fzzytddybr1 Posted February 20, 2004 Share Posted February 20, 2004 I am on a very tight budget and need to know what the difference is between Synergy and Reference. My room size is about 17 by 17. I need 3 roof mounted speakers in back. Please help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 It doesn't, really. Possible exception would be the SF-3's, which I hear are a retooled RF-3. Everything else in the Synergy lineup pales next to its Reference counterparts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CO1 Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 Yes they are not as good the Reference Series but they are still decent compared to others in their price range. I have 2 Reference surround systems and a Synergy system and while not as detailed they are still pleasing to the ear especially at high volumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsakura Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 I had my KSB 1.1 as main and just switched to RB-5II. Perhaps a big gap between them but here's what I figured out: really really clearer sound, especially when it gets to mid-low. My pair of KSB 1.1 seem don't produce too much detail as nycg as RB-5II some mp3(sure increase dynamic range for the speaker) I guess the ref series also have better crossover between using it's woofer and tweeter. Just because u want more arrows pass thru your ears and more bass hit your heart when you are watching movie. I don't own floorstanding models of those but synergy's floorstanding speakers handle those mid-low much better than it's bookshelf series(try to find them in BB, there's alot). Can't comment about those RF yet..... I don't own one, but the majority in the forum owns RF-3s/RF-7s, they are able to give u better significants for that Hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fzzytddybr1 Posted February 21, 2004 Author Share Posted February 21, 2004 Thanks alot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 fzzytddybr1, As cc stated Synergy does produce a different sound, but it is still good. However-researching the Prices, You can buy the Reference series Most places, for the same if not Less than the prices at B/B for the synergy series..........It is just difficult being able to compare the two models without a major hassle ..........(not trying to start a b/b flame)........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelerFan Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 Everytime I've tried to listen to the Synergy Series at BB there was someone at the Bose display next door just blasting them. Maybe one day I'll get a chance to give them a good listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 ---------------- On 2/21/2004 5:53:21 PM SteelerFan wrote: Everytime I've tried to listen to the Synergy Series at BB there was someone at the Bose display next door just blasting them. Maybe one day I'll get a chance to give them a good listen. ---------------- There was one time I went in there to listen to the Synergies, and there was this one dude that had the Bose playing one of the rap tracks cranked up full blast to where they were starting to distort. I got so pissed, and decided to crank the Synergies up to full blast! They completely drowned out the Bose, and without distortion! It was friggan funny as hell, and that dude there at the Bose display gave me this nasty look. I told him he should get the Klipsch, since as just demonstrated, they are clearly the better speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 ---------------- On 2/23/2004 11:35:08 PM skonopa wrote: There was one time I went in there to listen to the Synergies, and there was this one dude that had the Bose playing one of the rap tracks cranked up full blast to where they were starting to distort. I got so pissed, and decided to crank the Synergies up to full blast! They completely drowned out the Bose, and without distortion! It was friggan funny as hell, and that dude there at the Bose display gave me this nasty look. I told him he should get the Klipsch, since as just demonstrated, they are clearly the better speaker. ---------------- LOL! I used to do that ALL THE TIME when I worked there. Some know-nothing would be checking out the Bo$e crap - I'd play something from the jazz (if they looked like semi-intelligent beings) or the Rock section (if they looked like doofuses) on the Bo$e 601's - then I'd take them over and fire up the SF-3's - game over. Not a single person walked away from my demos thinking that Bo$e was the best - or even worth buying. My sales presentation on Bo$e vs. Klipsch was this: "If you care more about visual aesthetics than you do about sound, then get the Bose. If you want serious home theater and don't mind something a little bigger than those cute little cubes, then let me show you something better." I actually said that in front of a Bo$e rep who was in the store checking out displays. He was not a happy camper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeesGuy Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Actually, there's not as much difference as some might lead you to believe. At one time before Klipsch rearranged the distribution network, Synergy and Reference sat next to one another in a lot of dealer showrooms. Smallest to largest the floorstander line went SF-1, SF-2, RF-3, RF-5, RF-7. I directly compared the SF-1, SF-2, and RF-3 side-by-side. Yes, they got better as you moved up the line but they were obviously related in design philosophy and sound. One would, (or at least should), be able to expect they would get better as the price went up. Now this is when things got more complicated. Klipsch yanked the Synergy systems from the dealers and gave the line to Best Buy. This left the dealers without smaller towers (6 1/2" woofers and under) and Best Buy's top speaker was the SF-2 with 6 1/2" woofers which might pale next to the seemingly bigger systems from Athena and JBL. So Klipsch created the RF-15 and RF-25 to fill in the gaps for the dealers, and they created the SF-3 to give Best Buy a larger model. If you look on Audioreview.com you will find the SF-1 and SF-2 rated almost as highly as the reference models. Not a surprise really, kind of like comparing a Honda Civic to an Accord. Both are good, but one's a little better. What does all this mean? Well it comes down to this. My local dealer discounted their Klipsch Synergy and Reference about 20 percent and I chose the SF-2's because they fit in my smallish listening room better. Since Best Buy picked up Klipsch, I've never seen the SF-2 more than a few dollars off of retail. BUT, my reference dealer still will discount their product 20 percent. The SF-2 and the RF-25 now sell for about the same regardless of their respective list prices. A Reference model at a discount versus a Synergy model at list? That's a no-brainer!! Pick the Reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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