Klipsch R-41M Bookshelf Speaker Review

[napilopez]

I've said it before, but I think bias happens both ways. I do prefer listening first and measuring second and rarely find discrepancies nowadays. But even then, your listening impressions can affect your interpretation of the measurements.

But yeah, at the end of the day, we're here for the measurements. For almost every speaker tested so far, you can find dozens of written impressions. In that sense, you can say listening impressions after measurements are more valuable, as it might reflect how a data-driven listener might be biased by measurements .

 

[stereo01]

Look at how much good it has done them.

As I have repeatedly explained, I perform listening tests after the measurements to get trained on what frequency response anomalies sound like. This is proving hugely valuable.

Great, please let us know when the training is complete. In the meantime I think you should stop trying to save the world from those awful Klipsch speakers.

 

[Thomas_A]

Look at how much good it has done them.

As I have repeatedly explained, I perform listening tests after the measurements to get trained on what frequency response anomalies sound like. This is proving hugely valuable.

Do you ever go back and listen to the first tested speaker (if you have it still), now when you have tested a bunch?

 

[Milesian]

Had my first pair of Klipsch last year. Seduced by Herb and Steve’s reviews I succumbed to the The RP-600M. I gave them a good tryout, but ended up passing them on a couple of months later. I’m not sure if the classic lines live up to the hype, but I was disappointed in this latest ‘reference’ monitor. I’m now listening to a single 5” full range monitor hand built in Ottawa. Couldn’t be happier.

 

[DanGuitarMan]

Great, please let us know when the training is complete. In the meantime I think you should stop trying to save the world from those awful Klipsch speakers.

Dude, what? Who is trying to save anything? He's providing detailed measurements free of charge, and then throwing in a listening opinion which is labeled as INFORMAL. If you want some kind of double-blind comparison, go ahead and do one yourself.

 

[stereo01]

Dude, what? Who is trying to save anything? He's providing detailed measurements free of charge, and then throwing in a listening opinion which is labeled as INFORMAL. If you want some kind of double-blind comparison, go ahead and do one yourself.

Speaker Listening Tests
Even though this is not a near-field monitor, I tested it that way. So shoot me!

On my right I had the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR and on the left the Klipsch R-41M. With levels matched and playing one channel at a time, the R-41M had no bass. It was all mid to highs. And boy, are those some highs. If you have not shaved, they are sharp enough to do that for you. I can see without a reference an inexperienced listener would instantly like them as "more clear, more detail, better imaging, etc." Switch to Pioneer though and you hear such a balance in tonality. Bass is there and overall sound is warm and pleasant. Not so with R-41M

Folks, I suffer with bad sound so you don't have to. Please avoid the Klipsch R-41M unless you just want a speaker as an ornament.

 

[DanGuitarMan]

Speaker Listening Tests
Even though this is not a near-field monitor, I tested it that way. So shoot me!

On my right I had the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR and on the left the Klipsch R-41M. With levels matched and playing one channel at a time, the R-41M had no bass. It was all mid to highs. And boy, are those some highs. If you have not shaved, they are sharp enough to do that for you. I can see without a reference an inexperienced listener would instantly like them as "more clear, more detail, better imaging, etc." Switch to Pioneer though and you hear such a balance in tonality. Bass is there and overall sound is warm and pleasant. Not so with R-41M

Folks, I suffer with bad sound so you don't have to. Please avoid the Klipsch R-41M unless you just want a speaker as an ornament.

The point is if you want a double-blind test, do it yourself.

 

[tuga]

No complaint from me Amir, I'm just happy to see the measurememts

Having said that - and I say this only because you bring it up - have you considered that trying to hear anomalies in the absence of bias and then testing your observations against objective data might be more valuable (to you personally I mean)?

Can anyone hear anomalies listening to (pink noise? over) a single speaker in mono?

 

[stereo01]

The point is if you want a double-blind test, do it yourself.

No, actually the point is to stay in your lane. If you believe measurements tell the whole story than there is no need to add Harry Pearson like comments. By the way, Andrew Jones who designed the Pioneer SP-BS22 once believed that measurements told the whole story.

 

[Rockfella]

However you have no chance to prevent bias you received during your measurements. This is unavoidable, though you probably would not admit the fact.

He MAY not be able to prevent bias while listening not really while measuring I guess. Again both are very unlikely.

 

[tuga]

By the way, Andrew Jones who designed the Pioneer SP-BS22 once believed that measurements told the whole story.

He probably still does and just changed the tune for marketing purposes.

 

[amirm]

However you have no chance to prevent bias you received during your measurements. This is unavoidable, though you probably would not admit the fact.

Watch your language. Don't need your insults.

You have not worked in the industry so you don't know how things work. Blind tests are difficult, expensive and time consuming. For this reason, vast majority of testing is done sighted, usually with trained listeners. Their opinion is considered reliable enough to make quick progress during development. Then as a sanity check, blind tests are performed. In the case of Harman for example, that is the gating item before a speaker is released.

I plan to perform listening tests just as well with a larger group than me. Until then, I don't need lectures from people who haven't lifted a finger to help with speaker testing.

 

[stereo01]

He probably still does and just changed the tune for marketing purposes.

I don't believe in science is always a great marketing ploy.

 

[Absolute]

No, actually the point is to stay in your lane. If you believe measurements tell the whole story than there is no need to add Harry Pearson like comments. By the way, Andrew Jones who designed the Pioneer SP-BS22 once believed that measurements told the whole story.

Measurements tell the whole story about relative objective performance according to the Spinorama CEA 2034-A-2015 (ANSI) standard, which is what we're after.

 

[amirm]

Great, please let us know when the training is complete. In the meantime I think you should stop trying to save the world from those awful Klipsch speakers.

Watch your language. The next insult will get you a week ban.

 

[Jon AA]

I don't believe in science is always a great marketing ploy.

Actually, it is for some markets. Unfortunate, but true.

 

[thewas]

I've said it before, but I think bias happens both ways. I do prefer listening first and measuring second and rarely find discrepancies nowadays. But even then, your listening impressions can affect your interpretation of the measurements.

But yeah, at the end of the day, we're here for the measurements. For almost every speaker tested so far, you can find dozens of written impressions. In that sense, you can say listening impressions after measurements are more valuable, as it might reflect how a data-driven listener might be biased by measurements .

I also nowadays listen first to a loudspeaker for some days to be not biased by measurements, then do the measurements, then listen again to see if I notice stuff I didn't bother before and finally listen with EQ done from the measurements, but this takes many days and is not what most of us are here for but detailed measurements, so I don't think anything should change, I personally would even leave the 2 lines of the quick sound check out, but they don't bother me either.

 

[wwenze]

There are already many reviews by others that listen to the speakers before the measurements...

Most of them don't do the measurements anyway but I don't see how that is a problem if the subjective review is not to be affected by the measurments.

 

[spacevector]

Great, please let us know when the training is complete. In the meantime I think you should stop trying to save the world from those awful Klipsch speakers.

Sounds like you bought and enjoy these Klipsch speakers. Nothing wrong with that man. Why you gotta be so upset?

Personally I enjoy reading Amir's listening impressions. I too would prefer that he did the listening test prior to measurements but the man has got his reasons. He pegs them against a known beast though (a reference you might say) so I think there is still value to them.

Mrs. A's impressions OTOH though... I'd go next level membership for those. =)

 

[xykreinov]

Received these as a 2018 Christmas gift- they do indeed sound far from reference...
Saving up for a JBL 308P MkII given Amir's rave review of its smaller sibling and my fondness for old Altec Lansing speakers.