Is there such a thing as a "Klipsch Heritage Speaker Line Grading Scale"?

[jimjimbo]

Meaning, has anyone (or a group of anyones...) put together a list of all of the Heritage speaker models, with corresponding woods, components, etc, with their estimated value/resale value (understanding market fluctuations), as of the date of the estimate, with corresponding grades of "Mint, near mint...etc" or "A, A1, A2, B,...."due to scratches, missing cabinetry, stock components, etc, etc. Sort of like a Kelly Blue Book for the Heritage Line. And no, I'm not volunteering.... Just wondering. I mean, they do it for cars and golf balls for crying out loud.....

Oh yea, and it has nothing to do whatsoever with "how it sounds"...

Edited April 6, 2014 by jimjimbo

[oldtimer]

Not in one neatly compiled "book." But if you hang around here enough you will get a ball park concept of it all. Please realize the market is much smaller than for cars and....golf balls. The latter revealing the general intelligence level of the populace I'm afraid.

[oldtimer]

"Ain't nothin' but a party!"

[Islander]

Ain't no party like a Heritage Series party. Except a Pro Theater party.

[oldtimer]

You make some salient points. Yet even though other interests may have the same following on a numeric basis, those seem to involve items which tend to increase in value over time. (Instruments, wine, rare books, antiques, etc) Vintage or heritage Klipsch has not exhibited this characteristic to date. The consequence of this is to limit the market to those who actually want to enjoy the item rather than just collecting it for future potential monetary gain. If only this were true of Ferarris, because then I might actually be able to enjoy one.

[Islander]

I think that Heritage speakers depreciate at first, but after a certain time, maybe 10 or 20 years, their prices seem to stop falling, buoyed up by the slowly increasing prices of the new equivalent models.

My La Scalas were 32 years old when I bought them, and they were slightly more costly than they had been when new, but still a bargain relative to new ones.

The 1989 and 1992 Heresy IIs were also not far below their new prices, but still cost much less than new current ones.

I suspect that once they get past a certain point, maybe 20 years old, prices of Heritage speakers start to inch upward. It won't make anyone rich, but it does make old Heritage speakers a good investment. What does everyone else think of this possibility?

Edited April 6, 2014 by Islander

[eth2]

Depending on where you live, you can find really good deals on Heritage...especially Florida and Texas. The Northeast seems a bit more difficult. I am not sure how anyone rationalizes the cost of new stock when there are so many pristine models for sale.

[Sancho Panza]

IF I could afford NEW, that's what I'd buy.

[Chris A]

Meaning, has anyone (or a group of anyone's...) put together a list of all of the Heritage speaker models, with corresponding woods, components, etc, with their estimated value/resale value (understanding market fluctuations), as of the date of the estimate, with corresponding grades of "Mint, near mint...etc" or "A, A1, A2, B,...."due to scratches, missing cabinetry, stock components, etc, etc. Sort of like a Kelly Blue Book for the Heritage Line. And no, I'm not volunteering.... Just wondering...

Oh yea, and it has nothing to do whatsoever with "how it sounds"...

http://bluebook.audiogon.com/brands/klipsch?category=speakers-full-range

http://support.audiogon.com/customer/portal/articles/606176-audiogon-s-grading-scale

You pay for access to their listing prices - which are generally the better cared for ones with more desirable wood veneers/finishes than typical craigslist or even ebay listings.

I've always found it odd that buyers are more interested first in how it looks rather than how it sounds.

Of course, the divorce rate is also high nowadays.

Chris

Edited April 6, 2014 by Chris A

[Sancho Panza]

Really Sancho? Serious? Hard to imagine you saying that based on your system signature...But then, you could sell most of your current config and buy a NEW pair of Samsung fronts and a Vizio soundbar.... Please let me know (via PM of course) which Craigslist you will be posting them in....

point is, CAN'T afford NEW...

[hugeroost]

I posted something asking kinda the same thing awhile back, but I was just wanting to do the pecking order, but would like to have the original retail price also. It would go something like this, from top to bottom

1) Klipschorn 2) LaScala 3) Belle 4) Cornwall 5) Chorus 6) Forte 7) Quartet 8) Heresy

maybe the quartet should be below the heresy, not sure, but I think heresy's cost more, and I'm not sure where the belle would be either, above or below the scala...Roost

[derrickdj1]

I think the Klipsch Jubilee is somewhere in the mix of heritage speakers

[Cal Blacksmith]

No the Quartet is a BIG step up from Heresy, I have Khorns, Cornwalls,Forte1s, Quartets and Heresy 1 and 2.

