Voice_Of_Reason
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Posts posted by Voice_Of_Reason
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17 hours ago, Alexander said:
Congrats! If your preamp has the means use only XLR cables instead of unbalanced RCA interconnects.
11 hours ago, moray james said:this is not always a recommendation which is true especially with the quasi balanced amps on the market today. Running some of them single ended may well sound better. Run the amp both ways and see what your ears and your toes tell you.
Thanks for the input, as of right now I can only setup via unbalanaced (RCA) since it will be connected to my Pioneer Elite receiver and does not offer XLR components.
I have a feeling, I'm now gonna want to upgrade my receiver to a better DAC decoding lol 😅
V_O_R
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Just an update on my journey for a power amp to drive my CF3s...
After speaking with a local seller (for over a month), I managed to get a like-new EMOTIVA XPA-2 (Gen1) 2 Channel Audiophile Power Amplifier for $600 🤑
*Power Output: 250 Watts x 2 into 8 Ohms
Original box and manual included.
This is my 1st high-end power amp, so doing some research on how everything should be setup. Any suggestions or experience with EMOTIVAs?
Nevertheless, I'm sure this will push the Epic CF3s to the max! 🤩
V_O_R
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21 hours ago, Maxwell_E said:
I made some homebrew stands for my CF-4 to pick them up about 13", which gets the center of the horn at my ear level. Before I had tried tilting them back in every position I have at my disposal, but nothing sounds as good as just getting them off the ground. Even with them tilted, I felt that the sound was still shooting up at me, like I was Gulliver listening to a tiny band of musicians on the floor.
My stands are more like low end-tables, because speaker stands only 13" high and sturdy enough for these speakers would have to be custom made. I found some 1.75" thick plywood at an architectural material recycler in town, and bought 8 hairpin legs to make up the rest of the height. I could paint them or get some nice trim pieces to hide the plies, but I kind of like the look now. Maybe cherry veneer to match the speakers? All in I think I spent about $110 for the set, but I had a circular saw and a straight edge to cut the plywood to the right size.
Nice stands! Very modern looking. Any significant listening difference?
I felt the same way when I tried tilting them, as if there was some wavelengths shooting over me. So just have mine on leveled dollies at ear-level, currently.
V_O_R
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I'm currently in talks with a seller for a B&K EX4420, but this Carver M-1.5t was just listed for $300 (I'm currently trying to get additional pictures for overall condition of amp)
Looks like this Carver amp pumps out 350w continuous
Are these two very similar or very different amps? I've been doing some light research and it seems a lot of Carver owners also pair the amp with a C1 pre-amp. I also saw that some people have stated Carver amp tend to have reliability issues and send their equipment for repair to Carver Audio repair.
Will it just be easier to get the B&K for a slightly higher price than deal with the potential of having problems and repair services of the more aged-Carver M-1.5t amp?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really appreciate everyone's input!
V_O_R
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On 10/2/2020 at 5:25 PM, Shiva said:
One way to check value is look at the completed listings on Ebay. In green, the sold for price. Here are the ones listed.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=b%26k+ex4420&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Complete=1
Thanks for looking this up @Shiva! Yeah I've been talking back and forth with seller. He seems reluctant to actually sell it, lol
Keep y'all updated if I end up picking it up!
V_O_R
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1 minute ago, Oicu812 said:
That he was. His funeral was on Tuesday, and he lived a long and happy life. 98 years old, and still "interested in the ladies" right to the end. One of six brothers to serve in WW2.
I'm so sorry for your loss man. Haha I hope to live that long and still have that energy!
I thank him for his service.
Cheers!
V_O_R
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1 minute ago, Oicu812 said:
I've always used a measure that my grandfather taught me: If you have $500 in one hand and the amp in the other, which do you keep and which goes to the other guy?
...your Grandfather was a very wise man.
V_O_R
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4 minutes ago, Oicu812 said:
That amp driving Epics will run you out of the room long before you get to any limiter. Plenty of headroom; I think you will be happy.
Yes, thanks to you all I've learned that since the EPICs are pretty sensitive, not much Watts is needed to make them move walls. lol
Thanks for your input @Oicu812! Do you think that is a fair price?
V_O_R
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How's it going guys?
I'm still on the hunt for a deal on a good amp. I found this one on CL. What do y'all think? I believe the ex4420 does 200w @8ohms. Thanks in advance!
V_O_R
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On 9/23/2020 at 9:29 AM, Shiva said:
V_O_R,-- offer the guy $700 for one and mention that from the voice of reason, 👍 that most buyers will not want or need a complete system or 2 #100 pound amps, though he will still have a complete system to sell after selling you one. He may have a long wait, though, some might buy it all to flip.
Yeah I offered him $700 but he said the whole "I bought these for $2K a piece, back in the day" bit...and is gonna try and sell them for $800 each on reverb.
I was trying to tell him, the shipping cost alone will eat from his profit and would be easier to just sell to me, in person. He said he'll think about it, lol. So we'll see. Keep ya updated.
