Quote:
Originally Posted by
rongon /t/1488534/trade-klipsch-reference-rf-7ii-for-b-w-cm10-is-a-good-decision#post_23688919
OK, here I go... Sorry if I rub anybody the wrong way. I really don't mean to.
Klipsch speakers raise high passions in those who love them. I will say this -- they are idiosyncratic. If you love Klipsch speakers, you love them. If you don't, you tend to want to run from the room screaming.
I would love to love horn speakers, and I'm still trying to. I've heard Klipschorns (great!), Altec A7's (almost as great), owned RF3's (almost good enough, but that hot upper midrange and lower treble grew tiring), auditioned Heresy's (HATE them), also heard Tangent 400's (there's that hot upper midrange again) and KLF-30's (reminded me a lot of Heresy). I also own a pair of KG4.5's (great for cheap, but they are made from very cheap parts, and sound it), which I've taken apart and am using to build new speakers in.
Since you seem to love horns, and you're in Europe (I think), I'll suggest you check out
Tannoy . I have owned a pair of Tannoy T185 Dorset since about 1995. I also got a pair of System 8 NFM near-field monitors along the way. A friend has a pair of classic Little Gold Monitors which I've heard quite a bit of. I'd say the Tannoy 'house sound' is sort of near-Klipsch in intensity and impact, but with a good helping of British politeness to the sound. I haven't heard any new-production Tannoy speakers, but they are a great company that makes good stuff. Well worth checking out, especially if you are in Europe. Tannoy stuff is overpriced here, while Klipsch stuff tends to be much more expensive in Europe than it is here in the US. The Tannoy Definition line is their upper-mid line. The Revolution line is their more budget-friendly line. The Prestige line is for lords and earls.
I'd say B&W sound more on the tightly controlled and 'accurate' side than Tannoy or (most certainly!) Klipsch. However, if you are a die-hard Klipsch fan, just get bigger Klipsch's. They are fun, kick-butt speakers. I sometimes miss those RF3s. I got them cheap, just to hear them, and I did like them almost enough to keep them -- and this was for hifi, not for HT.
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PS -- There is also the new generation of horn speakers based on oblate spheroid waveguide horns. I have yet to hear one, but the word is that you get the high sensitivity and controlled directivity of horns but lose most of the 'horn sound.' Earl Geddes of
Gedlee LLC and Wayne Parham of
pi Speakers are the chief proponents of these new horn speaker designs. I don't know where you'd be able to hear them though. I have high hopes for these things.
PPS -- Re: sensitivity specs -- Klipsch gives their SPL spec at 1W rms input, from 1 meter distance, in a 'typical listening room' (whatever that means). Generally, you should take 3dB away from their sensitivity specs to compare to other companies'. My KG4.5 are stated to have 95dB sensitivity, but they're really more like 91 or 92dB. Tannoy states their sensitivity with 1W input, at 1 meter distance, in an anechoic environment. So when they say 91dB, they mean it. As an example, my Tannoy System 8's (sens = 91dB) play at an almost identical level as the Klipsch KG4.5 (sens = 95dB), with the same level setting from the amp. Just something to be aware of.
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