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How is this deal for Klipsch Reference RF-52 II B Floorstanding Speaker?

post #1 of 10
2/10/11 at 4:31pm
Thread Starter 
ONKYO TX-SR608 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver + 2 Klipsch Reference RF-52 II B Floorstanding Speaker Black Each - $800 Shipped @ NewEgg

Want to go for it, is it a good deal?
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post #2 of 10
2/10/11 at 4:47pm
Thread Starter 
And how is this compare to Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II?
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post #3 of 10
2/10/11 at 4:54pm
It is definitely a good deal but my advice is to try to make a trip to a store that carries both lines and test them out if you can as they have extremely different sounds.

The Klipsch Speakers have horn-loaded tweeters which gives them an overly-aggressive sound. (imo) I owned a set of their speakers that I returned because it honestly hurt my ears to listen to them. Some people love this type of sound, but I am not one of them. I would say for HT that they would be great, but for music they just are not my taste at all.

The Monitors are supposed to be more of a neutral and warm sound, although some refer to them as "bright". The majority of the people whose reviews I have read enjoyed them thoroughly, especially for the price. I have not heard these so I cannot give you much info on them. They are discontinued but if you have a local electronics store such as Best Buy, they will carry their replacements, the Polk TSi Series. They are reportedly a little "brighter" than the Monitor's, but it will at least give you an idea of their sound. Most likely they will have the Klipsch Synergy Series, as well. They won't be identical as the Reference speakers supposedly sound much better, but you will get a taste of the "horn-style" speakers to see if it's your speed or if you would prefer something else.

The Onkyo 608 is excellent. The only thing I have read of it having problems with is video processing. Aside from that, it has great features and plenty of power. Onkyo makes some great receivers.

I hope this helps. I don't want to advise past my level of experience (which is very little. lol) so hopefully someone else can come along and fill in the blanks.
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post #4 of 10
2/10/11 at 5:36pm
Thread Starter 
This is such a useful comment, I really like the atmosphere here in this forum.

Speaking of video processing weakness of 608, could you be more specific?

Thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kabigon24 View Post

It is definitely a good deal but my advice is to try to make a trip to a store that carries both lines and test them out if you can as they have extremely different sounds.

The Klipsch Speakers have horn-loaded tweeters which gives them an overly-aggressive sound. (imo) I owned a set of their speakers that I returned because it honestly hurt my ears to listen to them. Some people love this type of sound, but I am not one of them. I would say for HT that they would be great, but for music they just are not my taste at all.

The Monitors are supposed to be more of a neutral and warm sound, although some refer to them as "bright". The majority of the people whose reviews I have read enjoyed them thoroughly, especially for the price. I have not heard these so I cannot give you much info on them. They are discontinued but if you have a local electronics store such as Best Buy, they will carry their replacements, the Polk TSi Series. They are reportedly a little "brighter" than the Monitor's, but it will at least give you an idea of their sound. Most likely they will have the Klipsch Synergy Series, as well. They won't be identical as the Reference speakers supposedly sound much better, but you will get a taste of the "horn-style" speakers to see if it's your speed or if you would prefer something else.

The Onkyo 608 is excellent. The only thing I have read of it having problems with is video processing. Aside from that, it has great features and plenty of power. Onkyo makes some great receivers.

I hope this helps. I don't want to advise past my level of experience (which is very little. lol) so hopefully someone else can come along and fill in the blanks.
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post #5 of 10
2/10/11 at 5:53pm
Basically, you can hook-up all of your video inputs to run straight through your Receiver which will then transport them onto your screen for your viewing pleasure. The reports I've read of it basically said that the input would sometimes go out with a blank screen or the colors would be noticeably distorted. I believe the main problem is that the Onkyo units still use an older processing chip while brands such as Denon, Pioneer, and Yamaha have upgraded to the newer tech. It's certainly not a huge deal and most people are happy with their Onkyo's, I just wanted you to be aware of it before you made a decision. It basically just struggles with passing video through in some instances.

