Klipsch Kansan

You're right! My mistake for not reading the rc-"xx" carefully. Didn't mean to sound rude, but in my mind the RCX didn't make sense. Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway..... Get the RC-25. I know you'll be happy. In fact, I compared the RC25 to the RC35 and the 35 didn't fair so well. Sounded muddy and not near as clean and clear as the 25. I've read in other posts that there were problems with the rc-35 being incorrectly wired internally. Don't know if that's the whole problem as I also feel that some of the larger speakers in the reference range (not including the very nice Flagship Reference line), sounded muddy in the midrange. Some people may like this "fuller" sound, but it's not accurate to my ears. Male voices particularly sound too chesty and resonant.

Get the RC-25. I also have RF-15s and the RC-25 is the proper match for them. The RC-25 contains the same woofers and same tweeter. It's seemless. Not sure why the above poster said to get the RCX as it is not the correct match. The woofer size is not the same and the tweeter technology is not the same. It is correct to believe that all the speakers in the Klipsch line will have a similar sound, but if size is not an issue, get the RC-25 as it was designed to be mated with the rf-15s.

I own the rf 15s and an rc 25 center which I'm running off of a Denon AVR-3300 (older model, but it still sounds sweet and I'll probably never sell it). I've owned MANY speakers, some costing twice as much the rf-15s and were just small 2 way monitors. Out of all the brands I've owned, Klipsch are hands down THE best for home theater. I used to have a lot more time to listen to music and while the Klipschs have their good qualities, I wouldn't say they are as accurate or musical as some of the other brands / designs I've owned in the past or still own. Because I rarely have time to listen to music the Klipschs are perfect for the many occasions I watch movies. I would prioritize my purchase like this if I were your friend. Also, I purchased these as opposed to book shelf speakers due to pure physics. Small speakers generally can't move as much air as bigger ones. (Note: I haven't listened to the rf-35s as they weren't in the price range I was looking for at the time. The rf-25s were artificially boomy in the midrange making males voices have an unnatural chestiness that I couldn't listen past, but I can see how some may like this "fuller" more mellow sound). Granted there are a few small speakers (rb-35s) that can hang with floor standers, but by the time you add in the price of some GOOD speaker stands you're back in the price range of floor standers, plus I'm not quite sold on using an 8 inch driver for both midrange and bass duties. If you notice, most state of the art speaker designs, don't use anything larger than a 6.5 inch driver for the midrange due to their better mechanical abilities in that range of sound. Anyway, before I go off on too big of a tangent, I'm not trying to sway your friend to buy the Klipschs over the Wharfedales as I know Wharfedale makes a very competitive product also. It just comes down to what you're using them mostly for. The Wharfedales will probably be better all around speakers, but I doubt they'll give you the excitement and dynamic abilities of the Klipschs. To each his own.

The RC-25 simply sounds better than the rc-35. I don't own either of them so I am unbiased. I auditioned them both for a long time just 2 days ago. I know you're probably thinking the same thing as me and many others that the larger drivers and bigger cabinet and also higher cost should equal better quality. This is not the case this time. Maybe I heard a defective unit, but to me and the salesman (working on commission) the rc-35 was darker sounding, seemed muffled in the midrange, and didn't have that energetic sound that is a Klipsch hallmark. Always let your own ears be the judge, but if I bought a rc-35 without doing a comparisson to the rc-25 I'd be unhappy if I heard the rc-25 later. I just posted a review at audioreview under the rc-35. Hope this helps.

First off: Clipping is caused by the amplifier, not the speakers. This is often a misconception. Speakers are usually blown by being underpowered, not overpowered. The "cracking" sounds coming from your speakers is a result of your amp straining too hard to attain the high levels of bass you had them trying to produce. This is why most experts will tell you the more amplifier power you have the safer you are, as the amp is less likely to "clip" if you have that extra "head room." Second: About the crossover settings and using a sub. I run my rf-15s full range. Their internal crossover will limit power going below their specified range of about 46hz. You shouldn't worry about hurting your speakers running them full range as long as you have good amplification and you don't push them harder than they should be pushed. After all these guys only have 2 5 1/4" woofers per speaker. Cones of this size can only put out so much sound before they start "breaking up" not "clipping." Third: I use an M&K sub. Pretty pricey, but they are among the best out there. They rate all their subs to go down to 20hz or lower. The more expensive the sub the higher the output at 20hz or lower and so on. M&K pioneered the THX sub and satellite system, if this means anything to you guys. I read a little lower and saw you get into some discussion on THX. I cross my sub over at about 70hz. The rf-15s are specified to go down to 46hz, but I believe their output is -3db at 46hz. The human ear can distinguish differences in volume about every 3db. This means their output at 46hz is noticeably lower in volume than in frequencies above that. I don't have a Sound Pressure Level meter (which you can buy easily from Radio Shack), but my guess is that the speakers start to "roll-off" around 65hz - 70hz. This is why I set my crossover on my sub at about 70hz. This way I'm bridging the gap where the rf-15s output starts to gradually fade to that -3db point. The sub makes up for the difference in volume at 46hz and up to around 70hz.

I'm trying to decide on the rc-25 or the rc-35. The drivers in the 25 match the rf-15's, but the larger cabinet of the 15's affects the bass extension. If had a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers (not necessarily the larger ones with 8" drivers) the obvious choice to me would be the rc-25. I think the 15's are great BTW. I compared to the rf-25's. They have more bass but I felt it crept into the midrange a little too much for my taste. Just my take. I can see how some people may enjoy this "fuller" sound. I'm using an M&K sub for the low lows, so all I needed was some tight tuneful upperbass to roll off to the sub. So I got the 15's. Well, long story short. I have moved too far away from my Klipsch dealer to compare speakers anymore. It seems logical to me that the rc-35 would be a better match for the 15's even though Klipsch has the rc-25 as the matching center. I just worry that the sound of the rc-35 will have the "fuller" sound that the rf-25s possess. I wonder if the difference between the rf-15 and the rf-25 is the same as it is with the rc-25 and rc-35. Is anyone in the same boat with me on this? Any help would be much appreciated.