New RF-7

[Marty65]

Anybody had a chance to hear the new RF-7? I'm still waiting here in Chicago for a dealer to hook them up to be demonstrated. Dan

[M6 Driver]

I spent about 60 minutes with the new RF-7 and to be truthful I was rather well let down we had them hooked up to the Yamaha RX-V1 and right from the get go something was missing sounded nothing like thet KLF line as well the KG line simply put no impact no slam no nothing just plain jane sound kinda like muffled not bright not crisp just bland

just cause they cost more doesn't mean they'll sound better.

------------------

Thanks J

KLF 30 Mains

C7 Center

8.5 rears

Yamaha RX-V995

Toshiba SD-1600 DVD

Pioneer CLD-S201 LD

Pioneer PD-M53 CD

Sony 32 inch TV

no subs till house built

[cc1091]

I haven't heard it yet. The local dealer has the RF-5s on the floor along with an Rf-3 and one of the discontinued RP-5s. Unfortunately, I think they have purposefully hooked them all up using the cheapest electrician's copper wire they could find. Even the RP-5 which I am somewhat familiar with sounded a little ratty.

Hmm better continue this in another thread.

[Legairre]

Heard them this weekend while visiting my wife's father in N.C. I've been trying to decide wether to go with the Paradigm Studio 100 or the RF-5 or RF-7s. My problem was Klipsch doesn't have a center channel with the same exact tweeter as the RF-5s. So I was concerned about timbre matching. I finally heard the RF-5s with the RC-3 and the RC-7. The dealer used the scene from Airforce One where the jets do a circular fly by around Airforce One. To my ears the RF-5s using the RC-3 or RC-7 centers didn't have a seamless blend across the front. I then decided to listen to the RF-7s and they matched REALLY well with the RC-7 center. The sound between the RF-7s and the RC-7 was dead on. The tone didn't change as it did with the RF-5/RC-5 & 7 combos. The jet passed from one speaker to the other without any change in pitch or tone. The front trio blended nicely. Even though the speakers blended well I didn't feel that sound and PRICE wise that the RF-7s were in the same league as the Paradigm Studio 100s.

Before everyone goes and starts creaming at me let me say that I'm a HUGE fan of horn speakers. I spent the last month waiting to hear the RF-5s and RF-7's. I've also been resisting going away from horn speakers because I love the way they direct the sound and eliminate the nasty reflections that non-horn based speakers produce. I guess my expectation may have been too high. I guess that can happen when you read too much and wait too long for something.

------------------

"What do you mean its too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"

Radden Home Theater

[Guest BobG]

Just as clarification and not to deny your own listening preference, the RF-5 and RC-3 use the same tweeter. They are, however voiced differently with the RF-5 having more neutral and accurate response. That same neutrality is evident in the RC-7 even though the tweeter/midrange driver is quite different. This probably explains your preference for that center speaker.

[DLUngurait]

I spent my lunch hour one day last week at the local Klipsch dealer (Sound Advice). Unfortunately it was a spur of the moment decision and I went unprepared (no CD's or DVD's of my own familiarity). I had the salesman (a real rookie!) A-B the RF-7's w/ a pair of KLF-30's. Both speakers were being powered by a Pioneer Elite receiver (model?). I listened to the "Gladator" DVD and a local radio station playing rock music (man...a radio station...no CD...how sad is that!). OK so given the circumstances...this was my simple comparison: The KLF-30 seemed to have more bass...deeper & louder...BUT maybe not quite as tight as the bass from the RF-7? Room acoustics/speaker positioning could have been a factor here. The mid to high frequencies belonged to the RF-7's...much clearer - more refined. I felt the RF-7's were superior...but then again the KLF-30's were 30% off (50% off KLF-10's!)...hmmmn and I thought HornEd had cornered the market on KLF's.

I know there's been some bashing of the Ref Series copper colored woofers...but I gotta say I like their looks...nothing against the Legends but they are kinda plain to look at (especially in the black finish). The RF-7's looked more like something worthy of plopping down $1,100.00 a piece for...OK...I know it's all about the sound (heck, I own beat-up black LaScalas!)...but good looks can only help!

[Legairre]

Bob,

Sorry for the mistake. When I saw the model number for the RC-3s tweeter(K-105) and the RF-5s tweeter(K-119) on the Klipsch site I assumed the tweeters were different. I guess I just prefer the sound of all my speaker being vioced the same. That's what I have now and if possible I'd like to get it in my next surround setup. It makes the panning from left/right & front to rear more seamless.

------------------

"What do you mean its too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"

Radden Home Theater

[Kevin Merritt]

I just spent some time a/b listening to the 5's & 7's and I liked the 5's better. The bass was tighter but the 7's ARE more efficent. The guy at the store stated that the new copper cones take a LONG time to break-in (100hrs) and the 5's were broken-in... the 7's had just arrived. I told the guy to start a CD on repeat cuz I was coming back in a week to listen to some fully broken 7's. Overall, great sound. I'm willing to swap my Belles for a pair (long story).

[cc1091]

I was FINALLY able to hear this speaker at my local Audio King (Ultimate Audio in any other state). Like the Rf-5 sounded fuller than the RF-3, so to do the RF-7s sound fuller than the Rf-5s.

