Klipsch RP-3's and RP-5's?!

[KlipschFreak373]

Hey guys, I recently came across a pair of RP-3's and was wondering how they sound?! I didn't even know Klipsch made speakers with built in subs on them. Are the RP-3's and RP-5's the only two speakers Kipsch made with built in subs? Also, how do the RP-3's compare to the RP-5's?! Any and all input would be awesome! 

[The History Kid]

There are Synergy/pre-reference lines that have powered subs built in, such as the KSP-400's and such.  The RP-5's are the better of the two.  I'm not sure what the amplifiers are like in them though - listening first is always a good thing.  I'd also still probably insist on a subwoofer besides the L/R's.

[Youthman]

The RP series do not come up too often.  I just did a nationwide Craigslist search for Klipsch RP and only two results came up.

 

RP-3 in Florida for $150 - Link

 

RP-3, RC-3ii, RS-3ii and Yamaha RV-1105 receiver in Oregaon for $600 - Link

 

I've personally never heard that series before.

[KlipschFreak373]

Thanks for the quick replies! I already have a separate powered sub, I just love the sound that floor standing speakers make with built in subs. I think they are able to recreate more accurate sound. I love Klipsch (obviously from my name lol) and didn't know Klipsch made speakers with subs! Have u ever heard the RP-3's in person? The one in oregon is the one I'm looking at! haha

Edited November 26, 2014 by KlipschFreak373

[swapface]

Better grab them before I do.....LOL

 

Just kidding!! Pretty sure the wife would go ballistic if I bought another set of speakers right before Christmas.

[The History Kid]

Have u ever heard the RP-3's in person?

 

I had a chance to hear these next to RF-3's when I was quite young.  The store that I eventually got my RF-3 II's from had them setup.  I was fairly impressed with them - but I noticed in some movie tracks the bass was overbearing.  However, switching the subs off usually left the bass seeming one dimensional.  I'm not sure if it was just the amp that they were using or the room...but that was the only thing I saw that was odd.

[steve hollowell]

I had a pair of the RP-5 model for several years and loved them, when hooked up with the LFI info going to the 2 12 inchpowered subs you had all you needed to blast the best movie sound for around $2k......hooked up with the subs facing toward the outside it really was good bang for the buck.

You could also just hook them up to the front left and right without connecting to the LFI and they were good as a musical speaker without all the sub rumble.

I sold them to a friend for $600, and at times wish I still had them.....don't know about the RP-3, but the 5's were really good.

Good luck with the 3's.....but it would be nice to find some 5's.

                             steve.....also the subs could be adjusted to tone them down a bit if they were alittle over the top

Edited December 1, 2014 by steve hollowell

[T2K]

I guess all subs have a volume control. The Reference 'R' Powered 'P' speakers built-in subs are no different.

 

Keith

[Bryant0086]

  I wasn't aware Klipsch even did that. I know Infinity did, but that was in the 90's WELL after the HK buyout after Infinity went downhill. I also think JBL did/does that as well. Curious to hear a set of those. Can't give an opinion, unfortunately.

 

 

  Bryant

[beertender]

Sorry I'm so late to this thread.  (haven't visited in so long, Klipsch had reset my password and of course... the e-mail it sends resets to is no longer valid).

I purchased new, my first set of Klipsch speakers in 1981.  Unfinished Heresy's.  I've always been unsatisfied with the bass in these speakers, but the volume of sound that came from them always impressed where the lack of bass did not.

Fast forward a few years,  I was making good money, and descided to remedy the lack of bass situation with my speakers.  I first bought the impressive B&W 602s.  An incredible little speaker with very good bass, highly detailed treble, and a silky smooth midrange.  Several months passed until I finally decided that I missed the horn sound.  For a while i tried combining the B&Ws with my Heresy's.  Then I bought a small klipsch sub.  All failed to meet my expectations.  FInally I decided to head to the store and buy a horn loaded speaker with good bass. I'll spare you the rest of the detail in selection except to say that I made a trip to that and other stores to heard the same speakers in different settings a  total of six times over a period of almost six months.  The only two speakers in contention during those six visits were the RP3 and RP5.  The RF5 had just come out during my final two visits, but was on display in another room where the distortion of their speaker and source switching device made the RF5s sound terrible.

I still have my RP3s and the Heresy's (also the B&Ws).
My impressions of the RP3 vs RP5:

Nearly identical, except in the bass section.  I believe the RP-5 has a slightly more powerful amp and a larger diameter woofer.  While the RP-5 had a ported bass (bass reflex), the RP-3 used a sealed 10" bass (exact same driver as the KSW-10 sub).  I have never liked the bass reflex sound (as there are usually some frequencies that are accentuated, some that are not augmented, and several transitions where the port creates bass nodes that I hear as distortions).  I think the literature at the time, and even later called the bass in the RP-3 a ported bass.  I've never found a port on my speakers, so I assume this was an error.  My impression was that the bass of the RP3 was smoother and better.  When the amp is turned up, the bass can rock the house and is very colored.  But when the boost and the crossover are properly modulated, the bass blends very well with the entire system.  If memory serves me well, the RP5 also had an 8" mid driver, while the RP3 had the 6.5" mid driver.  I think there was also some annoying characteristic I heard from that 8" driver that i didn't hear in the 6.5" driver, but this only happened when the speaker was being driven very hard.

