Initial Impressions of the Klipsch Flagships

[skillet2003]

I just recently (today) went to a local Ultimate Electronics store to auditions the RF-7, RC-7, etc. I have to say, not to bash Klipsch or anything, I was not fairly impressed. I know they make great speakers for certain people, but for my ears they were a little harsh. I'm a newbie and certainly no audiophile, but I could say that I am able to judge a speakers quality to my own liking. While this speaker was good, it was not what I had hoped for. If any of you guys can suggest another speaker for me to look into I would grealy appreciate it, again I am not bashing Klipsch, they are great for some, just not me. As I said before they were a litte harsh for me(not sure if that is the best way to describe it) but I also listened to some speakers that started with a "d", but can't really recall the name I wish I could, but if you guys could help me out thanks.

[wheelman]

It sounds like your in the market for a colored warm speaker. Polk audio may be the sound your looking for. you can also get a great smooth tone with klipsch with the right amplification. The benefits would be way better to take that route, because you would have a speaker that could handle rock concerts and movies like you never dreamed. If you seriously don't like the klipsch's i would try Polk audio. But i would have them hook em up to a different receiver and hear what the klipsch's sound like through different amps before i gave up on em just yet.

[glennbarn]

Since this is a Klipsch site, a lot of people who are regularly here are more likely to lean towards Klipsch.

To be fair though, consider what factors affect the final reproduction of sound. You've got the material itself ( CD, DVD, DVD-audio etc. ), the player and its sound reproduction capabilities, the receiver, wiring to the speakers, the speakers and finally the room acoustics.

Choice of sound quality is a reflection personal taste and I suggest that you grab a CD or DVD, I find the Eagles concert very useful for this, and try it with the different choices available to you. Do not rush in buying for its a lot of trouble returning them than spending time to make up your mind.

Other speakers you might to check are the comparable models from Mission, EPOS, B&W or Infinity.

A friend of mine swears by the quality of his EPOS speakers which he paired with a Primare receiver.

[Darren]

Polk, B&W and NHT may be more to your liking.

I do agree with the above statements - the 7's aren't harsh, they're revealing. If you listened to a set up with poor amplification or room acoustics, that will come through on the Klipsch (other speakers aren't as sensitive and you may be able to get away with lower quality components - in my experience anyway). With proper set up, they are far from harsh and are much better than most speakers at allowing the intended sound to come through.

That being said, it's all about personal preference. Good luck in your search.

[toddvj]

BTW, the other speakers you listened to must have been Definitive Technology. And I also agree with the people above. I would add, you really can't get a good idea of what a speaker sounds like in a store. I liked my RF-7s a lot better when I got them home. If you don't want to make that kind of commitment, at least go to the store with some demo material that you are familiar with, instead of just listening to whatever they have running, it's very hard to make a judgement without knowing what to listen for.

[skillet2003]

Thanks guys for the input thus far, and yes I must agree that the room was horrible, accoustics were not great. I'm not sure how they set it up but it was powered by a pioneer elite series receiver and the subwoofer was way too hot and the room made terrible noises, at least it was either the room or the sub, I was just turn off terribly, but we'll see about trying them again. One quick question about a future dedicated ht room, I'm thinking about building it underground with concrete floor walls and ceiling cause house will be up top, I'm thinking of putting in carpet to absorb some of the sound so it won't be bouncing off everwhere is there any other room acoustics I must consider as far as what I should put on the walls?

[dougdrake]

Not sure that Pioneer is the best source to drive Klipsch speakers with. I know some people who switched from Pioneer Elite to other brands (such as Denon) and found the match much better. I think there are relatively few Pioneer/Klipsch owners in this forum. What receiver/pre-amp,amp do you have or would you be using with your new speaker purchase?

[michael hurd]

If you feel that the 7's aren't your cup of tea, then you are in the same boat as a lot of people. Try to audition them with source material that you pick, and try to listen to quite a few systems, at several volume levels. You will find that no matter what the volume level, the 7's keep their composure. IOW, garbage in = garbage out.

