bookshelf $500 ish

[Bucknekked]

I longed for a pair of Klipsch Heresy's since first hearing them in 1971. The current $2k/pr price kept me as a dreamer - until I found (CL!) an affordable decent pair of 1977 vintage - WOW! They have a 12" LF driver in an acoustic suspension, ie, sealed, enclosure and employ the same MF & HF horn-loaded compression horns as the then K-horns. Placement is critical - as it is with your RB-61ii's (Try them back in the corner canted inward... ).

You do not know what you ask grasshopper when you say "put them in the back corner and cant them in".
I have another thread thats reaching overload on room placement, measurement, adjustment and eq for these speakers. Where these guys are right now is as close to optimal as they will ever get. I'm shopping for replacement speakers for this listening space. That's a whole other kettle of fish.

For the Heresy, I would love to do a set of any of the heritage series. I was particularly smitten with the Klipschorns back in the day. To hear a pair of those in a good room with some good source is almost a religous experience. Heresy, La Scala, and the others are all firmly in my mind as great, great speakers.

Mostly though, for today's equipment and most of our homes, they are relics of a bygone era. Power is cheap today. Back in the day, power was expensive and limited. Hence the wonderfully efficient design of the Klipsch heritage. In my listening room in the photo, one wouldn't eve be able to get a set of Klipschorns in the room.. such is life.

 

[JRT3]

I first heard the Heresys in 1971. I also heard the K-horns in a fellows small/spare bedroom setup with a Heresy center channel, each speaker driven by it's own 25-35W Dyna-kit tube-type mono amp. The sound levels were unreal with directly recorded pipe organ music (Magnecord transport.) as the source. I recall a mid-sized RCA 6 transistor portable AM radio with it's class AB output (No transformer.) running off a couple of C or D cells connected to a K-horn for room filling, albeit barely, volume - maybe one-two hundred mW. When I acquired my Heresys, I connected my Lowe HF-225 shortwave tabletop, with it's available 10 kHz BW and low distortion synchronous AM detector - and mighty one Watt of clean audio, to one of my Heresys - wow. Then I tried an RB-81ii - it was at least as loud! I had replaced my RS Minimus/Optimus 7 diecast external speakers on my SW tabletop radios with K. B-10 & KB-15 small bookshelf speakers some time back due to their clarity and efficiency, my 68 year old ears needing the help.

Seriously, check Craig's List and evil-bay for decent Heresys. Mine cost me $375 and a couple of gallons of gas - and filled my wife's 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited back - bring old blankets to wrap them in - an a known CD (Graceland by Paul Simon for me.) to test! He also had a pair of more recent K-horns for $2k - I wasn't tempted... much! Set along a wall - they look incomplete... I got the speakers I wanted - very pleased.

 

[Bucknekked]

I first heard the Heresys in 1971. I also heard the K-horns in a fellows small/spare bedroom setup with a Heresy center channel, each speaker driven by it's own 25-35W Dyna-kit tube-type mono amp. The sound levels were unreal with directly recorded pipe organ music (Magnecord transport.) as the source. I recall a mid-sized RCA 6 transistor portable AM radio with it's class AB output (No transformer.) running off a couple of C or D cells connected to a K-horn for room filling, albeit barely, volume - maybe one-two hundred mW. When I acquired my Heresys, I connected my Lowe HF-225 shortwave tabletop, with it's available 10 kHz BW and low distortion synchronous AM detector - and mighty one Watt of clean audio, to one of my Heresys - wow. Then I tried an RB-81ii - it was at least as loud! I had replaced my RS Minimus/Optimus 7 diecast external speakers on my SW tabletop radios with K. B-10 & KB-15 small bookshelf speakers some time back due to their clarity and efficiency, my 68 year old ears needing the help.

