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RP-160M vs Heresy III vs Subwoofer


Keith_M

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I have a pair of RP-160M's in an 11' x 12' room (with vaulted ceiling). They are driven by a Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier (100W RMS/ch into 8ohms). I listen to classical music (from orchestral to solo instrumental), Doors and Kraftwerk primarily. The RP-160M's sound pretty good. I have the following questions:

 

1) Would a pair of Heresy III's sound better? If so, how much better? Would their sound be "too large" for the room? (The Heresy III's would have to be placed on the same bookshelf that is currently occupied by the RP-160M's; there's no floorspace.)

2) Would I miss the bass response of the RP-160M's?

3) Would I be better off keeping the RP-160M's and adding a subwoofer (e.g. an Hsu Research unit)?

 

Many years (about 4 decades) ago, I heard a pair of Heresies in a stereo store, playing my favorite recording of a Shostakovich piano concerto. It brought tears to my eyes. What I remember from that experience, most of all, was that the instruments sounded their actual size. All speakers I have heard at that time and since seemed to reduce the size of individual instruments. I could not afford such speakers at the time, but my friends to whom I recommended them could, and did. Time went on, and I gravitated to 2- and 1-way speakers (for reasons beyond the scope of this post), and I moved to geographic areas that did not have Klipsch dealers. Today, there is no place I can go locally to hear the Heresy III's, and I don't know how accurate my memory of hearing the Heresies actually is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Define better?

 

Seriously, never heard the RP-160Ms or Heresy IIIs but have the HIs and HIIs and RB-61s.  IMO, they all sound awesome in their own right.  I am a huge Heresy fan as well as Reference bookshelf speakers and they have their own "strengths and weaknesses".  

 

As far as low end with Heresy IIIs, they will not over power you smallish room and as a matter fact you most likely will benefit from some boundary gain and get a little more low frequency extension.

 

Bill

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Unfortunately this will be very subjective as Bill mentioned above both have strength's and weaknesses. I have the H3 and also own the H1 and have owned the H2. The H3 is better than all the previous versions IMO. However although the H3 does not require a sub IMO, they would benefit from one. 

 

I do not and have not owned bookshelfs from the RP line, I hear great things about that little bookshelf. If you like the way they sound add a sub and enjoy them.

 

I've owned several Klipsch speakers but still own 2 pairs of the little Heresy!!

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3 hours ago, Keith_M said:

Would their sound be "too large" for the room?

 

I don't think so. 

 

I once had Klipschorns in a 11 x 9 foot room, with a 14 foot vaulted ceiling.  I thought if it as a room on end.  The Klipschorns were not too large for the room, but the imaging was only good from one spot, but great from there.  Musically, though, I could get good results with 4 people in the room.

 

What is the average height of your vaulted ceiling? 

 

As to your other questions, I don't know. 

 

 

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