Klipsch and Vandersteen

[Iftach Landau]

Guys,

I am very happy with my Synergy set <(sf-2, sc-1, ss-1, ksw-12), run by a Denon 3802. Audioquest 4 on front, Monster on surrounds and sub>.

Yet lately, I have been reading more about time and phase accurate speakers, and have been developing a growing frustration my system is simply not musical accurate as it might be. HT-wise, I am very happy, but music, well - strings, guitar,rock in general sounds great. But try pianos, orchestrations (classical or film scores) and the midrange is excessive. Example: Coldplay - Parachutes, track 1 (Don't Panic): "we live in a beautiful world..." I have to turn the volume down as it is screaming.

I am considering adding a pair of Vandersteens for music purposes, but feel I might be taking the false path. What do you say?

[HornEd]

Your observations are astute and correct. However, the speakers you have were not intended to compete with Vandersteens... which have the reputation of being the low end of high end speakers... (Read that "audiophile cost-effective").

With Klipsch, you have to move to the newer speakers in the Reference Line to find qualities more like the Vandersteens.

Also note that the renewal of the production of the Heritage line (scheduled for this month) will return the availability of new speakers of exceptional quality... but it is horn loaded quality. Horns can be a bit bright and revealing ... particularly on poorly recorded source material. But horns generally need larger enclosures and rooms to do their best work and take advantage of their much higher efficiency.

With as many design changes as they have had over the last 50 years... it is refreshing to see the mighty Klipschorn remains little changed after all those years. There is nothing quite like horns to bring the freshness of a live concert into your listening area.

Cone speakers can be squeezed into smaller cabinets and still provide the audiophile concerns for accuracy and detail. The RF-7 is an example of a two-way Klipsch speaker that is primarily a cone speaker with a high crossover to a horn tweeter. The Van's, of course, are all cone and exhibit the "precision under an audiophile blanket" sound common to hornless loudspeaker offerings.

Of course, the alternative speakers you are discussing are quite a bit more expensive than the ones you have... which suggests that they are not likely to deliver the satisfaction you desire unless you look to more highly rated Klipsch speakers. -HornED

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Photo update soon! -HornEd

This message has been edited by HornEd on 04-08-2002 at 12:25 PM

[dougdrake2]

Good post, HornEd. I had the opportunity to listen to a pair of Van's next to a pair of Fortes, and the Forte's (to me) blew the Van's out of the water in terms of detail and "aliveness" and overall listening enjoyment. The Van's, to me, sounded like they had wet blankets over them.

This may be a comparison more along the lines of what Ed is talking about - comparing products more similarly priced/targeted than the Van's vs Synergy's.

Granted, the Forte's are a 3-way design versus the RF series 2-way design, but I think the comparison would still hold up.

Doug

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My System

[Underhanded Penguin]

Landau. It's not just your speakers. The mid and low frequencies on that Coldplay song is exaggerated. It's not a very well mastered cd imo. I've heard that song in my friends car, on promedias and on my reference system. And it still had that boomy sounding bass/mid bass.

-UP

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Liv Tyler as Arwen: "If you want him, come and claim him!" - Translation: "I am very hot."

[Audio Flynn]

First, I always agree with Ed(and Gil and Ray).

The Synergy series I beleive is marketed to give you a taste of the Klipsch sound. You cannot fairly compare them to a Vandersteen. Perhaps a Paradigm or PSB in the same price range is a more reasonable comparison.

I may someday get back into what my wife calls "refridgerator sized" speakers(Heritage); but the Reference and Legend series of speakers will keep me happy until I get a house(or build one) with the right room.

Second, select your software for making judgements very carefully. Allot of new music is mastered to be listened to on a boom box or car stereo. The compression and other tactics used by producers result in strange music.

I like the soundtrack to "Last of the Mohicans", not my everyday listening music but it has realy great dynamic range. "Lord of the Rings" soundtrack may be pretty good I will have to listen to it a few more times.

I recently got Bill Evans "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" and Sonny Rollins "Saxaphone Collosus" on XRCD and I think they would be good for comparing or auditioning equipment.

[soundog]

Well stated Ed! It will be interesting to see what the new Heritage speaker components are and what they can do. The changes may inspire new reviews and renewed interest.

As you pointed out horns place a greater demand on source equiptment and material. They reveal defects more readily than most of the cone designs that IMHO "homoginize" the sound by creating a veil that covers up defects up the line and also do not make great demands on room acoustical treatment. ie- They compromise and "cover-up" often resulting in a "laid-back" sound without much effort on the consumers part.

Their compact size and lighter weight are also more conducive to today's marketing schemes. (Easy consumer pick up - toss them in the RUV - place them wherever - easier for HT - perfect for background music}.

They just don't sound as much like live music.

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Soundog's HT Systems

[dbflash]

Once you have listened to Horns you will not like anything else IMHO.

I needed a pair of speakers. Tweeters couldn't get in any RB5's for a couple of weeks. I needed speakers then. I ended up buying a pair of Jamo's (no Horn's). Everyone one who heard them thought they were great. I always thought something was missing. I found a pair of 20 year old Heresy's. Blew the Jamo's out of the water.

Oh yea my $1000 Jamo's are now in a bedroom serving as a hat rack.

Danny