Seriously, check Craig's List and evil-bay for decent Heresys. Mine cost me $375 and a couple of gallons of gas - and filled my wife's 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited back - bring old blankets to wrap them in - an a known CD (Graceland by Paul Simon for me.) to test! He also had a pair of more recent K-horns for $2k - I wasn't tempted... much! Set along a wall - they look incomplete... I got the speakers I wanted - very pleased.

wow. I also had a Dynaco dyna-kit preamp and amp. now that's scary.
I have had 2 references or conversations about Paul Simons Graceland in the last 24 hours.
Again, scary.

I probably won't re-invest in big Klipsch for future use. I have been in technology all my adult life.
I have seen audio tech move and expand and then contract and get really consumer price driven.
All the while with changes swirling in every direction (good and bad) I'm simply trying to enjoy my music.
What I have discovered is that with the availability of clean, pure amplifier power, the super efficient speaker isn't a necessity. And with floor space at a premium and a wife who is only tolerant of my hobby to a point, I have to be very judicious with my speaker choices.

Some of the new wonderkids in audio have some smashingly good speakers that look great, perform great, and aren't very large. I'm finalizing my short list for an upgrade in the next few weeks. All the choices on my list are modest in size. Very highly awarded. And they sound stinkin' awesome. Hard to choose. Another 1st world problem.

 

[gzubeck]

s002wjh & JRT3:
I own a set of the Klipsch RB61 ii's, along with the center channel (sitting in my closet) and two RW10's subwoofers and a couple of other Klipsch for satellites. I have had these speakers for over 8 years and had them in 3 different homes including where I listen right now. All that really means is I have listened to the Klipsch sound for a long time under a lot of different conditions.

Would I recommend them? I am not sure I would recommend them. I would tell you they've done yeomans work over the years as both HT speakers in a 5.1 setup and as more challenging duty in a 2 channel stereo setup. They are a great value. They are built to last. They do have a distinctive sound. If you test drive them and really like the sound, go for it. They are price performers for sure.

I am auditioning my short list this month. There's no Klipsch on the short list.
View attachment 19824

im curious, what is your short list and price point?

 

[Bucknekked]

im curious, what is your short list and price point?

gruzbeck,
through the trusted and true science of trial and error, with a dash of respected opinions, my short list is the following 3, in no particular order. This will be for a stereo only, near field listening room dedicated to the purpose of listening to music, and the occasional movie or game on the PS4.

1. SVS Ultra paired with a pair of SVS subs
2. KEF LS50's (may or may not need a sub. that would be an after the purchase decision)
3. Salk Songtowers (no subs. they got it covered)

I also had Legacy HD on my list, but I could find no love on the forum for them, no actual owners who were willing to stand up and holler for them. I also don't know where I could demo them. So the Legacy HD fell off the list. There were several others offered by esteemed Audioholics as a great solution that simply either didn't catch my eye, or, I had already winnowed it down to 3 and wasn't going to muddy my waters.

The proposed budget is a closely guarded state secret. I have managed to learn however that its about $3,000. If I spend less on the speakers, I get to spend more on something else. There is always something else.

 

[gzubeck]

gruzbeck,
through the trusted and true science of trial and error, with a dash of respected opinions, my short list is the following 3, in no particular order. This will be for a stereo only, near field listening room dedicated to the purpose of listening to music, and the occasional movie or game on the PS4.

1. SVS Ultra paired with a pair of SVS subs
2. KEF LS50's (may or may not need a sub. that would be an after the purchase decision)
3. Salk Songtowers (no subs. they got it covered)

I also had Legacy HD on my list, but I could find no love on the forum for them, no actual owners who were willing to stand up and holler for them. I also don't know where I could demo them. So the Legacy HD fell off the list. There were several others offered by esteemed Audioholics as a great solution that simply either didn't catch my eye, or, I had already winnowed it down to 3 and wasn't going to muddy my waters.

The proposed budget is a closely guarded state secret. I have managed to learn however that its about $3,000. If I spend less on the speakers, I get to spend more on something else. There is always something else.

