R28F vs RF82ii

[ravieira10]

Hi everyone,

First time post here.  I have done a lot of searching and have not really found much on this topic.  I currently have a pair of the R28F towers but saw that the RF82ii was on sale for $359.  I know the debate between R28Fs basically being Icons etc (I did buy them from best buy).  From those who have heard both I'd like to know if there is a big difference in sound/quality between the two.  I did some basic comparisons on the actual tweeter being titanium vs aluminum and the woofers being cerametallic in the RF82ii, so I guess I am more looking for actual major differences in sound.  My current set up is only for music and I'm using a Yamaha AS801 integrated amp.  Thank you for the help!

 

Robert 

[mattSER]

Aside from the materials, there is a big difference in the sound profile that each model targets. 

 

The R28F is specifically tuned to deliver a "powerful" sound. The engineers have boosted the bass and treble in the sweet spots that jumps out to your average Best Buy consumer. This compromises midrange quality, dynamics, and realism. The horn design is shallower, reducing the mechanical amplification and sensitivity. 

 

The RF82 is designed to deliver a "flatter" sound. The bass, mids, and treble are, more or less, equal. More realism, stronger dynamics, clearer midrange, etc...

One key advantage to the materials is the cabinet itself. It's much more solid on the RF82 and doesn't make as much noise. This helps to keep the sound transparent and realistic. Also, the woofers are lighter and more rigid giving the bass a much tighter and cleaner sound.

 

The R28F, with its boosted sound profile, is actually a lot of fun for home theater. When comparing 2 channel music quality, however, the RF82's superiority becomes more and more apparent. 

 

IMO, for a strictly music setup, it's absolutely worth it to upgrade to the RF-82.

[-js-]

@ravieira10 - I'm a relative newbie as far as Klipsch experience goes.  but I do own a pair of the R-28F's.  up to this point, I've been using them only for 2 ch music, as I don't yet have a HT or AVR to add them to my viewing experience.  I run them with an old HK receiver, which is having issues of its own, but I'm drifting off topic.

 

for 2 ch, I like the 28's.  I think they are strong performers for the money, especially if you catch a deal on them.  but in the 1 yr I've had them & been reading on the forum here, if I had it to do again, for me, I would try to be patient & jump on a pair of used RF82's if I had the chance.  I have not heard them myself, but many veterans here speak VERY HIGHLY of them.  to me, I see that there must be something to that.

 

good luck with your choice.  and btw - welcome to the forum 

[ravieira10]

MattSER this is exactly what I was looking for.. thank you for your insight and for the specifics. I actually plan on keeping the R28s and using them for my home theater- thanks for making my decision easier!

 

-js- I am in the same boat as you- good luck on your search and I appreciate your input as well!

[derrickdj1]

4 hours ago, mattSER said:

Aside from the materials, there is a big difference in the sound profile that each model targets. 

 

The R28F is specifically tuned to deliver a "powerful" sound. The engineers have boosted the bass and treble in the sweet spots that jumps out to your average Best Buy consumer. This compromises midrange quality, dynamics, and realism. The horn design is shallower, reducing the mechanical amplification and sensitivity. 

 

The RF82 is designed to deliver a "flatter" sound. The bass, mids, and treble are, more or less, equal. More realism, stronger dynamics, clearer midrange, etc...

One key advantage to the materials is the cabinet itself. It's much more solid on the RF82 and doesn't make as much noise. This helps to keep the sound transparent and realistic. Also, the woofers are lighter and more rigid giving the bass a much tighter and cleaner sound.

 

The R28F, with its boosted sound profile, is actually a lot of fun for home theater. When comparing 2 channel music quality, however, the RF82's superiority becomes more and more apparent. 

 

IMO, for a strictly music setup, it's absolutely worth it to upgrade to the RF-82.

Are you saying that the R28F was designed not to have a flat FR.  I find that unusual.

[mattSER]

That's exactly what I'm saying and it's not unusual at all. There are plenty of audio products aimed at the masses that do this. Almost any Bose product, Beats headphones, Sony mini hifi systems, etc...

I've noticed this on every single Synergy or Icon speaker I've ever heard.

It's just your typical "American curve" or "Smiley Face curve"

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiley_face_curve

 

iirc, it's usually boosted around 50hz and 7khz.

[Futurist]

Just in case you didn't know thats $359 each.. Because thats not a sale.. Thats what they have cost for 5 yrs.. it's only special because they're available again..

