RF-63 with Solen Caps

[jjptkd]

I've been talking with this seller about his pair of RF-63's that just came up for sale, I plan on meeting him tomorrow to take a look and listen. I asked him about the crossover upgrades and he told me that the tweeter was "harsh" so he replaced the caps with Solen. Any thoughts on the crossovers, harshness, his asking price or any comments about these speakers in general would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

From the listing:

 

Klipsch RF-63 Reference Towers - $700

 

Offered is a conservatively rated 8/10 pair of Klipsch RF-63 reference tower speakers in cherry. Custom crossovers. I say 8/10 because there are a couple small blemishes on the rear/corner done during shipping but not readily visible. Better than new sonically.

 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/ele/5904559750.html

 

 

[RoboKlipsch]

Here in Chicago this set has been offered at $750 for weeks if not a month or more now:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/ele/5895618844.html

 

I have seen them sell here in the past for around $600 or so.

 

I know that there have been some crossover mods done here with one of the members that is highly respected and the results are considered superior.  I have no issues with that and have not heard the modded speakers so I can't comment.

 

But I personally would be weary of purchasing a modded item that works well in stock form.   Who knows what he did exactly, and how good a job was done?  At least he alerted you to the modification, which I think is a plus.   But if I were going out to buy a pair, I would much prefer a stock version that I then modify myself, if I feel the need.  

 

Hopefully others who have had the RF63s can comment more specifically for you. 

 

 

[jjptkd]

3 minutes ago, RoboKlipsch said:

I have seen them sell here in the past for around $600 or so.

 

But if I were going out to buy a pair, I would much prefer a stock version that I then modify myself, if I feel the need.  

 

Yes, I agree but I still want to at least go take a listen and see them first hand since they are fairly close to me. I wonder how these compare to the forte II's or RF-5's?

[opusk2k9]

I have the Chicago RF-63.  They are great stock.  If I were modding, I would want to hold on to the original crossovers to A/B, especially if I ever planned to sell them.

 

I typically haven't made any mods to my Klipsch. 

I have a set of ALK Universal, for the Big heritage, but other than that I generally stay stock.

 

They have been described by members around here as the least bright sounding of the RF series. 

They are an awesome value on the used market and are not just an RF-62 with an extra woofer.  They are special.

[jjptkd]

23 minutes ago, opusk2k9 said:

They have been described by members around here as the least bright sounding of the RF series. 

They are an awesome value on the used market and are not just an RF-62 with an extra woofer.  They are special.

 

That's what I thought I remembered reading about them that they were already pretty laid back.

 

I feel the same way about the RF-5's compared to the RF-3's and they use the same woofers!

[The History Kid]

3 minutes ago, jjptkd said:

I feel the same way about the RF-5's compared to the RF-3's and they use the same woofers!

You've just never heard the 3's when given the proper time with the crossover then.  They shine with Xover upgrades.

[opusk2k9]

20 hours ago, jjptkd said:

 

That's what I thought I remembered reading about them that they were already pretty laid back.

 

I feel the same way about the RF-5's compared to the RF-3's and they use the same woofers!

 

I believe the RF-5 and the RF-7 have the same tweeter horn, that make a big difference over the RF-3.

[The History Kid]

2 minutes ago, opusk2k9 said:

 

I believe the RF-5 and the RF-7 have the same tweeter, that make a big difference over the RF-3.

No, it's the same tweeter as the RF-3, just a bigger horn.

[jjptkd]

Yes, the whole RF-3 / RF-5 thing kind of puzzles me a little bit. The horn in the RF-5 is the exact same as the RF-7 / RC-7 speakers but the tweeter diaphragm is the same as the RF-3. I removed one of the horns from a RC-7 and compared it to the RF-5, even put the RC-7 horn / driver in the RF-5 cabinet and I honestly could not hear any difference at all-- which leads me to believe that the horn must have some impact on the overall sound. But, I do suspect that the crossover makes a big difference as well.

 

To be fair, I have never had the RF-3 and RF-5 in the same room together but I have had at least 3 or 4 pairs of the RF-3's and I've never been impressed with them. I've only had one pair of RF-5's and I still have them and will probably never sell them, I think that highly of them.

[The History Kid]

I tend to believe that the horn is the other integral piece of the puzzle somehow.  That seems to be what others have said in the past too when I did a search.

