I’m always impressed with Danny’s honesty and integrity. He is willing to try to fix some speakers, but others he admits are just not worth it. Good on you, brother!
@@ASSOpid Danny's speakers, for their price range, are extremely good. "Best" is always subjective in this hobby as we all want different things, but Danny's speakers are a solid choice and a great value proposition if one is simply looking for clean and accurate audio.
What you keep overlooking is that people who buy Klipsch buy it for a reason - they like the sound. They aren't audiophiles who like flat, clinical, sterile sound - they like lively, energetic, etc. sound.
@@toby9999 "It also means they don't like the sound as recorded by the artist". They couldn't care less how we listen to the music. "That or ignorance" or maybe you're the ignorant being. Maybe you're ignorant for liking speakers that cost $1,000 and thinking the "sound better" because someone told you they do.
@@toby9999 I would point out that some Audiophiles including Steve Guttenberg like the lively sound speakers like the RP-600M IIs produce. It's called subjective preference. Everything colours the sound anyway to a greater or lesser degree, accuracy in music reproduction is a myth.
@@cbcdesign001 as a person that made the mistake of listening too closely to Steve Gutenberg and owned a pair of Cornwallis, you're not entirely correct. You have to remember that he only listens to speakers for relatively short periods of time on his own. As such, the big Klipsch problem of being tiring never really happens to him. His job entails listening to many speakers and favoring a single pair for him seems to come down to them being different from the others. Does that make them a great speaker? Not really. To get decent bass from them I had fabricate a pair of solid, 100lb blocks to lift these 100lb speakers off the floor by a foot and then, the treble became horrendous. No matter where they were in the room or how the system was set. Directional as can be the playing from the baffle effect kept the sweet spot impossibly narrow and they would just yell at certain vocal points. Four months of $6,000 speakers later I traded them in for a used set of Wilson Watt Puppies. I couldn't stand them anymore. A seriously nice looking set of overpriced Cerwin Vegas.
I dont like the flat English speakers like dali!! I want only nice crispy sound. Clean sound and awesome bass. I love my klipsch!!! I have 600 m 8000f and rc 62 ii . I'm think no for the rf7 iii 🥰
People just loooove to bash Klipsch. Mine are from Arkansas; I bought them 33 years ago in Pittsburgh. I still love them. And mine sound verrrry good! Too many of their current offerings are cheap. Apparently they now are trading off of their name.
You're getting a lot of Klipsch models sent to you because the TH-cam algorithm is recommending your videos to people who have watch Klipsch speaker review videos. That's how I found you
Erin, from Erins Audio Corner once pointed out that Klipsch doesnt do true anechoic measuring. All of their measurements are made "in room" which would explain a whole hell of alot. Perhaps I am wrong, but I would stay with the "heritage series" if I were to get a set of Klipsches right now. The Heresy II always has a special place in my heart, thats just me.
Even the heritage measurements are lumpy as hell. What’s funny though is they were my first speakers when I was really getting into audio last year. I thought the crazy response (before I saw measurements) was a feature not a fault. Some frequencies jumped forward in the mix and made me do a double take, like “whoa, that was freaking cool”. Then I learned it was lack of a smooth response. Ignorance is bliss. Now I can’t I hear the bloom or resonance of the box in my klipsch Heresy.
if you hear the double impact, you will most likely throw your heritage out of the window immediately. That was what happened to me when I heard the DI for the very first time, there is no comparison.
@@simplereef4854 that is an issue. People can go to a few brick and mortar stores and hear certain speakers, but Zu and Tekton are sadly not among them...
and yet they sound great!!.. except 2 people who think there 2 good for klipsch.. who rather spend 2x-3x for something doesn't sound as good.. I've owned 2 many speakers 2 count from $1500-$10000..all speakers have a good sound none are perfect.. depends on what u like.. except 2 u snobs.. I've never owned klipsch till recently 8000f..and I know on paper they drop off really bad..coming off martin logan motion 6..these blow them away.. so u know my hearing is great can hear up 2 18k..but I.. no one listens 2 paper.. comes down 2 each there own..
Those look to be the reference ii Speakers, I believe the reference IV series that came before those were a little better prior to klipsch being bought by Voxx. Don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Would love to see a comparison between the reference IV and reference II Speakers
I hope someone sends you the new ELAC Uni-Fi Reference series, especially the bookshelf speakers....Would like to know how they REALLY measure and what you think about them and their crossover components...and yep, they have metal cone drivers too, but many reviewers are foaming at the mouth over them...
Well, hopefully either Amir or Erin get their hands on one and put it through its paces on the NFS. Metal cones aren't inherently bad, in fact if they're designed right they can be very nicely pistonic in their pass band. They need very steep crossovers though because the breakup modes are, uh... not good.
Absolutely fascinating breakdown! Why on earth are these companies Not hiring guys like yourself who Know sound and what makes Good sound? How do some of these crazy imbalanced speakers ever get Into production? arent they tested like this at Klipsch? and who ok's a bad sounding speaker and says lets mass produce it? I have limited experience with klipsch and only on the budget low end...I haave a kv-1 center and some cheap s-1 surrounds as well as some sf-1 's for the front pair..I have no means to do the measurements that you can do but the kv-1 center sounds so smooth,alive but Sweet sounding without being overly forward or bright. same goes for those s-1 surrounds..very laid back, shocking so for a klipsch..smooth....Now the sf-1 's, thats another story! those puppys are classic example of that exaggerated midrange hump and sizzling highs ,all amplified even more so thru that horn..the tweeters on these ruin the experience...I wish I knew what to change in the crossover, be it a cap or an inductor or resister that would Tame that honky hump in the tweeter.. these crossover at 2khz... when my ears cant take it anymore, i swapped in my boston acoustics towers and those sound like nirvana compared to the klipsch tonal assault... any suggestions for old sf-1's that would tame that brutal tweeter response? I dont know where to start ..thanks!~ new sub here!
The Klipsh on the right have asymmetrical wave guides while the RP 500 is symmetrical. I bet this explains a lot about the difference in performance. I'm shocked the diffraction artifacts aren't even worse. Some times I swear Klipsch takes spare parts off the shelf and invents a new line of speaker. I dont think Danny has posted graphs from any Kliosch speaker even remotely similiar. They are honestly all over the place.
