Krispy Kirk

Some observations: - Take a pair of Heresies and put them up against their floorstanding "counterpart" the original Forte. No contest IMHO. A 12" woofer simply needs a bigger cabinet - about twice as big as the Heresy can offer. Hey, what a coincidence! The Forte WAS almost twice as big as the Heresy. OK, so the Forte had a passive radiator to help it out, but you get my drift, right? - Stands (even very sturdy steel ones filled with shot/sand) are a bad idea if you have kids and/or large pets. Sooner or later, something's gonna knock them over. - Floorstanders get the woofer closer to the floor (while maintaining the ear height of the tweeter.) This "floor bounce" bass reinforcement is another big reason why floorstanders from Klipsch and others tend to sound bigger and fuller than their bookshelf equivalents with the same sized drivers and even similarly sized cabinets. - Floorstanders really DO look better! - This isn't an either/or debate. There is one other option: the "powered tower." Basically, a bookshelf speaker grafted onto a powered sub. A brilliant design for so many reasons. Best of which are: you get all the advantages of a bookshelf speaker without the added cost/trouble of stands; you get two smaller subs in place of one big one (for smoother in-room bass); and they look as handsome as regular floorstanders! The recently discontinued SP-1s weren't the most popular model Klipsch ever made (but I like mine just fine!) Definitive Technology, Infinity, Polk, and Athena Technology are just a few of the better-known manufacturers who are still producing powered towers.

Here's another Onkyo owner for you! Never had a lick of trouble with mine (a TX-DS696)... Hook that Promedia sub back up to your computer where it belongs and just live without a sub in your HT (switch your mains back to "large" and sub to "none") until you're ready to buy one.

Ditto Boomer's comments above. All of my Adcom gear quickly left the house when I got serious about 5.1 a few years ago EXCEPT my ACE-515. The picture on my Sony WEGA just doesn't look right when it's plugged straight into the wall...with the Adcom "AC enhancer" between the set and the wall blacks are blacker, contrasts are sharper, color is more lifelike, etc. It's an improvement comparable to upgrading from composite to component video connections. I highly recommend getting a used ACE-515 (seen 'em on eBay for $60-$80) and trying it for yourself - the extra $$$ for a Monster, Tripplite, Tice, etc. may not be necessary. Until then, you might as well keep using those power strips. Good luck!

You can blame all that reverb you hear on modern recordings on Sam Phillips. The "Sun" sound may have only been mono but it was drenched in reverb... I actually kind of like reverb, not just on vocals, but layering the whole mix. One disc that recently blew my mind in this regard was My Morning Jacket's "It Still Moves" from 2003. At first, I thought the stereo in my car was broke when I popped the disc in on the way home from the record store. Everything sounds like it was recorded from 500 feet away in a huge empty skating rink. An acquired taste (to say the least) but strangely effective for their particular brand of Neil Young styled rock. Other great reverb-drenched discs include most anything by The Cowboy Junkies, Chris Isaak, and Dead Can Dance. If I didn't particularly dig reverb, I wouldn't attempt to tweak it away - I'd probably just put down thicker carpet.

Thanks to all for the input. The reason I have limited myself to the three choices above is primarily financial. Those three amps are currently available to me for right around $150 each. I really want tubes - something like a Jolida 202 would be great - but I simply can't swing the bucks right now. My wife is pressuring me to sell the Forte IIs ("If they require such a special amp, just get rid of them and listen to your Klipsch computer speakers you like so much!") but she also wants me to set up a stereo in the sunroom of our new house here on the mainland (yep, we moved.) I'm re-woofering an old pair of 8" two-way "Design Acoustics" speakers which I'll mount up in the corners - the JVC integrated and an old Sony CD player will provide signal. So, I find an el-cheapo amp for my basement rig and it's win-win. She gets her tunes on the deck and my Fortes get something better than pawnshop-caliber electronics. Oh, and did I mention I occasionally play electric bass guitar through my Fortes? Power is kind of a consideration after all. Pump 80-100 clean watts through the Fortes and they basically become a PA system. DJing, bass, vocals, whatever - the speakers can definitely handle it. I think I'm gonna get the Audiosource - it sounds the least transistory...

I'm upgrading from a ratty old 1980's rack system JVC integrated amp in my basement and trying to feed my Forte IIs some cleaner power. The room is about 22x16, fully finished and acoustically rather dead. My budget is <$200 and I have no problems buying used. I will only have one source component (CD with fixed and variable outputs) and want to skip the pre-amp if possible. Here are my choices: Parasound HCA-800 Adcom GFA-535 Audiosource Amp Two Which one would you pick out of these three?

Thanks for the info guys! I've had my new diaphragms in for about a week now and my speakers sound like they did the day I brought them home. I'd have a difficult time picking out the new diaphragm material from the old in a listening test (they sound identical to me.) I didn't know what to do with the two little plugs of cotton(?) damping material that were behind the old diaphragms so I just reinstalled them behind the new ones. Perhaps this cancelled out any potential sonic differences between the two designs?

