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


wookie groomer

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I am almost 100% set on going with three of the new RF-7 III's across the front sound stage behind an acoustically transparent screen. I'm not using a center speaker but keeping the sound uniform with three towers instead. (Unless I find 3 of the RF-7 II's laying around somewhere.) I'm building an Atmos 11 channel system and will start buying the equipment later in the year for a new construction going up. I'm under the impression that the best Klipsch option for side and back surround channels matching the reference line would be the RB-81 II bookshelf speakers. I like the 8" driver and the front port so they can be closer to the wall. I suppose the PRO-160RPC would be the Atmos in ceiling choice as well. I am looking for the best timbre matched sound all around the room. Would another bookshelf or in ceiling speaker be better options or shall I consider my config ready to go?

 

The room is 14'x26'x9'. I haven't settled on the AVR yet, the Marantz SR8012 is high on my list for all duties or even a Denon AVR-X6400H with a separate 7 channel AMP from Monoprice (Monolith) or Emotiva. 

 

thanks!

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Thank you. It's still very much a focus of mine to get the closest sound quality match around the room. I do not want to have an itch to change something or upgrade equipment for a good long time once this is installed. My current system consists of Definitive Technologies UIW RLS II in-wall speakers for my front left and right channels (from 2013), a ported Paradigm center channel speaker I picked up at a hi-fi shop nearly 18 years ago, NHT Super Zero's (or SuperOne’s I can’t remember anymore) as my side left and right channels that are nearly 20 years old and a set of Polk LS F/F bipole surrounds as my rear channels which are almost 25 years old. This is a bastardized build years in the making that has always bothered me and never gave me the satisfaction of immersive audio that I've always wanted.

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I’m doing similar setup. I’m doing a 7.2.4 atmos setup. The ceiling speakers u want are the CDT-5800-C ii. The rear surrounds are the RB-81’s. (I’m going with the C-5800-W in walls). The RS-62ii is the side surrounds ur looking for. Take pics. Enjoy 😎👍🏼

 

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  • 1 month later...

For my own sake I'm posting that I finally bought and now own the RF7-III towers and III center channel as well as 4 of the RB-81 II's plus 4 of the CDT-5800 C II In-Ceiling Speakers. Funny thing is I bought the RF7 II towers and center online but the dealer didn't have them in stock and upgraded me to the III's at no extra charge. I've decided to power this system with the Marantz SR8012.

 

It's nearly impossible to find any reviews online or people that have these yet to kind of help me kill the time by reading about them or watching REAL reviews. I'm aware of Youthman, who seems to be sole online spokesperson for Klipsch but that's about it. And what's worse is I have to store these till December because I'm having a house built and have to keep them in storage. This is killing me. I wish there was more activity online besides a few forum posts.

 

I did get the R-15PM powered monitors for my temporary apt and they are awesome, too bad I can't crank them to see their full potential.

Edited by wookie groomer
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1 hour ago, wookie groomer said:

For my own sake I'm posting that I finally bought and now own the RF7-III towers and III center channel as well as 4 of the RB-81 II's plus 4 of the CDT-5800 C II In-Ceiling Speakers.

Congrats on the awesome speakers.  You are in for some serious sound.

 

1 hour ago, wookie groomer said:

Funny thing is I bought the RF7 II towers and center online but the dealer didn't have them in stock and upgraded me to the III's at no extra charge.

Bonus.

 

1 hour ago, wookie groomer said:

I've decided to power this system with the Marantz SR8012.

 

1 hour ago, wookie groomer said:

And what's worse is I have to store these till December because I'm having a house built and have to keep them in storage. This is killing me.

Since you have some time, I still say look for a quality multichannel(3 or 5) amplifier to better drive this rocking rig.  Plenty of great bargains on the used market.

 

Bill

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54 minutes ago, willland said:

Since you have some time, I still say look for a quality multichannel(3 or 5) amplifier to better drive this rocking rig.  Plenty of great bargains on the used market.

 

Fwiw, I would wait until he had 'em set up with the avr and then decide if he needed/wanted a multichannel amp. {EDIT: Oops. I guess he is going to NEED a multichannel amp to drive  more speakers.}

Edited by Zen Traveler
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12 hours ago, willland said:
17 hours ago, wookie groomer said:

The Marantz SR8012 will drive this system easy. It's only going to be in a 14'x25'x9' room.

I sure it will work just fine, but an amp is about headroom/dynamics.;)

 

After looking at the AVR he is considering my guess he will have an ample supply of power to achieve that and I would use the money he could spend on an amp for something else: http://www.us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=avreceivers&ProductId=SR8012  

 

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 Hello Wookie,

    Your room size is  almost identical to mine. I also run three RF-7’s up front but version two.

 I originally ran my set up with just an AVR but switched to a 200x7 B and K amplifier I bought from Youthman. I can tell you that the sound greatly improved when I switched. I know that many people on this forum may disagree, but I found the sound to be much more rich and full with the addition of the power amp.

