bissl8 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I have always wanted to have a great home theater system. I have a large living room (20' x 20') with vaulted ceilings and I have recently started looking in to Klipsch. I am running Polk monitor 70's and 60's in the front,s with a Polk CS 20 for the center. I have Energy classics for the rear and surrounds and 2 BIC F12's. I have the AVR X3200 as the receiver from Dennon. I would like to keep the receiver but was looking at choosing the RP280 for the fronts and RP 450C to start. Then as I can get the money finish off the system. Since I am on a budget do you think I could just start with the center channel, the later get the fronts? Thanks for the help and sorry if I was rambling on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) Welcome to the Klipsch forums! The center channel is the most important speaker in a 3.x, 5.x, 7.x setup most of the time because it handles 90% of TV and movie dialog, and dialog is 90% of most movies. Paradoxically I would suggest you get a quality L/R first, then add the center speaker later if you are selling the old speakers and this is your new starting point. If you are going to retain some of the old speakers upon which you can build, then add the high quality Klipsch center channel first and sell the old Polk center. Then upgrade to the Klipsch speakers you've chosen as budget will allow. Edited March 23, 2016 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Welcome to the Forum! You are in DEEP trouble now... You'll get a lot of help from our HT folks and I don't have a great deal of expertise in that area. However, from such experience that I've had I do know that matching characteristics are very important in HT systems. Since I've never hear the Polks I can't offer any help there. But I think it might be better for you to go with front left and right first rather than center. Seems logical that, since the center is largely a dialog channel in HT, a mismatch there would be more acceptable than having a highly efficient, broad range Klipsch speaker there. I've been able to get away with lesser speaker in that position over the years before I put a Cornwall in that position but always found the front channel speakers critical to a satisfying experience. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 See what I mean? Crossed swords on the first post! As I said, HT is NOT my forte so my experience may not be the best to go by. I yield the floor to those who do. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Another option is to choose phantom center mode if going for good quality l/r fronts first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Another option is to choose phantom center mode if going for good quality l/r fronts first. ^^THIS^^ I would get the L/R first also, and use the receiver's phantom setting until you get the RP440c. The RP280/440c have been getting great reviews. Oh….welcome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 See what I mean? Crossed swords on the first post! As I said, HT is NOT my forte so my experience may not be the best to go by. I yield the floor to those who do. Dave LOL! I'm disagreeing that we are disagreeing! I was the one who was confusing because I hedged my bet by recommending both ways! I read your post carefully, and I think we are agreeing, buy the front speakers first. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 That's good Dave….disagree that you disagree I'm using that! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) So, are you agreeing with me that we are disagreeing to disagree? Edited March 23, 2016 by wvu80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissl8 Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 So what is a highly recommend front pair for HT? There is so much out there and you never really know what you are getting when you try to read the star ratings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 If you're wanting new, the RP280s you mentioned in the original post are hard to beat. The RF7ll would be a pretty good step up from those, but they're more money, unless buying used is an option. There's also the Heritage line. Cornwall, La Scala, Heresy, etc can be found with very nice pricing on used. They are normally larger in size if that's a consideration. It probably boils down to your budget, and time frame. You might even consider listing your location if you want to reach out to the members here for a speaker audition. There's a lot of very friendly and helpful people on here with a ton of knowledge they easily share. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 So, are you agreeing with me that we are disagreeing to disagree? I will agree….to agree with you that we disagree to disagree! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattSER Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 So what is a highly recommend front pair for HT? There is so much out there and you never really know what you are getting when you try to read the star ratings. For a new model, you nailed it with the RP-280's. You can save a lot of money without sacrificing any quality by going with used models such as RF-82(and RF-82ii), RF-35, or RF-3(and RF-3ii). All these models are virtually on par with the 280's and each other, getting slightly better with each new generation. Or you can shoot a bit higher with the original RF-7, the RF-83, or the RF-7ii. I owned Monitor 70s and even the original RF-3 completely destroy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissl8 Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 What would be the difference between getting the RP- 280's or the RF-7ii from a HT point of view? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissl8 Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 Also I have to make a correction. I have the Denon X4000 as the head unit. I used to always run Onkyo but I have had 2 receivers crash on me so I got gun shy. I thought about purchasing the Marantz 8002 at the time. Any thoughts on my receiver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattSER Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 What would be the difference between getting the RP- 280's or the RF-7ii from a HT point of view? Tough to say, the RF-7s are just going to deliver a larger sound. They're more dynamic, more efficient, and(due to larger tweeter) have a thicker and more detailed midrange. Just keep in mind that they're more expensive for a reason. They're on a higher level than your standard Reference Premiere series. The difference between RF-7's and 280's is much larger than the difference between the 260's and 280's. However, the RF-7ii is actually a 5th generation Reference design, originally placed above the RF-82ii. The RP-280f is a 6th generation design with a few upgrades, mainly the new horn, that closes the gap a bit. So while the RF-7ii trumps the RF-82ii in every single aspect, the 280 actually beats the RF-7ii in transparency, imaging, and smooth response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paducah Home Theater Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 (edited) So while the RF-7ii trumps the RF-82ii in every single aspect, the 280 actually beats the RF-7ii in transparency, imaging, and smooth response. What is this based off of? Have you heard these side by side in the same room? RF-7ii's win on most everything period in my opinion. What would be the difference between getting the RP- 280's or the RF-7ii from a HT point of view? Biggest obvious difference is the compression driver. The ones on the RF-7ii are smoother and crossed over lower, just more pleasant in my opinion, especially at higher volumes. Just less harsh / painful / fatiguing / piercing. Crossover components are probably nicer although you'd be hard pressed to find anybody who can give an example of what you might hear as a difference. I sure can't. On a typical movie at a typical crossover point they sound surprisingly similar, but if you like music blu-rays like I do, you can tell a bigger difference than on a run of the mill action movie. The tone of cymbal crashes is thicker, more pleasant, and more realistic. This is pretty obvious to me. Rock singers have a nicer growly voice. Floor toms are more powerful. You can cross them over low and they can lay the smack down on kick drums better. Let's not forget about the finish. Unless you get the RP-280FA, the RF-7ii's are far superior in terms of how the speakers look, with the real wood veneer. Even with the FA's though, the front isn't veneer, but the veneer on the rest of it is top notch, just very nice. The only downside to the 7's as compared to the 280's is if you wanted Atmos modules. If you bumped up to the RP-280FA, that is a very nice solution if you wanted upfiring Atmos speakers. RF-7ii's with the add-on modules looks goofy and doesn't work as well on Atmos. RP-280FA's are far superior for Atmos than RF-7ii's with add-on modules in my opinion. You get veneer, a superior Atmos solution in both sound and looks, and at least on most movies, just very little lost performance or negative aspects as compared to the 7's. Just comparing the normal RP-280's vs. RF-7ii's, I'd take the 7's, they sound and look better in every way to me even if some differences are minor. Edited March 25, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 That's good Dave….disagree that you disagree Anytime someone agrees with me I begin to have doubts... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bissl8 Posted March 25, 2016 Author Share Posted March 25, 2016 I don't plan on buying speakers after this so I don't mind going with the RF-7ii's. I just want to get the most value for my money. Thanks for all of the responses you guys are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 (edited) The RP 280 is not the new flagship, no way, no how, as long as the RF 7 is still being offered. It's a nice speaker with some new things but, in audio, things tend to move slow and there really is not a night and day difference with these minor changes. If this was the case, we would not have so many Heritage speaker fans. Edited March 25, 2016 by derrickdj1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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