TheSoundBroker

Photos...can't do quite yet. Link will be up soon with images. Tech details...here are a few that can be released... Dimensions...24d" x 40" x 36". Weight is still being determined with crating, but probably in the 225 lb range raw. 15" stupidly overbuilt active driver, 18" tuned passive in a bandpass enclosure. Frequency response +/-3 db 12 hz to 60hz. This is without room gain and no EQ.-3db to 10hz should be doable with room gain. Recommended power: TBD. 1 kilowatt is safe so far, but 1.5x this should be good. You'll need an amp with a stiff enough PS to not sag at extreme LF frequencies. Time on this one is about 2-3 weeks out, As more details can be released, they will be.

Wow...that didn't take long! Sold!

You can save some time on box build by purchasing one of the Dayton sub boxes. You'll need to route out the woofer/amp but you'll need to do that anyways. Also, lot of folks, myself included, like the Dayton Titanic MK3 sub kit which includes the enclosure. I picked up the line after playing with one, it is pretty nice for $635 (u.s.)

Not recommended. What can work is to use an offboard triggered power relay like a Furman Powerport or a Furman MP-15 that will not limit current. Most newer preamps have 12 volt triggers on them that will allow you to trigger the amp.

Most manufacturers have B-stock products. Typically units that have inital service issues such as a driver that is bad or cracked circuit board that are returned and repaired back to factory specs. They are then re-sold and legally can't be labeled as new so they are sold as b-stock. B-stock Reference is very rare and is normally snapped up very very fast. This came directly from Klipsch and has been fully blessed.

On the way. Newly minted insanity sub. Not a DIY project but from the mind of two of THE most respected and acknowledged sub designers out there. 115 db at 12 hz was the goal with a single box and it has been achieved. Passive so you can choose your own amp, but that is the better way to go anyways. For those who need a sub that will REALLY keep up with a big Heritage system. We have numerous good offboard pro amps available to drive the beast.

Hi Guys, I have an RC-64 in black a client purchased as a b-stock unit and he's now changed his mind and is going to a screen wall with an additional RF-83 as a center. It is black, boxed, etc. Check the classifieds.

The VTF-2, Had one. It won't keep up with an all Heresy system...nowhere near enough dynamics. The RW-12D is barely on the edge power wise but will be better in the upper bandwidth. If you can swing it, an RT-10 or RT-12 would be good matches. Also the Elemental Designs A5-350 is a good compromise between horsepower and sound quality if you can fit it.

Back to the original question... Those look like Auralex AudioTiles, a system that Russ Berger designed for Auralex. Interesting concept. I have some of the SpaceArray diffusors on order to give them a try.

I've sold several RF-10 theater systems and every one of my customers LOVE them. It is rarely talked about but that little package sounds wonderful. That being said, if you can spend the extra for the RF-52 system and have the extra room to fit the larger speakers, it is worth it. You'll get the better horn driver which is smoother, more dynamics and better bass response. Keep in mind, the center and rear channels are going to be more expensive...but if you have the extra cash, you won't regret it. If your space is really small and/or your budget is really tight then I know you will enjoy the RF-10 system.

RB-15 if you intend to use them as stand alone speakers without a sub. The RSX-4 is a great speaker with a sub or as a surround but is just too small to be used as a stand alone speaker.

Reference series no question. RF-82s in Front. RS-42s on the sides unless you have the space and clearance for RF-62's or RF-82's. If you have to go rear monopoles, you can't fit the RF series in back and your room is wide, you can use twin RC-52s in back. In the center, go to another source and buy an RB-81 if you can fit a horizontal center. If not, the RC-62 is the ticket. The RC-52 simply won't keep up dynamically with the RF-82s. RW-12D sub.

Okay...had to pipe up here. Folks seem to be recommending you go with monopole rears, which is a great idea but makes one crucial assumption...that you have enough seat to wall distance to give you proper coverage. The issue as I see things is that assuming your picture is correct for rear seat to wall placement then you can't use Klipsch monopole rears or risk a very large coverage hole. The THX spec assumes ideal seat placement with enough seat to rear wall distance to be within the coverage arc of the rear monopoles. But you don't have ideal seat placement. So instead of following the specific spec, you need to follow the IDEA of the spec, which is to get even surround coverage across each seat. In your room, you'll want to use WDST surrounds in the rear and not monopoles. This is because the coverage area on the WDST surrounds does not behave like a dipole. It is closer to a wide throw monopole. To whit... "Klipsch Wide Dispersion Surround Technology (WDST) provides crystal-clear sonic detail even in listening areas with less than ideal configurations. The Tractrix Horns deliver a 90-degree wide by 60-degree high dispersion pattern. By aligning two horns at 90-degrees with respect to each other, WDST smoothly covers a 180-degree horizontal arc. In other words, the surround sound is pointed at you no matter where you are seated." If you think about your coverage you need, it will quickly become apparent that a close rear seating area will have severe issues with a monopole speaker that throws a 90 degree arc. No matter how you place them, you'll either have a big hole in the coverage area, or you'll have to put them nearly on the side walls and end up with pretty serious cancellation issues. Your better bet would be WDST surrounds in a slightly modified THX ASA setup with the rears wider apart than a typical ASA alignment. To compensate for the wide rear throw, you'll need more acoustic absorption on the rear side walls at listening level and up with this type of array. Draw an arc to the edge of the front seat outside edges from the outside edge of each rear surround, then treat the side walls to that point to avoid wall bounce into the first row and thus achieve a monopole effect from the rears at the front seats while getting coverage to the rear outboard seats. You'll also need to think about height requirements for a close rear seat placement. The Klipsch Ref horns have a 60 degree vertical throw. This essentially means you have a 30 degree angle you can hear proper response from the speaker. Do the math and it will become very apparent that the closer your rear seats are to the rear wall, the lower your rear surrounds will need to be in order for you to be within the coverage zone. I've done a lot of theaters with close rear seat placement (not my choice...believe me) and the WDST rears always give us better seat coverage than monopoles (I've tried both). If you can get 4-5' worth of distance between the rear wall and the seats...then you can start to talk monopoles (assuming of course that the seating area isn't too wide...if it is then we fill in with a rear mounted center with a derived signal from the left/right rears).

