Too many center channel speakers. Help me choose my path to nirvana. Pics later

[314carpenter]

   I have been acquiring and accumulating a collection of extended heritage Klipsch over the last 10 years, most being more recent. I decided to ask the members to help me choose what to keep, sell, trade, replace, upgrade, modify, or put in cryogenic storage .  I have a 5.4.1 channel set up in my main listening space of approx. 15'W x 29"L with a sort of U-shape. The rest of the equipment I use is finally up in my signature.  If anyone wants to PM me for an offer that is fine, but this is not intended as a sell thread, I will do that later on as a parallel thread to this one in the garage section, if/when/what goes up for sale. I am located 30 miles outside Madison, Wisconsin and anyone wanting to have a listening session may also send a PM. I am not affiliated with any business, not in sales, not flipping for profit, not trying to fish, not trying to donate my stuff. I am trying to contribute here. Try to stay on topic please. If anyone would like to start or suggest another thread to address any specific A/B comparisons, I would contribute to another thread as well. I will be doing some A/B here, but large heavy speakers are not easily rotated in and out. 

   All these Klipsch speakers are of the passive radiator type, so placement here does apply.  I intend to move the Quartets off the stands and place their replacements directly on the floor at the same location they are in currently.  The single RSW-10 subwoofer, also passive radiator, is currently under the Quartet on the right in the pic.

   I have just added another to my collection, a matched pair of Oiled Oak Chorus II that will be replacing something in my listening space to accommodate them according to how this thread goes.

 

    -My Center channel is a Black lacquer HALF of a matched pair of Forte II + Crites titanium tweeter diaphram + Klipsch sourced k-53-ti midrange driver assembly + Crites bandpass board + Crites crossovers. It sits sideways on a Black glass tv stand underneath the tv 15" clearance from the back wall 28" up to centerline.

   -The other HALF is stored with equal modifications intact. All original parts are stored. Condition = 98/100

The other center channel speakers I have stored are:

   -1 of 3 Academy Black lacquer + Crites titanium tweeter diaphram + Crites crossover. All original parts are stored. Condition = 98/100

   -2 of 3 Academy Black lacquer + Original box, styrofoam, and plastic sleeve.  Condition 92/100

   -3 of 3 Academy Oiled Oak stock. Condition 93/100

   -1 of 2 KV-3 Oiled Oak. Condition 98/100

   -2 of 2 KV-3 Oiled Oak. Condition 98/100

 

   -My Front channel is set as matched pair of Chorus II Oiled Walnut with Crites titanium tweeter diaphram + Crites crossovers.  Condition 96/100

   Maybe I should upgrade change the Chorus II midrange to Ti as I did with the Forte II? All original parts are stored

 

   -My Surround channel is a matched pair of Oiled Oak Quartets + Crites titanium tweeter diaphram + Crites crossovers. All original parts are stored.  Condition 98/100

 

   -My Single Subwoofer is Black lacquer RSW-10. Space and neighbors are a concern here.

 

The flow chart of the proposed changes is as follows:

   Should I keep looking for another pair of Chorus II to split up with another local I know of who is trying for a 5 channel all Chorus II room.

   Should I replace rear Quartets with newly acquired Chorus II in stock condition, with modifications to follow later

   Should I Put 1 pair Quartets up for sale

   Should I split a matched pair Forte II and put HALF up for sale

   Should I Put 3 Academy centers up for sale individually, 2 in Black could be used as an expansion to 7.1 or 9.1 in height/rear/surround locations

   Should I Put 2 KV-3 centers up for sale individually, 2 in Oak could be used as an expansion to 7.1 or 9.1 in height/rear/surround locations

 

I will be editing this post as needed as the thread develops. Any of my Klipsch could go into my second listening space that is currently occupied by JBL L100T3 and other T3 variants. I did just sell a pair of JBL L80T3 in light oak. Not sure why I would move the rest. I am thankful for all those here who have gotten me to this point.

[Ljk]

Is your system being used mostly for HT or music. Does the forte center not have a woofer or rad. speaker? I am running chours II's and a diy chorus 1.5. as a front stage. For HT It's great for music the center was built to be slightly lower then the II's (built that way to keep tv more at eye level)and it's noticable. Not a big deal but sometimes I run a 3 channel front for music and you can notice the center channel is at a slightly lower level. Vocals are slightly lower but it still sounds good.

 

I like your front stage but if you have a woofer and rad. to go in the forte I would try that and stand it up right so it would on the same level as the II's. For the rears if the quartets sound good/match I would stick with them. Chorus I's would be a nice upgrade for the quartets. It might be hard to set up chorus II's in the rear without a good wall or corner behind them. 

 

If possible trade/buy a nice pair of subs, I think that is your weak link. 

 

Not an expert but I would get a good front stage, look at a nice pair of 15inch subs and go from there. .02

 

Looked at your room again and It's hard to tell how far away the sofa is from the tv, front stage. In that long of a room you could do a 7.?.2 if you stay with the 5 way set up if you could try to move the sofa up a little get the quartets more behind you. Might help with surround experience.

