Mr. Blorry

Most of the hits probably came from the owner, admiring his own extravagance.

Wow! I think you guys got this all wrong! This is an old joke system used by programmers! Sound out the letters, to reveal their meaning: CDEDBD ducks translation: See the (CD) itty bitty (EDBD) ducks M R Not Ducks translation: Them (M) are ® Not ducks! OSMR translation: Oh, yes them are! CDEDBD Wings translation: See the itty bitty wings YIBMR Ducks translation: Why, I'll be, them are ducks. So, back to BobG's comment: Not compatible? OSMR! Not Compatible? Oh yes them are! Poor English, yes, but I hardly think that BobG meant any harm! BobG! Are you listening? Maybe you oughta clear this up!

Hey John! Will the new RF-10 also have neon running lights? Maybe have the word "Klipsch" silkscreened in white down the grille cloth!

JO-JO-- I don't know if I'm too late, but I just thought of something. Do you live near a Klipsch dealership, and in or near a major city? Maybe long distance driving doesn't bother you; after all you DO live in Texas! While those Heresys look just fine, you can probably find a pair that is just as nice at either a Klipsch dealer, or a high-end audio dealer. Heresys aren't that rare, and big cities like Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Austin, and hell, even my father's hometown of Laredo prolly has a high-end audio dealer that may have a nice pair of "previously enjoyed" Heresys. If it were K-Horns or something Klipsch doesn't make anymore like the Cormwall, then I'd consider a long-distance purchase, but Heresys are the most common of the Heritage line. My friendly K dealer here in Rochester says he sees a pair of Heresys run through his used department about every other month! Most Heritage owners know they have a fine piece of electronic furniture, and they usually take exceptional care of them. I saw you had another picture of the Heresy without the grille, but where is the other speaker? Also, if it is a COD, will you have the opportunity to open the packages, inspect them, and even run some music through them before you have to pay for them? Maybe you could treat the delivery guy to dinner while you hurriedly hook them up, and blast a few tunes through them! But, if you're still stuck on getting this particular pair, try to get more photos at least!

I'm drooling. Where in VA? One sister lives in Richmond; the other in Roanoke!

Is that the best picture he has? Is this through ebay? I'd kinda like to see BOTH speakers! From what I can see, that one looks nice, but if you can't eyeball them in person, I'd ask to see a few higher quality photos first! I plopped down a C note on a pair of 1980 Heresys that I found at my friendly K dealer, and they are simply spectacular! He is selling them for $450 as well, so that seems to be the going price for Heresy Ones in excellent condition. How old are they? See if he will send a photo with the grilles off so you can see the condition of the woofer cone! I see he has nice Berber carpeting; looks like they may have been in a good home! If these two are in good shape both cosmetically and mechanically, you won't be disappointed! I would rather have a used Heritage speaker than a brand-new Reference model anyday, but that's just my personal opinion. Let us know! This message has been edited by Mr. Blorry on 07-16-2001 at 12:39 AM

Sorry, my cash flow is thin right now, so new amps are kinda out of the question, but I think I deciphered your handle! Freezing in Vermont Am I right? Am I also way behind the times; did someone already figure this out months ago? If that's correct, I understand the freezing part! Rochester, NY is no garden spot in the winter, although it's really nice at this time of year! It's a blistering 75 degrees today! Whew.

OK, I'll lighten up! Sheesh, I was just asking a question, not condemning the company! I simply asked if the use of plastics was to cut costs, or was it to improve the breed! Sounds like folks are really quick to the defense for some reason! I'm all for plastics; hell, some of my best friends are plastic! When BobG explained the polymer basket in greater detail, it sounded like they are making strides to develop a better frame rather than slapping something together to save money. For that, I feel that Klipsch should be commended. Boy, I sure raised a lot of dander just to get the answer to a question! One question that wasn't answered though, was why we're not seeing twelve inch woofers anymore except in the Heresy?

You guys are presenting good arguments, but I can't help but wonder if Klipsch is going the way of planned obsolescence and cost savings, rather than higher technology. I bought a VCR in 1986 that was built like a tank, and it cost nearly as much as one! (That was when I was in the Army--yes JMON I know all about Kevlar!) That Harmon-Kardon VCR was awesome--the best audio I had ever heard come from a tape machine, even better than most reel to reels. That beast withstood more abuse than I did while I was in the Army and still lasted until two years ago! Once it died, I immediately ran out to, ahem, Circuit City to buy a replacement. These new units are one-fourth the price of my old HK, one-tenth the weight, and ten times more features! What a deal! The damn thing crapped on me within six months, and by this time, I was only putting about three or four hours a week on a VCR, compared to twenty to thirty hours a week back in the eighties. Back then, I used to record everything, but nowdays, it's just the weekly movie or so (DVD has all but replaced it now). Why was this machine cheaper and lighter weight? Plastic (read cheesy) parts have something to do with it, don't ya think? My newer VCR was a prime example of planned obsolescence--the manufacturer never intended to last more than a few years. The word "plastic" doesn't have the chintsy connotation it used to have, so let me use a less misinterpreted word: CHEAP! True, the speaker baskets in question are made of plastic, but is it a high tech evolution, or a less expensive (or CHEAPER) means to an end?

