Klipsch RF7 iii vs JBL 590

[Danzilla31]

You like big dynamic speakers, subs and ports, and you’re not gonna lie.

Yeah you created a monster in me bro. I love so many different types of speakers but big dynamic speakers and subs there's just nothing like it if you haven't experienced it in my humble opinion

As for ports well that's another story

 

[robwas]

I have owned the Klipsch RP8000F and I've owned the JBL 590 and Bjorns has the RF7iii's
and I went up there just the other week and had them properly placed and set up right in a private room and listened to them extensively and AB'D them with golden ear B&W and several other high end brands

And except for ironically the M&K speakers the Klipsch were my favorite

If you guys remember I posted a thread on here comparing the JBL 590 to the Klipsch 8000f. And it was very close.

The 590 but the 8000fs held up really well

Basically the 590's could do everything the Klipsch could do just a little bit better especially with the tweeter and they could go louder with less distortion

Now the RF7 iii can do everything the JBL 590 can do a whole lot better even in the high end and play a whole lot louder with zero distortion.

And as dynamic as the JBL were the Klipsch RF7iii just were so much more dynamic. The bass is very balanced for those 10 inch drivers powerful but great balance midrange some of the best I've heard and the highs so so clear and quick and detailed with zero harshness at all.

They are easily one of my favorite all time speakers for home theater and they sound great for music too.

Compared to my RBH SV 831R though they put up a good fight but they lose out. But the 831R cost much more then the RF7 iii. Where the RBH win is they sound just as good for movies but they are some of the best speakers I've ever heard in my life for music.

They have a way of disappearing into the best Soundstage detail and imaging I've ever heard in my life. And every area midrange bass and tweeter is superb.

The Klipsch RF7iii have a characteristic I've heard with good horns. The Soundstage is more forward direct and in your face. This is not a bad thing They are never shouty honky or bright as poorly designed horns are they don't have the cupped hands effect. Its just the Soundstage is presented more in front and closer to you which is great for movies while the RBH has a Soundstage much further back and wider which I lose myself in and find I prefer for music especially its a tie for home theater

Bottom line The RF7III are one of my favorite speakers I've listened to. They are a very lively speaker with huge dynamics and can be driven at any level with no distortion. They sound as good at lower volumes as high. I would say they are one of the most exciting sounding speakers I've ever listened to and if you like a speaker that can do live music and rock while still belting out some classical then these are for you.

The key is what Ryan said. You need some distance from them for the magic to happen. And they need some breathing room off of the back walls

Without over analyzing I when I got my RF7's they immediately sounded good but sometimes a speaker that has a good initial impression can wear on you. It hasn't been the case though, we listen to music probably 4 hours a day on them and use them to watch youtube, tv and movies as well. For the money I think they were a great purchase.

 

[Danzilla31]

Without over analyzing I when I got my RF7's they immediately sounded good but sometimes a speaker that has a good initial impression can wear on you. It hasn't been the case though, we listen to music probably 4 hours a day on them and use them to watch youtube, tv and movies as well. For the money I think they were a great purchase.

Yeah I was super impressed with the Klipsch RF7 line and I like there THX in ceiling speakers!

 

[Danzilla31]

Without over analyzing I when I got my RF7's they immediately sounded good but sometimes a speaker that has a good initial impression can wear on you. It hasn't been the case though, we listen to music probably 4 hours a day on them and use them to watch youtube, tv and movies as well. For the money I think they were a great purchase.

Yeah I agree for thr money you got yourself some kicka$$ speakers congratulations!

 

[Kleinst]

Yeah I was super impressed with the Klipsch RF7 line and I like there THX in ceiling speakers!

I went and listened to some RF7iii's at Nebraska Furniture last weekend. I noted very dynamic sounds in the action scene I chose there from their disk which was a Jurasic Park cut. One thing interesting was the voices did not sound good to me. I think it's possible that they just weren't EQ'd right but I wasn't impressed with that aspect.

Listeded to some Revel F36's and they were very similar to my Infinity setup which makes sense as they are a similar speaker made by the same company. Those are a big less dynamic with very accurate sounding voices. And the dynamics are still good for me with the subs I have.

Overall, I would replace my 590s upstairs perhaps if I fell upon some RF7 iii's for cheap used but I wouldn't buy them myself for that room. If I was going to replace the 590s, I'd likely just go all out and buy JTRs and be done with it. Otherwise, for the amount of time i use that room, the 590s are perfect for now.

I actually went to listen to that to that exact scene in all 3 of my setups and what I find is that each have something that sounds better and some of it is probably driven by the level of perfection or lack there of in how the room has bene dialed in with the system. But all things being equal, I think it sounded best with the Infinity setup (vs. 590s vs. Polk RtiA7's)

But here's the good news. Nobody would lose if they had RF7's or any setup listed in this write up. And definately with Dan's RBH's

 

[Danzilla31]

I went and listened to some RF7iii's at Nebraska Furniture last weekend. I noted very dynamic sounds in the action scene I chose there from their disk which was a Jurasic Park cut. One thing interesting was the voices did not sound good to me. I think it's possible that they just weren't EQ'd right but I wasn't impressed with that aspect.

