Klipsch owner thread - Page 3

Okay, another Klipsch in storage poster as I wait to finish the rest of our soon to be family room theater. Wife's making me sell my dirt bike to purchase the rest (plasma and something to drive these Klipschs). So, still in the boxes are.....

RF-82 (Mains)....These are already being replaced with the RB-81's on order. I took one out of the box to place it where I planned and wife said they're too big. So what to do with these now. They'll probably end up upstairs for the main theater after I complete the family room. So the RB-81-s will be the mains in this room.

RC-62(Center)

CDT-5800-C(Rear Surrounds)....I have three of these for 6.1, but still unsure. The main seating position (sofa) is against the back wall about 12' from display. I don't know what I would gain from the rear center channel directly overhead. I thought I could aim the driver and horn against the back wall for rear effect and mount the sides slightly forward of the center??? Thoughts anyone on this one would be appreciated.

Rt-10d....Eagerly awaiting this one. I had a new RSW-10 for this system but sold that to a friend (see below) and ordered the new Rt series sub. Last I spoke to Klipsch rep, they were set to start shipping these earlier this month(not). I will call him tomorrow and see if he could give a better date for those also waiting.

AW-650...for the backyard.

For those interested, I just installed a 5.1 setup with the CDT-5800's and RSW-10 at a friend's house and these things sound really, really good for an in-ceiling system. It was a straight out of the box demo as it was a really late night trying to finish up his install. They are mated to a Denon-3806 that I haven't even been able to properly set up for him yet. All I know is he is extremely happy. I will have to go back there sometime next week and calibrate (he's probably got everything set to large) and will give a better review later.

JG

Remarkably, I have a set of Klipsch in boxes as well... I am replacing my old Altec Lansing towers.

Klipsch RF-83 front
Klipsch RC-64 center
Klipsch RS-62 side
SVS 20-39 PCi subwoofer

Sony 333 ES receiver
Momitsu 880n DVD player
Barco 1208s projector

I hope that the sensitivity of the Klipsch will allow me to avoid the expense of a new receiver... for a while.

Home theater in basement is being constructed this summer - in time for the 2nd White Sox World Series.

Why the F-1s in the rear? Well, I almost bought 4 F-3s! I wanted equal sound all around, and I don't have a wall on 1 side to mount a S-3.
Now, say I wanted to do 7.1, and I have 4 walls. Would I want to do a pair of S-3s in the back and the F-1s on the sides?

I was expecting the F-3s to have more of a "punch". Do I just need more power, or an eq? I currently have a 90x5 receiver, which will most likely be replaced with a Denon. And yes, the TV will grow to at least 60".

Pic of the other F-1, and as Zen suggested, I lowered them to just a few inches higher then the fronts.

I just recently set up the Klipsch THX Ultra 2 system in my new dedicated theater. It consists of:

3 of the KL-650THX for front left, center, right, mounted on custom made Sound Anchor stands
4 of the KS-525THX for the side and rear surrounds - wall mounted
2 of the KW-120THX dual subs
1 of the KA-1000THX sub amps

Receiver is the Denon 5805 and source is the Denon 5910ci DVD/CD/DVD-A/SACD player.

I have read many things about these speakers and all was confirmed when I got everything set up and dialed in. AMAZING for both theater and music. In fact, music has never sounded so good in my system, and for comparison sake, I moved to this system from a complete M&K S-150THX set up, powered by Parasound amps and a Lexicon MC-12.

I was watching the new Rush R3 dvd the other night, which has a great remastered DTS track, and Geddy Lee's voice was spot on coming through the center channel. And, the subs absolutely ROCK! We watched War of the Worlds and I literally thought the room was going to collapse.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the Klipsch THX Ultra 2 system. Absolutely amazing!

Best Buy cut me a killer deal. I have 4 F3s for fronts and rears, 2 S3s for sides, a C3 and a SUB-12. Its powered by a Pioneer Elite 74. I got the whole speaker package for $2500 with tax. The sound is absolutley killer. Couldnt be happier.

Bought at a Good Guys GOOB sale.
Synergy II SF-1's ($150)
Synergy II SC.5 ($75)
Synergy II SS.5's ($95)
Synergy II SB-1's ($125) for later 7.1 install.
Room is 15'x13'

Running through an Onkyo 602 with a DIY 12" Dayton DVC sub @ 19hz.
Panny ae900u w/92" screen
I do need to move to a bigger center. I regularly reach it's limit at the volume level I play at, even with the crossover set pretty high. I've been bidding on SC1's on ebay but haven't won any auctions at my buy point... it's only a matter of time.

My buddies who swear by their Bose Lifestyle and 42" plasmas come over occasionally. Just for a second, imagine their faces when I tell them I don't own a single Monster product, and their speaker cables cost more than my sub that the neighbors can feel... two houses away. They look like Neo when he finds out about the Matrix and that his whole life is a lie... Most of them avoid me at work for at least a few days after, unable to look me in the eye.

