I researched speakers for months prior to picking up the reference 82's.  Along the way I heard constant love/hate remarks primarily based on the horns and "in your face" presentation.

 I do notice the bright detail in my speakers, but I don't necessarily notice the dynamic extremes I have heard commented on in a negative way.  Have the newer lines mellowed out a bit to dampen the high frequencies and make a flatter sound or is this pretty much the same speaker sound klipsch have always been known for?  It might be that I pair them with a very warm receiver but I am just not hearing the sound that would create such a rabid rejection by "audiophiles" in some circles.

What's negative about dynamic extremes?  Live music is very dynamic, and no speaker/amp combo can truly duplicate that.  Klipsch speakers (well, I'm most familiar with the Heritage series) come closer to live music, in terms of dynamics, than almost any other speakers.  That can only be a good thing, unless you want a muted, "easy listening" sound, for in the bedroom, perhaps.

Klipsch speakers do clearly present everything that's fed them, good or bad, so a rough-sounding source or a rough-sounding recording will not sound pleasant.  Some amplifiers or sources don't combine well with Klipsch speakers, either, so an unsuitable combination could give a bad impression.  As well, some listeners find them "too revealing".  I can only guess that those listeners prefer their music to be in the background and not distracting, as if there were actual musicians in their living room. 

The dynamics you hear will vary with the types of music you listen to, along with the available power of your amplification.  If you want punch, put on punchy music and turn it up.  If your system pleases you, that's all that matters.

I've had stereos for many years, but was amazed at how much difference a pair of La Scalas made, compared with any speakers I had ever owned before.  They really did transform my system, in all the best ways.

Its the same, just 5 or 10 years later

I am not saying it is a bad thing to have that forward presentation.  I am just saying I have never seen a speaker that had a more love it or hate it response.  I have also heard some comments that the newer lines have "dampened" the harshness just a bit caused by the efficient horns and give a little warmer presentation than previous models.   I guess I was curious to know if that was true and I dont really have the opportunity to compare them.

Today's Klipsch are way better than 5 or 10 years ago.  I have owned or been around Heritage series stuff for a good portion of my life and the Reference series is a real evolution in design.  In 1962, my mom, like any good Carlsbad, CA housewife had a stereo installed, MacIntosh Power and a pair of KHorns w/a Heresy center.  When I went off to college back east, I brought a Kenwood integrated amp and tuner and a Thorens TD-125 (I think that was the number) turntable.  While serving in the Navy, I traded up to Heresy II's, liked the bass line a little better, traded up to a pretty good Yamaha receiver and CD player.

I still have the old Heresy II's, but I think the Reference series is a signifigant design evolution in the home product market.  I traded up to a newer Yamaha Receiver and use my computer to store all media (movies, music, tv, internet radio).

Klipsch if nothing else has evolved well in design, I like my Reference series stuff, which I have bought this year, and since I got 22 years out of my Heresy II's I think I'll keep tabs to see how things evolve.  Up here in the Northeast, many people still think of Klipsch as just plain "loud" or HT app speakers.  Many times, salesmen will sell them that way, expressing their personal preferences.  Bose is made here in MA, but I still remember the first time I heard 901's, back in 1976, I thought they had toilet tissue in them, they lacked the personality of my Heresy's.  Many salesmen up here prefer Bose or some exotic Eurotrash noname to Klipsch.  Heck I have heard ProMedia systems outperform Bose Sattelite/sub systems.

Do I like the Reference stuff better than the Legacy line, hell yea, but they are from the same family tree. 

Me..I say keep up the good work, my mom still has all her stuff from '62. 

mfk:

my mom still has all her stuff from '62.