comparing Klipsch RP vs Ultras

G

gatorgene

Audiophyte
For an add'l $500 I get all 5 Ultra Speakers plus a PB1000 vs RP160, 450C, 2 250 surrounds, PB1000
Thoughts?
 
TheWarrior

TheWarrior

Audioholic Ninja
SVS in a heartbeat!

Klipsch has by far the most loyal owners which will tell you otherwise, but I find their horns to be surprisingly difficult to setup compared to the constant directivity horns of JBL. SVS subs win hands down over Klipsch, and given the discounts SVS provides when ordering multiple subs etc, it seems like an easy decision to me.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I think everyone on this forum knows I'm gonna nudge you toward the Ultras. That's what I'm using and they're fantastic speakers. You can get away with using the bookshelf speakers for mains with a good sub if it helps save you little. I eventually upgraded to towers myself.

20170716_115902-1305x734.jpg


They sound as good as they look.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Not even a question. $500 well spent on the SVS's.
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
I think everyone on this forum knows I'm gonna nudge you toward the Ultras. That's what I'm using and they're fantastic speakers. You can get away with using the bookshelf speakers for mains with a good sub if it helps save you little. I eventually upgraded to towers myself.

View attachment 21729

They sound as good as they look.
Your setup looks awesome by the way, and I agree with what you posted as well. SVS looks like great products in general so I wouldn't hesitate with going with them.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Your setup looks awesome by the way, and I agree with what you posted as well. SVS looks like great products in general so I wouldn't hesitate with going with them.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Thanks het. Any excuse for me to post pics! :p
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
Thanks het. Any excuse for me to post pics! :p
Yeah I noticed. I wish I knew how to post pics but mine is not as nice and tiddy as yours at all.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Yeah I noticed. I wish I knew how to post pics but mine is not as nice and tiddy as yours at all.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Upload file. Then you choose whatever pic you want to post. I use an android tablet and got a free app from the app store for resizing photos so they'll fit here.

I just saw that photobucket no longer hosts for free, but imgur works pretty well. I don't use hosting sites because uploading from my tablet is just easier.
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
Upload file. Then you choose whatever pic you want to post. I use an android tablet and got a free app from the app store for resizing photos so they'll fit here.

I just saw that photobucket no longer hosts for free, but imgur works pretty well. I don't use hosting sites because uploading from my tablet is just easier.
Cool, I'll look into that. How hard would it be really. Thanks for the info

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Upload file. Then you choose whatever pic you want to post. I use an android tablet and got a free app from the app store for resizing photos so they'll fit here.

I just saw that photobucket no longer hosts for free, but imgur works pretty well. I don't use hosting sites because uploading from my tablet is just easier.
I agree. I just use my phone, it doesn't get any easier. If your on a pc, storage is super cheap and if you store them locally it's super simple to post pics. Oh yeah, I vote SVS.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I've been using Photobucket for years and have a lot of photos on there. I am pretty irritated at them.
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Overall, I would go with the SVS, but you should listen to the Klipsch.
Klipsch tend to make a statement.
Most people have strong opinions on them. Some like them and some hate them.
I have Klipsch RF-82ii's and an RC-52ii across the front for my HT. I paid a total of just under $1100 for them and feel very good about them for HT. They are "exciting" speakers giving a great immediacy to audio events (especially in an action movie). Accordingly, they are also very nice for high energy rock 'n roll (which fits well with their "pissing off the neighbors for XX years" marketing scheme)!
They actually make for pretty good overall music speakers, but you have to be meticulous about placement/toe-in.
The directivity of their wave guide is beneficial in my room because they reduce the interaction and my LR is decidedly an acoustically poor room.

However, I think you are making a mistake to be looking at 5 speakers that are all the same. I think you should dedicate more of your budget to the front two (if you listen mostly to music) or the front three (if you are an HT guy). Your current speakers will be fine for surrounds. Do a test by playing a movie you know well with the front three speakers disconnected. I think you will agree that the surrounds do not need to be on par with the fronts in order for you to have a great HT system!

If it was me, I would get 3 great speakers across the front and spend the money you save on not buying new surrounds on getting 2 better subs than the PB1000.

What ratio of music to HT do you listen to? For example, I am 95% music and 5% HT (I am not including basic TV as HT because sound is mostly immaterial for talking heads of news, etc.).
 
