I was robbed! How did it happen.?...

[Raider]

I realize that I'm preaching to the choir here, but wanted to convey an experience that some here may have had, but which I hope most here haven't had to go through.

A few weeks ago I had opportunity to visit a local dealer about an hour from here, and was allowed by their courtesy to audition a Reference setup for about an hour and a half, using CD's that I am very familiar with. I have listened to these CD's probably a hundred times each, and also used them to tune and tweak several high-end high sound quality vehicles over the years. In addition, I know some of the artists from work I did here in Nashville, so I can quickly identify coloration of their voice in the response of a speaker.

The 5.1 system consisted of a pair of RF82's and an RC62 for the front stage, a pair of RS62's in the rear, and an RT-12d in the front left corner of the room, and its ARC capability had been used to tune it to the room. The system was being driven by a Sony entry-mid level receiver, not an ES, so I think it was representative of electronics that would be commonly found, and would be probably on the low side of the spectrum of electronics quality that would be typically used to drive a Klipsch system. The listening room was essentially a room that had been partitioned off in a warehouse but furnished as a typical HT room would be. But it was large - about 18 by 30 feet with open door ways on both ends into much larger rooms. The only sound treatment in the room was thick velvet curtains on the wall behind the front stage. This was probably a more hostile acoustic environment than what would be found in most homes.

While I was already favorably impressed by auditions of Klipsch speakers at other dealers, I was more focused on selecting from among the floorstanders in the reference line, and used a single CD, replaying the same few cuts for comparison.

For the next hour and a half though, I was in sonic bliss. It would have been one thing if I had heard improvement in one of two cuts as is often the case when comparing speakers. But I didn't expect to find previously missing material in almost every cut of almost every CD. Often in complex passages, a familiar sound in a complex passage would reveal there were actually two, three, or even four different instruments or voices. Further the sound stage was deep and well defined, and seemingly in the room with you. In most every song, the Klipsch's dissappeared, and I found myself enjoying nuance in instruments, resonance in the body of guitars, timbre in brass instruments, and being able to easily hear when the resonance changes between the head and the chest of a vocalist as they move up and down the octaves. I enjoyed the performer and the performance itself; I didn't hear a speaker trying to reproduce a performance. I found this to be true, no matter what genre I played whether rock (ZZ Top), Opera ( Andre Pocelli to my wife's delight), Country (Faith Hill), metal (POD), or contemporary Christian (Whiteheart, Susan Ashton, Out of the Grey, and Gary Chapman), or even big band/swing. At one point when the saleman and I were talking, I actually thought someone walked past the door singing, so realistic was the imaging and soundstage.

I had frankly become pretty jaded toward audio having heard a lot of high end equipment that sometimes impressed, but usually didn't. It was often different, often better in some way. But on this occasion the Klipsch impressed me by essentially dissappearing into the music.

The engineer in me began to analyze (sorry can't help it) why this was happening. Of course the directionality of the horns and the associated ability to minimize acoustic refraction and reflection was a large factor. But the more I listened, the more I think the greatest contributor was the dynamic range, or headroom.

Though I had experience with Klipsch in the mid-late seventies, they were way out of my price range then, so over time I migrated to more conventional direct radiators, beginning with Advent, EPI, and JBL as the standard bearers. Over the years I had experience with many different speakers, and over several years I focused on high end car audio, as most of my available listening time was spent in a car. But after kids, we began desiring an HT room where we could enjoy TV and movies. I have renewed interest in home audio, and am also slowly assembling an office studio where my kids can enjoy the creativity of music, and Garageband on my mac.

The availability of increasingly cheap power has to some degree driven the current audio landscape. Most folks seeking high end find a speaker they like, and throw as much power as they can afford at it, hoping there will be enough power to drive the speaker to realistic levels within the headroom of the amp. Or they chose a very small speaker for its visual aesthetic and think that a more powerful amp will overcome its size somehow.

But even with the shrinking cost of power, amps capable of the kind of power required are still often out of the typical HT budget range. If you give away up to 10 db of headroom in your speaker selection, this approach seldom becomes practical, or achievable, at least for most folks I have found. From a physics standpoint throwing more power at a driver that is already fast approaching its mechanical limits only increases the heat soak of the voice coil, and increases distortion, usually at an exponential rate. With the dynamic peaks in music often 10 times that of the average signal, preserving as much headroom in both the speaker and the amplifier as possible becomes more and more important to realistic reproduction.