So, John, with the variant nature of these polymer compounds, why would a speaker company choose to purchase components made of these materials for their enclosures? Especially a company that built its reputation on fabricating some of the finest speakers ever made?

I started this discussion in the wrong area, so I decided to move it. I recently noticed my friendly K dealer "proudly" displaying a Reference-class woofer in the "raw." I was amazed to see that the frame or "basket" was made of plastic! According to this website, it is called "cast polymer." Whatever the name, it sure looked like cheap plastic to me! Is this an advance in speaker technology, or is it a way to reduce costs? I heard somewhere that rigidity is a problem with plastic frames, which is why they aren't on speakers larger than eight inches. I notice all the woofers in the Reference line are plastic, with the exception of the RF-7, which uses 10" woofers. Is this why we're not seeing twelve inch woofers anymore except in the Heresy? It would seem to me that plastic speakers are less expensive to produce than metal ones, which may be why we've seen a slow degradation in the quality of speaker construction materials since the sixties. First, the awesome Altecs of the fifties and sixties were cast steel. Then came the stamped steel, and now we've arrived at plastic? I can see cunning and deceitful companies like Bose offering the public cheap, plastic, boombox-grade speakers enclosed in snazzy boxes. I can also see them charging exorbitant amounts of money because of the sleight-of-hand trickery they perform at the retail outlet may fool the average consumer into thinking they're getting quality (Acoustimass)! Is Klipsch heading in the same direction? I hope not. If they are, I can only hope that this pursuit of the almighty dollar doesn't infect their Heritage line. I truly love my 2001 KLF 30s, but the quality of materials and construction is far beneath the 1980 Heresys that I auditioned at home, then quickly placed on lay away! Klipsch, please say it ain't so!

Stupid me, I should have checked the "Specifications" section of the website before I wrote my last post. In there, it clearly states the Reference woofer frames as being "cast polymer." Only the massive ten inch woofer of the RF-7 has an aluminum frame. Sounds to me K may be heading in the same direction as Bose... Same as it ever was? This message has been edited by Mr. Blorry on 07-13-2001 at 12:47 PM

If you think the copper cones are cheesy, have you looked at the baskets that hold everything together? I haven't looked inside the newest RFs, but my K dealer was "proudly" displaying a raw Reference grade woofer, and I almost choked when I saw the speaker basket was plastic. PWK must be saying "This is not my beautiful speaker! This is not my beautiful company! My God! What have I done!" This message has been edited by Mr. Blorry on 07-13-2001 at 12:20 PM

ebay has plenty of Dynaco ST-70s! Heresys sound great with the ol' tube amp IF it is properly restored and modded. Dynaco made the ST-70 through 1977! I can hear Kansas playing in the background as I type... Seventies RULE! ...sort of.

I picked up my fresh, new KLF 30s from my friendly K Store today to replace the ones that had been damaged during shipment. Oh, man, I LOVE the smell of the freshly cut wood and the pungent aroma of the glue! No, not enough for a buzz;it's kinda like the new car smell! Ahhh... So, I marked the spots on the carpet before I moved my "old" 30s (barely three months of age), packed 'em up, and hustled 'em to the truck, and off we went. Checked the new ones out thoroughly before I left the store, because I have no desire to hustle these things again for some time! Much to my relief, these were perfect. We lifted the boxes up with the speakers upside down, so I was able to get a real good peek inside through vented ports. On the previous two pair of Legends, one could easily see the sloppy application of glue and paint speckles. These looked as good inside as they look outside! My K guy is fairly sure that these came from the final production run--I'm wondering why these look so much better? Could it be they decided to take extra care for their final run? I was actually worried the opposite may have happened; that they may have slapped them together just to get them out the door. I'm glad my fears were unwarranted! Nonetheless, the quality of this pair is vastly superior to the ones they are replacing. BobG, would you care to comment on this? This is not to say that the previous pair didn't perform adequately; they seemed to work just fine. I asked to return them due to damage to the veneer from rough handling during shipping, and that one of the wood screws holding in one of the woofers had been screwed in at a severe angle, and had damaged the frame of the speaker (another quality issue). I got home, and placed the speakers in the exact same position as the older ones, and guess what. They sound exactly the same! I had selected a few pieces of music that show off the bass response of the twin twelves, and the spankin' new speakers sounded exactly like the ones that were several hundred hours old. To the folks who have said that it may be one's perception that the bass is improving rather than the notion that the suspension on the woofers was actually getting more pliable with extended use, I believe I will have to change my opinion and side with the enemy! Obviously, this topic so subjective that extended debate can prove both fruitless and ridiculous, I nevertheless feel that I was in somewhat of a rare position to perform a relatively objective evaluation. If someone had swapped the speakers without my knowledge, I believe the only way I would have discovered the switcheroo is the noticeable aroma of fresh wood and glue!

