Mismatched speakers--or OK matchup of Klipsch F2 and F3?

[Shalanna]

I have a wacky idea, but I thought I should ask for a few opinions first.

Over at our Circuit City location, they're finally pricing things lower. But! They have ONE Klipsch F2 Synergy speaker and ONE Klipsch F3 Synergy speaker left. They weren't demonstrators--they were the ones that sat on the floor in the main store to show you what the speaker was like, and then they sold you one in a box. Anyhow . . . these speakers have similar specs. What would happen if I hooked one up as a right channel and one as a left channel on a new Harman Kardon HK 3490 2 x 120W stereo receiver? Would I be causing an imbalance? Hurting the amp or the speakers? Or would it just mean that the left channel with the F2 would sound a TAD less great than the F3 channel on the right?

I don't have ANY speakers hooked up at the moment to this receiver, so I am very tempted to try this outfit out. But I thought I'd ask you if you thought it was a cool idea or not. I know you're supposed to match the speakers to each other!

[JoeE SP9]

Doing what you propose wouldn't hurt anything. Neither the speakers or the receiver would be in any danger. Both speakers come from the same manufacturer and are close in size so they will sound similar.
The key word here is similar. You should have a pair of speakers so that you get a balanced representation of the music. If one speaker is different from the other you will not have a balanced representation.
Are they selling them so cheap that you would purchase them instead of a pair of speakers?

[luvtolisten]

It wouldn't due any harm, since they are both rated at 8ohms. But the F3 is a little more efficient than the F2 ,97dB vs. 95.5 dB., which means you'll have to tweak the balance control on your receiver. The other factor to consider is your placement of the speakers in the room you'll have them in. Will one be closer to a wall than the other etc? It may help hide or magnify the sound difference between the two. If it were me, and I do love a bargin, I would pass. Remember, once you buy them, you're stuck with them (at least all sales are final here in Rochester) and what are the chances of ever findng single speaker to match either one?

[RoadRunner6]

BAD IDEA!

I know lots of guys have different sized testicles (there's a functional reason that I don't have time to get into now ... ). However, different sized left and right speakers can be a noticable mismatch even from the same series. You will probably have a slight or obvious difference in sound due to the different size horn mouth and woofers and enclosure size.

Instead, buy here from a great online dealer with no shipping and no sales tax.


http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...=24-25502293-2

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...=17-28375131-2

RR6

[luvtolisten]

[ Remember, once you buy them, you're stuck with them (at least all sales are final here in Rochester) and what are the chances of ever findng single speaker to match either one?[/QUOTE]

I didn't realize you CAN buy them each. Maybe a compromise, one from Circiut City, one from the website RoadRunner listed? You're best bet is to have 2 of the same, or I think you'll have regrets.

[Shalanna]

Oops . . . they WERE selling them that cheap. But today I went back to get them, and they're completely sold out of everything but the F-1, and they only have one. The sale was 40% off. Oh, well . . . I was a bit concerned about buying from a store that is going out of business. I'll keep an eye out for a sale at Best Buy (where I think they carry these and other nice speakers as well). If I get 30% off by some miracle, that would be OK, and I'd get a pair of the same speakers, and then I could bring them back if one didn't work or something.

Clearances/liquidations may not be all they're cracked up to be. *grin*

Thanks for the answer, though. If I do run across another really great deal . . . well, I will still dither until it gets snatched away, so let's not worry about it too much. . . .

[luvtolisten]

You're right, I went to 2 out othe 3 Circuit City's they have here, looking for PC, and they really weren't marked down all that much. It was like they raised the price 20%, then dropped it 30%, just so they could say on TV they were 30% off. I did end up buying one at BestBuy for the same reasons you stated, for not much more than CC had on"sale". Their service there sucks anyway. They downsized a few years ago, let quite few people go, the older ones with experience and knowledge, to rehire kids at less pay to save a few bucks. One time they did have some good people there, who knew the product. Now they have ones that more or less read the label on the display to you. How did that work out for 'em? I know it wasn't the whole reason for their downfall, but it sure didn't help them either.
But it is easy to get caught up in those sales, it's like a feeding frenzy. Besides, to me finding a audio component, thru these forums and doing the research is fun to me. Maybe it's part of the hunting genes from the caveman days.There are deals to be had, especially the way things are now with the economy. Just have to play the waiting game. Read this forum and others too on line, and you'll find as I did, there are equal or better speakers out there, than BestBuy sells, most cases for less.

[bfalls]

Looking at the specs I wouldn't go with them either. Usually within the same speaker line the tweeters are the same, but the mids and/or woofers are different configurations depending on how low you want the speaker to go. However this is not the case with the F2/F3. The tweeters and horn configs are different. I believe with the difference in tweeters and mid drivers will give each a unique sound, not good for a stereo or surround system.