Pretty pleased what I'm hearing from the CF3s right now though, so I don't mind waiting a lil longer before getting an amp.
V_O_R
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2 hours ago, _rod_serling_ said:
I guess, I could add to this. I do not use mine in a HT setup but i wanted to just list how I run mine.
I have them running from a cayin a50t in trilinear @ 16 watts . The volume knob is only at 10'o clock and I do get bass from them in my vinyl setup.
So they can sound very good with low wattage. I sit about 6-7 feet from them.
Sounds like a nice warm setup you got there @_rod_serling_! Some time in the future, when I switch my setup to a 2-channel exclusively for music, I would like to get a tube amp. I'm also starting to see a common agreement that since the CF3s are sensitive, there really isn't much need for a lot of power to drive them, which is nice to know & reassuring!
V_O_R
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9 hours ago, Shiva said:
Just did a quick look around for used prices on that amp. Didn't find any for sale or sold for prices either on Ebay. Pretty rare piece it seems these days. 380 watts a side and about 100 pounds too. I kind of remember when I did see them on the used market going anywhere from $800 to about $1100 or so. Does the guy have a price he wants for it?
Well, apparently the guy has 2 Rotel 1090s but has listed his whole setup (Rotel am fm, Rotel tuner. Rotel cd player) and does not want to sell separately. So might be hard getting him to sell me 1 of his 1090s.
However, he's listed the whole setup for $1900 which i think is a huge deal when considering the 2 Rotel 1090s.
...maybe I should just buy everything, lol
V_O_R
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8 hours ago, Zack R said:
Room size definitely plays a role in wattage requirements, meaning a bigger room will require more power to fill.
In years past I used to think more speakers were better, such a 5.1 system, etc... However since I've moved to a 2 channel setup I couldn't be happier. The CF3's are more than capable when it comes to filling a room with an all encompassing sound, providing that feeling that you are "there", unable to discern where the speakers are placed with your eyes closed. Additionally, the "controlled focus" of these seems to minimize reflections within the room and really does place the detail right at your ear. Distortion is a non issue, you will experience physical pain before these start to distort.
For normal listening in a smaller room these won't need high wattage. In a larger setting where you can let them really run, this is where you will find out if an amplifier has what it takes.
In summary, all you will need is a solid 2 channel amp with the CF3's. A sub is a maybe, but those 10's can dig pretty deep.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the input @Zack R, that's good to know. I think for now, what I have powering the CF3s (Pioneer Elite) is good for the space I'm in. However, if I come across a too good of a deal to pass up on an Amp, I'll prolly pull the trigger. Unless, I move to a bigger room, which I'm pretty sure the Wife will not allow. lol
V_O_R
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5 hours ago, Shiva said:
As a suggestion for amp directions to explore, perhaps something from Rotel, such as RB981 or RB1070 at a 130 watts a side or even the RB991or RB1080 at 200 a side, depending on how much you want to spend. Acurus is a nice direction as well.
I'm currently in talks with someone, possibly buying his Rotel RB1090.
Looks like it was on a rack its entire life and seems to be in great shape. What would be a decent price to ask for it?
V_O_R
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On 9/21/2020 at 4:28 PM, Shiva said:
A KV-4 is up for sale on Ebay. Less than a day left and still at a great price. Anything under $350 is fairly good. Congrats on the Epic score, they look great in your room.
Thanks for the link @Shiva, I totally missed it! Sold for $295.
I currently have a RC-62ii (150w@8ohms) and comparing it to the KV-4, looks like the KV-4 has more punch than the rc-62ii.
Gotta be on the look out if I see one come up locally. Thanks again!
V_O_R
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On 9/21/2020 at 4:15 PM, Zack R said:
Welcome to the club! My CF3's are the same color and from the same month as yours (August 1994).
As for amplifier selection go with a higher wattage than you think you will need (100w+ per channel). These are not as sensitive as the specs would lead you to believe and require a decent amount of power. I'm currently running a Yamaha A-S801 and enjoy the ability to adjust the tone controls to bring out the best sound for my listening area.
Awesome, our CF3s probably have crossed paths in the past! haha
Yeah, I'm just started looking for some external amplifiers to possibly use on CF3s. Since they can handle up too 250w, should I be looking for amp that can output that amount of watts/8ohms? Or should I look for amp that provide more watts? Maybe less? Sorry, still new to all this. Thank in advance!
