RS-7's

[PhilMays]

I am looking for a pair of black RS-7's. I really don't see these on ebay anymore. I'm considering taking my RF 3II's out of the surround position and replacing them with the RS-7's.

I want to try my RF-3's in my 2 channel system. I really think the RF-3's are a great little speaker and what I call a "giant killer". I have commented before that dollar-for-dollar, I feel these are the best in the reference line.

Again, if the price is right I may pull the plug and do it.

Thanks

Phil

PS: I could even use 1 and switch my system to a 5.1 set-up as I already have one that I use for the rear center in a 6.1 set-up.

[Zen Traveler]

What a drag. I also use my RF-3's as side surrounds. I have a pair of RS-7's sitting right on top of them that I seldom use anymore. Unfortunately they aren't for sale. Fwiw, I also prefer using the RB-75's as side surrounds compared to the RS-7's. The only way my RF-3's are moving is if I find a deal on a pair of RF-5's locally (or in Hope).

[Arky]

Do the rs-types cut it for dvd concerts?

[PhilMays]

I though about that arky. The truth of the matter is that I really don't watch that stuff anymore with the wife and kids.

I have thought if a pair of RS-7's were expensive, I might opt for the maple RF-7's at $999

[Arky]

Seems like a better choice to me but I don't like the sprayers.

[shepjk01]

Phil,

I had the rs7's before my full rf7 setup and do not regret getting rid of them. They are alright for movies in a 5.1 setup, but I prefer a direct radiating speaker. As far as multi channel music there is no substitute for a full range speaker. If you have the funds pick up a pair of the maple rf7's to match your fronts and never look back. Another problem with the rs7's is that they are not a direct match with the rf7's. Different tweeter, woofers and crossover points. The bad thing about this at least for me was that the transition of sounds from front to sides never was seamless. Say for instance a plane going from the front of the screen to the side sounded different as it transitioned from the rf7's to the rs7's. When using another pair of rf7's the transition is seamless.

[dkp]

Phil,

I had the rs7's before my full rf7 setup and do not regret getting rid of them. They are alright for movies in a 5.1 setup, but I prefer a direct radiating speaker. As far as multi channel music there is no substitute for a full range speaker. If you have the funds pick up a pair of the maple rf7's to match your fronts and never look back. Another problem with the rs7's is that they are not a direct match with the rf7's. Different tweeter, woofers and crossover points. The bad thing about this at least for me was that the transition of sounds from front to sides never was seamless. Say for instance a plane going from the front of the screen to the side sounded different as it transitioned from the rf7's to the rs7's. When using another pair of rf7's the transition is seamless.

That's not the speakers, it's the Doppler effect. []

-David

[UFObuster]

What a drag. I also use my RF-3's as side surrounds. I have a pair of RS-7's sitting right on top of them that I seldom use anymore. Unfortunately they aren't for sale. Fwiw, I also prefer using the RB-75's as side surrounds compared to the RS-7's. The only way my RF-3's are moving is if I find a deal on a pair of RF-5's locally (or in Hope).

My first Klipsch speakers were RF-5's. When I got the RF-7's, I just kept the 5's for surround. It's not as perfect as having RF-7 all around but I don't know if I would know the difference. As everyone knows, full-range is the way to go for multichannel or DVD concert films if the surround tracks have real music. The DTS version of 'Goucho' (Steely Dan) is fantastic in surround with full-range speakers. Skip the RS-7.

[shepjk01]

dkp,

Thanks for pointing that out. The sounds perceived
frequency does change as objects moved towards and away from the
listener no matter what speakers are used for front or rears. The
transiton itself sounds different with speakers that are matched than
ones that are not, more of a seamless transition of frequency than an
abrupt one. Basically the sound itself is eminating from a matched
source. An example would be a police siren. Say the car is equipped
with two sirens that have different sound characteristics. The police
car passes you the first time with one siren turned on the whole time.
The perceived frequency changes, but the change itself is seamless the
source of the sound is constant. On the second pass the police car uses the same
siren until he reaches you and then turns the second siren on and then
shuts of the other one the source changes. Not only are you going to
perceive the frequency change itself as normal, but also a change in the
characteristic of the sound since the sources of the original sound where different from in front of you to behind you.

[CECAA850]

Another problem with the rs7's is that they are not a direct match with the rf7's. Different tweeter, woofers and crossover points.

The RS-7's were designed to be the surround speaker in a Reference 7 speaker collection and are timber matched with all the 7 series speakers.

[Zen Traveler]

Another problem with the rs7's is that they are not a direct match with the rf7's. Different tweeter, woofers and crossover points.

The RS-7's were designed to be the surround speaker in a Reference 7 speaker collection and are timber matched with all the 7 series speakers.

Yep.What CECAA850 says is true. The RS-7's are tonally matched with the RF-7's and I never noticed anything wrong with the transition of soundstages. I also agree that direct radiating speakers can be preferable to the WDST speakers in a lot of configurations especially for music. Fwiw, I listen to a lot of multichannel music and have never noticed that my RF-3's weren't sonically matched to my other speakers. {edit: Unfortunately I don't have enough room for another pair of RF-7's}

[PhilMays]

If I listened to more music on that system I wouldn't even think about moving, unless it were to more RF-7's. I don't lisen to multi channel music anymore either. If I listen to music I go to my two channel rig and sip a scotch. The problem is that I'm not happy with my speakers in that system. There is no WAF, at all, for me to purchase speakers for that. So, I thought I could hang some RS-7's on the walls in my theater and take out my RF-3II's and use them on my 2 channel rig. The WAF goes up exponentially by loosing floor standing speakers in the theater.

