Transparency + Reality

[willland]

One thing to consider. More and more people are moving downtown because so many cities (like Indianapolis) have made the urban center a great, fun, and safe place to live. This means apartments and condos - generally smaller spaces. Also, these small spaces often do not allow for real-deal speakers because they would get a noise violation every single night. Pissing Off The Neighbors is all well and good until the cops write you a ticket.

 

 

Might sound crazy but how about 1/2 scale Klipschorns and LaScalas?  We already have 1/2 scale sealed Cornwalls, a la Heresy III's.  

 

Bill

Edited December 29, 2014 by willland

[Mallette]

You're sold already!

 

Quickly unsold by anything that meets all the 8 Card and does so cheaper.   I am not religious about this, but the science and my experience remain in place until proven otherwise.

 

Dave

[Schu]

Alex... are we looking at a multi year plan implementation as far as the product line, or is klipsch looking to hit homeruns RIGHT NOW?

[Fjd]

 

 

Put that asset to work. Every audio mag covering speakers over $1000 should have rave pieces about the "latest" version of the "Klipsch Horn". Whether that means a Jubilee or a theater speaker or whatever all those huge boxes are. Not hard to understand. And, get a designer to make those things look like gorgeous furniture. Please, go look at any high end speaker. If they don't look like a million bucks, you can't sell 'em for a million bucks. Looks ARE the first priority in speakers. Big stadium boxes with corner bumpers will have no place in a multi million dollar designer home.

But most importantly, it's crazy not to be in the chatter of that high end world when you have this exceptional asset. There is NO REASON that a " Klipsch Horn" should be missing from any of the high end mags as a regular feature. That's how you create drooling lust in the customers who will buy a gargantuan speaker. And that buyer is not a hipster. It's the rich guys who are buying Grand Slams for $125,000. It's the guy buying the $12,000 phono cartridge. Maybe PWK thought that was nuts. But this is not 1956, and PWK has passed on. He left a marvelous asset. Use it! The best tribute you can make is that the speaker would still command the high ground!

 

 

You are right. I think you have seen us do that a bit but giving Heritage a lot of focus on social media. We can do more, of course.

 

 

 

 

Interesting thread. Mark makes many excellent points in many of his posts. In the article below, the Klipschorn is still recognized by these contributors as being amongst the top 12 speakers with the greatest impact on high-end audio. However, in the "what have you done for me lately" world we live in, the Klipschorn is conspicuously missing.

 

I'm not linking the list to debate why the Klipschorn is number 12 rather than number one (it is a given, that many of us here believe it is number one); however, even though still in continuous production today, in the "what have you done for me lately" world we live in, the Klipschorn is conspicuously missing from the discussion and chatter as Mark has pointed out.

 

How does the Klipschorn (or Heritage) become a recognizable, relevant, and iconic symbol of the brand in the high-end markets again?

 

How did the line ever get 'lost' for the target market during the changes in consumer wants, needs and tastes?

 

How can it enter the global consumer consciousness amongst the masses in the audio world, like Polaroid, Fidelity, and Gillette do in their respective industries?

 

It would be a monumental amount of work to start; however, I do see a lot of merit in a spin/joint venture proposition of the Heritage line for Klipsch with the right partner and a fairly significant equity ownership (e.g. 30% - 35% seems about right, but should be less than 50% to deconsolidate the 'Heritage business' from the consolidated financial statements of the company) in the new "jointly-owned" company.  Many times these types of corporate transactions give an aspect of a business the flexibility and responsiveness needed that may not be available in an overall corporate plan to allocate resources.

 

From another perspective, I believe that many tend to believe some type of a 'reboot' of the Heritage line with "trickle-down" modified-tractrix technology already owned and developed by the company would help. In retrospect, it seems that the Chorus II reboot and the Forte II reboot both using the tractrix mid-horn with much more positive review than negative.

 

I'm not sure how much cost would be involved; however, the company would not seem to be starting from scratch and a 'reboot' could go a long way in negating much of the anecdotal conversation on the internet about the 'harsh and colored' sound spread by what seems to be primarily non-Klipsch owning consumers.

