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Center channel to complement Klipsch Fortes

Let me start by saying first that I am brand new to this site and second that I am probably not a true audiophile; I love nice equipment, and about 20 years ago invested in an above-average system, but I am not well versed in all the technical aspects and so forth.

That said, I am looking to convert from my current set up (Klipsch Fortes and a Nakamichi SR-3A) to home theater and am wondering if there is any good center channel that mates up with the Fortes.

I'm told that it's important a center channel have the exact same tweeter as the fronts but am guessing that Klipsch wasn't making center channels back in 1985 when the I believe the Fortes were produced.

Am I better off selling the Fortes and starting anew? If so, what would you all suggest as a close match to that wonderful Klipsch sound? I'm told that Klipsch themselves has drifted into the the lower-end market these days. Is that true?

Thanks in advance for your help.
richard107
7 responses Add your response
flemke
595 posts
 
http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=13

This is what you are looking for.
I had the Chorus 2's with this center and it matched very well. It is rather large.

Tim
bignerd100
515 posts
 
Your Fortes are about 99dB efficent. This means that there are few other speakers on earth that will work well in a surround set-up at all volume levels. You could get an acceptably convincing surround sound experiance at one particular volume setting on a surround sound receiver if you were to use a speaker of modest efficency (93db or higher). The best way to go would be to have your rock-out system (Fortes/Nak) and a reasonable surround set-up.

Surround sound is just not that demanding. You could go with NHT SB2's for your five speakers ($200 ea) and a reasonably priced sub. If you are only going to use this set-up for movies it will not need to be supper high resolution. An NAD T743 is a good entry-level receiver.

Good luck.
mwilson
430 posts
 
Tim has given you the time-honored advice on this one. I was a former Forte II owner, have lurked the Klipsch forums, and the KLF-C7 comes up time and time again as the favorite match for Fortes + Choruses.
chickey
3 posts
 
The truest match for your Fortes is a Klipscg Academy. Hard to find for sure, but they come occasionally here and on other boards, as well as eBay (where they go for often astonomical prices). You won't be disappointed if you are lucky enough to find one.

Colin
flemke
595 posts
 
Chickey,
I had not seen this center before.
There are 2 klf c7's on ebay though.

Tim
richard107 OP
2 posts
 
Dear All,

Thanks so much for your responses. I'll look in to all this. One question. I'm assuming that with the KLF-C7 it was meant to mate up with the Forte IIs; will it be as sonically compatible w.the earlier Fortes?

Thanks.
dcevans
178 posts
 
Klipsch Heresy IIIs are also 99 dB efficient. They were designed by Pail Klipsch to be the center channel for the large membrers of the Heritage series. 
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