New Klipsch reference lineup.....purchase them or (1 Viewer)

[Brad Newton]

existing reference lineup (rf3, rc3, rb3, rs3)? According to the website, the new lineup has reduced pricing without cutting quality? True or advertising?

 

[Nick V]

Well, I haven't heard them, but I saw some pictures, and IMO they look a hell of a lot cheaper than their predecessors.

If anyone's interested in the pictures, here they are:

RB-75
RC-35
RS-35
RW-subs
RF-35
RC-25
RS-25
RB-25,35,15

 

[Frank Carter]

I know the RF-35(replacement for the RF-3II) has changed to a plastic veneer to cut costs with the same 3/4" MDF underneath. All other speakers(except RB-75 and subs) aren't meant to replace any other speakers, they are just introducing new lower cost reference series speakers. One thing I really like about the new speakers is the magnetic grills, I feel like the grills on my RF-3II's are too flimsy(but I like the floating look).

The subs seem like they'll be a hit. With the new corner porting they can fit a longer port which means it can play lower, they changed driver material from paper to cerametallic, and doubled amp power.

They should be out soon so we'll see how they do. Does Klipsch have prices on their site for the new speakers?

 

[Haris Ellahi]

The new Klipsch Reference Series speakers are now on the Klipsch website! Check them out.

 

[Mike_J_D]

I said it once and I'll say it again. Klipsch has lost its heritage. They are building cheap looking and I imagine sounding speakers. I didn't like them when I went hunting for new speakers for my HT. And I was running Klipsch at the time. But the Klipsch I had were the old ones. I still have my Dads original Heraseys. If I was someone looking to buy new speakers for my HT, I would look at something else. But it is your ears that make the final decision. Me, I listened to a pair of Paradigms the other day and was blown out of the water. They sounded better then my NHT ST4's for half the price. When I redo my HT again it will be Paradigms all around. No doubt about it. Mike

 

[Frank Carter]

Mike,

Which Klipsch models did you not like?

I would love to hear some of the Klipsch Heritage line but unfortunately they're not readily available for demo.

 

[CurtisC]

My dealer sells Klipsch and Paradigm,I listened to the Paradigms,I bought the Klipsch.

 

[Mike_J_D]

I do not like the new Reference line. They look like they are built cheaply. I just don't think they sound as good as they use to.

Curtis it all depends on your ear. To me Klipsh doesn't have a leg to stand on next to Paradigm. And there are a lot of people who would agree. But my question to you is what model Klipsch and Paradigm did you listen to? Did you listen to them on the same reciever? Or did the place you bought them have the Paradigms and Klipsch playing on to totally different recievers? Now I will say that the Klipsch will be pushed a lot easier then the Paradigms. But the Paradigms don't take that much to get nice and loud. Hope you enjoy your Klipsch. I still enjoy my Dads old Heraseys. Mike D

 

[Shawn C]

I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE PLASTIC ON THE FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS! But, according to Klipsch, there is 3/4" MDF behind it all. It looks ok on the new bookshelf models, but no the floor standers. I am assuming that the whole plastic idea came from the magnetic grill idea.


I will give them a listen when my local shop gets some in. I guess these are replacing the RF-3II model. The RF-5 and RF-7 are staying.

 

[Nick V]

My dealer sells Klipsch and Paradigm,I listened to the Paradigms,I bought the Klipsch.

Interesting, I did exactly the opposite. I guess it goes to show you how different eveyone's ears, and musical tastes really are.

 

[Haris Ellahi]

They are building cheap looking and I imagine sounding speakers.

Don't judge a book by its cover.

 

[Frank Carter]

I did the same and had a really tough time choosing(Studio 20 & RF-3II). I liked vocals better on the Paradigm's but the HUGE soundstage and excellent dynamics are what made me buy the Klipsch.

 

[Michael R Price]

Maybe if we didn't all have crappy receivers and CD players with harsh and unclear sound, more people would buy the Klipsch speakers. I think the RB-5s are bright but not in an offensive way, just that a bit of distortion from our usual low quality electronics can turn that high-frequency emphasis into annoying harshness.

