[Grasschopper]

Ok BB is running a 24 mo SAC deal on speakers over $299. I need new speakers for my theater but have blown my budget so a long term SAC would allow me to get something now. So Is the Klipsch Synergy or JBL Northridge line better for HT use? Also these will be driven by a Panny XR25 if it matters (already have on order but could cancel if it is a serious problem to the system). I was thinking about the SF3 mains, SS3 surrounds and SC3 center. Is this package worth the ~$1300 or should I be lookign at something else?


Thanks for any insight.

 

[brvheart]

You may hear many different things about Klipsch. In regard to home theater, I think they're awesome. Very hard to beat. They have an intensity that is pretty amazing in a powerful scene. And it is the Synergy series I am referring to.


I have run Klipsch against other manufaturers such as B&W, Boston, and Energy with the same amplification and source; and have found the Klispch to be the most involving. Especially in a loud, energetic soundtrack. In fact, the B&W actually had trouble handling loud scenes, and tended to distort.


Now if you were asking me about music, I would recommend other names. Klipsch speakers aren't as musical, and do not represent the human voice and delicate instruments as well as others. They are more detailed, but less sweet. But these are things you will likely only notice in blind A/B listening tests.


All in all the Synergy's are great for HT

 

[John Robert]

I also think the Klipsch are good for HT. However, BB also carries the Atena AS-F2 in the same price range (5.1 for $1300-$1400). Just as good for HT, and much better for music. Check out review in the Stereophile archives...


John

 

[Stryf3]

If the Best Lie near you is like the one in my neck of the woods, they don't have anything setup even close to right, so you'll wanna take home a set and audition them in your room.


I was there today listening to the Klipsch they had setup in their little theater setting, and they sounded crappy. I didn't play with the settings at all, but there was no bass, the rear speakers were too loud (especially the rear center channel), and after a few minutes was hard to listen to. They had Finding Nemo playing on a Panny DLP, and the picture looked terrible also.


The whole thing was running through a Yamaha HTR-5590, which I'm currently trying to persuade the boss into getting, and the bad sound scared the hell out of me at first =]

 

[GONGLEE]

I would cancel the Panasonic sa-xr25 and get the panasonic sa-xr45 for $300 shipped (link below). It sounds better for not much more.


You might want to consider axiom speakers - they sell direct so they offer you better quality for the buck. You can read all the raving reviews here - www.axiomaudio.com This place has better prices on them - www.vertigoonline.com (search for "axiom")


Front : M3tise

back : micro (smallest one)


This will lower your cost, and you will end up with a better sounding system that is good for music as well.

 

[Grasschopper]

Quote:

Originally posted by GONGLEE I would cancel the Panasonic sa-xr25 and get the panasonic sa-xr45 for $300 shipped (link below). It sounds better for not much more. You might want to consider axiom speakers - they sell direct so they offer you better quality for the buck. You can read all the raving reviews here - www.axiomaudio.com This place has better prices on them - www.vertigoonline.com (search for "axiom") Front : M3tise back : micro (smallest one) This will lower your cost, and you will end up with a better sounding system that is good for music as well.

Where is the link to the 45. I know of it and know the power supply may be a bit better but finding it in stock for $300 is another story.


John

 

[PewterTA]

Quote:

Originally posted by brvheart Especially in a loud, energetic soundtrack. In fact, the B&W actually had trouble handling loud scenes, and tended to distort.

Funny, MY B&W DM604s out peformed the Klipsch so well at Best Buy that my friend returned them (who Klipsch HT setup) and bought the B&Ws...


So I don't know how much amplification you were using, but I've not had a single problem turning them up and having no distortion at all...


...not saying they don't distort...because that would be just silly. But I think they performed as well as, and actually better, than the Klipsch of compareable price.

 

[iibbmm]

There is a big difference between Klipsch Synergy and Klipsch Reference.


Go to a goodguys and demo some Klipsch Reference, see if they can finance. I know everyone here loves to recommend their own equipment to everyone, and us Klipsch guys are pretty set in our ways most of the time, but it's for a reason. When it comes to HT, Klipsch puts you in the scene. It can be a romantic moonlight dinner, or an exploding tanker truck, the Klipsch takes you there.

