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No one told me that Klipsch means " speaker buying sickness" lol. Just got a pair of KLF 20's, black, all stock. They will be part of my 2 channel Master Bedroom system, but I want to a/b them with my Chorus 2's in the Living room before lugging them upstairs. So, I now own Heresy 1's, Chorus 2's and KLF 20's, that should do it..... Until the next time I get an offer I can't refuse, I got these in trade for some audio gear that I never use, and actually forgot I had.

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I thought I was done once I got the Chorus 2's, and I'm certainly satisfied with them, but the deal for the KLF's was just too good to pass up. Hmm, that's the same thing I say about guitars and amps, guess I'll just have to roll with it.

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I did a short comparison of the KLF 20's and my Chorus 2's last night, about an hour or so. As I expected, the two sound very similar overall. The KLF go a lower in bass and it is tighter, they like more power to get into the sweet spot and seem to have more apparent separation of instruments. The Chorus sound bigger, all frequencies blend smoothly from low to high and I felt more "immersed" in the sound. Running both speakers at the same time yielded the most incredible, musical sound I've heard since a friend's system, that had high end speakers in four corners and high end tube amps, many years ago. Overall, the speakers sound so close that I'd be hard pressed to choose one over the other, with cost being equal. The KLF need a slightly smaller footprint and weigh a few pounds less, the Chorus sound bigger, but neither sounds better than the other to me, slightly different, but again, not enough to say one or the other "wins". If I had to keep only one pair today, I'd keep the Chorus 2's, mainly because of the bigger sound, but I might change my mind tomorrow due to the extended bass of the KLF's. For now, I'm happy to have both.

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I did a short comparison of the KLF 20's and my Chorus 2's last night, about an hour or so. As I expected, the two sound very similar overall. The KLF go a lower in bass and it is tighter, they like more power to get into the sweet spot and seem to have more apparent separation of instruments. The Chorus sound bigger, all frequencies blend smoothly from low to high and I felt more "immersed" in the sound. Running both speakers at the same time yielded the most incredible, musical sound I've heard since a friend's system, that had high end speakers in four corners and high end tube amps, many years ago. Overall, the speakers sound so close that I'd be hard pressed to choose one over the other, with cost being equal. The KLF need a slightly smaller footprint and weigh a few pounds less, the Chorus sound bigger, but neither sounds better than the other to me, slightly different, but again, not enough to say one or the other "wins". If I had to keep only one pair today, I'd keep the Chorus 2's, mainly because of the bigger sound, but I might change my mind tomorrow due to the extended bass of the KLF's. For now, I'm happy to have both.

you would be doing yourself a favor to check to see if your KLF20 still have the factory poly tweeter diaphragms (thin shiny and black)and if so replace then before you make any final decisions. You can use the phenolic or better the Crites titanium diaphragms. You can swap them back and forth between your Chorus and the KLF both are K79.

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The Chorus sound bigger, all frequencies blend smoothly from low to high and I felt more "immersed" in the sound.

That's what I've experienced when comparing my Chorus IIs to other Klipsch of similar caliber.  I tend to listen longer without realizing when it's the Chorus IIs turn.  They'll remain here for a very long time.  I still have KLF-20s, RF-7s and RF-5s.  :biggrin:

The sickness continues with a smile.

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I did a short comparison of the KLF 20's and my Chorus 2's last night, about an hour or so. As I expected, the two sound very similar overall. The KLF go a lower in bass and it is tighter, they like more power to get into the sweet spot and seem to have more apparent separation of instruments. The Chorus sound bigger, all frequencies blend smoothly from low to high and I felt more "immersed" in the sound. Running both speakers at the same time yielded the most incredible, musical sound I've heard since a friend's system, that had high end speakers in four corners and high end tube amps, many years ago. Overall, the speakers sound so close that I'd be hard pressed to choose one over the other, with cost being equal. The KLF need a slightly smaller footprint and weigh a few pounds less, the Chorus sound bigger, but neither sounds better than the other to me, slightly different, but again, not enough to say one or the other "wins". If I had to keep only one pair today, I'd keep the Chorus 2's, mainly because of the bigger sound, but I might change my mind tomorrow due to the extended bass of the KLF's. For now, I'm happy to have both.

you would be doing yourself a favor to check to see if your KLF20 still have the factory poly tweeter diaphragms (thin shiny and black)and if so replace then before you make any final decisions. You can use the phenolic or better the Crites titanium diaphragms. You can swap them back and forth between your Chorus and the KLF both are K79.

