Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade

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Tyson

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #120 on: 15 Feb 2020, 06:02 pm »
Received my RP-8000F kit on Wed.. Started the Crossover build and am just about ready to take the speakers apart...




Will post more pictured of the build and install with measurements if anyone is interested


Yes please! 

Homer2

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Re: Klipsch RP-8000F Upgrade
« Reply #121 on: 15 Feb 2020, 08:58 pm »
I completed my Klipsch RP-8000F upgrade last night.  I love the Klipsch sound.  But I wanted to get the midrange hole that was bothering me fixed.  I was expecting smoother highs and more present mids.  Since the upgrade I can't stop listening to my system.  The upgrade exceeds my high expectations.  The highs were already clear.  Now they are cleaner and smoother.  The mids are more present and involved in the presentation and the bass is stronger.  I could go on about the sound improvements for some time but will spare you.  I was a quite nervous about tearing apart these already pretty awesome speakers.  Once open, I noticed the internal cabinet bracing looked very rigid.  With the NoRes installed the cabinet is now solid as a rock.  For anyone with a similar system, and want to estimate your system improvements I have a test for you.  In my case, my front LCR speakers are a pair of RP8000F's and a center Klipsch RP-504C.  Prior to the upgrade music sounded better by a mile in DTS Neural X mode compared to multichannel stereo.  There were some things better about multichannel stereo mode for music.  But the vocals and other midrange sounds were so muted that it was a rare song that sounded better in this mode.  This observation has been immediately confirmed by numerous friends a family on many occasions.  If your system has these same odd characteristics, you may be perceiving the same midrange hole and can estimate the upgrade improvement comparing to better midrange performing center channel .  After the GR Research RP-8000F upgrade, The DTS Neural X mode sounds better for sure when sounds are played on the front LR speakers.  But now music unquestionably sounds the best in multichannel stereo mode.  Classical instruments, piano, strings, etc recorded in near field sound amazing now.  The only downside is the 8000F speakers are a slightly less forward sounding in the high range.  Oh and it took me some real effort to complete the actual upgrade.  While I always received high praise from anyone hearing my system before, I feel like my system has now crossed over the line from mid-fi to hi-fi.  The GR Research upgrade is one of the better upgrades I've done on my system.   

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #122 on: 15 Feb 2020, 09:17 pm »




With the crossover competed and tested, I am ready to install..



Only one is done So I figured this would be a good time to compare the two...

Please note (I did not have enough cable to complete the install with GR-Research's included cable, so I used some 16 gauge speaker cable i had.




Not seen here is me installing the no-rez




As you can see the dip at the crossover range looks to be gone and the upper freq controlled more..

Need to finish the second one now and then I can actually listen lol.





Homer2

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Re: Klipsch RP-8000F Upgrade
« Reply #123 on: 15 Feb 2020, 09:18 pm »


maty

Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #124 on: 15 Feb 2020, 09:49 pm »
After a while, when you have memorized the new sound, you can try to bypass tweeter cap with Miflex KPCU-01 0.02uF 600Vdc. Before asking Danny Richie in what capacitor and if it is worth it with this Klipsch!

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #125 on: 15 Feb 2020, 11:46 pm »
Second speaker done.. Before and after measurements




 

Tyson

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #126 on: 16 Feb 2020, 12:52 am »
Second speaker done.. Before and after measurements




 

That's a rather large improvement.

RonP

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #127 on: 16 Feb 2020, 01:03 am »



Only one is done So I figured this would be a good time to compare the two...


yeah that's a bit of effort  :D

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #128 on: 16 Feb 2020, 01:30 am »
It wasn’t to bad took about half a day to complete but yeah I was over it by the end lol... will post thoughts on the changes as I get to listen to them more tonight and tomorrow

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #129 on: 16 Feb 2020, 01:35 am »
One thing I noticed though was that a driver that I had repaired, by an authorized Klipsch dealer had the bracket prongs on the faceplate that goes around the driver busted, all because he didn’t look to put the driver in the correct orientation in the cabinet :/

Danny Richie

Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #130 on: 16 Feb 2020, 03:28 am »

The performance took a little bit of a hit by not using the wire that came with the kit. That wire is four 9's pure Copper in polyethylene.

The stranded clear PVC jacketed wire that was used is not even close.  So some clarity was lost.

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #131 on: 16 Feb 2020, 03:48 am »
Maybe, if the speaker cable I used for the speakers themselves were any better but they are not... lol

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #132 on: 16 Feb 2020, 03:50 am »
BTW Danny, one hell of a crossover upgrade.. I have been sitting here with my jaw wide open for the last few hours just listening!!

Danny Richie

Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #133 on: 16 Feb 2020, 01:56 pm »
BTW Danny, one hell of a crossover upgrade.. I have been sitting here with my jaw wide open for the last few hours just listening!!

