Klipsch Reference Series questions (1 Viewer)

[Tom_Maher]

I am looking to purchase all new speakers about 2000 (2100 is absolute max). Having heard good things about Klipsch from my friend, and having great experience with their Promedia line, I am fairly sure I'd like to go with them. The Reference Series seems to be the best for hometheater. I am mostly likely looking to pair up:
2 RF-5s @ $495 apiece = $990
1 RC-3II @ $239
2 RS-3II @ $375 a pair
1 KSW-15 @ 469 (from the Synergy Series, Reference Subs are too expensive for my budget)

Total: $2073

This puts me slightly over 2000 but I can pick up the Denon 3802 for 899, giving me an extra 100 for speakers. This is the absolute highest price I can go. Does anyone have any experience with this setup, especially with the Denon 3802 receiver? Alternatively, I could go with the cheaper RF-3IIs mains and go for a more expensive subwoofer, but would that be wise? I am also open to purchasing an SVS sub, but which would be best for this setup? Also, is there anything I should consider before deciding on this? I might be able to listen to a similar setup at my friend's house, but no stores around me carry these speakers, making a listening test impossible (though if they sound anything like the Promedias, i'll be happy). Additionally, sometime in the near future (perhaps christmas) I'll be adding an amp and two more rears to make a full 7.1 setup, will this setup work well with that? Thank you for the assistance!

 

[Matt_Briol]

Buy the SVS 20-39 PCI ($549) instead of the KSW and get the RF-3s . You can get the Denon 3802 for about $700 I think that would give you $300 (?) extra for speakers. That would give you enough to buy the 20-39 CS+ ($899) or even better wait for the 20-39 PCI+ ($749).

 

[Dan Joy]

Do not get that Klipsch sub(in my lowly opinion). Spend 50 of the extra 100 on an SVS!

 

[Tom_Maher]

Alright... I read over the SVS site and have been browsing around these forums and have decided that SVS looks to be the way to go. The main questions I have left then are:

Do I go with the RF-5s or the RF-3IIs?
Which SVS Subwoofer do I want?

Also, the receiver has been narrowed down definately to either the Onkyo 797, a refurbed Marantz 8200, and the Denon 3802. As of now, I am leaning toward the Denon, but which of these three will sound the best with my intended speaker setup? Thank you again for the assistance!

 

[Matt_Briol]

Get the denon, RF-3, 20-39 CS+

 

[Cam S]

Wow, you'll be happy with that setup!

For me, the RF-5's don't seem worht the extra cost, which is almost double that of the RF-3's, for me anyways. I would go with the RF-3's and get a PCI sub from SVS. I have a KSW-10, but it just doesn't cut it for movies, but it is decent for 2 channel audio.

 

[Juan_R]

Klipsch's speakers mate real well with the Denon 3802, espcially the RF3's.

 

[DanaA]

Yes to the suggestions so far. Klipsch/Denon are noted to be a very nice pairing. Although, some like the sound of Onkyos with Klipsch, I personally wasn't overjoyed. But that may well be my ears and the way I like sound. Obviously, a great deal of other ears might hear differently. With regard to the sub, I recall some threads on the Klipsch.com board discussing their reliability and performance. I have my Klipsch paired with a Hsu VTF-2 sub and it matches up nicely. If I had room, I might go with the SVS myself, but either brand would be great imo. Personally, I'd go with the RF-3's over the RF-5's and put the extra money into a better sub.

 

[Mike Strassburg]

Tom,

Have you posed this question on the forum at the Klipsch website? You'll get plenty of responses from guys running the set-up you intend to buy.

I've got a 3802 powering my Legends and love it. Good luck deciding...Mike

 

[Tom_Maher]

Thanks again for the help. The consensus on the Klipsch forums seems to be that the RF-5s don't sound better enough to warrant almost double the price of the RF-3IIs (which I can get for 280 apiece). If I do go with the RF-3IIs, I can spend quite a bit more on the sub than I originally intended. Going the all RF-3II route would also ensure that the speakers all sound good together. On another note, I have decided to go with the Denon 3802. Now all thats left is to decide on the sub! Once again, thanks a lot for all the help!

 

[DavidVTHokie]

I have a similiar Klipsch setup:
RF-3, RC-3, KSW-12

Except, in order to keep in my budget I used their floor standing SF-1 models. It's a nice tower, a little smaller with the horn tweeter and a 6 1/2" driver. I didn't want to wall mount my rears, so I placed these in the rear corners. I'm absolutely thrilled with that decision, and it saved me a few hundred $ to boot. They look just like their big brothers, and sound great (I believe the tweeter was shared between the SF and Reference line).

Several on this board are disappointed with the KSW-12 sub. To be honest, I loved the speakers and never "auditioned" the sub. I have the sub and don't think it shounds bad, but I do have it turned down a bit.

Good luck with your purchase!

-Dave

 

[Bobby T]

Klipsch and the 3802 are a perfect match. I have synergy with ksf8.5's for mains with my 3802 for now. Getting 7 speakers at once gets a bit costly. Have you thought about a diy sub. You can get a lot of quality and performance for a lot less money.

 

[BobAlbano]

I have the exact setup that you are looking at and I'm very happy with the sound of it. I have the Ref 3 setup paired with a denon 3300 as the pre pro and a sherwood newcastle amp-9080. The Klipsch sounded really good with the denon but they sound great with the Sherwood. If I were you I would look at getting a 2802 and use it as a pre-pro and try to pickup one of the Sherwood amps. They are a really great amps for the money. As far as the sub goes, I have a dual 20-39cs+/Samson combo and the bass is incredible. Mind you that I have all of this in a 12x11 room. If I were you I would go with the Ref 3 speaker package and the 20-39pc+. If you can find it in the budget get the 2802 for now and then you will only have to save a little more to add a amp to it.