Just for reference, the spec sheet for the RC-62 claims the frequency response is 57-23KHz +/-3db. Looking at the measurements @3:11, you can see that 57Hz is at the bottom of the peak, and it starts to roll off starting at 5KHz. There's no way on Gods green Earth that reaches 23KHz. The spec sheet claims 98Db sensitivity, and as you can see, 99 db is the absolute maximum sensitivity at any frequency. Averaging the time domain, I'd say the average was about 96.5db, and averaging power places it at barely 95db. But to be fair, I've seen a lot of supposedly "high end" speakers with sensitivity ratings well down into the 80s. I'll give Klipsh that much - they're sensitive speakers. But that's no excuse for lying like that. This why I often call the spec sheets "liars sheets". There are companies that have lost all sense of self respect. And these measurements prove that Klipsh is one of those companies. Those spec sheet claims are absolutely disgraceful compared to the measurements.
Try to contact somebody over there at Klipsch, they get back to you in a couple of months. I looked into replacing the tweeters and they finally got back to me and said they are under warranty. I said I doubt it I bought them a few years ago, they said they have a 5 year warranty and just send the receipt. If they can't possibly be out of warranty why do you need a receipt then? I paid $1,000 for these speakers you would think they can put a good film cap in it and wire thicker than dental floss. Not happy with them not at all.
We should make centre speakers with a central woofer surrounded by two external tweeters instead of have a central tweeter surrounded by two external woofers.
HUGE difference in what Danny upgrades VS the Heritage Line. I know Klipsch played off the name when they bought the company HOWEVER the good stuff is still made in Arkansas and are absolutely nothing like what’s in box stores. I have many of both. Almost embarrassed what Klipsch has done until the latest offerings,
Horn boost is meant to be attenuated by the crossover. What's flawed here is just the fact that Klipsch hasn't attenuated this boost. Why not explain this instead of making horns seem like a flawed design (saying its shouty)? You even use horns/waveguides in your own constructions
Have you ever tired the Definitive tech SM-65s. Now dis continued for a few years but on paper they were better, but they say the newer bookshelfs sound better.
I appreciate the technical analysis of speakers, but I would like to know what practical difference would the weak points make to the average listener. I am 81 years old and have lost a little high-end in my hearing, but not that much. I have Klipsch speakers (RP600m, RF3-II, subwoofers and others) and they sound great to me. Am I missing a lot of listening experience?
You make me cry since I have the RC-62ii. I have been looking for new speakers, of all the brands you have tested, does anyone of them consistently do decent?
Sure, as long as they are the same. Also, a single speaker from a pair can be used as the center. The issues come if using a mic to set it up, you want to tune and adjust on your own.
I currently have a pair of klipsch RB -51 II passive speakers, paired with the fosi audio 2 channel 100 watt 8 ohm amp but I wanted to add a subwoofer and an audio interface to my set up. I was looking at the focusrite scarlett solo but due to my speakers being passive I’m unable to pair the two and I know I would also need a subwoofer connection, so I started looking at buying a new amp. I’m looking for 2.1 - 8 ohm amp. (75W RMS to 300W peak) that I can connect to the focusrite Any one have any suggestions as to how I could solve this issue or point me in the direction of a budget friendly amp?
I think you are not getting the function of the center channel... The reason I chose Klipsch is because of the shouty character of the center channel, as dialogue gets muddy in surround sound with tins of midrange and bass... You get that with stereo speakers. When I was using a surround sound with Bose, and it was still possible to run the TV speakers with surround, I would run the TV speakers along with the surround sound to be able to hear dialogue clearly. I like that particular distortion on the center channel, because shouty when surrounded by 4 other speakers and a subwoofer makes dialogue clear. It is not.meant to be a full range speaker.
That's because Bose is garbage too. It sounds like you are used to systems that are not calibrated well and/or in a poor sounding room with no acoustic treatment. Typically if you want a bit more dialogue in a well calibrated surround system you can just bump the center channel up a few db.
@@adamfrost9048 No, musical speakers are just not that good for dialogue... I don't listen to a center channel for music or special effects, it closer to a surround speaker than stereo speakers. Imaging, etc comes from the fr and FL speakers.
@@neksraven I disagree, I have a large center channel with a custom crossover from D.R. and I've been in love with it for 15 years. I dread the day that the driver surround gets too old and fails.
How come I never see anybody review or work on my favorite brand of speaker. Nht, now hear this. My favorite model is, super 0. Check these babies out you will not be disappointed.
Modern Klipsch is a far cry from their roots, the Klipschorn which was totally unique in its era. They are just a name now (like so many audio companies have become). Speakers are annoying, you go to a store and listen and it is a crapshoot what they will sound like in your home.
I really wish we could get you an RF-7 III and an RC-64III to test. It seem like there's a big difference in Klipsch when you look at the lines they make for places like Best Buy vs their higher end stuff. When I listen to their upper lines they don't seem as harsh and are more balanced than the lines you've been testing. So it would be interesting to see if that plays out in the measurements. Theres a huge price jump with them too when you go from the Reference and Reference Premier lines to the RF line. Does that price difference show up in the components is a question I'd like to see answered. The RP500M measuring well is a surprise too after what you found with the RP600M which is a more expensive model. I'm wondering if they used a similar design for both and if it just happens to work better with the 5.25" woofer than that the 6.5" one. BTW, you're probably so heavy with Klipsch request thanks to the TH-cam algorithm creating a snowball effect. You show up when searching for them so you get more people interested in having their models checked out. It's a nice feedback loop.
Already tested the RF-7 III. Gigantic hole in the midrange around 2k. I owned them and this was my experience as well. Which is a shame, because with a meatier midrange presence, they'd be my favorite speaker hands down. As a result I own the Forte III, which I love. My only question for Danny, and this isn't meant as a criticism, is the thrust of measurement tests often seems to imply all speakers should measure flat. Take the RF-7 III - even though the midrange is missing, the high-end running hot is part of what makes them fun. Same with the Forte. Making them flat would be like saying food doesn't measure flat because I put hot sauce in it. I happen to like my food spicy - just like my speakers.
