HT choices

[duckloads]

I have a major dilema here. My dear wife wants me to have a nicer set of speakers for out HT. Nice. So I have a couple of questions. I have been reading this forum for a while and know that you guys just don't like Bose. Can Someone fill me in as to why? Our choices right now (and for months now) have been 1) a new Bose System, 2) a used Klipsch system), and 3) a new Klipsch system a little at a time.

I see on ebay right now there is a pair of RP-5's. That sounds interesting with the built-in powered subs. Also a pair of RF-5's. Would either of these be a place to start?

Years ago, a friend's father had a pair a corner horns, and I have been haunted by the Klipsch name ever since. Our oldest child is going to college in a couple of years, so this is a big decision for us.

Thanks a bunch,

Chris Hollis

Huntsville, AL

[Bruinsrme]

Chris I was stuck on bose for the longest time. When it came time to make the purchase I went to several stores and listened to the Bose. They sounded great. Then I went to Tweeter and asked the salesman to put in one of my CDs, bring on you like not what they offer, and I turned my back to the speakers, blind test.

I was amazed at the difference. I narrowed my decision down to 2, it was the the Reference 7 series and the Reference 3 series. I had no idea what speakers I was listening to. Bose sounded like tin cans compared to Klipsch

I found the bose to be inadequate in the sound reproduction, expansion, and bass management. Bose are great speakers for something, paper weights maybe, but I feel Klipsch blows them away.

My shopping advice is to visit several stores, find a salesperson you think you might enjoy working with. I took a day off from work and met with my saleperson. We spend 6 hours listening to my music, movies I liked and so on. I recommend doing this during the hours of 9-5 when everyone else is supposed to be at work and they have the time for you.

Most of all NEGOTIATE!!!!!!

Good Luck

Scott

[dougdrake]

Duck - I hope we'll all refrain from turning this into a Bose-bashing thread, so let's just say that we (speaking for all, which is very presumptious of me) find that you can get phenominally better sound in all areas for less money by not investing in the Bose systems, both for speakers and electronics.

The nice thing about the new Klipsch gear is that it is more "modern" looking - narrower, deeper cabinets, cool looking copper colored speakers, etc. Plus, since it is all designed as a system, it is easier to acquire all the matching components. And, it has the warranty/dealer support.

That said, I've built mine with all used speakers. It took a while, and some experimentation, but it was worth it. Fortunately, our HT room is dedicated to that purpose, so I didn't have to be too concerned with the aesthetics. Large, black boxes with holes in them look just fine in this room.

If I were you, spend some dealer time. Also, if you can find someone (maybe a friendly bulletin-boarder in the Hunstville vicinity) with used Klipsch gear, give it a listen. And, include your wife so you can both see them and feel the experience.

Plus, by not buying Bose, you'll be asserting your individuality and contrarian nature (all together now, "we love Klipsch"). It also lets you smugly smile to yourself when you hear lines such as "Bose, the finest sound in the world" in movies such as "Life, or Something Like It." (Fortunately, those words were not uttered by Ms. Jolie, or my wife and I would have to boycott her future movies.)

DD

EDIT: I got so caught up in pontificating that I neglected your questions. I can't speak from personal experience, as I haven't used powered towers, but if you have the room for a separate sub, you may find non-powered towers will give you better bass results, as you can put your sub where it gets best results -- typically a corner, which is not usually a good place for the midrange and highs (in corners and near walls cause reflections and often unwanted side-effects). Others, of course, report good results with powered towers.

The RF-5's would be great. If you can swing a bit extra, jump to the RF-7's. If not, listen carefully to the RF-3 and RF-5. You may not hear a difference that would justify the extra cost, unless you want the different finishes of the RF-5.

[hwatkins]

Scott says it best - listen to both and decide. Few (if any) will go with Bose when they do this. I have owned Bose - I dis like them so much that I will not even give them to my daughter for college stereo. Now that is harsh for a guy that lives by 'let your ears be the judge', but while I believe individual preference drives the decision, I'll not contribute a Bose recommendation to aid anyone. If (and maybe not then) Bose sold their highest end stuff for less than $700 it might have a comparable market. Finally, the Bose (Acoustimass?) subs apparently won't work with anything other than Bose hardware.

I suggest building the system in stages - as your childrens education costs less over time you can change/add components that meet your objectives. The Klipsch route lets you do that much better than the Bose route. I am scared that you would be replacing speakers earlier than you want with Bose. Finally, I hold that good speakers can last (easily) a lifetime - that means I used my first upgrade dollars on the best sounding speakers at the very top of my spending limit (at that time it was Heresy). It has never been regretted.

I apologize for the easy target bashing -

[BBB]

Duck, one of our forum members posted this. Sorry guys and gals, I dont remember which one of us did it, but it is great reading for a new forum member with questions like the ones you have asked.