Still the bass did not have that warm vibraty presence to them that I was expecting from these two new additions to the Reference line. Sounds like the same old tweeter that is used in the RP series as well as the RB series. Kinda plasticky but smooth with no real detail. The experience certainly wasn't helped by the ultra cheap wire that they use to connect their speakers (and components?) in this room.

I will stick with my Rp-3s, but I am searching for a way around the tractrix tweeter horn..not enough sparkle there.

This message has been edited by cc1091 on 10-12-2001 at 08:40 PM

[Guest BobG]

The difference between the HF section of the RF-7 and all other Reference models is very big. The 1.75" compression driver in the RF-7 and matching RC-7 really sorts out complex detail, even when levels are quite high. At any volume, the amount of detail from this higher performance driver should be quite noticeable. I suggest a re-listen with appropriate matching components.

Though I don't like to sing this tune, it truly does take a while for RF-7's to loosen up. At least 100 hours is the reports we are receiving.

[cc1091]

The tone sounds the same to me. I'm not sure if the extra 3/4" dia = more sound presure. perhaps it does, but if I want sound pressure, I'll plug my Heresys back in. top of the frequency range is the same for this unit. Crossover point is in the same general vicinity as the 1" driver. It would be interesting to see a graph of the frequency response of this driver compared to the 1" driver.

I'm sure my opinion of this speaker was colored by the cheap speaker wire the shop was using for all the speakers in that listening room, but comparing the RF-7s to the Rp-5s that were still on display, I could tell no difference at moderate listening levels except that the Rp-5s killed the RF-7s in the bass end. Since the RF-7s retail for about the same as the Rp-5s did (actually the RF-7s are more expensive), I would at least expect frequency performance that is equal to the RP-5. I'm not sure many people really use that extra 6dbs/watt/meter (although I think a lot of people think they need it).

Just seems like I can pay more for a pair of RF-7s and get less than an Rp-5.

[TheEAR]

Sad pile of negative posts.

Well well FYI I own the RF-7's and I do use quality amplification(so far with MOON W5,Celeste 4250SE CarverTFM-75,Krell FPB600).The speaker cables I use are the Monster Cable 2.4 Biwire with the RF-7's.

Most stores use recievers! Sad waste of quality speakers.Fact is no reciever can even come close to the performance of a great power amp.Not even close.

The RF-7's has planty of slam,the bass is plenty.In fact the bass hits so hard you may feel like a test subject being pounded in the chest.Those who say bass was not great did NOT hear the RF-7's with a REAL amp.

Simple

The RF-7's are great speakers if the rest of the system(amp,preamp,cd player and cables)is up to the task.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

[Dale A B]

I gave a short preview of the RF-7's awhile back and got pounded on a little when I thought that there was something amiss with the sound. I believe that speakers at all price points should sound at least "good" whether

they are powered by a York 8-track or table radio connected with tinsel or jumper cables.

I actually had a similar combination back in the mid 80's with a pair of Boston Acoustics A150's ($500/pr floorstanders), and a Sound Design entertainment unit.

I thought this combination played very well until I upgraded to a "real" 2 channel receiver.

If the R series is heavily dependent on quality power,

I think there may be less purchasers in the mix.

There have certainly been many buyers of the complete Reference Series using a receiver in a home theater setup that are very satisifed with the sound as is. Right?

(Coverdale/Page coming thru LOUD & CLEAR on quality Heritage Klipsch speakers!)

[TheEAR]

Yes the RF-7's need quality amplification to perform at their best.

"I believe that speakers at all price points should sound at least "good" whether

they are powered by a York 8-track or table radio connected with tinsel or jumper cables. "

If the source is of low quality a great speaker will reproduce the signal its being fed.LOW QUALITY

I dare anyone to try a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3SE or 3.3 speakers with a reciever and after switch to the Celeste MOON W5,Bryston 14B-ST or Krell FPB600 and you will no longer wonder what a great amp can do.

Fact is quality amplification brings out the best out of your speakers.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

[Ray Garrison]

Keeping in the same track as TheEAR, here...

A lot of people are disappointed, initially, when they upgrade their video system. Why? 'Cause the wonderful, new, big screen, high resolution, 3D comb filtered perfectly aligned TeeVee set exposes limitations in the source material they never saw before.

I have a friend who went out and bought a new 60" rear projection Toshiba thingie a year ago. They delivered it and set it up, and the first thing he did was pop in his favourite tape, a VHS copy of Apocolypse Now he'd dubbed from some video store copy a gazillion years ago and played maybe 50 times. It looked, well, watchable on his old set (27" RCA from sometime in the mid 80's) but was AWFUL on the new system. He was disgusted with the "poor video quality" of the 60" set, and MADE THEM TAKE IT BACK. He's still watching the RCA.

Similar things can happen with speakers. I guarantee DABumann that you could find amps that sound find with speakers like the Boston Acoustics A150's but sound HORRIBLE when connected to the RF-7 - or any other high resolution, high performance speaker, for that matter.

------------------

Music is art

Audio is engineering