V_O_R
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On 9/21/2020 at 3:13 PM, EpicKlipschFan said:
depending on your seating distance, i dont think you need risers, cf3/4 are very tall speakers & if youre sitting ~10-12ft away your ear should be pretty close, plus the angle of the horn disperses the sound upwards. lifting speakers off the floor reduces the bass output, i would locate them in a corner if possible & play with the tow in & distance from back & side walls...since they are front ported you can get pretty close to the back wall.
the KV4 is the closest match to the epics, i would avoid the smaller KV like kv3, its got a smaller tweeter horn & is lacking in sound compared to the bigger model... for now i bet the center you have will sound pretty good, i used a rc3ii with a set of cf4 & kg5.5 for awhile & it sounded pretty good. i originally had a KV3 with the KG5.5, when i got the newer rc3 it was a huge improvement over the KV.
as for power, these are very efficient speakers so you dont need huge power, but they do shine on bigger solid state power if you like to listen loud... like rock concert loud. otherwise since you are also using them for home theater, i think any decent brand AVR with ~100wpc will be plenty... i had my cf4 running mainly on a 100wpc onkyo AVR & they would play as loud as i wanted in a medium size room on music & more than enough for movies. use what you have for now & decide if you really need to spend money on separate amps or maybe just upgrade to a better AVR with more power & features. my current onkyo AVR has 130wpc & will drive efficient speakers like these louder than most people will ever listen to for a music/movie mixed system.
Yeah that's what I'm figuring out, I'm gonna need to space these beasts more a part than my RF-82iis...now I'm gonna need more speaker wire! I agree The front ports are a blessing since they can be closer to wall, more versatile!
I can do some research on the KV center speaker line and see how they compare to my current RC-62ii.
Regarding the amp question, my current AVR Pioneer Elite SC-71 does 120w/channel@8ohms. I know the CF3s can handle up too 250w, so I was thinking I would need an external amplifier to fully use them. However, if my room is medium size not large, would I just be 'wasting' $$ if I bought a Parasound/Outlaw/Emotive amp since I wouldn't really need to crank them up all the way due to the room dimensions? Sorry for the questions, on top of other questions. I'm still new to all this external amplifier configurations! 😰
Thanks again @EpicKlipschFan for helping me out!
V_O_R
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On 9/21/2020 at 2:17 PM, billybob said:
VOR, we have been waiting for you to come. Welcome!
Another Epic speaker for center is one option and not necessarily a 3.
Guess a 1 or 2 could be used as it is in HT setup if able to find a single speaker. Not familiar with the watts per channel of the Pioneer model to mains and center. Not sure which Klipsch center you have now but fairly certain the AVR has been enough.
Thinking your unit has preouts for connecting to an external amplifier.
My new to me CF-1'S want more power than able to put to it with 50 wpc so thinking of going at least 125 wpc myself. Thinking in your case 150 to alot. Have you tried just the 2 in stereo mode with the AVR?
As for ear level, the design with HF in the middle, think no elevation needed.
See someone more experienced with these chiming in...cool.
lol, thank you all for the warm welcome!
I'm currently using a Pioneer Elite SC-71 which puts out 120w/channel @ 8ohms. Yes, it does have preouts for external amplifier.
As for my center speaker, right now currently have the Klipsch RC-62ii (150w@8ohm).
Yes! I listened to some TOOL on spotofy the other day via Stereo and the CF3s crushed it!! Totally awesome.
Thanks for the advice @billybob!
V_O_R
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On 9/21/2020 at 2:13 PM, Alexander said:
Have not checked recently but Bob Crites offered new mid/high driver diaphragms for the horn in the cf3/4s. As for amps, what kind of budget are planing to work with?
Thanks for the Crites link! I will bookmark it for future reference!
I suppose I'm looking for a decent amp, I suppose maybe between $1000-$1500? I'm also ok looking at the used-market amps. Thanks again!
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Hello All!
(Long Time Lurker, 1st Time Post)
I'm still attempting to wrap my head at the fact that I managed to get a pair of very-good Condition Klipsch Epic CF-3s. On top of that, they're Version 1s!
I've always made sure to get Klipsch when it comes to home audio, but I've always wanted to own a pair of 'vintage' Klipsch speakers and I'm very fortunate to have found and-now Own a pair. These will be replacing my RF-82iis
So with that out of the way, I'm currently still looking at past comments to see if they can help guide me regarding how to power these beasts, but I do have some initial questions...
- Do y'all recommend putting them on risers? Making the horn more ear-level?
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For right now, I will be using them as a Home Theater configuration, What modern Amplifier would you suggest goes well with the CF3s? I've seen a few members highly recommend Crown amps. (My current AVR is a Pioneer Elite SC-71)
- Since I'm in cooperating them in my Home theater setup, any recommendations for Center Speaker to compliment CF3s power?
- From what I can tell/hear, everything works beautifully, but in case a part fails & knowing replacement parts for close to nonexistent for the Klipsch Epics, where do you guys go for replacement parts?
- Anything else you would suggest for someone who is new to the Klipsch Epic speaker line?
I appreciate you taking the time and answering my questions and glad to be a part of a very select Klipsch fanbase!
V_O_R
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I thank him for his service.
Klipsch Epic Owners Group
in 2-Channel Home Audio
Posted
Welcome to the Forum! Awesome setup! Thanks for the comparison. Good to know how powerful & efficient the CF3s are. Nice job of the stands, I currently have mine on dollies. lol
V_O_R