I would like to put some questions I have regarding my Home Theater options. I will highly appreciate if you can let me know which one will be better for my Home Theater Usage. My usage is 75% HT and 25% Music. Some of the criteria i have are:
1. Reasonably efficient speakers that can be driven by any $700 reciever preferably. But I am also open to adding a 2 channel power amp like NAD C272 ($400 used, 150 watts/ch 4 and 8 ohms) for the front speakers.
2. The Home theater set-up needs to have very good effects and real slam. I have the budget to add a SVS / HSU sub ( $800 )
3. A good center channel speaker that reproduces dialogues and blasts efficently. Basically dialogue needs to be heard properly ( Paradigm CC570 vs Klipsch RC-7 vs Paraidgm CC 470 )
4. Finally a decent system musically. I will be using this 25% of the times for music. I like good vocals, instruments, strings etc
5. I heard that CC570 is timbre mathed with studio 100s and CC470 goes with studio 60s. Is this true ? I was thinking we can match CC570 with studio 60s as well ( basically looking for best center channel speaker ).
Until you listen to both a decision would be hard to make. I have a preference towards Klipsch, but i own the Reference 35 series (RF,RC,RS +RSW15). So my opinion is going to be biased. Since you have it narrowed down to two units, sit and listen to both of them, be sure to use the same source for both ie. nad pre and power amp so you have a fair comparison. I don't know you'll find the RF5's anymore though Klipsch just went to a model change.
Klipsch are very forward sounding i compared them to B&W. B&W felt like you were just surrounded by music (like you were standing in a mist all that mist being high quality sound), Klipsch felt like it was being blown in your face (like you were in the middle of a monsoon all the rain blown directly you). I think they sound great for movies very dynamic and don't require a lot of power. Music is the same and they do a great reproduction of whats on the CD.