RF-5. No question about it. Harder to find center channels (RC-7) but without question the better of the two speakers. Smoother, more dynamic. Needs more horsepower but not nearly as ridiculously power hungry as the RF-7.

If your basement is reasonably large, then go with the larger speaker package. The increase in output/dynamics will be very noticeable. The center should be matched as closely as possible with the mains. This means that is you buy the RB-61, you really should buy the RC-62 or you'll have a dynamic mismatch. The other thing...and if you are building from scratch you can do this...is that there is absolutely NO reason you can't buy a third RB-61 for center channel use. Matter of fact, putting identical speakers across the front stage makes a ton of sense. I have two theaters I am building for clients as we speak that have triple RB-81's behind AT screens. I've done several theaters with this front array and it sounds fabulous! Amplifier wise, I've been partial to the Harman Kardon (I have AVR-645's going in both theaters) and Marantz. Both have a tonal balance that just seems to work with the Ref 4 series. Subwoofer wise...always buy the largest sub you can possibly afford. You can NEVER have enough bass power.

If your layout allows...just buy a third RB-81. I've done several setups with triple RB-81's and it works great. Nothing like having exactly matched LCR's. Saves a few bucks to boot.

When calibrating, your center channel level, not your volume control, should always be set as the reference (zero) at 85 db. Your volume should be adjusted so that the center reads 85 DB at zero level. All other speakers should key off the center channel. In that case your settings should have been...Center 0, Left -1, Right -2, Surrounds -1. As pointed out before, chances are, your meter was put in a slightly different place. It helps to use a mic stand with your meter to get consistent heights and no noise or movement from holding the meter. This is also why you should take multiple calibration readings and average them (room acoustics can play a big part).

I'd opt for RF-62's as you can cross them in lower than the RB-81's and they have a bit wider dynamic range.

And your dealer isn't installing/calibrating them for you because...??? That system needs proper calibration and setup. Laser alignment to the seats is very important, and the sub to main transition is ultra critical for them to work their best and not fall flat on music. At that kind of price, I'd insist they be set up by the dealer...who SHOULD have a full calibration suite available if they are wanting to sell a system of that calibre. By the way, Tell Rubin at SMX Kevin at The Sound Broker sez hi. GREAT screen. I use a 165" 2.35 SMX in my theater. Hint...guess what speaker package Rubin uses (though we used a Danley Labs DTS-20 sub instead of the KW-120's).

Exceptionally well. They need to be PROPERLY calibrated and careful attention needs be paid to make sure the sub to speaker crossover is handled correctly, but our demo Ultra 2 system easily outdoes the RF-83 system. They also want horsepower...big neutrally voiced horsepower (regardless of what the spec sez). I've got 400/ch on each of the sats and they come alive.

I like Furman products. Well accepted and proven tech. Equitech is also very good if you want to go big on balanced power. On the cheap end, Panamax makes a good 20 amp unit that has good protection and doesn't seem to limit current.

Danley doesn't sell direct. But if you call me, I can arrange to have you pick the unit up from them. Save you some nice coin on shipping...just bring a BIG truck and several friends.

Yup. It is kinda fun isn't it! That may be the only sub I would honestly put with the bigger Heritage products. Nothing like a big horn sub with big horn speakers! Now, if I could only convince Danley to build me a bigger version...

Two recommendations and a concern... Marantz. The tonal balance works very well with Klipsch and they have very adequate power supplies. Harman Kardon is another that a lot of folks around here have had particularly good luck with. The concern is for your subwoofer. That is a heck of a lot of cubic volume for an RW-12D. You will likely need to go to a second one or go up into an RT-12D to fill that volume.

I'd go with the RC-7. The RC-62/64 use a different horn design and will have a different tonal balance. Best to try to keep everything as matched as possible across the front. If you could find a single RB-5, that would be the most ideal.