The very first time I heard Klipsch ...

[neo33]

About a decade ago, a friend loan me a pair of home made tube monoblocks with a whopping 3.5 WPC. I took the pair to a few local establishments but could not find a single decent pair of speakers that could drive them efficiently. I called my friend back a few weeks later to see if he can recommend a pair but his number was disconnected. Then, I vaguely remember he said something about "Klips" (I didn't even know how to pronounce it correctly back then). I went on the internet trying to search for the name but could not find anything since I didn't know the correct spelling. I spent the next three nights looking at every audio board I could find. Then I ran across this site "Klipsch". I said to myself: This must be it! I spent quite some time reading the whole site and kept thinking to myself "how can a squawker be so efficient"? I finally gave in and bought a pair of RF-7s a few weeks later. I have since wondered aimlessly on this board. I now have twelve pairs of Heritages and I still want more. God helps me!

[dtel]

I have since wondered aimlessly on this board. I now have twelve pairs of Heritages and I still want more. God helps me!

Don't see a problem there.

I kind of found Klipsch by accident, I was searching for horn speakers after hearing some giant Altec "voice of the theater" speakers that were being used in a theater, of all places. [:|]

I first bought a set of Synergy's for Ht and later after reading here got to hear some Heritage and was reminded of the bigger horn sound. Years later I heard some Klipsch pro/theater speakers and found what I really liked about the Altecs sound, BIG HORN LOADED speakers, they have a sound closer to live than anything I have ever heard, and they do it effortlessly, second is the heritage models.

I'm done looking, and i mean it this time. [Y][]

Bigger is better for live sound. IMO

[rockhound]

My story told before but hey what the heck. I had a roommate in college who was a nephew of the klipsch family. He brought in 2 k-horns with 2 heresy's I don't remember the tuner he had. Anyway I was looking at these big ole things and I was like what the heck is that. He says to me its my uncles speakers! Then he brought in these "little" speakers and I was amazed that he had 4 speakers because at the time all I had was a cheap boombox. Anyway he proceeded to run the wire and get everything hooked up. Threw some Bad Company "Rock Steady" actually into the CD player. He told me to stand right here which I guess was the middle part of the room, lastly he said welcome to the best speaker ever made and he hit the play button and turned the volume dial.....holy *** is all I remember. I had never heard anything like that sound before and I was completly blown away. Needless to say that semester was fun to say the least, sure wish I would have kept in touch with him. Anyway that is how i was introduced to Klipsch and to the cops as we got lots of "disturbing the peace" warnings!!

[GBShade684]

My first time was about 5 months ago. To be honest, I picked them out and decided to buy them after reading on here and because I liked how they looked. Went to demo some(now my) RF-82s with my cousin and brother in law. Guy I bought them from turned up Transformers 2 and, well...I liked what i heard. Had a smile on my face for an hour. Was just listening to the radio last night and randomly got a grin on my face, love these damn speakers. Don't care how many more I get, think I'm keeping them till my son leaves the house. It will be his going to college present...

[tromprof]

Back in the mid 1980s my brother was stationed in Japan and bought a pair of Fortes at the BX. He went on and on about how good they sounded, and about the even bigger and better models he had heard at the BX but couldn't fathom hauling around with all the base moves he would undergo. I was aware of Klipsch but had not heard them before so, with wife in tow we went over to Woofer and Tweeter in Boston over near Harvard. They were having some kind of Klipsch demo and we got to hear Heresy, Fortes, and Chorus models. I was hooked on the sound, esp. how well they reproduced brass. In a perfect moment of cosmic alliance WT was having a sale on some black Fortes. I owned those speakers over 20 years and moved them many, many times. After 20 years, many moves, cats, and small children they were looking a bit ugly and I finally sold them to finance the La Scalas.

[Daddy Dee]

'70's Custom Audio - North Little Rock, AR.

[ChadHahn]

When I went to pick up my Harmon Kardon A50K after having it gone over, the tech hooked it up to a pair of La Scalas. I had seen a pair of Heresies at a pawnshop and went to get them. After a year or so I ended up getting a pair of La Scalas of my own.

Chad

[Taz]

I went to a small stereo shop that I do not frequent. Don't remember why I was there, but I know SHMBO remained in the car. There were some beat up La Scala's. Well I listened to them, knew that they would not pass the WAF. So I came back the next week and picked them up and took them to my son's. No WAF needed as no SHMBO there. Well eventially the wife found out about them. I gave them to my son since I'd been storing them for so long. I discovered this site and have been Lurking ever since. Found a set of Khorns a full days drive south from home. Bought them sight unseen, just pictures. 1 day down and 1 day back. Put them together while wife was not home. She came in and declared, They are beautiful! They were even better looking then the gentleman from Atwater said they were.

Thanks Jordan!

[ClaudeJ1]

Late 60's. Had a paper route in Detroit. The pickup station was about 2 blocks from the Hi Fi Workshop (Klipsch Dealer). They had Khorns in their display window and I could see their backs each time I rode by on my bike (I think I was about 12 years old then). The sales guys didn't pay me much attention (most 12 year olds don't come in to buy Khorns), but I did hang around to hear them do a demo. So I listened to the music and their explanations about horns. Being a trumpet player, it all made sense to me.