Try a few cd's, maybe a few with women, and piano recordings. I won't tell you what to hear, but again compare them with other systems, and also, try several volume levels, like normal conversation levels, a little louder, and loud, where you have to talk loudly to be heard by a person next to you.

[michael hurd]

Dougdrake: Glenn mosby ( picky-picky ) has a Pioneer avr and dvd player in his ht, and I had the pleasure of visiting him, this past may. I must say that it does quite a fine job, both in the video upsampling and audio sections.

I have also heard a harmon kardon receiver with lascallas ( NOZ ) and recall that the sound was very smooth, if not a little hot in the midrange, compared to picky's Rf7's, but then again, that isn't a good comparison.

I run a Marantz receiver, and it works quite fine for what I need, as I have a direct view television, and a less complicated setup.

[J.4knee]

I have a few quick questions. Were the "D" speakers and the RF 7's played using the same components (Receivers, amps, CD/DVD players), were they placed identically in the room or was the room a room full of about 9 or 10 different speakers sets. If the set ups were not identical you were not comparing equals in your demonstration. Most retail venues do have the multi speaker system rooms simply because they lack floor space to do otherwise. On retail stuff I have one guy ideal with and he will set up equipment as I request. If the retailer wants your business they should be willing to accommodate such a request at least to some extent. You are looking at some fairly expensive speakers and you deserve to hear them in an environment that allows you to make the most informed decision based on your criteria and demands not someone elses. Also nothing you buy in a store will sound the same when you get it home. As for another recommendation for a brand type, I am at somewhat of a loss because I truly love the Klipsch sound. But higher end Polk Audio or B&W maybe I dont know. Good luck, but please dont report back and say the BOSE acoustmess cubes blew you away.

[michael hurd]

I have heard a few paradigm systems, studiolab reference 1 and 2 models, and even a totem system with bryston 4b, and musical fidelity cd player setup that retailed for $ 25,000 cdn. They all sounded very good, but the Totem wind speakers/bryston/musical fidelity setup sure didn't sound $ 23,000 better than what I have.

[Frzninvt]

The Reference Series speakers ARE NOT the Flagship's from Klipsch! That spot still belongs to the Klipschorn's and bretheren thank you very much.

[Audible Nectar]

" just recently (today) went to a local Ultimate Electronics store to auditions the RF-7, RC-7, etc. I have to say, not to bash Klipsch or anything, I was not fairly impressed. I know they make great speakers for certain people, but for my ears they were a little harsh. I'm a newbie and certainly no audiophile, but I could say that I am able to judge a speakers quality to my own liking. While this speaker was good, it was not what I had hoped for. If any of you guys can suggest another speaker for me to look into I would grealy appreciate it, again I am not bashing Klipsch, they are great for some, just not me. As I said before they were a litte harsh for me(not sure if that is the best way to describe it) but I also listened to some speakers that started with a "d", but can't really recall the name I wish I could, but if you guys could help me out thanks."

I found the RF a bit harsh too - especially with the Solid State gear it was installed with. I have several Klipsch speakers (Cornwalls and Belles), and I found that the character of these change markedly with gear changes. Even my wife has been very surprised at how much different the speakers are with various gear.

My Klipsch no longer exhibit the irritating harshness that they did when I first got them. Solution? Old McIntosh amplification, in SS as well as tube form, solved those problems entirely. I realize that this solution may not be for you, as you are building an HT, but don't let anyone tell you that Klipsch always has to be harsh - because with the right gear and specific Klipsch speakers selected, this is not a problem.

[gcoker]

I also auditioned RF-7 in an Ultimate store and they also sounded

terrible. I know it's not the speakers because I have listen to them

in others homes. I think there is definitly something wrong in the

way Ultimate Electronics is setting the room acoustics or system.

[dodger]

Hello:

You may like Infinity.

But, in hearing a pair of RF7s at a fiend's house, and at a dealer, there was a world of difference.

The RF7s bass is sensitive to placement.

