Suggestions on new gear (primarily speakers)

[R.Elder]

Efficiency rating is probably accurate since that’s a accepted methodology but what about the notes on impedance probably being 4 ohm nominally. I have a feeling that’ll challenge my Yamaha after my experience with the 4 ohm center. The manual does specially say it handles 4 ohm on fronts though so maybe being the center channel was effecting it.

 

[shadyJ]

Efficiency rating is probably accurate since that’s a accepted methodology but what about the notes on impedance probably being 4 ohm nominally. I have a feeling that’ll challenge my Yamaha after my experience with the 4 ohm center. The manual does specially say it handles 4 ohm on fronts though so maybe being the center channel was effecting it.

Well, that depends on how loud you want to play these things. At regular volume levels, I think that pretty much any AVR would be fine with these. If you really want to rock loud, yeah, its time to think about outboard amps. These are relatively efficient speakers, so while they might have a lower impedance, they don't need a ton of current to get loud.

 

[Danzilla31]

Yeah, very impressive on/off-axis measurement on the $600 Klipsch 8000.

As Shady says, the off-axis on the $1,000 Paradigm looks smoother (among the smoothest) than the $600 Klipsch 8000F, while the on-axis is better on the 8000F - +/-2dB on the Klipsch vs. +/-3dB on the Paradigm.

Overall, the Klipsch has very good off-axis and excellent on-axis FR.

I tell you what my friend I love mine took my Prime Towers off the front 3 I have 3 of those RP 8000f's up there and wooooooo woooooooo doggy! I'm not missing the Primes at all and the Primes are a good speaker

 

[R.Elder]

I tell you what my friend I love mine took my Prime Towers off the front 3 I have 3 of those RP 8000f's up there and wooooooo woooooooo doggy! I'm not missing the Primes at all and the Primes are a good speaker

I finally found a chart on the RF-7 iii but their methodology wasn’t very good on the response chart. I’m surprised that I can’t find a 3m on axis response chart. I’m seriously debating going with the RC 64 iii and the RP 8000fs. Maybe I’ll find a chart before the check arrives.

I stopped in BB Magnolia last night and listened to the KEF R7s again but this time they had a sub active. I played Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein at a medium volume and once again enjoyed their imaging and midrange. The sub really helped them sound fuller. I like them but the glossy finishes are a negative and they won’t match my existing speakers.

 

[Danzilla31]

I finally found a chart on the RF-7 iii but their methodology wasn’t very good on the response chart. I’m surprised that I can’t find a 3m on axis response chart. I’m seriously debating going with the RC 64 iii and the RP 8000fs. Maybe I’ll find a chart before the check arrives.

I stopped in BB Magnolia last night and listened to the KEF R7s again but this time they had a sub active. I played Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein at a medium volume and once again enjoyed their imaging and midrange. The sub really helped them sound fuller. I like them but the glossy finishes are a negative and they won’t match my existing speakers.

I think Shadys spot on about that measurement being off. If the RP 8000f's measure so well there is no Damn way they are going to let there flagship towers that sells for twice the price measure worse

I've heard the RF 7iii's and they are just not in my budget right now.

But there is no way they sounded bright as those measurements would suggest there one of the best speakers I've heard in a long long long time to be honest

 

[R.Elder]

What’s y’all’s opinions on the Martin Logan ESL X? I dropped by Best Buy this evening and gave the bowers and Wilkins 702 a listen (Best Buy has a couple open boxes which look like decent deals (1750 a piece). I also listened to the same material on the R7. The 702 seemed bright to me especially switching between it and the KEF R7. The salesmen talked me into giving some ear time to the Martin Logan’s electro stats. They always impress me but I’ve heard things that worry me about them and I worry about the fragility. I have animals.

What do you guys think about the Martin Logan electrostats? I definitely like the sound.. the soundstage is enormous and they seemed warm and definitely not harsh. Nationwide stereo has a sale going right now that I might be able to get my Best Buy to price match.

 

[ryanosaur]

What’s y’all’s opinions on the Martin Logan ESL X? I dropped by Best Buy this evening and gave the bowers and Wilkins 702 a listen (Best Buy has a couple open boxes which look like decent deals (1750 a piece). I also listened to the same material on the R7. The 702 seemed bright to me especially switching between it and the KEF R7. The salesmen talked me into giving some ear time to the Martin Logan’s electro stats. They always impress me but I’ve heard things that worry me about them and I worry about the fragility. I have animals.