I blew a tweeter a few weeks ago on one of my beloved '89 Forte IIs and, after my replacement diaphragms arrived in the mail, I noticed that they are not made of the same material as the originals. The stock diaphragms have a dome that appears woven out of a brown material covered in an clear amber coating (phenolic?) They are not "sticky." The new replacements are black (polymer?) and are quite sticky (they arrived peppered with small flecks of cardboard "dust" from the packaging. My question is: Why are these diaphragms different? Are the new diaphragms superior in any way? How do I clean the crud off them (if necessary) ? Thanks in advance for your responses!

Onkyo makes a good product, as do Denon and Pioneer. Brands I would avoid in this price range include Sony, JVC, and Panasonic. Kenwood, Yamaha, and Harmon Kardon I have no experience with... Pick two or three models from a variety of manufacturers that have the features and power ratings you need and then do your homework by reading the owner-written reviews of those models at audioreview.com. Also, don't be afraid to buy last year's model (if available) - it's a great way to save some $$$ that can be used in other areas of your system. What speakers are you running?

I am really enjoying my SP-1s. They match my Synergy series center and surrounds much better than my old Forte IIs. Oh, and the fact that they were free (won 'em in that Storyteller contest back in Jan.) doesn't hurt!

Sade - Lover's Live Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live Oasis - Familiar To Millions Iron Maiden - Rock In Rio Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball The Black Sabbath Story Volume One ...just a few that I dig. But the only one that made me wet myself in awe the first time I played it was the new Led Zeppelin DVD. Amazing footage and even more amazing sound. Amazing playing too - there's not a bad note on it.

Well, I showed off my WEGA/Onkyo/Synergy HT rig to a buddy just the other day and here's what I used: (don't laugh) "Lilo & Stitch" - the final spaceship chase scene is mixed exceptionally well with some of the most powerful and seamless pans I've ever heard. When Stitch rides the rocketing gas truck up towards the bad guys' ship you can't help but yell "Yippee" right along with him. My buddy wanted to watch the whole movie from the start it was so good (he uses a Playstation hooked up to a TV to watch his DVDs...) "Heat" - the bank heist scene is still the most intense 12 minutes in my entire DVD collection. My buddy liked how you could hear every piece of brass hitting the street. I like how the roaring automatic weapons fire echoes off the man-made canyon of surrounding buildings. "Ronin" - Either one of the two long car chases makes a fine demo - we watched both. The Paris tunnels footage sounds great. "Led Zeppelin DVD" - Just pop Disc One in, select DTS before the first song starts, and strap in for the best looking and best sounding concert DVD of all time. The band is pretty good too!

If they are the last pair in the store, then the floor model is pretty much your only option isn't it? Begin by asking for 15% off the sticker price. Offer cash to the manager personally to overcome any reluctance to sell the floor models (usually works.) Warranty should still be good if you're at an authorized dealer... I picked up my Forte IIs this way back in 1990. Paid $625 for the pair and the ONLY downside was no packing material. To think that I could sell them tomorrow and break even never ceases to put a smile on my face.

Both of the "drones" on my Forte IIs got pushed in years and years ago. Hasn't affected the sound one bit. But in my more anal days, I used to pull them out with a loop of tape, a vacuum hose attachment, or a little hook made out of a paper clip. These methods all work, but you know what's gonna happen don't you? They're just going to get pushed in again!

NEWSFLASH! The Storyteller Contest winners should all have their prizes. I asked for a pair of SP-1s in lieu of the Heresys (I know, I'm an idiot ) and they are to be delivered tomorrow. This slight delay, plus the fact that I live in Hawaii, means that I should be the last one getting his prize. Joshua, in his infinite coolness, sent me a set of Promedia 2.1s a little over a month ago. That certainly made the wait for my main prize more pleasant (thanks JRH!) Promedia are the best PC speakers on the planet. So, anybody got any set-up & use tips for the (now discontinued) SP-1s? They will be used with an Onkyo 696, Synergy surrounds and center, and a 32" WEGA on the short end of a room that measures about 12'x21'. Any advice is welcome!

All I know is that getting ahold of Joshua Ryan is a royal pain in the keyster. Does anybody know what his REAL email address is? I'd like to "chat" with the fellow that promised me an $1100 pair of speakers three months ago for winning his little contest...

schalliol, this topic just popped back up in another part of the Klipsch Forum: Promedia>>2.1 General Questions>>Breaking in new 2.1's (by cjsturgess)

I'm curious too. The first time I heard Chorus IIs in early 1990, I nearly peed my pants. They had more pure "emotion" than any other similarly sized speaker I had ever heard. Unfortunately, I couldn't take them home and had to "settle" for a pair of Forte IIs. I've heard Vandersteens and they sound lovely - perhaps a bit "romantic" - but certainly cannot match match the dynamics, scale, impact, and raw energy that the Chorus/Forte/Quartet line up offered up in spades. What kind of music do you listen to? This also may affect your taste in speakers in ways you never imagined...

