rodeorowdy Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi to all! Please excuse my long post but I'm brand-new to HT and want to let you know where I'm coming from. I have just recently been visiting all the local BB stores to finally get a LCD TV. Just bought a 5.1 setup 2 weeks ago and since have spent most of my time reading everything I can online. 2 weeks ago I first bought an 'open-box' (saving $400) 40in LCD TV and then started looking to get a $350 (or around) 5.1 HTiB. I went into a BB looking for any 'open-box' 5.1 HTiB and there on a table I found a SUB-12 subwoofer, ICON VC25 center & a pair of ICON VS14surrounds for about 45% off. I'm a sucker for deals so after thinking a while I bought them for $611 plus tax! Even the salesman was surprised at the low price. Now at this time I never heard of Klipsch because I didn't know ANYTHING about HI-FI or A/V but I had already spent $611, almost twice more than I planned, but I didn't have a complete system. I still needed to get a receiver, front speakers, wires & cables. In another BB I was still looking for a HTiB as I was hoping to find an 'open-box' model and then I would take back the ICON Klipsch's I already bought. When asking a salesman advice (he happened to be a MagHomeTheater salesman) he steered me to a pair of 'open-box' Klipsch RF-62 REF Towers. He told me they would be a "Night & Day difference" compaired to the HTiB I was looking at. Even he seemed surprised that the price for both was $400! Again I'm a sucker for deals so I bought them. Wow, now I have spent $1011 +tax and I STILL DON'T have a receiver, cables/wire or DVD player. Having visited another BB I came across an 'open-box' DENON 2808CI for $499 so I got it too. Now after being bitten by the HT Bug I decided to use it for my 30 day trial and see what happens. Finally today I get the RF62's and ICON VC25 up and running as I was reading all I could first. The ICON VS14's have to wait 2 more days because I need to mount them to a wall first and my SUB is sitting in storage because I couldn't put it in my room yet. With just the 3 speakers my wife was impressed with the sound she heard. I first heard/ listened to the RF 62's alone because I didn't realize I was in Stereo mode and not Surround mode. Listening to music this sounded nice to me. Then after calling BB for advice I learned how to change the DENON into Surround mode and finally heard the ICON VC25. Listening to the same music I heard most of the vocals coming out of the VC25 center. Truthfully, I thought the music sounded better coming out of the RF62's only. So my question: Since I live in a small apartment with a small 11'x11' bedroom doubleing as a HT, I'm wondering if my speaker setup will blend WELL ENOUGH together and be all I need in this small space. I'm sitting 5 feet from my RF62' Front's & ICON VC Center. Because of windows and a door to my sides, the surrounds will be over 5 feet from my ears mounted near the celling. I've read about TIMBRE here (even thought I don't know what that is yet) so I'm wondering if I should keep the ICON VC25 & VS14'S or return them and keep looking to find an 'open-box' RC62 at a BB. Again excuse the long post but my 30 day return window is about to run out so I need to make a decision very soon. Thank you to all who took the time to read & advise. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Long read but nice story! AWESOME price on the RF-62s by the way! [] (They retail at $878/pair!) My main recommendation would be to return the Icon center speaker and get either an RC-52 or RC-62 which is the match to the RF-62s. The reason why you liked the RF-62s by themselves for music better is that the Icon speaker isn't the best match as a center speaker for the Reference series of speakers. The timbre you refer to is referring to different speakers that are made with the same or similar components. For example, the RC-62 center speaker uses virtually the same tweeter and woofer as the RF-62 floorstanding speaker. You really do want the front three speakers to match as closely as possible in their sound, or timbre. That way the sound blends across the front of the room nicely and when sound pans back and forth between those speakers it will give you a seamless transition. Having a center speaker isn't absolutely critical, especially in a smaller room like yours. If you feel you went in farther than you thought you would you can always hold off on getting a center speaker until later down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeorowdy Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Thank you wuzzzer for your description of timbre. I've been reading many hours on this forum and until now I only knew,, "buy the best you can afford". Now, it has sunken in and I understand exactly why. So, you helped me to understand why my front speakers need to match as closely as possible. Ideally the surrounds should also match, but I was able to buy my VS-14 surrounds for $187 / pair...I would not be able to spend more than $100 for better ones since I still need to spend more on my future center speaker. As you mentioned, having a center speaker isn't critical since space only allows my RF-62's to be 3 feet apart. I feel relieved to hear this as I thought I needed 5 speakers for movie watching enjoyment. Please, if you were on a very tight budget, would you keep the VS-14's or take them back also before my 30days is up. Or keep them and enjoy hearing surround sound now (even if it is only from ICON VS-14's)? And maybe selling them down the road if I had disposable income for that. Thank you. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Welcome. If your going to keep the RF 62's , you need to quickly return the ICON center. Save up and get the proper center, the RC 62 to achieve the proper Timber ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeorowdy Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Thank you Bill H., I have 10 days to go before I'll return the VC-25 Center. Just wanted to use the it while I can. Regarding the VS-14 Surrounds, at $205 for the pair they are a great deal. So I'm still trying to decide if they should go back with the center or I should keep them. I don't think I could find anything close to the VS-14's quality unless I spent another $300 or more. And in the mean time, I'd be without any surrounds. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Rodeo, If I understand your first post, you got the ICON center and surrounds for 611.00 at B/B. I found a NIB RC 62 from World Wide Stereo (Authorized Dealer), for 379.00.http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/store/Speakers/33/144600// http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/store/Speakers/33/144573/9_1_40_-1_Klipsch%20_0_0_0_-1/ If all of the above are true, you could return the items to B/B and make over 200.00............to save up and get your surrounds at a later time. I guess it would depend on weather B/B gives you a physical monetary refund, or just credit towards purchase of different items in the store. When I had my partical HT system, I enjoyed just listening to my fronts, and center, with no surrounds. I found that I really didn't miss them.......... but I am older, and not really into all the clash and bang...............JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [tongue in cheek mode on] go to a mirror, see your ears, they're aimed toward the front. Therefore you will be more sensitive to sounds in front of you. For this reason I highly recommend getting at least your front three speakers from the same Klipsch line. Reference in your case. The surrounds (which should be side mounted) are important sure, and should be of similar efficiency (I like to stay within 2-3 db of the fronts if you can) but the timbre isn't quite so critical although some here would stop nothing short of a complete total match. But get the front three the same, as sounds pan across the screen, the speakers will call attention to themselves if they are different. Hope this helps Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted March 2, 2009 Moderators Share Posted March 2, 2009 go to a mirror, see your ears, they're aimed toward the front. Therefore you will be more sensitive to sounds in front of you. That's hillarious but so true. Good analogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I concur, that is a most Reasonable point of View............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeorowdy Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Thank you all very much for your advice, I'm as green as grass in the A/V field and really needed direction which I have gratefully received. Before I was lost but now I'm sold on taking the ICON center & surrounds back. The VC25 center channel was $159 +tax and the VS14 surrounds were $187 +tax so that is exactly the cost of the RC62 at World Wide Stereo. The other part of the $611 was the SUB12 which I got for $266 and I'm keeping. I like coulter's analogy of the ears to the front; simple, but makes it's point. Since my RF62's are so close together (3 feet apart) with my 40in LCD in-between I realized, from advice here ,that a center channel is not all that important right now. I can wait until a RC62 in the sub $300 range comes my way. At this time I'm thinking that better (better than the ICON VS-14's I have now) surround speakers would add to my HT experience more than a center channel. And when I can, I'll add the center also. I have my Band of Brothers blu-ray series that I'm itching to watch, but I don't want to do so until I have an effective surround system. On the other hand, I've already watched the BoB series on my old 19in CRT with little Bose computer speakers for sound, so just my RF62's & Denon alone would be a world of difference. (Gee, ya think?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Let's see a picture of your setup. I need to see why your RF-62s are only three feet from each other. You need to get a lot more room in between them before it would ever make a lick of sense to get a center speaker! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeorowdy Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 You need to get a lot more room in between them before it would ever make a lick of sense to get a center speaker! Thank you wuzzzer, this is exactly what I have been wondering, and worrying about ever since I read an earlier post along those same lines. Wow, you have 2nd it and now my wondering is over. I would like to post a pic of my setup here, but I just left home on my way back to work and won't return home (I work in CA. and live in Asia) until about 2 months. While home for the last 3 weeks I have been on this forum for many hours each day, while away on work I don't have a computer so very seldom am I online. So in two months this thread will be buried with the new posts but I'll take and post a pic of my setup w/ my new additions. I still have my SUB 12 to connect (I really look forward to this) which I had to leave behind in CA as I was already over my alloted luggage space. I'll explain: I have my setup in a 11 x 11 foot bedroom of a smallish apartment. I have other rooms where I could put my setup, but I prefer it in my bedroom. The old tv was in my bedroom along with the computer so it's where I spend most of my time when I'm home. I put the new LCD in the same spot (on the east wall), so with a tall cabinet on the right and computer stand / office chair on the left that's all the room I have there. On the north wall is a queen-size bed, west wall shelves and the south wall the door and more shelves. Both my issues have been clarified due to the kindness and knowledg of the many forum members here. Thank you all very much for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Make sure to stop back here when you're back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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