Armando Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 (edited) I've been an audiophile for over 40 years and have had some of the best electronics and speakers money can buy, excluding jewelry audio that only oil barons can afford. I've owned a variety of speaker types, including dynamic, planar and electrostatics. I had never tried horns, and am ashamed to admit I've looked down at Klipsch for all the reasons many folks find them wanting, unfortunately without ever having listened to them. Woe to me! A few weeks ago I needed a pair of near-field speakers for my computer desk. The problem was I am so used to superb sound quality I did not think bookshelf speakers, even those fed by superb electronics, would entertain me during the many hours I spend writing. That is, until on a visit to Best Buy I ran across, yet again, into this black bookshelf with the funny copper colored driver and a horn, an R-51M. It sounded horrid at the store of course. But at a deep discount and in these days of easy returns and full refunds one has very little to lose on a trial. I was almost embarrassed that someone I knew would see me walk out with them and was sure I would stop the music after a few bars of my favorite tunes. My ears were not ready for the surprise that ensued. I am Cuban and the first album I streamed off Amazon Music HD was one of Celia Cruz masterpieces. Now, Cuban music is highly percussive and I've never been satisfied with the tonal accuracy of speakers up to $30,000 a pair when it comes to reproducing music from my native land. Hearing it for the first time on the 51 Reference Premieres literally brought tears to my eyes, my 72 year old hips started swinging and I got up to dance. I pushed my desk chair aside and enjoyed an unexpected workout over many tracks. I also listen to Americana. The lyrics on many songs are pure poetry. Along with the simply orchestrated music that is one of the many hallmarks of the genre, beautifully reproduced, I felt deeper emotions than I had ever felt. Ditto for my Classical music favorites. Symphonies by Mahler with over 100 musicians blasting away had power and clarity that came ever so close to my memories of live concerts. I never would have believed that a pair of $200 speakers could create music that sounded so real. But I've lived to see the day. I then replaced my $12,000 Focal towers in the main listening room with $375 RP-160Ms. I could almost hear my top-notch PS Audio electronics sneer at having to share the stage with such a modest component. I never told a soul in my audio club for fear they'd see me wasting great electronics on $375 speakers, $500 with stands. I had my fellow audiophiles blind-folded for a listening session and saw their smiles as the music played. The sneering from the components did not last long. The openness, accuracy and engagement of the 160s took but a few minutes to win me and everyone else over. It was priceless seeing the surprised looks on faces after blindfolds were removed and the musical culprits revealed. I've read reviews that rave over these speakers. I don't know if their sound varies with the quality of the electronics that feed them. I do know that I can finally check the musical Nirvana box in my bucket list. I also know that all the things I thought about Klipsch speakers were preconceptions. Space keeps me from having bigger horn speakers. Downsizing homes after retirement was a necessity but one I no longer musically regret. Edited March 17, 2021 by Armando Missed sentence. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Welcome Armando! What a wonderful story... and so glad you are enjoying the music. That's the important thing. I've not heard any the Klipsch smaller speakers. The smallest I have are an older pair of Heresy IIs, about the same size as the JBL Century L100 speakers of '70s fame. Bruce 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Welcome to the forum Armando! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Welcome, great story. Can you imagine how their big horn speakers might sound? I think Klipsch surprises many people with their clear sound and incredible imaging. The RP600m bookshelves are highly regarded also, so are their RB75s. I use a pair of the P17b bookshelves as surrounds in a home theater, I know they're overkill as surrounds, and sometimes I'll put them in the main tower position and give them a listen, I'm always amazed at their sound. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Hi Armando, Welcome !! I started with a pair of R15M's, too.... Liked them a lot and knowing the R15Ms are entry level...wanted more Snagged a pair of vintage LaScalas for the house and the R15Ms went to my man cave. Upgraded the R15Ms to RP600Ms.... at $400 new, were a bargain. They are great little speakers. No regrets. A quantum leap in quality the horn loaded [big] speakers are in a different class. If you get a chance, give some a listen 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Welcome and congrats on the epiphany. Takes some self confidence to admit some of those findings so freely. Kudos to you. I'd be careful listening to other items....as it only gets better as you go bigger and it's going to cause you to re-evaluate everything you've previously done/thought.... BUT you'll love the journey! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC39693 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I’m a 40+ year Klipsch owner but... went to dealer with brother-in-law... they played Eagles Hotel California from Hell Freezes Over ... opening is a good test for speakers ... on RP-600M. Shockingly good for a “bookshelf “ speaker... @Armando, welcome to the world of Klipsch! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdmccall Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Good story, well-written! Thanks for sharing your experience...and enjoy your Klipsch speakers! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 That was a very enjoyable read! You've discoved the secret that many have known for years and may be slowly getting out (could be why used Klipsch are getting more and more expensive). Klipsch sometimes gets quickly dismissed by the "Audiophile Elite" simply because they are inexpensive (relatively speaking compared to other brands) and because those people haven't heard them properly set up, or at all. They simply go by what they have heard or read. I've relayed a story several times on this forum where a self-proclaimed audiophile decided to consider purchasing a pair of La Scalas I was selling. He confessed to me audio was his only hobby and did very well financially as he worked in the real estate industy in Southern California during a hot market, so he didn't have issues spending money if he felt it was worthwhile. I recall him saying he owned a $10k Audio Research preamp. He hadn't heard Klipsch before but was intrigued. When I showed him my Klipschorns, he said he had an audiophile buddy that called them "pigs." I let him listen to the Klipschorns and he was dumbfounded. He told me my system sounded better than his friends "$100,000 Wilson Audio system." He wanted to know every single component I was using down to my (inexpensive) speaker wire and (inexpensive) interconnects. In fact, he offered to buy my entire system, including those cheap interconnects and speaker wire! Avantegarde (Solos I believe) were his current speakers at that time. Yes, they got replaced by Klipsch! Also check out the highly acclaimed RP-600M -- they are on sale now at $503/pair (regularly $629): https://www.klipsch.com/products/rp-600m-bookshelf-speakers?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces By the way, I don't see an issue with your connecting high dollar electronics with lower-cost speakers. In fact, Steve Guttenberg covered this on one of his videos stating that it's better than doing the opposite (which I tend to agree with based on some experience): Other good videos to watch include: Welcome to the forum! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Fantastic story and Armando, welcome to the forum. Your previous mindset and “disdain” for Klipsch speakers is slowly becoming a thing of the past for many as they are now being “properly” introduced to the Klipsch offerings, older, newer, and new and improved incarnations of what started it all. Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armando Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 (edited) Thanks everyone for all the kind and helpful comments. Now that the family is Horn Happy, I spent the day doing research and negotiating. Unfortunately, without the dedicated music room I once had, the height limit for an upgrade to the RP-160M is 44 inches with a width of 12 inches. That means a pair of RP-8000Fs. Not ideal but hardly shabby and a definite improvement over my Focal 1038be towers, which I'll be able to sell to one lucky Focal fan while remaining silent about our secret. After all, it's a matter of taste and fit. Saying that I'm tooting my discovery horn sounds corny but fortunately it is not hyperbole. Edited March 20, 2021 by Armando Missing sentence. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Armando said: Thanks everyone for all the kind and helpful comments. Now that the family is Horn Happy, I spent the day doing research and negotiating. Unfortunately, without the dedicated music room I once had, the height limit for an upgrade to the RP-160M is 44 inches with a width of 12 inches. That means a pair of RP-8000Fs. Not ideal but hardly shabby and a definite improvement over my Focal 1038be towers, which I'll be able to sell to one lucky Focal fan while remaining silent about our secret. After all, it's a matter of taste and fit. Saying that I'm tooting my discovery horn sounds corny but fortunately it is not hyperbole. klipsch speakers will grow on you , and in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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