RF-7II vs RF-7 review

[TheFactor]

Southern, the XPA-1 are nice. I've been impressed with Emotiva products so far, I also have the RSP-2 preamp and ERC-1 CD.
The bass is amazing how deep, tight, and clean they sound with the RF-7 and XPA-1. I have Klipschorn's and Super Cornwalls and the RF-7 are still a favorite of mine. They just do sound a little differently. The RF-7 have alot of presence and I like that about them.

TheFactor, sometimes I wonder if some people take the more presence and revealing as bright? I don't find them bright, just more revealing with the presence. I do remember when the RF-83 came out, I went to the dealer for a demo, the first time I heard them they sounded not very good and bright. A week later I talked to the owner and he told me come in and listen to them again that the salesman should have never put them on the receiver he had them hooked up to. The second demo was a big different from the first. It sounded pleasant and nice sounding 2nd time. Teaming the right gear to the speakers is a big step in getting things right.

I really like Emotvia amps also and my XPA-3 has kept me very happy its a performer and I can only imagine how good the XPA-1 SOUNDS THATS A MONSTER !! I agree with you thats highly possible about more presence being perceived as being bright also I truly believe people can hear the same sound and hear something totally different whether its speakers, a dragster or what ever . I think my Paradigm Studio's were bright in comparison to my 7's and sometimes fatiguing after hours of listening and not the case with my new Klipsch speakers I can listen to them all day and there very smooth, detailed and full having the best of both worlds without being over powering in any area . I know when I auditioned the 7II's they sounded great on just a Denon AVR at the dealer I mean great enough for me to want them bad !! Well when I got them home and hooked the them up threw my gear just a XPA-3 and my Pio elite 94 AVR I was so happy I could of done flips threw out my HT : ) It sounded so good beyond words can explain . So I agree again with you that the gear you run can make a huge difference with Klipsch and im guessing most speakers . Hey did I mention how happy and much I love my 7's : )

[felitopaz]

Has anyone compared them with the RF-7's with DeanG mods?

[Sandy West]

SkyDover:

Excellent review! I've been living with and playing my new RF-7 II's for a while now and my impression is much the same as yours. They replaced my old Altec-Lansing A-7/500's (Voice of the Theater) in my two channel stereo system, which I have downsized to better fit my small listening room. I purchased the RF-7 II's over Cornwall's, also excellent speakers, primarily for their smaller footprint. (I only use floor standing speakers!) For both sonic and techincal reasons, I admit that I am biased in favor of two-way systems with horns.

Even compared to the larger (15" woofer, 500-20,000 Hz horn) A-7/500's, I am very pleased with the RF-7 II sound. Nice stereo soundstage, excellent and well controlled bass, smooth midrange and treble. Not as efficient or quite as detailed as the fully horn loaded Altecs, but still very good in both areas. These RF-7 II loudspeakers are very easy to listen to for extended times at all volume levels. They are the best sounding tower type loudspeakers I have auditioned, regardless of price (some were 50% to 100% more expensive than the RF-7 II's), with considerably more punch than most when you want it.

FYI, my rather crowded, bookshelf lined, wall-to-wall carpeted, double wall/double windows listening room is about 14'x14'. My listening position is 10' from the speakers, which are 6' 2.5" apart and angled directly at my listening position. My reference listening level is 80 db SPL, C-weighted, per my SPL meter at my listening position. My loudest listening is normally done at 90 db SPL at my listening position. These SPL readings are for "mean loud passages," not transient peaks, which are naturally higher.