soupcraze's Full Review: Klipsch RF-5 Main / Stereo Speaker
Klipsch is one of the most well-known names in the speaker business. Klipsch is known for incorporating horn tweeters in their speakers which gives them an excellent high frequency range. Apart from that, their speakers are very high-quality and perform well. The Klipsch RF-5 2-Way floor speakers are the last ones that I heard out. I heard them on a Pioneer Elite VSX-47TX 7.1 channel receiver, with 5.1 channels being used. The Klipsch RF-5 were in the front. Here's what I found.
-Price-
*The Klipsch RF-5 cost around $950-$1000 for a pair. The $1,000 mark for speakers is very competitive. I did quite a lot of listening at this price, and decided to go with Paradigm Monitor 11 speakers. Compared to Paradigm, Klipsch seems to be a more widely known brand with more retailers. Klipsch is very similar, yet different to Bose. Both of the companies sell their products based on different types of "technologies". Bose sells speakers with crappy components that have drivers positioned in different directions, yet the drivers and other components are overall crappy quality. Klipsch uses their acclaimed horn tweeters to deliver some of the most powerful and cleanest high ranges, yet still incorporates high quality components in their speakers. They seem to perform exceptionally well when it comes to listening to classical pieces, I really enjoyed the London Symphony Orchestra on these. I can't tell you that these are the best speakers going for about a grand, since everyone has their own personal preference. But I can tell you that Klipsch offers a very high quality that will meet your $1,000 expectations. Shop around, compare speakers, and you'll find the right ones.
-Performance-
*These were hooked up into the Pioneer Elite VSX-47TX 7.1 channel receiver. However, only three other additional speakers (Carver center and Magnepan SMG) were hooked up, alongside a Velodyne subwoofer. The room in which I listened to these was fairly large without too many objects which would cause an extreme amount of sound reflection. I listened to Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 movie tracks, and also listened to a variety of music using both 5.1 and analog stereo. As for how they sound, they are pretty damn good! When it comes to handling digital movie soundtracks, they have no trouble. Just about any speaker can handle movie soundtracks. The real test is music. I decided to hear them out in analog stereo alongside a subwoofer. I decided to start out by listening to the London Symphony Orchestra with some familiar tunes. The Klipsch RF-5 were a perfect pair for this music! Klipsch, unlike other manufacturers, uses a 1" titanium dome tweeter that uses an 8" horn in the speakers. As for the high notes, the Klipsch RF-5 performed with clarity, and best of all power. Some speakers tend to lack emphasis on the high ranges which can make some music lose its spark. I've heard some people say that they feel that the horn tweeters over-emphasize the high frequencies therefore resulting in a very bright and unrealistic sound. I disagree, even though more power is added, it still blends with the other ranges beautifully. The highs are just as important as the lows, and the Klipsch RF-5 allow you to hear them as they were meant to be. As for the midranges, the Klipsch RF-5 have dual 8" Cerametallic® midbass drivers. The 8" is typically larger than the 5.5" to 6.5" midbass drivers that you might find on a lot of other competitor speakers. These drivers provide a very clean and accurate midrange. They also manage to put out some bass, but nothing compared to a subwoofer. I decided to play Modern Talking on these, and the songs provided enough clarity and "thump" to make me get on my feet and dance. Well, that was quite embarrassing. When they are accompanied by a subwoofer, then you'll be getting the best of all the spectrums. The Klipsch RF-5 also have superb imaging. If you're looking to use them in a 2.1 set-up, they will provide great imaging so you won't hear each separate speaker. Compared to a lot of otehr speakers in the similar price range, they sound fantastic, especially with their emphasis on their higher ranges. Before you buy, be sure to compare to other similar speakers from other manufacturers!
-Looks & Styling-
*The Klipsch RF-5 are very handsome speakers that come in a few different finish options. The ones that I heard had a gorgeous cherry finish. Since they have the wood finish, they have a high-quality look to them. They would definitely compliment any home theater system and nice looking room with their very elegant design.
-Specifications- *2-Way configuration
*1" titanium dome tweeter via 8" horn
*Dual 8" Cerametallic® midbass drivers
*Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms
*Frequency response of 34Hz - 20kHz
*Sensitivity of 99dB
-The Verdict-
*Klipsch has been making superb speakers for decades, and the Klipsch RF-5 are no exception. They offer excellent quality sound with a pretty good price tag. They are very comparable to many other speakers in the $1,000 price range. If you like the high ranges in music or wish that there was more emphasis, then the Klipsch RF-5 will provide them with their acclaimed horn tweeters.
Entry-level home theater setup with smallest floorstander Klipsch has ever made Pair of RF-10 floorstanders feature 4.5-inch woofers and 1-inch titani...More at Amazon Marketplace
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