The KLF's are stock, my Chorus 2's have Crites Titanium tweeter diaphragms, Crites crossovers, Crites mid diaphragms(phenolic I believe) and newly re-coned stock woofers(Simply Speakers in May of this year). Eventually, I'll replace the tweeter and mid diaphragms and install Crites crossovers. What upgrades do you suggest for the KLF's?

I moved them to my Master Bedroom and have been listening to them all morning, powering them with an Onkyo TX-DS838 AVR, and even completely stock, they are a great sounding speaker.

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Well you can swap the mid and the tweeters diaphragms from your Chorus ll and drop them directly into your KLF20 for a closer comparison upgrading the KLF20 caps would also help. A couple of solid 50x2 or 100x2 stereo block amplifiers would bertically biamp your KLF20 very well one amp per speaker one channel to the woofers one channel to the mid/hi. There are a host of small tweak mods you can do to either loudspeaker which all add up to make a powerful difference but right now you need to decide which sppeaker you like the sound of beter. The major difference is in the woofers do you like the big fat powerful bas of the Chorus ll or do you prefer the tight controlled articulate and deeper bass of the KLF20. Personally I love the KLF20 woofers I plan on experimenting with them in totally 100% packed (with high density fiberglass) sealed cabinets soon. After you decide which size woofer you like best you can play a way and refine the sound.

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Personally I love the KLF20 woofers I plan on experimenting with them in totally 100% packed (with high density fiberglass) sealed cabinets soon.

 

Interesting, Moray.  Please post the results of your build, I would be very interested in your listening impressions when your project is complete.

 

I am mulling over building some kind of MTM "super center" using my single EV DH-1506 as the centerpiece as the 1506 will timbre match my upgraded CF-4's.  I don't have a plan, just an idea and I don't have a woofer choice figured out.  I am thinking a set of 4 6.5" woofers, or maybe a pair of 7" inchers.  I want to stay away from 8" and larger.

Edited by wvu80
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Hey, Dave,

 

Sounds like you are planning a bit of fun with your build.

 

Question:  what is the thinking behind no woofer larger than 7" in your center?  I know you have good reasons and/or personal preferences.

 

I think (trying to recall past comments) that you like the KV-4?  the KLF-C7?  Academy?  They have 8" woofers . . . .

 

Gosh, this hobby is fun, isn't it?

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Well you can swap the mid and the tweeters diaphragms from your Chorus ll and drop them directly into your KLF20 for a closer comparison upgrading the KLF20 caps would also help. A couple of solid 50x2 or 100x2 stereo block amplifiers would bertically biamp your KLF20 very well one amp per speaker one channel to the woofers one channel to the mid/hi. There are a host of small tweak mods you can do to either loudspeaker which all add up to make a powerful difference but right now you need to decide which sppeaker you like the sound of beter. The major difference is in the woofers do you like the big fat powerful bas of the Chorus ll or do you prefer the tight controlled articulate and deeper bass of the KLF20. Personally I love the KLF20 woofers I plan on experimenting with them in totally 100% packed (with high density fiberglass) sealed cabinets soon. After you decide which size woofer you like best you can play a way and refine the sound.

Actually, I don't need to decide which speaker I like better because I'm keeping both, they will each be their own system for now, and possibly as part of my Home Theater once I finish the new room. As far as which type of bass I prefer, I don't. In my bass guitar rig I use two ten inch speakers and one fifteen inch speaker, this gives me the best of both. I ran the KLF's and Chorus 2's together the other night, and if I had enough space, would use both in my main system, it sounded incredible. I'm going to install titanium tweeter diaphragms in a he KLF's this week, refresh the caps in the crossovers and try vertical biamping, then decide if I need to go any further.