 

 

 

 

"[For this special loudspeaker-focus issue, I asked our most senior contributors to each name the twelve loudspeakers that had the greatest impact on high-end audio. These are the speakers that introduced a new technology, changed the market, influenced future designs, or revealed some previously unheard aspect of sound quality. Although each writer worked in isolation, the individual choices exhibited remarkable unanimity. From each writer’s picks we selected, by consensus of the senior editorial staff, “The 12 Most Significant Loudspeakers of All Time.” Our final verdict is presented in ascending order of significance (#1 being the most significant).]" Robert Harley

 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-12-most-significant-loudspeakers-of-all-time/

 

"[The Klipschorn is the only speaker that has been in continuous production for over 60 years. But that’s not why it makes the list. The Klipschorn is a landmark product due to its folded horn design. Paul Klipsch, inventor and entrepreneur, patented the idea of assembling chambers and passageways for a bass driver’s sound waves to gradually expand as they travel out to the opening. The sound is mechanically amplified by the expanding “folds” in the passageway of the horn. (Without this, a low-frequency horn would be the size of a full room.) In 1946, the first 20 Klipsch loudspeakers were assembled in a tin shack in Hope, Arkansas. The base horn design has never been improved—it was perfect from day one. Klipsch’s four principles of sound reproduction are: efficiency, flat frequency response, controlled directivity, and dynamic range. A Klipschorn provides a detailed wall of sound that emanates from the corner of a room. It was the first “absolute sound.” Imagine the sound of a windup Victrola being replaced overnight by the sound of unamplified live instruments in space. Most amazing is that you can buy it today. That’s 60 years of advancement in one moment.]" Peter Breuninger

Edited December 29, 2014 by Fjd

[Alex L]

Alex... are we looking at a multi year plan implementation as far as the product line, or is klipsch looking to hit homeruns RIGHT NOW?

 

Are you referring to a specific comment of mine? Every implementation of ours is multi-year in nature.

[The History Kid]

 

Alex... are we looking at a multi year plan implementation as far as the product line, or is klipsch looking to hit homeruns RIGHT NOW?

 

Are you referring to a specific comment of mine? Every implementation of ours is multi-year in nature.

 

 

For me, that answers so many questions and qualms I've had with various moves made by the company in recent years.  If what you're saying is true, it'd even start to make the "Refere-nergy-con" in Best Buy make sense.

[Alex L]

 

 

Are you referring to a specific comment of mine? Every implementation of ours is multi-year in nature.

 

 

For me, that answers so many questions and qualms I've had with various moves made by the company in recent years.  If what you're saying is true, it'd even start to make the "Refere-nergy-con" in Best Buy make sense.

 

 

The Reference naming stuff will make more sense at some point - the mantra Amy, Chad and I have been repeating for months  

 

Sometimes, you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forward. 

[The History Kid]

Gotta understand at least some of the frustrations of the older crowd though that have stuck with Reference since it came out.  Unfortunately sometimes, "it'll make sense eventually" isn't good enough.  I know where Klipsch is coming from, but I also know where others are coming from with their outrage.  Personally, my only issue with how this specific issue has handled is there are tons of people who don't know the difference between the R-26F and the RF-62, or the R-28F and RF-82...and they're seriously passing off the R-28F's as "the new RF-82."  It's just a lot of bad confusion.

[Alex L]

Gotta understand at least some of the frustrations of the older crowd though that have stuck with Reference since it came out.  Unfortunately sometimes, "it'll make sense eventually" isn't good enough.  I know where Klipsch is coming from, but I also know where others are coming from with their outrage.  Personally, my only issue with how this specific issue has handled is there are tons of people who don't know the difference between the R-26F and the RF-62, or the R-28F and RF-82...and they're seriously passing off the R-28F's as "the new RF-82."  It's just a lot of bad confusion.

 

Oh, absolutely. In a perfect world, it wouldn't have had to be done.

[The History Kid]

 

Gotta understand at least some of the frustrations of the older crowd though that have stuck with Reference since it came out.  Unfortunately sometimes, "it'll make sense eventually" isn't good enough.  I know where Klipsch is coming from, but I also know where others are coming from with their outrage.  Personally, my only issue with how this specific issue has handled is there are tons of people who don't know the difference between the R-26F and the RF-62, or the R-28F and RF-82...and they're seriously passing off the R-28F's as "the new RF-82."  It's just a lot of bad confusion.

 

Oh, absolutely. In a perfect world, it wouldn't have had to be done.

 

 

Alex, in a perfect world we'd all own Klipschorns and Jubilees.

[BigStewMan]

Alex, in a perfect world we'd all own Klipschorns and Jubilees.

dream big brother … in a perfect world, the bands would be in my living room performing live. 

[The History Kid]

 

Alex, in a perfect world we'd all own Klipschorns and Jubilees.

dream big brother … in a perfect world, the bands would be in my living room performing live. 

 

 

I'll do you one better, bands in my living room with the babe groupies...oh wait, this is an audio-enthusiast forum...sorry, wrong topic.

[BigStewMan]

 

 

Alex, in a perfect world we'd all own Klipschorns and Jubilees.

dream big brother … in a perfect world, the bands would be in my living room performing live. 

 

 

I'll do you one better, bands in my living room with the babe groupies...oh wait, this is an audio-enthusiast forum...sorry, wrong topic.