The 6-10 db increase in efficiency offered by Klipsch over its peer competitors in most cases, puts usable headroom within the reach of the power offered by most any mainstream amp or receiver.

So while my right brain was enjoying my favorite music as for the first time, my left brain was busy realizing that over time I had been robbed of dynamic range. I searched for what I had heard in Klipsch years ago among direct radiators across the years. And I realized I had been slowly robbed of the dynamics necessary - necessary - for realistic sound reproduction.

Kudo's to Klipsch engineering and product development for the great job they have done on the Reference line. They have allowed the intrinsic benefits of the horn philosophy to be much more easily attained by those who love music. For those who can take the experience to the next level with the Heritage line, all I can say is - enjoy.

I came away from this experience knowing with absolute certainty that Klipsch will be the next speakers in my house, Lord willing. And likely the last. Because I had forgotten that it really isn't so much about the equipment. Its really all about the music.

This especially became apparent to me after I was playing my wife's favorite Andre Pocelli cut. The song ended, and my wife turned her head, and looked in my eyes with an expression that said " We've got to have this". And that pretty much said it all.

Just my opinion, for what its worth.

[dtel]

Very good because at the same time you got wife sold also .

You know what to do now.

[Daddy Dee]

Raider,

Excellent review. Thanks for posting on your experience. Klipsch does build sweetheart speakers.

[Doc Robin]

Very well stated. Now you just have to decide on which Klipsch you want. Heritage can be had for a good price if you watch the local paper.

Later Bill

[oldbuckster]

So, the middle of the line Sony did a good job powering those speakers? I happen to like Sony products, but find most on this forum don't...........running my H2's I find the Sony lacking in 2 channel....but.....hook it up to the La Scalas I'm using......NO problem, 2 channel sounds great.....is there that much difference in speakers......Personally speaking, I would rather invest money in good speakers, than spend big bucks on a power source with so-so speakers.....buy the best speakers you can afford, worry about powering them later, easy to change power sources, hard to find speakers you really like........

[Jay481985]

good review, now listen to the flagship!

[3dzapper]

A great novel by Raider. I laughed, I cried, I laughed again! Now we wait for the sequel for the happy ending.[8]

Rick

[Raider]

So, the middle of the line Sony did a good job powering those speakers? I happen to like Sony products, but find most on this forum don't...........running my H2's I find the Sony lacking in 2 channel....but.....hook it up to the La Scalas I'm using......NO problem, 2 channel sounds great.....is there that much difference in speakers......Personally speaking, I would rather invest money in good speakers, than spend big bucks on a power source with so-so speakers.....buy the best speakers you can afford, worry about powering them later, easy to change power sources, hard to find speakers you really like........

The salesman told me that he deliberately left the setup on an entry level receiver, reasoning that if someone had a receiver like it, they would know the Klipsch's would sound as good for them, and that it was really the speakers making the difference. And if a customer had better electronics, they would be very confident that the Klipsc's would sound ever better on their home system. I know this; they sure did the Sony proud.

[Raider]

A great novel by Raider. I laughed, I cried, I laughed again! Now we wait for the sequel for the happy ending.[8]

Rick

Coming soon to a (home) theatre near you, a heart warming story of a boy, his dog, and infrasonic bass....

[Raider]

good review, now listen to the flagship!

I have, but I have decided that I can't fit them in my budget - along with the dining room suit that would be needed to go with 'em.

Actually, the wife's encouraging me do do what I want to do. I thought about Fish's RF83/RC64 as he's just up the road about 5 hours, but she prefers something in black, so with this kind of support, why not get what we both want.

[jheis]

Pick up a couple of used B&K amps for ~$200-300 on ebay or audiogon and hear what was missing with the Sony.

James

[colterphoto1]

Thanks for the excellent review and read. One of the better written posts of the magic of Klipsch speakers I've read in quite a while.

Welcome to the madness, step right on in, the water's fine!

Do you need suggestions for your next system? We're here to help.

Michael

[Duke Spinner]

Robbed ..??

Aaaahh...

my first thought .. was O.B. got yer Silverware..............[]

[Cal Blacksmith]

Raider wrote "At one point when the saleman and I were talking, I actually thought

someone walked past the door singing, so realistic was the imaging and

soundstage."

Yep, that happens all the time in my heratage powered HT. At least once a movie I will think someone is behind me, but NOOOOO, it is only the sound of Klipsch! Enjoy your new found love! It is great that the wife is on board also, GREEN LIGHT!!