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K Horns vs Cornwalls- side by side


winchester21

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Picked up k horns and lascallas yesterday. Moved my Cornwalls to surround duty. Previously mu 2 ch speakers powered bt mac 2105/ c34V- 105 WPC -SS. I am using a Denon 610 as CD as my search for a jolida or an esoteric continues. Somewhat tainted by this but here goes.

I waited with worried anticipation to see how the k horne stacked up against my Cornwalls. I loved the Cornwalls with the mac- still do. Different deal altogether. The Cornwalls come off to me more like a hard rock junkies dream. The high are piecing at times finding their way through the base. The Cornwalls sounded as if there was 1 speaker in the middle of the room with the voices out front and the instruments in the rear.The contrast betwen high and low with the booming base has to be one of the most pleasing speakers that I have ever heard. Definitely a crowd pleaser. Most people would listen to this speaker and decide immediately that this was exactly what they were looking. I have driven this speaker with everything from a Sony HT to a 250 WPC Carver along with the 105 watt mac SS.I have places this speaker in all kinds of position for a variety of applications. IMHO this is the most versatile, easy to set up and use, totally idiot proof speaker on the planet. It doesnt get much better. A set of these for 600-900 is the easiest no brainer decision that you will ever make.

Next we hooked up the k horns powered by the Mac. From the first note, my 2 sons and I stood open mouthed and dunbfounded by these speakers. It was 2am and the last thing that i wanted was to wake up the lady sleeping at the other end of the house. At like 3 on the preamp we could still carry on a conversation and hear every note on the CD.The room was filled literaly an ocean of sound. The room was like a giant headphone. Louder tunes this morning revealed extended bass notes and un believable sounds that i have never head before in my listening area.I have a nice tight fit to the corners with hard wall surfaces all around. I was worried after reading some of the coments rgarding k horn placement. I guess I got lucky in that aspect. The k horns are more like walikng into a small auditorium with great acoustics with a symphony orchestra where as the Cornwlls are like walking into a small nightclub with a rock band cranking it out.The higher notes are unbelievable and the bass- although not as in you face and booming as the cornwalls fills the room and has a character unlike no other that I have ever heard.I disagree with those who say that the bass is lacking on the k horn. This may be due to corner fit and placement.IMHO the k horns are more sensitive to amplifier choices than the Cornwalls. I have heard the horns with 2 different tube amps and my Mac 2105. The tubes are definitely warmer where as the SS stuff seem more "Crisp????"I am having difficulty describing the difference that I am hearing but at this point I am not totally sure that I am sold on the tubes. A side by side comparion in my listening area would be nice before any final decision would be made.I would advise anyone who has the cash and the corners required for these speakers to try and find an opportunity to listen to a set before buying anything. If you are patient, a fine example of the Horns can be had for around 2k for the pair. I have not heard the jubilees at this point. In my mind this is the ultimate untli something else comes along to change my mind.

I plan to hook my Lascallas up as 2 channels for a test run also at the first opportunity.

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She has not said much about it- too late now- If she doesn't like it- let HER try to move those monsters out- not happening

I took an invisible pill this morning- keeping a low profile

I am waiting for her to go out so I can really crank them up

This thing worked itself under the radar pretty well- so far.

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Yes, winchester, you are beginning to understand.

I waited with worried anticipation to see how the k horne stacked up against my Cornwalls.

From the first note, my 2 sons and I stood open mouthed and dunbfounded by these speakers.

Louder tunes this morning revealed extended bass notes and un believable sounds that i have never head before in my listening area

These are the very words I spoke when I first compared my new Jubilees to my beloved K-Horns.

The K-Horns are absolutely fantastic. The Jubilees take it to an completely higher level.

Enjoy your journey, my friend!! [:D][Y]

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OK.... you are hyperventilating.... put your head in a paper bag for 40 seconds and breath slow...

The invisible pill.... didn't work... she's simply playing you like a fiddle, stashing her "points" for a time when it better suits here strategic goals. She WILL be able to move them... all she'd need to do is say "Free Khorns...come & carry" and they'd be gone in a moment, heck, probably before you could return from getting a haircut.

She KNOWS you are waiting on her to leave. Trust me...happens all the time with my wife. it's part of their game. it will happen, so keep your head in the bag for another 30 seconds.

Under the radar? hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

She owns you now and you will hear about this the rest of your life (ask me how I know)

Otherwise, sounds like it's working out great for you and I'm happy about that. [Y] I was a bit mixed about them not being in corners yesterday. I was thinking "does he know what they're capable of?.... are they even capable of that in this room? (because of the funky corner at fireplace)"

I debated on tucking them back then figured I'd leave them and let you decide.

I'll bet they sound 10 times better in your place than they did in this other room. That left side, with the fireplace would have been a bass killer.

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Based on your"modest" audio setup I would think that you have a big target on your back when wifey starts cashing in points. Always nice to know what I should expect going foward. The trial run at the condo was just a -yeah it runs OK- deal and that all I expected. There is a local guy here that has a newish set of k horns and a mac 275 that I was allowed to listen to once recently through a friend/ gun buddy. An old friend of mine had a set back in the 80s. We had a stocking dealer in charlotte at one time that kept K horns and the whole line. So yes, I have been around these things off and on for 25-30 years- just never could afford a set or justify the expense.I never though that I would own a set but I guess this was the perfect storm all things considered. I am just fortunate that someone found these that already had better stuff and did not need them for themselves. I had an idea of what these might sound like in this room - particularry after buying the Cornwalls which blew me away- but my expectations wer far exceeded when I actually fired them up. Thanks again for making this deal work.

One thing is for sure- they have to have good corner details to work properly..

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This forum is my narcotic escape. I can only dream about what those mothers must sound like. I sit here amazed at the sounds my low budget, marginal quality SS stuff makes through my CF-3's and lamenting what I've missed prior to their purchase. In the meantime I scour CL and ebay plotting my next acquisition and trying to figure out how to come up with the ching.

Keep the crack flowing!

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