What do you guys think about the Martin Logan electrostats? I definitely like the sound.. the soundstage is enormous and they seemed warm and definitely not harsh. Nationwide stereo has a sale going right now that I might be able to get my Best Buy to price match.

My cats would climb them. I don’t think about them.

 

[KenM10759]

My cats would climb them. I don’t think about them.

I know what you mean there. We have 3 of them (for now) and though the ones we have now do not destroy walls and woodwork like a particular previous one, they DO climb. A lot. Anywhere that is high, that's where two of the them want to be and they find the most incredible ways to get there. One easily jumps 40" (1m) or more.

 

[R.Elder]

My cats would climb them. I don’t think about them.

That’s precisely my concern it’s too bad because they really do have a nice sound to them. My cat is getting old but occasionally he goes spastic.

 

[R.Elder]

Tekton has a sale on his Double Impact SE right now ... marked down from 6500 to 4500. I know that opinions on their speakers vary widely. The cheaper drivers concern me a bit and I’m not sure if any measurements have been done on the speaker. It seems like a decent deal. I’ve done a search on Tekton and Double Impact and read the conversations here on them. Mixed opinions seem to prevail but most the people who have heard them seem to think they sound good.

*edit: the Polycell 15 looks attractive and is an interesting design but I can’t find even a review let alone measurement on it’s unique design.

https://www.tektondesign.com/polycell-15.html

 

[ryanosaur]

Tekton has a sale on his Double Impact SE right now ... marked down from 6500 to 4500. I know that opinions on their speakers vary widely. The cheaper drivers concern me a bit and I’m not sure if any measurements have been done on the speaker. It seems like a decent deal. I’ve done a search on Tekton and Double Impact and read the conversations here on them. Mixed opinions seem to prevail but most the people who have heard them seem to think they sound good.

*edit: the Polycell 15 looks attractive and is an interesting design but I can’t find even a review let alone measurement on it’s unique design.

https://www.tektondesign.com/polycell-15.html

I know. If you did your searches on this forum well, you found my previously stated interest in Eric's gear. Short version: I was ready to fly to UT and audition the Double Impacts. I found my speakers almost by happenstance and cancelled making that trip. Even with the review of the DI Monitors, and that they tested out mostly very well, there was still a sensitivity fudge. The fact that, at least last time I looked, not a lot of other testing has been done on his gear by 3rd parties turned me off. At the end of the day, it is true that the most important thing is how it sounds to you, not a microphone. But at risk for me was a full on 7.2.4 system costing north of $7K, and if I didn't like it, I would be stuck with it because I wanted a different color. Needless to say, I was conflicted... Until I heard Dennis Murphy's Phil 3s (which I emailed him immediately after my audition at the home of a local customer to tell him I was ordering)!
I would still love to hear Eric's speakers. After several conversations with him, I found him to be passionate about what he does, and regardless of whether you agree with him, he has an innovators spirit, a trait I admire. I spoke to one guy who was going back to Eric to order DIs and move his Pens to Surround detail: return customers is always a good sign...
But was still not enough to give me comfort in that dice roll.

 

[Danzilla31]

I know. If you did your searches on this forum well, you found my previously stated interest in Eric's gear. Short version: I was ready to fly to UT and audition the Double Impacts. I found my speakers almost by happenstance and cancelled making that trip. Even with the review of the DI Monitors, and that they tested out mostly very well, there was still a sensitivity fudge. The fact that, at least last time I looked, not a lot of other testing has been done on his gear by 3rd parties turned me off. At the end of the day, it is true that the most important thing is how it sounds to you, not a microphone. But at risk for me was a full on 7.2.4 system costing north of $7K, and if I didn't like it, I would be stuck with it because I wanted a different color. Needless to say, I was conflicted... Until I heard Dennis Murphy's Phil 3s (which I emailed him immediately after my audition at the home of a local customer to tell him I was ordering)!
I would still love to hear Eric's speakers. After several conversations with him, I found him to be passionate about what he does, and regardless of whether you agree with him, he has an innovators spirit, a trait I admire. I spoke to one guy who was going back to Eric to order DIs and move his Pens to Surround detail: return customers is always a good sign...
But was still not enough to give me comfort in that dice roll.

