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I need first hand experience help! RF7, RC64?


Turkeybaster

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New to the forum guys, but by no means new to Klipsch. Bought my first set back in 2003ish when I was working at best buy and they started to carry Klipsch. I absolutely loved their sound signature. I had only once before heard the original Klipsch RF3's in our only high end audio store in town and was absolutely blown away. Seeing as how at the time the SF-2's were the best that I could get, That is still what I have today and still love! I have cherished them ever since and still give them a good workout on a regular basis. That was my first step into the Audiophile world. I have since then slowly pieced together my system to complete my now current 7.2.4 home theater. As it sits my fronts are SF-2's and RC-52, surrounds are wall mounted SC-1, rear surrounds are RC-52, Atmos is CDT-3650's, and I have 2 Rythmik 15's. All speakers powered by 2 Emotiva amps and Yamaha Aventage 3080.

 

Here is my dilemma. I was looking at finally plunging in to the flagships for the fronts with either 2 RF7 iii's and the RC64iii, or should I consider just going 3 RC64iii's as and LCR? I don't really need the 7's for bass reinforcement, and I just struggle with the idea of a 2 way speaker consisting of horn and 10" woofers being able to confidently fill out the mid-range. Logically I feel that the RC64's would be better suited for carrying the weight of the mid-bass and highs, while my Rythmiks have more than enough oomph to carry the bottom end. 

 

What are your thoughts?! I'm torn without first hand experience!

 

IMG_20200207_002348.jpg

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@Turkeybaster,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

17 hours ago, Turkeybaster said:

Here is my dilemma. I was looking at finally plunging in to the flagships for the fronts with either 2 RF7 iii's and the RC64iii, or should I consider just going 3 RC64iii's as and LCR?

If RC-64III triplets, I assume you would orient them horizontally?  I think that would work pretty well considering your room size.

 

17 hours ago, Turkeybaster said:

I don't really need the 7's for bass reinforcement, and I just struggle with the idea of a 2 way speaker consisting of horn and 10" woofers being able to confidently fill out the mid-range.

Don't sell the RF-7IIIs short in the midrange department.  When I heard them with many genres of music, I was pleasantly surprised how little gap and drop-off at the crossover point.  The midrange was pretty darn good.

 

Bill

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Thanks for your input. Yes I would either find some way to wall mount or stands for the LR RC64's. I know that I have heard nothing but great things about the RF7's, and if they would not be an issue I would love to have a pair of the flagship speakers...... but I just can't wrap my head around either the 2 large 10" woofers being able to accurately produce that mid-base. Despite my desire to own a pair of those bad boys the logic part of my brain tells me that the RC64's would be much better suited for that task, as well as them solving another complaint that I have heard of the RF7's, which is their sheer size often places the horn  above seated ear height. With the RC64's, I could perfectly place the horns at whatever height I desire. Another benefit in my case with the RC64's is that since they are not a ported design I don't have to worry about standoff distance from the wall, unlike the RF7's. Also, not that price is a limiting factor, but the RC64's are cheaper, as well as have a 3 way X-over.  I'm just torn and looking for some people with the units to confirm or dissuade my fears. I know that the RC64's will probably be no slouch, just trying to pick peoples brain on if they could be suited for LCR configuration or weather I should just go the traditional route and not worry.

 

Anyone else have a say in this?

 

P.S. Room is 18'4" X 12' X 9' 220ft^2 1976ft^3

Edited by Turkeybaster
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OP:  What genre(s) of music and/or movies do you listen to?

 

In general, I agree with Ceptorman:  two RF-7III for front L&R, plus a RC-64III for center channel.   Or, if you can fit them, 3 RF-7III across the front.

 

My point of reference:

  • Basement:  Front, center, and left speakers are Klipsch RF-7 II.  A single rear speaker is a Klipsch RF-7.   Subwoofers:  SVS SB16-Ultra, Klipsch R-115SW. 
     
  • TV room:  Stereo speakers are Klipsch Palladium P-37F.   Center:  Klipsch RC-64III.   Single rear:  RP-502S.   Subwoofer:  Klipsch P-312W. 

Have you read this thread? 

 

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35 minutes ago, robert_kc said:

OP:  What genre(s) of music and/or movies do you listen to?

 

In general, I agree with Ceptorman:  two RF-7III for front L&R, plus a RC-64III for center channel.   Or, if you can fit them, 3 RF-7III across the front.

 

 

 

Honestly I listen to about everything as long as it's good music, except country. Primarily I listen to rock, pop rock, metal, and then mix in some pop, rap, R&B, classical, fingerstyle guitar, blues, EDM. I listen to it all really. 

 

As you can see from my theater pic, a RF7 center is a nogo. that thing would be right down the middle of the screen, LoL.

 

I know that there is a difference from a RF7ii and RF7iii, but have you ever done an A/B between your 7's and the 64's? I'm curious how different their sound signatures are.

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8 hours ago, Turkeybaster said:

Honestly I listen to about everything as long as it's good music, except country. Primarily I listen to rock, pop rock, metal, and then mix in some pop, rap, R&B, classical, fingerstyle guitar, blues, EDM. I listen to it all really. 

 

As you can see from my theater pic, a RF7 center is a nogo. that thing would be right down the middle of the screen, LoL.

 

I know that there is a difference from a RF7ii and RF7iii, but have you ever done an A/B between your 7's and the 64's? I'm curious how different their sound signatures are.

 

In my basement system, the RF-7II that I use as a center channel is laying on its side on a shelf.  The advantage is that it is a perfect match with the main front L&R RF-7II.   The disadvantage is that the high frequency driver of the RF-7II isn't centered when laying in its side.

