Timmikid Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Hello everybody, this is my first visit to the Klipsch forum. So please consider that I'm not that creative yet in inserting images or whatever. Anyway, I have a VAA 300B (heavily modified chinese kit) in push-pull configuration which offers, they say, around 20 watts. I'm looking for new speakers and found RF7/RF5 astonishing. Of the KSP400 with active woofer likewise. Now I have to make a choice between the two very different, yet great systems. Please let me know what you think, recommendations, reviews, etc. I live in Holland, so around here advice is a little harder to find than in USA, I guess. Greetings, Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 We have a member here that should be trying out a 300B PP with some RF7's in the next few days. Once he gets some time with the setup I'm sure he will be the best person to get some advise from his forum name is a$$hole oops I mean DeanG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Have you heard both speakers? That's tyhe only way you'll be able to tell. Is the KSP-400 available there? It's been out of production for a few years. I own the KSP's, and am extremely happy with them. Not too many folks here have tried them out, so your advice here will probably be skewed toward the RF-7. The KSP's might be just the ticket with a low-powered amp, as the built-in powered sub would handle the low-end. I'd like to hear that! Good luck! fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Looking at this simply from the standpoint of how far the 20 watts will take you -- they will go further with the RF-7s. Even though the KSP-400 has the powered internal sub, the sensitivity is still 95db/w compared to the RF-7's 102db/w. This is a rather substantial difference. At one watt, the RF-7's will play nearly twice as loud as the KSP-400's. Of course, the KSP-400's will go deeper into the bass. There will also be a big a difference in the overall signature of two speakers, as the KSP-400 uses a plastic dome, to the titanium of the RF-7. These two speakers will sound very different from each other, and only you know which you prefer. I would suspect the RF-7 sounding a bit livelier and offer better detail. Of course, this is just my opinion, and as Craig has pointed out -- I'm pretty much just an a$$hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 ---------------- On 10/22/2003 8:30:06 AM DeanG wrote: Of course, this is just my opinion, and as Craig has pointed out -- I'm pretty much just an a$$hole. ---------------- I may as well bring this up now. How am I to pronounce "a$$hole?" "A two dollar hole?" "A dollar sign dollar sign hole?" "*"? I mean, when I am saying the word, you know. fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 though dean has pointed out the sensitivity specs favor the RF-7s, in purely theoretical terms I still like the idea of pairing the 300B PP with a powered bass klispch speaker. the risk of overtaxing the 300B and driving it into distortion and compression is greatly reduced by taking that bass load off of it. however if you have the chance to plug your amp into an RF-7 you should be able to tell pretty quick if it can give you the volume and slam you like. since we don't knwo anything about your room, other equipment and what kind of music you listen to it is hard to be more specific. perhaps someone with RF-7 or the KSP-400 will ring in here, but more information would help. best of luck, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 I have used a Scott integrated EL84 PP tube amp, with comparable output, with KSP300's briefly. There was little difference in the sound of the KSP300's than when powered with a Acurus 125WPC SS amp. The bass pounded. As I said, limited use only. There are 2 members here from your country that own KSP400's. You might try to contact them (maybe they live close) for some helpful local advice. Do a search of the Home Theater forum here using key word 'KSP400'. Good luck! Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKuziel Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 I own a pair of KSP-400's, that until recently were being driven at approx 50 watts a channel. I would think that with your out put of 20 watts per channel that the KSP-400's would be the way to go. The powered sub wont tax the amp like a speaker without a powered sub woofer. But the RF7's/5's are indeed more efficient than the KSP's. If you go with the KSP-400's I must caution that there have been pesky problems with a 60 cycle hum from the subs due to a A/C ground loop in some home wiring. Mine actually went back because the right speaker had a particular nasty hum when plugged in which turned out to be the amplifier in the speaker itself, I now have the subs plugged in but with a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter that Klipsch sent me free of charge. Now with that said, I absolutely love the way the KSP-400's sound, The powered subs are awesome and go plenty deep (at least for my taste). I think they look elegant (especially in african mahogony) compared to the RF7's/5's. I would think that if you went with the RF7's or RF5's that you would need to include a seperate sub / subs for a solid bottom end. Can you demo the speakers in your home? or can you bring your amp to the dealer so you can demo the speakers there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 I think the KSP400 has the D'Appolitto configured horn surrounded by two cones. Right. That should be a very interesting speaker. I'll bet the imaging is great. I don't listed to music over 100dB very often at all, and usually listen around 90dB (that's taken at 1M from the speaker, not at listening position. I find, except for a few very loud exceptions of very full orchestra or organ, 3.5 Watts is plenty on the 101dB/W RF-7. 20W would be well over 3 or 4 times what I would ever use. With the KSP400 20W might be what you need. I like the RF-7. I'll bet a Chorus-II or Cornwall would be out of this world with that pp amp. RF-7 would be nice too, but maybe not as rich. leok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Welcome to the Klipsch Forums! Ah, the Netherlands. Been to Einhoven and Amsterdam...beautiful country! Never auditioned the KSP400 or the Reference Series, so I can't comment on these loudspeakers and their performance with your tube amp. But I'm intrigued...you say your PP amp is a modified kit from China. Did you build it or did you buy it assembled? Wonder if there's a US 110V version. Do you have any idea about how much it cost (I don't know the conversion rate in US Dollars in Holland). Wish you good luck in finding a proper loudspeaker for your components and your musical tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Thank you everybody! Of course I know I am the only one who can make the final decision, but I'm glad that so many of you responded. At the same time it has not brought me closer to my decision yet. Yes I'm still smiling, because one thing is for sure and that is that sooner or later I will have great new speakers whatever they may be. If anyone has anything to add, please do. I'll keep reading this subject and as a matter of fact other subjects on this great, but probably addictive forum. Now, to summarise a bit: KSP-400: Powered sub will handle the low-end and therefore take the load of (relatively) low-amp. rf7: Even more sensitive, bass less deep. Overall quality in midrange and high frequency better and less poignant (to put it harshly). Tony: My room is 7 by 7 meters. Leok: Tell me more about these Klipsch competitors! (if that's allowed on this site). Greetings, Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 All speakers I mentioned are Klipsch. They are older models you would have to find from someone who is selling. leok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 I don't think it matters that the load of reproducing the bass is taken off of the amp. Regardless, the sensitivity of the KSP-400 is much lower than the RF-7, and in the end -- the RF-7 will able to do much more with 20 watts than the KSP-400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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