Gerry19103

Thank you so much for the advice ... it never dawned on me to just turn off the center speaker; duh!! I'll have to give that a try. Cfelliot: very nice set up! I'll post a pic of mine once I've finished. I'm going to get another heresy for the center but until then, I'll just try turning off the center channel as suggested. The mirage center does sound quite nice when combined with the other Mirages but by itself with the heresys, it's just aweful. I'm quite handy with woodworking; I'm going to build a new TV stand soon because at the moment, I've got a new 58 inch Samsung sitting atop a stand for a 42 inch TV - no problem with the weight but certainly looks weird having so much TV protruding from the sides! I'm going to build a new one with room in the center for a heresy and shelves to either side for my components. They're quite easy to make so I'll have one made by the time I get to buying a new heresy (more likely, a used heresy) for the center. I'm so very glad that I bought the heresy speakers. I couldn't be more satisfied. I have two Klipsch subs attached to the two mains which rounds out the sound quite nicely - they not extremely powerful subs but they don't need to be for this purpose - I don't have the volume set very high on them; I only use them to round out the low end. I use a far more powerful sub for the LFE signals.

Hello All! I was gone for a bit because of work and wasn't able to read the newer replies; I do thank you all for your input. Just to keep you posted on my efforts: I bought two new Heresy llls for the two front mains with a Klipsch sub attached to each. To save a little money, I bought two used but not terribly old Heresy lls which I'm using as my rear surrounds. The sound is just amazing. Just one more thing to fix: I'm still using my Mirage center channel speaker and it's got to go!! The "timber" of the mirage center and that of the Heresys are as incompatible as it can get and it won't take long before it drives me nuts so I've got to get a new one soon. I would never have guess that those "horns" could sound so good; if anything, I feared they'd be a bit tinny or harsh. As I mentioned before, I listen to all kinds of music but I'm a classical organist and it's difficult to find speakers that can handle that ... the horns in the Heresys really replicates the sound of certain organ stops (different types of sounds like trumpets, flutes, coronets etc) so much more accurately than regular speakers. It seems that the new designs of these taller and thinner tower speakers just don't do music as much justice as the older and more traditional styles of construction. I've tried several different "top of the line" makes and models and while (like my Mirages) they're great for movies, the just not so wonderful for music. I'll get another Heresy for my center channel and post a pic once I've got it all the way I want it. Thanks everyone!

Happy Saturday everyone! I've purchased a pair of used Heresy lls. I haven't heard or seen them yet but I bought them through a very good friend and I'm quite sure that I've made a good purchase. My initial plan was to buy two new Heresy IIIs for the fronts but I saw two sets of speakers on ebay which would be far easier on the wallet - a pair of used Heresys and a pair of "fortes" which seem promising. I was hoping that perhaps some of you would be kind enough to check them out and give me your opinion. If I went with the fortes, I'd have two different models in front and in back but from what everyone seems to think, the timber of the fortes would still be a good match with the HeresyIIs I bought for the rears. Anyway, I'd be very grateful for your opinions on the two following items: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290536993876&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT and secondly: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330534175672&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT Actually one other. If the works seem o.k., buffing out the ebony finish or reveneering is childsplay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200578943455&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT I'd really be grateful for your opinions - I'm nervous about spending that kind of money on used equipment when I don't know the seller. As you know from previous posts, I have 2 Klipsch subs connected to the right and left main fronts. Thanks!

