NEWBIE - Buying Klipsch - HELP!!  

Forum rules do not allow discussion of street prices.


Home Theater Magazine Review mentions some list prices.

I do not know much about Klipsch speakers, especially their high end offerings. However, I have seen a lot of inexpensive speakers from them which sound very bright. If I was thinking of spending $10K on a 7.1 system, I will audition the high-end systems from Vanderstein, Paradigm etc.

Typical discounts on well controlled retail sales of quality brands are usually in the 10%-15% range. If a dealer is building a relationship with you for the long run, he may do a little better, but if its your 1st purchase with him, don't expect as good a pricing as the guy that has been shopping with him for 10 years and has spent $20K-$30K, or more over the years..I think that should help you without violating any forum rules, which I highly agree with...

Yes you can. The rules are against mentioning or setting up specific deals, not against general discussion.

Contra BAF who tells you to look at something else even though he hasn't heard them, every reaction I've read has been very positive. If you like them, don't worry what anyone else thinks.

I got mine ~half price on ebay. No warrenty but I was willing to take that risk.

Through an authorized dealer, I'd pay around 60-70% of the Klipsch MSRP. This is based on what I've seen for this particular line. They are very appealing HT speakers by the way. I've ben debating them and the Snells for a while.

Apology accepted.

If you are looking to get anything else, see if they will "throw" other stuff in with the price.

Ron:
A brief web search reveals that the package is very well respected. The size of the speakers themselves in intimidating.

An avsforum search did show up a post where someone claimed half off the MSRP. It may have been the person who bought them on ebay. You could contact that seller (via Ebay) to see what the current street prices are like.

I respectfully disagree with the misnomer about Klipsch's lower-end speakers being "bright". Often they will bring out any inadequacy in your other system components. I have what I consider to be entry-level Klipsch Reference speakers; RF-25 fronts/RC-25 center/RS-35 surrounds/either RB-15 or RB-25 rear surrounds/Sub-12, and am very pleased with the quality of the sound. I use a Denon AVR to power them up. I think that nobody can say necessarily that the Klipsch sound is "bright" until an individual listens to Klipsch (or any other brand they may be interested in!) first and make their own determination....:)

Klipsch speakers are a little bright for me. I have a neighbor that has a complete surround sys by Klipsch and loves them. If I were going to spend that much cash on speakers alone I'd visit a local high end dealer and look for some really good hi end speakers you can keep for years.

Like my Klipsches.

www.vanns.com Are a good place to start at and I beleive they are an authorized dealer.

I also have owned Klipsch Reference speakers and was quite pleased with them. Especially for HT. I thought they were very detailed and brought out dialog with great clarity. Again, the best advise is to listen for yourself and make your own decision. I would buy the Ultra's in a heart beat (assuming I was rich enough!). Have fun in your search, Dennis

I am also interested in locating an authorized dealer with a decent discount on Klipsch THX Ultra 2 speakers. Can anybody PM me any information?

To anyone who is unsure about these speakers let my just say that I have demoed them at Huppins hifi photo and video in spokane and they droped my jaw and kept it there. The klipsch ULTRA2 system is extremly dynamic , clear and involing. anyone who has the money or can swing it should denfintly consider it. The best theater sound I have herd yet

Hello,

I have the Klipsch Ultra 2 7.1 system. To my ears this does not sound like anything Klipsch has on the market. I am running this with a Aragon 2007 with the Parasound Halo C2. It sounds neutral to me. Make sure you get both subs. I have enjoyed this system for 1 1/2 years. Good luck in your shopping adventure.

rmlowz

I am ready to purchase some klipsch ref speakers rf-7 rc-7 centers and 2 rsw-12 subs to go along with a new denon 4806 .My dealer is trying to sell them at 10 percent overs MSRP. Any ideas for someone who lives in NYC. I am looking for an authorized dealer thx.

I hope you tried fiinding a dealer from the klipsch website. Many of the dealers in South Florida quoted me 90-100% msrp. I found a dealer 40 miles away that sold them to me at 70%.

As good as those speakers might be, they just seem massively overpriced to me. I honestly believe you could do notably better for 1/2 that price. And at that price, you're into *real* high-end. Not to mention that those are phenomenally ugly and, honestly, there's nothing about them I can see that should make them that expensive. I'd put on the brakes and think on this one.

IOW, please bore us with the reasons why. What have you passed up to spend that much?

Thank you

RonB63 - you have PM

Interesting since ONECALL.COM is the internet arm of huppins hifi. wonder if they would sell these over the internet?

Wow these are Klipschs not Xbox 360s

John,

Have you actually *heard* this system, or are your comments based on how it looks? My local dealer has this system setup in their dedicated theater and it is AWESOME! Unequivocally, the best HT I've ever heard. Incredible dynamics, pinpoint imaging, hugh soundstage and the most phenomenal bass.

The speakers don't look like much because their primary purpose is as "installed" or built-in speakers in high-end HT's. As such, they are almost always covered by speaker cloth such as GOM. It's not about how they look as much as it is about how they sound. If I could afford this system, it would very quickly replace my Klipsch Reference system.

Before you advise someone to change their mind about a speaker system, you probably ought to *listen* to it first! ;)

Craig

Probably, I mean, aliens could land tomorrow and I would be equally surprised. :)

Still, I worked for a Klipsch dealer before starting my own business and I have two pairs and two centers sitting here used. I haven't heard *that* system, but I've not found a Klipsch speaker yet that I would own at 25% of retail, let alone 110%. They're flawed because of their design. And there *is* better, no question in my mind. Klipsch is second only to Bose in overpricing their gear. But they're doing what has made them successful. They have a signature sound and design and they repeat it, all the way to bank. But that is also their great limitation. And always will be, right up until the money stops rolling in. The Klipsch are great speakers, right up until you find out what you're missing.

Spoken like a true retalier..

Illuminate us, oh high-and-mighty audio deity. What are us hornies missing? What flaws does thou speaketh of?

Things I don't miss since I went to horns (about 10 years ago):

1. Muffled dialog.
2. Muffled midrange.
3. Muffled treble.
4. Having to turn it up because I can't understand a passage or a lick or a riff or a phrase.
5. Having to turn it down during loud passages due to compression

Things horns got me which were missing, or present to a much lesser degree in other speakers:

1. Clarity
2. Clarity
3. Clarity
4. Brain-crushing dynamics
5. Infinite headroom (1 watt and horns will blow your hairs off, 10 watts and horns will leave you deaf, 100 watts and horns will probably get you arrested)
6. Realistic imaging, side to side, front to back
7. Clarity
8. Never having to back off the volume during some really complex, loud, challenging passage.
9. Never having to second-guess what I hear. (Is that a piccolo or a flute? Is that a trumpet or a cornet? Did he say 'Now now, Draco, mumble mumble" or did he say "Now now, Draco, play nicely...")

What you stated is opinion, not fact. I'm sure Klipsch designs are compromised. All speakers are compromises. What I've found is Klipsch is less compromised than other designs. What comes out of them sounds more like real music and less of a box putting out music.

That's my opinion. It seems that in audio there are no facts. Only Internet (and print) blowhards with their self-appointed titles of 'expert'.

Trust your Ears. No one else's.

Here here! Well said.