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I sometimes wonder if SACD or DvdA are going to be around. I grew up with standard stereo and the imaging with the Fortes is better than anything I have had before. I sometimes swear the center speaker is playing but of course,it is not. I think the best thing about the above multichannel media is they are a better recording than a standard cd. I definitely have spent a few $$$ trying to figure out which way to go with the surrounds. Now I am waiting for the speakers to arrive before I watch the good movies on my new Samsung Tv. I want to compare the difference between the Academies and Fortes. Sure glad I am off the next two weeks. I watched in full my first football game in HD today. Awesome picture, sometimes you feel like you can touch the players. Mike

Made a conscious decision this year to convert to the older line of Klipsch speakers versus upgrading from my RB5s and RS3s. I decided Forte IIs with an Academy center. The RS3s were not working out so I decided I need to find another solutin. I found another Academy very reasonable but this put me in the bad situation of two Academies needing three. I thought I was done for the year. Had finaly decided to wait for an OO Academy to showup on Ebay. The plan was Forte IIs for mains and use Academies to complete out the system. Missed out on a couple of them and had thought maybe I could locate a couple of more Fortes for about the same price and get out of the Academy hunt. I have wondered what the differences are between Forte I and Forte IIs so I had decided to purchase a set of original Fortes and use the set I prefer the best for mains. I would use my second Academy for a back speaker whenever I get a new receiver. Decision was made! A set showed up, I rushed home so I could bid if the price was in the ballpark. Traffic was bad, made it in the house and got the browser up a minute thirty before the auction ended. Price was at the top of what I wanted to pay but what the heck. I guess the timing was right when I clicked, when I went to bid the price had already want up another $10 so I had added another $10. I beat the previous bidder by 2 seconds and there were only 9 seconds left on the auction so I won the auction. Of course as my luck goes, two Academies showup on Ebay friday. Like an idiot I thought about the Academies as surrounds again. WAF was in my mind. So I purchased another black Academy. Now I have a set of original OO Fortes and an Academy enroute. My purchases this year have been. This is lunacy. one set Forte IIS one set Forte I three Academys one set RS3 2005 goals. Sell two RB5 IIs, one RB5, two RS3s. Decide on what to do with my Pioneer SX-950 receiver and Sansui Sr-333 turntable. They have been taking up space in closets. For sure cut down on looking at Ebay. Well, maybe if I get some things paid off, a Sunfire Ultimate Receiver would be nice. Mike

Only watched a couple of shows this weekend. I did have to adjust the comcast dvr. The box was stretching sd 4:3 shows and this looked horrible full screen. Figured that out today. Spouse misses the PIP function. Unfortunately the tv does not have a built in hd tuner. Hopefully comcast will get that working next year. Football was outstanding Sunday. Lifesize almost. Mike

The spouse and I were planning on purchasing our first Big Screen after the first of the year. We are taking two weeks off for Xmas so we decided to go ahead and get one and fully try it out during the time off. I have been buying superbit dvds and holding off on viewing them, 32 inch Toshiba would not have done them justice. I have been aching to start watching. Had the 5674w Samsung delivered yesterday and ordered HD from Comcast two days ago. Out of the box, I am astonished. I sit 14' away and amazed at the quality. We truly have our own theater. I put in my superbit Fifth Element DVD and watched the first 15 minutes. Completely blown away on the video quality, better than some of the movies in HD on cable. The two weeks off will be fun. Most likely next large purchase for the theater is to replace the receiver with a Sunfire Ultimate Receiver. Of course for the price of the above TV, might be a year or two. Depends on what I can get away with. Mike

I am afraid if another one shows up, the price will be outrageous. A water damaged one just went for $680. I am also looking for an OO Academy but it might be cheaper and easier to change my mains to black instead of trying to find an OO Academy. Klipsch still sells the Heritage line. Anyone know me why they cannot start producine the Academy line again? There is a market out there. Maybe the startup cost to produce again is to much. I am assuming they want people to go reference line and dump their Chorus, Forte, etc. Some people do not have room for the large heritage line and prefer the sound of three way speakers. I will be like alot of others and wait and see if luck can find one for me Mike

