Some advice on innexpensive...

[randydb]

Hi,

I have my eye on a couple HDT300 5.1 speaker systems that a liquidator is selling. Both returns,(all speakers working though), so slightly used. I can get them for $100 each.

But I have questions...

1. Never owned a suround sound system before. Would use one in my livingroom and other downstairs in the rec room for the kids. Neither room is that big. Will I be happy with these as a starter set?

2) I assume the price is pretty good? I see them retail $300.

3) If at some time I get a 7.1 reciever can I combine these speakers to fill that?

4) How durable are these things? I notice there are are a number of sets at the liquidators that have a blown speaker in the set. Couple with center speaker blown, one with the bass blown, and then a bunch with one of the other speakers blown...I am guessing that the liquidator got them from a warranty/repair shop for Klipsch and that it isn't a weakness issue for Klipsch.

5) Am I missing anything?

I just started looking for theatre systems and started to notice that Klipsch is a top brand name. Didn't realize there were sooooooo many options though. I would really appreciate any input people have here.

***I also noticed a rs -42 behind the counter that isn't on the floor yet. If that is under $100 is it a good deal?

Thanks

Randy

[cornfedksboy]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't have any direct experience with this series, but $100.00 sounds like a very good deal. The system sounds like a fine starter system for casual 5.1 surround. I can't speak to the durability, but Klipsch is known for fantastic quality, however, most of that quality stems from floor standing speakers that sell for $300.00-$15,000.00 a pair. At a retail of under $400.00 for 6 speakers, it gets a little difficult to know for sure.

Will you be happy with this system? Well it's hard to say. It depends what your expectations are. My first set-up was a home-theater-in-a-box, and I thought it was fantastic, but it wasn't long and I wanted something more. I bought my dad a low-cost set of used 5.1 speakers, and he likes it and feels like it's a neat add on to his movie experience. He has never wanted to upgrade and I would say the system you are using is similar in quality to what he has. On the other hand, most on this forum want a cinema like home theater experience or concert like music experience, and we're a little nutty about our set-ups. While some people spend years trying to match discontinued speakers at a low price (retail of $2500.00 for $700.00 total or there abouts) for the perfect sound, others drop $5000.00 all at once for theater experience. We are constantly selling and upgrading and adding to the system. There is a certain wow factor that the HDT300 will be lacking. It depends on what your expectations are.

I would say that the RS-42 for $100.00 would be a great deal! They are only used for side surrounds, however, and you would have to acquire front and center speakers to match.

I hope that helps!

[nezff]

I think any HTIB will leave alot to be desired. Audiogon, craiglist, emo boards, garage sale here, etc.. you will find some good deals to piece together a nice system.

[randydb]

I think any HTIB will leave alot to be desired. Audiogon, craiglist, emo boards, garage sale here, etc.. you will find some good deals to piece together a nice system.

Ok...after reading for a couple hours here I am realizing that a ton of
things go into piecing together a system. I keep seeing people ask
"Will this go with that?"

Also in a previous post on this thread it was mentioned that rs-42 speakers are only used for side speakers in a system. But this confuses me...In my mind see fronts, center, rears, sub...

So after a bit of searching around on ebay, liquidation center, local craigslist here are the good deals that I see so far...does anything match????

1 rs-42 likely around $100 (this is what the liquidation place said it will be when it goes on the shelf)

pair rs3 II rear surrounds bidding at $99 with a day and a half to go

rpw-10 10 inch 200w sub bidding at $103 with 3 days to go

pair KLIPSCH SF 1 floor Speakers and sc1 center channel $200 on craigslist

Maybe I should be starting a new thread asking about this...but is there anything here that I could/should string together for a relatively better sounding good priced system?

If I should put this in a new thread please let me know.

