digital_throwback

2 weeks into this with sporadic communication from tech support. After requesting the customer to update the firmware on their product less than a week old and assuring me that would fix it, tech support now wants me to break out my toolbox to fix their product…but, not yet: I should wait until they check to see if my brand new speakers are covered under warranty. Seriously. And I just stumbled upon the JBL 4305P…

I don’t understand…I thought the Sevens were an impeccable product and didn’t have wide-spread issues? @Ramc Good luck with your situation. At the moment, I have had to factory reboot, re-load the firmware and now tech support has asked me to break out my toolbox to pull the primary apart and replace hardware…at least I had almost 3 days to enjoy them.

I’m not confusing anything. You can feel free to ignore my posts. I have concluded your input is of no value. Did you notice this guy had the exact experience with his wonderful Nines as I have had with my Sevens? Go troll someone else and perform your Klipsch brainwashing on the simple-minded.

You may have noticed my post about my Sevens. Good luck. It seems the powered speaker series weren’t ready for prime time. Many, many stories of the same experience. Get ready for a request for YOU to update the firmware. Didn’t work for me. Mine are going back.

My experience (outside of this particular purchase) does not generally follow that. If you pay for a better product, you generally have fewer issues. I think the problem here is that I extended my perception of Klipsch quality beyond the Heritage line, possibly because Klipsch uses that exact correlation in their marketing for this product - “Heritage Inspired…”. Yep, I fell for it and I’m finding many others are in the same boat.

I don’t understand why the focus of this group is on customer service and response time. The cause of the issue is a decline in product quality and launch of products with limited product development. Customers that are happy with their purchase don’t have a need for customer service.

The suggestion from Tech Support is the common feedback that I’ve seen many others with this problem get: download new firmware. Not only that, but with it came a statement that this will fix the problem and it will never happen again (in response to my query about how often will a new firmware patch be required). Well, the new firmware update did nothing and now I’m waiting for the next response. Meanwhile, the packaging is ready to send them back to B&H, where I bought them. I have a 30 day return window, so if the next suggestion from Klipsch begins with “remove the back panel…”, Nope. They should have been right when they left the production floor. I should have done my homework.

Streaming Amazon Music from direct wired Ethernet on an iPad Pro into the speakers via USB. Cable, hub and iPad have all been verified on my other system. I also swapped in a MacBook Pro with the same results. Tried the Bluetooth input as well, although I never stream over Bluetooth. Same results.

Well, they don’t measure better or sound better, and they’re not built better, so “far better” is a reach, IMO. At this point, replacing with another Klipsch product would be rewarding Klipsch for my Sevens experience. Not happening. I would look at powered speakers from other brands first, as well. Now, back on topic: looking forward to see what response I get from Tech Support.

Less than 3 hours listening time on my new Christmas gift and my Sevens are producing Zero sound. They power up and seem to be functioning in terms of connectivity to source and control via the Connect app, but no sound. I should have listened to the retailer that tried to steer me away from these and toward a traditional amp/speaker setup. I just thought this was the perfect solution for my morning room and didn’t want the additional clutter of an integrated amp. I love my Fortes and really wanted to stay with Klipsch for a 2-channel package in this space. I have done the factory reset dance with no change. I refuse to go down the path of firmware update when these things are less than a week old. If that’s where Klipsch tech support sends me, they will simply go back to the retailer and I’ll start over with a Cambridge integrated amp and a pair of Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 S2.

If you will be listening to any high res. digital (as suggested by your mention of an integrated DAC), the Cambridge Audio CXA80 is an excellent choice. That is what I have driving my Forte IIs on my 2-channel setup. The difference in the CXA80 vs. the CXA60 (other than power) is in the digital connectivity and capability to accept high res digital files directly. I have a Mac connected with asynchronous USB (which you can't do with the CXA60). The sound is as good as I've ever heard from a pair of Fortes, and for about half of your suggested budget. I chose this integrated amp over two tube amps, including a great deal on a demo PrimaLuna. Of course, it has that great Cambridge DAC.

The guy has a right to share his experience and his opinion. Just like all the Crites lovers. I have no position on Crites, but can appreciate the good and the bad. to be honest, the "don't dare come on here and voice against the mainstream" rubs me worse. Sure, the OP could have vented a little softer, but the pile on is equally lacking.

I have no experience with the NAD unit, but I purchased the CXA80 after a lot of research. If you're in the same position, you are also looking for: dedicated 2-channel simple, clean look integrated, high quality DAC multiple digital input options (I use asynchronous USB with ground lifted) That last point is the difference between the CXA60 and the 80 (other than power). It's intended for digital listening. I have never owned anything in this league, so naturally I'm very impressed. Mine is dedicated to 2 channel streaming from a MacBook Pro into my Forte IIs. Clean, clean, clean. Sound is subjective and not easily conveyed on a forum, but I'm blown away. Look and feel is stellar. The brushed aluminum matches the Mac too! (Also available in black)

I'm no physicist and my engineering degree is not electrical. However, my Forte IIs are in a 15x30 room being driven by a Cambridge CXA80 integrated amp with Zu Audio cables. My experience is amazing, rich full bass that fills the space. Speakers are 10" off the wall, but not nestled into the corners. Probably 3 ft from the corners. I had planned for a sub, but see no need to do so. Best $750 I've ever spent. Joe Bonamassa is sounding particularly nice with my cup of coffee this morning. BTW....If you've never heard the live acoustic recording from the Vienna Opera House, you're missing out. This performance had no bass guitar or full drum kit, so the bass is infrequent and from more exotic and sometimes simplistic percussive elements. IMO, making it more pronounced and punchy at times. Anyway, I offer no expertise on the root cause, but suggest you are not listening to proper Forte IIs. Something is wrong, and like some others, I don't believe it's the space.

I came very close to buying a Prima Luna integrated tube amp. I'm glad I went digital with my Cambridge, if this is the typical owner of that equipment. Nice listening room. Maybe a couple marble statues would help bounce the sound a bit more. Perhaps nobody has informed him of the "potential" reason for elevating your cables from the floor...you know, a floor with carpet composed of man made fibers that could result in very minor magnetic field creation. Not that I buy into that crap, but this guy has wood floors and has elevated his cables with, um, wood! For the record, my ZuAudio cables are laying on my carpet.