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!! just what I was looking for. Arghhhhhhhhh!!!! Why did I watch the football game last night? Sorry, had to vent a little. Mike

Retired Air Force NCO now an IT specialist working for public school system in Jacksonville, Florida. Yes, it went down to the 40s last night and the spouse is freezing. I don't think she would have liked it when I was stationed in Nebraska, I remember 45 below wind chills. First time I ever sat in my car to go to work and the cushy leather seats felt like I was sitting on a 2 x 4. Mike

Ok, Got it. Thanks Guess the eyes don't work as well as they used too. Mike

Hi George I considered others but size was the main consideration. The Sunfire subs will defintely put you on a hunt to quiet rattles in your room. I have to open my fireplace doors because of their rattle. I found a demo architectural locally for a reasonable price with full factory warranty. I might upgrade to a signature model one year. My curse is my family room. Only so much space and I still need to purchase a big screen TV. Been thinking about plasma though burn in does concern me. We watch regular TV daily. I envy others with dedicated rooms. I have around 8 feet along one wall to work everything in. Too many openings on the other walls to do anyhing. To make it worse my favorite chair sits about 14 feet away from this wall. Not the most ideal layout but I will find a way to fit everything in. Never could find a way to place my surrounds on the side. I am having to place them behind and to the side a little of my chair. A large fireplace and stone wall is to my left and of course an opening to the right. Mike

Checking to see how 2004 affected everyone's Klipsch experience. Did you find the holy grail or did you decide your finished theater was not really finished after all? After moving RS-3s here and there and thinking about SACD I decided to forget them and go to a more direct speaker. Many hours of reading at these forums I decided to go another route. I closeted my 3 rb-5s and RS3s and held my breath while a set of OO Forte IIs from Ebay traveled to my house. One riser was a casualty but another board member saved the day for me. Then ,of course, I had to do the phantom center for awhile. Was not bad actually but luck was with me and I found an Academy. Was the going price at the time. Then I found another, which probably was not lucky as I now have two and need three. I thought I was over the Academy quest. All in all I have spent around $1700 this year in changing my theater. I do not have the room to go anything larger than Chorus so I am guessing next year will be improving electronics. Though I still need to find another Academy . I still wonder about a set of Chorus IIs though. Mike

I was watching the auction. I figured someone would snipe you at the end. This is what aggravates me about E-bay. This is how the game is played though. Amazing how the prices vary on these speakers. The same guy had a set of Chorus for sale around the same price as the Academy. I am looking for an Oak Academy myself. The intention is to use Academys as surrounds sitting vertically on stands. An oak Academy would be my center. I never would even have attempted to go this way as hard as an Academy is to find. I got lucky because someone came across a couple and I purchased one (Should have purchased both) Came across a second one on Ebay and as a lark I bid on it with no intention of going over $400. With shipping it was $375. That got me thinking about using them as surrounds. I keep thinking about a set of Chorus IIs though. These would be the max I could use in the front because of space limitations. Maybe another Forte II as a center. Wish my space was more adaptable for me to play. WAF is definitely on the forefront. Definitely frustrating trying to find a good Academy at a reasonable price. Good luck in your quest. Mike

I miss the old product info pages. I am relatively new with Klipsch and I depended on these pages for dimensions, weight, drivers installed, etc. Is there any chance of including this info again in the product descriptions? Mike

I got my second black one off of Ebay a couple of months ago for under $400. I am thinking about using them for my surrounds instead of my rb-5s. I would prefer oak oil for my center. Probably will never find one of them for reasonable price. Over $600 is is almost crazy but if it will finish off a theater, I can understand. At the moment my second Academy is sitting in the closet. The smartest thing for me would be to find another set of Fortes and use one for my center but as usual there is no room. Mike

