Klipsch RP8000F or what?

W

WJGJ

Audioholic Intern
Thanks to everyone replying to my previous thread regarding frequency response testing by GR Research. ryanosaur stated in his reply that there are better speakers out there. I don't live where I can audition. Please, some recommendations. Thanks
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
I listened to a bunch of speakers recently, so I'm going to quote my experiences from a few months back:


OK, got to Simply Stereo today and listened to a number of speakers: paradigm 800f, kef q750, kef r3, focal aria 936, focal chora, and klipsch rp8000f. They had Tidal hi-fi and Tool's chocolate chip trip ended up becoming my go to for drums and sound panning.

The klipsch were my least favorite. I didn't feel like they had as much clarity in the treble as everything else I listened to did.

I liked both sets of focal, but I wasn't that wowed by them.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the kef q750's. Imaging was great and sound was very balanced. I thought the bass was surprising considering that there was only one active woofer and the other two were radiators. My second favorite speaker of the day.

My favorites of the day were the Paradigms, very detailed and balanced, staging was fantastic. I just kept coming back to them. Listened to some ht tracks on them and the corresponding center as well. No complaints there either.

They offered to let me take a set home to demo, but I told them I'd have to come back with the wife's car and when I'd have more time to get them set up right at home. Also said that I could bring my Boston's next time if I wanted to compare. May just take them up on that.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Also, I did check out the Monitor Audio Silver line at a later date, and I would put them up there with KEF's and the Paradigms.

And to be perfectly honest, I was surprised about the Klipsch's treble performance as I'd always heard them being described as a bit more treble forward. So to find that aspect of them underwhelming was intriguing to say the least. I did sit about 6 to 7 feet away from each set of speakers when I did my listening.
 
K

Kwiercyski

Enthusiast
Also, I did check out the Monitor Audio Silver line at a later date, and I would put them up there with KEF's and the Paradigms.

And to be perfectly honest, I was surprised about the Klipsch's treble performance as I'd always heard them being described as a bit more treble forward. So to find that aspect of them underwhelming was intriguing to say the least. I did sit about 6 to 7 feet away from each set of speakers when I did my listening.
That's funny, because I found the rp8000f to have a pleasant open airy tweeter. Now I was also listening closer and wasn't comparing side by side to other speakers of such caliber. Truly shows how subjective speakers are. Although full disclosure my experience is quite limited.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
That's funny, because I found the rp8000f to have a pleasant open airy tweeter. Now I was also listening closer and wasn't comparing side by side to other speakers of such caliber. Truly shows how subjective speakers are. Although full disclosure my experience is quite limited.
The shop I went to was great. They would literally bring the speakers I wanted to listen to into the room and put them in the same spot the previous pair I was listening to had been in. I feel that this gave me a much better feel for how they compared to each other than having listened to each in a different room or even a different position in the same room.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Of course there are better speakers, but what's your budget for such? The RP8000 gets generally positive comments from what I've read, particularly compared to some of its predecessors. I think you said you read shadyj's review but jic https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/klipsch-rp-8000f

Looking at the speakers NIN compared to, the Klpsch are lower priced, by as much as half.
Agreed like I mentioned I auditioned other speakers some much pricier and some did sound better but not twice as much or more better then the Klipsch

It all depends on your budget tho if you want to spend more you can acquire better speakers but if your budget is at that range then it's going to be hard to top the Klipsch especially when they go on sale
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Of course there are better speakers, but what's your budget for such? The RP8000 gets generally positive comments from what I've read, particularly compared to some of its predecessors. I think you said you read shadyj's review but jic https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/klipsch-rp-8000f

Looking at the speakers NIN compared to, the Klpsch are lower priced, by as much as half.
That is a very fair statement. Closer priced to the Klipsch would be:

KEF Q550 which I did not listen to, but should have similar treble to the Q750's with slightly less low end bass
or
SVS Prime towers, which I listened to several years back and was very impressed with

I'd feel confident going with either of those two choices over the Klipsch.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
That is a very fair statement. Closer priced to the Klipsch would be:

KEF Q550 which I did not listen to, but should have similar treble to the Q750's with slightly less low end bass
or
SVS Prime towers, which I listened to several years back and was very impressed with

I'd feel confident going with either of those two choices over the Klipsch.
Even without a comparison in the same place/time? I don't think sonic memory works that well....
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Strange. Nobody is mentioning the Studio 5 line and the many sales that make it a great competitor to this option from the Big K. ;)
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Strange. Nobody is mentioning the Studio 5 line and the many sales that make it a great competitor to this option from the Big K. ;)
I hadn't gone there yet :) They're also more expensive generally than the Klipsch....unless one of those periodic sales at $900/pr happens, then they're definite competitors (and probably for all the speakers NIN mentioned, too)....otherwise they're $2k/pr.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Even without a comparison in the same place/time? I don't think sonic memory works that well....
It doesn't, but I was not disappointed with the sound of the SVS Primes where I was with the Klipsch.

