Home Theatre/TV: Klipsch/Yamaha Harmony F2 Home Theatre System – 71

Just like a classic burger with the works, this home theatre package is overflowing with tasty goodies. It’s got everything you need to get up and running, including the cables and a good-quality surge protector. The only extra that needs to be added is a source, which makes perfect sense – some punters buying a new home theatre system will be dead keen on having a Blu-ray player but others won’t care and will be entirely happy with good old DVD. We borrowed an upscaling Yamaha DVD-S661 DVD player to test the system and it proved to be a fine performer in its own right, with sharp images and speedy disc access (slow disc navigation is one of my pet peeves – yes, I’m talking about you Blu-ray).

The 7.1-channel RX-V863 receiver is the top of Yamaha’s latest AV receiver range and it’s got all the bells and whistles you’ll need, with features that would have only been found on the very grandest of flagship receivers a few years back. There are three HDMI 1.3a inputs, 1080p upscaling, support for the new Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio high-res surround sound formats, preset surround sound scenes and plenty of surround programmes. There’s also an optional iPod dock and Bluetooth adapter, automated setup, lip sync adjustment, second zone capability and even a moving magnet phono stage to round out the comprehensive list.

The movers and shakers in this system are from Klipsch’s Synergy series. Their looks float my boat but based on reactions around the Tone office, their imposing black and titanium finish won’t grab everyone. They’re much more discreet and subdued with the grilles on, which may make a difference if looks are an issue.

Klipsch has been a champion of horn-loaded speakers for more than half a century and the benefits are obvious in a home theatre environment, where excitement and dynamic range are major factors. Horn-loaded speakers are generally very efficient and will generate more volume with less power than many competitors – when this lot are on the end of the receiver’s clean 105 watts per channel, they are capable of shattering levels. Quite frankly, I couldn’t take anything close to full volume, ran out of ‘the minerals’ and backed off like a wuss (sensibly, I might add) at about two-thirds of the maximum when people from the second floor of the building arrived to see what was going on.

The receiver’s automated speaker setup routine was quick and effective and the two Yamahas proved relatively easy to get up and running, with only a few minor setup issues lurking to trap the unwary – why oh why don’t more DVD players automatically turn on HDMI audio output when an HDMI cable is plugged in? Seems like common sense to me but anyway, this took only minutes to sort out. The 30-metre roll of Monster speaker cable will be more than enough for most rooms but ask your dealer to throw in a pack of good-quality banana plugs with the package, as they’re far less hassle than messing about with bare wire, especially if you want to bi-wire the front and centre speakers.

The system was initially configured without the sub to check out the F2 floorstanders, and with two 6.5-inch metallic drivers per side, they do a great job of cranking out the bass. Flick on the sub, however, and the impact goes up about ten notches on the slam scale – but with a big, solid cabinet and a hefty amplifier, that’s no surprise. The Sub 10 proved very easy to integrate with the rest of the speakers. With the floorstanders’ impressive low frequency extension the sub doesn’t have to do much besides fill out the very bottom end, and that’s what subs do best. The receiver has a second LFE output to make running two subs a simple proposition, but only those with mega-sized rooms, a cruel streak or no neighbours need apply.

The dynamics, surround steering and soundstaging in movie playback are quite remarkable – the battle against the Legionnaires of Scipio Africanus on the Gladiator DVD was so much fun that I had to watch it twice. Impacts and effects were sharply defined and larger than life and, even with the volume well up, there was never any sense of strain or of the receiver running out of puff.

Spider-man 2.1 was also a great watch – the system has the ability to make action scenes feel spectacular and the sub conveyed explosions and rumbling background noises very effectively without getting boomy at all.

Moving onto CD and DVD videos to see how the musical side of the equation stacked up, I had discs as diverse as The Planets by Holst, Seal’s Live in Paris, Nirvana Unplugged in New York and Jeff Buckley on ‘So Real’ spinning round the listening room. The result was very positive in both stereo and multichannel; the dynamics present in the movies are here in a big way and the fact that the floorstanders aren’t shy wallflowers makes for a big, entertaining sound that will have your feet merrily tapping away. The speakers are, shall we say, well endowed at the top end, not really bright but they don’t hold back a thing and that may grate on listeners used to a more laidback sound. Still, it’s easy enough to mellow them out; just whip two dB off the treble in the receiver’s tone settings and Bob’s your uncle.

All in all this is a well-rounded and capable home theatre system that has future-proofing thrown in as part of the deal with support for HDMI 1.3 and the Dolby/DTS high-res audio formats. Add a good DVD or Blu-ray source plus some kind of HD TV and a games console, and you’ll be well sorted.

BRETT GIDEON