after a long hiatus...

[lovemyhorns]

....from Klipsch

my story - I once had Klipschorns, but was forced to sell them over 6 years ago, along with tube monoblocks, a McIntosh SS amp, a Thorens turntable w/SME Series III tonearm, etc... (all very sad, trust me, I know) anyways....

Currently I have a cheapie Onkyo HT receiver and a mainstream Inifinity HT speaker setup, currently setup in a 2.1.

I miss the dynamics and accuracy of Klipsch speakers!

Technical stuff: Room specs 14x22x8, speakers on short wall, listening position 12' , I mostly listen to rock and jazz/blues, some classical, I prefer live performances. I don't crank the tunes anymore like in my youth, so 110+db sound level is not a requirement.

My post has two parts: 1) speakers 2) electronics

1) I am thinking of setting up a 2.1 system for about 70%/30% movies/music. The way the room is layed out, I am limited to having bookshelf-sized speakers in corners mounted about 5 feet from floor level and I was thinking of the RB-81 II speakers with a subwoofer. I've never heard the 81's, So...

a) how will the 81's fare with movies (w/subwoofer of course)

with music, will the 81's give me the dynamics and accuracy that Klipsch is known for

c) how will the 81's work in corners (the whole room should act like the horn, right

d) I know the little bookshelfs won't compare to K-horns, but for their size, will they perform within reasonable expectations?

d) any other ideas/comments?

2) Electronics - my only requirements were 4 line level inputs, remote and subwoofer/preamp out and preferably, an MP3 input, I was thinking of these:

a) Roksan kandy

Musical Fidelity A5

c) NAD M3 -I think this is the most expensive on the list

d) Outlaw RR2150 - a receiver and the cheapest

e) Jolida JD1501 BRC

Any experience/comments good/bad on any of the above - any other ideas?

thanks!

[Dennie]

Wow, sorry for you loss, but it's good to have you back.

Is there any way you can fit "Heritage" speakers in your room? I think you'll be much happier with the "known" Heritage sound that you loved, over the Reference series. Not that the Reference series is bad, it is just different.

Dennie

[Daddy Dee]

lovemyhorns,

welcome back from hiatus. glad you are on this side of it.

[thebes]

Welcome Back Cotter![]

Glad to see you have the itch again. I guess a budget would be the first place to start. Obviously, we're partial to speakers as the first, and most important, purchase, so that's where we should start.

[lovemyhorns]

Thanks for the replies and my apologies for my vagueness - I think that may be because I don't know which direction to go...

Is there any way you can fit "Heritage" speakers in your room? I think
you'll be much happier with the "known" Heritage sound that you loved,
over the Reference series. Not that the Reference series is bad, it is
just different.

I'm thinking that even the Heresy's would be too big, maybe I'll make a cardboard version and find out, but I'm not very confident... I'm really stuck size-wise. Ultimately, making my own Cornscalas would be a hoot, but not in the plan..maybe making my own Heritage bookshelf.. hmm... any thoughts on this?

OK, -how- are the Heritage and Reference different in sound?

...budget would be the first place to start

$3000 would be top end, would like to stay under $2000, which means getting the electronics used. I prefer to minimize the components, that's why I am looking at integrated amps. I still have my modded Phase Linear P3800 preamp (mods: all amplification is now FET, polyprop. film caps in the signal path, etc.,) it does not have a remote but it does have a nifty 3-band parametric equalizer.

I'm liking the reviews on the Roksan Kandy, anybody using one?

thanks for continuing to indulge my lack of direction...

[thebes]

That's a very good budget for what you envision. I can't speak to the particulars o the electronics, but speaker wise, I'd consider a used RF series floorstanders. That's a decent sized listening area, and the RF series are not very wide, and more suited to video than audio.If you needed more bottom, you can always find a place to stash a sub.

[lovemyhorns]

I do have a subwoofer and will use it with any of the Reference line.

From what I am getting, you're saying I will probably be disappointed with bookshelf-sized speakers... true?

[willland]

I do have a subwoofer and will use it with any of the Reference line.

A quality musical subwoofer can make Reference bookshelf speakers sound like "full range" towers, the key is synergy.

From what I am getting, you're saying I will probably be disappointed with bookshelf-sized speakers... true?

They will not sound like La Scalas or Khorns but should provide you with plenty of musical bliss if set up properly.

In my spare bedroom(smaller than your room at 13 X 13), I have my NAD T773 avr hooked up to a pair of RB-35's(pred. to RB-81's) and they sound wonderful with plenty of bass(not sub 40Hz) and great imaging. On the flip side of that, also in the same room, my Luxman R-117 receiver drives my pair of Heresys with very similar results, not better or worse, just a tiny difference in tone and presentation and a bit more punch in the midbass region. A nice subwoofer would make either of these systems sound bigger but for now I am very pleased.

Bill