Klipsch Reference r51m the best deal on Budget Speakers going!
- Thread starter Tbomb25
- Start date
Tbomb25
Well-Known Member
Well the Caintuck is totally different, the Open Baffle is a totally different sound, like the Hawthornes ECT. Maybe you are right I've only heard the Zu's at a few shows....never heard the Tektons but I would've liked their fostex designs especially the open baffles, i've heard the Omegas and liked what I heard, I own the Xstatics so I know I'll like the Caintuck Betsy's.. maybe I'll give the Zu's another listen...
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I agree, got some for $160 new. They are 2ch for the TV and background music. If they are all I had I would be content. My Firestick (streaming)>>> Optical out of TV>>>Whatever DAC Amp I use sounds great for what they are and cost!!
HiFiJeff
Super Member
Yeah. Even at the MSRP of $249 they are a good deal. But I would always wait for Klipsch specials and sales because they run them multiple times throughout the year.
I own a set of the previous gen, and frankly they've never quite moved me the way my Polk bookshelves did (regret selling those!). Maybe it's an amp thing, maybe it's a taste thing, but they just have a weird suckout to the sound somewhere north of where a sub would help and it bugs me. Snares and female vocals sound a bit strange and hollow. Highs, however, are absolutely fantastic and they image like crazy. That being said, I'm going to rotate them back in for a nearfield setup sooner or later.
My expectations are pretty low, just sound better than a good BT speaker was the bar and they exceed that. But I am content listening to anything, I take it for what it’s is. My crappy little Bose BT sounds awesome next to a fire when Backpacking in the mountains! I am easy
Edit: and for $160 all in I would be surprised to find better
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Tbomb25
Well-Known Member
My dad had the old r-15m and the R-51m is a big step forward the Horn housing is bigger....a lil deeper bass, but much better accurate bass....and the build is way better, I don't know what Polk monitors you have, but if it's not a Lsi, it's highly doubtful they can hang with the R-51m...
HiFiJeff
Super Member
After further time with these speakers and set up. I just don’t know. Something is amiss. They seem thin and hollow. The detail is there and it’s crisp and sharp but it seems to be missing some mid bass and bass in general. I am going to keep playing with some settings and crossover settings. Try to see how low these can go. Maybe 70hz?
Personally, I wouldn't use those as mains. That small woofer is better used as surrounds imo, or a desktop. I would suggest crossing them over at 80.
HiFiJeff
Super Member
I’m not. I am going to reevaluate my system and what I want to do. Even the center sounds small, like there are no woofers in it at all, just the Tractrix tweeter. I just watched some shows downstairs on my living room system with some older Boston Acoustics without subs and it sounded normal and natural. Had details but also some weight behind the sound. The center for the Boston Acoustics is small but it doesn’t sound small. I think the Klipsch’s are going back.
You could try pulling the speakers out so their front baffles are flush with the front baffle of your ZU's, that would reinforce the bass and increase the output by maybe 6db's. I learned that from John Cheney of VMPS. That center you got looks pretty small, you might just want a bigger model.
HiFiJeff
Super Member
Yeah, I just decided to go a totally different direction. Turning my theater room into exactly that. A theater room. ZU's are staying right where they are at. Going to get the Omen center to complete the front soundstage. Getting a nice avr mainly for home theater but that will do a good job on two channel as well. I am going to use my Saga and STA-200 and build a nice little two channel set up in my office. Always wanted to try Open Baffle speakers, so that's where I am heading next.
That's what I have, two systems. You probably know that open baffles usually need to be 3 feet from the the wall to sound good.Yeah, I just decided to go a totally different direction. Turning my theater room into exactly that. A theater room. ZU's are staying right where they are at. Going to get the Omen center to complete the front soundstage. Getting a nice avr mainly for home theater but that will do a good job on two channel as well. I am going to use my Saga and STA-200 and build a nice little two channel set up in my office. Always wanted to try Open Baffle speakers, so that's where I am heading next.
I predict the next set of speakers will be the best deal out there in budget speakers....until you get the ones after that.
Tbomb25
Well-Known Member
Lol....I still feel the same way about Klipsch r-51m.... atleast you'll know the ones to have on you're radar, this is the Budget Speaker Golden Era...so it's some very good designs out there with very some excellent designers which makes it a bunch of fun to play around with them...but yup next one could be "The best deal in budget speakers"
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