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Klipsch RF-7 III SPL


Kain

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Klipsch overstates the sensitivity of its speakers. For example, the RP-280FA is rated at 98 dB but was measured to be 93 dB. You can read about that here: https://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/2980840-klipsch-rf-7-iii-speakers-review-3.html#post56552642

 

The RF-7 III is rated at 100 dB. If we subtract 5 dB from that spec, the continuous SPL with the 250 watt continuous rating is about 119 dB. With the 1000 watt peak rating, we get 125 dB. This is at 1 meter.

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20 hours ago, Kain said:

Klipsch overstates the sensitivity of its speakers. For example, the RP-280FA is rated at 98 dB but was measured to be 93 dB. You can read about that here: https://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/2980840-klipsch-rf-7-iii-speakers-review-3.html#post56552642

 

The RF-7 III is rated at 100 dB. If we subtract 5 dB from that spec, the continuous SPL with the 250 watt continuous rating is about 119 dB. With the 1000 watt peak rating, we get 125 dB. This is at 1 meter.

Answered your own question?

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Klipsch sensitivity ratings are not anechoic.    The RF 7 III spec sheet states (in an asterisked footnote) that the sensitivity is "in the average listening room."  A Klipsch engineer said on the forum that this figure is derived by adding 4 dB to the anechoic result.   As you may know, in the real world, a speaker will operate at one sensitivity out in the room, a 3 dB higher sensitivity if placed against a wall, and 3 dB higher yet if pushed all the way into a corner (a total increase of 6 dB, or the equivalent of 4 times the amplifier power).   Some Klipsches do measure as rated.  For instance, the Paladium P-39F was measured by John Atkinson of Stereophile at within 0.2 dB of Klipsch's rating, which he dryly pointed out was "within experimental error."  When Heyser measured the Klipschorn, he seems to have tacitly assumed that the104 dB was an in-room figure. He said it would produce "well over 98 dB per watt at 1 meter ... this system really will give the rated 104 dB SPL at a distance of 4 feet into a room."  Nowadays, when specifying 1 meter instead of 4 feet, the rating is 105 dB.   

 

If the RF7 III really will take 250 watts continuous, translating from Don Keele Jr's chart for the Klipschorn, I'd think the RF 7 III should produce about 112 dB average level (not peak) in a 3,000 cu.ft. listening room, R = 200, at typical listening position.  Allowing another 3 dB (conservative) for peaks, that would be 115 dB for very brief peaks.  Plenty.

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