 

[Grasschopper]

Ok I think I am about to run out of WAF here. So Rather than spending the cash here (or financing which of course I will have to pay for at some point) I am going to look for the matching center for my AR 318PS mains (which is a C225PS) and get a receiver that has the balls to drive the AR speakers. This means the Panny will be canceled and right now I am looking at the Denon 3803 but that is a discussion for the Amp, Pre....Forum.


Any thoughts on how to find a center that has been out of production for several years? Audiogon is typically higher end stuff and I saw no AR there. No AR in the marketplace here and web searches aren't turning anything up. I think eBay is my only hope and there have been a few sold recently but nothing is currently listed, guess I will have to be patient. If anyone knows of a functioning AR C225PS for sale please drop me a line.


Thanks for all the replys.

 

[brvheart]

Quote:

Funny, MY B&W DM604s out peformed the Klipsch so well at Best Buy that my friend returned them (who Klipsch HT setup) and bought the B&Ws... So I don't know how much amplification you were using, but I've not had a single problem turning them up and having no distortion at all... ...not saying they don't distort...because that would be just silly. But I think they performed as well as, and actually better, than the Klipsch of compareable price.

B&W's are awesome speakers. And people reading my comments shouldn't think that B&W's have distortion issues... I'm simply saying that in my comparison, the B&W's distorted in loud, explosive scenes. This was just my experience in that particular situation. If you set out a set of Klipsch and B&W's and told me to pick one for all around use, I would select the B&W's. For strictly HT use, I would probably stick with the Klipsch. Of course there are many models and levels of quality produced by both companies, and I am referring to the Klipsch Synergy price point.


By the way, you're not saying they were carrying B&W at Best Buy are you? I would be very dissapointed. Although they are carrying Klipsch and Athena, I cringe at someone demo-ing B&W's with a boombox blaring in your right ear, and a car stereo system drilling into your left ear...

 

[ElevatorHappyFun]

which would you rather buy? the Klipsch - SF-3's or the SF-2's? for a HT set-up...

 

[James W. Johnson]

Quote:

There is a big difference between Klipsch Synergy and Klipsch Reference.

Sorry pard but no there is not...in fact the Flagship of the Synergy line is basically last years Reference model.

 

[jephdood]

Uh.. Well, to MY ears, the Reference series is the superior line and has been since the two have been running parallel. Not sure what you're basing that statement on.


That said, though, the Synergy line is still pretty darn decent. I think the horn sound in general makes HT more impactful, IMO. Very punchy and forward.


I like the titanium tweets better in the Reference line and I like the response better with the metalic woofers above the Synergy line, but that just may be my preference.


Bottom line.. have a listen to the Synergy line and compare them to the Athenas as someone suggested earlier. I hear you can't go wrong with those either, but they're probably a little more laid back than the Klipsch. It's all a matter of listening preference and application. Too bad BB doesn't afford a decent listening environment.

 

[ElevatorHappyFun]

Quote:

Originally posted by jephdood Too bad BB doesn't afford a decent listening environment.

this will be changing soon actualy...

BB will be changing alot of thier stores around...


some will be getting dedicated HT rooms... it is like what they have now only each room will be sealed off... and have only one brand per room.


on the other hand a few of the BB's will actualy loose some of their stuff...


and a few stores will even have "personal shoppers" to help ya out.

(still no comission haha)


they are personalizing the stores to what the customers want at THAT PATICULAR LOCATION...

based on those customer survey's you've been getting on your reciepts lately... also on sales...


i think by the end of it there will be 5 diffrent kind of stores based on the customers apparent needs


(prays for the high-end store w HT's)

 

[tubeguy44]

Quote:

Originally posted by James W. Johnson Sorry pard but no there is not...in fact the Flagship of the Synergy line is basically last years Reference model.

uh... no....


different drivers in the same basic cabinets



here are the specs for the RF-3 (discontinued reference model):

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:

37Hz-20kHz ±3dB

SENSITIVITY:

98dB @ 1watt/1meter

POWER HANDLING:

150 watts maximum continuous (600 watts peak)

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE:

