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The Klipsch Sevens...a review


billybob

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I know I am in the minority, but I don’t really understand how powered speakers offer any advantage over non-powered speakers in terms of tidiness or simplicity.  Instead of running a single speaker cable from your amp to each speaker you instead have to run your front-end cables (I.e., turntable, cd-player, streamer, etc.) over to the master speaker, then the proprietary patch cord - which is of a fixed length - back over to the other speaker, not to mention the power cord which is plugged into an outlet that is likely closer to the floor.  Also, if the built-in amp fails, you have to ship an entire speaker somewhere to get it repaired.  They look awfully cool, and I’m sure they sounds great, but I’m not sure their practicality.  Lastly, it’s easy imagining a pair of non-powered Klipsch speakers lasting 20 years.  Can you really imagine the preamp/amp/dac inside of this lasting 20 years?

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Generous to say you are in the minority, yet there is substantial interest or a market for powered minimal solutions, or as would put it, once and done. Klipsch may as well have joined in with the 5s. For what appears to be a teething problem for some with all in one, there exists dedicated interest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results being the same. Can see those who already have systems in place finding a want or desire to try this approach in addition. There is a market. Will remain to be seen what the new models will bring.

May not be for everyone yet, we shall see, and likely hear.

Thanks for your considered contribution.

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This product category is expanding for a reason. I suspect first and foremost convenience, no need for an amp/receiver or other inputs. Almost none of the young people I work with have what we would consider a proper stereo system; they gravitate to bluetooth speakers they stream to from phones or computers. This makes powered speakers a very attractive option as they are a huge upgrade over how they currently listen to music . Aesthetics are also a factor, there are many people who do not want a dedicated stand/shelf or other equipment housing furniture in their living space.

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My 2 cents:

I just recently purchased a used set of the sixes, ($260) so that's what I'll be using for a reference. They are pretty good for my application, as powered speakers for my computer.  I also use them for background music as they are on a desk in my living room (Former office became a child's bedroom)

 

It's marketed at the younger generation.  The ones that do everything and spend every minute attached at the hip to their phones.

 

Advantages:

-They are easily placed right on their MCM cabinet, or one that they up-cycled, and either connect a usb record player (They own one because it's the hipster thing to have vinyl), or a streamer...or worse yet, they use bluetooth!

-No receivers and other stuff to mess with... as this generation can't figure out simple things.... (I know, being a STEM teacher for over 20 years, I see more and more people with less and less problem solving skills!)

-Decent sound from a small package.  I was surprised at the low frequency extension for such a small cabinet.  I use subwoofers on all of my systems, and this is the first time I haven't connected one...yet.

-Relatively balanced sound right out of the boxes. Very plug and play.

-The Sixes just look pretty darn cool!

 

Disadvantages:

- I'm guessing short amp life, if they are anything like the amps klipsch sources for all of the subwoofers I have owned over the years!

- I use these as computer speakers and when no music is playing you can notice a louder than usual hiss coming from them. This was not the case on my R-15PM speakers. I'm guessing that the increased power of the amps over my R-15PM's is the reason.  However, to be fair, I am like 2 feet away from the speakers, so there's that fact to consider.  One might not hear this at a normal listening distance of 6 ft. or greater.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Other random discussion points to throw fuel on the fire:  Most pro audio speakers went to powered as well. 

 

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I certainly understand Klipsch giving customers what they want.  And as powered speakers go, these look great.

 

I'm only saying that if such customers took a closer look, they'd realize that products like "The Sevens" reduce clutter by only 1 speaker cable and 1 box (ie., a DAC & bluetooth equipped receiver or int. amp) - which these days can be quite small and easily tucked inside a cabinet or behind one of the speakers anyway..  

 

And people need to remember that The Sevens master speaker needs to be situated near an outlet and that spacing of the two speakers is limited by a rather shortish proprietary cable that joins the two speakers.  This makes doorways or windows b/w the speakers a real problem.  

 

The beauty shots of these products on the website cleverly show NO no cables, but in actual use, there will be visible cables - at minimum, a power cord to one of the speakers, then the tether to the other..

 

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40 minutes ago, ODS123 said:

The beauty shots of these products on the website cleverly show NO no cables

Hmm... marketing 101.  This isn't new.... look at every food commercial out there....  When one goes to McDonalds or Burger King, the burgers don't look like they do on TV.  A cup of coffee has dish soap added to produce the nice bubbles.  I could go on and on.

 

43 minutes ago, ODS123 said:

at minimum, a power cord to one of the speakers, then the tether to the other..

Yup.... and when this is tucked away behind a desk or cabinet, you can't see it at all.  Look online when people are showing of all of their gear.... they have huge power amps sitting on the floor and a jungle of cables going everywhere.  Some people just don't care about seeing a cable if it can't be tucked away nicely.

 

Some examples:

image.thumb.png.b87b9c1a55ef5f7987d46ca0dfc90324.png

image.png.61457dafc7ea94eb712cccd1f8f9932b.png

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@Iteachstem

 

True.. True.. about advertising.

 

Also...

The plate-amp on the Sevens and Nines provides inputs for a Phono, HDMI, and USB.   Wouldn't using these inputs necessitate having a table or counter nearby to set these devices upon?  And wouldn't you now have a tangle of cables running into the back of that beautiful speaker?  Suddenly, the master speaker won't look so nice and tidy any more.    At that point wouldn't it look nicer to just use a smallish all-in-one amp , and run a single speaker cable to each speaker?

 

I guess if you only stream via bluetooth, then these speakers retain their space efficiency advantage, but once you start physically plugging wires into the back, they loose this advantage.

Edited by ODS123
clarity
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Seems to be the wave of the future, 20 years from now people will probably refer to systems with passive speakers, phono/CD + amp/receiver as separates. Several of the majors now have powered floor standers on the market. In fact this morning I started reading this month's Stereophile and it's review of the new powered KEF LS60s.They reviewed very well. The only constant in life (and most things), is change.

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8 hours ago, YK Thom said:

Seems to be the wave of the future

I dunno about that….

 

somewhere in a parallel universe there are people saying, “hey, we no longer have to plug all of our gear into the back of one of the speakers that must be located, no matter how inconveniently, near a power outlet, then run another cable of fixed length back to the other speaker!  There's a new technology allows us to just hide the gear in whatever cabinet we want and then run just ONE cable -  that can be as long or short as we want - to each speaker!  Gosh, isn’t progress great?  All because of a little new fangled contraption they call a Bluetooth-enabled integrated amplifier!!’  😄😄

 

Kidding aside, the Real game changer will be when speakers can be driven without any wires of any type. Until then, speakers will always be tethered, by either a power cord, a signal cord, or a good old speaker cable.  Meanwhile, there is no real clear winner, in terms of tidiness or convenience.

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