G

gatorgene

Audiophyte
I listen to TV 80% with music at 5% and movies @ 15%. I want a good dialogue channel The Ultra surrounds have a feature whereby you can hook it up to 2 channels thus making a 5.1 in to a 7.1. that is why the Ultra surrounds unless the overall consenses is in favor of the Klipsch. I live in a high rise condo so I'm restricted on the loudness of the base and also the floor vibration. So I need low's without much volume. That's were the sesnsitivity of the Klipsch may become important. Opinions not only welcome but need. Thanks
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
SVS in a heartbeat!

Klipsch has by far the most loyal owners which will tell you otherwise, but I find their horns to be surprisingly difficult to setup compared to the constant directivity horns of JBL. SVS subs win hands down over Klipsch, and given the discounts SVS provides when ordering multiple subs etc, it seems like an easy decision to me.
My dream speakers when I was a 20 something were the famous Klipschorns...I was actually saving up for a pair and I finally got enough cash to buy them and I started looking around at other speakers. My apartment was not that large so I ended up doing a 180 and buying a pair of Linn book shelf speakers. Klipsch are good speakers and they do have a very strong following. From what I've been hearing from SVS owners...not as many, but just as loyal...I'd lean towards the Ultras as well.
 
TheWarrior

TheWarrior

Audioholic Ninja
I listen to TV 80% with music at 5% and movies @ 15%. I want a good dialogue channel The Ultra surrounds have a feature whereby you can hook it up to 2 channels thus making a 5.1 in to a 7.1. that is why the Ultra surrounds unless the overall consenses is in favor of the Klipsch. I live in a high rise condo so I'm restricted on the loudness of the base and also the floor vibration. So I need low's without much volume. That's were the sesnsitivity of the Klipsch may become important. Opinions not only welcome but need. Thanks
Music is almost always recorded in stereo 2 channel. Yes receivers can make use of surround channels but it is less than ideal for some types of music/recordings.

Additionally, I would not consider a bipole/dipole with drivers pointed away from your ears comparable to a 7 channel layout. The sides are ideally placed just ahead of the listener, enhancing sense of envelopment. I think bipoles make great solutions for when 5 channel is preferred or needed in a given room, but direct radiating bookshelf type speakers are more ideal for 7 channel.

Given your loudness restriction I agree with your plan for 5 bookshelf speakers. It will give you a good balance front to rear, and when it's less than ideal listening hours you can turn subwoofers off!
 
G

gatorgene

Audiophyte
Pogre
You had mentioned that you would take a listen to the Klipsch RP line on another thread. Just wondering if you ever did and if so what were your conclusions
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Pogre
You had mentioned that you would take a listen to the Klipsch RP line on another thread. Just wondering if you ever did and if so what were your conclusions
I can't stress this enough, the lower lines of Klipsch will not compete with the ultras. Apples and oranges. If it's HT only you might not care, but as for linear Sound it's night and day. Like saying the mini Cooper is fun, but the M5 is a whole different animal.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I can't stress this enough, the lower lines of Klipsch will not compete with the ultras. Apples and oranges. If it's HT only you might not care, but as for linear Sound it's night and day. Like saying the mini Cooper is fun, but the M5 is a whole different animal.
Have to agree with this, but must point out, it's not fair to say if it's only for HT he might not care. Cinema sound is not only full of random sounds, which should be rendered nicely, but also full of great music scores. Also agree. The cooper is fun, but not an M5. Or m3 even...
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Pogre
You had mentioned that you would take a listen to the Klipsch RP line on another thread. Just wondering if you ever did and if so what were your conclusions
I defer to above about Klipsch. I think if you get the Ultras in your home you will love them. In the very unlikely circumstance that you don't, you can send them back within 45 days on their dime for a full refund, so there really is no risk. I love my setup. The Ultras are very detailed without being sibilant or harsh. The bass response of the bookshelves and towers both surprised me as well. I've had one apart and saw the high quality crossovers they use and build quality inside and out. The cabinets have solid inner bracing to dampen resonances and you can just feel the quality and craftsmanship, the weight that goes into building one.

They also image very well. I'm still picking out little oddities and effects in some of my music that I hadn't noticed before. Stuff like, "oh, that guitar sounds like it's behind me and to the left" (intentionally, for effect) kind of stuff. The bookshelf speakers really did well as main speakers with the Hsu's picking up the bottom, but the voice that won't stop drove me to get the towers and an amp, moving the BS to surround duty.
 
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