When I build the cabinets for the subs, I plan on following instructions to the letter - I'm no sound engineer so putting my own ideas into their construction would likely prove to be a big mistake. I'll save my creative two cents worth for the finishing work of the cabinetry. I hadn't considered the "Chorus" but I'll bear it in mind when the time comes which will be quite soon. If only on the outside, they look a great deal like the "Fortes" suggested by another member. I'll have to look at the specs of both but I'm guessing that since both are part of the Heritage line, they must at least be quite similar. A friend of mine is questioning my sanity in this speaker project of mine. My speakers are a bit older now but they were the top flagship models of Mirages's OM series. They're astonishingly good with movies and I'm at a bit of a loss explaining why I'm not entirely satisfied with them musically. I wish I understood why I much preferred the sound when I connected those old KEF 105s and later some old Pioneers. My friends Mike tells me it makes no sense whatsoever (and he's considerably more tech-savvy than your's truly!) I may not be as tech-savvy but I do have a pair of highly trained ears which prefered the old speakers to these newer hi-tech speakers I currently listen to. I know .. it doesn't make much sense. I read a lot of independent reviews of the Heresy and they do speak quite highly of them. One things which caught my attention was the observation that they don't require high volume to deliver full / high quality sound. I'm in an apartment and I can't always crank the volume as high as I'd like. My Mirages as well as the Polks and Energy towers I later tried all seem to suffer from that problem for some reason ... the quality and "fullness" of the sound just isn't right at lower volumes while that wasn't the case when I tried the KEF 105s or the old pioneers. They were proportionately just as full sounding at lower volumes as at high volume. I can only surmise that this must be a common problem if those independent reviews when out of their way to state and compliment the fullness and quality of the sound of the Heresy at low volumes as at high volumes. Anyway, it's a very important observation as far as I'm concerned and I suspect the observation is just as true with the other models of the Heritage models. I know that the Heritage series speakers are not magnetically shielded but that really isn't an issue now that we've moved away from CRT televisions. In fact, I noticed that Audioholics seems to be waging their own campaigne at preaching that magnetic shielding is a considerable yet unnecessary expense passed on to the consumer now that we've moved away from the cathode ray tube. Thanks to all of you who've been sending tips on speakers you'd think I'd like which are for sale here and there ... much appreciated! I'm in such a hurry to get started at putting this new speaker system together! Come on IRS ... give me my money - you owe me quite a bit this year!

Thanks, Olorin, that was interesting: there's more to speaker cabinets than banging boards together! I wish one could use well seasoned furniture grade wood for speaker cabinets instead of high grade plywood or that super hard composite stuff but it just doesn't work that way. Guess it's veneer but they do make some really beautiful veneers. I'll also have to figure out what I'm going to do about the placement of the center speaker. I'll keep you kind folks posted when I have my equipment assembled.

I will look into the sub recommendation and I'll check out some plans; I learnt a lot about cabinet making from my Dad but I'm sure there is a great deal more than good carpentry skills involved in speaker building - I'll get some plans to see if it's even feasible. Turbox, I'll post a pic once I've got everything together.

Olorin, I suspect that you're correct in that the various speakers in the heritage series will probably all work together. Thanks again for the help everyone. Once I've got everything set up, I'll let you know how I made out.....Gerry

Every now and again, I toy with the notion of getting a 2 ch. tube amp. Would still use the same two fronts - it's just a matter of a switch. With musical instrument amplifiers, the difference in the sound of a tube amp is significant; I really notice it when I play guitar through this old Gibson tube amplifier a friend has. (I'm such a crappy guitarist though, anyone with ears would rather I stick to the amplified headphones I use when I'm in the mood to play guitar!) Guys, thanks again for the welcome and the advice. It will be about another two weeks before I'm ready to start buying but it gives me to time look around, get ideas, information etc. Tax return time is that one time all year to take that vacation or buy the new toy I'm otherwise to cheap to shell out for! I'd rather buy new than used but I don't mind buying used if I can get better for the same amount of money provided that the merchandise is all in good order. So, until the money is in my pocket, I'll keep looking around and getting information and then make my decisions depending on what's available when the time comes. Cliff, those two subs are beautiful - I particularly liked the SVS PB12. Audioholics really liked it too and they're my favorite reviewers. I have three subs now one the LFE and the two mains but I'll probably be getting rid of one of them when I get around to selling my Mirages ... it just makes more sense to include a sub and sell an entire 5.1 speakers system - so, I will need a sub sooner or later. I've also thought of making my own subs depending on what speakers I finally buy as the mains. I'm quite good with woodworking ... depending on what I get for the two mains, I could make two subs to function as stands for the two mains depending on what I get and their size ... essentially, follow some existing plans so that it can be acoustically viable but change aspects of the top and sides and essentially create something which I can sit the mains into making it look like there is only one speaker ... such things can wait though. I noticed that there are members here who also sell equipment - the is one guy selling two 1993 Cornwalls. He lives in North Jersey which is just a hop, skip and a jump from Philly. Thanks again folks! Please get back if you see something you think I might be interested in and I'll also let you know what I end up getting ... or perhaps ask for yet more advice if something else should present itself!

