Audioholics reports breaking news about new Klipsch line up with complete details sounds awesome!

[htxpert]

Audioholics has a complete detailed description about the new Reference speakers that will be announced at CES.

The new Klipsch Reference series sounds like it will be awesome. It appears to be a total revamp from top to bottom

http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/KlipschReference.php

Enjoy

[BobbyT]

Drool[]

[skonopa]

Hmmm...

Very interesting.

I wonder how that new RF-83 will be compared to the current RF-7, which I currently have.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures, not to mention how they actually sound.

[marems]

Looks like its going to be very interesting! I like the fact they are bringing back the neo motors, They worked very well in the Epic series.

[MrMcGoo]

Three woofers in parallel may be more power hungry than the current RF-7s. I will wait and see, but major impedance problems are not needed IMO. It would be a good idea for manufacturers to publish minmum impedances in the bass frequencies.

Bill

[kenratboy]

I am confused as he11 by the new model numbers for everything - does not seem to make any sense.

What I want to know is - is that the whole of the new Reference

Series? If so, they have trimmed back a lot of gear - which is a

good thing - makes it easier for a dealer to carry the full line.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[ottscay]

I sooooo can't wait two more weeks for photos. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!1

Ok, sorry, got that out of my system...

[JMA141]

Are they getting rid of the RVX series?

[DrWho]

Three woofers in parallel...

No way they're all in parallel...one of them is bound to be a midrange driver or at the very least all three are a taperred array.

It's cool to see a manufacturer putting out a triangle shaped sub....though that totally takes away from the coolness of my own DIY triangle configurations (mine are identical with the front-firing driver and rear PRs).

[MrMcGoo]

I hope that the three woofers are part of a three way design. The reduction in the tweeter's size is likley due to a more narrow frequency range which is consistent with a 3 way design. However, some folks claim that it is a two way design. Time will tell.

Two woofers in parallel will be tough enough to drive.

Bill

[westcott]

I hope that the three woofers are part of a three way design. The reduction in the tweeter's size is likley due to a more narrow frequency range which is consistent with a 3 way design. However, some folks claim that it is a two way design. Time will tell.

Two woofers in parallel will be tough enough to drive.

Bill

I agree that three woofers would be too unneccessary. Maybe this was a compromise to make up for the smaller drivers in the new subs.

If I had my say, the one thing I would have changed instead of more drivers would be a larger cabinet with all the old laminate choices and the same couple of 10" drivers with the more rigid structural attention.

I am not sure what to make of the smaller tweeter. That seems like a step in the wrong direction too!!!

I will just have to wait like the rest of you to see if they sound better than the current RF series!!!

[DrWho]

Well the age old complaint with the RF-7 was problems in the midrange...so I can only imagine they tried to improve upon it with the third woofer.

It's not like Klipsch would put out a worse sounding speaker and charge more for it...I can't wait to go demo away.

[easylistener]

I am sorry to say but the main compliant of the rf 5 and rf7's is that

they are to sharp. Plus have to much ear fatigue, which is

because of the highs. You can also read into this by the way they

are starting to market them, when saying improved highs, in every

article so far. I think these new speakers are getting them closer to some of the best, ie the forte's chorus etc.

I believe if they tamed the highs and the resonance problems then these

speakers will be a big improvement over the current reference

line. Be prepared to upgrade.

[Deang]

RF-82 = Upgraded/updated RF-7. 8 is one up from 7, and 2 = 2 way.

RF-83 = same as above except '3' = 3 way.

I suspect the latter is very similiar to the Premier speaker we saw earlier in the year from the German website. Cone loaded midrange.

RF-7 high frequency 'problem': Change the 2 ohm resistor in the notch circuit to 1.75 ohms, and upgrade the capacitors.

[pythagore]

I am sorry to say but the main compliant of the rf 5 and rf7's is that

they are to sharp. Plus have to much ear fatigue, which is

because of the highs. You can also read into this by the way they

are starting to market them, when saying improved highs, in every

article so far. I think these new speakers are getting them closer to some of the best, ie the forte's chorus etc.

I believe if they tamed the highs and the resonance problems then these

speakers will be a big improvement over the current reference

line. Be prepared to upgrade.

That's the part I don't understand, If your highs are too high then tone them down. Every receiver/Pre-Pro has tone controls for just that purpose.

Remember a lot of people loves Klipsch due to their high efficiency speakers, trying to change that may drive a few people away.

[DrWho]

I am sorry to say but the main compliant of the rf 5 and rf7's is that they are to sharp. Plus have to much ear fatigue, which is because of the highs. You can also read into this by the way they are starting to market them, when saying improved highs, in every article so far. I think these new speakers are getting them closer to some of the best, ie the forte's chorus etc.

I believe if they tamed the highs and the resonance problems then these speakers will be a big improvement over the current reference line. Be prepared to upgrade.

Just curious, to what frequency range do you associate "highs", "sharpness" and "fatigue" ? I generally associate them with 2kHz to 4kHz frequencies, the region where our ears are most sensitive.

I believe the HF section of the reference series make better tweeters than they do squakers and also that the majority of fatigue problems I deal with in the studio reside in the 1.5 kHz to 4.5kHz region (funny how the 2200Hz crossover is in the middle of it). The other problem with the RF-7's is their very low impedance drop, which is just very hard for most amplifiers to be linear with.

Dean, what exactly does the change in resistance on the crossover accomplish? I would think it would shift the crossover point, thus creating a gap? (nothing wrong with that if it makes the speaker listenable). But you mentioned a notch circuit...is there some resonance that they weren't honing perfectly in on?

[TheSoundBroker]

Are they getting rid of the RVX series?

Nope. RVX stays in the line. Different application and different

customer than the Ref series. Very decent sounding system by the

way...but not quite the big stuff. Now...what we all need to do is

lobby for an Ultra 2 floorstanding speaker... (EVIL Grin!)

[cjgeraci]

Very interesting. Many, many things sound promising.

As far as three woofers go, maybe we are talking about at least one woof being under 10 inches (as a mid) or perhaps all three. Would hate to see the top Reference speaker lose 10 inch woofers and go to a skinner enclosure....

Can't wait to see pics.

Carl.

[GTi_M]

Does this mean the current Reference line will be discontinued?

[Trey Cannon]

Does this mean the current Reference line will be discontinued?

Yes.

He has some of it right and some of it wrong...

The new surrounds look like the THX U2 KS-525-THX the only thing the same is the shape of the box.

the spec's that are stated are Prelimiary at best.

CES spec's are prelim as well...

THe 3 woofers are in parrell.

THe centers are tapered aray (2.5 way networks)

The rest you will have to wait unitl after CES...