jhawk92

Snow- In short, yes. While the KV line of centers was made for the KG line, the KG 2.2V (and 1.2V) will also do quite well. From what I understand, the only difference between the KG x.2 and x.5 (at least in the smaller speakers) is that the x.5 were pre-drilled for the Omnimount brackets. I had a set of 1.5 and couldn't tell any difference, sound-wise, to my 1.2s. I would be interested why Klipsch made both the KV series as well as the KG 1.2/2.2/1.5/2.5V series. Seems a bit redundant. Anyone know?

kaz- I guess I don't completely understand your system with your quote "four new speakers in back." I think the Yamaha receiver you are getting is "9.1" but two of those speakers are "front effects" speakers, which are meant to be hung above and outside your L/R mains. They carry minimal information, so do not need to be very expensive. I could be wrong, so some with Yahama experience can chime in here. I'm a Denon fan myself. You can certainly get away with two surround speakers and then one surround rear (back center) speaker, depending on how much room you have. I have not compared Heresy with Chorus II, but have compared Forte I and Forte II. The Forte I has the exponential midrange horn vs. Forte II with the Tractrix. They sound pretty good together in my parent's HT; Forte IIs as L/R main (Academy center) and Forte I as L/R surrounds. They have a pair of KG 1.2 as surround back, and it sounds great. I would think that with the room separation, you probably wouldn't notice much of a difference between the Heresy and Chorus II. As far as size, the KG 1.2 and 2.2 speakers are much smaller than the Heresys you have now, so if you think you could hang Heresys without problems, you could certainly work with the KG series. The dimensions I gave are in inches, not feet, so sorry if that was your confusion. I think your 15 year old Heresy (II?) would sound pretty close to new ones, as I don't think Klipsch has made many, if any changes. I think they still have the exponential midrange horn, so you would be good to go there. Others with more experience can make better statements than I. Overall, I think a Chorus II/Academy/Heresy system would be great, and you probably wouldn't notice any subtle timbre differences since the Chorus IIs would not be next to the Heresys. If you tried a Heresy in between as the center, then you might notice a difference. "Sound like hell" is certainly subjective. Different people have different tolerances for "hell" so I'd give that set of Heresys a shot to see what it sounds like, and then you will know if it's worth getting a secound set. As far as why Klipsch "abandoned" the old speakers...that can be a big argument. But suffice it to say, once Paul sold the company to Fred, Fred had a different vision for Klipsch. I really enjoy the older sound myself.

kaz- I think others have answered your timbre question. And as Bob mentioned, don't sell your existing speakers. They are excellent, and will prove to be a very nice front trio. Bob is correct in saying that for most movies, perfect timbre matching isn't all that required. We are proof of that, since the KG series isn't doesn't have the same horns as the Chorus/Forte/Quartet line. So, in movies, they all sound great together. Multi-channel music might be a problem, but I am ok there, since the Chorus II and Forte II sound fine together. This forum can be a good source for speakers. I actually bought both sets of Chorus IIs from fellow members. Most of us take very good care of our gear, and try to set up good deals for folks. eBay is certainly a possibility as well, though a bit more risky unless you can go see the speakers. But, for the most part, eBay is pretty good. Just watch out for shipping, as a number of folks have had bad experiences with a variety of shippers who have damaged the speakers. Something you can inspect, and then take home with you, can save the hassle on shipping. Bob's list of upgrade paths is pretty comprehensive. Since you don't have a lot of room, I'd look for some of the smaller KG series, either 1.2/1.5 or 2.2/2.5. They are only about 9x9x13 (in the case of 1.2/1.5) or about 9x9x25 (for the 2.2/2.5) so they may fit better than the Heresys in the back. There are a few sets up on eBay right now that look to be in decent condition. Just do a search and you will find them. Also, there is an auction for 3 (!!!!) walnut Academys, so that might be worth watching. Good luck.

Jim- Since I can't seem to get a PM to go, I wanted to let you know the CDs did arrive and they sound great. Thanks much.

kaz- You have a great starting point for your HT. If you don't have room for Fortes or Quartets (the best matches with the Chorus II/Academy), then look at a set of KG 1.2/1.5 or 2.2/2.5. These speakers are much smaller and can easily be mounted on a wall or shelf. While they won't be a perfect timbre match with the Chorus IIs, I think they do very well in the surround locations, especially for HT. If you run SACD or DVD-A, then you will notice a difference, but I have been very pleased with them in my HT. Your Heresy IIs could work as well, and would save you from having to buy any more speakers, but these will also not be timbre matched. Could you use the Heresys for side surrounds? Then get a smaller set of speakers for back surround. You will have a closer timbre match to the Chorus II with either Heresy or KG series vs. the Reference line.

My K-horn moving experience was like Shapeshifter's, but in an Explorer. Both bass bins, one top cabinet, and all the side grills in the back. The other top cabinet rode shotgun.

I've got Chorus II/Forte II combo and I love it. Personally, I'd go after a pair of Chorus II, to match the Tractrix horns on the Forte II. And the Chorus II digs a bit deeper (39Hz vs 45Hz)than the Chorus I. The two speakers do really well in my HT. That said, my parents have Forte II/Forte I comb for their HT and I can't really tell much of a difference between them. Granted, I haven't done any serious A/B comparisons in a while, but any of the Chorus/Forte/Quartet speakers are quite good.

Andy- Did you get my email I sent? I had a few questions for you on my "new" 730.

Jim- Glad to hear things are going well with you and the family. And certainly glad you were able to get the K-horns working up to snuff. You certainly had a challenge with them (kids and K-horns), so it's nice to hear things are looking up. At least you don't have the long commute down to the Springs.

