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Enjoying stereo after many years away


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Wow.... What a wife**********  welcome to the forum. Mostly I second what Thebes said take your time , two channel & surround or totally different experiences & we all have our different goals with a sound that satisfies, many here use subs,, I have never wanted one.

 

Enjoy

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Well after a week of listening, I still couldn't leave well enough alone. I added an SVS PB13-Ultra sub to the mix and I couldn't be happier. The sub added exactly what I was looking for and missing. With the gain set very low, maybe 2 or so, the sub just fills in the bottom. It is sooooo smooth now. I can't begin to explain it other than the sub is invisible but it is definitely there. When I turn it off, you definitely notice the difference. Don't get me wrong guys, I am not saying the RF-7II's didn't sound good, just to my ears, they needed a little help at the bottom. Because I listen to them at low to medium low volume levels, the woofers just never built up enough steam to produce the low notes I felt were missing. Perhaps the tweeter is so efficient that it over powers the woofers at lower volume levels.

 

The good news is my hi-fi snob buddy is scratching his head now. He is a purest with his B&W 802's, mono blocks and such. He is definitely is against using subs for hi-fi and strongly recommended I do not entertain such an idea. He came over this morning. I put on one of his favorite recordings and within about 30 seconds, he said, and I quote "holy sh*t, what did you do?" I thought oh boy, this must sound really bad to him. Quite the opposite. I asked what he meant? He said this sounds incredible! I showed him the sub that I added which was not visible to him from where he was sitting. He laughed and said your combination of toe in, and speaker placement from the back wall opened up the sound stage significantly, and your sub filled things in. I will quote him again for no other reason than he is a hi-fi snob. "WOW MAN, you must have hit the trifecta with the combination of room acoustics, speaker placement and equipment selection. I have heard systems costing many many times more sound much worse. Your system sounds good." I took this snarky off handed comment as a complement.... LMAO!!!

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Hey Derrickdj, that was funny! I never thought about how my comment "my favorite wife" sounds. It is a sort of a joke around my house as I am also her "favorite husband." My I should introduce her as my first wife... Doah, that's kinda funny too. Just in case the authorities are watching, we were high school sweethearts and we have been married for 28 years. I just recently married the others... LMAO!!!!!!!

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On my Third Wife so I can't use that nomenclature. My old friend "Old Jack" wife passed and she was his First Wife and he was old and has joined her in the Happy Hunting Ground. Old Jack was a retired Detective but at retirement became a prolific writer from Florida. Instead of Ground Hog Day he celebrated Swamp Bear Day who if he didn't see his shadow here will be 6 weeks left of Winter and if he saw his shadow there will be only 6 weeks until Spring, he called Apartment Buildings "Concrete Mountains". Thanks for reminding me! I still think it is a shame you went with a woofer...

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My response on including a powered woofer/subwoofer into a Reference speaker setup (irrespective to how you perceive the sound).

 

"Reference Speaker" defined:

A reference speaker must be one that naturally and convincingly reproduces the sounds of musical instruments and voices. It shouldn't add or subtract any timbre or tonal traits of its own to the playback sound. It should not function as a quasi tone control, covering up flaws in a recording. Nor should it artificially emphasize bass content, unless the recording itself has heavily mixed bass (plenty do). When the speaker stops getting "in the way of" or impeding, the music, then it has attained true reference status.

 

Speakers that have a frequency response down to 35Hz has plenty of bass. What is needed is an amplifier that can drive a 35Hz wave. :unsure2:

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Hey Derrickdj, that was funny! I never thought about how my comment "my favorite wife" sounds. It is a sort of a joke around my house as I am also her "favorite husband." My I should introduce her as my first wife... Doah, that's kinda funny too. Just in case the authorities are watching, we were high school sweethearts and we have been married for 28 years. I just recently married the others... LMAO!!!!!!!

 

That's great! 28 years is good... I worked with an older gentleman who stated once that we have serial polygamy in the U.S., which is totally legal. Just sad...

 

Nice system!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Now that I have been listening to my system for a little while, I started to notice that my phono stage was a bit noisy between tracks. With out the needle on the record, there was a good deal of hiss when the volume was turned up. After doing a bit of searching around and asking around, I decided to buy an inexpensive phono preamp.

I wasn't sure how much to spend but I didn't want to spend a lot and I didn't want to buy something cheap or worse than the phono preamp built into my Onkyo. I settled on a Vincent PHO-8.

I really liked the simple looks and the two piece design so I figured I would give it a try. It was only $300, I have a 30 trial period and I figured it would be a good starting point. By starting point, I mean if it didn't sound good, I knew that I would have to buy something different or more expensive.

My opinion is that this thing sounds fantastic. It is far better than my built in phono preamp. The first thing I noticed was that this thing is quiet. Another thing I noticed was that at a given volume, the music is both quieter and louder. Maybe the correct description would be more dynamic. My speakers seemed to open up a bit as if I moved them farther apart. I am no audiophile so please excuse my poor analogies or descriptions. I just feel like the music is more open. Highs are crisp and smooth, not scratchy. The midrange seems more pronounced. The bass has the same amount of oomph, it just seems more distinct or faster if that makes any sense.

