The speakers that add height or rear channels
- Amazon price
- $449.99
- Customer rating
- 4.7
- Customer reviews
- 176
- Typical price over 90 days
- $495.28
- Difference
- $45.29 (9 percent)
If your receiver supports Dolby Atmos but your seating has no ceiling speakers, the Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500SA II Walnut pair is built for that gap. A switch on each cabinet changes the crossover between Atmos mode and surround mode, so the same speaker can fire upward for height effects or sit behind you as a rear surround.
We'd consider this pair a sensible fit for a living-room or den setup where running wire to an in-ceiling speaker is not practical. The larger 90° by 90° silicone composite Tractrix horn helps dialogue and effects stay clear, and the LTS titanium tweeter is designed to keep distortion low. At $449.99 for two, the pair is also at its lowest price in the all-time window we track, which makes an otherwise incremental upgrade easier to justify.
What to check before you wire them in
Your receiver is the first link in the chain. Confirm it has enough amplified channels and an Atmos-compatible processing stage, because these are passive speakers that need speaker-level power, not a line-level output you would feed to a powered subwoofer.
The second check is placement. Each speaker has a clear path to the ceiling or to your ears depending on mode, and the keyhole mounting system on the back lets you hang them on a wall for that angle. Decide whether you will use the included keyhole slots or set them on a shelf, then confirm the surface can take the weight and the speaker can aim correctly. The magnetic grilles come off if you want the drivers visible, and the crossover mode you select on each cabinet stays independent of the grille.
Where this pair makes sense and when to skip it
These are best for a room where the screen sits along a wall and you want effects overhead without cutting into drywall. The switchable crossover means one purchase can cover either an Atmos elevation role or a rear surround role, which is useful if you are building the system in stages. The walnut finish is meant to stand out, so they suit a room where the speakers will be visible rather than hidden.
Skip them if you already run four ceiling speakers, or if your receiver lacks the extra channels to drive a height pair. If you are unsure about the exact ceiling height and seating distance, measure that first, because the aimed angle matters as much as the mode switch.
From source to room: a two-way Klipsch pair for Atmos height or rear surround duty at $449.99, with the mode chosen by a switch on each cabinet.
Spec sheet
| Model | RP-500SA II Wal |
|---|---|
| Color | Brown |
