Rankings - Heritage Speakers

[wvu80]

I don't have the Top Ten (or whatever) list, but I'd like to see it.  I think somebody sometime compiled such a list, but I don't know how to search for it.

What I would like to see added to the list, is to rank order the stock speakers then add in modded speakers.  Is a stock LaScala better than a fully modified Heresy?  By how much?  Somebody out there knows.

If this list is not out there, then maybe we can come up with one, either rank order or by numerical rating.  I would propose a scale of 1-100, with 50 being average, something along those lines, but then you would have to rate the "average" speaker, so other speakers could be compared to that standard.

Adding pictures would be nice.  I think we could do that.

Edited August 20, 2014 by wvu80

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[Shakeydeal]

This is all very subjective. So compiling such a list, while a nice novelty, is pretty much useless information. What I think sounds better, might not to you.

Shakey

[Sancho Panza]

from my post on this thread:

 

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=543615

 

I only really care about Heritage Type Speakers...in production together, when I bought my kg1 New circa 1991, from the Owner's Manual:

 

kg1
kg3
kg4
Heresy II
Quartet
Forte II
Chorus II
La Scala
Belle Klipsch
Klipschorn

 

not in production then, but to be considered:

 

kg2
Heresy
Forte
Cornwall
Cornwall II
Chorus

Current Production:

Heresy III
Cornwall III
La Scala II
Klipschorn (Current)

my all time list:

kg1
kg2
kg3
kg4
Heresy
Heresy II
Quartet
Forte
Forte II
Heresy III
Cornwall
Cornwall II
Cornwall III
Chorus
Chorus II
La Scala
La Scala II
Belle Klipsch
Klipshorn
Klipschorn (Current Production)

 

others to consider: Academy Center (if you can't fit a FULL size speaker for Center, are not man enough to tell the Wife to hit the door it's MY house, or need a temporary Center until you can find a FULL size center, &/or grow a pair)

 

AVAILABILITY, CONDITION, FINISH & PRICE most certainly alter MY PRIORITIES.

 

BOLD = ONES I OWN, NOT BOLD = ONES I WANNA OWN

 

others, like Rebel & Shorthorn, sure, I'd like to own, but I want speakers, not museum pieces...

Edited August 20, 2014 by Sancho Panza

[ChuckAb3]

Guess I need to expand my horizons, but I've always thought of heritage as K-Horn, LaScala, Belle, Cornwall and Heresy. I do get the point of Forte and Chorus being extensions of the Heritage line. Interesting thread. Thanks.

[wvu80]

I'd recommend looking at this PWK article from 1976 for part of your answer: https://community.klipsch.com/dope/Dope_760600_v15n6.pdf

 

In descending order: Klipsch Jubilee (two way), Klipschorn, Belle or La Scala (with the La Scala midrange horn being a bit longer, but the Belle's bass bin a bit stiffer), Cornwall, Heresy.   The Cornwall goes deeper than a Heresy, the Khorn goes deeper than a La Scala/Belle. 

 

EDIT: the second generation La Scala II, the third generation Cornwall III and Heresy III all outperform their prior versions (IMHO). 

 

Non-stock units are all over the map in terms of "goodness".  I'd put a tri-amped, time-corrected Heritage loudspeaker well out in front of any stock unit.  Better midrange horns sound a lot bigger and more involving in terms of sound stage and imaging, so that puts the two-way JubScala and JubBelle well out in front of their stock counterparts.  The K-402 horn sounds better than a K-510 (IMHO). Any other horns from third parties would be down that list. Beryllium diaphragm compression drivers sound better than titanium (any variety) and phenolic (again, IMHO).  Better tweeters than a K-77 sound a lot better...I personally like the Beyma C25 a lot but it must be EQed, and it can be crossed much lower (2.5 KHz) thus avoiding a bad region in the K-400/K-500, etc. midrange horn/driver. Two-way loudspeakers sound more "together" than three ways, etc., etc., etc.

 

EDIT: Note that the definition of "Heritage" used here includes the loudspeakers that PWK personally designed/co-designed and developed/tested.  I'd also recommend adding the Chorus (I and II) and Forte (I and II) models to this list since they are direct product improvement outgrowths of the original Heritage loudspeakers: the Chorus is based on the Cornwall, while the Forte is based on the Heresy.

I am still a rookie here, my knowledge of Klipsch is limited, so those points are well taken.  I know there is some discussion amongst purists about the definition of "Heritage." My intention was to be MORE inclusive, so perhaps someone could suggest a better thread title.

 

I am not trying to nudge the forum one way or the other, I was just interested in seeing some rankings/ratings of discontinued gear, since that is likely what most often becomes available on the used market. 

 

The Klipsch seems to have three-year runs of various models, including my own 20 year-old CF-4.  It's interesting to see to see how the CF-4 stacks up against other historic speakers. 

 

And of course if the upgrade-is bug bites, what speakers might constitute a substantial upgrade. 