I had a hard time finding info on the Vincent PHO-8 so I thought I would post my preliminary thoughts for anyone that may have an interest.

Don't shoot the messenger, I know there are loads of opinions on preamps out there, especially the high dollar ones. I just wanted to pass on my satisfaction and my experience with something that won't break the bank.

Edited by RottenPilot
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I wasn't sure how much to spend but I didn't want to spend a lot and I didn't want to buy something cheap or worse than the phono preamp built into my Onkyo.

 

Speaking of Onkyo, how do you like your A-9070?  As mentioned earlier I went back and forth deciding between the Onkyo A-9070 and the Yamaha A-S1000 integrateds.

 

Bill

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Hi Willland,

I enjoy the 9070 quite a lot. Sadly, there is rarely a peep spoken of this piece. The DAC's are a very nice touch and sound very good in my opinion. Recently, I took one of my emotiva amps from my theater system and set the Onkyo up as a preamp. While there was quite a bit more available power, I still prefered the sound of the Onkyo without the use of the emotiva. Testing with the sub off, the emotiva gave the RF-7 IIs a bit more bass but the speakers sounded a sort of scratchy. The Onkyo had a smoother treble (not scratchy). I guess I would sum it up as a winner in my book.

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Hi Willland,

I enjoy the 9070 quite a lot. Sadly, there is rarely a peep spoken of this piece. The DAC's are a very nice touch and sound very good in my opinion. Recently, I took one of my emotiva amps from my theater system and set the Onkyo up as a preamp. While there was quite a bit more available power, I still prefered the sound of the Onkyo without the use of the emotiva. Testing with the sub off, the emotiva gave the RF-7 IIs a bit more bass but the speakers sounded a sort of scratchy. The Onkyo had a smoother treble (not scratchy). I guess I would sum it up as a winner in my book.

 

 

Thanks for that follow up.

 

Bill

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  • 5 months later...

After several months, my enjoyment for vinyl has grown more and more. My vinyl collection has been increasing weekly it seems and I thought it was time to upgrade my turntable. As some of you know, I started with a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/Ortofon 2M Blue. This was a great starter table and I will continue to use it with a mono cartridge to listen to my mono records. I was very surprised how good a mono record can sound, I was quite surprising with a nice mono cartridge.

Well enough talking about the old stuff. My new table is a,VPI classic. Depending on the camp your in (modern or old school) you my find it beautiful or butt ugly. I love the way it looks and I LOVE the way it SOUNDS! While it was a nice chunk of change, it stretched my budget a bit more than anticipated so I chose to stay with a MM vs a MC cartridge. I decided to pair the table up with a clear audio maestro V2 and I am quite surprised how well it sounds. It is a long way from broken in but I will say it sounds nicer each day. I think dollar for the dollar, it is one of the better choices out there. Well at least that's my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions LOL!

Enough talking, here is a quick pick. Sorry for the poor lighting, I would rather listen to it, not take pictures. If you Have ever wondered if turntables sound different or better as you move up the food chain, I will tell you that they most definitely sound different. I couldn't have said this with certainty a few months ago but I can say it now. I am not picking on my Pro-Ject, it is a nice table. The reality is that my VPI is startlingly better in every way. It was like going from nice to awesome. The Pro-Ject sounded like records, the VPI sounds like music. I can't imagine how those 10k phono stages, 10k cartridges and 30k turntables sound. The reality is, I don't even want to know for fears of spending my daughters inheritance. For now, I am beyond pleased. My next stop may be a Prima Luna DiaLogue Premium or Premium HP. Can't decide if the extra power is needed. My ego says yes, my gut says probably not. Well I will make that decision next Father's Day. For now, I will spin more vinyl and smile and smile.

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Glad to hear you're enjoying your system!  I haven't had the chance to hear the RF7-II yet, but it seems like they're pretty awesome!

 

I am also of the opinion that a sub can add just the lowest octave appropriately with 2 channel listening.  I have one with my Altec 19s, and they certainly are not 'thin' sounding speakers either.  As you have experienced, the sub fills in that bottom and just expands the soundstage, making a much more enveloping experience.

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Hello and welcome.

 

With your interest in vinyl, you might be interested in the Reg Williamson record cleaning system.  See the post of Mallette at https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/155914-bjesus-a-miracleby-dizrotus/  A link to my original post is in that thread.  If interested, send a PM and we can talk about record cleaning and subwoofers.

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Well enough talking about the old stuff. My new table is a,VPI classic.

 

If you like the Ortofon Blue, you can spend a lot more but not, IMHO, do much better than the 2M Black.  I use one with a VPI and have no desires for anything different.

 

Dave

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2 ears, 2 speakers has always been my philosophy.  Whether it be music or video.  Nice set up you received from the wife.  The RF7 II really need some wattage for the bass to open up.  May want to add a sub-woofer for lower listening levels.. 