It sounded like a real band when they played some "Big Band" music on them. They were my "dream speaker" for another 10 years before I could afford them.......in fact, at 23 years old, I made my fiancee co-sign for the loan.......six months later I got a center LaScala and built PWK's little resistor box for the mono middle channel........used McIntosh pre amp, and Dynaco SS power amps, before I went to tubes. I have owned about 30 different pairs of Klipsch speakers since then (Khorns, LaScalas, Cornwalls, lots of Heresys, Chorus I, Chorus II, Forte, put KG-4's in my car, etc.).

Remember, Klipsch rules them all AND: "Friends don't let friends buy BOSE!!!"

[Chris A]

It's easier to reference my experience:

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/155222/1637796.aspx#1637796

Chris

[JJkizak]

1965.

JJK

[tyler8]

1975. Took me thirty years to get my own. Now three sets, Belles, Cornwalls, and Forte II.Wasted alot of time.

[mustang guy]

It was 1983 in a dorm room up the hall from me, a pair of Heresy's driven by a JVC SS receiver. Best thing I had ever heard in my life.

[DizRotus]

ClaudeJ1 wrote:

"Late 60's. Had a paper route in Detroit. The pickup station was about 2 blocks from the Hi Fi Workshop (Klipsch Dealer)."

About that same time I too frequented Hi-Fi Workshop in Royal Oak, MI. It was there, or possibly Almas Stereo in Birmingham, I first heard Klipsch. Alas, Hi-Fi Workshop is long gone. Almas is now in Royal Oak and no longer sells Klipsch.

[djk]

1973, Griggs Music in Davenport Iowa.

I bought a 1953 'B' style Klipschorn from them, at the time I owned Altec A7 VOTT.

[jtnfoley]

Cornwalls fronted by McIntosh solid state, in the living room of a good buddy of mine. (Also in the Detroit area as it happens... I smell a conspiracy!)

I was being schooled at the time about dynamic decompressors (RG Dynamics) when his wife came scurrying through with a laundry basket: "How do you like your music, baby?"

"Loud!"

I've since owned (in order) Quartets, KG4s, LSBL LaScalas, KG2s, Cornwalls and LSBR (painted black) LaScalas, (speakerlab) K-Horns, Tangent 5000s, and Heresies.

The Speakerlab Ks are upgraded with new networks and tweeters, and function as my 2channel mains.

The LaScalas and KG2.2s are pulling mains and surround duty in my
theater currently, the Heresies are in my workshop/basement. The KG2s
are recently retired from workshop duty, and the T5000s are currently for sale.

Cornwalls were sold at cost to a member here... they became Cornscalas I believe. The Quartets and funky black LaScalas were sold at a profit, and both sets of KG4s given away to share the love.

See what you guys have done to me? [8-|]

[BMWM5]

I've loved listening to music ever since I could remember. In the mid-60's my dad purchased a stereo RCA council. I loved listening to the separate channels. Fast forward to college where I had my first introduction to components. My goal after graduation was to purchase the best system within my budget. I shopped for years. I finally decided on either a pair of JBL 100 Studio Monitors or ESS-1's with the Heil Air Motion Transformer.

On a lark I found a hole in the wall stereo store and decided to stop in prior to my purchase. The salesman happened to have a pair of JBL's and ESS's side by side with a pair of Heresy's. The Heresy's blew the tweeters off the other two pair. He took me into another listening room and compared the Heresy's with the Cornwall and K-Horn models. I was impressed by the sound of the Cornwalls, but was awestruck by the K-Horns. I said to myself someday I'll own a pair of K-Horns.

I almost purchased the K-Horns after I heard my first Telarc CD. I knew an upgrade was in order. The Heresy's couldn't cut the bass response that the Telarc's generated.

I was recently married and had my first child on the way so as a compromise I purchased a pair of Cornwalls with the stipulation that the Heresy's go. Deal done. The Cornwalls now sit in my living room and I picked up a pair of Heresy's for my family room.

My wife and I went our separate ways. If all goes well tonight, I'll own my first pair of K-Horns tonight if all goes well. The big decision now is do I keep the Cornwalls and sell the Heresy's, visa versa or keep all 3 pairs. To be continued tomorrow!

[Chris A]

If all goes well tonight, I'll own my first pair of K-Horns tonight if all goes well.

[Y][{][}] Congrats in advance.

The big decision now is do I keep the Cornwalls and sell the Heresy's, visa versa or keep all 3 pairs.

I'd move slowly on selling if you can. You might be surprised how your two-channel system can morph into 4.1 or 5.1, and the Cornwalls would make pretty good center/surrounds. The Heresies could anchor a garage, patio, or second indoor system.

[Bonzo]

Sometime in 1981 or 82, Turntables Unlimited in Sacramento, CA. The demo record was Pink Floyd's, The Wall. The track where the helicopters come in and then there is a loud downbeat, shook the whole store through a pair of K-horns! I don't recall the amp/amps but I believe they were tubes?

[indyhawg]

1983 Custom Audio Little Rock, AR