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Certified Klipsch Heritage Dealers


Chad

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8 hours ago, Chris A said:

That's what struck me almost 40 years ago, when I was auditioning Polk, Magnepan, AR, JBL (L100), Yamaha and many more brands, it was the Klipschorns with center Belle along a longer wall in a glassed-in room that absolutely captivated my attention.  That sound and listening experience never left my memory.  It's not difficult to hear the difference.  Having plenty of listening time with A-B comparison can help, but I personally found that the A-B comparison wasn't needed the moment the Khorns were turned on with a good recording playing.

 

Nowadays, I think that many potential buyers are still looking for a stereo setup because that's what 99+% of the music sales and all viable streaming/download services are producing.  By and large, people are still listening to stereo as the basic hi-fi format. 

 

Playing back movies in a multichannel system today is typically viewed differently (by most buyers).  In my opinion however, simply adding a center (like the Belle used to do) and surround loudspeakers/subwoofers is the way to go...staying hi-fi all the way.  With the Khorns/Belle, the only addition needed was surrounds and subs, and an AV processor/preamp.  PWK was probably the earliest proponent of multichannel (by 35 years or more)...and he was right.

 

Chris

 

Naturally, I agree entirely with this.  At one store, there was a very wide wall (75 to 100 feet??) with a three channel Khorn/Belle center set-up, with practically every other good speaker brand between them and up the side walls aways.  The Klipsch 3 channel was outstandingly the best -- there was no contest.

 

I'm pretty sure PWK was the first to recommend a 3 channel display as a permanent home stereo solution.  He established, in one of his several published papers that using a derived third channel was just about as good as having three discrete channels, as some recording studios had.  I think his first paper was in 1959 (could be wrong).  Later ones, also chiefly by PWK, were 1960/62-ish.  Movies had 7 channel (with Cinerama) in 1952, 6 channel (with Todd-AO and other 70 mm) starting in 1955, and 4 channel (CinemaScope) starting in 1953.  Walt Disney presented a 3 channel TV broadcast (AM, FM, TV) in 1959, complete with set-up instructions.  I witness that in my family's TV room.  It was pretty effective.  Four hundred miles away my future wife was experiencing it with her household.  Although she was just in early Jr. High, she had set it up for her family.  Disney had presented Fantasia  in 1940 in multichannel in theaters only (Scientific American, January 1941, Peck, "What makes Fantasia Click") -- AFAIK there was no thought then of home multichannel.  Disney, Stokowski and Klipsch were all inspired by the Bell Labs experiments in multichannel stereo.  PWK referred to Bell Labs as, "That fountainhead of stereo knowledge."

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20 hours ago, Chris A said:

 Nowadays, I think that many potential buyers are still looking for a stereo setup because that's what 99+% of the music sales and all viable streaming/download services are producing.  By and large, people are still listening to stereo as the basic hi-fi format.  

 

Playing back movies in a multichannel system today is typically viewed differently (by most buyers).  In my opinion however, simply adding a center (like the Belle used to do) and surround loudspeakers/subwoofers is the way to go...staying hi-fi all the way.  With the Khorns/Belle, the only addition needed was surrounds and subs, and an AV processor/preamp.  PWK was probably the earliest proponent of multichannel (by 35 years or more)...and he was right. 

 

I dunno....I still disagree with your first paragraph and feel a decreasing number of  people are actually going to spend Heritage kinda money for stereo speakers, when most people listen to the material through headphones or earbuds. Again, I'm not saying that there isn't a market but not at the price of real estate and current market conditions for brick-n-mortar. Insofar as Home Theater is concerned, I admit I don't listen to 2 channel but spend most of my time listening to music that was mixed for Multichannel format....Btw, this discussion reminds me how long this Forum has been around and that everyone is excited to put larger Heritage speakers in stores including me....That said, my guess is the consensus hasn't changed from the observations expressed in this thread from 2006: 

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2006 at 6:18 AM, Zen Traveler said:

 

I think some may be missing the point (or my point at least). The Paul Klipsch The Legend Tour tour would be a Nostalgia/Introduction tour to excite the markets. I live outside of Dallas, Texas--200 miles away from the Birthplace of Klipsch and I am in contact with a lot of people and NO ONE I know (personally in my area) owns Klipsch, much less has heard of them. Klipsch is just another speaker company until you learn of the Genius of Paul Klipsch, understand the significance of the early heritage line, and experience them for yourself. [:o]

 

 

 

That being said, the proposed tour would excite the fan base, introduce Paul Klipsch to the public (as well as to the countless sales people I have encountered that have NO IDEA who he was), and be a vehicle for the dealers to introduce the other Klipsch lines they carry to people that the Heritage line would not work--In particular the Home Theater Market which is escalating.

