New Home Theater build: 3 of the RF-7 III across front, and for timbre matched surround?

[stoka]

I can just write about my experience with the RP-280F. First I had the RP-450C, which was the best matching center out of the Klipsch line for the RP-280F and the center was really great. But there was always a little man in my ear who told me, there is some space for improvement. I'm not saying the center was bad, I just had the impression there could be done something a little bit better.

 

So I was looking for a single RP-280F as center use. And what can I say: I'm really happy, that I've tried it out. There was a real improvement. Not a huge one, because the RP-450C was a great center, but with three  same speaker in the front, I couldn't hear any differences anymore. It's just like the center disappeared an there is now just one huge speaker in the whole front line. It doesn't matter from which direction the sound is coming, it sound always completely the same. Also a big improvement for music, because I'm listening music in surround with the Logic7 DSP.

 

So fo me it's clear, if there is any possibility, I would choose always the same speaker for the front over a dedicated center speaker.

[TipRingSleeve]

Robert, I'd say if you have the means, experiment away. I live in a one bedroom condo, so I don't have  space to have multiple speakers and their boxes laying around.

So far, i've been listening to this center with different movies and with multi channel music. I used  paper reams to boost the speaker up to tweeter level of the RF-7 IIIs. SO far, sounds like a speaker bridge, what with the center being horizontal. I'm still   going too move one front speaker to the center to see if I notice any difference that would make me alter my setup. I use container store intermetro shelves, so if I wanted a 3rd rf07, I could make 2 half-sized units and put the speaker between them.

[TipRingSleeve]

Update. I got a chance to move the right speaker to the center and audition it there, so here are my opinions. The RC-64 III is an excellent speaker. Timbre-wise, there's no question it matches. Its also dynamic due to its efficiency. No more amplifier compression during loud noises. Unfortunately due to the acoustics in my room and the way the ceiling was made, its easy to pinpoint the center. Like, you have this big wide sound stage with the left and right, but then this small center point, which is saying something due to the center's size. You can hear it even if you're off-axis, but it feels small in comparison. My ceiling is made like a set of stairs. The highest part of the ceiling is where my couch is. Then there is a step down where the equipment is, and I fear that due to this step down, the center sounds like its boxed in due to it being horizontal. Before I got this center, I used the Monitor AUdio RSLCR vertically. Though the speakers weren't timbre-matched, I was satisfied by using it vertically. It sounded more seemless that way as opposed to using it horizontally.

SO, I moved the right speaker to the center and listened. Lets just say, I can't unhear what I heard. The first movie I tested it with was Fellowship of The Ring. There was plenty of content to fill out the center. Though the RC-64 is closely matched to the RF-7 IIIs, using a RF-7 III for a center takes it up a notch. And the focus, O the focus. I knew when something was in the center, and it sounded just as full and huge as the other 2 speakers. I'll probably have to turn the  center down a db or 2 to get a seemless blend with the fronts. I'm quite aware that not all center channel soundtracks are created equal. Many older movies won't have as much detail due to using production sound versus music and other sound effects for the lefts and rights ... today there's not as much of a distinction. But I was convinced. Third RF-7 it is. I already rearranged my shelving to accomodate it, now just have to make the exchange. 

[robert_kc]

@TipRingSleeve

Congrats on taking your system up a notch!

I just installed a RC-64III center channel speaker in my TV room.  My Palladium P-37F are only 5 feet apart, and I decided on the RC-64III because it fit the space, and the HF driver is centered.   (In my basement system, my main RF-7II are spaced 12 feet apart, and the fact that the center RF-7II is on its side – and the HF horn therefore isn’t centered – isn’t a major factor.)  

I’m still fine tuning – so far so good with the RC-64III. 

[TipRingSleeve]

I'm happy I got to audition the 64. By the end I figured out how to blend it in with the fronts in my room, tow-in did the trick. But now, its done, and I have 3 RF-7 IIIs up front, and I love it! Watching Once Upon A Time In Hollywood right now ... I love how that one gun shot during Lanser just jumps out at you with Klipsch speakers ... Pow! Looking forward to how this will sound with an action movie. Was thinking of getting Ford V Ferrari. I have Hacksaw Ridge, but that's for another time when the wife is out.