Thanks

Randy

[Army Al]

Randy

Don't buy it. You don't understand these speakers are a gateway drug that's totally legal. You buy these and there's no telling where you'll wind up. I started with these and moved onto the Quintet IIIs, then to the floor standing Synergy series. I'm now looking at the reference line of Klipsch speakers. Bigger is way Better. Yes, yes I'm addicted but I'm now out of the closet. It's my addiction but I'm in heaven in my Man Cave. Don't buy it. Your smile will only get wider with every new Klipsch upgrade. You have been warned.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Man Cave Office 17ft by 14ft by 8.5ft carpeted

VISIO 47in HD TV Flat Screen on the Wall

Directv HD-24 DVR with Multi Room Viewing

Samsung BD C6500 Blu Ray HD DVD Player

Onkyo TX NR609 7.2 used as a 5.2 plus Bi Amping the F3s

Klipsch Synergy C2

Klipsch Synergy F3 (Pair)

Klipsch Synergy B3 (Pair)

Klipsch Synergy 12in Sub (Pair)

_______________________________________________________________________

Thearter Room 22ft by 15ft by 9ft carpeted

Samsung 67in HD TV DLP

Directv HD-34 Genie DVR with Multi Room Viewing

Samsung BD C6500 HD DVD Player

Onkyo TX NR609 7.2

Magnaplanar I (Pair)

Klipsch Synergy S2 (Pair)

Klipsch Synergy SL (Pair)

Klipsch Synergy 12in Sub

Klipsch Icon VC-25

[nezff]

I would honestly buy the floorstanders and center first. sub, receiver then surrounds.

[cornfedksboy]

I would honestly buy the floorstanders and center first. sub, receiver then surrounds.

Yep. Decide what you want to get out of system sound wise. Determine what the wife will also be accepting of. You might browse through some of the more recent pages of the "show me your home theater" thread to get an idea. Determine a reasonable budget (including a/v receiver) and we can help you find a great set-up.

Let us know your zip code so we can check some of the deals going around.

[randydb]

I would honestly buy the floorstanders and center first. sub, receiver then surrounds.

So,

If I can pick up the floors and center for $200obo I am doing well...hopefully around $150?

Are you suggesting the surrounds last because of price or that is the last item you require when getting a home theatre?

The guy with the floors and center also has a technics receiver for $75 but he doesn't have model in the add. What should I be looking at there? I suppose the main thing around our house is that we would want is an ipod dock for our receiver.

Army Al...addiction...I notice there is no Klipschaholics Annonomous forum. I am guessing that by becoming a member here I have taken the first step to identifying a personality fault and will slip quickly into full unrecoverable addiction?

Thanks everyone for your help so far.

Randy

[randydb]

Yep. Decide what you want to get out of system sound wise. Determine what the wife will also be accepting of. You might browse through some of the more recent pages of the "show me your home theater" thread to get an idea. Determine a reasonable budget (including a/v receiver) and we can help you find a great set-up.

Let us know your zip code so we can check some of the deals going around.

What my wife will accept is great advice...

To be honest, I started out just wanting a cheap surround sound theatre system that had an ipod dock. Figured about $400. Started looking at the regular names. Then came across the HD300 system at the liquidators and started researching Klipsch because I had heard they were a higher end speaker and I was thinking I might get much more bang for my $ than I thought.

So here I am. I am not an audiophile at all, but do play the drums and like music through a good system.

If I started with those surrounds and center(Lets say $175 is as low as he goes). Do I have any hope of coming in around $600 and winding up with a half decent sounding system?

By the way...my zip code is in Canada v2v 7c5. Near Vancouver BC. BUT there is a shipping receiving company just across the border that I have stuff shipped to for $5/package when it is cheaper to do that and I just go across the border and pick up. Place is called Ship Happens. zip 98295

Cheers and thanks.

[nezff]

if you can pick up floors and center that cheap, go all the way.

[randydb]

if you can pick up floors and center that cheap, go all the way.

I arranged to go see them in a little while here and he just called back to tell me they were gone.[:'(] Dang, I should have gone before my son's soccer game.

Oh well, I am going to start working harder at getting set up now.

Randy

[cornfedksboy]

There are some RF-3s for sale in Lake Stevens on CL (maybe not too far from you) that are listed at $450.00 if you can get that down to between $250. and $350. (that's a good price but still at market value), you can pick up a center for about $100.-$150. fairly easily. That would be the makings of a FANTASTIC system if you can get the right price and it is still in your budget. Some bookshelf surrounds should be available for around another $200.

[randydb]

Thanks for the point towards the rf-3s. I have contacted the guy in Lake Stevens and told him I would be willing to come and see his speakers if he was open to offers as I felt $450 was a bit above where I thought they were worth and it is about an hour drive to his place. He is going to get back to me in a few days if they haven't sold at $450. In the meantime....