 

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I had a fairly robust budget to work within but so many unexpected things occurred during the sale of my old house and the closing on the new that I have been forced to make several compromises. I did not want to skimp on the speakers since I hope to keep them nearly forever. AVR's come and go and I can always add more power in the future if I really feel the need. I don't disagree about separates but in the foreseeable future I am sticking with minimal hardware to accomplish an 11 channel Atmos system with the intent to let it evolve over time. 

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1 hour ago, timdog5000 said:

I realize the AVR he is looking at has more wattage than my Yamaha had but it is still split up correct? Thats not all channels driven?

I’m not exactly sure of all the technicalities but I know it’s something to that effect .

Once you provide enough current to drive the speakers efficiently at the SPL you want, adding more power doesn't do anything. 

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  • 1 year later...

SO I recently discovered this forum post. I had the RF-7 IIIs since May of last year and loved them. I now have the RC-64 III center and love the blend. Though I'm still considering using a third RF-7 III for the center. I have 28 days to decide. The dedicated center is the most practical with what I have, but like Wookie, I want to do this right sound-wise. I have to change my shelves if I decide to go floorstander, but am willing to do it if it's worth it. Wookie, it looks like you went with the center. Was it just your housing situation that made you decide to do that? Timdog, before you got the 3 RF-7's did you audition a center? Closest thing I can do is to move one of my fronts to the center to see how it compares to the actual center. I'll lose a right speaker, but I don't have the space to keep 2 large boxes around, so it'll have to do for testing purposes. Unless of course, one of you is familiar with center versus floorstander.

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My basement system:  Front, center, and left speakers are Klipsch RF-7 II.  A single rear speaker is a Klipsch RF-7.   (I listen to classical music, and there’s not much rear channel content.)  Subwoofers:  SVS SB16-Ultra, Klipsch R-115SW.  Source:  Oppo UDP-205 for playing Blu-ray and SACDs, and a USB hard drive containing high-res FLAC recordings.  Amps: Scott 272, Inspire “Fire Bottle” SE Stereo Tube Amplifier HO, Scott 222C, McIntosh MX110Z tuner/preamp, Fisher KX-200, Scott 296, Pilot SA-260, Scott LK150.   A patch panel allows me to connect the speakers to whichever amp I want, and F/F RCA cables enable me to connect an amp to the Oppo, and a power amp to the MX110Z.   Chromecast Audio is connected via TOSLINK to the UDP-205 for internet radio.

 

I’ve never owned a center channel speaker, so I can’t offer a comparison.  My RF-7II that is functioning as a center channel is sitting on its side in a shelf, which is less than ideal because the high-frequency driver isn’t centered.  Nonetheless, this system does a great job of creating the illusion that I’m in the symphony hall.

 

I think that whether you use an RC-64 III Center Channel Speaker or use an RF-7III in the center position depends on which can be accommodated due to room layout, and/or what you already own. 

 

I started out owning a single RF-7II, plus a single RF-7.  When the RF-7II were available for 50% off I bought an additional pair of RF-7II to create my 4.2 configuration in my basement.

 

Similarly, until recently, I had a single Klipsch WF-35 in my bedroom mono system.  I recently bought a matching pair of WF-35 locally.    Front, center, and left speakers are now Klipsch WF-35.  (No rear speakers.)   Source is an Oppo BDP-105 for playing Pure Audio Blu-ray and SACDs, and a USB hard drive containing high-res FLAC recordings.  Fisher 500C drives the left & right speakers.  Fisher TA 500 (AM/FM mono receiver) drives the center speaker.  Chromecast Audio is connected via TOSLINK to the BDP-105 for internet radio.

 

I’m thinking about adding an RC-64 III Center Channel Speaker (and a single small rear channel speaker) to my TV room system.    My TV room system has Klipsch Palladium P-37F in a 2.1 configuration, i.e., stereo with a Klipsch P-312W subwoofer.   The source is an Oppo UDP-205 for playing Blu-ray and SACDs, and a USB hard drive containing high-res FLAC recordings.  The amps are Scott 399, McIntosh MC225, Kenwood KR-9050, Fisher 800B, Fisher X-1000, Scott 299C, McIntosh MC240, and an NAD C375BEE.   The tube amps are for music.   The solid-state amps are for movies.   A patch panel (banana plugs) allows me to connect the speakers to whichever amp I want, and Niles AXP-1 RCA selector switches connect the Oppo to the amp.   HDTV is connected via TOSLINK to the UDP-205 to play audio from broadcast TV via the hi-fi.  Chromecast Audio is connected via analog audio to the NAD C375BEE for internet radio.

 

The P-37F in my TV room are only 5 feet apart, so I don’t know if there would be a benefit to a center channel – particularly in this small room (12’ x 13’).   This system is used for classical music, and movies.  It currently sounds great.  (With this system, I currently listen to the stereo track of Blu-ray and SACD discs, so I’m not missing any content.)  This system has ample acoustic power in this small room, so I’m not sure if I’d gain much my adding an RC-64 III Center Channel Speaker.  And, of course, the RC-64 III isn’t an exact match with the Palladium.   Nonetheless, I’m thinking about experimenting.   Does anyone have any thoughts on this?  

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