In my first passive speaker review since my return to the blog,
I begin with the splendid RP-500M from Klipsch. Read on to find out more…

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Disclaimer:
Klipsch or Henley Audio have not paid or sponsored me for this review.
This is an unbiased review and the views and opinions in this publication are my own.
I’d like to thank Simon and staff at Henley for kindly sending these speakers out to The Audiophile Cafe for review.

The Klipsch RP-500M currently retail at £519.
You can find them and other products Henley Audio here:-
https://www.henleyaudio.co.uk

Review equipment and software:
Klipsch RP-500M bookshelf speakers.
Airpulse ST200 speaker stands filled with Atacama “Atabytes”.
Cyrus One integrated amplifier.
Musician Audio Pegasus DAC.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO turntable.
Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge.
Custom Cans Interconnects and speaker cable.
Audioquest mains cables.
Audiowalle TP1000 mains conditioners.

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Music:
Qobuz Studio Premier.
For all your High Res music needs please take a look at our partner Qobuz and give it a try:
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/discover

And various albums on vinyl.

What’s in the box?:
1x pair of Klipsch RP-500M bookshelf speakers.
Documentation.

Specification:

Frequency Response:	48-25kHz +/- 3dB
Sensitivity:	93dB @ 2.83V / 1m
Power Handling (Cont/Peak):	75W/300W
Nominal Impedance:	8Ω Compatible
Crossover Frequency:	1500Hz
High Frequency Driver:	1″ Titanium LTS Vented Tweeter with Hybrid Cross-Section Tractrix® Horn
Low Frequency Driver:	5.25” Cerametallic Cone Woofer
Enclosure Material:	MDF
Enclosure Type:	Bass Reflex via rear-firing Tractrix® Port
Inputs:	Single binding posts
Dimensions (H x W x D)	34.3 x 17.3 x 24.1cm
Weight:	5.4kg
Finish:	Ebony, Walnut
Accessories:	Rubber Feet

Build and finish:
This was the first product I’ve experienced from Klipsch, so I was interested to see what all the fuss was about.
And I get it. Packaging is simple, dense and more than ample.
The included documentation is easy to understand and straight forward.
Upon unboxing the RP-500M’s I was impressed with the finish of the veneer and the exquisite construction.
These are the first pair of speakers I’ve had that sport magnetic grills. Oh My! What a simple but revolutionary idea. It’s that good I want to convert all of my speakers that I own to magnetic grills!
The copper drivers look sublime. I wasn’t sure I would like them from photo’s I’ve always seen, but here, in my living room they look fabulous!
My one complaint is the rubber/silicone horns. They pick up dust and particles constantly and are then a bit tricky to clean off.
Whether the material has an effect on the sound I am unsure, however I thing a matt finish plastic would have been better.
Otherwise they look stunning.
Round the back we have good solid binding posts, and above them, a pair of massive horn shaped bass reflex ports.
Also found at the rear are wall mounting options. Definitely a positive if you’re planning on using these in a home theatre system.
All in all I found Klipsch’s craftsmanship and design on point.

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Sound:
I’ll state right off the bat, that these are one of the best bookshelf speakers I’ve heard to date.
They’re easy to drive, especially with the Cyrus ONE’s ability to detect impedance and configure itself for optimal performance.
The RP-500M have a wide and open soundstage, easily filling my room with a rich, impactful image.
Instrument separation is organic and sounds like you’re right there in the club, on the field, right by the stage… Cliche’d I know but it’s the only way I can explain it.
The RP-500M’s create a 3D image and it’s possibly the first time I’ve had my system at the point where the speakers have “disappeared” as I’ve heard New Record Day’s Ron Brenay describe it. And he’s right. Get the speakers positioned correctly and you’re half way there already. With my eyes closed, listening to a live concert, the “image” the RP-500M’s created was astonishing and If you had led me into the room blind folded I would not have been able to place where the speakers were positioned.

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Bass is slightly rolled off at the very lower end, however it still manages to hit hard from across the room with control and rich layers of texture.
The mids are somewhere in the neutral zone ( please excuse the Star Trek phrase! ), and I mean it in the kindest sense. Neither harsh nor weak midrange is to be found here. Instead, a purposeful yet light and airy midrange is present. Leaning into vocals just enough to flow naturally without sounding overenthusiastic.
Highs are crisp, fast and detailed with just enough sparkle to compliment the rest of the frequency range.

