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Herseys/Cornwalls/Fortes


eth2

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I have spent the past three hours doing A/B/C switching between Herseys/Cornwalls/Fortes. I am a bit upset and mostly surprised. At least in the room they were in, the Fortes sounded best overall. While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub).

After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

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I have to say when properly setup heresy, h2&cornwalls should nearly do the same(produce ultimate sound reproduction)...its a matter of networks being fresh and proper placement of any of the above. All these speakers are ultra refined truly and prevail in sound some with unusual positioning as well as very few watts being used to shine the best in some situations and completely opposite in others...Its fun comparing speakers though for sure. Nothing compares to comparisons between klipsch imo

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Try a chorus ii...its basically a cornwall/forte ii combo...nonetheless the forte ii is really good...

Beeker, there is no more room in my house for speakers unless my wife moves out which she will likely do if I bring another speaker home.

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I would stop then...just enjoy what you have. I went down a similar street you are right now...although then AFTER a divorce from other brands of speakers and a wife lol then went like a magnet to everything klipsch...Im talking I sold my $15k truck and went nuts buying speakers lol

You are set for life! congratulations on your new wall of klipsch! I called mine the "klipschwall" lol

Now all thats left is the cheering! cheers!!!

EDIT: read upward a bit...we posted the same time...now just fiddle with networks a bit as time allows...

Edited by beeker
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While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub). After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

I agree! I think Klipsch should have reintroduced the Forte II instead of a new, badly-designed Cornwall III. It's an excellent, fault-free Heritage that is not as oversized, overweight, or as unbalanced in horn-vs-direct radiator propagation as the C/W's.

I think the C/W I and II are better for jazz and movies than for classical music, whereas the Forte II seems better balanced in that respect to me. What do you think, eth2?

Edited by LarryC
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My best friend just got some Forte II and they sound amazing amazing. If i had the choose a speaker besides the khorns i have now and my old la scalas i think the fortes come in third. For their size, price, and sound they are a VERY tough speaker to beat. I have heard all the heritage line speakers, FYI. A Jubilee is my dream speaker.

Alex

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I have spent the past three hours doing A/B/C switching between Herseys/Cornwalls/Fortes. I am a bit upset and mostly surprised. At least in the room they were in, the Fortes sounded best overall. While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub).

After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

Mysterium, quod sic quidem.

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I have spent the past three hours doing A/B/C switching between Herseys/Cornwalls/Fortes. I am a bit upset and mostly surprised. At least in the room they were in, the Fortes sounded best overall. While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub).

After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

have you replaced the caps in the corns?

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I have spent the past three hours doing A/B/C switching between Herseys/Cornwalls/Fortes. I am a bit upset and mostly surprised. At least in the room they were in, the Fortes sounded best overall. While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub).

After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

have you replaced the caps in the corns?

Thats what i suggested as well...man even upgrades in his heresys will push them close to equal in a great dynamic range with proper amp(i prefer small tube with heresy and h2...h3 was interesting at other levels and very comparable to the forte ii*( for those who wonder why klipsch havnt kept the forte ii, the H3 is the answer***try a tangent 5000!*** its essentually(very similar with good crossovers) the same (has passive 12 with same 4ohm 12"woofer as h3)with crites titanium minus the ti midrange in the h3 )

May be best he is not online...this place is "spend money city" these days...

Im gonna pm him my number i believe...maybe help with consolidating his collection, trade and get 3 systems together that work amazingly....

This forum is the ultimate in audio. Even the most reasonable priced used klipsch are amazing let alone the vast realm and variety klipsch has to offer...Let alone many of you gentlemen spending $1k per month average....as we all go through once we get here, some before others although were are all brothers from other mothers...

Klipsch is an addiction that wears on ya...my travels and collecting then selling/trading for klipsch only and demos has taught me so much...once again "let alone the forum" and the vast knowledge of honesty and just the fact klipsch can blow your mind and your wad(cash)..

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heresy and h2...h3 was interesting at other levels and very comparable to the forte ii*( for those who wonder why klipsch havnt kept the forte ii, the H3 is the answer

I never thought this subject would come up being it's not the normal comparison people make. But I have tried this also, Marshal (groomlake) was here one day and he wanted to compare them. We put a Heresy ll on the L and a Forte ll to easily switch back and forth.

Very surprisingly to ME they sounded really close except for a little extra bass from the forte. This test was done on a bench in the garage late at night and beer was involved so not a scientific comparison by any means . But I was still surprised. :D

I use the forte ll for Ht but will never get rid of them even if I give up the HT.

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I would stop then...just enjoy what you have.

I presume you are talking about his wife? :D

Yes absolutely. Divorce is easier to speakers than a wife lol I think i have learned...

heresy and h2...h3 was interesting at other levels and very comparable to the forte ii*( for those who wonder why klipsch havnt kept the forte ii, the H3 is the answer

I never thought this subject would come up being it's not the normal comparison people make. But I have tried this also, Marshal (groomlake) was here one day and he wanted to compare them. We put a Heresy ll on the L and a Forte ll to easily switch back and forth.

