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Me = a true noob suffering from paralysis by analysis


numbnerve

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I've had 35 real watts kick butt on every Klipsch I've owned

35 watts on efficient speakers will about run you out of the room in most setups.

In my opinion the issue with receivers and Klipsch speakers isn't really the watts per channel, especially not in terms of being scared you'll clip the signal going to the tweeter, but rather the hard to drive impedance dips below 4 ohms in the midbass section. Lots of receivers don't like that, especially when they're driving several other speakers hard. My Marantz has run out of gas before on rock concert blu rays.  Otherwise, I can't say that I would get too hung up on it.  

 

If you're worried about this, need to ideally be looking at separates or at least a nice receiver that is very stable at 4 ohms such as the nicer Denon's.  Unless you're listening to very loud volumes with material such as rock music that has a ton of midbass and driving several speakers, its just not really an issue.  You have to really try to get it to sound awful.  I can reproduce it though.  

 

 

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609Klipfig1.jpg

Edited by MetropolisLakeOutfitters
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To build on what Met just said - if we consider that I'm using a 65 watt amp (I consider it as such, since I think your system can only be as strong as the weakest link), and my RF-3's are rated with a sensitivity in the upper 90s - it's a very rare occasion that I may use more than 2 to 8 WPC.

That's not all either - you'll find a lot of members using between 1 and 10 WPC amps to power items from the Synergy all the way up to the mighty KHorns. What Klipsch reps have told you is simply not true - and I'd even argue that PWK himself would find their information to be stupidly inaccurate. I guess it's a by-product of being bought by Voxx.

Edited by IbizaFlame
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To build on what Met just said - if we consider that I'm using a 65 watt amp (I consider it as such, since I think your system can only be as strong as the weakest link), and my RF-3's are rated with a sensitivity in the upper 90s - it's a very rare occasion that I may use more than 2 to 8 WPC.

That's not all either - you'll find a lot of members using between 1 and 10 WPC amps to power items from the Synergy all the way up to the mighty KHorns. What Klipsch reps have told you is simply not true - and I'd even argue that PWK himself would find their information to be stupidly inaccurate. I guess it's a by-product of being bought by Voxx.

 

Welcome to the Forum! This is a great community and I have learned more here about audio than I ever knew existed. Crazy things like building horn loaded subs and some truly impressive theater and stereo builds with custom speakers and amps.

 

I was going to say the same thing as Ibiza. I run both my KG-5.5s and LaScalas with a 5W per channel class D amp and they can go much louder than I can handle. I would keep your Onkyo as long as it has all the processing features you need such as blue-ray etc as it has plenty of power. Lol I would call the rep back and ask if Klipsch has any yellow BS buttons in stock and if they say yes tell him to wear it around for the day. :lol:

 

Also, it looks like you did not get a center speaker, if you have a small seating area like a single couch you really dont need one. Just turn your center to "off" on your AVR and your mains will play them and if they are calibrated for distance etc correctly it will place the sound directly on the screen. However, if you have multiple couches etc it helps to have one as it can "anchor" the dialogue for those who are not sitting directly in front of the TV. Are you going to use the R-15M as surrounds?

 

 

 

As far as setting up your room, these two lectures from the Home Theater Geeks are always my go to for knowledge in speaker placement, room treatment etc:

 

 

 

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According to Klipsch's website regarding my pair of R-28Fs, they recommend an AVR that produces between 150-300w RMS @8 ohms since the speakers are rated at 150RMS @8 ohms. In my quest to find an affordable AVR that produces ANYTHING over 150w RMS @ 8 ohms, my eyeballs are slapped with units that cost nearly $2000 and more. I didn't go into this expecting to spend $5000 on what I imagine most of you on these forums would consider a pretty basic introductory system - but that is what I was hoping to start with until I continue to educate myself on putting together a custom system that I obtain audio utopia with - - - but until then, I am stuck with these speakers and have yet to locate an AVR that would sufficently power all of these speakers without forcing me to go to the bank to take out a loan - - but if that's what I have to do, I am about at the point of giving in so I can finally hook up these speakers. Over the phone, one Klipsch rep told me I'd be fine with an AVR that had 125w RMS @ 8 ohms even though their website contradicts that advice....another rep told me that an AVR with 185w RMS is what I'd need - so I just kinda hung it up for a while after all the misinformation.

 

  • Power in watts isn't everything.  Your speakers are very efficient, so powerful amps aren't usually necessary, although, if you play at movie reference level (85 dB nominal, 105 dB peaks through the main channels -- the subwoofer doesn't count, because it has its own amp, but it should be able to reach subwoofer peaks of 115 dB, all from the main listening position) you should have an amp that produces reference levels from your speakers.  If your R-28Fs really have an efficiency of 98 dB @ 1w @1 meter (as Klipsch's specs say), you would need about 8 watts to produce 107 dB (2 dB above reference) at 1 meter, but maybe 30 to 80 watts to produce reference out in a room of average liveness at the main listening position, depending on how far away your main listening position is.  In a room, you lose an average of 3 dB for every doubling of distance (unlike outside, or in an anechoic chamber, where you would lose 6 dB for every doubling).
  • A problem may be that there is a considerable impedance dip somewhere in the R-28F's spectrum.  Other posters have hinted at that.  If true, you would want an amp that can handle that.  That is a different animal than power in watts.
  • How does it sound?  Does it "run out of steam?"  Don't push it in setting the volume -- stop as soon as you hear a clear increase in distortion, or when you get to your maximum listening level, whichever comes first.
  • Try this calculator.  It will address the power in watts issue, but not an impedance dip issue.  http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html
Edited by garyrc
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