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RF 82 ii vs Forte I


Jachko

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Hi guys,

 

I am buying my first set of Klipsch speakers off Craiglist.  I can buy RF 82 ii (pair) for $450 or Forte I (pair) for $450 as well. 

 

The RF 82 ii's are practically new and come with all the original packaging.  

 

The Forte I's are with their second owner right now.  From the Craiglist ad: "Great condition, dusty from storage when picture taken, clean now and look very nice. They work fine, no rubs, buzzes, or broken parts. There is a ~1/4" veneer chip on 1 base and 1 passive radiator has a wrinkled as shown. 2nd adult owner, not abused, no pets, and a non-smoking home."  They look gorgeous in the photo with an oak finish.  

 

Obviously I should listen to both to see which I prefer, but I would love to hear your guys' expert feedback.  

 

Thank you, 

James

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James,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

I say if you plan to build a multi channel(HT) multi use system around these main speakers, then go with the RF-82II.  The matching center and surrounds are still readily available and make for a fine home theater rig.  If stereo system only, Forte I would be my choice.

 

Bill

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I agree with the above.

 

Also, there is no way to tell if either are what you want until you AB them at the same time using the same power source. I have never owned the RF82 but have had several pair of Forte. I have said it many times and never has it been proven different: For the size, sound quality and cost - the Forte are unmatched.   

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Thank everyone so much for the quick replies!  Music is my main concern right now.  While I may be connecting to the TV I probably will not be getting any more speakers to set up a surround sound system anytime soon.  

 

I've read a lot of about people installing crossovers into their Forte I's.  I'm in contact with the current owner right now.  Are there any specific questions I should ask him, and would there be any upgrades I would need to make if they are full stock?

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1 hour ago, Jachko said:

I am buying my first set of Klipsch speakers off Craiglist.  I can buy RF 82 ii (pair) for $450 or Forte I (pair) for $450 as well. 

 

Hi @Jachko, welcome to the Klipsch Forums!  :emotion-21:  :emotion-19:

 

Now down to business.  B)  I track Heritage prices on a spreadsheet, just for fun. 

 

By my data, the average selling price for the Forte I in good condition is $527.  Hi/lo is $800/500.  I'm not knowledgeable on the RF series, so I can't help you with RF-82 II pricing.

 

That average price is not written in stone, it's just a starting place for research.  Price on older speakers is dependent on cab condition, whether or not the drivers all work, and upgrades.  Even then the region you are from influences the price.  Chicago and Cal seem to be on the low pricing side due to supply and demand.  Anything in Texas seems to command a premium.

 

The Forte is more of an old school speaker with a full sound top to bottom.  The RF-82 II is more modern looking and has a higher WAF for the living room.  The RF-82 II would probably be a better choice if you plan to upgrade into a full 5.1 setup because it would integrate better with other RF speakers.

 

I have not heard either the RF-82 II or the Forte.  Both have great reputations, and I would advise you to listen to the guys who have owned or heard them for a better opinion than mine.

 

Good luck!  -Dave

 

 

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4 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

The RF-83 is more modern looking and has a higher WAF for the living room.  The RF-83 would probably be a better choice if you plan to upgrade into a full 5.1 setup because it would integrate better with other RF speakers.

 

I have not heard either the RF-83 or the Forte.  Both have great reputations, and I would advise you to listen to the guys who have owned or heard them for a better opinion than mine.

Dave,

 

James is considering RF-82II's or Fortes.:P

 

Bill

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4 minutes ago, willland said:

James is considering RF-82II's or Fortes.:P

 

I have the RF-83's!  :rolleyes:  I corrected my post to avoid further confusion.  Thanks for the heads up. 

 

"He who corrects my error giveth me a gold coin."

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Thanks again for the responses, guys!

 

@wvu80 That is very interesting info! Thank you! So, $450 is a darn good price it sounds like.

 

I have been emailing back and forth with the owner of the Fortes and I asked him a few questions about the speakers.  How old they are; if upgrades have been made; who the previous owner was.  This was his response: "These are at the bottom of my to do list right now and high maintenance hand holding isn't on it either." 

 

So I might be going with the RF 82ii's if I can't get my questions answered in a respectful manner.  

 

Forte owners, have you upgraded the crossovers or do you like the stock ones just fine?