Very surprisingly to ME they sounded really close except for a little extra bass from the forte. This test was done on a bench in the garage late at night and beer was involved so not a scientific comparison by any means . But I was still surprised. :D

I use the forte ll for Ht but will never get rid of them even if I give up the HT.

The heresy 3 is very comparable and bi wire able...I have made my own comparisons as well. I would still chose a forte 2 over the h3 even if they were the same price mainly for height reasons. I have kept my tangent 5000's which also use the same 4ohm driver as the h3 then with passive 12's then with just crites titanium(the tangents have poor crossovers that fail fast so they need upgraded or replaced and cabs are a bit more fragile as well as the coatings). The forte ii and chorus ii on the other hand for some reason i have found their crossovers last a long time more than or as long as any klipsch produced(3 way at least). heresy and h2 at this point in time near all need crossover work. Both comments are my opinion although i have found to be very true.

All of them are very comparable. I do like the height and the k61 in the forte ii. Thats why i stuck with the chorus ii in 2ch and theater although if i was down(small room and moving) a bit more room I would had painted a forte ii black(black forte ii's are obsolete or rare) or kept using my tangent 5k's for mains.

With good crossovers they are all sweet speakers. Iv just upped it a bit with the pro heresys now. Likely my only next purchase(maybe not) would be a pro chorus style speaker(and their cheap)...The pro heresy being 3 way are supreme when done correctly. As are anything klipsch when done&used correctly. The size of the forte ii helps trump all for many i feel. Its very mobile(light for moving even inches)as to where a cornwall and the rest are frickin heavy and a headache to move lol imo

Klipsch is just amazing....klipsch from a-z...find one and enjoy.

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While the Cornwalls have more chest thump, the Fortes were far clearer and the soundstage was more defined. I was listening to Neil Young's Harvest and the vocal from the Fortes were breathtaking. With the Fortes the guitar and harmonica were most lifelike and the bass was far deeper (even than the Heresys with a modest sub). After three hours I just can't understand why Klipsch stopped making these. These are truly great speakers!

I agree! I think Klipsch should have reintroduced the Forte II instead of a new, badly-designed Cornwall III. It's an excellent, fault-free Heritage that is not as oversized, overweight, or as unbalanced in horn-vs-direct radiator propagation as the C/W's.

I think the C/W I and II are better for jazz and movies than for classical music, whereas the Forte II seems better balanced in that respect to me. What do you think, eth2?

I do not mean to trash the Cornwalls at all. They sound great, and for larger spaces can provide room filling sound beyond smaller speakers. I just was surprised that an out of production speaker, half the size of the Cornwall, reproduced vocals better ( at least in a smaller room) than my Cornwalls. Also there was a clarity in the Fortes beyond the Heresy or the Cornwall. The crossovers in the Cornwalls are 25 years old, but I do not think this is the reason for the difference (the Fortes are the same age). I think for HT the Cornwalls have clear advantages.

It's funny because I set out to get these for someone else but their best offer may have been a bit aggressive. The seller was about 15% above the offer and would not come down. So as long as I was there anyway...

Speaking of the Seller, he had toys beyond what I have seen recently. He had a mint 442 that was set up for drag racing and a custom chopper that looked like it came from OCC.

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The Cornwall is a very respectable speaker, and I almost bought a pair a while back. The Cornwall will dig down to 34HZ, where as the Forte II will dig down to 32HZ + or - 3db respectively for both.

The Cornwall will definitely thump a little more than the forte, but the forte will go lower and INMHO is slightly more refined in the squawker and tweeter.

Any Heresey INMHO requires a subwoofer due to its lack of bass output. Why did they stop production on the forte and chorus line? Everyone wants tall skinny towers these days.... In addition the auto transformers and passive radiators add additional build cost. If Klipsch were to reintroduce the forte II INMO they would need to retail for at least $3500.00 a pair. Canibalizing the Cornwall III. Would be interesting to find out what the anual sales of Cornwall III and Heresey III are.

Best regards,

John

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Here is one issue IMO: how far down the mid horn goes/went. My understanding is that the C/W I and I think the C/W II crossed from mid to bass at 600 HZ, and had a mid horn to match, the K-600. This to me gave the Corns the clarity and authority for much of the middle range, including the all-important definitional overtones for bass and lower middle-range instruments. Saxes and cellos are going to sound very well defined by that kind of output. Add the powerful bass to that, and you have a fabulous speaker for jazz, movies, and lots of classical music.

The Forte II had an almost identical lower crossover point for its mid-horn: 650 Hz. The same sort of definitional advantages as the Corns, IMO, and apparently a different balance between the deepest bass and midrange.

But, unless things have changed, the C/W III uses the HERESY treble complement, a smaller, 700-Hz horn, crossed over at a (relatively) stratospheric 800 Hz. That's a whole half-octave higher than a 600-Hz horn, in theory at least. 800 Hz is way up at the G that's 1.5 octaves above middle C. Those notes are just the fundamentals of the higher notes of treble instruments, and the overtones and higher) of mid-range instruments at best. IMO, that's why the C/W III doesn't sound very big -- last time I heard one, it was almost like a Heresy with a little bigger bass. I mentioned this theory to the principal designer, but the die was already cast.

Anyway, that's my $0.02.

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