So there's Heritage and Reference - what about the others?

[Tim Currie]

Just wondering here. Lots of talk about the Heritage sound VS. the Reference sound and how the Heritage sound is 3-way and the Reference is 2-way. Well what about the lines in between? KLF series? KG series?

I've got KLF-20s. Where the heck do they fit into the line up? They are 3-ways but I don't think they are considered either Heritage or Reference.

I fricken love them by the way and just dont see how it could get much better.

[twistedcrankcammer]

Just wondering here. Lots of talk about the Heritage sound VS. the Reference sound and how the Heritage sound is 3-way and the Reference is 2-way. Well what about the lines in between? KLF series? KG series? I've got KLF-20s. Where the heck do they fit into the line up? They are 3-ways but I don't think they are considered either Heritage or Reference. I fricken love them by the way and just dont see how it could get much better.

Tim,

Stay away from the Heritage stuff!!! It is only a short, slippery slope from there to full blown Pro monsters!

Roger

[quadklipsh]

tim,

i just heard heresys and rf 7s , in the same room. and heresys did impress me more. more musical.more engaging . except for the lows . but hey,those RF7s werent placed ideally in that room. and all the music didnt look gr8 on the heresys too perhaps where the mind bending rumbles of low end ,come into play ( usually in movies).or the latest pop and rock ,bass notes ,where youd love the need for a sub.

klf 20s , i never heard em ,but they are a highly spoken of ,product ,at this klipsch community.

jmho.

[Ave Bona Cornwall]

The KLF line are 3-way speakers, generally built in the 90's, before the reference stuff really came out. Many people love the "legend" (KLF) line. Until recently, I used a KLF C7 as my center with my cornwall fronts, and I think it did a great job there, although nott 100% timbre matched, it was a good fit. I also think highly of the "epic" line (CF-1, CF-2, CF-3, CF-4, etc). I have never listened to the KG series, but know they usually sell for less on the second hand market.

What it comes down to is what you like, what you have the money for, and what deals you find when you are in the buying mood.

[SWL]

I had RF-7's for 4 1/2 years. I really liked them but the HF's were they're downfall.

I've had KLF-30's and tubes for the last 7 months and haven't looked back. IMO the RF series (I owned many of them) are smooth and very detailed but lack the musicality that the three-ways offer. I believe the RF's are geared more towards home theatre but can do well for music as well.

........they all sound good, if not great when paired up with the right equipment. Synergy with the gear and the room.....it all matters. []

PS.....after seven months now, I am still amazed at what the tubes do for the midrange on the KLF-30's. [Y]

[jamesV]

Well what about the lines in between?

THERE ARE NO OTHERS......... [6]

As others have said people do have them and love the "Legend" line. Just like every line that Klipsch makes, people like them for different reasons and applications. As long as it has Klipsch on them just sit back and enjoy.

James

Threads like this come up every so often as the line does have a good following.

[dtel]

Tim,

Stay away from the Heritage stuff!!! It is only a short, slippery slope from there to full blown Pro monsters!

Roger

Really, I was just standing there perfectly happy with the Heritage line and slightly turned and slipped right off the edge....................I was sucked in by 800 pounds of Pro monsters, and that's just 2 channels worth.

There is no looking back, the good side is there is nothing bigger to wonder about. [:|]

[skonopa]

Just wondering here. Lots of talk about the Heritage sound VS. the Reference sound and how the Heritage sound is 3-way and the Reference is 2-way. Well what about the lines in between? KLF series? KG series?


I've got KLF-20s. Where the heck do they fit into the line up? They are 3-ways but I don't think they are considered either Heritage or Reference.

I fricken love them by the way and just dont see how it could get much better.

The KLF-20s are part of the Klipsch Legend series. Thus the KL in "KLF". The "F" stands for "Floorstanding". The "flagship" model was the KLF-30, followed by the KLF-20s that you have which are in turn followed by the KLF-10, the 'Low-end" of the series. There is also a KL-C7, which is the matching center channel speaker, as well as KL-S6s which were the surrounds. As correctly pointed out by others, the KLF-30 and KLF-20s are 3-way speakers. Although I've never heard them, but from what I understand, the KLF-10 was a 2-way. I've heard the KLF-20s myself, and could've picked up a pair for $500 or so at the time. At the time, I did not have the money, nor anyplace to use them, as I was (and still am) very happy with my RF-7 rig. They are definitely excellent speakers and if you really love them, than you have no reason to replace them, as they are well regarded. Yes, one could argue that KHorns and LaScalas or other speakers of the highest end of the "Heritage" series will be better. But than again, so are the Palladiums, but at $20,000 a pair, they darn well better be!