Andy- Best of luck over "there." We'll be thinking of you here on the Forum. Yes, post up the APO...we could "adopt" you as our soldier to send care packages to. Rob

Wow, nice price. Will have to keep that in mind for any other applications.

Ric- Wow, that is steep. Where is he playing? We moved to CO from CT late last year. We were in New Milford, where are you?

Sure enough, there it is. Now just gotta find the price on this one. Though it really doesn't matter since I'm keeping the Zerosurge.

Rick- Yeah, Red Rocks is a great place. I guess $58 isn't all that bad. My limit is about $75, unless there are extenuating circumstances. I was out on the east coast before moving back to Denver, so I know about high prices. I went to the Stones show in Hartford, got comp'ed tickets, and while I don't remember the face value, I do know that if they weren't free, I wouldn't have gone. Edwinr- Um, yeah, she's quite a looker. Those pouty lip...whoa momma! Good thing I'm at work while typing this. jerohm- Thanks for the heads up. I'll check them out. I do have "The Living Room: Live in NY." I need to get her new album too.

Minn- It's too late for me for now, but glad there is another option. Furman should be a good thing for competition. I didn't see that they had a 20A version, which is what I need. But I may keep those in mind for other locations!

Richard- As people have mentioned here, disassembly of the K-horns will certainly make them easier to move. The top HF cabinet comes off the bass bin with two wing nuts. Also, DO take off the side grills, as they are pretty flimsy and can easily break. They come off with two wing nuts on each side. Now you have four managable components, though the bass bin still needs two people or a dolly to move. When disassembling, don't forget to detach the wire between the bass bin and the HF cabinet. You wouldn't want to do any damage there. Bring lots of blankets, pillows, etc if you are moving them yourself. I moved my pair about 300 miles in my Explorer; both bass bins (laying flat on the front), 1 HF cabinet, and all the grills in the back, and the other HF cabinet riding "shotgun." I had brought so many blankets, comforters, pillows, etc, that people surely thought I was going to a slumber party. But I used every one and the load didn't shift at all. A pickup would work, but make sure they don't shift and are protected from being scratched by the bed or sides. I've heard people renting a mini-van, pulling the back seats out, and then transporting. Certainly a good way to go. Lots of options, just pack them well! I have not tried shipping; that is much more expensive and leaves you open to damage, and when you are bringing K-horns home, why invite Murphy along for the trip?

Yes, Red Rocks is a great place for a show. Nothing like being outdoors, seeing the downtown Denver lights, and getting a near-perfect accoustical performance. I haven't been there in a while, and all my previous shows were good, loud, rock shows, so I'm interested in what a "quieter" show would be like. DM- Ouch, kinda harsh. Any specifics there? From what I understand, this tour just started about a week ago, so folks may not have seen it yet. But if anyone went to an earlier show, from "Come Away With Me" feel free to comment.

OK all you concert-loving folks, has anybody seen the current Norah Jones tour? She's coming for a couple of dates here in Denver, at Red Rocks, and wondering if it is a good show to attend. Prices are a bit steep, $58 plus fees, so I'd be interested in what the folks think. Thanks.

Matt- I have a Denon POA-8300 powering my front trio. It is a 120wpc THX amp, separate power supplies for each channel and sounds very nice on my Chorus IIs. I would think your Ref speakers would do very well with 120W. Not sure if you want more power than that though. I've never had any problems with my system with "only" 120W. Denon isn't making them anymore, but you can find them used on eBay or Audiogon. I really enjoy the Denon/Klipsch sound. Good luck.

Craig- OK, sounds good. So, any other folks out there need 12AX7 or 5AR4 tubes? Let's try and get a nice big order together.

Craig- Any word on the 7868s, or 12AX7s, or 5AR4?

Ken- I'll agree with Minnmale on this one. I posed a similar question about 4-5 months ago over in the Tech Questions section, so check it out. Also, check out my responses to the post "Power Conditioner Choice..." also on this forum. I'll bump it up for you.

Bump for Kenratboy.

As an owner of '68 K-horns, I'll weigh in here. I thought my speakers were about as good as they could be, but in discussions with Bob Crites, BEC, he recommended replacing the caps in my crossovers. So, last month, I disassembled the speakers and I also sent him my tweeters and mids for diaphragm replacment. Turns out, the K-55-V didn't need any work, but he did replace the diaphragms in the K-77s and did his cap work on my Type A crossovers. He also found a slight imbalance in output levels between the two tweeters, and corrected that. After reinstalling everything, it was an amazing difference. I attribute much of the change to the "new" crossovers, as Bob said the ESR had changed some, though not as much as other networks he's seen. But it was enough to make an impact. Also, in matching the tweeter output, now I have a much better center image than before. I would think your '63 K-horns could certainly benefit from a cap replacement, and maybe a diaphragm replacement. I went a slightly cheaper route with Bob, as he just replaced components that brought the crossovers back to "factory fresh". I posted my thoughts in here in this forum about 2-3 weeks ago. Other options mentioned above from Dean, Al K., etc, are certainly more expensive. I can't comment on the sound of these, but I sure like what Bob did with mine. About the only thing I'll try next is swap out the metal K-400 horns and put in the composite K-401 to see how that sounds.

Mike- Yeah, offer him maybe $250 or so and then use those for surrounds. They would do very well and match up nice with your Forte mains (I or II?) But if you ever do find a set of Chorus IIs, then don't hesitate to get them for your mains. I did and it was one of the best things I did, and the Forte II is a great speaker. The Chorus II is just a bit better.