@Snooze read this article and then check all the links provided at the bottom too. Find something that works best for you and your room.
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Thanks @don and @NickMimi for your suggestions. I read through the article for the sake of reminding myself of the basics. My living space doesn’t really promote much movement but as of now, they are ever so slightly tilted inwards.
Funny enough, last night my issues subsided. Idk if it was speaker break-in or mental break-in but the missing center is pretty much there. Maybe buying used had something to do with break-in time (but they seem brand new?).
It’s not a seamless staging between center and left/right, but it’s close. Besides, I’m sitting on the couches on the sides most of the time anyways.
Having the Forte’s here has been a surprisingly evolving and learning experience. Past the break-in changes, they are damningly revealing. If something in your chain is slacking, you will be told lol. The last few days, they’ve told me “your topping D10s sucks”. I originally bought the DAC because good measurements for a cheap price, why not? But even on the first day, I could hear popping! Soft popping almost like vinyl. And then today… Today I played a minimalist guitar song and the DAC made the sound of making raspberries (lip bubbles? Motorboat sounds?) with your lips during the guitar parts. What? How does that make sense? Not the kind of fuck up I’d expect from electronics… To make sure it wasn’t the speakers I played the same song from my TV to the built DAC in my receiver. No issues. Interesting.
Anyways, this was more of a status update than a review. I was worried I wouldn’t like them but after the break-in, it’s become quite fun. I’ll probably review later in time but just know I’m keeping these and my GF said “it’s like being at a concert but a bit farther back”. She loves them so what else really needs to be said?
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What DAC are you guys using? I figure any answer could be an improvement from my $100 topping haha.
@Snooze, are you still having imaging issues?
For my Heresy’s I swap between a Line Magnetic 32, Exogal Comet+, and a Border Patrol SEI.
I’ve even played w/ the DAC on an older SPL Phonitor X and tried out a bunch of my HP DAC just to see what they do and don’t. (RME ADI 2 FS and a ProJect)
Very precise imaging, depth, and instrument separation has not been a problem w/various units. The quality and detail of performance has varied depending on the combo.
No actually! After switching from my marantz av receiver to the Octave V40SE. I’m not sure what characteristic caused the difference though.
Also wanted to mention an update with the DAC problems I had with my Topping D10S. I think a configuration setting bad been messed up from an upgrade on my rPi. No more issues, still wanna upgrade though.
Thanks for the recommendations! I recognize and have been looking at the border patrol DAC. Guess I should mention dacs I’d be looking at would be single ended and mostly between $1.7K-$3K ish. One exception is the Amber 3 since everyone on this site can’t stop talking about it.
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This is my first post here, and Im super happy to have found a Klipsch love/hate area on the forum!!! Huge Klipsch fans here, and here comes my setup pics! I also put some images of my Nanoleaf lights (which are difficult to photograph in action), which are right behind our hifi. Sorry for bad lighting environment!
We have a Marantz Model 30 + SACD 30n + Audio Technica + Drop VTA turntable pushing a pair of Klipsch rp-8000f. We’ve just installed a Furman IT-reference 15i isolation transformer/supply, and put some short Audioquest Evergreen cables on the RCA in/outs and on the turntable ground. FYI those Evergreen cables improved sound pressure and quality by a significant, noticeable amount between the SACD30n and Model 30.
Frankly, and this is something we are aware of – we may have UNDER spent on the rp-8000f. These are 8ohm speakers, and the Model 30 amp can double its power into 4ohm speakers. We may sell the rp-8000f some day and buy something bigger – either Klipsch or B&W or something. That is far into our future, if so.