[minermark]

from my post on this thread:

 

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=543615

 

I only really care about Heritage :tresbon: Type Speakers...in production together, when I bought my kg1 New circa 1991, from the Owner's Manual:

kg1

kg3

kg4

Heresy II

Quartet

Forte II

Chorus II

La Scala

Belle Klipsch

Klipschorn

not in production then, but to be considered:

kg2

Heresy

Forte

Cornwall

Cornwall II

Chorus

Current Production:

Heresy III

Cornwall III

La Scala II

Klipschorn (Current)

my all time list:

kg1

kg2

kg3

kg4

Heresy

Heresy II

Quartet

Forte

Forte II

Heresy III

Cornwall

Cornwall II

Cornwall III

Chorus

Chorus II

La Scala

La Scala II

Belle Klipsch

Klipshorn

Klipschorn (Current Production)

 

:music: others to consider: Academy Center (if you can't fit a FULL size speaker for Center, are not man enough :nono: to tell to Wife to hit the door it's MY house, or need a temporary Center until you can find a FULL size center, &/or grow a pair) :banana:

AVAILABILITY, CONDITION, FINISH & PRICE most certainly alter MY PRIORITIES. BOLD = ONES I OWN, NOT BOLD = ONES I WANNA OWN :drool: :smoke:

others, like Rebel & Shorthorn, sure, I'd like to own, but I want speakers, not museum pieces... :yes:

I Concur for the most part.

[jimjimbo]

Not to put a damper on it, but yes, it is very subjective....what is your room size and conditions, treatments, music tastes, what are you driving them with, what's the source material, etc, etc, etc.  Even within my own environment I have favorites for different music, some I consider better than others for jazz, rock, acoustic, classical, opera, blues.

 

As a slight sidebar to this, my "overall" favorite so far has been my fairly recently acquired set of Belles.  However, I just finished a rehab last night of some Cornwall I's, with all original drivers, changed out the caps on the B crossovers, and a few other little things, and man.....they are kick a$$!!  Will be doing more listening/testing today.

[minermark]

Sancho's listing(s) are dam near spot on as far as what iv owned.

However evolving into the next higher level, Klipsch has it's limitations also, thus me going with EAW stacks, then evolving/Morfing into a bit of both.

In order for me to get to the next higher level of nervana, i found going with the largest system available, then scabbing the K400s out of some splits and installing them in the stacks to get my "horn sound" back".

Quite frankly after 20+ years of running just Klipsch, they aint good enough, building my "Own" was finely revealed after a long search of trying to find MCMs or other large Klipsch models, just too dam hard to come by, and im tired of looking/waiting.

My final piece, (BassAmp) will be in this week from "Going Active", and should be happy for the rest of this year, i hope. 

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[muel]

Nice profiles!  It would be interesting to show the top perspective with them in a corner to show how much (or little) space they take when shoved in a corner

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[Ceptorman]

Cool pic, where did your fireplace go?!

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[dtel]

Good thing that it doesn't typically get very cold in Texas

 

It's better like that anyway, you could freeze to death with a fireplace, it's just for looks anyway except for a little radiant heat, and don't sound nearly as good.

 

That profile pic needs more Pro stuff, the mwm/402 would make the rest look really reasonable for WAF.

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[Chris A]

(Ignore)

Edited August 23, 2014 by Chris A

[muel]

Amazing how the LaScala takes up the most room!  Funny how they start to look small after a while!

[alexg5775]

Yes, i was amazed on after i put the khorns in the same corners as the la scalas were how much less floor space i felt the khorns took, they stuck out alot less and tucked nicely into the corners. Nice pics you guys got here. 

 

I agree with lists compiled above on the order in which speakers are better than the other speaker. Easily enough can be pretty much figured out by speakers size, weight and cost, the bigger, heavier, and most expensive being better. BUT, sound is subjective and everyone application is differant. A bigger more expensive speaker might not be better for a particular person. Amplification, music prefferance, room size, budjet, even looks all come into play. This being said i personally choose the la scala over a khorn, and choose a "modded" cf4 over a khorn. All above being considered. 

 

Alex

[wvu80]

(respectful snip!)

This being said i personally choose the la scala over a khorn, and choose a "modded" cf4 over a khorn. All above being considered. -Alex

 

+++

That's what prompted me to start this thread to begin with, Alex.  I found your comments interesting about a modded speaker beating out what many consider the "best" Klipsch.  This thread is in your honor! 

 

+++

I haven't really responded to Sancho's list further upstream, but the link to how he did his thread in Audio Karma a few years ago is what I was getting at.  I really like the idea  of a pyramid, rather than my terrible idea of assigning the "average" a 50 as a standard, then everything being relative to that.

 

Part of the problem in evaluating speakers, is when you look at the comments of the speakers listed in the Klipch product pages; EVERY speaker rates a 5 out of 5!  That doesn't help! 

Edited August 23, 2014 by wvu80