Impressed with Klipsch!

[pearsall001]

I stopped into my local Best Buy today to pick up a few camera items & I just happened to stroll over to the Magnolia Theater to check it out.

After tracking down a salesman...I had him put the Def Techs on first. They sounded pretty darn good but didn't really excite me. He then put on the Vienna Acoustics & they sounded incredible. We switched back & forth between the Def Tech's & the Viennas's & really there wasn't any contest. The Vienna's really stole the show.

Then he asked me if I ever listened to Klipsch, which I really haven't. He said they just got these in & were hooked up only yesterday http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/wf-35.aspx & if I wanted to give them a listen. I said sure because I really wasn't expecting too much & I had some time to kill.

Boy was I wrong!! I wasn't prepared for what I was hearing...Damn!! the whole room filled up with tremendous sound & Diana Krell never sounded more alive & as if she was in the room giving her concert. I'm telling you these Klipsch's delivered in a big way. We switched back & forth between them & the Viennas. In the end the Klipsch Icon WF-35's stole the show even from the Viennas. To my ears of course. I'm going to have to go back with more CD's & really give a serious listen.

[SolidSqual]

http://www.klipsch.com/images/2744/400x400.aspx

I know they're similar but looks more like a waveguide than your typical horn.

[audiobliss]

Wow, those have beautiful cabinets, for sure!

I've not heard those new Klipsch speakers, so I can't comment on them specifically, but I have to say I've been content with my Klipsch RF-35 speakers the whole time I've had them. The only thing I don't so much like about them is the run of the mill black veneer. Looks like they've definitely addressed that.

And, wow, those are very interesting looking 'horns'. I've never seen any waveguided drivers before, but I can definitely see where they get their name if they look like those.


Oh, and this makes me wish our Best Buy had a Magnolia's. :(

[zingo]

Nice review and glad you enjoyed them. I listened to the lower-end old ones unimpressed but will have to give these a listen at my local Magnolia HIFI. Thanks!

Klipsch really has made some changes to their new line-up with this pair of $20K P-39F (http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/p-39f.aspx)!

http://fun.sniperslive.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/07.jpg

[SolidSqual]

Nice review and glad you enjoyed them. I listened to the lower-end old ones unimpressed but will have to give these a listen at my local Magnolia HIFI. Thanks!

Klipsch makes goods speakers on the higher end of things. The horn theme however requires the right electronics. In fact, I would venture to say that Klipsch is as picky with everything upstream as say, Totem.

[JDOGG]

I love my RF-7's! You should go take a listen to the new RF-83's and see what you think.

[Fongolio]

I use a pair of Klipsch RF-25's for my two channel bedroom setup and they sound great. Klipsch got a bad rap for a while manufacturing lower end crap but they still make a lot of really nice sounding stuff

[meirco11]

i do know that the klipsh is a good speaker,but i will keeping my polk rti6.my polk rti a7 and mostly my amazing lsi9 forever and ever!!!!!!
thankssssssssssssssss

[cmy330go]

I've found that Klipsch can sound pretty impressive at first, but typically it doesn't take long before they start getting annoying. Plus any comparable speakers I've ever compared them to usually has them whooped in mid-range clarity.

Now to be fair I have heard a ton of Klipsch speakers, BUT not this particular model. So maybe they're on to something with this new design.

I'm very interested to hear your thoughts after you get some more listening time. Especially since I'm familiar with your AAD's and find it hard to believe that any Klipsch could ever come close to holding a candle to those beauties.

[pearsall001]

I've found that Klipsch can sound pretty impressive at first, but typically it doesn't take long before they start getting annoying. Plus any comparable speakers I've ever compared them to usually has them whooped in mid-range clarity.

Now to be fair I have heard a ton of Klipsch speakers, BUT not this particular model. So maybe they're on to something with this new design.

I'm very interested to hear your thoughts after you get some more listening time. Especially since I'm familiar with your AAD's and find it hard to believe that any Klipsch could ever come close to holding a candle to those beauties.