Also – we have our system in a room that is about, I would say, 5 feet too small at its length. What I mean is, we use our bed as a “couch” to sit in the sweet spot, but the sweet spot is with our heads basically up against the wall. An ideal setup for this would be about 5 feet farther away from the system. We are considering buying a futon bed so that we can convert it into a couch for hifi listening. =P
EDIT: and I forgot to mention – we have a Klipsch sw120 sub in the other room on our Klipsch ‘The Sixes’ powered speaker setup. That sub is not needed on the Marantz + Klipsch system in the bedroom, as the bass and sub bass are perfectly powerful, clean, and mated to the stereo image in a way that a sub would not be able to reproduce. Its perfect, in our opinion, without a sub.
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And my second post is in our other room, my PC / gaming / audio production setup.
Out there we have the Klipsch powered ‘The Sixes’ + sw120 sub (under the table, out of view.). Ignore the definitive technologies pro sub100 on the table, which is being used as a speaker stand for the right Klipsch. 
Audio interface is focusrite 8i6 gen3, connected to the Klipsch via RCA.
This little Klipsch powered setup is very nice, but is less resolving, precise, and less HUGE than the Marantz + Klipsch system, obviously. It still sounds excellent and outperforms other smaller Klipsch powered setups, and is fantastic for gaming as well as mix/master for audio production. (neutral sound). The sub allows it to hit pretty hard, and sometimes it rattles our fireplace fixtures. 
Criticism of the Sixes: there is some sort of distortion produced by The Sixes that occurs during power on/power off. I’ve verified it isn’t wall power and put the system on a $300 power filter, and I’ve also removed all sources. The Sixes send a “crackle, crackle-crackle” sound to their own speaker, and they send a “BUMP” to the sub. The sub does not “BUMP” on it’s own when powered on/off, and it looks like the Sixes are just kinda dirty.
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Very nice! And welcome.
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My K-Horns are 47 years old. I finally pulled the crossovers off and am sending them to Dean Wescott (crankysoldermeister on FB) who has been endorsed officially by Klipsch and can now source appropriate materials for a re-fresh.
He will also send me some replacement components for my Heresy speakers so that I can re-fresh those myself in a few weeks.
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You’re just going with a refresh right, not retune?
No, Dean is one of the few who will actually re-fresh as opposed to Crites and others who re-Tune. I’m not interested in changing the sound signature. I’ll buy different speakers when I want a different tuning…
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Good to know. I’ve been considering doing my KG4s and was thinking Crites. Will definitely look Dean up.
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Refresh taking place @dB_Cooper
Klipsch does not require or actually want overly expensive or particularly fancy components in order to work as designed. I don’t expect to hear any difference I simply expect the speakers to be refreshed and performance to be optimal for their capability.
Here are in progress before and after photos. I’m assuming parts are a week or so out from delivery.
Before:
After:
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I love that they reused the same board and give it a coat of fresh paint and removed the metal label to do so. Even removed the oxidation from the bolts on the bus gang. And as far as not expecting to hear a difference, you hear a difference when you switch a cable between components and you think you won’t hear 40 years of patina being removed from the path of the electrical flow on those old ass caps!? lol
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He had more pictures showing finer details, I just picked these to show the overall differences.
There seems to have been a big discussion over at Klipsch recently on who they actually WANTED doing authorized Klipsch re-fresh work and which folks were making modifications.
There is a difference between using parts that will reproduce the Klipsch house sound and those that change the signature.
People will argue the better or worse aspect all day long. My personal preference was for house sound which is why I waited so long before finally sending my parts out. This refresh is for traditional house sound, that’s what I wanted.
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Hoping that this shows you exactly what would have been there forty years ago!
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@NickMimi @dB_Cooper Very interesting. I have been considering whether to refresh my Klipsch KG4s or put that $ toward “modern” speakers. Will be watching for your result.
PS very modest rig and budget, lol.
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You can go with Crites or Alk as the more popular upgrades. Or search for authorized Klipsch refresh dealers/individuals like I did.
Old caps will need to be swapped out at some point simply due to age, it is common and encouraged by all.
I have talked with Crites, so far. Will look into others, thanks for suggestions.
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