@@Sloimer Danny tested them or someone else? Could you point me in the right direction for it? I don't see it listed on the channel. I thought he had done a mark 2 one point but not the mark 3 (not seeing it either). Thanks. Fixing the hole in them would be nice but I'm with you on the high end. I'm using mine mainly for home theater use and not music. I think having the high-end running hot works better for it.
I think it's important to distinguish the Heritage lines vs. the consumer lines. It's clear that the consumer lines are intentionally created to leverage a brand name and revenue generated to offset design and production costs for the Heritage series. Completely different products, completely different customers. That said, I have been horribly disappointed in the consumer line of Klipsch going back to the late 90's. Klipsch also bought Synergy which then became their consumer/home theater line and also explains the design and performance differences. The RP-500 is an homage to the Heritage series in a bookshelf monitor footprint. Again, built differently, designed reasonably well, and presents properly. The brand confusion is actually hurting Klipsch and I wish they'd get out of branding the consumer garbage as 'Klipsch' or 'Klipsch Reference.'
I understand that measuments are good for components like dacs, preamps, etc but not so much speakers. Seems like speakers are very personal, very few are perfect in every category and the engineers of the speakers make them to sound a specific way. There's nothing good or bad about them...its just preference. Now part of his review of the dynaudio special 40s was interesting. The fact they use cheap components etc in a speaker in that price range was good to know. One would expect those components in these klipsh..given the low prices.
Measurements are good for speakers because if speakers measure well they might sound good but if they measure like crap then you know you're not going to like them, personally I use dsp on everything and tune my setups to the half whitedge curve
@@beatmaniaboy just seems like if every speakers measured well that kind a means every speaker could theatrically be semi similar in sound and presentation? No? Ifk, i honestly have no clue. I wish someone would start a audio crash course at a community College around me. :/
I didn't say if a speaker had a good response it would sound good I said if it has a good response it might sound good there's a big difference What the driver is made out of influences the tonal characteristics ie nylon VS metal strings on a guitar
I'd love to see measurements before, and after, he does nothing but swaps out 'cheezy' crossover components with quality components. I don't mean re-designing them, but just making 'the same' crossover with better quality components and seeing how those measurements compare.
I gave my klipsch speakers away for nothing to my brother because I hated listening to them that much, I just wanted them out of my house the most annoying speakers I've ever had,
I know your video is two years old, but even comparing to how Klipsch sounded at the time, this is a prime example of where measurements do not mean everything. Yes, measurements are honest and there are definitely measureable differences on paper, but the reason these speakers sell so well is because in the real world, in a real room, they actually sound decent. That area that supposedly would make them sound shouty just isn't an issue in the real world. If anything they are just very slightly veiled in this area. I always come to GR-Research channel to check the measurements, as I trust the measurements done on this channel, but this is a case of the speakers sounding a lot better in the real world, even at stock, than they measure on paper, and many reviews and many sales of Klipsch would be testament to this.
There's always someone that wants to sh!t on something... I've been researching the rb 61's and this is first negative review I found out of many.... Cheapaudioman gave them GREAT reviews and seems like a very genuine guy (200K subs also)
I own the klipsch rb81 and yes shouty trebble and what not, however I eq the high frequencys down on my amp and to me they sound good. obviously i do believe newer speakers may sound cleaner but they do such a good job. For an example great bass that sometimes i switch my velodyne off and just enjoy these speakers. Such good efficency loud with little power. Vocals always shine through in music and movies, that i dont need a centre channel however i do also have a full surround system down stairs. This is my bedroom set and I've tried a few bookshelfs and in my opinion these do an excellent job.
I appreciate the figures, specs, and suggestions. I’m one that will sit with my favorite music and enjoys what a speaker can do, and by the same measure will not do for me. It’s a very subjective topic. Showing a chart “may” give you an idea what a speaker will do, but not what it will do in a specific environment. Room placement, quality of components, more importantly source material, and your taste dictates the good VS the bad. Been doing this for over 40 years, and I have heard a few good speakers, and bad ones also- but ultimately it was based on personal opinion!
How come Sound&Vision measured the RB-61 ii and it looked no where near as gnarly as your measurements look in fact it looks like a completely different speaker why is that ?
I don’t understand why you’d want a flat response in a consumer speaker system. I have Adam a7x studio monitors and those are made flat but a theater system should be lively and exiting.
Let's all just stop being nice to Klipsch. They are some of the worst sounding speakers I've ever heard, and I've heard many. The only ones that were worse were a pair of Monitor Audio speakers that were so bad I thought the AV sales guy was pulling my leg or trying to demonstrate what a speaker sounds like when it's filled with water. Klipsch is commercial garbage that is DESTROYED by similarly priced offerings from Sony, Polk, and Infinity. If I got those in the mail I'd throw them away and start from scratch
I've got the Klipsch R-820F's and whoever designed the way the crossover goes in there should be taken out back and.... I mean taken out back, I'm telling you.
@@HomeTheatre101 The 62 uses IMG (injection molded graphite) woofers and a aluminum tweeter. 62ii use cerametalic woofers and a titanium tweeter. The (ii) series is basically the old RP line.
I have the RC62-II with RF62-II and RS52-II and love them! I have the project to add 4 Dolby Atmos in ceiling speakers to my setup and a pair of surround backs 😉
Not gonna lie, got nervous thinking this video was talking about some of the purchases I made recently, but the comment section set things straight. Even if it had been my speakers that he was talking about, it wouldn't change the impression they've made on me. Earlier this year I bought a pair of RB-61 II for $250, the RC-62 II for $280, and I've been enjoying them thoroughly. Compared to the prices of Klipsch's newer RP line, I feel like I got great value for the money. I also grabbed a pair of RP-140SA Atmos speakers for $130, and a pair of R-41M for $90 for my rear channels. These speakers replaced my previous Klipsch Quintet IV setup - there is no comparison.
