Klipsch R41M vs. R51M – Which is better?

Klipsch is one of the top brands when it comes to speakers and woofers. The company constantly employs new technologies and remains driven by innovation since the day it entered the market some decades ago.

Today, we will compare two of their most popular models of bookshelf speakers, the R41M and the R51M. When you have a look at their specifications, you will see there is a serious amount of boost in power that takes a parcel from R41M to R51M.

The R41M speakers come with 200W power output and can handle those low to mid-range notes fairly well. As compared to R41M, the R51M packs a power boost with a total of 340W power output.

Sound Quality

Klipsch R41M

The R41M bookshelf speakers come equipped with 200W power output and make them a pretty decent pair of speakers. They can handle those low to mid-range notes fairly well and are best suited for vocals and other instruments.

If you connect them with a decent subwoofer, these speakers will bring out a pretty pleasing sound. But if you are a bass lover, the speakers on their own don’t do much and I recommend you to get a decent subwoofer to match up with them.

These speakers do come with a 4-inch copper spun IMG woofer that delivers sound accurately. But at high volumes, you might feel to compromise on precision to get the bass.

But the speakers are good at handling low to midrange sound thanks to the 1-inch LTS aluminum tweeter that is paired with the Tractrix Horn of 90×90 square.

The frequency response of these speakers ranges from 68 Hz to 21 kHz with a sensitivity of 90dB. As you can see, at lower frequencies you will have to give up on bass as the speakers try to focus on the sound frequencies.

These speakers truly perform well at the mid ranges and normal volume. It means you can conveniently use them for a variety of purposes including listening to music as well as watching television.

Klipsch R51M

Compared with R41M, you will see that Klipsch has equipped with R51M quite a significant power boost. These speakers come with a total of 340W power output.

Talking about the hardware, it is almost the same as what the R41M has in it. There is a 1-inch LTC aluminum tweeter in this speaker and pairs well with the Tractrix Horn of 90×90 square.

The speaker also features a 5.25-inch copper spun woofer. The upgrade comes in the overall wattage and output power. And you will see the R51M does a fine job at handling vocals and instruments at different frequencies.

The tweeter here is equipped with linear travel suspension technology and it ensures minimal distortion with more details in all the notes. Klipsch has used Kapton to construct these tweeters to significantly improve the resolution even better than its predecessor models.

Apart from that, the Tractrix Horn features these speakers to ensure better handling of high-frequency notes. And it also reduces any artificial reverb that is caused by the sound bounced off the walls. These speakers can deliver outstanding acoustics with crystal clear sound.

Build Quality

Klipsch R41M

The overall build quality of these speakers is not going to falter, after all, it is Klipsch. The brand’s signature copper spun woofer is equipped with a 1-inch LTS aluminum tweeter.

The robustness in materials makes sure you don’t have to deal with any unwanted resonances or distortion. But at high volumes, you may experience a little disturbance in the sound. It is something bearable for a layman but for the purists, there is an issue and the sound tells the entire story.

But the company claims it has built these speakers for versatility. It means you can use them both for movies as well as music. These are not a pair of specialist speakers geared towards audiophiles, this is where the R51M is more suited.

Klipsch has used medium density fiberboard for the construction of these speakers. It comes with a wooden vinyl finish to ensure the surface of the speakers remains resistant to any scratches.

Additionally, the grills present on these speakers are magnetic. You can conveniently remove them if you want the more sleek and stylish copper look of these speakers on display.

Due to their classic look featuring black and copper, these speakers will look nice with a brown interior.

Klipsch R51M

The R51M also comes with a similar design but they are significantly bigger than the R41M. These speakers also come with the same outlooks and persona. But these speakers are more geared towards audiophiles as the speakers come with massive power output.

Again, Klipsch has used copper spun woofers in the construction of the woofer and these speakers also feature 1-inch LTS aluminum tweeters.

It features the same sleek design the R41M has; but due to their better output power, these speakers are bigger. The company has used medium-density fiberboard in the construction of these speakers. And it has that vinyl finishing to ensure a scratchless exterior.

But due to their huge size, these speakers are heavier. You will have to arrange a proper amount of space to accommodate these into your bookshelf. If you don’t have room for these in a bookshelf or on a desk, using a good quality speaker stand will be perfect, and help create a better listening experience with optimal placement.

