Klipsch RB-81 vs Klipsch RP-600M: which should you buy?

For most listeners I would take the Klipsch RB-81. It leads on sound quality and design by slim margins and pulls clearly ahead on bass response, which is the gap you actually hear in a room.

Buy the Klipsch RB-81 if you have the floor space and the stands for it. The 8 inch mid-woofer and the 483 mm, 66.1 lb cabinet give it a low end that is deep, full and punchy rather than merely adequate, and at 97 dB sensitivity it stays clean without a powerful amplifier behind it. Its edge on sound quality and design is slim, so I would treat those as tiebreakers rather than the reason to buy. The one caution is the top end, which can read sharp or granular in a small, hard room, and it is worth confirming whether you are buying a single speaker or a pair.

Buy the RP-600M if you are building a first proper system, or if your listening room is small. It takes treble detail by a narrow margin and keeps its brightness together without tipping into harshness, and vocals sit forward and clean. Value for money is where it pulls clearly ahead, and I would weigh that heavily for anyone spending carefully. At 399 mm and 16 lb it sits on shelves and small stands that the bigger speaker would overwhelm, and it pairs happily with a mid-range receiver. Add a subwoofer if you want real low-end weight for films.