Hello Dtel, CECAA and Big Cliff - thanks so much for the welcome and advice!!! Dtel: I was reading your components and speakers ... I'm envious!! It seems like you have everything in the Heritage series! If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you another question: if I were able to locate a good set of used Cornwalls, would I be able to use the Heresys for the center and two rears? Would they be adequately "timber matched"? Like so many other people, I learnt the hard way that (to varying degrees), mix-matching seldom works out well; on occasion it can work but it often sounds like real crap ... if I could get two used Cornwalls, will the Heresys be compatible for the center and two rears? I've also noticed that it's quite easy to find used Heresy 2's ... would Heresy 2's work with two good used Cornwalls or am I taking my chances with that? Or would I be better off just buying 5 Heresy 3's? Five heresy 3's is about all by budget could handle. Cliff, I don't anticipate problems with the subs ... I use three subs now. I use the sub carrying the LFEs with more power than the others. I use the "line out" for the two fronts connected directly to the two subs but I don't use them with a great deal of power but rather only to round out and smoothen the low end of the two mains. I'm a classical organist and listen to quite a lot of organ music - before the days of powered subs, even the absolute best 15 in woofers just weren't adequate but there was nothing one could do about it ... you couldn't get the "depth" unless you really cranked the volume - very "soft" but very "deep" wasn't possible. A Bombarde pipe is 32 feet tall and about 11 inches in diameter ... depending on how you have your organ set, it's so soft that you can barely hear it, yet, your butt cheeks are vibrating and dust falls from every crack in the ceiling. Even with the best speakers, you can't get that without a sub on your two mains ... so, those two subs aren't loud at all. (Imagine what kind of sound you'd get from blowing into a 32 ft tall coke bottle LOL! ). I also know what you mean about switching amps and using two channels but fortunately, I'm able to use my amp strictly in two channel analog - it shuts off all unnecessary audio and video circuits and the filters are all bypassed; no rear speakers, center or sub. I'm told it's a pure, 100% analog signal but as I said earlier, I'm not all that tech savvy but with music, I do use it in that mode often. Thanks again folks (sorry for blabbing!)

Hello All! My name is Gerry and I'm looking for advice on speakers. I'm not terribly tech savvy but as a music teacher and classical organist, I do have a good set of ears .. which has proven to be a pain in the backside! I use my system for both movies and music. I listen to all types of music except for rap and old country western. I also listen to a lot of classical in general and classical organ in particular and while there are probably no people here who ever listen to pipe organs on their systems, I can tell you that they give speakers a work out like nothing else can. It seems that most of the speakers I've tried work well with movies - but I'm not satisfied with music in general. Here is a link to the specs of my AVR (listed on the right side of the page). The room isn't huge so I use it in 5.1, not 7.1. http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers/denon-avr-3805-black/1707-6466_7-30831156.html At present, I'm using and older set of Mirage OM series all the way around; I use one Klipsch sub for LFE and two other Klipsch subs on the front mains just to round our the bottom a little more nicely. I've tried some supposedly excellent Polk and KEF towers and it was the same as my Mirage ... excellent for movies but I'm just not satisfied with music. Another think I noticed about all three is that with music, they sound much better at high volume but whimpy at softer volumes. I thought perhaps it was my AVR despite the fact that it's one of Denon's top models in it's day but then I discovered something quite by accident: I tried a really old pair of Pioneer speakers with 12 in woofers from back in 70s and the sound was infinitely better and experienced a similarly better sound with a very old pair of KEFs. Both sounded so much better but I could never timber match them all the way around with a 5.1 or 7.1 system. The fronts sounded great but effect combined with the Mirage surrounds was just terrible. Guys, is it possible that the way these newer "tower" speakers are configured are simply better suited to movies than they are to music? Secondly, a friend suggested that I'd likely be really happy with Klipsch Heresy IIIs all the way around and I'm wondering what you folks thought of that? I wish there was a place where I could sample the Heresy III's but no one seems to set them up in audio displays / sound rooms. I looked at the rest in the Heritage series but they're out of my price range (especially times five!) and I wouldn't want to combine unmatched models. Does Heresy IIIs all the way around make sense and would they handle my AVR (again, a Denon 3805). Thanks so much for the input! ... Gerry