Forte Volume Level

[vondy]

I've been listening to my Fortes for a couple of months now, really enjoying them now that I'm more used to them. The other night I was able to move them into the corners and crank the volume up, wife was working late. Played for an hour or so a different mix of music. Everything sounded pretty great. The speakers really seemed to grow with the corners. Much bigger sound and bass response.

So last night I got to do some more listening at lower levels, wife was home. The Fortes just don't seem the have the same impact at lower volume levels like my Hereseys did. They are missing a certain liveliness. Much more muted and flat. The details are not quite there.

Being my first pair of Fortes I'm not exactly sure what to expect. Thinking about upgrading to Crites' caps and titanium diaphragms. Is it anyones opinion that this upgrade/refresh might bring the Fortes to life? Or do I need to upgrade my amp to help out? I'm using the HK 430 for music listening and really loved it on the Heresys. I've tried different sources - vinyl, cd, blu-ray, digital - and my Denon AV amp on the Fortes, just not getting that sound I am expecting.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Dennie]

Hey Vondy,

How old are the Fortes? I found it to be a big improvement on my 1979 La Scala's when I updated the Crossovers. Low listening levels really came to life. So did higher listening levels. But Clarity, sound-stage, bass response and detail really improved with updated crossovers. I think you may possibly find the same results.

Dennie

[tk49]

I have Forte II's and upgraded to the titanium diaphragms and realized a noticable difference, more clarity and detail in the upper end. Money very well spent. According to Bob the ti dia's will better respond to the crossover upgrade.

t

[Groomlakearea51]

I have had several pairs and noted that old Forte's can sound "muted" at low volumes. Crossovers will really help; replacing the mid and tweeter diaphragms will also make a difference. I'd try the caps first.

[vondy]

Thanks everyone! I believe I will be ordering some upgrades from Crites pretty soon.

[carbon summit]

Report back what you hear after the change.

I'm in the same boat with my Forte IIs and I am also considering doing the crossovers and titanium tweeters on my front two Forte IIs and the my Academy.

I don't know if its a Cornwall vs Forte II deal or maybe a Heritage vs Extended Heritage deal (or whatever people call the Chorus II, Forte II and Quartet) but I do notice that my Cornwalls sound great at low volumes and my Forte IIs don't. In all fairness my Cornwalls got new tweeter diaphragms (not titanium) and caps in the crossovers right after I bought them last month where as the Forte IIs are still bone stock.

The reason I wonder if its a Heritage vs Extended Heritage deal is I've heard people say the same thing about the Heresy sounding good a low volumes too. I just bought a pair of 1980 Heresy but honestly I have not listened to them that much. They are A/B on the same receiver as the Cornwalls and the little guys just really don't get much play time. I'm really in love with the Cornwalls right now. If find a lone Heresy or a cheap pair near me to use as a center I might move the Heritage team into the main HT and bench the Extended team for a while just to see how I like them together. In all fairness to the Heresy I just bought the are probably in need of caps. I've read if speakers sit unused the caps dry out faster than if they are used a lot. These have been sitting for over 8 years, but either way they caps are 30 years old so probably in need regardless.

All of my Forte IIs need caps, my Academy needs caps, my Heresy need caps... I may have to thin the herd just to pay for caps!!!

[vondy]

Now this get's me thinking if I update the Fortes do I need to also update my Academy? I only use the Academy for HT so I wonder if it's really necessary....?

[carbon summit]

Considering I've heard that 70% of the movie is heard through the center channel I figure I'd better do my Academy also.

I'm on the fence about the titanium tweeters but I'm pretty sure I'll do the crossovers on all three in the front.

Besides I'd drive myself crazy wondering what I'm missing so I'll just do the crossovers on my Academy too and be done with it. I'm doubting its really necessary to do my rear two Forte IIs though considering how little there really is for surround sound.

I do listen to 7 channel music (5 in my case) so maybe that would be my excuse to justify doing the crossovers on the rears too. Probably not. But I do wonder if the front Forte IIs sounded better when I'm listening at a lower level if I'd use the 2 channel mode instead of the 7 channel mode. I'm hoping that is what new caps in the crossovers will do for them.