 

If you like 2 channel for music you might go with more modern klipsch surround speakers? I have no experience with the more modern klipsch speakers but l am sure some others will pop in soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wvu80]

@314carpenteryou have such an interesting setup, and an impressive collection of speakers in the closet.  Based on your first post, I'm not sure if you have Forte2 as rears.  You say you do, but I think you mean surrounds.  Honestly, I'm not sure what I would do.  I'll make a suggestion based on my personal preferences, feel free to ignore. 

 

You have great electronics and plenty of horsepower to run your 5.4.1 system.

 

L/C/R:  All modded Chorus II's, I say keep as is.

Atmos:  All four JBL, keep as is.

Surrounds:  I like MTM designs so I say get the KV-3's out of the closet and move them to SR and SL. The way you have your current surrounds, they are 3-way speakers which are "in your ear" so the 2-way KV-3's might be a better fit being that close to you.  Sell the Forte's.

Rear:  Move the mate to your center Chorus II out of the closet to the rear and run it as a single.  Option 2:  Run that 3rd KV-3 as a single in the back.

Sub:  Sell the Klipsch RSW 10" sub

 

From the sale of the Forte's and sub put the money into a pair of 15" subs or maybe a second RSW 10.

 

You have such an excellent setup already I'm not sure my suggestions would sound any better, maybe just different.

 

 

[314carpenter]

Edited post to address post 2 & 3. Yes the room is definitely a challenge here, as most non-dedicated non-theater rooms are. Certain room corrections will not be possible, I am not the only one making decisions here, but I really do have a very understanding wife.  All these Klipsch speakers are of the passive radiator type, so placement here does apply.  I intend to move the Quartets off the stands and place their replacements directly on the floor at the same location they are in currently.  The single RSW-10 subwoofer, also passive radiator, is currently under the Quartet on the left in this pic.

I use this room mostly in multi-channel 5.4.1 home theater, blu-ray or TV. Music is usually 2.0 channel or 2.1 run from the PC with Tidal and Chromecast for now.

[wvu80]

32 minutes ago, 314carpenter said:

Certain room corrections will not be possible, I am not the only one making decisions here, but I really do have a very understanding wife. 

Good pic.  I can see that rear speakers are not a good fit for that room.  That's fine as far as I am concerned, I don't care for rear speakers.  They startle me when sound comes out from behind me, the same reason I'm not so crazy about side surrounds.  It freaks me out when listening to surround content. 

 

The KV-3's are MTM two-way speakers which means the HF and LF sound blends in a shorter space.  You might try substituting them for the 3-way SR and SL and see how you like them.  I think you don't have enough room for the sound to expand with the Forte's if that makes any sense.  The KV-3 is also front ported so you can place them further back towards the walls.

 

I'm glad you have an understanding wife.  You are ahead of the game compared to most of us, or at least compared to me. 

[vasubandu]

Hey I am new to this, and don't have a real reason to suggest it, but did you look at the RC-7 at all?  Or the P27c?  I recently got an RC-7, and it is unlike any other speaker I have ever had, but then again my range of experience is really limited.  I just wonder if a great center speaker might be better than putting something together.  I have been told that the RC-7 walks all over the Academy.  For what it's worth, which may not be much.

[314carpenter]

I have read about others having success using other Klipsch center speakers, but the ones I have listed are the only, quality, centers I ever used personally. The thing the Academy had going for it was the timbre match with the extended heritage. I know better centers have come along since then, but I have heard they do loose a portion of the timbre vs the Academy. I could easily be wrong here.

 

I currently have the new to me oiled oak chorus II's in various stages of refinishing. I actually removed as much of the original oils as possible using lacquer thinner, sanded 120/220 and applied a non-grain raising "NGR" dye to simulate the old warm patina.  Looking like new, except the risers which I will need to re-veneer at a future time. Just not sure where they will ultimately be placed in the room. This pair has completely stock components. Good for another A/B session later. I might even get out the Carver TFM-42 375W x 2 and do some A/B with the Outlaw 5000. Oh were going to have some pissed off neighbors.

[Ljk]

2 hours ago, 314carpenter said:

I have read about others having success using other Klipsch center speakers, but the ones I have listed are the only, quality, centers I ever used personally. The thing the Academy had going for it was the timbre match with the extended heritage. I know better centers have come along since then, but I have heard they do loose a portion of the timbre vs the Academy. I could easily be wrong here.

 

I currently have the new to me oiled oak chorus II's in various stages of refinishing. I actually removed as much of the original oils as possible using lacquer thinner, sanded 120/220 and applied a non-grain raising "NGR" dye to simulate the old warm patina.  Looking like new, except the risers which I will need to re-veneer at a future time. Just not sure where they will ultimately be placed in the room. This pair has completely stock components. Good for another A/B session later. I might even get out the Carver TFM-42 375W x 2 and do some A/B with the Outlaw 5000. Oh were going to have some pissed off neighbors.

For a front stage I would still try the chorus II and a forte II. If I remember they share the same the same mid and tweeters. The more I listen to my 3 way front the more I like it. I was running an academy ( which I still have )  center before I build my diy center  chorus and diy is so much better. The academy runs the k 76 tweeter and to me at times can sound a little shrill at times.

 

I really don't think the academy's have a place in your system as nice as they are. I think you could do better with more modern sides/rears and have a much smaller footprint. The klipsch speakers build for surround sound should give a better HTexperience imho because your room is long and narrow. If it was wider the quartets might work but in your room I would look at klipsch speakers build for surround sound. .02

 

.