Altavoz

IMHO, Fortes are one of the best kept secrets. There is not much hoopla about them, but I'm certain that current owners will attest to their fidelity. It has the qualities of the Heritage series Heresy, with much deeper bass, but a little less sensitive. You may be able to get them at less than $550 somewere else, but, if those that you cited are in good condition, they are worth every penny. After owning several speaker models/brands, I stopped my search at Forte. Can't compare them to LS without getting into heated debate. Fortes will deliver outstanding sound with music as well as HT; no tubes required.

Looking to replace it with either an H/K AVR520 or Onkyo AVR125. The H/K is last years's model, but only accepts 8 ohm speakers. The Onkyo ($299) accepts 6 ohms minimum. I need advise on which one to choose, pros/cons, or suggestions that would not exceed $600. Speakers on my HT are: 8 ohm Fortes for front, 4 ohm Heressy II for center, and 4 ohm KG2's for rear. Will eventually add a sub, probably an SVS. Is speaker impedance a matter of great concern for the new HT receivers?

I find the old sonic hologram technology from Carver gives the best quasi-surround effect with two speakers. It works by cancelling crosstalk between left and right channels. A big drawback is the time that it takes to set the speakers equidistant and the elusiveness of the effect when one moves from the sweet spot. The effect is stunning with speakers like Klipsch and just about any Pink Floyd album, including oldies like "Meddle" and "Atom Heart Mother".

Before testing, inspect for tears along the edges of the passive and active woofers. Use a good test CD to check if the drivers are in phase, as well as for individual test tones. The speaker is a two-way, designed for bookshelf use, although oversized for that application. It is 4 ohms nominal impedance, with frequency response of 35 to 20Khz +/- 3db, sensitivity of 90.5 db. Tweeters are not overly bright and provide very good imaging. I can't analogize their sound to any other speaker, but I can attest that they are a great catalyst to audio excellence, regardless of the amplifier that you may choose.

IMHO, the Heritage series have undeniable advantages, such as efficiency, and an addictive sound of their own (that's why I got the Belles for two-channel listening). While less efficient, the Forte was first to provide the signature Klipsch sound, with extended accurate bass and aesteticaly pleasing cabinets, at an affordable price. It remains a well-balanced speaker, which can do justice to two-channel as well as HT listening, without compromise. Sound preferences are subjective; I can only reiterate that I'm very pleased with all my Klipsch speakers, but have a preference for the Fortes.

A coworker wants to see legislation to implement a mandatory 24 hour period of listening to B0$e for all convicted drunk drivers. Would that be considered cruel and unusual punishment? He also feels that osama bin ladin would have surrendered if, instead of menacing tanks, there were Bo$e speakers blasting outside his cave.

It would be interesting to find out. I guess a person who buys Bo$e is not interested in sound fidelity, but in hype (an arctic seal knows exactly what they want). I believe that each member has something to post and contribute, whether it is a jocose point of view or an encyclopedia of technical know-how. I enjoyed your recent post to address a young lad that rudely interrupted a nice thread; it was a subtle lexical arrow, witty and humorous. Never heard of the perpetrator again (must have been a Bo$e owner)

LOL He sure did; a natural! I agree that even when JH made an adverse remark, it would not detract from the reported merits of the equipment under review: i.e., cluttered face panel, small controls, unappealing grills, etc. I wonder what ever happened to the mg. or if it still in circulation.

PGH: What is your opinion on the technical accuracy of the SR report of the Forte? I subscribed to SR from 1981 to 199?, and recall a ho-hum report on the KG2(circa 1984). I auditioned many of the speakers/equipment tested and reported by SR, including the Forte and KG2, and found them quite educational. While I admit to be influenced by SR, I opted for the Forte based on it's merits. IMO, it is a true-to-Klipsch sound kind of speaker, only equaled or outperformed by other Klipsch of much higher price range.

"101 ways to use a Bo$e speaker" We are aware of the barren sonic values of these speakers. After witnessing my neighbor and his wife turn a pair of 901's into beautifull planters (filled with rich soil and cow manure), I thought that perhaps there is a market for a book directed at disappointed Bo$e owners. So far, got a handful of ideas: use inside fireplace, step-tool, promote recycling to avoid air polution, etc. Your inputs are welcome.

I stopped my search for a better speaker after getting a new set of Fortes in 1991. Just felt that I had reach the point of real audio satisfaction. My first Klipsch were the KG2s and then Heresy II's (which I still own). Only recently, I became curious about the Belles, and bought a used pair. Can't judge yet, as the crossover networks needed repair.

I agree with clueless. Make your postings worthy of musing and you'll get there fast. A few examples: 1) research and write about the IQ of a Bo$e owner versus that of a well-fed arctic seal 2) write about the merits of 3-stranded #12 AWG copperwire versus barbed wire in bi-wiring applications 3) write about the dietary habits of audio enthusiasts relative to their preference for tubes or SS amps 4) Gather material for a book "There's life after Bo$e: How to get over the shame of being taken for a dimwit". 5) Or "Lenght of klipsch ownership relative to the coefficient of happiness; a case study". 6) Post ideas to add in my book "101 ways to use your Bo$e speakers" Good luck

Klipsch will rebuild your AA crossover networks to original specs for a fair price. Contact them first to obtain an authorization number. I recently aquired a pair of Belles with one carelessly repaired CN and then wired out of phase; there was a discernible sonic difference between the two loudspeakers (even after phase correction). I opted to have both CN's rebuilt to experience the Belles as originally designed, before I consider any variations.

Thank you. This diagram will keep me busy over the weekend and get me better aquainted with the Belles. I like their sound and will keep trying to learn more about them. Things like: 1)Is the type AA a "good" network? 2)What are the signs of speaker or crossover degradation? 3)Is the serial # an indicator of the year the speakers were made? 4)Why are there PWK logos instead of rectangular Klipsch tags? As I dig through this BB, more ??'s surface. These speakers are so addictive!

Textf>Textf>Textf> Just received a beautifull set of Belles. I played my test CD and learned that they were out of phase. The base improved markedly after reversing one of the leads at the amp terminal. As the test CD ran it's course, I heard the 1K tone makes a "wavering" sound (not evenly smooth as in other speakers). I suspect that the previous owner did some ill wiring work and that some driver remains out of phase. How do I go about confirming if there is a problem? Is there a diagram/book available to check phasing? The speaker input on these Belles is straight to the AA crossover network. What improvements are available for Belles? I've been hooked on Klipsch since 79. Went from KG2s to Heresy II to Fortes.