Customer Reviews

Klipsch RB-75 Bookshelf Loudspeaker

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
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Update: I bought a set of these on ebay. Having lived with them for a while, I'm still very happy. Paradigm has been revised several times (up to v5 now), and each time the treble has gotten a little better - but I have not had a chance to direct A-B comparison of the v5 against my RB-75.

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Although I don't own a set, I've listened to these speakers in 4 different showrooms for over 18 months. They have consistently been on my short list (along with B&W 701, NHT M6, and Paradigm Studio 20 v3).

My two favorite features of the Klipsch RB-75 are dynamics and detail. I listen to a lot of live unamplified music. My season symphony tickets are up close -- where the sound is dynamic and you can hear individual instruments. These speakers work great for me, but they are pretty revealing. If you like to sit and back and hear the [quieter] blend they may not work for you (too much treble a friend says). By way of comparison I find comparable Energy and Monitor speakers not detailed enough (even after they have been broken in).

The RB-75 does a great job with both macro and micro dynamics. Bass transients are excellent, and go amazingly deep for an 8" woofer in a small cabinet. It also has something that makes "live" recordings sounds live (I attribute this to good micro-dynamics). Voices sound natural, and the stereotype is true -- horns sound great reproduced from a horn (this is a great speaker for swing/big band).

It is not, of course a perfect speaker. I think the NHT M6 creates a better soundstage (at least in stereo configuration), and is similar in the level of detail. The RB-75 has deeper bass, but that may be less important with a good subwoofer (the M6 is designed to require a subwoofer). The Paradigms are less expensive, not quite as good in bass or dynamics, but are otherwise very nice speakers. I have not compared the B&W 701 directly to the RB-75, but I'm fairly sure the RB-75 has deeper and more transient bass.

Finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning next model down in the line: the RB-35. The RB-35 sounds very similar, for half the price. It uses the same woofer in a slightly smaller case, so the RB-35 has a little less bass. The midrange and treble is slightly less refined (the RB-75 has a different horn and cross-over), and overall it is not quite as dynamic. But I suspect I could easily live with either of these speakers, highly recommended!

PS: I filed a seperate review on the RB-35. Every virture I mentioned there was equaled or surpassed by the RB-75.