I've owned some kg 3.5's for many years now. My room sucks and there is nothing I can do about it really. I've heard the klipschs sound much better in other rooms. The main issue is seating distance. 20x14 room with short wall placement leaves me 14ft from the speaker. Even with a crown xls 1500, I'm seeing about 95-100 db with music. It's just not loud enough. Both the kg's and the fusion 8 are rated at 94db/1m. So....am I going to see any more volume from something like the fusion 8? What about soundstage and imaging? The 3.5 has a smaller horn vs. the 4.5/5.5 of the same series. Would and 8" waveguide improve that? I'm ok with ht, it's music where it's lacking.
diysg vs. klipsch kg 3.5?
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Have you looked into acoustic treatments for your room?
Mine "sucked" as well. Some of these goofy looking thins made a huge difference (and the wife doesn't complain... much
)GiK Acoustics, Real Traps, ATS, etc.
I owned some Kg's myself. I actually just sold them to a friend for his home theater. I built the Fusion 12 Tempest and I can tell you from my opinion you would not be disappointed. The Tempest is certainly louder and fills the room far better than the kg's. More detail, more dynamic, not as bright, etc. Just all around superior. Then again the KG is an older speaker. Not sure about the Fusion 8. I just wanted to comment since I have owned the Klispch and built the Fusion 12.
Maybe some others have owned both and can give a better comparison. Good luck!
Maybe some others have owned both and can give a better comparison. Good luck!
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I used to have 3.5's, I upgraded to the 5.2's that have the tractrix horn. Was very happy with the increased sensitivity and the better horn. You can find 5.2's for about 200-275 a pair, and in my humble opinion they are one of the best used speaker values around hands down.
Thanks for the responses.
If I were staying in this house longer I'd look at room treatments. I've been here 10 years now, but we're moving soon. Speakers are 9ft apart and I'm 14ft back. That 14 is the big problem.
rlhaudio, I'm glad to hear you've heard them both and that there was definite improvement. I only brought up the fusion 8's because I wanted to build a "cheaper" one first and see how I like them.
Superedge88, I keep my eye out on craigslist from time to time. I always had the idea of finding some 4.5/5.5 and using the 3.5's as surrounds. That's two upgrades in one!! But it's never worked out that I had the money and some were for sale. I saw a full 5.1 of kg's(5.5,kv3,kg2.5) for like $500. I thought that was a great deal but I didn't have $500 right at that moment. But I also worried that it would only be a slight upgrade.
If I were staying in this house longer I'd look at room treatments. I've been here 10 years now, but we're moving soon. Speakers are 9ft apart and I'm 14ft back. That 14 is the big problem.
rlhaudio, I'm glad to hear you've heard them both and that there was definite improvement. I only brought up the fusion 8's because I wanted to build a "cheaper" one first and see how I like them.
Superedge88, I keep my eye out on craigslist from time to time. I always had the idea of finding some 4.5/5.5 and using the 3.5's as surrounds. That's two upgrades in one!! But it's never worked out that I had the money and some were for sale. I saw a full 5.1 of kg's(5.5,kv3,kg2.5) for like $500. I thought that was a great deal but I didn't have $500 right at that moment. But I also worried that it would only be a slight upgrade.
That was a great deal. I've also got a full 5.1 -- Chorus II, Academy, and Quartet -- that I'd like to find a new home for, but it won't be $500. ;-)
Klipsch Heresys were my first good speakers and I still have them. My former brother in law had some KGs, and I remember them having a different sound from the Heresys, and not being nearly as loud. I think his were 3s, but it's been a long time, so hopefully this story isn't completely useless.
Anyway, I think your issue just comes down to output capability. Your KGs are a two-way with an 8" woofer and aren't terribly efficient, as Klipsch speakers go, and you've already highlighted that the Fusion 8 specs out about the same. It seems to me that in terms of output capability, that's going to be a lateral move, or nearly so, and what you really want is just more cone area.
I'd consider at least the Fusion 12, maybe even the Sentinel, or the Cinema 10 Max. The Fusion 12 will get you Heresy output levels, which is something my BiL's KGs could only aspire to; the Sentinels ought to get you into La Scala territory, and the Cinema 10s will have an advantage in controlling floor bounce and may have a form-factor advantage as well, depending on your space.
I hope you'll let us know what you decide and how it turns out!
Klipsch Heresys were my first good speakers and I still have them. My former brother in law had some KGs, and I remember them having a different sound from the Heresys, and not being nearly as loud. I think his were 3s, but it's been a long time, so hopefully this story isn't completely useless.
Anyway, I think your issue just comes down to output capability. Your KGs are a two-way with an 8" woofer and aren't terribly efficient, as Klipsch speakers go, and you've already highlighted that the Fusion 8 specs out about the same. It seems to me that in terms of output capability, that's going to be a lateral move, or nearly so, and what you really want is just more cone area.
I'd consider at least the Fusion 12, maybe even the Sentinel, or the Cinema 10 Max. The Fusion 12 will get you Heresy output levels, which is something my BiL's KGs could only aspire to; the Sentinels ought to get you into La Scala territory, and the Cinema 10s will have an advantage in controlling floor bounce and may have a form-factor advantage as well, depending on your space.
I hope you'll let us know what you decide and how it turns out!
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