[willland]

3 hours ago, jjptkd said:

I asked him about the crossover upgrades and he told me that the tweeter was "harsh" so he replaced the caps with Solen. Any thoughts on the crossovers, harshness, his asking price or any comments about these speakers in general would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

Well, I have owned my RF-63's since May 2008 and have never had a reason or thought to modify them.  They are that good pretty much out of the box.  Never ever detected any "harshness" from the tweeters and let me tell you if ever there was a room(concrete slab, concrete walls, 12ft ceilings) that would bring out any harshness, it would be my family room.  

 

I have said it before and will continue to say it that the RF-63's are the smoothest most 3-way sounding 2-way speakers I have ever heard.

 

Price of $750.00 is reasonable for good condition with the cherry veneer.  I paid $1000.000 used and delivered "white glove" 8.5 years ago and would not hesitate to pay the same today.

 

Bill

[ZEUS121996]

3 hours ago, RoboKlipsch said:

Here in Chicago this set has been offered at $750 for weeks if not a month or more now:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/ele/5895618844.html

 

I have seen them sell here in the past for around $600 or so.

 

I know that there have been some crossover mods done here with one of the members that is highly respected and the results are considered superior.  I have no issues with that and have not heard the modded speakers so I can't comment.

 

But I personally would be weary of purchasing a modded item that works well in stock form.   Who knows what he did exactly, and how good a job was done?  At least he alerted you to the modification, which I think is a plus.   But if I were going out to buy a pair, I would much prefer a stock version that I then modify myself, if I feel the need.  

 

Hopefully others who have had the RF63s can comment more specifically for you. 

 

 

I don't see anything in the listing that there have been mods made. Maybe I'm just missing it

 

Mark

[willland]

1 minute ago, ZEUS121996 said:

I don't see anything in the listing that there have been mods made. Maybe I'm just missing it

 

Mark

Wrong link.

 

The link in the first post is the one.

 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/ele/5904559750.html

 

Bill

 

 

[ZEUS121996]

2 minutes ago, willland said:

Wrong link.

 

The link in the first post is the one.

 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/ele/5904559750.html

 

Bill

 

 

Got it

TY

Mark

[Woofers and Tweeters]

The picture shows them well. They are deep. 

[jjptkd]

Just got back from looking at these, cabinets are banged up, one of the crossovers? was shorting out when he tried turning it up, he tried blaming it on the tube amp and was suggesting I take his word for it and take them home to try them. I just gave him a "you've got to be kidding me right?" look and he grudgingly took the 60 seconds to hook up a different amp. Same problem with the same speaker so he blamed the source, said this hadn't happened before. Changed the source and problem persisted, complete waste of time.

[jjptkd]

This is kind of frustrating as I was really hoping to take these home with me. He has texted me back saying he fixed the crossover and all is good now and I can come back but I think I'm going to pass on this set. If they were all original and mint I would have handed him $700 no problem, with the condition they're in cosmetically and tampered with / screwed up crossovers I offered him $350 which he declined, oh well I guess.

[wvu80]

23 minutes ago, jjptkd said:

This is kind of frustrating as I was really hoping to take these home with me. He has texted me back saying he fixed the crossover and all is good now and I can come back but I think I'm going to pass on this set. If they were all original and mint I would have handed him $700 no problem, with the condition they're in cosmetically and tampered with / screwed up crossovers I offered him $350 which he declined, oh well I guess.

When I read your earlier posts (one side XO screwed up) I wondered if they had some value to you at a reduced rate.  If I read the correct CL link he described the speakers as "8/10."

 

I think you made a series of good choices, first questioning the the scratchy XO, then with the seller's "fix" of same.  He may indeed have corrected the problem, but if I were you I would have worried about it.  Your counter-offer offer of $350 wasn't so much low-ball as it was insurance if you had to pour some money into them for fixes.

 

Maybe next time.

[jjptkd]

4 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

 Your counter-offer offer of $350 wasn't so much low-ball as it was insurance if you had to pour some money into them for fixes.

 

Maybe next time.

Yes, his listing stated a 8/10 and I would give them a 5/10 max, almost all 16 corners are rounded and there's a nice dent / crease in the middle of the inside back edge of both speakers. About half of the rounded corners have chips in the veneer. None of these imperfections are huge but they can easily be seen from across the room.

 

The thing that bothered me the most about this was his almost insistence that I just take them home and try them.. they don't work right here but I'm sure they'll be fine at your house.