Klipsch RF-82 Review

zingo

I was at BestBuy today and decided to demo a pair of Klipsh RF-82. (They were the nicest Klipsches they had) I have never been a fan of their stuff, but decided to give them a fair shot because a lot of people love them, included some of my friends. It was just me in the demo room with the doors closed so sound was pretty shut out and the environment was decent. The speakers were run off of a $1000 H/K receiver with a decent CD player. Obviously not the best equipment for two channel, but I thought it would be fair enough for the test.

The salesman played me a demo CD with a bunch of different artist on it, so that was nice to be able to hear a variety of music through them. My first impressions were they were very top end heavy. They almost came across as shrill. Putting their balance aside, I listened for imaging and dynamics. And the dynamics weren't anything to write home about. The music came across, but didn't seem to have any life. It sounded very flat and not musical. (And I can enjoy a pair of B&Ws) The imaging on them was not present in any sense. It was just one big blur of sound. Sure the music was there, but the speakers definitely didn't take me to where the music was.

Conclusion; I wouldn't go near these speaker of the almost $1000 tag. I will give them some wiggle room because they were demoed off of a receiver (but a nice one), they could have been abused previously, and the cables were not quality, but good speakers should shine in some aspect at least. Because of the way the speakers sounded, they may be well suited for HT, but I like my speakers be at least sound good with music. I was disappointed by this listening session and will not be considering this pair of speakers, or other similar Klipsch's. Comments or questions are always welcome.

Klipsch RF-82

HB27

Zingo,
I'm in total agreement with you. While I am a HUGE Vintage Cornwall fan I can't say a lot for the newer Klipsch line. Their Chinese manufactured speakers like the 82 have a lot to be desired. Not only in sound reproduction but in quality of build.
IMHO you're right on the money in your assessment. They'd be good satellites but I think there's better satellites for a lot less dough.
HB

obieone

If I was gonna spend $1k for a pr. of spkrs., I'd spend the extra $200 and get the Def. Tech. 7006's. I heard the 7004's at a BB off a 140wpc Denon rcvr., and they sounded SWEET! I'll never understand the attraction to Klipsch!?

HB27

I like some Def Tecs, some Klipsch, some Polk. There's not a speaker company around I like all their offerings. Everyone has their own preferences. That's a big reason for so many different models. Along with cost and application.
There's no perfect speaker and I seriously doubt there ever will be.
There's sure a lot of good speakers I love though.
Heck of a hobby, passion, addiction.
HB

zingo

Def Tech are also good speakers,but more for HT than music. They just aren't a very musical speaker. That is one thing I like about Polk. All the speakers are at least some what musical.

Catbo

I listened to the Klipsch RF-83 about a year ago, and I did not like how they sounded. I was surprised how bad they did sound. I wasn't looking to buy though because I already had the Polk RTi-12 and LSi-25 speakers at home.

So next time I had a chance to hear the RF-83.... I told the sales guy that I didn't need to hear them that I didn't like them. He let me hear some other speakers and then he changed to the RF-83 anyway! I was shocked how good they sounded compared to before. This time they sounded very musical and more involving before and I really liked them. He also still had a couple of pair of Klipsch RF-7 and let me hear them. I could not believe it but I left with a brand new pair of Klipsch RF-7 that day and still have them today, love'em.

I also now own a new pair of Klpschorn's, and also a new pair of Super Cornwall's called Super "C" Walls. Polk and Klipsch are very different sounds and I do like them both, although I did part with my Polk speakers, I still like the Polk sound too but I had to make room for my larger Klipsch speakers. With Klipsch, you have to make sure you run everything with a known quality that goes well with Klipsch and it sounds great. I once put a cheaper CD player with my Klipsch and it really sounded bad but give it better quality and what I like about Klipsch is that it can actually recreate the air space of the room the music was recorded in, it's amazing with that level of detail but if you really like your music refined and sofened, then Klipsch won't be for you.
It all really boils down more to personal taste of how you like your music to the ears. I appreciate both sounds from Polk and Klipsch.