Well, I'm glad I bought the RP-500Ms, then. I think they sound pretty solid with my 100W going to them. If money were no object, I'd be running Dynaudio Evoke 10s.
klipsch was sold to a Chinese company and now pretty much. Everything is crap both my 15 and my 12 inch powered subwoofers had amp failures within six months along with thousands of others with the same problem. One of them was 850 bucks. I don't recommend clips powered base speakers to anyone anymore although I own lots of clips speakers, I'll never own another powered base speaker from this absolutely crap company
It seems that a lot of people are buying Klipsch speakers because of the way they look and not because of the way they sound I myself bought them because I like the way they sound as imperfect as it is.
Klipsch is all about coloration. They need people to be brand loyal so they can toss out priced garbage so the over $5 k models looks like an obtainable goal.
I just ordered some RB 61 II's after much research... This guy....LOL is the FIRST negative review I've come across out of MANY...! There's always some wannabe pretentious "that guy", That just want's to sh!t on something to show HE has "better" taste...
@@2869mayI’ve been using these RB61s in a 2 channel setup for a couple of years and the above poster is right…just gotta EQ them to get the harshness out. I’m just using a 4channel Schiit Loki to control them and they are smooth. I will move to some Wharfdale Aura 2s this year but these RB-61 ii units have been extremely good behind my Yamaha AS1100 and Marantz turntable in the home office. There’s always a better speaker, just get what you like!
Have you ever worked on vintage DCM Timeframe 600s? I have always wondered if the caps on the crossover should be upgraded. They have some proprietary circuitry like thier time delay stuff, but ultimately I wonder what can be upgraded?
That's fine to not like them. But people saying "they suck" or "they're garbage" need to make sure their speakers are truly better than Klipsch which most of them aren't.
There always "those guys" that want to sh!t on something to try to make themselves look better than others..... I've seen LOTS more great reviews on Klipsch then bad reviews...
I own 160M, out of all bookshelf speakers in audio studio listening room within price range they played the best. I always had horn loaded tweeter and loving them. Seeing how their other models are hit or miss (and lack of official frequency response graph for each) I think that purchasing whole dolby atmos set for the future might be expensive gamble. And since I am skilled enough to build complete dolby atmos set with my own hands... are there DIY complete designs (including place to purchase reasonably priced speakers) Personally I live in Poland and Tonsil would be most optimal for me, they sell produce speaker parts themselves and provide data on them
These speakers measure bad because of poor design. It's not because of "cheesy" crossover components (whatever that means). Sure, it could be better, but there are many speakers that sound and measure just fine, with cheap crossover components. Sand cast resistors and polycaps are ok. The inductors are... not great, not terrible...
I luv to spend time on GR RESEARCH channel tis man are real honest review ☺️ these speaker are not noisy it's very very noisy that hurt my ear 👂 help help 🥺 but I like it 😃
I bought a mint condition pair of KG 3.5's for $150. Put them on 18" stands to bring the horns to ear level and they were un-listenable. Melted my ears off. I put them back on the floor and listened 20 degrees vertically off-axis and they smoothed out quite a bit. Not what I'd call legendary speakers.
I have the ProMedia 2.1 and they kick ass. I love the sound for the price. No power on/off button and the headphone jack is of poor quality but other than that awesome
Definitely not the same quality as the older ones. I bought a pair of Heresy bookshelf Klipsch speakers in 1978 and they still crank and sound good! Mine were made in Hope, Arkansas.
The only thing i don't like about klipsch is how uncomfortable they can be at high volume. I do want the new premiere dual 8" towers tho, the ebony's are on sale on amazon 750$ a pair, super cheap.
I’m always impressed with Danny’s honesty and integrity. He is willing to try to fix some speakers, but others he admits are just not worth it. Good on you, brother!
Ok so why doesn't Danny test and review his own GR speakers? They should be the best sounding speakers on the planet.
Honesty? The man sells snake cables, powercords yadayada...lol
@@ASSOpid Danny's speakers, for their price range, are extremely good. "Best" is always subjective in this hobby as we all want different things, but Danny's speakers are a solid choice and a great value proposition if one is simply looking for clean and accurate audio.
Quite the "salesman".... LOL
What you keep overlooking is that people who buy Klipsch buy it for a reason - they like the sound. They aren't audiophiles who like flat, clinical, sterile sound - they like lively, energetic, etc. sound.
It also means they don't like the sound as recorded by the artists, that or ignorance.
@@toby9999 "It also means they don't like the sound as recorded by the artist". They couldn't care less how we listen to the music. "That or ignorance" or maybe you're the ignorant being. Maybe you're ignorant for liking speakers that cost $1,000 and thinking the "sound better" because someone told you they do.
@@toby9999 I would point out that some Audiophiles including Steve Guttenberg like the lively sound speakers like the RP-600M IIs produce. It's called subjective preference. Everything colours the sound anyway to a greater or lesser degree, accuracy in music reproduction is a myth.
@@cbcdesign001 as a person that made the mistake of listening too closely to Steve Gutenberg and owned a pair of Cornwallis, you're not entirely correct. You have to remember that he only listens to speakers for relatively short periods of time on his own. As such, the big Klipsch problem of being tiring never really happens to him. His job entails listening to many speakers and favoring a single pair for him seems to come down to them being different from the others. Does that make them a great speaker? Not really. To get decent bass from them I had fabricate a pair of solid, 100lb blocks to lift these 100lb speakers off the floor by a foot and then, the treble became horrendous. No matter where they were in the room or how the system was set. Directional as can be the playing from the baffle effect kept the sweet spot impossibly narrow and they would just yell at certain vocal points. Four months of $6,000 speakers later I traded them in for a used set of Wilson Watt Puppies. I couldn't stand them anymore. A seriously nice looking set of overpriced Cerwin Vegas.
I dont like the flat English speakers like dali!! I want only nice crispy sound. Clean sound and awesome bass. I love my klipsch!!! I have 600 m 8000f and rc 62 ii . I'm think no for the rf7 iii 🥰
People just loooove to bash Klipsch. Mine are from Arkansas; I bought them 33 years ago in Pittsburgh. I still love them. And mine sound verrrry good! Too many of their current offerings are cheap. Apparently they now are trading off of their name.
I bought R-41M's $70 for the pair and they sound great on my office desk. Powering with a $20 nobsound amp.
I'm using the r-41m's for atmos (.2) in the ceiling corners. So far so good!
Danny ! You are a big reason Klipsch and others are stepping up their game on big box models.