Hi folks I have a SANS Conference to attend next week. Las Vegas That is if the hurricane coming will let me. I am getting very tired of hurricanes hitting Florida. I will offer the speakers to forum members first when I get back. My family room just won't work for these speakers.I hate to start a deal and then not be able to do anything for a week. Hmmmm, wonder if anyone would like some RS-3s and $$$ for an Academy. Ha Ha Mike

Going to be putting my RS-3IIs surrounds on the market soon. Hardly used in good shape. Never really could find a good place to mount them to my satisfaction. What is a fair market price for a set of these? Mike

If you have an OO Academy spare, let me know as I am looking for one to go with my OO Fortes. I can use my other two for rears. Thanks Mike

I have Forte IIs up front with RB-5s as surrounds. Space issues make it kinda hard to use full size speakers. I cannot place surrounds in the optimum location per Dolby so they are on stands about 4 feet behind and 2 feet to the side of my lazy boy. I was thinking about the possibility of using Academies vertically for the rear if somehow I could stumble on a set. On a lark I bid on a black Academy a few weeks ago and somehow won the bid. I wish I could purchase another set of Fortes but at the moment it is not feasible. Will using Academies as surrounds be a large improvement over the Rb-5s? I bet finding an oak oil Academy will be pure luck Mike

Where are you located? Mike

I enjoyed watching War of the Worlds. Any story that causes the public to panic can't be all bad. I would like to see them remake my favorite old Sci Fi movie. Forbidden Planet with Leslie Nielsen as the Capt (A non comedic role). The effects and audio were pretty good for those days. The effects would be awesome nowadays I have no doubt in my mind this is the spark Gene Roddenberry had for Star Trek. Mike

My stupid question How exactly can I tell if my Forte II tweeter is blown? When using Avia or other cd to check my sub xover point, I hear strange noise coming from my rh tweeter, hear it a little from the left. It happens as the tone drops to 20hz. Hard to describe but does not sound like it should be there. Mike

Well, in fact, it was too good to be true. My wife and I showed up at the sellers house this morning and he opened his garage and presented the speakers too me. Hmmm, they looked a little shorter than my Fortes, something was not right. I looked a little closer and of course, they were a set of Quartets. The seller of course was shocked and did not realize they were not Chorus IIs. They also were not consecutive S/Ns. I decide to pass up this "deal" Was a shame as it is rare to find speakers close to home. They are still available if anyone is looking for a set of black Quartets. I will wait, something will come along. Mike

The hurricane missed our area. So I am going tomorrow morning to look at the speakers. Owner bought a new large screen TV so he lost room for the speakers. He also says there are no gouges or dents but a few scratches. They are black instead of oak but it is hard not to take advantage of finding speakers in the local area. I do not have enough room myself but I might have to settle on a little smaller tv. Unless I go the plasma route and hang it on the wall. Guess I will make room in my vehicle in preparation for tomorrrow. Mike

I have been pondering looking for another set of Forte IIs to use as surrounds instead of my Rb-5 IIs. I found an add for "excellent condition" Black Chorus IIs close to my home for $400. I do have space limitations but I am thinking of Chorus for front speakers and move the Fortes to the rear. Good or bad idea? Mike

I have read the specifications. I was wondering what was the reasoning for the changes to the II? exponential to tractix horn? Audio Quality difference? I have read some stuff about the larger passive radiator allows the IIS to go a little lower. Klipsch says the center match for the Forte II is an Academy but has nothing for the Forte The Academy uses the exponential like the Forte. I recently upgraded my theater to Forte II front and Academy center. I am thinking about purchasing another set of Fortes to replace my rb-5 II rears and wondering if I should try a set of Fortes instead of Forte IIs and use the set that sounds the best to me for the mains. Thanks Mike

I am curious about Sunfire also. Has anyone tried the Sunfire Ultimate Receiver with Forte IIs? Mike