Klipsch RF-7 III

Name: Klipsch RF-7 III
Brand: Klipsch

The Klipsch RF-7 III is the third-generation flagship of the company's Reference series floor-standing speakers. The original price was $2,199 per pair. It's a 2-way, bass-reflex design that carries forward Klipsch's long-standing commitment to high sensitivity, rated at 100 dB. That means it works well with both low-power tube amplifiers and high-current solid-state designs.

Each woofer works in its own discrete, internally chambered enclosure with its own rear-firing Tractrix port. Klipsch says this allows the most efficient air transfer from the cabinet. The crossover is set at 1300 Hz, and frequency response is rated at 32 Hz to 25 kHz (±3 dB) with nominal 8-ohm impedance. Peak power handling is rated at 1000 watts, with recommended amplifier power up to 250 watts. Each speaker measures 13.87" W × 49" H × 17.87" D and weighs in the neighborhood of 101 pounds. The cabinets are hand-crafted in Hope, Arkansas.

The same review noted that the 8-inch-woofer Reference Premiere towers are a step down for those who want a more attainable Klipsch reference experience. A seller listing from Rapallo AV sums up the enthusiast response: the louder they get, the better they sound.

The RF-7 III succeeds the RF-7 and RF-7 II, and it remains Klipsch's current Reference flagship. It sits below the Heritage line (Cornwall, La Scala, Klipschorn) in the company's hierarchy, but it's widely regarded as the top of the modern Reference family. Recent used listings have ranged from roughly $2,449 for a used pair up to about $4,900, depending on condition and finish. Available finishes include Black, Black Ash, Walnut, and Natural Cherry.