You're getting a lot of Klipsch models sent to you because the TH-cam algorithm is recommending your videos to people who have watch Klipsch speaker review videos. That's how I found you
I would say because there has got to be something one can do to tame the highs down on these things.
@@ranbymonkeys2384 I just buy or build something better. Never have really cared for Klipsch.
@@joefair3391 thanx
My only experience with Klipsch is with rp500's. I didn't realise how lucky I was until now.
Me too!
Erin, from Erins Audio Corner once pointed out that Klipsch doesnt do true anechoic measuring. All of their measurements are made "in room" which would explain a whole hell of alot. Perhaps I am wrong, but I would stay with the "heritage series" if I were to get a set of Klipsches right now. The Heresy II always has a special place in my heart, thats just me.
Even the heritage measurements are lumpy as hell. What’s funny though is they were my first speakers when I was really getting into audio last year. I thought the crazy response (before I saw measurements) was a feature not a fault. Some frequencies jumped forward in the mix and made me do a double take, like “whoa, that was freaking cool”. Then I learned it was lack of a smooth response. Ignorance is bliss. Now I can’t I hear the bloom or resonance of the box in my klipsch Heresy.
if you hear the double impact, you will most likely throw your heritage out of the window immediately. That was what happened to me when I heard the DI for the very first time, there is no comparison.
@@simplereef4854 that is an issue. People can go to a few brick and mortar stores and hear certain speakers, but Zu and Tekton are sadly not among them...
A good EQ made a significant difference to the sound on mine without having to modify the speakers.
and yet they sound great!!.. except 2 people who think there 2 good for klipsch.. who rather spend 2x-3x for something doesn't sound as good.. I've owned 2 many speakers 2 count from $1500-$10000..all speakers have a good sound none are perfect.. depends on what u like.. except 2 u snobs.. I've never owned klipsch till recently 8000f..and I know on paper they drop off really bad..coming off martin logan motion 6..these blow them away.. so u know my hearing is great can hear up 2 18k..but I.. no one listens 2 paper.. comes down 2 each there own..
Those look to be the reference ii Speakers, I believe the reference IV series that came before those were a little better prior to klipsch being bought by Voxx. Don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Would love to see a comparison between the reference IV and reference II Speakers
I hope someone sends you the new ELAC Uni-Fi Reference series, especially the bookshelf speakers....Would like to know how they REALLY measure and what you think about them and their crossover components...and yep, they have metal cone drivers too, but many reviewers are foaming at the mouth over them...
Well, hopefully either Amir or Erin get their hands on one and put it through its paces on the NFS. Metal cones aren't inherently bad, in fact if they're designed right they can be very nicely pistonic in their pass band. They need very steep crossovers though because the breakup modes are, uh... not good.
Super interested in seeing the Jamo. Which is also owned by Klipsch. I like mine but have owned them now for 9 years.
Absolutely fascinating breakdown! Why on earth are these companies Not hiring guys like yourself who Know sound and what makes Good sound? How do some of these crazy imbalanced speakers ever get Into production? arent they tested like this at Klipsch? and who ok's a bad sounding speaker and says lets mass produce it? I have limited experience with klipsch and only on the budget low end...I haave a kv-1 center and some cheap s-1 surrounds as well as some sf-1 's for the front pair..I have no means to do the measurements that you can do but the kv-1 center sounds so smooth,alive but Sweet sounding without being overly forward or bright.
same goes for those s-1 surrounds..very laid back, shocking so for a klipsch..smooth....Now the sf-1 's, thats another story! those puppys are classic example of that exaggerated midrange hump and sizzling highs ,all amplified even more so thru that horn..the tweeters on these ruin the experience...I wish I knew what to change in the crossover, be it a cap or an inductor or resister that would Tame that honky hump in the tweeter.. these crossover at 2khz... when my ears cant take it anymore, i swapped in my boston acoustics towers and those sound like nirvana compared to the klipsch tonal assault... any suggestions for old sf-1's that would tame that brutal tweeter response? I dont know where to start ..thanks!~ new sub here!
Klipsch Cornwall lV speakers are awesome.
The Klipsh on the right have asymmetrical wave guides while the RP 500 is symmetrical. I bet this explains a lot about the difference in performance. I'm shocked the diffraction artifacts aren't even worse. Some times I swear Klipsch takes spare parts off the shelf and invents a new line of speaker. I dont think Danny has posted graphs from any Kliosch speaker even remotely similiar. They are honestly all over the place.
People should research a Australian brand called Krix it would blow you away how good they are
Just for reference, the spec sheet for the RC-62 claims the frequency response is 57-23KHz +/-3db. Looking at the measurements @3:11, you can see that 57Hz is at the bottom of the peak, and it starts to roll off starting at 5KHz. There's no way on Gods green Earth that reaches 23KHz. The spec sheet claims 98Db sensitivity, and as you can see, 99 db is the absolute maximum sensitivity at any frequency. Averaging the time domain, I'd say the average was about 96.5db, and averaging power places it at barely 95db.
But to be fair, I've seen a lot of supposedly "high end" speakers with sensitivity ratings well down into the 80s. I'll give Klipsh that much - they're sensitive speakers. But that's no excuse for lying like that.
This why I often call the spec sheets "liars sheets". There are companies that have lost all sense of self respect. And these measurements prove that Klipsh is one of those companies. Those spec sheet claims are absolutely disgraceful compared to the measurements.
Try to contact somebody over there at Klipsch, they get back to you in a couple of months. I looked into replacing the tweeters and they finally got back to me and said they are under warranty. I said I doubt it I bought them a few years ago, they said they have a 5 year warranty and just send the receipt. If they can't possibly be out of warranty why do you need a receipt then? I paid $1,000 for these speakers you would think they can put a good film cap in it and wire thicker than dental floss. Not happy with them not at all.
I AM would like to test all Klipsch products please and Thank You
Great video Danny. Thanks!!!
We should make centre speakers with a central woofer surrounded by two external tweeters instead of have a central tweeter surrounded by two external woofers.
Interesting idea. I hope Danny comments.
What is your opinion on Emotiva speakers.
Someone will need to send one in, and I'll take a look at it.