The RP3s vs the Heresys:

Well I think you already know that I love the bass in the RP3s over the Heresy.  The midrange of the RP3 is of a totally different character than the midrange horn of this older Heresy.  The tweeter unit of the Heresy is absolute gold, while the tractrix horn in the RP3 has done a lot to eliminate that 'harsh' horn sound.  The overall sound of the RP3 is warmer and quite even over its entire sonic spectrum.  However, the Heresy is able to project sound in a way that the RP3 (and I believe the RP5) could never do with any amount of amplification.  While the RP3s can put ouf a fair amount of sound, they cannot match the Heresy's.

It is my belief that the RP series never won acceptance amongst Klipsch fans because they could not make your clothes vibrate through not just bass, but also by the volume of sound from the midrange units.  The introduction of the RF5 & etc helped the average Klipsch fan turn the corner with the square horn system by allowing rediculous levels of sound (not just huge levels of well balanced sound) in the home setting.

In the years since my RP3 purchase, I have taken to running my Heresy's together with my RP3s using an external crossover that feeds the bass to the RP3's bass speaker inputs (not the LFE input), and routing the treble/midrange to both the Heresy's and the midrange/treble input of the RP3s.  The result seems to add the 'reflective' sound of the Heresy, but warms up the sound of the midrange, and of course makes a huge difference with the bass.

The RP3s are silky smooth, but it can't be denied: they will not rock the whole house like a good pair of RF5s would.

I haven't listened to many new Klipsch models since the 2009 downturn took out many retail outlets specializing in full range speakers systems.  Even the local Best Buy keeps only a bare minimum of base models in setups that would be embarrassed by the home systems of most audiophiles.

[The History Kid]

Part of the reason that the Heresy would be so much better in sound would be due to the use of an actual midrange driver. I'm still not sure I fully understand the reasoning behind Klipsch using front facing woofers in their design for their pseudo-midrange in the RP line. What would come to mind - especially in the instance of the RP-3, would be to use one of the RSW-10 active woofer, and add a squawker. You think you enjoyed how the RP-3 sounded, imagine it with a true 3 way design and a better sub-driver. I don't even think it'd have cost that much more to make.

Edited December 10, 2015 by IbizaFlame

[Pete H]

I have owned both of them and they both have a lot to offer, the 5 is noticeably better in the bass department, but the 3's are no slouch for listening to music.  I would consider both of these for listening to music, but would add that for HT use, you really need a dedicated sub to augment the speakers.  IMO, you need to give them a listen and if the right opportunity comes around, but a set.

[fuzzydog]

I just don't like the idea of a powered main speaker.  If the plate amp goes bad you're SOL. 

[The History Kid]

I just don't like the idea of a powered main speaker.  If the plate amp goes bad you're SOL.

That was the main reason I had opted for the RF-3's over the RP-3's. And those RF-3's I might add certainly can hold their own.

[Pete H]

I just don't like the idea of a powered main speaker.  If the plate amp goes bad you're SOL. 

I get that, and my RP 5's were sold to a good friend of mine and one of the amps puked so he paid the $200 (around that) and had a new one sent and he's back up and rolling again.  I sold the 3's to another friend and they had the originals in and he's now owned them for an additional 3 years and never had a hiccup. 

[T2K]

I just don't like the idea of a powered main speaker.  If the plate amp goes bad you're SOL.

Oh yeah? How so?

If you own a pair of non-powered speakers and your receiver blows up are you SOL too?

Keith

[The History Kid]

The plate amp has a better chance of overheating IMO. Poor ventilation, higher heat generation...afaic there's a difference between a power amp and a plate amp.

[T2K]

The plate amp has a better chance of overheating IMO. Poor ventilation, higher heat generation...afaic there's a difference between a power amp and a plate amp.

Speculation is fine. It's just not necessarily correct in relation to this topic.

I've owned Klipsch powered speakers for 14 years. They still work fine. The amps can be repaired for as little as a few dollars to as much as $150.

I don't know what overheating and the difference between the two have to do with anything. They both generate heat while providing power.

Keith

[jsmooove]

I owned RP5s as my Front L and R and a lone RP3 as my C on a stand on it's side.  120" lcd projector set up with an additional KSW12 in the back of the theater.  It was Godlike.  Then I had kids, sold it all off. What a fool lol.

[kmarnes]

I currently have a set of RP-3s and RC-3 (and Polk towers for surrounds). These speakers are beasts, and dual integrated 440W subwoofers were definitely a joy when the opportunity presented itself. Now it's almost 20 years later, and I'll be selling mine -- as I'm older now, and went with aesthetically installed wall and ceiling speakers (5.1.4) atmos. I bought a new Klipsch 10" subwoofer with 50% of the power of just one of these built in subwoofers and it's still more than I need. 

During the transition to front in-wall Polk MC-85s, they were a pale reflection of the Klipsch. I now have 4x MC-85 for front and surrounds, 4x MC-80 for ceiling, and new Klipsch 10" subwoofer and new Klipsch R-34C. Which is nearly half as tall as my old RC-3s. My wall mounted TV was partially obscuring the old center channel.

 

I'll miss them, but I won't miss the loss of floor space and awkward living room layouts to cater to all those towers. I live in Vancouver BC and will be posting something to Craiglist in the next week or so. Was just searching around trying to gauge what they are worth!

Edited April 1, 2019 by kmarnes