The Legend series was eventually phased out in favor of the Reference series. To be technical, what you have is basically a "Reference" speaker, although they were not called "Reference" at the time.

As to this whole 3-way vs 2-way thing - to me, it is a Chevy vs Ford or Pepsi vs Coke type of thing. One man's trash is another man's treasure. For example, I vehemently disagree on the musicality comment of the RF-7s that I saw in one of the later posts. I personally find the RF-7s to be quite musical to my ears, especially when paired with good amplification (in my case, a B&K Reference 200.7 amp). I actually prefer the more refined sound of the RF-7s over the more 'in-your-face" sound of the Legend series, such as the KLF-30s and -20s. Again, different strokes for different folks.

There are many mentions of the venerable "KG" series, which have been around for quite some time before the Legend series. Those speakers still get a lot of good comments, especially since you could find them on the second-hand market for like peanuts, and really sound quite good. I've got to hear an old pair of KG4.2s and I was really impressed with how good those things actually sound, especialy when you can usually find a pair for less than $200.

I've not had any experience with any of the other series that came and went, such as the Epic series or the old Synergy Premier series (the so-called "KSP" speakers), but hear they are really quite good in thier own right.

I guess one of the main reasons why you see so much Reference vs Heritage comments is because both of these series are still actively being made and sold brand-new, thus they are the "current" series that Klipsch is selling. Heck, Klipsch is in the process of "refreshing' the current high-end of the Reference series, with the upcoming RF-7 II and a few other models. I am actually curious as to how the RF-7 II will sound compared to the "old" RF-7s that I got.

Enjoy your KLF-20s. They are indeed excellent speakers and glad that you really enjoy them. Unless you do something really stupid with them, they should provide you many years of enjoyment.

[SWL]

I actually prefer the more refined sound of the RF-7s over the more 'in-your-face" sound of the Legend series, such as the KLF-30s and -20s. Again, different strokes for different folks

I used to share that same thought.....in fact I think I made the same comment word for word! They all kick butt........but amplification, preamp, source, room etc. will yield different results and opinions.

[smokarz]

my advice. keep your klf-20.

find some reference/heritage gear and make some room for them.

that way, you can enjoy them all in your home.

[vman71]

Keep your KLF-20's they are excellent speakers. Do yourself a huge favor and get one of the guys on the forum to upgrade the xovers. It will completely transform how they sound (for the better). Next, get tubes somewhere in the chain. Klipsch and tubes are heaven. Do these two things and I think you'll never question why you should spend more unless you've just got extra money to burn.

[Vital]

They all have their place IMO. I have a pair of Chorus ll's I picked up not long ago and as it sits right now, they are my choice for 90% of the music I listen to. I have 4 RF-7s and an RC-7 center and I have done HOURS of side by side between the Chorus ll and RF-7s. On most music the Chorus ll just sounds better IMO. I have been buying cds again and just listening for hours, can't get enough of them! I love the RF-7s and won't ever sell them, they are perfect in my HT setting and they do amazing with music as well but the mid horn just takes these speakers to another level IMO.

[SWL]

Do yourself a huge favor and get one of the guys on the forum to upgrade the xovers. It will completely transform how they sound (for the better). Next, get tubes somewhere in the chain. Klipsch and tubes are heaven.

Amen. I'd also like to add that upgrading the diaphrams is an affordable improvement that is pretty much a no brainer for the price. They added clarity and more sizzle to the highs while helping smooth them out at the same time. However, tubes will pretty much do that on their own anyway.

When I was first auditioning Heritage and extended Heritage speakers I was soooo disappointed. In your face midrange, screechy highs and that awful "boxie" sounding bass. It was the amplification......for the most part. A home theatre receiver ain't gonna make these speakers sound their best. I owned and heard several pairs of Fortes and swore they were the worst sounding speakers I had ever heard. They were all original and the gear they were mated with wasn't happening. Then I heard a couple pairs that had quality amplification (not neccesarily expensive by any means) and were modded (x-overs, diaphrams). They sounded awesome. Then and there I could hear why they had such a strong following. Smooth mids-highs that were not in your face in fact just the opposite......inviting and dynamic. I get the same results with my KLF-30's. The tubes powering the midrange is to die for....hypnotizing and real. Can't get enough of it. []