I have been out of the loop for a while with audio stuff. I thought Klipsch speakers had horns instead of tweeters.
HUGE difference in what Danny upgrades VS the Heritage Line. I know Klipsch played off the name when they bought the company HOWEVER the good stuff is still made in Arkansas and are absolutely nothing like what’s in box stores. I have many of both. Almost embarrassed what Klipsch has done until the latest offerings,
Horn boost is meant to be attenuated by the crossover. What's flawed here is just the fact that Klipsch hasn't attenuated this boost. Why not explain this instead of making horns seem like a flawed design (saying its shouty)? You even use horns/waveguides in your own constructions
Have you ever tired the Definitive tech SM-65s. Now dis continued for a few years but on paper they were better, but they say the newer bookshelfs sound better.
I appreciate the technical analysis of speakers, but I would like to know what practical difference would the weak points make to the average listener. I am 81 years old and have lost a little high-end in my hearing, but not that much. I have Klipsch speakers (RP600m, RF3-II, subwoofers and others) and they sound great to me. Am I missing a lot of listening experience?
You may actually want a more colored speaker to compensate for the reduced hearing. An RP600 is a fine speaker
Very analytical; comprehensive. I've subscribed. Do you have a video on the Infinity rs3?
You make me cry since I have the RC-62ii. I have been looking for new speakers, of all the brands you have tested, does anyone of them consistently do decent?
Can I use 2x center speakers as a L+R stereo setup or this is a not good idea?
Sure, as long as they are the same. Also, a single speaker from a pair can be used as the center. The issues come if using a mic to set it up, you want to tune and adjust on your own.
I currently have a pair of klipsch RB -51 II passive speakers, paired with the fosi audio 2 channel 100 watt 8 ohm amp but I wanted to add a subwoofer and an audio interface to my set up.
I was looking at the focusrite scarlett solo but due to my speakers being passive I’m unable to pair the two and I know I would also need a subwoofer connection, so I started looking at buying a new amp. I’m looking for 2.1 - 8 ohm amp. (75W RMS to 300W peak) that I can connect to the focusrite
Any one have any suggestions as to how I could solve this issue or point me in the direction of a budget friendly amp?
I think you are not getting the function of the center channel...
The reason I chose Klipsch is because of the shouty character of the center channel, as dialogue gets muddy in surround sound with tins of midrange and bass...
You get that with stereo speakers.
When I was using a surround sound with Bose, and it was still possible to run the TV speakers with surround, I would run the TV speakers along with the surround sound to be able to hear dialogue clearly.
I like that particular distortion on the center channel, because shouty when surrounded by 4 other speakers and a subwoofer makes dialogue clear.
It is not.meant to be a full range speaker.
That's because Bose is garbage too. It sounds like you are used to systems that are not calibrated well and/or in a poor sounding room with no acoustic treatment. Typically if you want a bit more dialogue in a well calibrated surround system you can just bump the center channel up a few db.
@@adamfrost9048 No, musical speakers are just not that good for dialogue...
I don't listen to a center channel for music or special effects, it closer to a surround speaker than stereo speakers.
Imaging, etc comes from the fr and FL speakers.
@@neksraven I disagree, I have a large center channel with a custom crossover from D.R. and I've been in love with it for 15 years. I dread the day that the driver surround gets too old and fails.
@@adamfrost9048 why? Do you play it on its own?
@@neksraven Of course not, but it won't be easy to replace.
How come I never see anybody review or work on my favorite brand of speaker. Nht, now hear this. My favorite model is, super 0. Check these babies out you will not be disappointed.
How different are the RP160/RP250, compared to the new RP600/RP500? The RP600 kit would work with the RP160?
New to the channel. Like the content. Any reviews on small reference speakers that are acoustic suspension? Rather than ported…
Do you ever have any Focal's come in the door Danny?
If you send them, they will come.
looking forward to the Martins
isn't it better to by 3 bookshelf monitors then using a center channel.
It should be, specially for music. The problem is being able buy the third speaker without the fourth one in there.
*than
*buy
Modern Klipsch is a far cry from their roots, the Klipschorn which was totally unique in its era. They are just a name now (like so many audio companies have become). Speakers are annoying, you go to a store and listen and it is a crapshoot what they will sound like in your home.
I really wish we could get you an RF-7 III and an RC-64III to test. It seem like there's a big difference in Klipsch when you look at the lines they make for places like Best Buy vs their higher end stuff. When I listen to their upper lines they don't seem as harsh and are more balanced than the lines you've been testing. So it would be interesting to see if that plays out in the measurements. Theres a huge price jump with them too when you go from the Reference and Reference Premier lines to the RF line. Does that price difference show up in the components is a question I'd like to see answered.
The RP500M measuring well is a surprise too after what you found with the RP600M which is a more expensive model. I'm wondering if they used a similar design for both and if it just happens to work better with the 5.25" woofer than that the 6.5" one.
BTW, you're probably so heavy with Klipsch request thanks to the TH-cam algorithm creating a snowball effect. You show up when searching for them so you get more people interested in having their models checked out. It's a nice feedback loop.
Already tested the RF-7 III. Gigantic hole in the midrange around 2k. I owned them and this was my experience as well. Which is a shame, because with a meatier midrange presence, they'd be my favorite speaker hands down. As a result I own the Forte III, which I love. My only question for Danny, and this isn't meant as a criticism, is the thrust of measurement tests often seems to imply all speakers should measure flat. Take the RF-7 III - even though the midrange is missing, the high-end running hot is part of what makes them fun. Same with the Forte. Making them flat would be like saying food doesn't measure flat because I put hot sauce in it. I happen to like my food spicy - just like my speakers.
@@Sloimer Danny tested them or someone else? Could you point me in the right direction for it? I don't see it listed on the channel. I thought he had done a mark 2 one point but not the mark 3 (not seeing it either). Thanks.
Fixing the hole in them would be nice but I'm with you on the high end. I'm using mine mainly for home theater use and not music. I think having the high-end running hot works better for it.
What speaker companies do you think are the best from the factory.
@@DougMen1 actually he best speaker he has measured straight from the box..
Was the new sony bookshelf
Some manufacturers are going for looks first.