Listeded to some Revel F36's and they were very similar to my Infinity setup which makes sense as they are a similar speaker made by the same company. Those are a big less dynamic with very accurate sounding voices. And the dynamics are still good for me with the subs I have.

Overall, I would replace my 590s upstairs perhaps if I fell upon some RF7 iii's for cheap used but I wouldn't buy them myself for that room. If I was going to replace the 590s, I'd likely just go all out and buy JTRs and be done with it. Otherwise, for the amount of time i use that room, the 590s are perfect for now.

I actually went to listen to that to that exact scene in all 3 of my setups and what I find is that each have something that sounds better and some of it is probably driven by the level of perfection or lack there of in how the room has bene dialed in with the system. But all things being equal, I think it sounded best with the Infinity setup (vs. 590s vs. Polk RtiA7's)

But here's the good news. Nobody would lose if they had RF7's or any setup listed in this write up. And definately with Dan's RBH's

At Bjorns they have rooms treated for Acoustics and they will set you up in there and bring the speakers in and hook them up and get you setup perfect so that really helps its not the same as in your own room at home. But it works great for comparing them in theyr'e room. I really think it was an eq issue with the voices you were noticing because voices are one of the RP 8000f and the RF7 iii's strong suits actually

 

[robwas]

I went and listened to some RF7iii's at Nebraska Furniture last weekend. I noted very dynamic sounds in the action scene I chose there from their disk which was a Jurasic Park cut. One thing interesting was the voices did not sound good to me. I think it's possible that they just weren't EQ'd right but I wasn't impressed with that aspect.

Listeded to some Revel F36's and they were very similar to my Infinity setup which makes sense as they are a similar speaker made by the same company. Those are a big less dynamic with very accurate sounding voices. And the dynamics are still good for me with the subs I have.

Overall, I would replace my 590s upstairs perhaps if I fell upon some RF7 iii's for cheap used but I wouldn't buy them myself for that room. If I was going to replace the 590s, I'd likely just go all out and buy JTRs and be done with it. Otherwise, for the amount of time i use that room, the 590s are perfect for now.

I actually went to listen to that to that exact scene in all 3 of my setups and what I find is that each have something that sounds better and some of it is probably driven by the level of perfection or lack there of in how the room has bene dialed in with the system. But all things being equal, I think it sounded best with the Infinity setup (vs. 590s vs. Polk RtiA7's)

But here's the good news. Nobody would lose if they had RF7's or any setup listed in this write up. And definately with Dan's RBH's

When you start getting into higher end quality speakers I think a lot is just preference, age, type of music listened to and sometimes even just the day. EQ can make a huge difference of course. As our hearing ages and we don't notice the highs as much that also changes what appeals to us. I really don't obsess as much over speakers now, when I was in my teens and 20's I drove to so many sound rooms and listened to 100's of speakers. Sometimes a quality speaker will also bring out flaws in a recording, when my cousin hooked up his XM radio to the Martin Logan electrostatics his wife complained saying "why does that sound so terrible"? Prior the XM had been playing through a set of cheap computer speakers and she never noticed anything wrong but soon as they were hooked to a more revealing speaker it was like night and day compared to a CD or other source. I never had Klipsch speakers when I was younger and had my perfect hearing but throughout the years I always liked them when I did hear them, even the bookshelf ones for the money were quite good I thought, we had them in the photo lab where I worked part time too. The only high end speakers I'll never understand the appeal of are Bose, never heard any that sounded right to my ears. Long long time ago I heard those ones on stands, I think they were 901's? They were ok sounding but still other speakers sounded better to my ears.

 

[Pogre]

At Bjorns they have rooms treated for Acoustics and they will set you up in there and bring the speakers in and hook them up and get you setup perfect so that really helps its not the same as in your own room at home. But it works great for comparing them in theyr'e room. I really think it was an eq issue with the voices you were noticing because voices are one of the RP 8000f and the RF7 iii's strong suits actually

Bjorn's is awesome and I got to spend some time in one of those treated rooms with a pair of B&W 802 D3s powered by a big ol' stack of Mac gear. One of the best systems I've ever heard ever.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

When you get into a lot more expensive speakers, you’re also getting into AESTHETICS (B&W, McIntosh).

If you think the speakers are a little ugly, then you’re getting into PERCEPTION (the more they cost and/or the bigger they are, forum popularity, the better they sound).

Also, if you have a bigger budget, you might tend to try to max out that budget, whether you need it or not.

Or some people just spend because they can. Bastards.