Here is a quote from someone on this forum about their experience with it that I found when I googled it:

"...That said, I must caution users that its value is marred by what appears to be a bug with its ability to pass through HDMI video signals unmolested, even in "Through" modes. This bug manifests itself in two ways: 1. 24 bit sources (like cable hdtv) are upconverted to 30 bit when output on a display; AND 2. for some inexplicable reason, 1080p 24fps sources stutter intermittently as if a frame is dropped. The latter might be more noticeable to plasma owners whereas 120hz and 240hz LCDs might compensate for the frame stuttering with their interpolation software (ie the soap opera effect). "
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post #6 of 10
2/11/11 at 6:24am
See I am the exact opposite, I own Klipsch and absolutely love them, they are fantastic for rock, rap, electronic, maybe a bit lacking in softer music and classical. However for home Theater they are absolutely gorgeous. I personally find Polk speakers very tiring on my ears where as the Klipsch I love. (may sound odd) However I also find certian Paradigm's very lacking as well.

If you want to get and idea of how the reference series sound then DO NOT compare them with the synergy line, it is a night and day difference between the two. Definatley go listen the the speakers if that is an option as everyones ears are different. I believe room acoustics will play a big role in how they sound. I sometimes wonder if people listen to the Synergy line and thats where they get the idea that they don't like the Klipsch sound. Definately listen to the line you are interested in to get a true idea of what they sound like.
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post #7 of 10
2/11/11 at 7:39am
You're definitely right, Big. People have completely different tastes when it comes to audio. The Polk's I will be demoing today so hopefully I can do a bit of a comparison with them and the Klipsch.

I did not mean to insult the Klipsch brand, by the way. I mainly meant for him to check out their type of sound as they are very different from the more neutral, warm sounding speakers. I've read tons of reviews on the Reference Series and they are supposed to be incredible. They're just a bit too aggressive for my taste as I like the more laid-back, detailed speakers since mine's #1 Priority will be for music while still being nice for movies and gaming as well.

@OP, if I can find Polk and Klipsch Towers in stock near me (I live in an EXTREMELY small area. lol) then I am sure you won't have any trouble giving them a listen. As Big said, don't automatically assume that if Klipsch or Polk's lower end lines don't tickle your fancy that they are all bad. The main thing is to pay attention to their type of sound so that you know what you're looking for even if it's with another brand. The horn-loaded and silk tweeters should be quite different in sound.

I'm off to Best Buy! ^_^ lol
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post #8 of 10
2/11/11 at 7:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kabigon24 View Post

You're definitely right, Big. People have completely different tastes when it comes to audio. The Polk's I will be demoing today so hopefully I can do a bit of a comparison with them and the Klipsch.

I did not mean to insult the Klipsch brand, by the way. I mainly meant for him to check out their type of sound as they are very different from the more neutral, warm sounding speakers. I've read tons of reviews on the Reference Series and they are supposed to be incredible. They're just a bit too aggressive for my taste as I like the more laid-back, detailed speakers since mine's #1 Priority will be for music while still being nice for movies and gaming as well.

@OP, if I can find Polk and Klipsch Towers in stock near me (I live in an EXTREMELY small area. lol) then I am sure you won't have any trouble giving them a listen. As Big said, don't automatically assume that if Klipsch or Polk's lower end lines don't tickle your fancy that they are all bad. The main thing is to pay attention to their type of sound so that you know what you're looking for even if it's with another brand. The horn-loaded and silk tweeters should be quite different in sound.

I'm off to Best Buy! ^_^ lol

All klipsch speakers sound different from one another. If one was bright try another. Big was correct as the room will have a huge impact on sound. The higher you go up the later the better they get, just like any speaker company.
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post #9 of 10
2/17/11 at 2:41pm
I have the rf-52 s in my HT set up and the Polk 70's in my dedicated music bedroom set up.

The Polks are much better for music, IMO, the 52's are too sharp although they are part of the full Klipsch HT speaker package that is quite good for movies. The sharpness is excellent for many sounds. I added an Energy 1200 watt 8 inch sub and it actually gives the 52 set up the mid bass that helps greatly.

I am getting rid of the Klipsch sub and replacing it w/ a Craig sub 18.1 series 2.
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post #10 of 10
2/18/11 at 6:27am
I have that same set and got it from there previously. For me, great speakers and don't bother me during movies or music. dad has two old Polk RT600i's and likes them both. The Klipsch's are more lively than the Polks and definitely better for HT. Both do well for music for me but the Polks just seem quieter. I say go to your local audio reseller and check them out. Still, It's great deal imo
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