I think it's important to distinguish the Heritage lines vs. the consumer lines. It's clear that the consumer lines are intentionally created to leverage a brand name and revenue generated to offset design and production costs for the Heritage series. Completely different products, completely different customers. That said, I have been horribly disappointed in the consumer line of Klipsch going back to the late 90's. Klipsch also bought Synergy which then became their consumer/home theater line and also explains the design and performance differences. The RP-500 is an homage to the Heritage series in a bookshelf monitor footprint. Again, built differently, designed reasonably well, and presents properly. The brand confusion is actually hurting Klipsch and I wish they'd get out of branding the consumer garbage as 'Klipsch' or 'Klipsch Reference.'
I understand that measuments are good for components like dacs, preamps, etc but not so much speakers. Seems like speakers are very personal, very few are perfect in every category and the engineers of the speakers make them to sound a specific way. There's nothing good or bad about them...its just preference. Now part of his review of the dynaudio special 40s was interesting. The fact they use cheap components etc in a speaker in that price range was good to know. One would expect those components in these klipsh..given the low prices.
Measurements are good for speakers because if speakers measure well they might sound good but if they measure like crap then you know you're not going to like them, personally I use dsp on everything and tune my setups to the half whitedge curve
@@beatmaniaboy just seems like if every speakers measured well that kind a means every speaker could theatrically be semi similar in sound and presentation? No? Ifk, i honestly have no clue. I wish someone would start a audio crash course at a community College around me. :/
I didn't say if a speaker had a good response it would sound good I said if it has a good response it might sound good there's a big difference
What the driver is made out of influences the tonal characteristics ie nylon VS metal strings on a guitar
...PUNT!!! 😂
Costco Specials
Never liked how klipsch sounded, now I know why.
Why do you fools spend your money on this snakeoil? Save your money and put it towards better speakers.
Never liked klipsch speakers, they are over rated by people....
I have both the RP-400M and RP-500M, I think the RP-400M is the better speaker. The RP-500M is good as well though.
Bowers&Wilkins 706s2 KIT please!
So WORRIED About those silly willy graphs! Didn't your momma teach you how to run an equalizer? ❤
I am glad somebody else said it. Klipsh sucks! I never knew why people liked them so much.
I bet you say Kicker sucks too.... And Nickelback.
Just repeat what the "cool kids" say...
RP500 starts at 10 min, your welcome
I'd love to see measurements before, and after, he does nothing but swaps out 'cheezy' crossover components with quality components. I don't mean re-designing them, but just making 'the same' crossover with better quality components and seeing how those measurements compare.
Absolutely rubbish review.
I gave my klipsch speakers away for nothing to my brother because I hated listening to them that much, I just wanted them out of my house the most annoying speakers I've ever had,
These Klipsch are like my ex wife. Shouty, yet not too bright
And by not too bright I mean she still thinks earth is a flying space ball even after I showed her PROOF
@@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549 "PROOF"..... LMFAO...!
klipsch definately do sound SHOUTY and harsh. Horrible horns!
I know your video is two years old, but even comparing to how Klipsch sounded at the time, this is a prime example of where measurements do not mean everything. Yes, measurements are honest and there are definitely measureable differences on paper, but the reason these speakers sell so well is because in the real world, in a real room, they actually sound decent. That area that supposedly would make them sound shouty just isn't an issue in the real world. If anything they are just very slightly veiled in this area.
I always come to GR-Research channel to check the measurements, as I trust the measurements done on this channel, but this is a case of the speakers sounding a lot better in the real world, even at stock, than they measure on paper, and many reviews and many sales of Klipsch would be testament to this.
There's always someone that wants to sh!t on something...
I've been researching the rb 61's and this is first negative review I found out of many....
Cheapaudioman gave them GREAT reviews and seems like a very genuine guy (200K subs also)
I own the klipsch rb81 and yes shouty trebble and what not, however I eq the high frequencys down on my amp and to me they sound good. obviously i do believe newer speakers may sound cleaner but they do such a good job. For an example great bass that sometimes i switch my velodyne off and just enjoy these speakers. Such good efficency loud with little power. Vocals always shine through in music and movies, that i dont need a centre channel however i do also have a full surround system down stairs. This is my bedroom set and I've tried a few bookshelfs and in my opinion these do an excellent job.
I appreciate the figures, specs, and suggestions. I’m one that will sit with my favorite music and enjoys what a speaker can do, and by the same measure will not do for me. It’s a very subjective topic. Showing a chart “may” give you an idea what a speaker will do, but not what it will do in a specific environment. Room placement, quality of components, more importantly source material, and your taste dictates the good VS the bad. Been doing this for over 40 years, and I have heard a few good speakers, and bad ones also- but ultimately it was based on personal opinion!
How come Sound&Vision measured the RB-61 ii and it looked no where near as gnarly as your measurements look in fact it looks like a completely different speaker why is that ?
This guy is just SELLING his "services"....
I don’t understand why you’d want a flat response in a consumer speaker system. I have Adam a7x studio monitors and those are made flat but a theater system should be lively and exiting.
Let's all just stop being nice to Klipsch. They are some of the worst sounding speakers I've ever heard, and I've heard many. The only ones that were worse were a pair of Monitor Audio speakers that were so bad I thought the AV sales guy was pulling my leg or trying to demonstrate what a speaker sounds like when it's filled with water. Klipsch is commercial garbage that is DESTROYED by similarly priced offerings from Sony, Polk, and Infinity. If I got those in the mail I'd throw them away and start from scratch
I've got the Klipsch R-820F's and whoever designed the way the crossover goes in there should be taken out back and.... I mean taken out back, I'm telling you.
We may not agree on everything, but I very much respect your technical knowledge and honesty. And I enjoy your videos and learn from them! Thanks!
I love my RC-62ii and Rb81ii, I know there’s better out there but for what they are I like them. 🤷🏼♂️
Not sure what differences it has between the original rc62 but my rc62ii impresses.
@@HomeTheatre101 The 62 uses IMG (injection molded graphite) woofers and a aluminum tweeter. 62ii use cerametalic woofers and a titanium tweeter. The (ii) series is basically the old RP line.
I have the RC62-II with RF62-II and RS52-II and love them!
