cfritzke Posted February 12, 2001 Share Posted February 12, 2001 Hi Everyone, Well, here I am making my first post to this BBS. I just spent my Saturday at my local Klipsch dealer demoing some of the speakers he had on hand, because I'd never had a really good opportunity to hear some Klipsch speakers before. I've been intrigued by high-efficiency designs for a little while because I'm tired of the compressed sound of my little monitors currently in my setup. I figured if Klipsch could deliver the goods, then I'd begin my quest for some new speakers. Well, the dealer here had a fairly limited selection to choose from, but I did get to compare some KLF-30s to some RF3s and some SF1s. Electronics were top-of-line Onkyo THX receiver and CD player, and the room was probably 5oo sq ft, with a 10 ft ceiling. Definately different from my home environment where the room is smaller with a lower ceiling, but this was just a demo anyway. Armed with some of my favorite rock, fusion and celtic Cds which feature a variety of both acoustic and electric tracks, I proceeded to listen. With the receiver set to "direct" mode (bypassing all tone controls), here are my thoughts: RF-3: Excellent bass and balance, although cymbals (and top end in general) sound a little dull to me (could be the room or the receiver). Cranked up, these really sound great. SF-1: Remarkably similar to the RF-3, but less weight to the bass, as there should be with half as many woofers. Still, very balanced sound. KLF-30: Like someone lifted a blanket off the front of the RF-3's. Everything, including the top end, is much more lifelike and just "there". Bass isn't as deep or tight as the RF-3, but still decent nonetheless. Mids are somewhat more forward, especially with some vocals and guitars. Not as neutral sounding as the RF-3's, but certainly more exciting sounding. Could just be the higher sensitivity and other factors. Which did I like best? That depended on the material played. For Rock, the RF-3's were awesome. For acoustic material, I liked the KLF-30s. Ultimately, I'd have to demo them in my home with my own system to make a final judgement. I've been reading the "KLF-30 Report Card" thread with interest as I really liked these speakers. I must admit, when I read what some people have written there, I'm a bit hesitant to fork over the $1850 CDN (approx ~$1200 US) for these speakers if for any reason I might regret the purchase later on. The RF-3's are $1100 (~$715 US), and I'm told I can order some brand-new Heresies for somewhere in between those two in price. But I have never heard Heresies, and am not sure whether the gamble is worth it. Some reasons I might want to consider Heresies is the fact that they are Heritage series speakers, and as such, hold their value better (?), they are still hand-made and the craftsmanship is better, and they are available in a wide variety of beautiful finishes (Spouse Approval factor is a consideration). I know they are fairly lean in the bass region, but that is not a problem as I would probably use a sub with them. So, the question boils down to which to buy: KLF-30, RF-3, or order some Heresies? Help? Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted February 12, 2001 Share Posted February 12, 2001 What will you be driving the speakers with at home? Are you getting that Onkyo receiver, or do you have something else? If you can somewhat patient, I'd suggest you consider buying a USED pair of Heresy from someone on EBay. They show up fairly regularly. You could listen to them for awhile, decide whether you like that "heritage" sound or prefer the sound of the newer RF3 or KLF-30. If you like the Heresy, cool. If you'd rather go with something different, you should be able to resell them on EBay for about what you bought them for. I have La Scalas, and love them! Think you'd find Heresy to be more in the spirit of the KLF line, only more so. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfritzke Posted February 12, 2001 Author Share Posted February 12, 2001 Originally posted by Ray Garrison: What will you be driving the speakers with at home? Are you getting that Onkyo receiver, or do you have something else? Well, I don't know for sure yet. I'm building a second 2-channel system for my living room, and will either move my Yamaha RXV-990 receiver (100 W x 2, DD ready) to the living room and buy a new HT receiver with DD/DTS, or get a decent quality 2 channel integrated amp. I'm not into tubes, really. And even though I don't want to start any arguments around here about whether or not amps sound the same or not, I tend to feel that the differences that exist between most decent quality solid state amps are too insignificant for me to care. Just give me an amp with a decent power supply and clean sound. I had considered your idea of looking at E-bay, but the problem is the issue of shipping a big pair speakers like that into Canada. My dollar is weak enough as it is, and I just don't think that I can justify the cost of buying some old Heresies, then spending just about as much to get them shipped here. Perhaps if I could hear some first, I'd consider it. And believe me, now that I'm living in a bigger city, I'm hoping I get the opportunity some day. Are the older Heresies better than the new ones, or just cheaper? Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted February 12, 2001 Share Posted February 12, 2001 If you are looking for bass response, I have read that the Heresy's are great speakers, but not as strong in the bass as some others. If you'll be using a subwoofer, you'll probably be fine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HT_Andy Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 I recently made the same decision. Compared the RF-3, KLF-20 (not 30), and H-II. Actually found a dealer that had them all. I thought the RF-3 maybe had a slight edge in overall sound- but too me they couldn't match the looks of the Heresies (wife-factor here, too). The dealer had a pair with mahogany finish that was beautiful. Anyway, I ordered an oak pair (also beautiful) & was well worth the wait. Anyway, I made the right choice as I ended up getting LaScalas, too. The Heresies are a perfect match for rear channel (if you're ever so inclined). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 If I was in the market for speakers right now and was looking at the same speakers you were I'd consider one other option. Wait a couple of months for the new models in the Reference line to come out. If what we hear is true, then it may be well worth the wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfritzke Posted February 13, 2001 Author Share Posted February 13, 2001 quote: Originally posted by HT_Andy: I recently made the same decision. Compared the RF-3, KLF-20 (not 30), and H-II. Actually found a dealer that had them all. I thought the RF-3 maybe had a slight edge in overall sound- but too me they couldn't match the looks of the Heresies (wife-factor here, too). The dealer had a pair with mahogany finish that was beautiful. Anyway, I ordered an oak pair (also beautiful) & was well worth the wait. Hey Andy, Thanks for your response. Could you describe in greater detail the differences you heard between the KLF-20, RF-3 and Heresy II? I'd really like to hear your comments on head-to-head comparisons between the H II and these other models. Thanks, Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOOMIS914 Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 My vote goes for the KLF-30's compared to RF-3's. I have not heard Heresy's though. I am biased though owning KLF-30's. See my more detailed post under "almost kicked my heresys" in this category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HT_Andy Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Colin, I'll tell you what I remember from a few months ago. I'm no audiophile, or any kind of qualified critic. First of all, I'm a Klipsch bigot & they all sounded good. The KLF-20's and RF-3's were next to each other & easy to A/B. The RF-3's seemed just a bit clearer sounding on vocals (Steely Dan CD). Another person in the same room might have said the KLF-20's sounded warmer. The H-II's (tucked away in a corner) seemed to be somewhere in the middle. I don't remember the CD or receiver make - but it was some pricey stuff. Given that, the KLF-20's & RF-3's seemed a little flimsy in comparison. As much as I respect new technology, I went with the classic looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfritzke Posted February 14, 2001 Author Share Posted February 14, 2001 Thanks for the responses, guys! If anyone has anything to add, please do as I will be checking this BBS often. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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