max_gator Posted November 24, 2001 Share Posted November 24, 2001 My local shop has some Klipsch classics - KSF8.5 and KG3.5 on closeout - 2 for 1. I am considering buying because I can trade in my Quintet system and get a credit of full purchase price towards any upgrade (for 1 year). Should I buy classics as opposed to comparable synergy series speakers? What is the difference? If I do, I will need to match surrounds and a center. The Klipsch website recommends corresponding classics speakers. Can I use synergy surrounds and centers? Does it matter? Finally, should I match with Klipsch surrounds - or would something else be acceptable? I always thought they should match but the salesman says it doesn't matter for surrounds - I think he's full of it. Thanks, a newbie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpgwagon Posted November 24, 2001 Share Posted November 24, 2001 Buy the KG's. The SF1's are great speakers but the KG's sound more natural IMHO. I have both. The SC 1 will match OK. I would use the KG's for fronts and rears if you have the space. $350 (or less} would be a good deal on a pair of KG 3.5's ------------------ Home Theater: Technics SA-1040DX Klipsch SF1 Fronts Klipsch KSW12 Sub. Klipsch SC1 Center Klipsch SF1 Rears Panasonic RV31 DVD Sharp 32" TV Audio: Vintage Technics SA 404 Receiver Klipsch 1976 La Scala's Klipsch KG 3.5's KSW 12 Sub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_gator Posted November 24, 2001 Author Share Posted November 24, 2001 quote: Originally posted by mpgwagon: Buy the KG's. The SF1's are great speakers but the KG's sound more natural IMHO. I have both. The SC 1 will match OK. I would use the KG's for fronts and rears if you have the space. $350 (or less} would be a good deal on a pair of KG 3.5's Okay, I screwed up a bit. They have the KG3.5 and the KSF 8.5. The 3.5s are 250 and the 8.5s are 300. From what I can tell from the website, the KSF is the next to most recent model. Do you have any experience with the KSF? When you say KGs for rears - my wife would kill me, so that's out. Could I use the Synergy surrounds? thanks for your help.(Since my wife just read this - I want to clarify: I meant that I don't want the towers in the back. She thinks they are fine. LOL) This message has been edited by max_gator on 11-24-2001 at 07:44 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmijeski Posted November 24, 2001 Share Posted November 24, 2001 In regards to the KSF models, I have the KSF 10.5s and they are excellent speakers. They have the dual 8 inch woofers where as the KSF 8.5s just have a single 8 inch woofer. I would assume that the 8.5s would be great too. The 8.5s have a silk tweeter (if I am not mistaken) which makes it sound clear and not as bright as the synergy sf-1 wich has an aluminum tweeter (if I am not mistaken) which some reviewers think are too bright for music (Sound and Vision Magazine september 2001 issue - Soundandvisionmag.com Textc> Textc>). I don't think you would go wrong with the 8.5s if you can get them for a good price. Regarding the surrounds, I have been told to "stay within the family" synergy with synergy and reference with reference. Perhaps the SS-1s would do the trick for you. I have the SS-1s which I matched with my 10.5s and they seem to work fine (even with the aluminum tweeter). Some charts even suggest matching the 8.5s with the SS-1s. If you can get your hands on a KSF C5 center channel you will be comletely impressed. They are hard to find but if you can pick up a used one on e-bay or something go for it. I have had the c-1 center and upgraded to the c-5 which truley blows it away with more bass and clarity. The c-5 center is also a perfect match for the 8.5s. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted November 24, 2001 Share Posted November 24, 2001 I would get rid of the salesman first. If you wanted speakers in the KG line I would move up to the KG5.5's,which come up for sale often on E-Bay.I have a pair myself and they are great speakers for the cost. Otherwise given your choices I would buy the KSF 8.5's and DEFINITELY get the KSF-C5 center and KSF-S5 surrounds.They too show up regularly on E-Bay.I have a C-5 center I'll sell if you can't find one. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmijeski Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Talk to Keith, We have spoken before on here. Ypou are the reason I upgraded my center channel to the C-5. I am glad I did. Question: regarding the surrounds, Have you heard the ss-1s? I purchsed these because I could not find a pair of the KSF S5. I also say that they had the same frequency range, yet the SS-1s were more efficient (94db cmpared to 90 db). I have heard others complaining about having to crank up the S5s all the way up and still can't hear them. I am sure the S5s is a perfect match. Did I make a bad decision? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Hey Keith, probably not.Originally the matching center and surrounds for the KSF10.5/8.5's were the KSF-C5 and the KSF-S5 surrounds.The matching chart seems to constantly change but originally the above was true(have the Klipsch literature here in front of me). Although I have not personally AB'ed the surrounds you speak of,I imagine the differences would be something akin to your findings with the centers.The surrounds often show up on E-Bay,in fact a pair closes today. Not sure whether the difference would be worth the money but hey,you already know which I prefer! Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_gator Posted November 25, 2001 Author Share Posted November 25, 2001 Thanks for the help guys. I need to check to see what the shop carries as far as the centers and the surrounds. They've kinda got me hooked because I can trade in my quintets and get full purch price towards another purchase so long as the price exceeds the quintets. It looks like I'll probably go with the KSFs. If they don't have the S5s, I'll probably go with the SS-1s. Hopefully, they have the C5 center. Thanks for all your help. I'm sure I'll have some more questions soon. This message has been edited by max_gator on 11-25-2001 at 10:36 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terminatorcbr Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 The salesman obviously should go sell vacuums, every body knows you don't mix and match speakers if you want the best sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 My sf-2's are so smoooooooooooooth with my harman. ONe of the most natural sounds i have heard. Lots of detail without being overly bright. The depth is really what is incredable front to back for music. What style do you like better? Because you can get awesome results with the synergy's just need the right amp. I recomend and older harman. I think Mark levinson desgined some of the orginals go look at the price of one of them gems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beesley Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 I've heard the KSF-8.5 sound nice. I used to own KSF-10.5, KSF-C5, and KSF-S5 and though they sounded great. I liked them better than some of the new synergy speakers. I had purchased the 10.5s on closeout for 225.00/pair in 99, the KSF-C5 in 2002 off ebay for $125.00, and the KSF-S5 for $225.00 in 2002. I borrowed a friends KSB-3.1 bookshelf speakers once to experiment between them and the KSF-S5 and they sounded awesome. I didn't like them as much for movies but they great for multichannel audio. The only thing I liked the KSF-S5 better in music for were sounds from the audience during live concerts. I think the KSF-S5 are definatly better for effects in movies, but if you ever want direct radiating speakers instead of WDST, the Synergy KSB line makes a real good match with the KSF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big mac Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 Older thread, but thats what I did, ksf8.5 as main ksb 2.1 as rear an ksb 1.1 as back rear, have kv1 an ksc 1 as centers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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