I would move your #2 and 3 to both 2 and slide everything to the left with Cornwalls at about a 2.5 vs 3.

[ClaudeJ1]

Ain't no party like a Heritage Series party. Except a Pro Theater party.

Yeah, the Pro stuff is the only thing that outplays the Heritage line, since this is where all the Horn improvements have been made. But you gotta have a big room or a very understanding lady in your life (or just visitors rather than residents).

[Ceptorman]

Ain't no party like a Heritage Series party. Except a Pro Theater party.

Yeah, the Pro stuff is the only thing that outplays the Heritage line, since this is where all the Horn improvements have been made. But you gotta have a big room or a very understanding lady in your life (or just visitors rather than residents).

Where would the Palladium series fit in?

[CECAA850]

Where would the Palladium series fit in?

They're more like a Reference series on steroids.

[garyrc]

I posted something asking kinda the same thing awhile back, but I was just wanting to do the pecking order, but would like to have the original retail price also. It would go something like this, from top to bottom

1) Klipschorn 2) LaScala 3) Belle 4) Cornwall 5) Chorus 6) Forte 7) Quartet 8) Heresy

maybe the quartet should be below the heresy, not sure, but I think heresy's cost more, and I'm not sure where the belle would be either, above or below the scala...Roost

I agree, for the most part. The La Scala II would be slightly above the La Scala I, because of less cabinet resonance. Both would be just above the Belle, due to La Scala mid horns being longer. In the right room, on axis, nothing in Heritage can touch a Khorn, unless a Jub is considered to be a Heritage speaker.

[Islander]

Ain't no party like a Heritage Series party. Except a Pro Theater party.

Yeah, the Pro stuff is the only thing that outplays the Heritage line, since this is where all the Horn improvements have been made. But you gotta have a big room or a very understanding lady in your life (or just visitors rather than residents).

Where would the Palladium series fit in?

I overlooked the Palladium Series, maybe because they're relatively rare. Without having heard Palladium speakers, and based only on what I've read, I'd say they'd go between stock Heritage and Pro Theater.

That's for sound quality. As for good looks, Palladiums are pretty hard to beat.

[Islander]

I posted something asking kinda the same thing awhile back, but I was just wanting to do the pecking order, but would like to have the original retail price also. It would go something like this, from top to bottom

1) Klipschorn 2) LaScala 3) Belle 4) Cornwall 5) Chorus 6) Forte 7) Quartet 8) Heresy

maybe the quartet should be below the heresy, not sure, but I think heresy's cost more, and I'm not sure where the belle would be either, above or below the scala...Roost

I agree, for the most part. The La Scala II would be slightly above the La Scala I, because of less cabinet resonance. Both would be just above the Belle, due to La Scala mid horns being longer. In the right room, on axis, nothing in Heritage can touch a Khorn, unless a Jub is considered to be a Heritage speaker.

I'd place the La Scala II quite a bit above the first-generation La Scala, because of more and deeper bass, along with much improved looks. I've got both, and the LS2 is a big improvement over the earlier type. Cabinet resonance is something that may be there, but is very rarely heard in most cases.

As for the Jubilee, it was originally intended to be the Klipschorn II and was designed by PWK and Roy, so it is kind of a Heritage speaker, although it's listed as a Pro Theater model.

[seti]

I posted something asking kinda the same thing awhile back, but I was just wanting to do the pecking order, but would like to have the original retail price also. It would go something like this, from top to bottom

1) Klipschorn 2) LaScala 3) Belle 4) Cornwall 5) Chorus 6) Forte 7) Quartet 8) Heresy

maybe the quartet should be below the heresy, not sure, but I think heresy's cost more, and I'm not sure where the belle would be either, above or below the scala...Roost

Almost but I think it depends on the room. If you don't have optimal corners or the Khorn HF doesn't hit you right Belles or La Scala may be better option. I had a room where the ability to toe in the Belles were a major benefit over the khorns in that room. Now with jubilees it is easier to aim the HF at my sweet spot.

1)Klipschorn

2)Belle

3)La Scala

4)Chorus

5)Forte

6)Heresy