I'm glad which means I will buy another used pair in a few yrs.. If I can't get new.

[Futurist]

I asked this same question if you wanted to see some of the advice I got.. Btw I have the 82's and love them.. But I haven't heard yours so I can't compare..

 

 

 

[Futurist]

6 hours ago, mattSER said:

Aside from the materials, there is a big difference in the sound profile that each model targets. 

 

The R28F is specifically tuned to deliver a "powerful" sound. The engineers have boosted the bass and treble in the sweet spots that jumps out to your average Best Buy consumer. This compromises midrange quality, dynamics, and realism. The horn design is shallower, reducing the mechanical amplification and sensitivity. 

 

The RF82 is designed to deliver a "flatter" sound. The bass, mids, and treble are, more or less, equal. More realism, stronger dynamics, clearer midrange, etc...

One key advantage to the materials is the cabinet itself. It's much more solid on the RF82 and doesn't make as much noise. This helps to keep the sound transparent and realistic. Also, the woofers are lighter and more rigid giving the bass a much tighter and cleaner sound.

 

The R28F, with its boosted sound profile, is actually a lot of fun for home theater. When comparing 2 channel music quality, however, the RF82's superiority becomes more and more apparent. 

 

IMO, for a strictly music setup, it's absolutely worth it to upgrade to the RF-82.

 

Where do you learn about this?.. Sounds like this info came from the speaker designer.. I have looked for super detailed info like this... When I type stuff into the search 

I haven't had luck finding this info.. This is a great site i have learned a lot from you and other people in only 1 month..  

 

 

 

 

 

[Dkfan9]

I mean, these Synergy B20s don't have a smiley face response http://www.soundandvision.com/content/klipsch-synergy-b-20-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures#XGOhlVYukxBBs33J.97

[ravieira10]

Thanks futurist the link to your comparison was really helpful. Anyone have a link to comparisons of frequency graphs by model to see the difference between the way that the rf82 is compared to other lower end models? It is an interesting point with the way bass and treble is enhanced and makes a lot of sense especially with Best Buy grade speakers 

[mattSER]

1 hour ago, Dkfan9 said:

I mean, these Synergy B20s don't have a smiley face response http://www.soundandvision.com/content/klipsch-synergy-b-20-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures#XGOhlVYukxBBs33J.97

 

Wow, nice. That is a bit surprising. 

My experience relies only on what I hear from the models I've owned. Nothing official really. 

[Dkfan9]

1 hour ago, ravieira10 said:

Thanks futurist the link to your comparison was really helpful. Anyone have a link to comparisons of frequency graphs by model to see the difference between the way that the rf82 is compared to other lower end models? It is an interesting point with the way bass and treble is enhanced and makes a lot of sense especially with Best Buy grade speakers 

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of measurements out there for the lower end line. I hope to get some measurements on my speakers up in the next month or so, even if just for comparison... Got a UMIK 1 a while back but haven't really had an opportunity to set it up for extended measurements with housing changes, but that's settling down. I've got the R28Fs, P17Bs, Academy, and KTDS (as far as Klipsch goes), so it could be an interesting comparison.

[ravieira10]

This is probably too basic for most of you, but this article helped a little bit in giving a breakdown of flat vs smiley FR for me.

 

http://www.centerpointaudio.com/HowToUnderstandFlatFrequencyResponseGraph.aspx

[chriswhotakesphotos]

My first pair was the Synergy F-20s. At the time, I didn't have any nice speakers yet and they were selling on Newegg for $200 a pair. Chronologically, they should be an earlier predecessor in the same vein as the 28s.

 

They definitely had an impressive sound, I loved the dynamics and bass output, but it was certainly uneven and some music just didn't work on them. For music, they flattered some material and made some material hard to listen to. For entertainment, which is mostly video games for me, they did a good job.

 

When I got the RP-280F, which is like a newer RF82ii, they actually sounded a bit veiled at first because I was so used to the Synergy's brightness. After cycling through a few songs to get my head out of being used to the Synergy towers, they're definitely much smoother. They're usable for much more material. You can hear the family relation of both coming from Klipsch, but the speakers from the nicer Reference lines are basically everything you like about the Icon/Synergys with none of the things you don't like.

 

I use a pair of Heresies now, but I haven't gotten rid of the RP-280Fs and still swap them in now and then. Definitely a good all-around speaker, and if the R-28F sounds like how my old Synergy towers sounded, it should be a worthwhile upgrade.