I see a set of rs-3 II rears elsewhere. If I could pick these up in the $200-$250 range I would be getting a solid set of rears at a decent price? I realize it is a bit of apples to orange, (floor stand speakers to smaller versions) but is one better than the other?

Thanks

Randy

[randydb]

Hey, a bit more looking here tells me that some systems use rs3 II in the rear and rf-3 in the front of a system. So I could pickup both over time and have matching stuff right?

So do I have this right. rf-3 are front channel speakers and rs-3 for rears(surround)?

Thanks

Randy

[randydb]

CL listing that is local. Claims he spent $8000 buying it which doesn't quite add up for me, but at $1000 is it a deal, or still too much?

STEREO $1000 Includes:


Dennon AVR 2400 Amp;


Dennon 5 CD changer,


Four (4) Klipsch KLF 20 tower speakers


One (1) Klipsch CLF C7 center channel


One (1) Klipsch KSW 12 sub woofer


(I have all the manuals)

I could go and research all the components here but if someone knows off the top of their head it would be great.

Randy

[cornfedksboy]

Hey, a bit more looking here tells me that some systems use rs3 II in the rear and rf-3 in the front of a system. So I could pickup both over time and have matching stuff right?

So do I have this right. rf-3 are front channel speakers and rs-3 for rears(surround)?

Thanks

Randy

You are correct. The RF-3 (F=Floorstanding which are your front left and right channels) are for the front and RS (S=surround) are for surround. The surrounds are referred to as Dipole, meaning that the sound comes out in two directions. These are ONLY useful as surround speakers, but they can really add to the envelopment of a movies' sound. The RF-3 matches the RS-3, matches the RC-3 (C=center). This paticular model was the number one selling speaker line-up for several years in the US, so there are a lot of them out there to be picked up in the used market, and they are fantastic speakers.

[cornfedksboy]

CL listing that is local. Claims he spent $8000 buying it which doesn't quite add up for me, but at $1000 is it a deal, or still too much?

STEREO $1000 Includes:
Dennon AVR 2400 Amp;
Dennon 5 CD changer,
Four (4) Klipsch KLF 20 tower speakers
One (1) Klipsch CLF C7 center channel
One (1) Klipsch KSW 12 sub woofer
(I have all the manuals)

I could go and research all the components here but if someone knows off the top of their head it would be great.

Randy

That's a great system and a fantastic price if the speakers are all in good condition. Now, have you seen the KLF 20's? Have you spoken to your wife about this? Those are VERY BIG speakers. Four of them in one area will take up some space, however, you will be positively blown away by the sound...Each of those floor speakers has dual 10" subwoofers and weighs upwards of 80 lbs. Here's a link to the Klipsch archives: http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/klf-20-specifications/

I believe the market value for a pair of KLF 20s is $450.00 to $650.00 depending on condition. The C7 is the matching center (I believe) and is about $200.00 in the used market. The subwoofer is a fine sub. I believe the Denon AVR is a good receiver and is probably still worth $300.00 (I'm guessing). Full retail price for this set-up when new was probably near $8000.00.

So, if these speakers are in reasonable condition (cabinets are not broken, sound is clean, woofers are still round) you should really but it! It will actually probably be too much system for you, or at least the wife, but you could easlity sell one pair of the KLF 20s for $400.00 + and buy some more discrete surround speakers and pocket a little bit of money there. I have an audiophile friend that has a great system (not Klipsch) but he is constantly on the look out for KLF 20s or 30s (these are the 100 pound monsters with 12 inch woofers) to go in his dedicated 14-20 home theater with 120 inch screen.

If this system were near me I would buy it at that price and I'm not looking for KLFs.

[randydb]

Thanks,

When I began this thread I was looking at picking up a couple hd300 speaker systems for cheap...one for me upstairs, one for the kids downstairs. About $700 total once I got receivers for them.

Sooooo, for 1000ish I can have a reallly beautiful system that retailed about $8000ish a number of years back. Size of those floors isn't too horrible. I have cheap speakers on stands that are 39 inches tall right now.

One question here. If these klf 20s have 10" subs in them do I need the ksw sub in here too? I mean, I see10" subs being used in home theatre systems and they are built into the klf 20s.

Let me break this up now. I could...