It's a tough world... I do what I can.

I have 2 front Klipsch KLF-20

1 klipsch klf c-7 center

2 klipsch forte II floor used as surround

2 klipsch ksp-s6 reserve surround

2 klipsch synergy floor reserve

1 Velodyne 15

receiver-Denon avr-4802

Toshiba 65h81 rear projection hdtv

Denon 2900 dvd audio + video + sacd (which has stopped playing redbook audio wtf!--plays everything else flawlessly)

I have 2 RF35 (front). Waiting for 2 RS35 (no center) so just 4.0 or may be 4.1 in a near future. Working on a Marantz SR5400 + Rotel RB1070. The room is about 20m² and...

Sounds more than GREAT !!!

I'm an Happy Frenchy

I'm thinking of getting either a pair of F2 or F3s. I have a Velodyne DPS12 sub to handle the bass. Which would you guys recommend?

Get the F-3. Great set of speakers with fantastic sound, imaging, and presence for both music and HT applications.

Thanks. Would you say the F3s are better sounding than Athena F2.2? They have the same size speakers.

I've heard the F-3's and Athena F2.2's on a number of times and the Athenas are so much better! At least to my ears. The F-3's suffer from the problem all Klipsch's do which is boring/dissapointing mid range. There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about listening to vocals on them.

I've heard the Rf-60 something and Rf-80 something and while the imaging was about as good as anything I've ever heard (absolutely amazing actually) they sounded horrible for vocals. I'd go Athena unless you know you don't mind thin sounding voices. No offense to anybody here. Everybody's different. I just want to save you from buying something you'll only like for a little while. I would guess you'd love the Athena's forever. I think by and large they are more respected on this website with the exception of this thread.

The best buy down here has the f2 and f3's all set up in a little room so. The f3's sound substantially better then the f2's. But for the price BB sells them youre much better getting anything else. Since Klipsch are pretty hard to find on the internet you'd be better off getting the Athena's.

You are entitled to your opinion. However, the Athenas you mention are not in the same league as the Klipsch RF line. They may compete with the Synergy line-not the Reference series.

I would disagree of your assessment in regards to vocals. Maybe your receiver/ amp and room acoustics accounted for your results. Sound is subjective but you can't say "problem all Klipsch's do which is boring/dissapointing mid range. There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about listening to vocals on them. "

Especially when you don't even know the model you listened to...

I find the vocals on my Reference 35 series with a Pio 56txi to sound fantastic-far and away better than the JBL studio series, Paradigm monitor series, Infinity Beta, and Athenas-all of which I auditioned.

Well, my local Best Buy has the F2 not the F3. And I actually like the slim look of the F2. Does the F3 really sound much better?

With all due respect, the Athenas sound and performance falls significantly short of the F-3. One thing to consider when visiting local stores is to pay close attention to how all the speakers are set. For example, almost about every time I go to Best Buy and go by the Klipsch speakers, they invariably have the bass on both the receiver to the speakers and the sub 12 or sub 10 jacked up so high that they severely muffle all mid levels. The only thing you can get out of them is the BOOM-BOOM of a jacked up woofer. It's all about getting the attention of the younger crowd that listen to bass intensive music simply because the speaker has the capability to do so at the expense of overall sound quality. You don't need to do that with these or most any other speakers. The F-3, set at the appropriate level, are fantastic speakers that require very little tweaking at the tone controls and even though they are part of the lower series of the Klipsch line, (Synergy), they will provide significantly better sound than the Athenas.

Now... when it comes to the new Klispch Reference IV line, however, Athena is simply not in the same league. The new improved throat geometry on the horn, drivers, cabinet, bracing, and internal electronics puts the Reference IV speakers in an entirely different performance point. They still have that signature Klipsch dynamic range and openess, but the highs are smoother and more sofisticated, and the mids are very well balanced. The Reference IV equivalent of the F-3 is the RF-82... a middle of the road floorstanding speaker in the line... The RF-83 and RF-63 provide better overall sound and performance at a significantly higher cost. But the RF-82 has been called by several audio sound professionals the best speaker in it's price range. There are other comparable speakers in the market by other manufacturers, but you are going to be paying several thousand dollars more to get the type of performance that the RF-82 delivers. The Reference line is a little harder to get than the Synergy series. The Reference line is only sold through authorized dealers, and Klipsch does have a very strict policy about authorized dealerships for their Reference line and THX Ultras.

I'm hoping someone can answer this question.

Only you can really judge that. However, I would get the pair you can afford.