I appreciate you ordering and posting feedback.

Enjoy.

Mmorrill88

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #134 on: 17 Feb 2020, 02:19 pm »
Wow this is great I just got my 8000f's when I found Danny's video for the 600m's, was hoping he might have an 8000f kit! I already ordered some tube connectors but will have to get this kit one day soon. Quick question, what is that solid core wire that you use?

kejar31

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #135 on: 17 Feb 2020, 06:21 pm »
RP-8000F crossover upgrade impressions

First, I want to say, the neck around the crossover frequency was not as noticeable as one might think. The speakers did play the full range, you just needed to be at least 2 or 3 meters away…

Also, I want to say, I did enjoy these speakers before this upgrade but there is also no doubt in my mind that with this new crossover in place, in my room, the upgrade made a huge improvement for listening to 2 channel music.

Here are the things that I noticed changed with this upgrade

1.   Imaging: Before Upgrade
   a.   Getting a center lock on an image was possible with the speakers, as they were, but only really 1500Hz and above.
      i.   This could sometimes make male vocals sound a bit like they were coming from the room rather than the center image.
   b.   Localization of the speakers was far to easy which effected imaging.
      i.   Probably due to the 2-way configuration across such a large area as pointed out by Danny Richie
   c.   With the upper frequency being tilted up, you ended up pointing these speakers strait out into the room which helped on that front a lot, surprisingly you still got a center lock on that horn with this layout.
   d.   The more I think about it the more I think these speakers were build for Theater use only.
      i.   They worked best closer together pointed straight out into the room (think between a 65 inch tv and only 4 feet apart with the listener being 9 feet away)
      ii.   With them being so localizable having them close together allows for a better perceived separation when using this in a 3.1 or higher setup.
2.   Imaging: After upgrade
   a.   Getting a center lock now seems good well below 1500Hz.
   b.   Localization of the speaker while still a little present (the speakers don’t completely disappear) is much much better
   c.   Toe in is now recommended which also allows for better imaging and placement of instruments and vocals withing the soundstage
      i.   Not perfect but much better than it was.

3.   Soundstage:
   a.   Prior to the upgrade the soundstage was wide, as one would expect but not very deep. In fact, vocals and singers sounded as if they were right in your face
   b.   After the upgrade the width gave in a bit to a more narrow but deeper soundstage
      i.   Vocals feel like they are further away recessed about a few feet back.
      ii.   Sound effects from music like the talking heads can sound like they are further off in the distance or behind you, something that these speakers were never able to do before.

4.   Tone:
   a.   With the top in completely in check now, the upper range sounds extremely crisp and clear but not fatiguing.
   b.   The midrange is more present now and makes a warmer richer overall sound from the speakers
   c.   The bass is much better (I was surprised at how much this upgrade improved the bass) Its tighter faster and has more punch now.

5.   Klipsch sound:
   a.   In a lot of ways, they pretty much sound like the same speakers, just better
   b.   So, for people who are worried they will no longer sound like Klipsch’s don’t.

So would I recommend this upgrade, hell yes I would, but there are caveats.

If you are someone who uses these speakers in a theater setup only and pushes your speakers close together on either side of your tv facing strait out into the room, these upgrades may not be best for you..

If you are someone like me who listens to music 30 percent or more and then uses them as part of a theater setup and has room to properly separate the speakers, then yes definitely do it.

Hit_Apex

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #136 on: 17 Feb 2020, 11:35 pm »
Finished this upgrade this morning.  I liked the speakers before but now realizing what was missing.  Still going through my reference library but so far I am more pleased than I expected to be and agree with much of the observations above.



Danny Richie

Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #137 on: 18 Feb 2020, 01:16 am »
Hit_Apex, Something to keep in mind.


Hit_Apex

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #138 on: 18 Feb 2020, 09:55 pm »
Thanks Danny - I will make the adjustment.

jacobm3

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Re: Klipsch RP-600M Upgrade
« Reply #139 on: 17 Mar 2020, 06:56 am »
I'm a new RP-600M owner after having a Cornwall and Heresy home theater many years ago. I'm not crazy about the the 600M's. It would be great if the upgrade made me love these speakers, but considering the price of the crossover upgrade, would it be better to just build the X-LS Encore and sell the 600Ms? Has anyone had both onhand to do a comparison?

I have a (much) less than ideal listening room and home theater combo. I'm still in the process of building and installing room treatment, so it's hard for me to say how much of what I'm hearing is the room vs. the speakers. I've got the speakers about 40" off the front wall, but they sound almost as loud when I put my head behind them as they do from my listening position, so I think I'm getting a lot  of front wall reflections. Right now I just have 3.5" rockwool at first reflection points on the ceiling. Next step is to put rockwool in the front corners/front wall area.

Thanks!
Jacob