Upstairs:

dennon receiver

pair klf 20s

center Klipsch CLF C7

KSW 12 sub

find a pair of not quite so big surrounds

Basement:

pair klf 20s

get a center

maybe a sub

get a receiver

Maybe come in around $1500 spent this way?

[cornfedksboy]

Thanks,

When I began this thread I was looking at picking up a couple hd300 speaker systems for cheap...one for me upstairs, one for the kids downstairs. About $700 total once I got receivers for them.

Sooooo, for 1000ish I can have a reallly beautiful system that retailed about $8000ish a number of years back. Size of those floors isn't too horrible. I have cheap speakers on stands that are 39 inches tall right now.

I was kinda laughing to myself about the change in what you were looking at. I would compare it to walking into a car lot with the intention of buying a ford focus and leaving with an H1 Hummer. You've gone from cute little tech-toy speakers to an adrenaline charged, audiophile-esque set-up in a few short days!!! I think the KLFs (L is for Legend) will give you a viceral experience that will wow your friends!

And yes, for a cool grand you can have an $8000.00 system (although I would have guessed closer to $6000.00, at least in the US).

One question here. If these klf 20s have 10" subs in them do I need the ksw sub in here too? I mean, I see10" subs being used in home theatre systems and they are built into the klf 20s.

Do you need a sub, no, you will be very impressed with the sound of those speakers on their own. However, a powered sub will most definately improve your experience for movies and music. It works like this...the ampliphiers in the Audio/Video receiver have a limited amount of output. It will additionally tax the amp the more speakers it has to power, for example, the receiver might be labeled as 100 watts per channel for 7 channels. If you run 1 channel, the amp might produce as much as 150 watts of clean power to the speaker. Add a second speaker and it might drop to 110. 5 speakers may only produce 75 watts for each speaker and so on. When you don't have a sub-woofer, each speaker should be set to "large." This means "I am not running a seperate sub-woofer and I need full bass out of my speakers." This will further tax the amp and can push the watts per channel down further, or cause a higher level of distortion at lower volume. By adding a powered sub-woofer, you allow the receiver to be more efficient by setting your speakers to "small," no matter how large they actually are. This effectively decreases the bass output from your speakers and generates a clean and clear sound over the listening range. Since it is difficult to localize where deep bass sounds are comming from, this will improve the overall sound of your system. Notice too how much deeper that sub-woofer can actually go compared to the KLF 20, something like 25 hz vs 35 hz.

Let me break this up now. I could...

Upstairs:

dennon receiver

pair klf 20s

center Klipsch CLF C7

KSW 12 sub

find a pair of not quite so big surrounds

Basement:

pair klf 20s

get a center

maybe a sub

get a receiver

Maybe come in around $1500 spent this way?

Not sure what your total price might end up being, but you could get some solid surround speakers for about $200.00 a pair. Another C7 center would run you $150-250. A receiver that will work well would cost $300.00 and up, plus a second sub maybe another $250. (there are all used prices). I think you might need another $500-1000.00 to complete BOTH systems. The great thing about the system you are looking at is that the KLF 20s are high end speakers. If you really get into your system, you can add amplifiers, and really upgrade the system over time while keeping the main components in place. If you don't like it, you could surely get $1200.00 out of it by selling them off individually and you haven't lost any money!

[randydb]

I got them. I was very impressed with them when I got to the guys place and listened to them. Pretty impressive and incredibly clear at big volume.

Only downer was the guy wouldn't come down in price. So I paid $1000 for the works. He also threw in a dvd/vhs player and a 5 cd changer that I don't need.

BUT...wow they sure push nicely. They are big like you said...I don't think I would want 4 in my living room. So For the moment, 2 upstairs and 2 down. Maybe I will buy 2 sets of surrounds and add one downstairs and one upstairs.

I really want to deeply thank Jason, Neilson, and Al for your help. You got me spending a lot more money, but I got my money's worth and I am really excited. We are renovating right now so the addition of a good surround system isn't outside of what we would have done anyways. You guys put a bit of time into a newcomer that could have just asked a bit, wasted your time and left. I see that on a drum building forum that I am on and there are times where I can't be too bothered with new guys until I know they are serious. So I appreciate what you have done.

Thanks again. I will be around soon asking more questions about surrounds.

Randy