As an editorial, I must agree with a fellow Poster - The K-Horns are THE flagship. Other models of speaker may come and go in the Klipsch line, but when Klipsch is mentioned, I always think of K-Horns.

dodger

[cjgeraci]

Unfortunately, this is one of the problems/blessings when there are a limited number of authorized dealers in your area that carry Klipsch reference. Yes, Ultimate Electronics also carries the Reference line in my town. In fact, they are the primary authorized dealer for a large area, and I have purchased a number of my Klipsch speakers from them. They problem is that they have no clue as to exactly how to set up Klipsch speakers. Ultimate usually keeps one Reference seven system (including RC-7,RS-7, & RSW-15) in a dedicated room with a large projection TV to show them off for HT because they are big (and in my eyes beautiful). Therefore, you most likely heard Definitives and the RF-7s off of different amplification.

Ultimate typically does not: 1) run the warmest amplification they have in the store with RF-7s, including Denons which they carry and should run; and 2) treat their rooms properly. Therefore, as some have said, RF-7s are very revealing, and its garbage in and garbage out. A Pioneer Elite is not preferred, at all, to run with the titanium tweeters/horns. I seem to recall that Scott (Bruinsrme) used to run PE and almost sold all of his Reference sevens because it was just too bright of a sound for his family. Before selling them, he switched to warmer separates (Parasound Halos), and his life is now bliss.

Why is it this way at Ultimate? They make good money on selling bunches of Klipsch speakers, usually Reference twenty-five and thirty-five series, but, according to them, they just do not sell many Reference seven series. Despite putting them in one of their dedicated rooms, Ultimate apparently does not focus on the seven series, and therefore, does not know how to properly run them. Instead, Ultimate considers KEF and Definitive Technologies to be the higher end speakers in their stores, and emphasizes them. I'll put it to you this way. When I was auditioning separates, my Ultimate dealer suggested running their RF-7s with a Krell pre/pro and amp. Not the best suggestion for titanium drivers......Also, everyone has to forgive the poster for his "flagship" comment. Yes, Ultimate also "carries" the Heritage line (can order them supposedly), but have you ever seen any in an Ultimate store? I don't think so. They would then have to explain how that entire line compares to their other speakers (KEF, Definitive). As a result, most of the Ultimate salespeople mistakenly think of the RF-7s as flagship of the entire company. That's not to say that I shy away from my RF-7s because, especially after my latest x-over mods, they are one incredible speaker.

All of this probably does not help you unless you can find other RF-7s properly set up and run in your area. I will tell you that mine are not overly bright at all. Instead, the detail shines through, and you can listen to hours at very high volume, without ear fatigue. I agree with others that you may want to consider Polk or Infinity, which are somewhat more warm sounding. Other speakers like Paradigms and Axioms also run, what some call, bright or detailed tweeters, and therefore, you might be in a similar boat.

As for room treatments, carpeting is not going to be enough. Browse the architectural section in this forum by going back to older posts and look for discussions on Owens Corning (OC) 703(5) fiberglass panels (or made by other manufacturers). There are some alternative materials for panels that are just about as effective. And don't forget some good bass traps (or panels that can dig that low - such as RealTraps).

Good luck in your search.

Carl.

[SteelerFan]

All I can add is, to me, there is a world of difference between the way my RF-7's sound now compared to the way they sounded when I first got them. They really change alot, for the better, as they break in. Ask the salesman at Ultimate how long that pair has been on the floor.

[cjgeraci]

I agree. There is a break-in period with the RF-7s.

Carl.

[toddvj]

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On 6/7/2004 9:40:22 AM cjgeraci wrote:

Why is it this way at Ultimate? They make good money on selling bunches of Klipsch speakers, usually Reference twenty-five and thirty-five series, but, according to them, they just do not sell many Reference seven series. Despite putting them in one of their dedicated rooms, Ultimate apparently does not focus on the seven series, and therefore, does not know how to properly run them. Instead, Ultimate considers KEF and Definitive Technologies to be the higher end speakers in their stores, and emphasizes them.

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They don't sell that many Reference seven series because they are $1000 each. They don't sell many $1000 Kef or Definitive Techology speakers either.

[cjgeraci]

Point well taken. However, based on my experiences with Ultimate Electronics stores in the Midwest, their salespersons tend to emphasize those other two brands over Reference sevens when you start talking about that amount of jack.

Carl.