Hell of a risk if there's not a lot of reviews. You'd have to seriously audition them somewhere.
I'm curious about these speakers as well someday I hope to visit someone that has a pair to debut

 

[ryanosaur]

Hell of a risk if there's not a lot of reviews. You'd have to seriously audition them somewhere.
I'm curious about these speakers as well someday I hope to visit someone that has a pair to debut

That's really the only way, just short of going to UT, or finding him at an audio show.
But if he's as good a business man as some claim, he's got a list of willing customers that might be willing to host a private audition. Always worth checking out.
Jim Salk and Dennis Murphy do this. (Did, in Dennis' case, as he is retiring). I think any good small scale designer with a near-boutique product will do this to some extent. Several have commented that Jim and Dennis would host a guest at their respective homes for an audition too.

 

[R.Elder]

I have had a development that is pushing me vigorously towards Klipsch and biting the bullet on the pair of RF-7 iii and the RC-64 iii. A member shared a dealers info with me that was willing to cut me a deal on some flawless open boxes.

 

[ryanosaur]

Cool. Hope you enjoy them.

 

[Danzilla31]

I have had a development that is pushing me vigorously towards Klipsch and biting the bullet on the pair of RF-7 iii and the RC-64 iii. A member shared a dealers info with me that was willing to cut me a deal on some flawless open boxes.

If you can get them for a good discount friggin go for it! That is a serious great value. My RP 8000's are outstanding and those are supposed to be even better

 

[Danzilla31]

If you can get them for a good discount friggin go for it! That is a serious great value. My RP 8000's are outstanding and those are supposed to be even better

I'd give anything to find a pair of those on sale!!! Oh mamba jamba! Dreams to come!!!

 

[R.Elder]

I’ll send you a private message Dan and give you this dealers info.

 

[ryanosaur]

If you can get them for a good discount friggin go for it! That is a serious great value. My RP 8000's are outstanding and those are supposed to be even better

Sorry. hard to get excited (for me) about Klipsch. No digs, though. Shady's review and word on the street is a good sign that they aren't just a party speaker anymore.
For me , only 1 horn I'm interested in hearing. Here. Though I don't really have a good place to put it if ever I were to go there. But if building TLs doeasn't work out for me, maybe something like this will.

 

[Danzilla31]

Sorry. hard to get excited (for me) about Klipsch. No digs, though. Shady's review and word on the street is a good sign that they aren't just a party speaker anymore.
For me , only 1 horn I'm interested in hearing. Here. Though I don't really have a good place to put it if ever I were to go there. But if building TLs doeasn't work out for me, maybe something like this will.

Oh trust me I get it. For years I'd been turned off by Klipsch when they went through this phase after they went to being sold in Best Buys and places were there just seemed to be this huge jump between there really good stuff and then all of the rest of there crap... I mean stuff.

To the point that Id become extremely biased against Klipsch. I listened to so many different speakers and only grudgingly listened to these at my dealers insistence

And was shocked I own SVS and some other good lines and decent lines in the past and I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing at the price point there at.

I kept debuting both there and at homes. And I'd obsess with you guys over all my choices on several threads I put up LOL.

But as much as I wanted to as much as I wanted to maintain my hate against most things Klipsch. I couldn't do it man. I just COULD NOT GET THESE THINGS OUT OF MY HEAD. And I kept going back to them. Again and again.

I even PM'd Shady about these asking him if something had gone wrong with my mind was I going insane to like these so much? Although he couldn't tell me a lot until the article came out he told me to be patient because I wasn't wrong just wait and see what his upcoming article had to say before I made my final judgements.

And everything he said was spot on with what I was hearing.

My walls finally crumbled my denial came down and I went to Bjorn's and bought 3 of them that very day.

But I get it bro. I really do. Mind you I'm not telling you or anybody else what to like though. On the contrary. I'm not trying to push these on people. This was just my experience.

Just like you found what you loved on your journey I found mine. I think for both of us we both ended up choosing something we maybe never imagined we were going for in the beginning.

I never in a million years would have thought that I would have just tossed my vision of a complete SVS system in the fire and jumped into a brand I had given up on so long ago. This new lineup has given me a lottof hope that Klipsch is going back to there roots in a the best way possible

But for now I'm just enjoying these speakers