There is a noticeable difference. The F-3 has better extension at the lower end, and the mids are better. But a lot will depend on your intended set-up and application. If your application is mainly music without the benefit of a sub, the F-3 would be a better choice IMO. If your application does include a sub, the F-2 is a very good choice. However, the F-3 still would produce better mids, and would allow you to roll the crossover on your sub at a lower threshold. My advise would be to stop by a local dealer, set the tones at a reasonable level and audition them. Sound quality is a very subjective criteria depending on each individual's taste. You may not necessarily like what another listener considers good quality or tone in a speaker.

I have a pair of Klipsch Epic CF3's. Not too many people have heard these but they are tremendous speakers. They are 100dB efficient and yet can handle 250 watts continous with 1000 watt peaks and can hit like a concert monitor when really cranked. They are powered by a Rotel RB991 which is 200 watts per channel and mates quite well with them. They also do quite well with my recent purchase of the latest sonic T amp. For center duty I use the KLF C-7 which is also a great speaker from Klipsch. I use to have Audio Physic speakers before these but there is no comparison. These will stay with me for quite a while.

I compared the F2 and F3 side by side with my brother and we both agreed that the F3 was more dynamic, had a larger soundstage, and had greater bass extension. Taking my bias against Klipsch out of the picture, I think you'll be happy with either (until you hear something better of course ), but the F3 is a much better performer.

I would look on-line for the Reference line. I currently have RF-35's, RC-35, and a pr. of RS-25's. I paid $1400 shipped. I just won an auction for a RC-7 for $275. This is less than what I paid for the RC-35. There are some deals to be had. Course now i need to get rid of the RC-35!

You may not be happy with the Synergy line when the Reference line can be had for almost what BB charges for the synergy line...

Amen

Unless you know someone that works there... 65% off retail.

If you can get them at 65% off, you are getting a pretty good deal. See if you can get the Sub 12 to match them. Very good combination.

That would be a nice deal at 65% off for sure. I just was able to upgrade from an RC-35 to an RC-7. 10 weeks ago I paid $280 for a new RC-35. I was able to pick up a demo RC-7 for $295 shipped with a little careful shopping.

That is what I mean, under $300 for a flagship center is hard to beat. The ref line is selling very cheaply-the old version. I have had a hard time selling my RC-35 for a reasonable price though.

Compare both lines if you are able.

I would like to know if the RC-64 sounds significantly better than the RC-7. I have the RC-7 and love this speaker. However, I need another center channel sicne I have a media room (projection screen with TV off to the side. I have a center channel (RC-7) under the projection screen and synergy series center channel under the TV and I switch the center channels depending on if I am watching the TV or projector.

The synergy series center just doesn't keep up with the rest of my speakers (RF-7, RS-7s) so the plan is to move the RC-7 under the TV and either 1) get another RC-7 for under the screen or 2) get a new RC-64 for under the screen.

I have 2 subwoofers (one directly under where the new speaker will go at the front of the room). Will the RC-64 outperform the RC-7 ? How do they compare ? What is the difference between the two in term of sonic signature and audio output? I use a 40hz cut-off for the RC-7 and it looks like I will need to go to 60 hz with the RC-64. Will I loose some of the punch that the 8" woofers of the RC-7 provided or not? What are the pros and cons fo RC-7 vs. RC64? I can't find any professional reviews that compare the old and new Klipsch reference series speakers. What's up with that? Also, they were new this year and I don't see any awards for best new product. Is the new RC-64 speaker with (4) 6.5" woofers really better or just cheaper to manufacture than the old Klipsch reference RC-7 with (2) 8 inch woofers????????????


and a lot or a little?

Ten months and one move (to new house) after Hurricane Katrina, I finally got my system (mostly) set up again about two weeks ago.

The system consists of two RF5's (mains), one RC7 (center), two RB75's (surrounds), and two RB75's (rears). Supplemented by a pair of SVS 2039PC+ subs. All driven by a Pioneer VSX-49TXi.

It sounds great in the new house, and it feels great to have it all set up again.

Congrats, man.... I feel for you, and hope everything is getting back to normal.

The newer Reference IV line was just recently released, so I doubt you will find much in the way of review yet. As with the rest in the Reference IV line, the RC-64 have significant improvements incorporated. It shares the same compression driver as the top of the Reference line RF-83 and RF-63. Very, very smooth and more extended highs. The center benefits from improved cabinetry, cross brazing, and internals, including an update crossover. It is deeper and wider than the RC-7, (and fairly heavy too). It's performance is superb. I had the chance to audition it with the RF-83 and RS-62, (among other DVDs, the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over, Chicago, and Monster's Inc, The Incredibles, and others... Music was so transparent and life like that you felt that you were at the front row of the concert. They have done a tremendous job of improving Klipsch's neutral coloration. You get out of these speakers what you put in them... nothing more, nothing less. The improvement with the new compression driver was evident. You still retain that Klipsch signature forward presence, but the highs were smooth and natural. No harshness, even while new.

One thing to consider is that the speaker is large and heavy. But it commands is place as the top of the line center in the Klipsch Reference line... superb.