Klipsch KLF-20 vs. RF-7 speakers

Myraj,

I've owned my KLF-20's for six years now and have heard the RF-7's. I haven't A/B'd them in the same room using the same equipment but will offer up my opinions of each.

The RF-7's that I heard were at a high end audio store hooked up to some very nice equipment. They were stock and sounded nice. Overall sound was really good, a little bright, soundstage, imaging and dynamics were very good too. The RF-7's respond really well to crossover mods and, in fact take this speaker to an entirely new level. I have not heard a modded RF-7.

I have spent six years with my KLF-20's. The first almost five years in the unmodified form. The last year and a half with modified crossover networks. Night and day. Stock these speaker just rock. They have balls to take plenty of power and the dynamics with horns is just fantastic. I upgraded the crossover networks and these speakers are just at an incredible level. Across the entire spectrum, these speakers are at an entirely new level of performance. They are not bright, they have dynamics in spades, excellent soundstage and imaging.

As far as the build quality of my KLF-20's, I've never had any issues with the cabinets, veneers, or construction.

Differences are mainly going to be that the RF-7 is a two way design and the KLF-20 is a traditional three way design like all the heritage Klipsch. Ultimately, it's up to your ears.

My components are as follows:

EAD-CD1000 mkIII cdp
EICO HF-81 integrated tube amp (14 watts/ch)
Plinius 8100 integrated SS amp (100 watts/ch)

Both are plenty of power for either one of these speakers. Either way you go, make sure to upgrade the crossover networks.

Mike

Hi Mike,

I have owned KLF-20 for a while but I have not upgraded any in them yet. Would you give informations likes...where to buy, what should I buy, how to do .....Thanks

123henry97,

I send you an email. Let me know how I can help.

Thanks,
Mike

I own KLF-20 and RF-7 Klipsch speakers. I've also had the Forte II Klipsch speakers and the KLF-20 were on the thin side compared to the Forte's that kind of really bugged me, nice sounding but thin compared to the Forte and RF-7 but I replaced the diaphrams with the Titanium kit and this helped the KLF-20's not be so thin sounding.

The RF-7's are smoother and all the way around better from top to bottom than both the KLF-20 and Forte II. I've heard the RF-7 sounding just ok, to absolutely stunning sound by just what it's run on, so the equipment you pick for it is very important as the RF-7 are very dependant of what sound you get with just how good of gear you run on it. Give the RF-7's the best quality and it will give you back stunning nirvana sound like no other, the RF-7's perform better than my 1995 Klipschorn's with imaging, resolution, and detail. The Klipschorn's have a larger soundfield but the RF-7's come darn close to it.

My KLF-20's are from 1996 and I've never had any problems with them and the build quality is pretty good for todays speakers but yes, the build quality on the RF-7's are better.

Klipsch speakers are not bright unless you put a bright source to them. The trick with any Klipsch speaker is to not put a bright source with them because Klipsch is VERY revealing speakers.

The sound from the RF-7's are stunning and the crossovers DO NOT need to be changed, run them with very good quality high current gear and you will get great quality sound. People who changed the crossover are doing it to tame down the sound when using it with bright gear. I don't recommend that because it takes out the "presence" that is so revealing and involving that the RF-7's have.

I suggest a mcintosh intergrated amp with tone controls, the best solid state and bass boost that works with these speakers hands down. Like the MC 6500 or 6900 even better with the 5 band eq to tame the mid's and up the bass slightly on these speakers, I had to do this with every klipsch I owned from the heritage which yes were slightly warmer all the way thru the current day Reference series. Tubes could help but normally will not have the punch for the bigger bass drivers in these designs, again in my experience, but I use them mostly for Rock and heavier faster stuff, but even the beatles benefit well from some re-balancing of these speakers with some slight tone control and solid power of solid state.