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Klipsch RF 7 III vs Forte III


Vivek Batra

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11 hours ago, Vivek Batra said:

Btw I want to pick Oak finish of Forte with Lambs wool grill bit different from traditional black grill. Any thoughts on the finishes available?

 

11 hours ago, glens said:

I wanted the oak set as well.  Alas, the missus preferred the walnut and since she was accommodating me I thought I'd return the favor. 

I wanted the distressed ok as well, the only problem I had at the time was the few pictures I had of them looked really grey looking so we went with Walnut. Later after seeing the Oak better it looked better than the original pictures I had seen. But we are happy with the choice and I really like the sound more than the 1 and 2 versions.

 

This is a pic of the Walnut, kind of odd angle because I am holding the curtain open to let in light leaning against the wall and using a Ipad so not a great pic.

But you can see the color of the wood. The bass bins they are sitting on is a light version or Red Oak wood with Red Oak stain.

47C75A3C-FAF5-4F22-BF21-F567AE68D16B.jpeg

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On 9/3/2019 at 7:59 AM, Vivek Batra said:

 

I tried to play the FLAC files via connecting my external hard drive to my laptop and then connected my laptop to AVR via HDMI. Its for sure better than streaming. But till date the best track I have played and enjoyed is from YouTube that sounded the best or Hotel California MTV unplugged version. But still hungry 🙂

 

Or some tracks from Spotify. I even tried to compare Spotify with CDs. As I do not have a dedicated CD player so used my laptop to play the CD and played the same track on Spotify. I feel that this comparison was not fair. I could not feel any difference may be the CD was crap

 

I just want to point out that this also sounds amazing on my poor man rp160ms!!!!!

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On 9/5/2019 at 2:44 AM, robert_kc said:

 

Hello Vivek,

 

I suggest that you shop for recordings before you shop for equipment.  That way you will know which recording formats your equipment must support.  (Sorry if I’m beating this issue to death.  It’s not my intent to sound preachy.  This might sound like a simple concept, however I think some people skip the important first step:  the music.  I’m mystified when some hi-fi hobbyists spend a lot of time and money on equipment, and don’t consider modern recording formats.)

 

This afternoon I watched/listened to Sibelius Symphony 4 via this Blu-ray audio/video disc, and the experience was fabulous via my state-of-the-art Oppo UDP-205 universal player, vintage tube amps, Klipsch RF-7II for left, center, and right, a single RF-7 rear speaker, and two powered subwoofers.  (This afternoon I listened via two stereo amps equipped with 6L6GC:  a Scott 296 driving the main left & right speakers, and an Inspire Fire Bottle single-ended amp driving the center and single rear speaker.)   Plasma HDTV.

 

71Xp1l2S4oL._SX522_.jpg

 

 

Yesterday I ordered the following Blu-ray audio/video discs from Amazon.com:

 

71peiVrW4OL._SX522_.jpg

81H3aldwvHL._SX385_.jpg

 

 

For classical music, Blu-ray is my favorite format, and I own a number of wonderful Blu-ray recordings.  Blu-ray box sets (e.g., all symphonies by a composer) are a good value. 

Here’s a relevant post regarding classical Blu-ray recordings: 

 

SACD is my second choice.    I own many classical SACDs.

 

Based on the playlist you posted, I understand that these recordings may not be of interest to you.    I just want to make the point that recording technology has come a long way since the CD was introduced to the marketplace more than 30 years ago – i.e., high-definition video, surround-sound, and hi-res audio.

 

I have no experience with the music you like.   Looking at your play list, I did a few quick searches and found the following Blu-ray, Pure Audio Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, and hi-res downloads (24bit/96kHz or 24bit/192kHz).  These are just a few examples that I found in a few minutes by searching amazon.com and hdtracks.com.  I know nothing about the following recordings.  I’m not recommending these recordings – this music is not my cup of tea.  Moreover, I know nothing about the audio quality of these recordings – garbage-in/garbage-out – these recordings may or may not have high quality audio based on how the recording was originally captured, and how it was mastered.    Rather, my point is that the relevance of various recording formats other than CD depends on music genre – and when the recording was made.   (Candidly, for some genres, CD is the best audio quality that’s available.)