8 ohms

ENCLOSURE TYPE:

Bass reflex via rear-mounted port

DRIVE COMPONENTS:

Two-way sytem using one 1" (2.54cm) magnetically shielded, titanium dome compression driver tweeter with a 6" (15.24cm) square 90° x 60° Tractrix® Horn and two 8" (20.32cm) magnetically shielded, aluminum cone woofers
TWEETER:

K-105-K 1" (2.54cm) Titanium dome compression driver

HIGH FREQUENCY HORN:

6" square 90°x60° Tractrix® Horn

HF CROSSOVER:

1975Hz
WOOFER:

Two K-1083-SB 8" (20.32cm) Cerametallic® cone / cast polymer frame

DIMENSIONS:

38.5" (97.8cm) x 9" (22.9cm) x 16.2" (41cm)

WEIGHT:

56 lbs. (25.5kg)

ENCLOSURE MATERIAL:

Medium density fiberboard construction (MDF)

FINISHES:

Black ash vinyl veneer

YEARS BUILT:

2001 - 2003


here are the specs for the SF-3 (current synergy model):

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:

37Hz-20kHz ±3dB

SENSITIVITY:

98dB @ 1watt/1meter

POWER HANDLING:

150 watts maximum continuous (600 watts peak)

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE:

8 ohms

ENCLOSURE TYPE:

Bass reflex via rear-mounted port

DRIVE COMPONENTS:

Two-way sytem using one 1" (2.54cm) magnetically shielded, aluminum dome compression driver tweeter with a 6" (15.24cm) square 90° x 60° Tractrix® Horn and two 8" (20.32cm) magnetically shielded, IMG
TWEETER:

1" (2.54cm) Aluminum dome compression driver

HIGH FREQUENCY HORN:

6" square 90°x60° Tractrix® Horn

HF CROSSOVER:

1975Hz
WOOFER:

Two 8" (20.32cm) IMG cone / cast polymer frame

DIMENSIONS:

38.5" (97.8cm) x 9" (22.9cm) x 16.2" (41cm)

WEIGHT:

56 lbs. (25.5kg)

ENCLOSURE MATERIAL:

Medium density fiberboard construction (MDF)

FINISHES:

Black ash vinyl veneer

YEARS BUILT:

2003 -


lower cost drivers...... they do sound different....

 

[TheCatchphrase]

Any one who has actually had a chance to listen to them in a proper environment, and not a show room, should have no troubling telling the difference between the reference series and the synergy series. I have both in my home, and they sound completely and utterly different. By the way, the SF-3 did sound significantly different than the rest of the synergy series, and much closer to the reference series.

 

[tubeguy44]

the SF-3 does sound close to the reference series RF-35.... the only problem is that it costs almost exactly the same as the RF-35.....


so for the same money you can get a reference model....

 

[F355]

just one thing to add.... get a receiver with auto speaker setup and eq.

thats an easy way to tame those horns.


any panasonic XR receiver is a bad idea, coz of its hopeless bass management. the lowest crossover you can select is 100 Hz. with spkrs like those i feel one should definitely have a CHOICE of different crossover freqs , to see which one works in the buyer's own room.

 

[Q of BanditZ]

Hk seems to do a real nice auto setup. My hk 630 did very well here.

 

[Blazyr]

My BB happens to have the listening rooms setup (yeah, floored me too).


Since I'm in the market I did the whole A/B comparo thing and came to a couple conclusions - for me.


JBL - They only had the E60's and 80's - salesperson said that they would not be carrying higher models in store anylonger. Neither of these speakers compared well to the Klipsch or Athena. The E60 sounded downright dull and the 80 while it opened up some seemed to have a "hollowness".


Klipsch - All three reach out and smack you in the face. For a carpeted area you'd have thought the floors were finished concrete and the walls polished aluminium. Yeah, I'd be in the group that thinks they are a bit to bright. That said they create a powerful image and I certainly see the appeal.


Athenas - The F1's are fine, but the F2's were the speakers that made me smile out of the group. Listening to a string passage I was surprised that for a speaker that sounded so comfortably warm that the definition still reamained. I figured as the violas got strong it might get muddy - it didn't. These made my shortlist.