Russ- You spoke too soon. There are tons of mods than can be done to Heresys, and they're right here in this forum! I will be picking up my 1980 Heresys as soon as my finances warrant, and will be trying a few of the mods mentioned under "Updating Older Speakers" Check out the thread named "Bright Heresys? Dramatic Fix for Free" and there is an interesting and very easy mod that is also reversible! Good luck!

Stopped by my friendly K dealer today, and they had a pair of RF-5s hangin' out. Asked the K dude to let me have a listen, and I a/b'd them with my old pair of KLF 20s. I recently upgraded to KLF 30s, and my old 20s are on the showroom floor! I was not able to really put them through their paces; auditioning them at home is the only way to really give them a test drive, but what little I heard was indeed compelling. They were far bassier than the 20s at low listening levels; they sounded like the 20s with the ol' "loudness" switch turned on. The differences on the top end were fairly negligible. The bass was fairly tight, but I wonder what would happen if the speakers were really pushed. If the frequency response remained constant, I fear the bass may become overwhelming and boomy. I will be going back again in the next week or so, I'll bring familiar music, and really kick the tires. On an aesthetic note: I DO NOT like the appearance of the copper woofers! They look too much like JBLs, and along with a preponderance of plastic, they are reminiscent of something you would find at the electronics department at Wal-Mart. The wood finish was nice, though. This message has been edited by Mr. Blorry on 07-05-2001 at 01:03 PM

mdeneen is absolutely correct. I purchased a 35 watt/channel tube amp that was made when Kennedy was president, and it not only sounds better, but it outperforms and is louder than my brand-new Denon 70w/channel amp. This phenomenon may not be as noticeable with low efficiency speakers, but as long as they're mated with Klipsch, the difference should be quite noticeable.

"Rode Hard and Put up Wet" That's a phrase I hadn't heard in a while. Used that phrase to describe a few butt-ugly women, but that's the first time I've heard it describing a speaker! But, it fits, nonetheless!

Post on, MacRich! I wanna see 'em!

This seller is being truthful, and has a sense of humor as well... http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1251229275

Unfortunately, the science isn't quite there. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse, and they're hard to use beyond about six feet or so, and the televisions don't have the resolution. The ATI All in Wonder is a combo video/TV card. It has a cable jack on it, and you can watch TV on yer computer, or you can send your computer signal to a TV via either S-video or RCA. It all works well, but the TV is way too fuzzy. Once we can all afford HDTV, then we're set. I'm lookin' forward to doin' the same thing, but for now, my PC sits in the room beside all my junk--way away from the sweet spot, but I can certainly hear it!

I notice that the speakers were photographed on a bed. Is that "Sleeping with the Enemy"???

Steve- Splain to me somethin' You have a pentium 150 PC? And you want a video card to drive your TV? Is that what you're tryin' to tell us, man? You wanna be able to run the PC video signal over to the TV, or do you have what amounts to a big-*** computer monitor?? If you're talking about going S-video out of a video card into your RCA, it's gonna look like ca-ca. The only TVs out right now that have the resolution to handle computer signals are the HDTVs. I had a nice ATI All-in-Wonder Pro going from my 400 to my 32" JVC TV, and you can't read text! You would be hard pressed to read the text from the Forum, that's fer sure! Hooking a computer to a TV is just Gee-Whiz stuff. It's not a solution. I suggest getting a small monitor to hook up to the 150, and use it that way. Maybe put the rig on a rolling cart and hide it when you're not using it. This message has been edited by Mr. Blorry on 06-30-2001 at 04:15 PM

Luni- Are you gonna park your car in the living room, or are you gonna put your new speakers in the car? In either case, take a long and hard listen to those References before you take that plunge--I would A/B them if at all possible. If, after an objective evaluation you still want to part with your KLF 20s, let us know here at the forum first, so we can have a crack at buying them before you trade in!