 

valiant effort at self-moderating. 

[Max2]

Im falling short on understanding what the dig is of a few of the people are having here. Wait, maybe I am, Im just not accepting it. Is it that the used market of the Heritage line is ten fold of what the new Heritage line sales are? Maybe its Klipsch focusing on what it is having success at, at the same time trying to improve quality and retaining an affordable price? Im thinking all the people here on the forum are the 1% OF the 1% of true Klipsch junkies.  We have long, seasoned die hard Heritage folks here and old Heritage followers that have converted to the Reference line as well.  I want to be wowed with improvements and new releases. Im not a cheerleader though and feel like Klipsch may have cut a speaker or two in the past couple of decades that actually exceed the line that has taken their place, but I don't have to wake up trying to market speakers to the masses. I totally get Klipsch having to sell, sell, sell and I would be willing to bet when it comes to the Heritage line 75+% of the people here have only ever bought used from the Heritage line. How can Klipsch excel and grow from this? I want to see three size variants of Jubs, and may two new versions of the K-horn. I want this and I want that, but will I ever be able to buy a new set of these delicious new dream offerings? Seriously, seriously doubtful, I too am in the "buy used" column.

 

Im hoping I get knocked down by what Klipsch brings out in the next few years, but really? What we are all hoping for is right in front of us. Fully modified K-horns with the best replacement Horns, drivers and networks other manu's and private builders are making deliver some of the best sound ears can be offered.  The same could be said about the Jubs. No one offering horn speakers in the Klipsch price range and even well, well above it is blowing them away in the sound or financial hunt, IMO.  

 

Cheers to a great 2015 Klipsch and forum friends!

[Youthman]

The Reference naming stuff will make more sense at some point - the mantra Amy, Chad and I have been repeating for months

You three keep stating it but apparently very few are actually hearing you.    You know this instant society we live in today....being patient is getting harder.  If Amy said it, I believe it.  Plain and simple.  I'm extremely patient though so maybe it just comes easy for me to calmly sit back and wait for it all to begin making sense.

[Mallette]

It's doubtful that Heritage sales are contributing all that much to the bottom line compared to the rest of the very wide line up.

 

If you've understood anything I've been trying to say, it's Heritage that is RESPONSIBLE for all the rest of the lineup.

 

Dave

[mustang guy]

Thanks Alex. Having you lurking does make me feel closer to the corporate Klipsch. That is one of the things that really sets them apart. Chad has done a fine job filling Amy's shoes, but they are big shoes to fill. Wait a second, that sounded bad. Amy, if you are reading this, I have no idea how big your feet are. If they are uncommonly large for your frame, I meant no ill intent. We love you and miss you.  

 

In my opinion, the more Klipsch people that post from time to time, the more human Klipsch becomes. That is an almost impossible thing for a big corporation to pull off.

 

Your personal opinions which don't speak on behalf of Klipsch should be as welcomed from your employers as they are from us. 

 

YOU make Klipsch human, my new friend!

[Youthman]

Chad has done a fine job filling Amy's shoes, but they are big shoes to fill.

Chad is doing great but he does look a little silly trying to walk in Amy's high heels. 

[Alex L]

 

Thanks Alex. Having you lurking does make me feel closer to the corporate Klipsch. That is one of the things that really sets them apart. Chad has done a fine job filling Amy's shoes, but they are big shoes to fill. Wait a second, that sounded bad. Amy, if you are reading this, I have no idea how big your feet are. If they are uncommonly large for your frame, I meant no ill intent. We love you and miss you.  

 

In my opinion, the more Klipsch people that post from time to time, the more human Klipsch becomes. That is an almost impossible thing for a big corporation to pull off.

 

Your personal opinions which don't speak on behalf of Klipsch should be as welcomed from your employers as they are from us. 

 

YOU make Klipsch human, my new friend!

 

Thanks, buddy. Wish I posted here more, but I just don't seem to ever have the time. We have strongly encourage everyone in product development and engineering to post on here. Hopefully more of them start posting too.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Alex L

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Nice post Alex.

 

If you are going to target the young crowd, you need to target the crowd that likes big (and very inconvenient) audio and already has it in their blood.  Car stereo guys.  You know, the boom boom Civic owners.  They will grow up and if they have any of their hearing left, they will assemble HT's and 2 channel systems.  Give them a nice pamphlet when they buy.  A young 18 year old kid instantly recognized my JL Subwoofer.  He now wants a nice 2 channel system someday after hearing mine. 

 

Hipsters need to see the Klipsch logo at events (maybe cinema speakers with 1/32" veneer over the face).  But condo living means the Palladium P27's or similar speaker.  I'm hardcore and have been into Audio for 30+ years, but I want the Palladiums in my living room, no WAF, my choice.