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11 minutes ago, Jachko said:

This was his response: "These are at the bottom of my to do list right now and high maintenance hand holding isn't on it either." 

 

So I might be going with the RF 82ii's if I can't get my questions answered in a respectful manner.  

I have met sellers (of speakers) like this.  I swear I don't understand the attitude, but those kind of people are out there.

 

Remember, it's about the BUYER, not the seller.  Ignore his attitude and pick up the Fortes if they are what you really want.  Don't let the jerk seller talk you out of these.

 

As long as the drivers are all functioning the price is right, do a listening test if you go to buy them.  Nothing fancy, cup your ears up to the tweets, mid and woofer to make sure they are producing sound.

 

A capacitor update is probably in order, so plan on spending $100 from Crites and I think you'll be right up to date.  Others can advise you on exactly what will make those Forte's sing.

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I have been told by a reliable source the type capacitors used in the forte's 1, 2 and 3 are NOT the type that go out of spec nearly as much as some used in older heritage speakers, oil can type. I was told this type last much longer, not impossible but not to be considered automatic like the oil can type. 

 

Edit; I asked because I have 6 of these and was worried if I had a problem.

 

As far as picking one or the other, I have never heard those Rf models, so no help there.

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It sounds like I will be going for the Fortes due to everyone's input!  Thank you to everyone who replied!

 

I just found a pair on Ebay for $400 plus $50 shipping and there are in near mint condition.  If I can talk the owner of the pair on Craig's List down to $400, which pair would you guys recommend?  

 

Again, the pair on Ebay is near mint condition, and the Craig's List pair has a small chip in the veneer (which doesn't concern me) and a one of the passive radiators has wrinkled.  Does the wrinkling concern you guys?  I think it's a non-issue, but I am unsure.

 

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I am a beginner.  I really appreciate everyone who has helped me out.  

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"Stole" a pair of Forte 1's a couple of weeks ago for $500 ... walnut and in 100% pristine condition :)  Had to drive 240 miles (roundtrip) to get them, but well worth it. Replaced the diaphragms with Crites' titanium ones (highly recommended ... $61 incl. shipping). Awesome ... almost as good as my Cornwall 1's :) 

 

Heard the RF-82's ... very good and IMHO "close" but "missing something" compared with the Forte's. (Disclaimer ... unable to do a direct A/B comparison.)

 

Cheers, Emile

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40 minutes ago, Jachko said:

It sounds like I will be going for the Fortes due to everyone's input!  Thank you to everyone who replied!

 

I just found a pair on Ebay for $400 plus $50 shipping and there are in near mint condition.  If I can talk the owner of the pair on Craig's List down to $400, which pair would you guys recommend?  

 

Again, the pair on Ebay is near mint condition, and the Craig's List pair has a small chip in the veneer (which doesn't concern me) and a one of the passive radiators has wrinkled.  Does the wrinkling concern you guys?  I think it's a non-issue, but I am unsure.

 

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I am a beginner.  I really appreciate everyone who has helped me out.  

If the craigslist ad is close enough to drive there to pick them up, I would do that. Shipping speakers kind of scares me, especially if they're not in original boxes. I doubt the wrinkle in the passive is a big deal. Plus you can audition them, and maybe get a better deal....good luck.

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16 hours ago, dtel said:

I have been told by a reliable source the type capacitors used in the forte's 1, 2 and 3 are NOT the type that go out of spec nearly as much as some used in older heritage speakers, oil can type. I was told this type last much longer, not impossible but not to be considered automatic like the oil can type. 

dtel,

Thanks! You just saved me $250! :) Many people told me to replace them, but was hesitant to do so ... especially since I replaced the crossovers on my Cornwall 1's and could hear no difference. So; now I have $250 to spend on some more Klipsch speakers :) 

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56 minutes ago, Jachko said:

one of the passive radiators has wrinkled

Jachko,

Wrinkled? If it is just the center cone that has a dent in it, it can usually be fixed. Try putting some masking/duct tape on it and see if you call "pull it out." If that doesn't work, (carefully) use suction from a vacuum cleaner. No clue how the surround could be wrinkled ... if it is, take a closer look because the radiators need to be "sealed" to operate correctly. But ... you can usually find replacements on fleaBay. Just sold a set of radiators (out of my "bad" KG5.2's) for $35. :)

Cheers, Emile

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