Fido Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 A pair of very clean Belles just came up for sale locally. I love my Fortes but how do Belles compare? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 When I owned my Belle's, I felt they had a more open and detailed sound compared to my Forte's, but I had the Forte's in the bedroom and the Belle's in the front room so a comparison in the same room was never done. The Belle's look much better than the Forte's, in my opinion. Tom 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 There is no comparison really, Belles will walk all over Fortes'. A much bigger speaker that projects a much bigger sound. On the technical side because of its horn loaded bass Fortes will most likely spec out lower than Belles. But Belles bass is much more precise, accurate, quick - right. In comparison with the LaScalla the Belle will fall short with a much smaller mid horn but comparatively similar bass. The Belle will quickly spoil you over your Forte. They did me, I've owned both. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Other than the Cornwall and Chorus, there's no comparing one Heritage to the other: They were all built to do their own thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I had a pair of Fortes here for a couple weeks. Not really comparable to LS or Belles (I have/had both) at all. I prefer the horn-loaded bass completely. everything sounds flabby after LS/Belle/Khorn. I have no idea why Corns do so well, they don't have the flabby bass deal at all. For me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Owned and loved my fortes in every way. Heard and saw Belles and they immediately became my "Holy Grail' of all Klipsch speakers. Still seeking. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzog Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Now I may be in the minority here, but I prefer the Forte. I haven't heard Belles, but I have heard the La Scala II and Klipschorn. In the La Scala, there are some resonances that are not present on the Forte. The K400 mid is also not my favorite - it sounds great with some things, but on others you can hear some funky things going on. Yes, the LS/Belle will sound bigger, but you'd have to determine if that's what you want. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Grizzog, it might have to do with room size too. The Forte are great speakers and sound great. If they're in a large room being AB to the larger speakers, the Forte starts to sound small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 my room isn't big and it will be an almost impossible fit for me to get the Belles - but... - when you see those beautiful Belles they are very tempting to try and figure out how they can fit. these look perfect and under $2000 and 5 minutes from my house. I love my Fortes - replaced with Crites crossovers and tweets and mid diaphrams and also have custom cane grills that look the bomb - they fit perfectly in living room next to my massive HSU sub - the bug bites hard lol Debating if i should go see these in person or not - temptation is a good and bad thing 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 The forte II was the first Klipsch speaker I ever heard followed very closely by the Chorus I so I have a tendency to accept that "sound" as being preferable to me. The only time I have heard a Heritage speaker that I thought clearly sounded a little better, and I stress "little," was a pair of Klipschorns that had literally thousands of dollars in upgrades just in the top hats powered by what looked like close to $20k in Mcintosh gear. I actually left the guys house with a smile on my face feeling pretty smug as I felt my Crites modified Chorus II's and Sunfire system was pretty damn close with one clear advantage-- bass response. Even the guy demoing the K-horns was admittedly unimpressed with the bass response in his system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 57 minutes ago, Fido said: Debating if i should go see these in person or not - temptation is a good and bad thing You in the car yet? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 1 minute ago, jimjimbo said: You in the car yet? I agree. If you're 5 minutes from the guy go give them a listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 3 minutes ago, jjptkd said: was pretty damn close with one clear advantage-- bass response. Even the guy demoing the K-horns was admittedly unimpressed with the bass response in his system. If that's the case, he didn't have the Khorns and/or the rest of his gear set up properly, regardless of his mega-upgrades. A/B a pair of Chorus II's against a pair of Khorns at the same SPL, same music, same source, etc, etc. No contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 1 hour ago, Fido said: 5 minutes from my house Wait, is there really anything 5 minutes away in the OC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Yeah I'm not sure what happened with his system, it sure did sound good though. The thing that stuck out in my mind was the extremely black background, sounds just seem to come from space, hard to explain unless you've experienced it I guess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Agreed - 5 minute drive, absolutely nothing to lose, Belles to gain. Take 15 C-Notes and if you like them throw out 12 or 13 and end at $1500. OR wait for some nice LaScalla's as they will whip the Belles for its much larger mid horn. I believe the Belle mid horn is that of the Cornwall? LS mid is that of the KHorn. As my grandson might say "its more better". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 7 minutes ago, richieb said: I believe the Belle mid horn is that of the Cornwall? no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 15 minutes ago, jimjimbo said: A/B a pair of That's the ONLY way to know. I have been underwhelmed and overwhelmed many times thinking something is one way, until I set them side-by-side. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 26 minutes ago, jjptkd said: Even the guy demoing the K-horns was admittedly unimpressed with the bass response in his system. IMHO, there would have been the same impression if Chorus II were hooked up to that system - something wasn't dialed in right. I am fortunate to have AB almost Klipsch models. The Khorn are all that and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 14 minutes ago, Weber said: no Where did I go wrong? Is the Belle mid horn of its own design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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