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Forte Test Drive Thursday


willland

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I am going Thursaday morning to demo a pair of 1987 oak oil Forte's. Based on photos and description they are in excellant shape. I own a pair of walnut oil KG4's that are also in excellant shape that I bought two months ago for $150.00. The Forte's are for sale for $499.00. With condition and sonics in the equation, should I buy the Forte's and sell the KG4's? I am taking along a few of my most revealing cd's(Rush,Seal,Tori Amos) and also a cd of classical Irish guitar. Please give any feedback.

Bill

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Only you can make that call but my guess is you will like the Fortes better.

Listen to the music you are taking on the KG4s then take your music and listen to the Fortes and whichever sounds better to you that is the speaker you should keep or buy.

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What I am really asking is $499.00 an acceptable price for the Forte's that seem to be in great condition. I know I like the KG4's especially for $150.00. Between the two, what really makes one pair shine over the other?

Bill

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I've had Forte's, Forte II's and the KG 4's, I still have the II's. If you listen to 4's and the Forte's side by side, I think you will find the II's are much better from the bottom to the top. You won't regret buying the Forte's.

t

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I own Fortes in good condition that I paid $400 for and really like them. I could have waited and probably found some cheaper but with shipping or driving(gas money) to go get them, add paypal costs it would have came close to what I paid.

I have seen them go for $200 up to 550 and probably have gone higher. Right now on Audiogon is a pair that was $400 and now is $350 only cause the owner is unemployed and needs to sell quick. There is also a pair for $525 on Audiogon.

Ebay has a pair "buy it now" price of $400.

Audiogon's blue book average price for Fortes is $530 but you can find them cheaper but probably not mint. So after hearing the Fortes you have to decide if you are willing to pay $500 for them.

You can always try and talk the price down.

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I'd say the price is a little high looking at today's used speaker market. $400 would be a more realistic price unless they truly are in mint condition with original boxes.

I paid $275 for my near mint Forte IIs from a local seller and Forte IIs usually command a premium over the original model.

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It is always nice to have a pair of speakers to sell to help pay for new ones. Let us know how the audition went!

Well I met Tim at his house for the demo. He had all of his higher end components(Rotel) already moved to his new house so he hooked the Forte's up to an older Yamaha HTR5950(I think) receiver and the source component was a Yamaha 6 disk cd player. First on tap was a Seal cd to test some mid bass and lower midrange. Even at lower levels these speakers were full and precise. Next on to a classic guitar cd to test the the mids. I closed my eyes and it felt like the guitarist was only a few feet in front of me. Finally the highs. Tori Amos' pounding piano and angelic soprano voice(even though she also has great range) was a work of art on the Forte's. Oh yeah, 3 Doors Down to rock out. That's it. Tim kindly let me pay him with a check($450.00). Oak oil in excellant condition without any visible blemishes. These were made in 1985 and Tim was the original owner. My 1987 WO KG4's and RW-10d sub will go on sale soon.

Bill

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I had a feeling you would get em once you heard them![Y] My Fortes replaced La Scalas and they work better in my living room than the La scalas did. My living room was too small for La Scalas and the Fortes are a perfect fit.

enjoy!![8]

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Enjoyed reading your feedback of your Forte II demo. Paid $450 for a pair on Ebay that I was lucky enough to pick up semi locally. I have done a couple of Crites mods and quite frankly have never looked back. Doesn't stop me from regularly checking Craigs List and Ebay for Cornwalls locally but if it were never to happen would be quite happy with what I have. I travel regularly and outside of obviously being happy to come home and see the wife and kids my next move is to the amplifier and a wide variety of musical tastes over a glass of wine or cocktail and relax in front of the Fortes. Again, enjoyed your feedback and enjoy your Fortes.

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 Enjoyed reading your feedback of your Forte II demo. Paid $450 for a pair on Ebay that I was lucky enough to pick up semi locally. I have done a couple of Crites mods and quite frankly have never looked back. Doesn't stop me from regularly checking Craigs List and Ebay for Cornwalls locally but if it were never to happen would be quite happy with what I have. 

That does it. I'm buying me some Fortes. I've been searching high and low for a nice (affordable) pair of Cornwalls, but that has yet to happen. Fortes have been on CL quite a bit and I think it's time I move on up from my kg4s based on Bills experience and wait out the Corns as Tyler has done. Time to make it happen. [:)]
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Fortes have been on CL quite a bit and I think it's time I move on up from my kg4s based on Bills experience and wait out the Corns as Tyler has done. Time to make it happen. Smile

I want to make something clear here. The KG4's are great speakers and in my opinion represent a good introduction to Klipsch older (Classic/Heritage/KG) models. For the price on the used market($125.00 to $325.00/pair avg.), IMO you will be hard-pressed to find better performance/dynamics from any Klipsch speaker or any other brand at that price point. I will sell my KG4's only to recoupe some $$$ toward the purchase of the Forte's. I want ot keep them all but economics and my wife would prefer I sell them. Also I demoed and bought Forte's not Forte II's.

Bill

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Thanks for the links Bill. I've been watching those and thinking about it, but I think I'm going to have a look and listen to the one pair of Fortes in walnut that will match my kg4s for a future HT. I think I'd prefer the original Forte as it has similar drivers to the Heresy (as opposed to the Tractrix in the Forte II) which is what I'll be looking for as a center. I do love my kg4s as well, but I really want a 3 way Klipsch and the Heresys I had felt too bass depraved after the kg4s so I think the Fortes will be the perfect fit. I also thought that Corns might be a bit too large for my room. Reading your post (and Tylers) has got me thinkin about Fortes again. Not sure how I'll slip it past my better half though, as we're supposed to be saving up for a vacation... [*-)]

Jim

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I am very pleased I took the drive over to test the Forte's. My target price to spend was $400.00 but I still feel that the performance/cost ratio you get with these speakers are easily the equivalent of some costing a couple of grand in today's market. Here are a couple of pictures of my family room setup.

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