Click Here

At the very least read the Bottom Line on page 1 and go to Surround Sound Speakers list on page 2.

If you find it informative you need to thank someone else. Good Luck. We will help when you have made the right choice and have told us which Klipsch speakers you decided on . LOL

[Chris Robinson]

I wish I had a picture of my Acoustimass 5 cubes in the upper corners of my living room, 5' above my Klipschorns Seriously!

Actually, I've owned the AM 5 and AM 7, and was about to opt for a Lifestyle system when I went the separates route ... and never looked back. I've been through about 5 SERIOUS rev's of my HT system, and it's now VERY nice. I was at a buddy's the other night and he had his Lifestyle system cranked up ... It was boomy-muddy-slow on the bass, and the midrange was awful ... It DID sound good to me a few years ago, but I could never go back.

If you're interested in saving money, but good USED speakers. In the Heritage line(large, but still the best, IMHO), Cornwalls, Klipschorns, Belles, Heresies for great prices. I paid $1100 for my Klipschorns, $1000 for the Cornwalls, $600 for my center channel Belle, and $400 for my Heresies. All those speakers are world-class values at those prices.

If you want to go smaller and more contemporary, RF-5 and RF-7's are great (as stated above), or even look at used Forte's and Chorus's ...

You'll note that most of the best speakers are in larger enclosures, as above. The enclosure is an important piece of the sound, so get the largest "box" you can live with in your room. You won't be disappointed

[Invidiosulus]

Good speakers will last awhile.

My heresies are from 1981.

LOL, they are as old as I am.

I found mine used on ebay and managed to get them for $300.01

The most important thing to do is spend a lot of time listening to the model of speaker you are thinking about buying.

Peace, Josh

[proudestmonkey]

just remeber that bose are the best marketers in the world, i read that 85% of all bose sales happen before people even listen to them. its amazing how they can take $1 worth of plastic along with 2 1.5" paper midranges and sell it for $1200 complete surround system. just a pair of klipsch bookshelfs (or rf5's if you want to go crazy ) in virtual surround on your amp will sound much better.

just my 2 cents

joe

[kjohnsonhp]

In addition to all the comments above, I would consider the following:

1. Your space and what sized boxes will fit. I bought used Cornwalls and Heresys because I thought they provided the best sound for the dollar but they are huge and my wife thinks they are an eye sore. Good surround sound requires proper placement so you'll want the best set of boxes for your space. Sound & Vision has an article on in-wall or in-ceiling speakers for those rooms where box placement is challenged. Klipsch makes these types of speakers.

2. If you want the small sub/sat for space and blending into your room then look at these:

* Energy take 5 ($600) very popular

* Pinnacle over $1k but reviewed as tops in this category

* Definative Technology & Paradigm Atoms

3. Listen to different brands...each person has their own tastes. I would visit a chain like Tweeter & Ultimate but also an independent HiFi store. Some brands (Paradigm) are only sold through indies. Each will give you advice. Get multiple opinions...bring your own CDs/DVDs. Here are some very popular brands you should easily get to hear (make it a fun experiment):

* Klipsch - dynamic, efficient, lots of form factors that can be timbre matched to meet your room requirements.

* Paradigm - their $2k/pr towers are Speaker of 2002 by one mag and they have award winning speakers under $1k/pr

* Definative Technology - magazine review winners, models w/sub/sat and towers with integrated subs which is very well received by some reviewers, bi-polar, very different sounding highs than Klipsch

* Sonus Faber - Concertinos are small, beautiful, sweet sounding at $600 a pair used.

* B&W -- premium priced, audiophile name, popular highend speakers but make lower priced sets, too.

* OTHERS: Athena, Dynaudio and a gizillion more. By visiting a couple stores with at least one chain and one indie you should get a good sample of options and opinions.

Klipsch has a unique sound...especially Reference Series. Some absolutely love it...others don't. Listen to the RF7's and another brand and make sure you write back and tell us what you thought--good or bad.

[marksdad]

my experiences with bose areon the negative side, when the uninitiated steps into the show room, thier minds are already made up, you step into thier little simulated sound room, ( you know thier mock up of a suround space) and listen wow, but they will never place them next to good speakers, you notice that? anyway my son had a bose based sound system for his gaming, and i hated going in his room to watch, the sound was so poor, so artificial, as soon as i bought my cornwalls i took all of his bose stuff and sold it, i gave him my rf 5's and before i let him listen i metered and balanced, the very first time he listened he said daddy it is like i never played these games before, and if you know 14 year old boys, you know that that statement meant something, he even listens to music now in his room, whereas he only listened to music downstairs on my system before. enough said... oh yeah.... bose sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!