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Best regards,

John

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After several months, my enjoyment for vinyl has grown more and more. My vinyl collection has been increasing weekly it seems and I thought it was time to upgrade my turntable. As some of you know, I started with a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/Ortofon 2M Blue. This was a great starter table and I will continue to use it with a mono cartridge to listen to my mono records. I was very surprised how good a mono record can sound, I was quite surprising with a nice mono cartridge.

Well enough talking about the old stuff. My new table is a,VPI classic. Depending on the camp your in (modern or old school) you my find it beautiful or butt ugly. I love the way it looks and I LOVE the way it SOUNDS! While it was a nice chunk of change, it stretched my budget a bit more than anticipated so I chose to stay with a MM vs a MC cartridge. I decided to pair the table up with a clear audio maestro V2 and I am quite surprised how well it sounds. It is a long way from broken in but I will say it sounds nicer each day. I think dollar for the dollar, it is one of the better choices out there. Well at least that's my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions LOL!

Enough talking, here is a quick pick. Sorry for the poor lighting, I would rather listen to it, not take pictures. If you Have ever wondered if turntables sound different or better as you move up the food chain, I will tell you that they most definitely sound different. I couldn't have said this with certainty a few months ago but I can say it now. I am not picking on my Pro-Ject, it is a nice table. The reality is that my VPI is startlingly better in every way. It was like going from nice to awesome. The Pro-Ject sounded like records, the VPI sounds like music. I can't imagine how those 10k phono stages, 10k cartridges and 30k turntables sound. The reality is, I don't even want to know for fears of spending my daughters inheritance. For now, I am beyond pleased. My next stop may be a Prima Luna DiaLogue Premium or Premium HP. Can't decide if the extra power is needed. My ego says yes, my gut says probably not. Well I will make that decision next Father's Day. For now, I will spin more vinyl and smile and smile.

 

 

 

RottenPilot,

 

I am late to the game here, but welcome to the forum!

 

Being that you live in Arizona, are you considering coming to the Klipsch Pilgrimage in Hope, Arkansas in May. It will be an awesome time. We buy and feed the workers at the Klipsch Factory some BBQ, then we get to tour the Factory and the Klipsch Museum. Later, we spend the rest of our time out at Rodney's place. Rodney has an extremely beautiful 610 acre square property so we can turn up the music as loud as we want. There are 13 ponds on Rodneys property and the largest is 79 acres and you are free to catch and release as much as you want and there are some nice Bass in there :) This is a great opportunity to meet and make friends with some great people, as well as bring some of your own gear and compare and listen to other peoples gear. We also get a listening opportunity at the factory in a specially set up listening room and we get to compare your RF-7IIs side by side in a direct A/B/C comparison with Klipschorns and the $25,000 PF-39 Paladiums. We also get a guided tour of the Klipsch Lab and the Anechoic Chamber :). On hand at Rodney's will be Roy Delgado who is the chief engineer over all of Klipsch's Pro Products and was Paul Wilbur Klipsch's close personal friend and obviously there will be many, many opportunities to learn and folks at all levels of listening. I have a personal buddy, Kevin Harmon that will be bringing in 4 stacks of Big Klipsch KP-600s to listen at Rodneys. Last year Kevin only brought two stacks and we got a call from a neighbor that was google mapped as 1.5 miles as the crow flies stating he could hear Michael Jackson Thriller inside his house in his bed :) That is also over some Hills and a few trees :) Rodney also has a large party barn with an 80 foot Bar, Kitchen facilities, two separate restrooms and two separate showers, and on site camping in tent or RV is available, but bring your own Liquor as it is a dry County. It is a great time and some of us bring our wives as well as kids with us. With as much $ as you are spending on your vinyl, I think you owe it to yourself to at least come and listen to the comparison of your RF-7II's against the other two speakers alone.

 

So what say ye? Are you interested??

 

Roger  

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Hi Dave,

 

I auditioned both the 2M Black and the Maestro V2. I am an Ortofon fan. I removed the 2M blue from the Pro-Ject and installed a 2M SE mono cartridge for my limited mono collection. Someday, I will most likely buy a Cadenza Black, for now, I choose stay with a MM.

 

With that said, I chose the Clearaudio Maestro V2 because it was (to me, don't hate me for my opinions) more forgiving of clicks and pops and it sounded a bit more open and airy than the 2M Black did. The 2M black was very detailed as was the Maestro. The 2M Black just sounded a bit less smooth, less open. It was not harsh or anything like that, it was just a bit more bright. Please forgive me if I can't convey my experience accurately, I just don't know all of the fancy audiophile words people use. I auditioned several (5) options in the 600 to 1500 range. When all was said and done, I made the decision with my ears and I couldn't be happier with the music that I am hearing.

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RP, once you've seen a few of my posts you'll be aware that I don't claim to know what anyone else hears under any circumstances. 

 

I've wondered if the only difference in the Ortofon 2M's is the stylus.  If that is so, then you could have simply purchased the mono stylus and inserted it.  However, I really don't know if that would work or not.

 

Dave

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