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Are Klipsch or Usher and Upgrade for Me?

I've been rolling with a 15 year-old HT speaker system consisting of Infinity speakers: CC-3 center, Overture 2 L/R, and RS-3 bookshelves for surrounds. At the moment I'm using an ACI Titan II sub in the HT setup, but it may move to the two-channel system.

I've been considering upgrading. I happen to live near a Crutchfield store (for now) and heard both the Klipsch Reference II series and the new Reference Premier series as well as a PSB setup.

I've also heard great things over the years about Usher Audio's speakers, but it looks like their floorstanders are more than what I'm willing to pay for my HT right now, and the bookshelves might not be up to performing L/R duty in a HT. The Be-616 DMD looks intriguing, though.

I am a tad concerned that the Klipsch will not be a huge upgrade over my Infinity system. The Klipsch setup I'm looking at would be the RC-64 II, RF-7, and whatever the matching bookshelves are.

Any thoughts on whether the Klipsch will be a substantial upgrade over what I have now, and how it would compare to an Usher setup at the same price point? What alternatives should I consider for crystal clear dialog, good off-axis response, neutral and accurate tonality, and capable of easily handling the dynamic range necessary for HT duty?

It has been quite a while since I last posted; I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the hobby!

Best,
HC
aggielaw

Showing 3 responses by willland

willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
I think the Klipsch RF-7II/RC-64II combo with the matching RS-62II's will be a huge upgrade for HT(IMO) and can hold it's own with music. Calling this setup dynamic is an understatement. Don't know much about the Ushers. Oh, and the RF-7II speaker system is not of the Best Buy kind(maybe at one time sold at Magnolia though), thank goodness.

Bill
willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
I see it this way, if Aggielaw's main use for these speakers is HT, then IMO horns are the way to go. There must be a reason that most commercial movie theaters use horn loaded speakers. As a matter of fact Klipsch and JBL pretty much own the commercial theater business with all new construction Regal theaters(since around 1998) using Klipsch Pro speakers exclusively. As far as I know, a good portion of AMC theaters use Klipsch Pro.

I am by no means suggesting horn loaded speakers are the best for HT applications, but it sure appears that they(JBL, Klipsch) are doing something right for big theater companies to use them so often.

Bill
willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
Zd542,

All true in what you said. I am a bit of a horn head so a little bias here going on.

I am currently(8:41pm ET) watching(listening) to the first Transformers(plain vanilla DVD) movie as I type on my PC which is off axis and 25 feet from the front soundstage(Klipsch RF-63's/RC-64), and the dynamics are rediculous in my 6000ft3 room.

Just a little something else to add.

Bill
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