaning to be derogatory or judgmental. In fact, given all the headaches and heartaches it takes to stay committed to vintage hi-fi, maybe “the masses” are right!
 
I received my 600s this week. They are not as sensitive as the specs say they are, but a modest amp works fine. My A-S301 drives them easily.
 
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