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Klipsch RB-75 Bookshelf speakersCasting an eye on the box of Klipsch RB-75 I thought that small "floor" speaker systems were mistakenly sent for us. Very impressive sizes coupled with high sensitivity, traditional for acoustics of the company, promise extraordinary bass power. In general, it is pleasant to see that still there are companies, which don't hurry for fashion and don't try to reduce speaker systems to the size of a matchbox - the laws of physics can't be deceived, deep bass is possible only in a large box. Klipsch RB-75 is included in the updated Reference series, being closed to the top of the company's model range. I don't have the heart to call them a "shelf" - it is difficult to imagine such shelf which will be able to stand such monsters. A big body is finished by natural veneer sheet and the front plastic panel is integral with the firmed horn Tractrix, in the depth of which a titanium high-frequency dome is hidden (covered with a thin mesh). Like in other speaker systems of this series the main speaker with the diameter of 8 inches is made of metal alloy with Cerametallic ceramic coating. The decision to put a slotted port of bass reflex on the front panel was very right: this will allow to place the acoustic closer to the back wall. The connectors for acoustic cables allow the connection by bi-wiring/bi-amping scheme. Dustproof grill closes the whole front panel from top to bottom. On the basis of big sizes of the acoustics you need to choose stands not higher than 50 cm, otherwise the tweeters will be too high relatively to eye level of a sitting person. Classical music has revealed the advantages and disadvantages of Klipsch RB-75 - deep bass takes "to the quick" but violins sound simplistic and piercing and the piano has excessive plangency. Female vocal was also given too loudly and flatly. Stage depth leaves much to be desired - all the instruments are in the foreground. To describe Klipsch RB-75 briefly: pressure and more pressure, maximum bass but due to some simplification of the sound. The theatrical nature of Klipsch RB-75 shows itself from the very first shots - in addition to powerful bass a horn design of the tweeter allows the speakers to create wide and volumetric front stage with a very high coherence. All crossfades in the frontal plane were given smoothly. Of course, despite of impressive bass abilities, Klipsch RB-75 can't fully overcome the limitations imposed by the shelf design: unlike floor "counterparts" they are unable to fully pump a room - the use of subwoofer is necessary. Moreover there are no any problems with adjustment - at the setting the cut-off frequency on 60 Hz a junction between frequency range , being played by shelf speaker systems and subwoofer, is upset. It appears that the use of Klipsch RB-75 monitors at all channels in combination with a good subwoofer will give better results than the use of floor speaker systems - in the last-mentioned case the excess bass can take its place. Klipsch RB-75 are not difficult load for an amplifier, high levels can be achieved quite easily. |