Fun

None

I finally got a set of these babies. I've wanted them for about 20 plus years. They sound as good to me now as they did then. These speakers are simply fun; I can't say any more. Everything is there, bass, mids, and high-end. A little loud at times--kindof like at a concert--yep, that's what I want in a loadspeaker.

Similar Products Used:

Altec Lansing; Klispch Cornwalls; Klipsh Hereseys

I first heard the Klipschorn 20 years ago and was awed. I recently had a chance to hear them again and I was no less impressed. In that 20 year span I've heard many high end speakers from Magnepan, Martin Logan, KEF etc. These speakers were all excellent sounding but none approached the Klipschorn's completeness in reproduction of live material. When you listen to the Klipschorns you are brought into the material reproduced and from there you judge the quality of the music. This is unlike other speakers where you judge the quality of reproduction in comparison to other speaker models.Paul Klipsch has come closest to my ears in attaining high fidelity when it comes to audio generated by speakers. Ultimately, that is the job of a high fidelity speaker.

Heinz'observations are very true. All Klipsch speakers using horn mids and tweets can greatly benefit from using twisted pair solid core wire, both from the amp and internally. You'll find that this really cleans up the sound drastically and reduces the glare of the horns quite a bit. Imaging is improved also. If you bi-wire, use the solid core twisted pair wire for the mids and tweets and a heavy gauge stranded wire for the woofers. Adding internal braces to the cabinet will help to overcome quite a bit of the rumble caused by cabinet resonances also.
As to the sound of Klipsch speakers, I own MANY different speakers. The only Klipsch that i own are "non-horn" woofer Heresies. After rewiring, bracing and stuffing the cabinet with fiberglass, they sound WAY better. These are older models from about 1976 to 1978 or so. From the factory, these speakers had very rumbly bass and a sharp glaring sound to them. I have taken care of most of that through simple tweaks. Even before that, they were pretty solid speakers that do seem to make the music more "live" sounding. Definetly not a dull speaker, as it adds excitement to the sound. These do work best at high volume though. Sean
>

Efficiency, dynamics,efficiency, snob value,.... did I mention eficiency???

Harsh mid and treble, need big room with high ceilings

As a youngster I lusted after these for years, probably because they were so unobtainable. (I guess there would be no more than a dozen of these in the Country!)
When I finally aquired a pair (the personal home speakers of the creator of Australia's largest audio store chain) it took a long time to get accustomed to them. They would go louder than the tannoys while using tiny 12w leak TL12's, but had a harsh "horn" sound to the mid and treble...like the tannoy but much worse. The cabinets seemed to ring substancially, too. I kept them for two years but never really got a satisfactory sound. One for the vintage enthusiasts...but you're fooling yourself if you think them equal to good modern speakers. Value based on fair 2nd hand price, not new.

Similar Products Used:

Tannoy 15's in concrete/composite boxes, Mcintosh ML-4Cs(?)

Really can't find any, maybe except for size.

These speakers are amazing. They have been around for over 50 years. They are proof that there hasn't been any significant advances in loudspeaker technology for such a long long time. Modern speakers? Why do so many companies come out with "new and improved" versions of their own speakers? Doesn't that tell you that something was wrong with their original speaker? Well, some people will try to tell you that the new designs sound better, but let you ears decide.

Tremendous Sound!

None!

Having been in music most of my life I have searched for that one honest loudspeaker that plays all styles and is honest. My KHorns when driven with audioresearch pre and power (tube) amps puts me in the same room as the performers. The comments I read on overblown etc., just are not true when the loudspeakers are driven by tubes. For the foundation notes of either the mighty theatre or church/concert pipe organ I run my Velodyne ULD 15 2 with a modified 400 watt audioresearch stereo amp through the specially designed crossover array Velodyne created for me.
The sound is like sitting in the balcony and hearing the late George Wright playing a Mighty Wurlitzer or the late Virgil Fox playing the great Aeolian-Skinner instrument in Manhattan's Riverside Church. Jazz is awesome. Classical is airy and solo instruments are to die for. The late Charlie Byrd and his guitar are too much. So, for those who say horns or Klipsch in particular are off the mark let me just say you can be negative all you want...for me I'm at a live concert everytime I am in the large and the sweetest of sweet spots. Goosebumps all around!

Similar Products Used:

La Scalas...Heresy II's...Chorus II's.

Dynamics, clarity, impact, MUSICALITY.

Needs to be placed in a corner.

May be the best speakers in the world. These things make music. But, you have to have good equipment with them. They work best with tubes, especially Single Ended Triodes. When mated with a quality SET amp with good tubes, I have never heard any other speaker make music like these can. Forget about the low-efficiency megabuck speakers. Get some good tubes with KHorns, and they will beat anything else out there. No kidding! Someday the audiophools will realize that tubes and horns are the only way to go.

Similar Products Used:

None

SOUND absolutely musical great image with the proper amp
Get some tubes unbelievable efficiency 104 db 1w 1m

Large
No low bass weak below 56hz

If you like music and have the room get them
Your snob audiophile friends may talk about them but they will listen to the MUSIC when they come over.
After six years my ears aren't tired
Musical design sp2b tube preamp
D140i Amp
cd2 signature cdplayer
MSB link DAC
18" custom 20 cubic foot subwoofers for low bass only driven by 800 watt Peavey amp YES I said Peavey
Try It You will like it.
Only problem is the subs are the size of refrigerators
Speakers are clear oak as are the subs
Subs are 1.5" solid oak over mdf
My brothers cabinet shop built the sub cabinets they are over 300 lbs each not including the drivers Beautiful

Similar Products Used:

Infinity QLS Infinity Quantum2

SOUND absolutely musical great image with the proper amp
Get some tubes unbelievable efficiency 104 db 1w 1m

Large
No low bass weak below 56hz

If you like music and have the room get them
Your snob audiophile friends may talk about them but they will listen to the MUSIC when they come over.
After six years my ears aren't tired
Musical design sp2b tube preamp
D140i Amp
cd2 signature cdplayer
MSB link DAC
18" custom 20 cubic foot subwoofers for low bass only driven by 800 watt Peavey amp YES I said Peavey
Try It You will like it.
Only problem is the subs are the size of refrigerators
Speakers are clear oak as are the subs
Subs are 1.5" solid oak over mdf
My brothers cabinet shop built the sub cabinets they are over 300 lbs each not including the drivers Beautiful

Similar Products Used:

Infinity QLS Infinity Quantum2

true music reproduction

size

I bought a pair of K-horns in 1980 but had to sell them in 1984 due to financial hardship. In 1989, when our money was right, my wife and I decided to purchase another audio system. We spent many hours going to high-end shops, listening and listening again. To make a long story short, we ended up buying K-horns again. Since then, I've listened to just about every kind and make of speaker out on the market. I've listened to audio systems costing up to $100,000. When all is said and done, the K-horns still do the best job at reproducing live music, plain and simple. Other speakers costing thousands of dollars more simply don't have the dynamic range, clarity, and accuracy that the K-horns have. I also agree with everyone else in that components selection is important in maximizing the potential of these speakers.

In closing, don't take my word for it(or anyone elses for that matter) on how these speakers sound. Go listen for yourself and then decide. If you want synthetic sounding music in a box, get the other speakers. If you want music the way it sounds LIVE, get the K-horns. They blow everything else in the weeds.

My hat's off to Paul W. Klipsch.