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Conclusion:
The RP-500M are certainly a new class of speaker I have had the pleasure to review.
They are an articulate and well balanced example of excellence I haven’t heard yet at this price point.
Their design guarantees they’ll look at home in most rooms and would be more than likely a conversation piece, not an eyesore.
So, yes I do highly recommend you go and have a listen to a pair if your able. And if you do buy, you won’t be disappointed!

Thanks again for reading folks.
Don’t forget to like, follow, subscribe and share please.
Every little thing helps the blog grow.

I’d like to thank Simon, Henley Audio and Klipsch for allowing me the opportunity and time to have some seriously enjoyable listening sessions with the RP-500M!

The Audiophile Cafe is sponsored by Silver Note Tone Arms.
Custom built tonearms that you can learn more about in some of my earlier reviews.
You can find Mark and his tone arms on Facebook by following the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/Silvernotearms

Finally, please consider donating to the blog, even if it’s not much.
Every little helps and what you, my readers raise will always be used to improve content.
Whether through site upgrades, photography gear or creative writing classes.
Thanks in advance! Your help and support is appreciated!

After a short break I return with the review of the A200’s baby brother, the A80. Read on to learn more in my second Airpulse review.

Disclaimer:
This review is sponsored by Airpulse.
Audrey, Kay, Kathryn & Airpulse have been very kind and shipped me this set of monitors.
The A80 retails for £629 and can be found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AirPulse-AIRPULSE-A80-Electric-Blue/dp/B08N9NCQQ6

I will note here that although this is a sponsored review by Airpulse. I have been honest and unbiased in my opinion.

You can find the A80’s and more on the Airpulse website:
https://gb.airpulsepro.com/collections/frontpage/products/active-speaker-system-1

Review equipment and software:
Airpulse A80 active speakers.
Focusrite Scarlet Solo Gen-2 audio interface.
Audioquest Dragonfly Black V1.5 USB DAC/Dongle.
Sony Bravia TV.
Apple TV 4K.
Apple MacBook Air.
Qobuz Studio Premier.
Apple Music.

Music:
Qobuz Studio Premier on Macbook Air.
Apple Music on Apple TV 4K.

For all your High Res music needs please take a look at our partner Qobuz and give it a try:
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/discover

What’s in the box:
Airpulse A80 active speaker system.
1x Transparent 5pin Din speaker cable.
1x Stereo RCA to 3.5mm male jack cable.
1x Stereo RCA to RCA cable.
1x Optical cable.
1x USB cable.
1x Power cable.
4x Sorbothane feet.
2x Foam desk wedges.
1x Remote control.
Documentation.

Again, Airpulse don’t skimp out on accessories here.
I was impressed with what came shipped with the A200’s, the same can be said for the A80’s.
Airpulse include everything you need to get up and running with all the cables required to get your gear connected. The only cable that is missing is a coaxial cable, though considering everything else in the box it’s not the end of the world.

Specification:

• Tweeter: Horn Loaded Ribbon Tweeter
• Mid-Woofer: 4.5 inch Aluminum Cone 30mm VC Mid-Woofer
• Amplifier System: Digital Amplifier With Xmos Processor
• Power Output: L/R(Treble):10W+10W, L/R(Woofer): 40W+40W
• Frequency Range: 52Hz-40KHz
• Signal-Noise Ratio: L/R:≥90dB(A)
• Input Mode: AUX, PC, USB, Optical, Bluetooth (The USB, Optical Inputs Support Up to 192KHz Input Sample Rate)
• Input Sensitivity: AUX:450±50mV PC:550±50mV, USB:400±50mFFs, Optical:400±50mFFs Bluetooth: 500±50mFFs
  Sub Out：1200mV Max
• Mains Voltage: AC 100-240 V /50-60 Hz
• Cabinet Size (WxHxD): 140x250x220mm
• Net Weight: 9.3 Kg(20lbs)
  
  
  

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Build & finish:
Airpulse have constructed a substantially solid and great looking compact active speaker system.
Their attention to detail and superb craftsmanship are clearly evident the moment you unbox them.
From the box of accessories to the speakers themselves, everything here is well thought out.
The finish is stunning with a good choice of veneer.
From the fronts to the rears, all the parts are fitted neatly and have a robust feel.
They are very much the A200’s baby brother in every way. Although I would go as far as to say I prefer the finish on the A80’s over their larger sibling.
The accessories are all good quality items.
They look so good, my wife wants me to keep them for use in our office/desk space once it’s built!
Note: They are also available in some very nice glossy finishes. See below the aqua/mint blue for an example…