I kinda wish I would have kept my Polk RTi-12 for the bedroom for listening when napping now cause I have a system there now.

Catbo

I also listened to a really old pair of Polk speakers a couple of months ago when I bought some stereo equipment from a local guy. He said he had his Polk speakers for about 25 years now. I asked if I could hear them and he let me. I couldn't believe how nice they sounded! I said, those sound better than any of the new speakers I bought from Polk and he said, yea I know.... I thought the same thing. Klipsch older speakers sounds better than the newer too! I would think it would be the other way around!

Refefer

Hmm, I definitely had a different opinion of them when I heard them a year back. Then again, I was going through a great sound shop near where I live, and they had them powered with a Musical Fidelity A300 and a NAD (forget which model) cd-player. I thought they sounded excellent. I'm really surprised that the dynamics were poor... I found them to be fantastic.

I will concede they are a bit bright, but with a proper tube amp can make a killer setup. Definitely speakers for a home theater.

Glad to hear your opinions on them though. It certainly sounds like they're sensitive to the equipment attached.

Refefer

Just checked the specs on them. If you weren't hearing dynamics, something wasn't setup right: their sensitivity is rated at 100 db

Catbo

The dynamics are there here....... as if it's almost right here in the room and as if the singer is singing in front of me.

I'm not using tubes. I'm using a quality high current tube-like solid state analog amps with all my Klipsch speakers with excellent results. I tried tubes but still like my tube-like solid state better.

GermanVirgins

Get this, I went to my local Electronic store with cash in hand to buy them!! My friend (salesman), said listen to these first.

I left with the RTI 10 's !!

Catbo

congrats, your gonna enjoy them!

Catbo

Ok, few sent me emails saying I should post pics on website if I really have Klipsch now. I do have them but no website, but I posted my pics on the Klipsch forum of my Super "C" Walls, Klipshorns, and Klipsch RF-7 here:

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/102542.aspx

Thanks, didn't realize so many were interested in pics of them!

HB27

Is that the Pyle Pro horn in the Super "C" ?
I saw your post on the Klipsch forums last week. Looking good.
hb

Catbo

Thanks HB27

It's the Goldwood GM-450PB more info here:

http://www.audiolabga.com/mal_cart/data_html/GM-450PB.html

A great price on it for $34 , it's a JBL clone (china) to their $400 horn, same horn as the P.Audio horn for $109 here:

http://www.usspeaker.com/paudio%20ph-4525-1.htm

Fongolio

I am using a pair of Klipsch RF-25's in my bedroom setup and they sound very nice. I use them exclusively for music and I think they are very musical. Great imaging and decent dynamics. This is on a Pioneer VSX-912TX receiver with a pair of Polk R20's for surround and a JBL studio monitor center. The surrounds and center are for multichannel music. The Klipsch on there own in 2 channel mode sound great.

Dengnath

I compared the rti-a7 to the rf-82's..... the 82's blew them away hands down.... probably because they are a lot more efficient being just powered off of amp. The 82's are 98db and a lot more efficient .... and now my choice

Monster Jam

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

I own Polk LSi series speakers and would readily admit that I prefer the brighter sound of the Polk RTi or Klipsch speakers. I chose LSi for aesthetic reasons.

Dengnath

I probably would take the a9's over the klipsch.... just not the $600 worth of amps to properly power them.... with the klipsches i can just use a single parasound 1000a or 1500a to power them and they will be all set

KYFHO

Boy did you guys ever pull up an old thread! I personally like both the Klipsch and Polk but prefer the Polks as the Klipsch seem overly bright to me.

alexarean

They just aren't a very musical speaker.

deronb1

This is a great thread. Every post has a different idea of what sounds good. Only solidifies the point of "what sounds good to you". Me...I always go back to my RTA8Ts, with the "sticky" 6 1/2s and SL2000 tweet! Just love the "smoothness" of them...especially now that I have over 200wpc to drive them. Cio'