 

I have no experience with the RC-64III used with RF-7III.  (As I said earlier,  I use my recently acquired  RC-64III with Palladium towers, and thus far I'm very pleased.)   The RF-7III and RC-64III were designed to work together, and use the same high frequency driver, and based on everything I've read they would work great together.

 

As long as you have tone controls at your disposal to "salt and pepper to taste" (e.g., sometimes I dial back the high frequency a bit), I highly recommend adding two RF-7III for main L&R, plus an RC-64III center.  I would NOT use RC-64III for the main L&R. 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The L/C/R is RF-7 III and RC-64 III?  I think that front end will sound outstanding.  Be sure and run Audyssey or whatever room correction your AVR supports.

 

Very nice clean looking front end.  I like that look as well.

 

RF-83, RP-600M, RC-64 III.

 

591494550_RP-600Mbi-amprightsideview_800.thumb.jpg.b8712124600503367435c1ae83b68773.jpg

 

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  • 2 years later...

I've been desperately trying to find reason NOT to use the RC64 as RL mains. So far I've come across no reasonable argument against it. The only justification I hear not to do it has always been "use the RF7s because they're better". However, the RC64 seem like they'd have better midrange and better placement opportunities. The lack of rear port and their diminutive size compared to the RF7 makes it way more feasible for my setup. Does anybody here have information that would go against RF64s used as stereo mains?

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17 hours ago, Turcoda said:

I've been desperately trying to find reason NOT to use the RC64 as RL mains.  Does anybody here have information that would go against RF64s used as stereo mains?

 

 Obviously they will not have as full of body sound or anywhere near the bass response, guessing on this but not likely to play as loud either. If you have a good subwoofer to go with them and the room isn't too large they'd probably be ok, probably more than ok for movies. I used a pair of RC-7 centers as mains for a smaller bedroom system for quite awhile and was actually quite happy with them. 

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On 2/6/2020 at 10:30 PM, Turkeybaster said:

New to the forum guys, but by no means new to Klipsch. Bought my first set back in 2003ish when I was working at best buy and they started to carry Klipsch. I absolutely loved their sound signature. I had only once before heard the original Klipsch RF3's in our only high end audio store in town and was absolutely blown away. Seeing as how at the time the SF-2's were the best that I could get, That is still what I have today and still love! I have cherished them ever since and still give them a good workout on a regular basis. That was my first step into the Audiophile world. I have since then slowly pieced together my system to complete my now current 7.2.4 home theater. As it sits my fronts are SF-2's and RC-52, surrounds are wall mounted SC-1, rear surrounds are RC-52, Atmos is CDT-3650's, and I have 2 Rythmik 15's. All speakers powered by 2 Emotiva amps and Yamaha Aventage 3080.

 

Here is my dilemma. I was looking at finally plunging in to the flagships for the fronts with either 2 RF7 iii's and the RC64iii, or should I consider just going 3 RC64iii's as and LCR? I don't really need the 7's for bass reinforcement, and I just struggle with the idea of a 2 way speaker consisting of horn and 10" woofers being able to confidently fill out the mid-range. Logically I feel that the RC64's would be better suited for carrying the weight of the mid-bass and highs, while my Rythmiks have more than enough oomph to carry the bottom end. 

 

What are your thoughts?! I'm torn without first hand experience!

 

IMG_20200207_002348.jpg

IMG_20190509_214954.jpg

 

Since a 3-way speaker is more complicated to design, in part to minimize the effects of having two crossover points, instead of the single crossover point of a 2-way speaker, a 3-way speaker with the equivalent performance of a 2-way is therefore more expensive, due to development costs as much or more than hardware costs.  Accordingly, if a certain 3-way speaker is less expensive than a certain 3-way speaker, it’s likely that the 2-way speaker has higher performance.

 

Here’s something else:  the mighty Jubilee, the flagship of the Heritage Series (and by extension the flagship of the whole Klipsch consumer speaker range) is a 2-way speaker.  So was the earlier Pro Theater Jubilee.  Having two drivers instead of three, and a simpler crossover, makes it possible to have higher quality hardware and more time for engineering, resulting in a better speaker.

 

The only downside that I’ve ever read about the RF-7 is that it likes lots of power, in spite of its high sensitivity.  Is your 3080 up to it?  But try them with your current gear first.  You may get enough room gain in your room to solve that small issue.

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On 4/26/2022 at 1:23 PM, Turcoda said:

the RC64 seem like they'd have better midrange

I have owned RF7-IIIs and an RC64-III and I didn't find this to be true. The RC64-III did add vocal clarity for video, but didn't sound as balanced for music as the RF7-IIIs. I listened to music in 2 channel mode.

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  • 2 months later...
On 4/27/2022 at 3:10 PM, grendel23 said:

I have owned RF7-IIIs and an RC64-III and I didn't find this to be true. The RC64-III did add vocal clarity for video, but didn't sound as balanced for music as the RF7-IIIs. I listened to music in 2 channel mode.

 

Thanks. This just settled it for me. It sounds like the RC64 center (and probably all klipsch centers) are voiced and tuned for dialog clarity at the expense of a wider natural frequency response. I suspect other home theater companies most likely do this for center speakers as well. That's quite unfortunate. I felt like 2 RC64 as mains would have been perfect for midrange and clarity and would win with just about any music. I really like the sealed box as opposed to ported because I can shove it straight against the wall. I didn't care about the 10" woofers for bass, because I had a capable 15" subwoofer anyway. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make space for the RF7 III in the future.

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