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I'm going to install titanium tweeter diaphragms in a he KLF's this week

 

Good choice and while you're at it...if you've got the bread...pop Crites' midrange diaphrams in there as well. The center image will be fuller/smoother and less narrow as is with the stock. I did this with my 30's as well as reinforced the cabs and extended the ports. All these simple mods will make the KLF sound like how it should sound....leaps and bounds better than the original stock.

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I'm going to install titanium tweeter diaphragms in a he KLF's this week

 

Good choice and while you're at it...if you've got the bread...pop Crites' midrange diaphrams in there as well. The center image will be fuller/smoother and less narrow as is with the stock. I did this with my 30's as well as reinforced the cabs and extended the ports. All these simple mods will make the KLF sound like how it should sound....leaps and bounds better than the original stock.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look into the mid diaphragms and ports. What are the benefits of reinforcing the cabs? Mine don't have the loose baffle problem that some had.

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I'm going to install titanium tweeter diaphragms in a he KLF's this week

 

Good choice and while you're at it...if you've got the bread...pop Crites' midrange diaphrams in there as well. The center image will be fuller/smoother and less narrow as is with the stock. I did this with my 30's as well as reinforced the cabs and extended the ports. All these simple mods will make the KLF sound like how it should sound....leaps and bounds better than the original stock.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look into the mid diaphragms and ports. What are the benefits of reinforcing the cabs? Mine don't have the loose baffle problem that some had.

 

You may not think you have loose baffles - but when you get them open, look at how poorly they are glued. If they are like others I've seen, not only does the glue not stick to the melamine, the glue was totally absent on about 30% of the seams where it should have been.

Don't get me wrong, I think they are worth re-gluing and while you are in there, no reason not to add some bracing. Mine are done and I love them.

 

Here's an idea of what I did to them....

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/starting-to-mod-klf-20-cabinet-crossover.372783/page-5

post-49933-0-29020000-1447161075_thumb.j

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Hey, Dave, Sounds like you are planning a bit of fun with your build.

Right now, the build is between my ears, but only a little bit. 

 

Question:  what is the thinking behind no woofer larger than 7" in your center?  I know you have good reasons and/or personal preferences.

Answer:  WAF. 

 

But...

 

The wife also doesn't like the huge CF-4's in the living room, so they are currently in the Mancave attached to the computer.  I might be able to get away with a huge center, I'm just waffling.  I have a giant 2-way speaker with a 12" SEOS horn and a 15" pro mid-woofer I turned on its side to experiment with and it sounds fantastic as a center.  But it is really huge.

post-58280-0-34040000-1448304248_thumb.j

 

 

I already have an MTM center in the living/TV room which is an MTM with Usher drivers, 1" dome and a pair of 7" mid/bass drivers (about $650 new).  The sound is phenomenal, super clear mids/vocals.  In general, I like a lot of little drivers (two 6.5"s = single 12") and the smaller drivers make the MTM easier to place under a TV.

post-58280-0-05600000-1448304065_thumb.j

 

I think (trying to recall past comments) that you like the KV-4?  the KLF-C7?  Academy?  They have 8" woofers . . . .

The L/R I have in the TV room now is the Fusion 10 Pure which uses the 12" SEOS horn and a pair of 10" Eminence woofs.  To be honest, the midrange with the 10" woofs simply don't sound as good as the Usher MTM with the 7" drivers, so going with 10" drivers in an MTM just worries me a little.  I could certainly be persuaded to the contrary, since the Super Center is going to have to keep up with the dual 12" CF-4 woofs.

 

post-58280-0-70520000-1448304917_thumb.j

Gosh, this hobby is fun, isn't it?

Yep:)

Edited by wvu80
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