Under the hood, everything remains the same between R41M and R51M except the fact the R51M has better wattage output. It means it is far better in sound handling at different frequencies especially at higher volumes if you compare it with the R41M.

Controls

Klipsch R41M

When it comes to controls these speakers don’t come with any special controls or features. There is just an input and extender connector available for you to connect it with your AV receiver and with your other speaker.

As these speakers are small in size and are lighter in weight, you can easily hang them using the wall mount on the backside. Apart from that, there are no special controls available to make adjustments to the overall sound output.

All the adjustments to the sound output can be easily managed using your AV receiver. That’s the only way you can handle these controls.

People who like to play around with knobs and controls to make adjustments to the output will feel a bit disappointed here.

But of course, these speakers do offer simple connectivity to make sure you don’t have to go through a lot of hassle.

Klipsch R51M

Besides the massive sound output, the R51M model doesn’t feature any controls either on the front or back panel.

Just like the R41M, the R51M also comes with a connector that allows you to connect your AV receiver directly with the speakers. All the controls are only accessible via the EQ of your AV receiver.

Despite packing a lot of power within, these speakers don’t allow you to toggle with the sound output directly. Those of you who like to adjust sound output according to the media will feel dejected.

Other Things to Consider

Price

Klipsch R41M

If you are short on space and budget but don’t want to compromise much on the overall sound quality then consider buying Klipsch R41M. These speakers are easy to set up and there is no complexity about using them either.

You might find better options if you are looking for more controls such as the Sony SSCS5 OR Polk T15. But these speakers are made of premium quality materials so they will continue to perform for a long time to come.

Klipsch R51M

On the other hand, the R51M comes with all the features, R41M has to offer but it also comes with a high-powered output of up to 340W. It means these speakers are pretty efficient in handling different sounds.

And with just an increase in overall output, they also get a bigger size and that increases the prize. So primarily you are paying more for better output power, cleaner mids and highs, and overall a better listening experience for audio enthusiasts. If you can’t stretch the budget to go for something like a Klipsch RP-500SA, then the R51M is a great option.

Size

Klipsch R41M

The R41M is a 200W speaker and weighs around 7 pounds. The dimensions of this speaker are 11.3-inch x 5.75-inch x 7.9-inch. It means this speaker is pretty much normal in size.

And you can conveniently place it inside your bookshelf or on top of it because it doesn’t weigh much either. It also means you can conveniently move them around without any issue at all.

Klipsch R51M

But when we talk about R51M speakers, we will see that the 340W speakers are huge. The dimensions of these speakers are 13.3-inch x 7-inch x 8.5-inch and the speaker weighs aloof 10 pounds.

Now lifting and carrying them from one place to another won’t be much of an issue but you will still have to be careful because they are heavy and large. It also means you will need bigger shelves to accommodate them.

Pros & Cons

Klipsch R41M

Pros

• These speakers come with a 4-inch IMG copper spun woofer to manage bass.
• The LTS aluminum tweeter that measures to be 1-inch in size pairs well with Tractrix Horn to ensure that you don’t have to handle much distortions or nuisances.
• With a frequency range of 68 Hz and 21 kHz, these speakers are designed to handle mid-range frequencies quite well.
• The speakers have a very sleek design.
• The R41M speakers come with a magnetic grille
• Detachable grille.

Cons

• Bass handling is not good because they only come with 200W output power.
• Don’t come with any controls or connectivity options.

Klipsch R51M

Pros

• An output power of 340W.
• Good at handling high frequencies as well as bass.
• LTS tweeters are made of 1-inch aluminum.
• Reduced nuisance and crystal-clear sound even at high volumes.
• Tractrix Horns along with copper spun IMG 5.25-inch woofer further clarifies the sound output and reduces any component noise.
• R51M does look beautiful and sleek
• Features a scratch-resistant finish.
• A detachable magnetic grille.

Cons

• You will need to have proper space to accommodate them on your bookshelf.
• R51M doesn’t come with any connectivity options.

Conclusion:

If you are looking for a pair of speakers just to watch your television or movies, the better option for you to consider is the R41M bookshelf features.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a more crystal-clear sound with a more immersive output at higher volumes and excellent bass handling while listening to your favorite tunes, you should go for the R51M.

But keep in mind, R51M are large speakers and you will need to have plenty of space to have them in your bookshelf or cabinet.