 

Billy Joel: Live at Shea Stadium

Blu-ray

51OCfBphSGL._SX385_.jpg

 

 

Billy Joel - Live From the River of Dreams

DVD

51hDfeRjD4L._SY445_.jpg

 

 

Billy Joel | The Stranger

SACD

51Zx0jZy52L._SX425_.jpg

 

Billy Joel | Glass Houses

SACD

61sPyD8TpZL._SY450_.jpg

 

Billy Joel: 52nd Street 40th Anniversary (Hybrid-SACD) Import HIRES 96kHz/24bit Deluxe Edition Remastered Special Packaging 2018 Release Date 11/2/18

Billy_Joel_52_nd_Street_40th_Anniversary

 

 

 

The Essential Billy Joel

24bit/96kHz FLAC download (HDTracks.com)

71YP2Ch55yL._SS500_.jpg

 

Lionel Ritchie | Just for You

SACD

81qqnzWlpVL._SY450_.jpg

 

Lionel Ritchie

(There are at least 6 albums on HDTracks in 24bit/96kHz or 24bit/192kHz)

 

Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers

Pure Audio Blu-ray

414qeWN5QYL._SY450_.jpg

Bob Marley & The Wailers: Exodus - Live at the Rainbow

DVD

41RgszOanwL._SY445_.jpg

 

Bob Marley & the Wailers

(There are several hi-res downloads available from HDTracks.)

 

Weekend On The Rocks [live CD & DVD] by Dave Matthews (2005-11-29)

DVD

51n7Iw0RkWL._SX450_.jpg

 

 

Michael Bolton: Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Blu-ray

515-BSYs4iL._SX342_.jpg

 

Michael Bolton - My Secret Passion / Donizetti, Puccini, Massenet, Verdi

DVD

51BLyZpHitL._SY445_.jpg

 

 

Again, these are just a few examples that I found in a few minutes by searching amazon.com and hdtracks.com. 

 

The issue is whether you want to invest in equipment that will play recordings such as these.   How important is audio quality vs. convenience?   What sources for recordings are available to you in India?   Amazon.com?    HDTracks.com?

 

$64k question:  For the music that you like, are there enough recordings in hi-res audio formats, and audio/video formats to justify investing in a compatible player?  Perhaps you might start a thread asking for recommendations for Blu-ray, SACD, and hi-res downloads for the music you like.

 

If you’re interested in audio/video recordings, you’ll need a universal disc player.   (IME, the classical audio/video recordings I like are not available via streaming.)  OTOH, if you’re not interested in video, and the music you like is available as a hi-res (or at least 16bit/44.1kHz) download (vs. SACD or Pure Audio Blu-ray disc), you may not need a disc player – you might be satisfied with a “network player” or “music streamer” that plays hi-res files from local NAS, plus Spotify Premium. 

 

P.S.  Forte III in Distressed Oak looks great. 

 

P.P.S.  I have no experience with Line Magnetic tube amps.   They look very interesting.   FWIW, I generally prefer 6L6GC and EL34 – but everyone has different tastes - and the important issue is synergy between amp and speakers.

Hi @robert_kc

 

Thanks for looking these albums. I guess I will stick to audio only music and have no plans to go for HT system and will be using 2 channel rig only. I do not have much space to scatter around many speakers. Suddenly I have a liking for Special edition due to its salt and pepper grill 🙂 

Edited by Vivek Batra
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On 9/5/2019 at 3:01 AM, dtel said:

 

I wanted the distressed ok as well, the only problem I had at the time was the few pictures I had of them looked really grey looking so we went with Walnut. Later after seeing the Oak better it looked better than the original pictures I had seen. But we are happy with the choice and I really like the sound more than the 1 and 2 versions.

 

This is a pic of the Walnut, kind of odd angle because I am holding the curtain open to let in light leaning against the wall and using a Ipad so not a great pic.

But you can see the color of the wood. The bass bins they are sitting on is a light version or Red Oak wood with Red Oak stain.

47C75A3C-FAF5-4F22-BF21-F567AE68D16B.jpeg

That looks nice. Whats that big horn?

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/28/2019 at 10:14 AM, Vivek Batra said:

Little update after a while. Today I ordered Forte III in walnut finish. Will take 2 months to arrive from US to India. Long wait 😟

CONGRATS!!!! :D
 

I ordered mine over a week ago, they came in today. My friend, they are well worth the wait. I am absolutely LOVING the Forte III's. I mean...I dont' understand how they can sound this good out of the box. I can only imagine they will get that much better. 

