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Cornwalls vs RS7's


colterphoto1

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Help! I'm in a wonderful predicament! I'm the proud owner of 1975 Cornwalls, rebuilt within last 10 years. I dearly love the 'big box' sound of these speakers and they are the mains in my home theatre/hard rock sound system. I'm also using a newly installed RC7 and some Definitive Tech bipolar's for rear speakers in my 5.0 setup. Currently using a Yamaha 850, which is 80 x 3 + 30 x 2, underpowering the rears, although I plan on upgrading to a 3300 with equal 110 watts x 5 (7).

I've stumbled upon an opportunity to purchase Klipsch speakers at substantial discount(30-50% below list), have about $2,000 to spend and wonder if anyone has any advice for me. As I see it, my main options would be to :

1. replace (?) Cornwalls with slimmer, smoother response, better dispersion RF7, to match my RC7. what is the best price any one has found on these? Then what to do with the Corns, hook em up in garage or basement? what a shame.

2. keep the Corns, but replace bipolars with more efficient RS-7 surrounds.

3. I'm not a great believer in powered subs, but if option 1, should i invest in a RSW15 as well?

3. I already own two pairs of KB1.1's for office and have another set of 4 with KSC C1 for a 'second room ' small theatre system, so I don't think I need any more 'little speakers' .

Thanks for your help, this is kind of a 'dream list' of mine. I live in Indianapolis, and am taking the Klipsch facility tour next week ! WWWOOOOO HHHOOOOO !!

Michael

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you asked, so here is MY opinion, as i said in my emailboth the corns and 7 are great speaks, i do however prefer the corns, a more refined effort on klipsches part. arent the 7's voiced after the corns? and if you go to the rs 7's with your corns you would be greatly dissapointed, they are good, for tiny speaks, but? but? they lack range, a pair of heresies would suyit the corns much much better. i was using a pair of rf 3's as my surrounds for the corns, good, but a difference in timbre, as i listened to movies, i could hear the sound kind of jump in and out as it moved to the different voiced speaks, not a great amount, but there, if you were a guest watching, you probably would not notice, but since it would be your system you would., it all depends what you personally want from your system? mine drove me until i reached the current system, for the first time i am happy with the presentation, but this is my system, fullfilling my requirements, i am sure that you have an entirely different set of requirements, expectations. whatever you do, make your ears happy. hopefully you can do it without too much wasted expenditure, i know i learned the expensive way, good luck, happy hunting, it can be fun and painfull all at the same time, but once you get there ahhhh 12.gif

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I too am and always will be a corn fan and prefer the sound to the "more refined" RF7s. They are both great speakers but if I were you I would try to match up with cornwalls. Lots of options when it comes to heritage HT. Or you could sell the cornwalls and forever regret it. Just MHO.

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OUCH- could NEVER consider selling my Cornwalls! These babies actually survived a house fire before I owned them. They sat in this guy's closet and the house burned down around them. I replaced cones and all drivers, they sound great, but stunk like high hell for the first three years I owned them. They're really ugly beat up oiled walnet, though- don't look real good in the LR and take up lots of acreage!

I think I'll just keep em, perhaps buy the RS7's for surround (I don't have much wall space, but need something more effiecient and full range than the Definitive Bii-polars), I think I'd probably be disappointed with the RF7's as replacements, especially since I'd probably have to add a subwoofer (yech) of some type to make up for the missing bass (GOTTA LOVE BIG BOXES!)

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Yeah, perhaps. But it's Mike's ears, and the Cornwalls do a pretty good job of providing fairly deep bass, even for today's DVD blockbusters. I'd say to keep your Cornwalls for your HT, and replace your surrounds with RS-7's or even Heresys! If you're pleased with your center, and the timbre between it and the CW's blend well enough for your liking, then it sounds to me that your HT is a winner...now buy that new Yamaha AV receiver!

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i dont have a sub in my ht, and i dont miss it, either the corns, or my current set up delivers so much low end that when watching movies you can feel, not just hear the low end. all of my speaks deliver excellent low end, a sub would assist in this i know, but mistake not having a sub, i dont think so12.gif

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Thanks for the help gang. I"M KEEPING THE CORNWALLS. I just LOVE the sound of these babies so much I can't move em from the main listening room. I've got a 10 band eq on them (through my Yamaha receivers main pre-out/in loop- very cool) so the timbre closely matches that of the KILLER RC7, which I consider a necessity because of the imaging necessary for HT useage. I cannot see how some users justify using Cornwalls, Heresy, or LaScalas for centre channel, but hey, it's your ears.

Likewise, for the sake of efficiency and imaging, I'm going to invest in RS7 rears, possibly move the more inefficient Definitive BiPolars to a side listening position as 2nd set of surrounds. Also going for the new Yamaha 3300 unless you have some advice regarding that purchase!

Been shopping EBay for Klipsch, and there's some beautiful stuff out there. I recall paying $300 for my pair of Corns, but they had been in a fire and I had to rebuild all drivers.

Peace and happy listening,

Michael

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Oh yeah, AMEN to not needing a Sub with Cornwalls. I'm a firm believer that the ear can localize even low frequencies, down to the last couple of octaves. My bro has the Quintet/Sub setup and it drives me crazy with about half the audible spectrum coming from that box in the corner. I want to hear the original stereo/HT spread as the engineer mixed it. CORNS ROCK!!!!

If I ever need more low end, I've got a couple of JBL 18" theatre/pa cabinets and a Crown 1200 amp, that should do the job!

Michael

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People, People, if you like how the RC-7 sounds with the Cornwalls that is fine. But there is a little thing called timbre and efficiency matching which makes having another heritage speaker at center position almost essential and critical (remember this is the most important speaker). Running a HT without a sub is like playing soccer without a ball - pointless! you are missing at least an entire octave of bass. Even the Cornwalls drop out at 40Hz or higher. To each his own I suppose, trust me a matching heritage speaker at center and a subwoofer will make your system even better!

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