SkyDover

It's a bit of a tough question, it will depend more on how you like your sound. I have both, the Klipschorn's and RF-7. Both are very good. The RF-7 does a great job simulating the Klipschorn's if setup correct but only right in the sweet spot. The RF-7's have great voicing for HT but the Klipschorn does well at HT too if your corners allow the top imaging to setup for it, or you can move the top to toe-in for imaging if you are ok with misaligning it with the bass bin. I don't think you could go wrong with either, that's why I still have both. They both sound great! The Klipschorn's sound larger. Room size might be a consideration too.

Very interesting! Nice to see some Aluminum offerings than just the plastic that dominates the market today!

>Many have said to get the best sound from the SA-XR series receivers is to use either optical or coaxial digital. I've read this many times but I hear no difference from the coaxial vs RCA (analog) on my setup, but I just came across a couple of post on two other forums that were saying the same thing as I, they don't hear a difference. Some say they hear a big difference, ??? , I certainly don't hear a big difference, if there is a difference at all, it's too small for my ears to pickup on. Then again, we all have different hearing, although I'm known to have very good hearing overall from my hearing test.

Sounds interesting! Good Luck to you on your adventure, let us know how it turns out in the final stages!

Garyrc, Thanks for sharing your take on the AA and AK-4. I was curious how the two compared and that answers some curiosity I had!

> I didn't expect a tweeter crossed over at 4,500 Hz would affect the definition of bass notes (like string bass pizz), but it did IMO. I think it crossed over at 4500hz sounds really good to me, but I got used to that with my Klipschorn's first so maybe that influenced me with being used to that sound first. I haven't heard an older Klipschorn crossover at 6000hz so I would be curious to hear it on an older Klipschorn if I would still feel the same. I did hear it crossover higher on my Super Cornwalls but I liked it better at 4500hz and put it back there, seemed to have more snappy highs and presence to my ears but then again, maybe it was all in my head. I learned sometimes I can fool myself that I think I hear maybe what I want to ear after changing speakers one day and I heard more detail in the other speakers I changed to, then I discovered I didn't change them...was still the same speakers, I had turned the wrong knob! That kind of taught me a lesson!

LarryC, I like the K-77 tweeter on my Klipschorn. I know some think it can be a bit harsh at times but I think it's pretty good with my setup. I have newer Klipschorn's that have the AK-4 crossovers so maybe I'm not experiencing what others do, and I don't know what an older Klipschorn sounds like, I've only heard the newer version so I have no experience to comment how different it might be in that aspect. I suppose I could be having a little bit of an opposite of what you get. My APT-200 tweeters (APT-50 driver - same as Crites) seem a bit lower output than my K-77. In my Klipshorn's the K-77 makes itself more known than the APT-200 in my Super Cornwalls. They both use the same Atlas Midrange driver. I would like the APT-200 be up more in output as the K-77. I might get in there and change the tap to a higher output for the APT-200 tweeter and see if I can't get it more like the K-77 in output, will be nice if I can! It still sounds nice though, just sometimes I wish it had more of the higher output of the K-77. I'm thinking that it's something the tap change should fix maybe? Some think the K-77 is hot sounding and maybe it can be at times but I like it, but than again some feel that the RF-7 can be hot sounding and I like how the RF-7's sound. Neither really sound hot to me but I like the presence that both give! If one likes sound a bit more laid-back, I could understand how that person might perceive it as hot sounding.

You aren't the only outsider, I have newer Klipschorn's with the AK-4 crossovers and I think they sound very nice, even though Al thinks otherwise. They sound very good. I also built Super Cornwall from this forum like Catbo's design. It uses large horn with Atlas driver, Crites woofer, and the Eminence APT-200 tweeter. The Crites Sonicaps crossover's in them are very good, I might add. Mine were built exactly like Catbo's link here: http://community.klipsch.com/forums/t/102542.aspx I won't change the crossover's in my Klipschorn's because I think they sound nice like they are. They are just as nice sounding as my Super Cornwall's sound wise from the crossovers by Crites. The complete build for my super cornwall's was less than the kit by Klipsch... so yes, the kit is expensive!! Then again, my Klipschorn's were very expensive!! Some are using the Selenium D220ti tweeter now that is supposed to be good, I'm thinking I will try those on my HT build I'm starting to build now. I also heard that the Selenium DT150 is very good if you like the phenolic better than the titanium. I might try that one too.

Wife who supports one's passions, is very nice indeed!