Another option is Canton, they get a lot of love, but I've not heard any of their speakers.
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
It doesn't, but I was not disappointed with the sound of the SVS Primes where I was with the Klipsch.

Another option is Canton, they get a lot of love, but I've not heard any of their speakers.
Funny I owned the primes and felt the Klipsch blew them out of the water the primes lose composure at high volumes. They ended up being the best surround speakers I ever owned though LOL.

Every one has there preferences the Klipsch lacked airyness in the highs but the treble was smooth quick and detailed I liked that

The JBL's when on sale are hands down top contenders in my book highs mids and bass all excellent exceptional highs

But they need to be on sale which they are a couple times a year

On sale they are a steal
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
On thing we all should keep in mind Is auditioning speak ers at a store is completely different beast then auditioning them at home

I was lucky to have been able to audition at home thanks to my store Bjorn's letting me buy and return until I found what I wanted

Also JBL is very generous with this
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
It doesn't, but I was not disappointed with the sound of the SVS Primes where I was with the Klipsch.

Another option is Canton, they get a lot of love, but I've not heard any of their speakers.
In same room? Year? :)

I haven't heard even many Klipsch let alone Cantons (which I learned of only here actually), just some of its RF predecessors (or very old heritage type speakers like Khorns). I am curious about these as so many much nicer things were said about the RP series from people who had bypassed Klipsch previously. I haven't lived near audio stores for many years either, so auditioning speakers is not in the cards for me kinda like the OP, and prefer my room/gear to audition, too.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
In same room? Year? :)

I haven't heard even many Klipsch let alone Cantons (which I learned of only here actually), just some of its RF predecessors (or very old heritage type speakers like Khorns). I am curious about these as so many much nicer things were said about the RP series from people who had bypassed Klipsch previously. I haven't lived near audio stores for many years either, so auditioning speakers is not in the cards for me kinda like the OP, and prefer my room/gear to audition, too.
The reason why the RP series gets so much more praise is because they don't have the exaggerated treble and bass that Klipsch has traditionally had. Some of the past Klipsch speakers have had searing hot treble. The RP speakers sound a lot more natural.
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Samurai
On thing we all should keep in mind Is auditioning speak ers at a store is completely different beast then auditioning them at home

I was lucky to have been able to audition at home thanks to my store Bjorn's letting me buy and return until I found what I wanted

Also JBL is very generous with this
My dealer, Audio Video Therapy of Nashua NH, encourages home demo of anything they have in stock but do not ask you to buy it to demo it. You do have to give them your I.D. and credit card info, but they will not even ping the card unless you fail to bring it back by the agreed date.

They have KEF, Klipsch, Paradigm, PSB, Focal, Martin Logan, Totem, Spendor, and a few others.
 
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Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
My dealer, Audio Video Therapy of Nashua NH, encourages home demo of anything they have in stock but do not ask you to buy it to demo it. You do have to give them your I.D. and credit card info, but they will not even ping the card unless you fail to bring it back by the agreed date.

They have KEF, Klisch, Paradirm, PSB, Focal, Martin Logan, Totem, Spendor, and a few others.
Damn Bjorn's is good but nowhere near your selection Id love to be at that store!
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
My dealer, Audio Video Therapy of Nashua NH, encourages home demo of anything they have in stock but do not ask you to buy it to demo it. You do have to give them your I.D. and credit card info, but they will not even ping the card unless you fail to bring it back by the agreed date.

They have KEF, Klipsch, Paradigm, PSB, Focal, Martin Logan, Totem, Spendor, and a few others.
That is outstanding!
When I have done this (with a smaller shop - BB and Amazon have their published return policies), it was always upon my initiation, I always proposed purchasing the gear because it seemed entirely reasonable to give them that assurance that I would not skip town or trash the speakers!
But then, maybe Audio Video Therapy have a working relationship with Luigi. Probably not too many places to hide in Nashau NH!:oops:
 

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