I have one RS-7 for my rear center, but honestly I don't think it gets enough signals for me to notice any timbre matching there.

Truth be known I would love a set of Belles for my 2 channel rig but the WAF and several lvery large purchases in our near future doesn't make that very prudent, at all...and even I see that.

[Arky]

Ya know Phil whatever you do isn't irreversible. Make the wife happy. []

[dkp]

dkp,

Thanks for pointing that out. The sounds perceived frequency does change as objects moved towards and away from the listener no matter what speakers are used for front or rears. The transiton itself sounds different with speakers that are matched than ones that are not, more of a seamless transition of frequency than an abrupt one. Basically the sound itself is eminating from a matched source. An example would be a police siren. Say the car is equipped with two sirens that have different sound characteristics. The police car passes you the first time with one siren turned on the whole time. The perceived frequency changes, but the change itself is seamless the source of the sound is constant. On the second pass the police car uses the same siren until he reaches you and then turns the second siren on and then shuts of the other one the source changes. Not only are you going to perceive the frequency change itself as normal, but also a change in the characteristic of the sound since the sources of the original sound where different from in front of you to behind you.

shepjk01,

That was an attempt at humor on my part... I suppose I should have used the wink instead of the smiley!

-David

[PhilMays]

Ya know Phil whatever you do isn't irreversible. Make the wife happy. []

Arky,

Am I too understand you correctly. Buy her a fur and something blingy then take her to a spa while I watch the kids?

[Arky]

Nah, she can get herself to the spa.

[shepjk01]

Dkp,

No problem I figured you where joking , I shouldn't have went into the long explanation I just had some free time on my hands.[]

Phil,

As far as the rs7's don't get me wrong they are a great speaker. If space and cosmetics are an issue I would not hesitate to use the rs7's for sides. It took me alot of talking and bribing to get the wife to let me go with an all rf7 setup, but she likes the looks of the floor
standing speakers better than having speakers hanging on the wall. When I bought my svs pb12+2 and she saw it that was a different story. All in all I think you will be happy with the rs7's. They will do what you want them to especially since you don't listen to multi channel music and they do make a good match with the 7's with movies

[skonopa]

Ahh yes, the old "direct radiating vs wide-dispersion" debate.

For what it's worth, I have both RS-7s and RF-5s as side surrounds in my setup (with an RC-7 as a rear surround). My pre/pro (in my case a Denon AVR3802 receiver acting as a pre/pro) allows me to switch between them. I found that if I am listening to music, I do prefer the RF-5s, but if I am watching movies or TV, I preferred the more ambient sound of the RS-7s.

I'd say you definitely would not be doing any wrong to use the RS-7s and put the RF-3s in two-channel duty, especially since you did indicate that you are not interested in multi-channel music. Been a few times I was tempted to take the RF-5s out of my HT setup and put them in two-channel duty myself, but I'd need to find a good two-channel amp to use with them.

[dkp]

Ahh yes, the old "direct radiating vs wide-dispersion" debate.

For what it's worth, I have both RS-7s and RF-5s as side surrounds in my setup (with an RC-7 as a rear surround). My pre/pro (in my case a Denon AVR3802 receiver acting as a pre/pro) allows me to switch between them. I found that if I am listening to music, I do prefer the RF-5s, but if I am watching movies or TV, I preferred the more ambient sound of the RS-7s.

I'd say you definitely would not be doing any wrong to use the RS-7s and put the RF-3s in two-channel duty, especially since you did indicate that you are not interested in multi-channel music. Been a few times I was tempted to take the RF-5s out of my HT setup and put them in two-channel duty myself, but I'd need to find a good two-channel amp to use with them.

How about a B&K Reference 200.2? PM me if you're interested.

Since you have both the RF-5s and the RS07s in your system, would you mind going into a bit more detail about the sound you get from multi-channel music from the direct radiators and why you prefer it to the WDST?

[skonopa]

How about a B&K Reference 200.2? PM me if you're interested.

Hmm... Tempting, very tempting...

Since you have both the RF-5s and the RS07s in your system, would you mind going into a bit more detail about the sound you get from multi-channel music from the direct radiators and why you prefer it to the WDST?

I just found the RF-5s to be more of a direct, "in-your-face" type sound when it comes to music than the RS-7s, which tended to diffuse things to much in my opinion, thus smearing the imaging. However, I found with many typical, ambient type sound effects that are played in movies, they served much better purpose to that, thus creating a more enveloping sound environment. For example, I was watching a nature documentary on TV and there were wind and bird chirping sounds coming out of the RS-7s. I honestly thought it was real birds chirping outside my window (which was opened), but when I paused the TV (watching through the DVR), the birds suddenly quit! However watching a concert, it just seems more "I am there" feeling with the raw power and the directiveness of the RF-5s", especially since I was watching a DVD of a concert that I was actually at (you could see my head in damn near every shot!). Hard to explain, but that is just my gut feeling. I am certain other people will have other opinions, but hey, that is why different speakers for different folks.