I've read many people saying that using the coaxial for all digital on the Panasonic SA-XR models, is more detailed than the RCA connections. I re-listened again last night and the heck if I can hear a difference between the two! Have you tried that yet to see if you hear a difference from RCA to Coaxial? My CD Player has coaxial on it.

Makes sense to me! Very good points! Thanks for pointing that out, good to keep in mind to stay open-minded to new and improved technologies. I would hope we've made some advances over the years!

Congratulations, I know you will enjoy them and dreams come true are always nice indeed! [Y]

Don't we all get bad back from time to time! That's when you can relax and take in your Klipschorn's to relax even more! []

This is similar of what some have told me why they like the K-400 horn better, and some just get used to the K-400 first and like that sound. I have a larger tractrix horn and it sounds good but it does take away that certain unique sound the K-400 has. I still think it sounds good. Both horns sound good to me but a bit different on how they do the sound, so it's easy for me to understand why some would like either horn better that fits their taste on how they like the sound. I would never say it sounds bad, it sounds quite good to my ears! I'm sure PWK knew what he was doing! [Y] Why would he purposely give us a bad horn as Al wants everyone to believe? Sound was his life / work.

Silversport, I don't hear a difference but doesn't mean that there isn't. I haven't gone through each settings and sources, so it's always a possibility that setup a certain way..... you might hear a difference. I don't how I have it setup now so you could prove me wrong! [] I still like having the feature!

I have perfect corners for my Klipshorn's and the bass is very good. I did use the pipe foam like others were recommending to do to get even a better seal on the backs and that did improve the bass even more. I've always heard good things about closed back on Klipschorn's. I've never read a disappointed result so far, most who have done it, have reported that they were pleased with the results so I've often thought about trying it myself, even though I do have perfect corners. The closed backs would allow me to use them in another room without perfect corners. I might have to experiment one day but so far I haven't taken it on but it would be interesting to hear with the results would be.

All good points! It would be nice if you could walk into an outlet and compare different speakers and make your choice, from small to very large. I remember those good old days, and they usually had them in stock too, you just make your pick, pull your truck around and load them in. I miss those days and they really had some good speakers and equipment out back then! Today, it sadly just doesn't exist like it used to, very few places carry large speakers anymore. You have to turn to the internet now to get larger speakers or build them yourself. Of course you can now buy the Klipsch Heritage Direct!

> It doesn't point at you so much as surround you. Thought this was how I was describing it! Guess I'm going to have to do a better job describing sound! []

>They sound different than Direct Radiator, front firing speakers. To each his own Or..... have both! Yes, they do sound different.... but more alike than not. I still like both but do prefer the direct ported bass more. My other half wants to see the Klipschorn's go but I still haven't been able to do that just yet. I'm getting far too many speakers! After the HT build, I'll have to put a stop to things before my other half leaves me! [W]

Congratulations!! I do enjoy my reference RF-3 and RF-7 speakers a lot, but I do enjoy all my Klipsch speakers I have. The reason I have so many Klipsch speakers and can't seem to give any of them up. I know you will enjoy them!

Turning HQ Sound Mode ON or OFF doesn't make any difference on mine. I hear no difference, sounds the same. I remember when this was discussed a few years back and most all said they heard no difference, that feature was later removed. It's nice to have that feature for when you want the display not to be showing.

I've been confused why Klipsch gives two different model numbers for these. I had both and YES, it will fit. They look the same to me.

>Rudy81 - I prefer the bass sound of the direct ported enclosure I had my Klipschorn's setup in different homes/rooms, they sound the best in my current setup with bass and sound-stage, it setups imaging perfect with the way the room is, as well as the best bass it's given in any room before this. It wasn't until I built my Super Cornwall's from Catbo design here on the forum that I realized how much more I like the direct ported enclosure over the encapsulated bass of the Klipschorn's. I find the speed of bass to be about the same or certainly enough that my ears don't hear a difference. What difference I do here is a stronger bass center, more tonal separation that is easier to hear in direct firing vs the encapsulated bass. It will depend on how one likes their bass better. The Klipschorn's bass is ported off from the sides and into the room, giving a bit less center bass in more favor of sides to center. The robust fuller bass center of the direct ported bass are more towards my bass liking, so I favor it more because of these reasons and the more direct tonal resolution a front firing bass porting gives in the cornwall type designs. I like the direct firing bass for my likes much better so that's what I'll be building next in my HT room, but much larger speaker size than I have now. It just all depends on what type bass design you like better!

Adoremusic, Did you go have a listen to the RF-83 speakers yet?

Cables? Well that can be very touchy with some. My lips are sealed on this one! [] or finger typing to be more accurate! [Y]