oldtimer:

I protect mine with just one look.

I like that!  I've used my Fortes for DJ'ing a couple dances and inevitably there's kids that are always messing around by the speakers and on the stage.  Only takes one look for them to realize they're in serious trouble if they do anything stupid.

thanks all...combat you sold me on them..cant wait to find them come up on local market here..

I love my Forte HT system. Be aware that the only officially-designated-by-Klipsch matching center, if you decide to build an HT system around them, is the elusive Academy. Fortes were made for several years, but the Academy was made only for three years, if I recall correctly. Thus, not a huge number were sold, to be available in the current used market. If you have the space, another Forte or Quartet makes for a great center, and are much more frequently available on the used market. In the last few years, Academys have sold for as much as $600+, to a low of about $300. If you see one, snap it up, even if you don't have immediate plans for a Forte HT.

 Just calling it as I see it.  Totally worth it and a really good performer.

They definitely sold the passives back in 2003, I bought a pair for $200. Getting a pair for $300 is a best case scenerio...plan on paying a bit more, especially for the colors other than black.

 I have a pair of F1s, they were my first purchase into the Klipsch family and they were a hard act to follow. They are now serving as mains in my HT with an Academy center, Quartet sides and KG1.5s as rears. It is said that the Quartets would be a better match to my center but FWIW, I can find no fault in the match I have. Perhaps one day, I will switch out the Quartets to the front but as they are OO and all three across the front at the moment are black (they blend in tetter to the HT this way also)  but the sound is so good the way they are right now, I just don't see it happening in the near future.

You just can't go wrong with the Fort'e line, I now have Cornwall 2s in my 2 ch replacing the Fort'e 1s and I love both systems!

 My first intro to the Klipsch family came when I was 4 years old, nevr thought of anothr speaker family since then.  Is there another speaker company ?

 I think I'd rather get a Heresy center channel.

 I've been looking at snatching a pair of Forte II's up as they're relatively local and IMO stupidily cheap (100 bucks), but both need active radiators, one is missing a passive radiator so I've been hesitant abot buying them as they would require alot of work.

 Mine are 100% working with BC tweeters...they do well...wish they had a real center channel like the RF stuff does.

You have to get an Academy.  It's a real center.  A heresy will not do.

Combat_SAMBO_Guy:

 I think I'd rather get a Heresy center channel.

I'm not sure why you'd choose a Heresy as a center speaker with Fortes.  If you're willing and able to get a Heresy-sized center speaker why not go with another Forte?  

 This is clearly a losing situation, Klipsch clearly got thrir collective act together for the RF series.   The academy is too inefficient, the Heresy well, big foot print, another Forte II, too tall, it will never fit over the tv. The way to make this match is to go RF series.

 Don't use an R series center for a heritage setup! The sound match is very bad!

Academy is the way to go if you are not going to use another Fort'e II,   as to it being inefficient compaired to an R series speaker  ???????????????? 

An Academy has a 96dB sensitivity rating, RC-64 99dB, RC-62 98dB.

When Fortes were made, multi-channel surround sound wasn't as nearly advanced as it is now.  I'm just glad that there are several options for a center speaker with Fortes.