 

 

 

 

Personal Note regarding the Heritage line: 2 years ago I was considering buying 5 LaScalas, new--The frustration I had finding a place to audition them and finally spending a considerable amount of money to actually fly to Indianapolis to hear them made me realize that I was working harder at buying them than the Company was at selling them. I am not that much of a loyal customer and I no longer wish to purchase them new. I am loyal enough however, to keep Hope (the town in Arkansas) Alive! [;)]

 

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3 hours ago, Zen Traveler said:

 

Personal Note regarding the Heritage line: 2 years ago I was considering buying 5 LaScalas, new--The frustration I had finding a place to audition them and finally spending a considerable amount of money to actually fly to Indianapolis to hear them made me realize that I was working harder at buying them than the Company was at selling them. I am not that much of a loyal customer and I no longer wish to purchase them new. I am loyal enough however, to keep Hope (the town in Arkansas) Alive! [;)]

 

I knew I couldn't fit my potential center channel (a new Belle Klipsch) into my vehicle, and was not looking forward to paying shipping, so I called Klipsch.  A rep called me back, and gave me the name of a dealer about 1 1/2 hours away, and told me that the dealer's van "had been sighted" in my town.  I called the dealer  (who had already been alerted by the rep) and he drove the Belle up here, at no charge.  About 6 months later, he drove me a new Klipsch sub, same arrangement.  This was in about 2005.

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On 6/23/2018 at 1:04 PM, Zen Traveler said:

I... feel a decreasing number of  people are actually going to spend Heritage kinda money for stereo speakers

 

 

What there is a decline in is people who want a dedicated 2-channel setup period.  There's a ton of Heritage and other expensive gear going out, but most of the time the customers want it to pull double duty.  Even if they want it to sound good for 2-channel music, they are also using it a home theater rig.  I don't think that automatically means that the popularity of expensive speakers for music listening is declining, it just means dedicated 2 channel rooms are in decline due to home theater being more popular.  

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10 hours ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

 

What there is a decline in is people who want a dedicated 2-channel setup period. 

Agreed and a good way to express the dynamic we've been discussing. 

 

Quote

 

There's a ton of Heritage and other expensive gear going out, but most of the time the customers want it to pull double duty. 

Sure. But my guess is that "ton" is a different measurement today than it was even 10 years ago much less the heyday of stereo.

Quote

 

Even if they want it to sound good for 2-channel music, they are also using it a home theater rig. 

EXACTLY! This is where footprint becomes an issue, especially with the center channel.

10 hours ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

I don't think that automatically means that the popularity of expensive speakers for music listening is declining, it just means dedicated 2 channel rooms are in decline due to home theater being more popular.  

Now we've come full circle.  :) "Expensive" is a relative term and I agree people will pay for better sound. That said, technology has improved and the speaker market is fierce. I really think the beauty of Klipsch starting this campaign could be for nostalgia reasons and may even get Heritage users a chance to come in and see the other offerings for Home Theater....Now that I think about it, there were NO STORES in the DFW area that had Heritage speakers when I first considered Home Theater. When I started my serious search and being from Arkansas I chose to go the Klipsch reputation route and compared other speakers to theirs at the price point I was looking at---Almost 20 years and 10,000 posts later...Still enjoying the hobby on a daily basis. 

 

Now with folks who had early experiences with Klipsch moving on and getting into other hobbies I think Klipsch is doing an outstanding thing by shipping these beauties to brick and mortar stores if for anything the old "bait and switch" and EVERYONE is happy. 😁 {Note: I'm not a Heritage owner but a fan....}

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2 hours ago, Zen Traveler said:

my guess is that "ton" is a different measurement today than it was even 10 years ago much less the heyday of stereo.

 

 

I'm just not convinced that's the case.  Last I heard the Hope plant is pretty much maxed out, they are doing as much as the union will allow.  They crank them out as fast as they can. 

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17 hours ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

 

What there is a decline in is people who want a dedicated 2-channel setup period.  There's a ton of Heritage and other expensive gear going out, but most of the time the customers want it to pull double duty.  Even if they want it to sound good for 2-channel music, they are also using it a home theater rig.  I don't think that automatically means that the popularity of expensive speakers for music listening is declining, it just means dedicated 2 channel rooms are in decline due to home theater being more popular.  

 

My Heritage does double duty (see my signature for details).  For Home Theater, it is 5.1.  For Music, it can be 5.0/5.1 for SACD, 3.0 across the front (2 Khorns and a Belle), or true 2 channel.  The irony I've discovered is that, on the average, Blu-rays have better sound (for Music) than CDs or SACD, with the same equipment and room.  Maybe more time and money is spent in recording for the movies than in recording the classical and jazz to which I tend to listen.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Decided to look where I could hear some Forte III or Heresys....

 

So is this thread serious?

 

9 Heritage dealers in the US?  

 

Sounds like Internet is the way to go.  I guess the fact that there will have to be a liberal return policy since you can't hear the speakers before hand and the fact that that return policy will keep the numbers down and the price up will shrink Heritage sales further.  

 

Must be only for the die hard fans.  I must be part of a dying breed.  :(

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29 minutes ago, pzannucci said:

Must be only for the die hard fans.  I must be part of a dying breed.  :(

Don't feel bad--The legend lives on with those acquiring *New* used Heritage. :) There are others with more sound (pun intended) knowledge of the market than myself but it seems sale prices in the used market are pretty consistent and part of the success of the brand corporate must deal with...Otoh, I still feel what I suggested in the link above about a Heritage Tour from 2006 would be a good idea to rally the base. 