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Setup:
Setup is very straight forward.
First you will want to decide how & where you want them positioned, and depending on your choice you can then either use the included sorbothane feet or foam wedges.
The pair that came to me are a review sample and already had the feet attached. However, I decided to use the foam wedges, and this did work. Just be aware that the feet can and will leave indents in the foam!
Now it’s a case of positioning them and hooking them up.
You have a few options here. ( Bare in mind that although Airpulse have included most cables you will need, they don’t include a coaxial cable )
Optical, Coax, USB, Bluetooth or RCA.
There is also the option to feed an external subwoofer, however I don’t currently have a sub laying around so this review was written, using the A80’s without a sub.
The bluetooth pairing process is easy and fast. Once you’re paired the connection is very stable with no drop outs.
A nice touch can be found on the active speaker, sporting a small LED display at the bottom, indicating what channel is active.
During my time with the A80’s I predominantly used the USB connection between the speakers and my MacBook Air.
The MacBook recognised the A80’s and all I had to do was select my output device. Plain sailing!

I tested the Airpulse A80 in the following configurations:

MacBook > USB > A80.
MacBook > USB > Dragonfly > Jack-RCA > A80.
MacBook > USB > Focusrite Scarlet > RCA-RCA > A80.
MacBook > Bluetooth > A80.
Apple TV 4K > Bluetooth > A80.
Apple TV 4K > HDMI > Sony Bravia > Optical > A80.

As you can see I used the A80’s in a number of varied ways.
I don’t currently have an office or desk space so I simulated this using my large coffee table.
I sat on a beanbag in a near-field position…

Sound:
The A80 project a wide, spacious soundstage with focus and depth when they are positioned just right.
Isolation and separation are handled very well, in fact incredibly well.

Lows:
Being mindful that I didn’t have a sub at hand, the A80’s still presented me with a deep, punchy bass with a good amount of control and precision. Tweaking the bass control on the rear of the A80 helps to bring more body and depth low frequencies.
Also consider these are sat quite far from my living rooms front wall, as you can see in the image above. If the A80’s were on a desk closer to a wall, being rear ported, you would gain more control over the bass enabling you to tune it more to your liking.

Mids:
I found the mids to be rolled off, yet airy and detailed. Vocals sound particularly gratifying through the A80’s with a very organic vibe.

Highs:
This is where the A80’s shine, with a beautiful sparkle.
The horn loaded ribbon tweeters do a stunning job of bringing every fine detail in the higher frequency range to the fore, with speed and clinical precision that I haven’t heard very often in a smaller speaker, whether it be active or passive.

Using the A80’s with my Apple TV/Sony Bravia the sound quality was on par with the desktop setup.
Compared to my soundbar they sounded far superior and offered a clearer image. Dialogue comes through very clearly.
The dynamic range boasted by the A80’s handles movies and games really well and produces an engaging and lively sound, both in soundstage and tonality.

The onboard DAC/DSP is impressive. And handles High res files with ease.
I did find however, that feeding the A80’s with a signal from an external DAC like the Dragonfly, or a USB audio interface such as the Focusrite brought a heightened level of clarity and punch.
It is also worth noting that the A80’s have a set of controls around the rear for volume, input select, bass and treble.
The tone controls are a handy tweak when needed.

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Final thoughts:
At £629 you may wonder if these active speakers are worth the investment.
However, Once you brush that aside and take a deeper look at them, you soon see the quality of the build, the technology built into the active speaker.
You look at the fitment and finish, cables, flexibility and the remote.
And then there’s the sound. If you want an analytical speaker that picks out every detail that doesn’t take up a whole lot of space on your desk then you could do far worse!
I did try them out in my main system in our living room and they performed surprisingly well. Mind you, we did notice the lack of bass in this experience, so a sub would have brought them up to speed.
But they did fill the room with an airy and crisp sound with a spacious soundstage. So if you’re in a small to medium living space these could just be the ticket with an external sub to cover the lower frequencies.
They also double up as a great solution and alternative to a soundbar or 2.1/3.1 AV system.

My wife is usually quite picky when it comes to audio gear, so when she states she wants me to keep these for our eventual office / desk space, it speaks volumes. She loves the style, compact build and the “clear” sound they produce. ( her words )
I may need to try and talk Airpulse into letting me keep these!

I highly recommend the Airpulse A80.
And I can comfortably state that the £629 price tag is a worth while investment for your office or small to medium living space.

Thanks again to Airpulse for giving me the opportunity to spend time with and review these speakers.

Thank you to my readers for your support and ongoing interest.
Please remember too like, subscribe and share.

Thank you, stay safe and happy easter to you all. Paul.

The Audiophile Cafe would like to thank our sponsor, Airpulse.