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KG4 versus Quartet


ThomasD.

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https://anchorage.craigslist.org/ele/d/klipsch-speakers/6698008227.html

 

Have a nice clean pair of KG4's (paid $300) that I've updated with Crites X/O's & Ti tweets. Have been pretty happy with them to date. However,  this CL ad has been haunting me for the last month or so.  I'm headed down there (400 miles away) to visit my 98 year old mother for a few days anyway, and was wondering if I should even entertain the thought of picking up these Quartets as an upgrade to my KG4's.  I realize that the Quartets are 3 ways with horn mids and the KG4's are just 2 way but is it enough of a difference?  The Crites upgrades to the KG4's really made a drastic difference from the stock sound and my OCD would require that I do the same to the Quartets.  All my Klipsch speakers currently are Golden Oak and I've sworn off any more Klipsch speakers unless they're Walnut finish but as I keep telling myself,  'vintage Klipsch don't present themselves often up here'.  Someone with sound experience in both please chime in on this.  Much appreciated.

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I had KG4s brand new and loved them. A few years later I moved to the Forte II. While I loved the KG4s the Forte IIs were for sure way better IMO. The Quartet/Forte/Chorus were all great speakers just a matter of size/budget; you could not go wrong with any of them. While I've only heard a pair of Quartets for a short demo in a store back in the day, I'd guess you will like them better than the KG4. On the other hand if you are happy with your KG4s and don't really need a change beyond just wanting something new, perhaps hold out for a Cornwall/La Scala.....but I doubt you see many of those up your way either. If you have the space and the spare money probably pick up the Qs if you can.

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You'll definitely notice more midrange "presence" with the 3-way Quartet vs. the 2-way kg4. It's more in line with the other 3-way Heritage series offerings in sound.

That price is very attractive. I had a pair of Quartets and can't say enough good things about them. I also had a pair of kg4.2's which, while not quite kg4's, had the same 2-way design and I could hear the horn midrange difference.

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Quartet has a much larger (read better) mid horn compared to the KG. If you have the funds I think that you will be very happy with the Quartet I loved mine having owned forte Forte ll  KLF20 and CF3 Heresy and Heresy 3.You can swap out the ti diaphragm into your Quartet K79 tweeters the two parts have an identical fit. Have a good trip.

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7 minutes ago, EpicKlipschFan said:

i vote for the quartets too, much better speaker all around than the kg4.

 

where are you guys seeing a price for the quartets?  he must have edited the ad becuase no price is mentioned for the quartets...

Is the price in the title of the ad not not showing ?

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maybe i overlooked the CL link... but i dont think it was there when i initially read the post. i see it now though, thanks.

 

definitely get them for that price, surprised they are still listed.  you can sell the kg4 for almost that much & do an even upgrade.

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   Appreciate all the input here.  This is my favorite Forum because of everyone's sage advice & friendly demeanor on this site.  Headed down to Anchorage later this week.  Guess I'll succumb to the 'peer' pressure 😎, if they're still available I'll bring them home.  Have to hide them from my wife though, she just doesn't understand the need for more speakers !!!!!  Granted, it is a weakness of mine.  Suppose I'm a 'speaker hoarder',  can't bring myself to part with any of my Klipsch or Polk treasures.  Do really enjoy listening to different vintage speakers and experiencing how they interpret music.  There's even a pair of Dynaco A25's listed that  really interest me.  Anyone have any experience refinishing the oiled oak to a darker finish?  I personally love the Golden Oak color and apparently everyone else did too in the 70's & 80's since the Walnut is seldom available.  Looks like I'll be contacting BEC about the Ti's & X/O's.  Also, any advice on updating the mid horn on these?

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As a side note, the center channel speaker he's talking about is a CV3.  Say's he'd throw that in for an additional $50.  Know nothing about the CV series other than I believe they were timber matched to the Epic series, is this correct?

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7 minutes ago, ThomasD. said:

   Appreciate all the input here.  This is my favorite Forum because of everyone's sage advice & friendly demeanor on this site.  Headed down to Anchorage later this week.  Guess I'll succumb to the 'peer' pressure 😎, if they're still available I'll bring them home.  Have to hide them from my wife though, she just doesn't understand the need for more speakers !!!!!  Granted, it is a weakness of mine.  Suppose I'm a 'speaker hoarder',  can't bring myself to part with any of my Klipsch or Polk treasures.  Do really enjoy listening to different vintage speakers and experiencing how they interpret music.  There's even a pair of Dynaco A25's listed that  really interest me.  Anyone have any experience refinishing the oiled oak to a darker finish?  I personally love the Golden Oak color and apparently everyone else did too in the 70's & 80's since the Walnut is seldom available.  Looks like I'll be contacting BEC about the Ti's & X/O's.  Also, any advice on updating the mid horn on these?

The Dynaco's may be interesting. If you can match colors of both model Klipsch, you can just get way with swapping them in and out of a closet.

Similar size you see...lol

As for the upgrades to the Quartets, listen for a bit first so, you will be able to appreciate any upgrade later.

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3 hours ago, Alexander said:

Jump on them! Quartet's were my very first set of Klipsch speakers back when they were new. The k76k tweeters can use your ti diaphragms out of your KG-4's.

The center channel matched for the Quartet's was the Academy.

Hey thanks for correcting me re the K79 and the K76. The Quartet uses a K76 which while having the same size diaphragm as a K79 (the two parts can be swapped ad fit perfectly) but the K76 has a slightly smaller motor assembly (magnet) compared to a K79 used in the Forte Forte ll and others. The diaphragm material of the K76 is lighter and less rigid than the phenolic diaphragm used in the K79. That said the ti diaphragm works very well in the K76 motor.

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Offered the owner $250 cash on the spot for the Quartets and loaded them up.  Sequentially numbered and in great shape except for a couple chips on the risers.  Will listen to them for a couple of weeks and compare to the upgraded KG4's.  Next step would be ordering new X/O's & Ti tweets.  These are a given as far as I'm concerned after the noticeable improvement of the KG4's upgrade.  But what about the K-61 mid range diaphrams?  Since that's where most of the 'forwardness' comes from, should I just go ahead and order them also?  Haven't talked to BEC yet about them but the website hasn't updated since they were out of stock, may not be readily available.  Anyone changed there mids and had a noticeable improvement? 

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16 hours ago, moray james said:

put your new to you quartet up on some sort of stand high enough to place the centre of the mid horn at your seated ear level (usually 39 - 41 inches off the floor) for best stage and image possible. Congrats.

 

i agree putting them on stands helps the midrange... but what you gain in midrange you lose in bass.  depending on seating location you may not need them raised 40."  you can also do the heresy trick & tilt them back a bit to get the same benefit as raising them.  the loss of bass when rasied outweighs the slight gain in mids IMO. 

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