Before you blame your Promedias, do this: hook a portable CD player (containing your favorite CD) into the music input on the side of the control module and crank it up. NOW how do they sound? My soundcard sucks azz but my Promedias rock HARD with music. Therefore, I am keeping them (and upgrading to a better PC ASAP!)

Thanks for humoring me TB! I am getting an education. So the "throat" in a Tractrix midhorn is SMALLER than my estimate of 1.25 inches? By how much? Are we talking >.75 inches here? I was merely eyeballing the "choke point" and hadn't gotten around to actually disassembling one just to make measurements. What I take away from your latest post is that these mysterious Hepner units weren't modular in the classic Klipsch mode but rather integrated diaphragm-on-horn models. I haven't been inside my Fortes in many years and I cant remember what was in there but I suppose they could be the elusive (yet oh-so-good-sounding) Hepner units...

Hey Fish! Any video content on that FZ disc or is it audio only? I've been searching for a good Zappa concert on video for years...

First off, check out the Onkyo 787 thread in this forum. Good reciver at a good price. As for surrounds, Klipsch makes no recommendation for a match with the Forte/Academy. I would be willing to try smaller KG series, a pair of Quartets or Heresys, or any of the Reference series surrounds. Hey, just be glad you've got an Academy! That thing is practically worth its weight in gold...

BACK OFF FOOT! I've got dibs on that 'Cademy.

Since the wall behind my Forte IIs only has a corner on one side, I set them up as follows: well away (~2 ft or more) from side walls, pushed up to within about 8-10 inches of the wall behind them, about 6 ft apart, and slightly toed in towards my listening position approximately 8 ft away. A good place to start with your toe-in is to pick a point a foot or two behind your listening position and aim your speakers at it. When seated at your listening position, you should just barely see the inner panels on the enclosures. Also important for proper stereo imaging, since the Forte II enclosure is about 1-2 inches too short (at slightly under 36"), is to put something under the front bottom edges of the cabinets to give you a few degrees' "angle of attack" (plastic Lego blocks work good.) This, when combined with judicious toe-in, will tighten up your imaging immensely. For something a little more permanent, I recommend a good spike kit. Visit partsexpress.com and go with the heavy duty spike kit. Tip: only install three spikes on each speaker (two in front, one in back). This makes levelling a whole lot easier. Once you've got 'em in, just screw each rear spike into the threaded mounting hole a few rotations until about a half inch of the tip is exposed. This should create a nice up angle. From your seated position, you want to (again) "just barely" see the tops of your enclosure. WAF Warning! Small knick-knacks will now slide off of your speakers! Good luck and happy listening.

TBrennan, if you don't mind spending the time could you expound a little more on this whole "Hepner horn" thing? You're the first person to mention this on the Forum (other than that one other thread you see when you do a search under "Hepner" and it's only about Hepner-branded component horns). I'm becoming rather intrigued... My question is: Is this "Hepner horn" the same as a Tractrix horn or are you refering to the earlier exponentials in the original Heritage models? I just reread the Tractrix white paper by Delgado, Geist, and Hunter (Audio 3/91) and they make no mention of a Mr. Hepner or of any out-sourcing of the design or horn components. Credit is given to Edgar (who had already attributed it to Voigt in 1981 based on work done with Tractrix designs in the 20's.) Your description of the Hepner horn ("small diaphragms and throats") doesn't sound like what is in the Tractrix midhorn; a 1.5" diaphragm and a throat that seems about 1.25" across at it's narrowest. Are you saying these dimensions are too small for low-distortion midrange reproduction? Compared to the rest of the current Heritage line up the driver might seem a tad small (by a half an inch), but aren't the squawkers on the ChorusII/ForteII/QuartetII run up to a little higher crossover point with the tweeter than the Belle/K-horn/LaScala/Heresy? That would seem to necessitate smaller diaphragms. The actual throat diameters I can't speak to, but I have seen cut-aways of exponential horns and Tractrix horns side-by-side and the Tractrix horns seem wider at nearly every point - from the throat on down to the end of the horn. I hate second-guessing engineering decisions (especially when I'm not an engineer) but I have A/B'd my Forte IIs with other large midrange (2")diaphragm/exponential mid-horn Klipsch speakers (Heresy and Cornwall in particular), and, in reasonably sized rooms, I prefer my Fortes every time - in the midrange, especially. Bigger cabinets produce bigger bass and larger drivers produce larger dynamic scale, but there's a magic in that Tractrix midhorn on the ChorusII/ForteII/QuartetII that I've never heard duplicated by any other Klipsch speaker. If what you're saying about his horns is true, this Hepner guy was some kind of a genius.