The new ones look cheaper but that doesn't tell us anything about the sound. If you go by the looks, my speakers must sound... pretty bad.

 

[Frank Carter]

I don't think anybody would buy Avantagarde speakers if we chose speakers like this:

 

[Tekara]

I use a full setup of the reference series 3 mark II speakers and I have been nothing but pleased with them. their frequency response is what made fall in love with them. I never did like the sound of treble before I bought them, then all of a sudden the "clean" sound from them just made me like listening to music with higher pitch parts in it.

 

[Chu Gai]

I can usually find something nice to say about most speakers. I've got a much harder time doing that with high end electronics though
This is a very tough and competitive market with much work being farmed out to other countries. And the use of engineered materials (isn't that a nice word for plasics!) is certainly increasing. As to whether you, the buyer, find that appealing or not is a matter of personal preference. The correlation of engineered materials with quality is not necessarily an inverse one. The modern automobile is a far more reliable and safer one than those of old which used our fathers and grandfather's drove. And when one considers that a Toyota is more reliable than a Rolls, Bentley, or Jaguar which lavish natural materials everywhere, it should give pause for thought.
To the Klispch credit, being a horn, they're very efficient. Little power is required to drive them and to fill even large spaces with sound. As a result, modest receivers, why even a Realistic, will drive them easily and without taxing the capabilities of whatever the amplification source is so that distortion is a rather moot point.
Klipsch also maintains a rather full featured website for owners to ask questions, share knowledge, etc.
While some may feel the Klipsch to be bright, it's really hard to say if much of that isn't due to people not paying any attention to their room's acoustic deficiencies.

If you like them and they meet your needs, then by all means, buy them and have a good time playing around. After all, personal preference is ultimately what the hobby is all
about.

 

[Cam S]

I myself like the look of the new speakers added to the Reference line, and I'll be getting a pair of the new RF-35's to complete my Ref. system. The new front adds a bit of style, as the old ones just had a simple front baffle, nothing fancy. I'm curious to hear if they sound any different, but I've read on the Klipsch Forum that nothing internal has changed.

 

[DanaA]

First off, nice to have another RB-5 owner here. Secondly, much more than any other of the speakers I've owned, I have found the Klipsch to be highly sensitive to what is being fed into them. I don't know if it's the horn design, the way they have the crossover set up, or the high efficiency, but they just are. I cringe sometimes when I see the components matched with Klipsch in showroom floors.

As for the new line, they are supposed to be very similar to the current reference line. You might even luck out and find a current model on the cheap as often happens when new lines come out.

As for the heritage line, some prefer the reference, but overall, those who have heard both overwhelmingly seem to prefer the heritage line for the better midrange. This isn't to say that the current Klipsch lineup isn't good, it's just that certain of Klipsch's speakers of the past such as Fortes, La Scalas, and Klipschhorns have taken on quite some status as time moves on. I've spent quite a bit of time listening to them and have to agree, although I do love my reference speakers.

The main problem with buying the heritage line for home theater is that center channels aren't readily available, although the Academy (I think this is the model name) is supposed to work well with some. As a result, some modify regular speakers in the heritage line for this purpose. Then, you have the problem of finding a single speaker for sale or someone to split a pair with you.

If you're interested in the heritage line, ask questions in the two-channel section of Klipsch.com's forums. They are readily available on Ebay, sometimes for quite the bargain, although, due to weight, they can cost a small fortune to pack up and ship. Or, look in your local paper for some on sale near you.

 

[CurtisC]

In answer to a question,I tried the studio 100's,the rf7's were imho more lively.I thought the 100's were good also.I listened to them on a lexicon/denon 9000/krell set up.The 100's are more forgiving with poor electronics.The rf7's require a good(not the best) source/electronics or they may sound harsh.BUT with a quality sources they outstanding at their price.

 

[Michael R Price]

Dana, I don't own Klipsch speakers, but my friend has the RB-5s. And when he switched from a crappy stereo receiver to a nice old amplifier and then to an even crappier 5.1 receiver, I noticed immediately. I've convinced him to build a DIY Pass Aleph 5.