Are those the svs ultra towers or bookshelf? The bookshelfs are the real value there and then you can spend some money on other components. You might want to to look at the schiit modi multibit or the bifrost dac. I own the bifrost 4490 and I like it alot. The vidar amp is coming out next month for $699 and thats supposed to be really good. Their preamps the saga and freya are hybrid tube preamps, and theyve gotten good reviews, but Im not going to push those because I dont know what your looking for there. Im somewhat satisfied with my new a300 amp from emotiva and that could be a consideration too if you dont want to spend alot on amplification. If you dont need an active preamp Im using the sys $59 passive preamp to save a bundle. very clean sounding for peanuts.

 

[Bucknekked]

Are those the svs ultra towers or bookshelf? The bookshelfs are the real value there and then you can spend some money on other components. You might want to to look at the schiit modi multibit or the bifrost dac. I own the bifrost 4490 and I like it alot. The vidar amp is coming out next month for $699 and thats supposed to be really good. Their preamps the saga and freya are hybrid tube preamps, and theyve gotten good reviews, but Im not going to push those because I dont know what your looking for there. Im somewhat satisfied with my new a300 amp from emotiva and that could be a consideration too if you dont want to spend alot on amplification. If you dont need an active preamp Im using the sys $59 passive preamp to save a bundle. very clean sounding for peanuts.

Are those the svs ultra towers or bookshelf?

I was considering the SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers. Even with a pair of SVS subs, they fit the budget.

You might want to to look at the schiit modi multibit or the bifrost dac. I own the bifrost 4490 and I like it alot. The vidar amp is coming out next month for $699 and thats supposed to be really good.

I wasn't aware I was in the market for DACs or amps. As it turns out, I did audition a Schiit Bifrost DAC this week. I have to tell you that auditioning a DAC is like auditioning a clean piece of glass for a window. If its clean and transparent, and sized to fit your budget, there isn't much else to compare one to another.

Thanks for the recommended shopping list though. I love hearing about what other listeners, or purchasers, are interested in. I'm never quite sure in this hobby whether people are listeners to , or just owners of, audio equipment.

 

[gzubeck]

I was considering the SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers. Even with a pair of SVS subs, they fit the budget.



I wasn't aware I was in the market for DACs or amps. As it turns out, I did audition a Schiit Bifrost DAC this week. I have to tell you that auditioning a DAC is like auditioning a clean piece of glass for a window. If its clean and transparent, and sized to fit your budget, there isn't much else to compare one to another.

Thanks for the recommended shopping list though. I love hearing about what other listeners, or purchasers, are interested in. I'm never quite sure in this hobby whether people are listeners to , or just owners of, audio equipment.

Sorry, i thought you were looking at other components for your system as well. if your looking only for speakers in a 10X10 room you really dont need subwoofers at all. You might have to replace the glass in your windows with two subs. those svs bookshelf look like they go pretty low meaning they at least go down into the mid 40s in hertz. I know we all like tons of whip cream on top but be careful not to over do it in a small room.

 

[JRT3]

s002wjh,

We seem to have strayed... you wanted bookshelf speakers ~$500 for near field/PC use. You asked about powered monitors and if any are front ported. The only ones I am aware of aren't available locally ('Guitar Center', etc) - and they were Behringers - so I couldn't test them. The Emotivas are reportedly good, but, like my JBL Pro LSR-305's on my desk as PC powered speakers, they are rear ported. Mine sound great (I was able to compare them and many other 5.25" powered monitors locally.) even though they are on a made-up cherry plank 12" x 51" x 7/8" resting on some old RS Minimus 7 diecast speakers on their sides at the ends. The monitor speakers are 24" apart, with my 25" PC LCD monitor between them, and are about 5" away from the wall. The 4.5" height is enough for my office stereo's Onkyo C-7030 CDP to rest under alongside the Emotiva A-100 BasX amp (They drove the Klipsch RB-81ii's - now the Heresys!) and places the HF drivers at ear level. Sadly, the PC setup sounds awfully good - and can get plenty loud. The bass is unreal, too - I find myself wishing my PC could read my BRD collection instead of 'just' DVDs. Mine have been in-use >14 months. Wire them up to an AC power strip for on/off control as reaching behind the powered monitors to do so gets old quickly. You should find them ~$300/pr or less.

 

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