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

[kenratboy]

Trey - I am shocked you would say that to me!!! [:'(]

[MrMcGoo]

Some folks think that Bo$e looks great. You will never make everyone happy with any design's appearance. With Klipsch it has always been sound and build quality first and looks second.

A more complex cabinet will run the price up and folks will complain about that more than the looks. Marketing is about volume and contribution margin.

Product is aimed at market segments. Most home theater buyers are relatively young. The younger market must like the looks of the current Reference line, because Klipsch would not have kept the similarity if they did not like it.

Personally. the triangular subs are very interesting. Paul Klipsch would no doubt like the clever corner design. I hope Klipsch has patented the daylights out of the design, since it is probably one of the bigger improvements to come along in awhile.

Bill

[JewishAMerPrince]

Product is aimed at market segments. Most home theater buyers are relatively young. The younger market must like the looks of the current Reference line, because Klipsch would not have kept the similarity if they did not like it.

Bill

Define relatively young? I'm not sure that the so called "younger" market likes the looks of the Reference. I just think that Klipsch never thought about it much. Now, I'm not suggesting anything as radical as a GMX or even the tech look of the Synergy, just something that shows some real finess. The golden/copper woofers were a great step forward 12 years ago on the original Reference, but that was 12 years ago now some added spice IS needed.

[westcott]

Hi,

All I know is, if they did not make a reference speaker in cherry or maple, my wife would not have allowed me to buy them.

I think Klipsch is forgetting that Home Theater, which is what the RX7 series was designed for, is an activity influenced just as much by women as men. WAF will continue to play a major role in most peoples purchasing decisions, in this regard.

Making black boxes is not going to help anyone's cause, IMO.

I had a hard time selling the towers IN cherry, as it was. I think even the faces should be in wood veneers.

[MarkBK]

Hi,

All I know is, if they did not make a reference speaker in cherry or maple, my wife would not have allowed me to buy them.

I think Klipsch is forgetting that Home Theater, which is what the RX7 series was designed for, is an activity influenced just as much by women as men. WAF will continue to play a major role in most peoples purchasing decisions, in this regard.

Making black boxes is not going to help anyone's cause, IMO.

I had a hard time selling the towers IN cherry, as it was. I think even the faces should be in wood veneers.

I agree with everything you stated - ESPECIALLY the last point regarding the motorboard also being veneered. B&W, among others does this and it does really raise the bar on the "design" aspect of speaker cabinets. I do fully undersand why the current Ref's are NOT veneered (costs probably being the most significant concern - more from a labor persepctive than materials). Real wood was a VERY big concern with my wife too.

[MrMcGoo]

Product is aimed at market segments. Most home theater buyers are relatively young. The younger market must like the looks of the current Reference line, because Klipsch would not have kept the similarity if they did not like it.

Bill

Define relatively young? I'm not sure that the so called "younger" market likes the looks of the Reference. I just think that Klipsch never thought about it much. Now, I'm not suggesting anything as radical as a GMX or even the tech look of the Synergy, just something that shows some real finess. The golden/copper woofers were a great step forward 12 years ago on the original Reference, but that was 12 years ago now some added spice IS needed.

My recollection is that the Reference line was started in 2001 and went through 1 minor and 1 major face lift.

The definition of relatively young could only be defined by Klipsch's marketing department which has the data.

I agree that WAF is a major factor in most homes. The only reason that I get by in basic black is that my HT is in MY room in the house. Many men do not have that flexibility. Personally, I agree that copper woofers are not very nice, but the solution is simple: Keep the covers on. Klipsch has improved the design of their covers based on input from this board.

Bill

[JewishAMerPrince]

Actually Reference series was launched in 99, making it seven years old.

[westcott]

Some folks think that Bo$e looks great. You will never make everyone happy with any design's appearance. With Klipsch it has always been sound and build quality first and looks second.

A more complex cabinet will run the price up and folks will complain about that more than the looks. Marketing is about volume and contribution margin.

Product is aimed at market segments. Most home theater buyers are relatively young. The younger market must like the looks of the current Reference line, because Klipsch would not have kept the similarity if they did not like it.

Personally. the triangular subs are very interesting. Paul Klipsch would no doubt like the clever corner design. I hope Klipsch has patented the daylights out of the design, since it is probably one of the bigger improvements to come along in awhile.

Bill

I do not disagree with you Mr. McGoo often (I heard it was not safe-hehe) but IMO, if you name your top of the line Reference Series, it should be your Reference Speaker. NO compromises. It should be the best you can make at any price or how many you sell. If you want to call it Signature or whatever, go for it but the word Reference should be reserved for the best you are capable of.

Second, I do not like the idea of being forced to use the corner to place your subwoofer. This may not be the best place for a subwoofer or practical from a sound viewpoint or logistically. Power is not an issue like it was in the early days of speaker design. I think Mr. Klipsch was a brilliant man and love his speakers, but corner loading is not always optimal or necessary in this day and age where amps produce more than enough clean power.

I am hoping that the three 8" drivers will help dissipate heat and reduce distortion from the crossovers.

I guess I will have to wait and see.