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Just seems very counter productive if you really care about a portion of the brand and want it to thrive.  Instead you get bad publicity because of the internet sales and things like shipping damage.  Oh well.... Will really become a Legend.

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43 minutes ago, pzannucci said:

Instead you get bad publicity because of the internet sales and things like shipping damage.  Oh well.... Will really become a Legend.

Fwiw, there are complaints about every company on the internet and things do get damaged from them all when delivered in the quantities that they are. Back in the day when a store shipped them out on their own truck to the customers who came in and auditioned there were also some damaged in transit. I feel your pain (been there and actually traveled to Indianapolis to hear them) but these AWESOME speakers are definitely good for the brand recognition and advertising but folks won't be purchasing them in quantities to justify the floor space in sales is what I feel the dynamic is--This ain't the old days....

 

As I typed the above it reminded me of the idea I shared above in 2006 which I thought would be an honest "Bait and Switch" kinda thing. Advertise the Road Show was coming to town where people could purchase these legends straight from the manufacturer, while salesman pitched the other quality products they carried which admittedly is a great bang for your buck. Unfortunately we have come full circle to the reality that most people purchase speakers on line without ever hearing them. They rely on internet research and WE are the ones who sell more speakers than folks investing in real estate to make a living selling them....Sad but true from my perspective over coffee. 

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26 minutes ago, Zen Traveler said:

Fwiw, there are complaints about every company on the internet and things do get damaged from them all when delivered in the quantities that they are. Back in the day when a store shipped them out on their own truck to the customers who came in and auditioned there were also some damaged in transit. I feel your pain (been there and actually traveled to Indianapolis to hear them) but these AWESOME speakers are definitely good for the brand recognition and advertising but folks won't be purchasing them in quantities to justify the floor space in sales is what I feel the dynamic is--This ain't the old days....

 

As I typed the above it reminded me of the idea I shared above in 2006 which I thought would be an honest "Bait and Switch" kinda thing. Advertise the Road Show was coming to town where people could purchase these legends straight from the manufacturer, while salesman pitched the other quality products they carried which admittedly is a great bang for your buck. Unfortunately we have come full circle to the reality that most people purchase speakers on line without ever hearing them. They rely on internet research and WE are the ones who sell more speakers than folks investing in real estate to make a living selling them....Sad but true from my perspective over coffee. 

You are correct about damage but go on sites like Martin Logan, Magenpan, and others.  You can hear and pick up your speakers within spitting distance.  Maybe not spitting distance but when you look at only 9 certified Heritage dealers, seems Klipsch doesn't have a market or doesn't want to push them.  I can just hope the map was wrong.

 

If someone was buying $60K Wilsons, they will pay $1K for a plane ticket. $3.6K for Fortes, hmm.

 

It is really ok since it is the business model and who likes square edged boxy speakers anymore? ;)

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4 hours ago, pzannucci said:

9 Heritage dealers in the US?  

As mentioned before in the thread, there are LOTs more Heritage dealers than just the "certified" dealers. And many more Certified dealers will be showing up on that locator soon. We are just waiting on them to fully complete the certification process. When in doubt, call your local Klipsch dealer and ask if they carry any Heritage products, and if not, why not?

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3 hours ago, Chad said:

As mentioned before in the thread, there are LOTs more Heritage dealers than just the "certified" dealers. And many more Certified dealers will be showing up on that locator soon. We are just waiting on them to fully complete the certification process. When in doubt, call your local Klipsch dealer and ask if they carry any Heritage products, and if not, why not?

Good to know.  I would hate to think that Heritage was going away.  They might not be the volume sales but I hope the sales are at a level (or can get to a level) that dealers will want to carry them right along with the Reference series.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 7/9/2018 at 6:48 PM, pzannucci said:

Good to know.  I would hate to think that Heritage was going away.  They might not be the volume sales but I hope the sales are at a level (or can get to a level) that dealers will want to carry them right along with the Reference series.

Slip back and look for Chad's post of just HOW to expand a search in your area.  It works!  I just happen to live in Hell I think...  lolol  Amazingly funny though when friends hear my 2-channel they always just sit and smile then say "WHO?"  Slipped my youngest daughter a few cell pics of the stuff I was working on now.  She's always nosing in my LP's and occasionally sits to listen when she's here.  I get a text and she says two words, "I want!"  Seems as though she shared them with some DJ in a club she worked at on campus!  hahahaha   Guess I'm on the way out in her eyes...   I just want to be her pita!   :)    

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  • 3 weeks later...

I bought a set of Chorus speakers last week and they came with the original shipping box. Right on the top was HI Fi Buys from Nashville Tn. Today Hi Fi Buys is the only, ahem , high end audio store in Nashville and they sell Buck Rogers looking B&W junk but nary a Klipsch to be found.

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