Speaker upgrade, how significant?

[Mulburg]

I realize this is a difficult and crazy question.

My only system is an ACA 1.8, Bottlehead Moreplay preamp, iPhone and Klipsch RP 600M speakers. I built the amp and preamp because I wanted a fun project and I found out I really like the way they sound, even if it’s just with my iPhone. I got the speakers because of online reviews and the recent sale klipsch had.

All else remaining equal, would swapping in a pair of Klipsch Forte IVs make a substantial difference? Is this a Chevy volt to a Corvette, or a Honda Civic to a slightly more optioned Honda Civic? All analogies welcome.

 

[planet10]

Hard for me to get excited anout any Klipsch speakers.

How about building your own?

dave

 

[5th element]

I realize this is a difficult and crazy question.

My only system is an ACA 1.8, Bottlehead Moreplay preamp, iPhone and Klipsch RP 600M speakers. I built the amp and preamp because I wanted a fun project and I found out I really like the way they sound, even if it’s just with my iPhone. I got the speakers because of online reviews and the recent sale klipsch had.

All else remaining equal, would swapping in a pair of Klipsch Forte IVs make a substantial difference? Is this a Chevy volt to a Corvette, or a Honda Civic to a slightly more optioned Honda Civic? All analogies welcome.

Hold on you're asking if going from a small stand mount to a rather large three way floor stander would make a substantial difference? Absolutely.

Lots more bass, much lower power compression, much higher sensitivity so will play much louder for the same power. Will naturally go much louder with much lower distortion too.

But one speaker is ideally for a small room and the other a really big one. The 600M measure well over at stereophile and have excellent off axis performance too. There's nothing wrong with them except for the broad dip at 1.5kHz and that they could sound light on the bass. A decent subwoofer, or two, and a high pass on the 600Ms would make for a substantial improvement in my opinion.

 

[Evenharmonics]

Speaker quality makes huge difference in sound quality when room acoustics is also well taken care. So yes, upgrade it but don't forget the importance of room acoustics because you can put the best speakers in poor room acoustics and they will sound poor.

 

[Galu]

The Klipsch Forte IV has a 300 mm woofer and a rear-facing 380 mm passive radiator.

You're gonna need a bigger room!

 

[AllenB]

Not certain about that, the little speaker possibly has wider directivity.

 

[planet10]

Do keep in mind that the loudspeakers impedance will also need to be lept in mind, given the highish R_out, even more so if you move to monobloks.

I have not seen a measured impedance curve of any (stock) Klipsch that is not have an ugly impedance curve. You want something with a fairly flat impedance.

dave

 

[Cal Weldon]

I have a pair of Forte's with a regular Onkyo HT receiver in a 280 ft^2 room and they perform well. A lot better than the ones you have now I expect.

 

[Evenharmonics]

I have not seen a measured impedance curve of any (stock) Klipsch that is not have an ugly impedance curve. You want something with a fairly flat impedance.

Without defining what ugly impedance curve is and how it relates to actual audible traits, what you stated doesn't help.

 

[planet10]

How ugly an impedance curve depends on the amplifiers R_out.

Here the Forte III which would be considered ugluy if your amp is an ACA.

You may believe that any amplifier with highish R_out is broken.

dave

 

[Larryu]

Take a look at GR Research's up graded crossover for your Klipsch speakers. While your there take a look at his DIY speakers, I just built his X-Statik and X-Voce and by far the best sounding speaker I've ever heard.

 

[Evenharmonics]

And how it relates to actual audible traits? Without such info, it's meaningless.

 

[planet10]

With a high R_out part of the impedance curve is convolved with the FR. So in the example i showed you would see some peaking between 1.5-6 KHz and some added roughness elsewhere.

Crites has XO that fix the impedance of some Klipsch, LaScala, maybe Forte

dave

 

[Mulburg]

Thank you everyone for the responses.

Building would require space and tools I just don’t have access to.

 

[kct]

Klipsch did not work for me. Klipsch stuff is hopelessly overrated.
If I may suggest a decent speaker, look at The ZuAudio Omen Dirty Weekend or perhaps a set of Tekton. These paired with a decent amplifier gives you a religious experience.

 

[Evenharmonics]

With a high R_out part of the impedance curve is convolved with the FR. So in the example i showed you would see some peaking between 1.5-6 KHz and some added roughness elsewhere.

Crites has XO that fix the impedance of some Klipsch, LaScala, maybe Forte

dave

Only speculations.
You would've had to hear it in side by side comparison to "prettier" impedance curve of same type of speaker drivers if audibility evaluation is to be made.

 

[AllenB]

I see. Dave did qualify your above quote by beginning with "With a high R_out".

'High' is a relative term so could you accept the quote on that basis?

 

[Evenharmonics]

I accepted it as a speculation.

 

[jjasniew]

I thought it was one of KEF's tricks to make the speaker impedance appear as "resistive" as possible, so the amp doesnt have to drive some whacky load. According to them, their speakers (as such) make your amp sound better by making it not have to work so hard to compensate.

If you look at some KEF crossovers, there's elements in there that all they do is help to flatten the impedance as seen by the amplifier. This is nothing new...like a "Zobel" for the amp.

 

[Scottmoose]

As in input Zobels in the the crossover? Sure, quite a few do that, to flatten an excessive impedance rise from filtering, sometimes the upper box resonance peak in a vented cabinet etc.