# Klipsch Releases Three New Speaker Models (RP-280FA, RP-140SA, REP-450CA)



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

A new day, more Atmos. This time we’re turning our attention to a wildly popular speaker company known for its efficient horn-loaded loudspeakers: Klipsch. Recently, the company officially debuted three new speaker models with immersive audio in mind.










Klipsch has released an all-in-one Atmos speaker solution, the RP-280FA.​

Headlining the debut is a floorstander and Atmos all-in-one model. Since the announcement of Atmos, we’ve seen quite a few Atmos module speakers hit the market. These modules are designed to be placed on top of existing speakers in order to bounce sound off a ceiling to create a sense of height. As we reported last week, this isn't the best option for immersive sound primarily because lower frequency sounds are more diffuse and much harder to aim via sound reflection. However, THX believes that the typical home employing Atmos will use some sort of add-on Atmos speaker technology (as opposed to installing ceiling speakers).

Klipsch’s new all-in-one is called the RP-280FA. Wrapped in either a walnut or black real wood veneer, this speaker is built on the same technology used in the company’s RP-280F floorstander. It features dual forward facing 8-inch cerametallic cone woofers and a single 6.5-inch cerametallic height channel woofer. It also has two 1-inch titanium dome LTS tweeters with a Hybrid Tractrix Horn (one forward facing, one height). Being a Klipsch, it's not surprising this speaker is incredibly easy to drive (sensitivity = 98db). The main forward facing channel can handle 150 Watts of continuous power (600W peak) while the height channel is rated at 75W continuous and 300W peak.

If you buy an RP-280FA, then have your weight-belt or a friend on standby; the speaker weighs a hefty 72-pounds. 









Klipsch’s other new offerings include the RP-140SA Atmos module speaker and the REP-450CA center channel. The 450CA is a large speaker (31.13-inches wide, 6.81-in high, 14.51-in deep, 35.7 lb.) that features four 5.25-in cerametallic cone woofers and one horn loaded 1-inch titanium tweeter. It is also highly sensitive (97db) with a 150W continuous power handling capability (600W peak). Available in walnut and black wood finishes, the company is billing this channel as the front channel mate of the RP-280FA.

The 140SA is an add-on module speaker designed to sit on top of floorstanding and bookshelf speakers. Its 4-inch cerametallic woofer and 1-inch horn loaded titanium tweeter are set in a fixed-angled position to throw sound off the ceiling of a room. The footprint of the speaker is 6-in x 11-in. It’s finished in black only.










All three speakers are available now (MSRPs: RP-280FA $1,200/each, RP-450CA $850/each, RP-140SA $499/pair).

_Image Credits: Klipsch_


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

I sure wish I could demo some of these types. Despite fairly good reports(early anyway) I can't get my brain to accept this as viable. Obviously manufacturers think it's good so who am I to say, but my vaulted ceiling might disagree. Has anyone heard a good demo with upfiring atmos speakers? What did you think?
Thanks Todd. Love seeing new stuff.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

*Re: Klipsch Releases Three New Speaker Models (RP-280FA, RP-140SA, RP-280FA)*



willis7469 said:


> I sure wish I could demo some of these types. Despite fairly good reports(early anyway) I can't get my brain to accept this as viable. Obviously manufacturers think it's good so who am I to say, but my vaulted ceiling might disagree. Has anyone heard a good demo with upfiring atmos speakers? What did you think?
> Thanks Todd. Love seeing new stuff.


Hey Willis,
I'm not so sure manufacturers think it's good...but I believe they think there's a large market for it. I've heard some rumblings (no specifics) about other possible non-inceiling options. Hopefully those will take shape.


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## Chromejob (Feb 19, 2015)

*Re: Klipsch Releases Three New Speaker Models (RP-280FA, RP-140SA, RP-280FA)*



Todd Anderson said:


> A new day, more Atmos....[/I]


HOW many new speakers?  Look at your subject line, Todd.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

*Re: Klipsch Releases Three New Speaker Models (RP-280FA, RP-140SA, RP-280FA)*



Chromejob said:


> HOW many new speakers?  Look at your subject line, Todd.