People said I would love these, but the excitement these are giving me is so much more than that. Truly wonderful speakers. 

 

20191001_1747492.jpg

Edited by Raygun
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2 hours ago, Raygun said:

CONGRATS!!!! :D
 

I ordered mine over a week ago, they came in today. My friend, they are well worth the wait. I am absolutely LOVING the Forte III's. I mean...I dont' understand how they can sound this good out of the box. I can only imagine they will get that much better. 

People said I would love these, but the excitement these are giving me is so much more than that. Truly wonderful speakers. 

 

20191001_1747492.jpg

 

Congrats!   Very handsome speakers!

 

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On 10/2/2019 at 4:23 AM, Raygun said:

CONGRATS!!!! :D
 

I ordered mine over a week ago, they came in today. My friend, they are well worth the wait. I am absolutely LOVING the Forte III's. I mean...I dont' understand how they can sound this good out of the box. I can only imagine they will get that much better. 

People said I would love these, but the excitement these are giving me is so much more than that. Truly wonderful speakers. 

 

20191001_1747492.jpg

Many Congrats. What kind of amp you are using? I still need to decide on the electronics.

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18 hours ago, Vivek Batra said:

Many Congrats. What kind of amp you are using? I still need to decide on the electronics.

 

I am using a Pass Labs X-150.5. I purchased it when I purchased the Thiels that the Klipsch replaced. The Thiels need a lot of power to work right. The Pass stuff is expensive, but you might find a reasonable deal on the used market. I think my amp used would go for 1700 USD to 2500 depending on condition. I love it!
Its class A for the first 10 watts I think then goes into AB, but it runs hot. If you go that route make sure you have good air conditioning. 

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17 minutes ago, Raygun said:

 

I am using a Pass Labs X-150.5. I purchased it when I purchased the Thiels that the Klipsch replaced. The Thiels need a lot of power to work right. The Pass stuff is expensive, but you might find a reasonable deal on the used market. I think my amp used would go for 1700 USD to 2500 depending on condition. I love it!
Its class A for the first 10 watts I think then goes into AB, but it runs hot. If you go that route make sure you have good air conditioning. 

Hi @Raygun.

 

I think Pass Labs is way beyond my reach in India. They are quite costly here. My room is not air conditioned and the temperture in summer goes up to 40 deg celcius. I have heard that the Class A amps runs like heaters😀. But thanks for chimming in.

 

 

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19 hours ago, Vivek Batra said:

 Hi @Raygun.

 

I think Pass Labs is way beyond my reach in India. They are quite costly here. My room is not air conditioned and the temperture in summer goes up to 40 deg celcius. I have heard that the Class A amps runs like heaters😀. But thanks for chimming in.

 

 

Ya, you definitely don't want a class A amp. I really don't know what to recommend but what I can say is that the forte don't use power. My amp has a meter in the middle and I believe when it goes past the middle is when it goes into AB (at 10 watts). I have never seen the needle move past the 1/2 mark, or actually even come close to it. 

I cranked the fortes tonight until the meter started moving and it was loud and punchy and the woofers barely moved. I think will give out long before this speaker does. 
Personally I would not be afraid to try something lower powered. Have you tried the PS audio Sprout https://www.psaudio.com/products/sprout100-integrated-amplifier/ its a tiny integrated but should work well with the forte iii

Edited by Raygun
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On 8/31/2019 at 9:34 AM, Kidd said:

Im using an 15 year old yammie av  purchased from BB  to power my Forte 3 , sounds wonderful .

 

I do have a primaluna  here and a Parasound on the way  to use on my H3 to see what I like best  , tube or SS .

Have not heard the F3 with the PL as of yet 

I am a SS person, no special reason, convenience maby, but I have to say I tried an old Yamaha avr, a Rx V730. When I switched to a different avr it was a huge difference I did not expect. I liked the Yamaha and it did fine for HT but for 2 ch it was not great, I didn't know until I tried a different avr. '

 

I would bet your going to like the change, what your going to use is way better than the old yamaha, unless it's one of the better ones or I never had a good version ?

 

I can say something in between the two your going to try and it would sound amazing, a old HK 2 ch receiver, anything in the twin powered type, Hk 930, 730 or 430. I have a 930 and It has sounded great on any speaker it's been tried on here. 

 

.

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