I have the project to add 4 Dolby Atmos in ceiling speakers to my setup and a pair of surround backs 😉
Not gonna lie, got nervous thinking this video was talking about some of the purchases I made recently, but the comment section set things straight. Even if it had been my speakers that he was talking about, it wouldn't change the impression they've made on me. Earlier this year I bought a pair of RB-61 II for $250, the RC-62 II for $280, and I've been enjoying them thoroughly. Compared to the prices of Klipsch's newer RP line, I feel like I got great value for the money. I also grabbed a pair of RP-140SA Atmos speakers for $130, and a pair of R-41M for $90 for my rear channels. These speakers replaced my previous Klipsch Quintet IV setup - there is no comparison.
The rb 81 ii is very good very clean sound
Danny is back! Thanks! I started to get abstinence and watched older and older Danny videos to calm my mind.😳😉😀
Klipsch uses no measurements
Well, I'm glad I bought the RP-500Ms, then. I think they sound pretty solid with my 100W going to them. If money were no object, I'd be running Dynaudio Evoke 10s.
Like to good good quality high efficiency speaker for Tube amp 8 w. 94 db + for less than 1500 usd tower speaker, any recommendations
There's one well known reviewer who loves everything Klipsch makes. I just watch the reviewers for the yucks.
klipsch was sold to a Chinese company and now pretty much. Everything is crap both my 15 and my 12 inch powered subwoofers had amp failures within six months along with thousands of others with the same problem. One of them was 850 bucks. I don't recommend clips powered base speakers to anyone anymore although I own lots of clips speakers, I'll never own another powered base speaker from this absolutely crap company
It seems that a lot of people are buying Klipsch speakers because of the way they look and not because of the way they sound I myself bought them because I like the way they sound as imperfect as it is.
Which ones? I'm looking at the Forte IV...
@@rosswarren436 I have the RF-82 Towers
@@Quietprofessional1 if you ever want to improved them, I'm sure Danny could...probably would tame the high end a bit...
@@rosswarren436 Tone control works just fine
This guy is just trying to SELL his "services"....
So short answer : klipsch is just a good looking speaker with a colored sound and horrible response .
Klipsch is all about coloration. They need people to be brand loyal so they can toss out priced garbage so the over $5 k models looks like an obtainable goal.
I’m not starting over. Just spent $300 on the RB 61 ii. They sound fine. They are bright but play with your eq. Plus break in period too
I just ordered some RB 61 II's after much research... This guy....LOL is the FIRST negative review I've come across out of MANY...!
There's always some wannabe pretentious "that guy", That just want's to sh!t on something to show HE has "better" taste...
@@2869mayI’ve been using these RB61s in a 2 channel setup for a couple of years and the above poster is right…just gotta EQ them to get the harshness out. I’m just using a 4channel Schiit Loki to control them and they are smooth. I will move to some Wharfdale Aura 2s this year but these RB-61 ii units have been extremely good behind my Yamaha AS1100 and Marantz turntable in the home office. There’s always a better speaker, just get what you like!
Excellent review, I like how you walk the charts thru and explain what’s going on
🤣🤣🤣 so sorry 🤗🇫🇮
Have you ever worked on vintage DCM Timeframe 600s? I have always wondered if the caps on the crossover should be upgraded. They have some proprietary circuitry like thier time delay stuff, but ultimately I wonder what can be upgraded?
I kept hearing the movie music to Good Bad Ugly. Lol
I never like Klipsch gear. Way over-priced and as you can see... cheap parts. As always. PASS! Thank for the review Danny.
That's fine to not like them. But people saying "they suck" or "they're garbage" need to make sure their speakers are truly better than Klipsch which most of them aren't.
There always "those guys" that want to sh!t on something to try to make themselves look better than others.....
I've seen LOTS more great reviews on Klipsch then bad reviews...
I own 160M, out of all bookshelf speakers in audio studio listening room within price range they played the best.
I always had horn loaded tweeter and loving them.
Seeing how their other models are hit or miss (and lack of official frequency response graph for each) I think that purchasing whole dolby atmos set for the future might be expensive gamble.
And since I am skilled enough to build complete dolby atmos set with my own hands... are there DIY complete designs (including place to purchase reasonably priced speakers) Personally I live in Poland and Tonsil would be most optimal for me, they sell produce speaker parts themselves and provide data on them
Been looking forward to these 500's
This guy is very interesting. I'm definitely going to watch more of his videos and see what else he has to say about speakers.
These speakers measure bad because of poor design. It's not because of "cheesy" crossover components (whatever that means). Sure, it could be better, but there are many speakers that sound and measure just fine, with cheap crossover components. Sand cast resistors and polycaps are ok. The inductors are... not great, not terrible...
Is the hump in the middle of the frequency range to make speech easier to hear during movies?
No.
Review JBL S 312 series
Damn the rp500m are £500 in the UK! That's a huge hike on the price in the US.
I luv to spend time on GR RESEARCH channel tis man are real honest review ☺️ these speaker are not noisy it's very very noisy that hurt my ear 👂 help help 🥺 but I like it 😃
I bought a mint condition pair of KG 3.5's for $150. Put them on 18" stands to bring the horns to ear level and they were un-listenable. Melted my ears off. I put them back on the floor and listened 20 degrees vertically off-axis and they smoothed out quite a bit. Not what I'd call legendary speakers.
I love These videos 👍❤️ cant wait til the next one.
And Klipsch is so expensive.
Easy to put together is subjective! lol!
I have the ProMedia 2.1 and they kick ass. I love the sound for the price. No power on/off button and the headphone jack is of poor quality but other than that awesome
Definitely not the same quality as the older ones. I bought a pair of Heresy bookshelf Klipsch speakers in 1978 and they still crank and sound good! Mine were made in Hope, Arkansas.
The only thing i don't like about klipsch is how uncomfortable they can be at high volume. I do want the new premiere dual 8" towers tho, the ebony's are on sale on amazon 750$ a pair, super cheap.
Ever since Audiovox purchased Klipsch, Klipsch quality has take a backseat to profit!
RP 500 M , so That's the best , Thanks Garry, so The RP 500 M is Better than the 600 m , right ? Harry