I hear ya!! I've heard plenty of other speakers since having the AAD 2001's & none of them really teased me enough to consider giving them up. But for some reason these Klipsch Icon WF-35's really grabed my attention. Definetely more listening is warranted. Was it a fluke or is this new design totally different from there previous lines. Stay tuned.

[ND13]

Klipsch + Tubes = good sound.

Klipsch + MOST SS gear = Ear bleeding.:p

[george daniel]

+1 --Klipsch with tubes.

[mantis]

Years ago I Installed Klipsch. now there back. Funny I haven't Installed hardly any. A few 2 channel and multiroom /outdoor stuff but no theaters...
Wierd 2 as Klipsch for theater is amazing. Some of my very best sounding theaters in years past have been Klipsch. They make good stuff.

[SolidSqual]

I know a guy who has the big Klipsch THX system in his home theater. It's the next best thing to an iMax sound system.

[fossy]

my first experience with higher end sound involved klipsch-- I was to young/blind to know what I was really listening to---- I remember the speakers being so big & sounding so deep --- I was told not to touch anything --- They have been making the big klipsch for how many years now ??? They do have a good thing goin on

[bigaudiofanatic]

I like klipsch speakers especially the older ones the belles. But I will have to take a listen to these new ones.

[Midnite Mick]

Something I always wondered. Does the efficiency of klipsch improve the dynamics that is so impressive with home theatre(question mark)...I hate these bilingual keyboards. I don`t know how to turn the french off, ergo I cannot get a question mark.

Thanks,
Mike

[hoosier21]

Something I always wondered. Does the efficiency of klipsch improve the dynamics that is so impressive with home theater
Mike

yes it does

[bigaudiofanatic]

In my opinion yes it dose but it depends an your amp as well in the case of klipsch.

[fossy]

rookie question ---- what makes a speaker "more efficient" than another -- is it the quality of components that make up the speaker ???

[Midnite Mick]

I imagine it would have something to do with the motor in the driver.....however, others would be able to answer this better than I.

Question I have is how come pro drivers ie. efficient drivers seem to have a smaller surround. I would have thought the opposite would be true.

thanks,
Mike

[bigaudiofanatic]

Well the horn drivers actually dont use a voice coil and they are very very efficient in crating sound. belle's are 1 watt for 124db of sound. I might be off a few db's but they are very efficient

[hoosier21]

Well the horn drivers actually dont use a voice coil and they are very very efficient in crating sound. belle's are 1 watt for 124db of sound. I might be off a few db's but they are very efficient

Klipsch Belle = 103dB @ 1watt/1meter

http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/belle-klipsch.aspx

[Face]

Well the horn drivers actually dont use a voice coil and they are very very efficient in crating sound. belle's are 1 watt for 124db of sound. I might be off a few db's but they are very efficient
That's funny, because I have a pair of horns 8' from me that do use voice coils. :confused:

[GV#27]

That's funny, because I have a pair of horns 8' from me that do use voice coils. :confused:Me thinks he has his horn's and passive radiators mixed up.:D

[SolidSqual]

I have two waveguides in my room . . . both with voice coils. Unless we're talking about planars, aren't voice coils pretty much a must?

[GV#27]

aren't voice coils pretty much a must?Yes.The horn is just an extension(waveguide) for the driver to control its dispersion,it needs to be driven by somthing.

[mcs2000si]

I actually ran into the Klipsh Icon series at Magnolia as well. Sounded really nice. Just picked up RTi10's for fronts and think that they are in the same range as the Icon's. I must admit that the Icon's look amazing in person but i got my RTi10's for 419 out the door and the Icons would be 1500 for the pair. great speakers for those with the money. Klipsh speakers seem to be a little bright and over powering with music (well at least the reference series). anyway thats my two cents.

[zingo]

Maybe my problem with past Klipsch experiences has been SS. The last pair I demoed wasn't impressive to me at all, but I was being driven by an HK receiver. I guess I may not have given them a fair chance...