:T


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## kingnoob (Mar 12, 2013)

Does atmos have more soundfeild depth then pro-logic heights? dsx

Id love to hear a pair of these.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Atmos is an object oriented, rather than channel assigned, codec. I'd hazard to guess that Atmos with ceiling mounted channels would have more of a depth and height effect than IIz...not only due to channel placement, but also the encoding factor.


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

Todd Anderson said:


> Atmos is an object oriented, rather than channel assigned, codec. I'd hazard to guess that Atmos with ceiling mounted channels would have more of a depth and height effect than IIz...not only due to channel placement, but also the encoding factor.


 I Agee here, but my disconnect is when they describe it as "object" based. Sounds still have to "pan" around the speakers. Right? How is is that so much different than how, for example, a jet flies overhead? Oversimplified it seems like a sophisticated "fader" like in my car. Prob not the place for me to look for clarity. Sorry. Maybe I'll try the "atmos explained" thread.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

willis7469 said:


> I Agee here, but my disconnect is when they describe it as "object" based. Sounds still have to "pan" around the speakers. Right? How is is that so much different than how, for example, a jet flies overhead? Oversimplified it seems like a sophisticated "fader" like in my car. Prob not the place for me to look for clarity. Sorry. Maybe I'll try the "atmos explained" thread.


No worries, Willis! I see where you're going with this...it does seem, at some level to be splitting hairs...but because of the root differences between encoding, it's not 

Traditional multichannel systems are coded to assign sounds to channels. Yes, sounds pan and can come from more than one channel, as sounds move around a room. But, the gist is that the coding is channel locked. In the Atmos system, sounds are coded to where they are meant to appear in a 3D listening space via a package of metadata. When you playback an Atmos track, that metadata is decoded and the system uses the available speakers to attempt to have the sound appear where intended...which means that the sound may come from more than one speaker as the system attempts to pinpoint a sound in 3D space. Obviously, this means that the intended sound effect has a better chance of being accurately placed with more available speakers (such as a theater with 32 speakers).

I would hazard to guess that Atmos encoded movies rely on both standard multi-channel coding techniques and Atmos metadata (depending on a what's going on in a movie)...but, in general, an Atmos encode has a much more diffuse playback effect with depth and height that tradition multichannel systems don't have.


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## Realtorx7 (Jun 17, 2015)

Bouncing sound waves off a ceiling.. doesn't this just seem silly altogether? 

Just seems so gimmicky.. worse than 3D.


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## Mikek (Jun 24, 2010)

I wouldn't knock it till you've heard it.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Realtorx7 said:


> Bouncing sound waves off a ceiling.. doesn't this just seem silly altogether?
> 
> Just seems so gimmicky.. worse than 3D.


Really depends on what kinds of sounds are being reproduced. Sounds with lots of detail in the low end of the spectrum are going to be problematic...no doubt about it.


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## Mikek (Jun 24, 2010)

Yeah, but it might still be better than not having Atmos at all if you can't have in ceiling speakers. Are there not special filters to sought out the low end.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Mikek said:


> Yeah, but it might still be better than not having Atmos at all if you can't have in ceiling speakers. Are there not special filters to sought out the low end.


You're correct...in fact, word on the street is that the industry believes most Atmos at-home deployments will involve module type speakers (not ceiling mounted). I don't think you can filter the low end...that kind of filter will need to happen at the encoding stage. Thus, the real question is what kind of content movie houses choose to encode in presence channels. More dynamic content would involve sounds that reach into a wide spectrum of sound (and benefit ceiling mounted speakers)...while more limited range (higher-end) content might play better to module based systems. 

We won't know what direction they choose for quite some time.


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

I can't twait o demo both versions. When all the press was talking about demos at Dolby labs, a lot of them said the up firing presentations were at least as good as the in ceiling ones. I still wrestle with this, and maybe I just don't want believe it, but it seems hokey to me. Dubious even. I can't discredit their claims however, as I've not heard either version. I do know that atmos "core" tracks seem to render more realistically. Not sure why, but I'm sure its scientific. Lol Fwiw, I think x.x.4 content is above 180hz. This might be only in "module" systems to combat localization though.


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