[Dennie]

Considering I've heard that 70% of the movie is heard through the center channel I figure I'd better do my Academy also.

I'm on the fence about the titanium tweeters but I'm pretty sure I'll do the crossovers on all three in the front.

Besides I'd drive myself crazy wondering what I'm missing so I'll just do the crossovers on my Academy too and be done with it. I'm doubting its really necessary to do my rear two Forte IIs though considering how little there really is for surround sound.

I do listen to 7 channel music (5 in my case) so maybe that would be my excuse to justify doing the crossovers on the rears too. Probably not. But I do wonder if the front Forte IIs sounded better when I'm listening at a lower level if I'd use the 2 channel mode instead of the 7 channel mode. I'm hoping that is what new caps in the crossovers will do for them.

That's what I did!!! [:S] I thought there was no way my "stock" 1979 La Scala's could sound any better. The crossover's "look" fine! Nothing is "leaking"!! When I called Bob Crites, he just laughed when I asked him....."could they possibly sound better"? After a short time with the new crossovers, I was laughing just like Bob! []

I "drove myself crazy" wondering for a little over a year! [8-)]

Dennie

[carbon summit]

I'll probably do the crossovers sooner than later. I'm trying to decide how to fund the project. Should I sell off speakers I don't use or continue to dig deeper into my wallet for this habit! I've got a KLF-C7 I don't use and the pair of Heresy that I mentioned above. I'm thinking I should liquidate some orphans from my house and let someone have them who will enjoy them instead of me holding them just in case...

Everyone I've talked to says the titanium tweeters are worth the money too so I'll probably end up ordering three of those too.

Those of you who have done the crossovers in your Forte IIs and Academy did you do the work yourself? Doing my Cornwalls were pretty easy but I'm worried I might goof up the circuit board that is used in the newer speakers. I'm have average soldering skills at best so I'm worried I might make it cost twice as much trying to a few dollars doing it myself. But I thought the same thing about soldering the diaphragms on my Cornwalls and that turned out just fine. Any words of warning or encouragement?

[Rivernuggets]

Carbon, I think wuzzzer is looking for a KLF-C7 or an Academy. I think he's leaning toward the Academy, but it's worth contacting him. If you decide on selling something.....It IS hard to thin down speakers around the house.

[carbon summit]

Carbon, I think wuzzzer is looking for a KLF-C7 or an Academy. I think he's leaning toward the Academy, but it's worth contacting him. If you decide on selling something.....It IS hard to thin down speakers around the house.

Thanks, Mark and I have spoken about it already. I guess the first step is I've got to make up my mind to actually sell some more Klipsch stuff. I've regretted selling some stuff already so I'm a little slow to do it again. I'll probably throw and ad up in the garage section on the KLF-C7 before my pair of Heresy. Its easier to sell it since I've got almost enough Heritage stuff for a second HT system where as no KLF stuff has surfaced in my area yet. When I had the chance to buy the C7 I just did it because I had read on here how hard the Academy and C7 were to find so I figured I'd jump on it and just hang onto it until a need presented itself.

[vondy]

70% of the movie is heard from the center channel, but that's mostly dialog and not critical music listening. Think i'll do the Fortes first and put off the Academy till a later date. I think the Academy is newer anyway.

[carbon summit]

70% of the movie is heard from the center channel, but that's mostly dialog and not critical music listening. Think i'll do the Fortes first and put off the Academy till a later date. I think the Academy is newer anyway.

I told myself that same thing at first and now I've been listening to what comes out of my center when watching movies and its a lot more than just dialog. Don't get me wrong I'm not pressuring you to do it I just know if I don't do my Academy I'll drive myself crazy wondering what I'm missing by not doing it. I guess I'm more into HT than music with the setup my Forte IIs are in so I want to give the front three the best chance of matching well.

When I got my Cornwalls one of the diaphragms was bad in one of the tweeters but I still replaced them both. Would I be able to hear the difference? Maybe, maybe not, but I felt better doing them both and being done with it. Maybe I just need meds! []