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KG4 to Forte III?


WillyL

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New to the community but a original owner of KG4’s for 32 years.  Of all the purchases I have made those speakers are by far the best and still bring me joy today.  I did put new Bob Crites crossovers and titanium diaphragms in a couple years ago which did liven then back up.  I have offen though of upgrading and the new Forte III would seem to fit the bill for size.  My question is how much better will the Forte III sound over my KG4’s.  The closest dealer is over 2 hours away.  Which of the following would be your response in comparison . 1.  Wow that’s incredible 2. OK that’s nice. 3. hmmmm maybe I should have just purchased a new amp.

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Willy, welcome to the forum :D 

Put me down for #2 (OK; that's nice). Replaced a pair of KG4's about a year ago for Forte (model ONE's).  Forte's were "worse" before I switched them to the Ti diaphragms ... a bit better afterwards. :) 

Cheers, Emile

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5 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

#1 definitely.  For a few hundred more, consider the Cornwall IIIs if you have the space.  

 

More than a few hundred.  ...The CWIII's are $800 more per pair.  ..Still, I listened to both extensively and preferred the CWIIIs.  ..But I'm luck to have a large room that can accommodate them.  If my room was considerably smaller I would have been quite happy with the Forte IIIs.

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1 minute ago, Westcoastdrums said:

More than a few hundred.  ...The CWIII's are $800 more per pair.

 

Not where I and many others here would buy them.   I had both in a smaller room and strongly preferred the Cornwall IIIs myself.  

Might I ask where that would be ?

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Yamaha R-S700 - a great value at 100w per channel but could be used as a pre amp

Yamaha CD-S300

technics SL1200mk1 with Nagaoka MP110 - currently down with torque issues

technics SL-1300 with Technics AT440lb

Schiit Mani phone pre amp

 

i like classic rock, jazz rock fusion and some classical jazz.  Into some Bill Evans trio now

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Hey WillyL, and welcome. Slightly different, but I've owned KG2's for 33 years and this summer purchased Forte III's. In my experience, it was #1 for sure. No doubt. My kG2's, however, didn't have any crites mods.

 

Originally, I ran a Yamaha TSR-5810 with the Forte III's, and liked the simplicity of the Yamaha and thought they sounded great. I recently switched to a Marantz 6012, and while I think that was an improvement on the sound --- the Marantz seems to run quite a bit cooler, the Marantz seems to have more features and is a bit more complicated (for me at least) to figure out.

 

Good luck. @MetropolisLakeOutfitters helped me out since I swapped out the lambswool grills with the Cherry finish.

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  • 3 months later...

Update.  So I held off not being sure.  I was on the lookout for used and finally came across a set of Forte II on Craigslist.  The owner said they were original condition and mint.  I told him I would pay the asking price of $650 if they were in excellent condition.  I went to go audition them and they were as mint as the show room floor and hardly even used.  Got them home and WOW.  Next step new crossover and titanium tweeters.

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On 11/27/2018 at 8:45 AM, ODS123 said:

 

More than a few hundred.  ...The CWIII's are $800 more per pair.  ..Still, I listened to both extensively and preferred the CWIIIs.  ..But I'm luck to have a large room that can accommodate them.  If my room was considerably smaller I would have been quite happy with the Forte IIIs.

I am confused why do you say the CW3 works better in a larger room and a Forte3 works better in a smaller room? What is the criteria that you are using to define better? I have read others make the same/similar statement. What do you think explains this? How does a larger room accommodate a CW3 better than a Forte3? What is the room volume difference are you dealing with? For example is your situation an open format layout? Is what you are discussing simply an issue of overall playback level (volume) or is there more than playback level involved? What kind of playback levels do you require in your room? What is the distance between your seating and your speakers, is that a factor? I have owned both Forte and Forte2 so I have some idea of the levels they are capable of in my home situation and in several other listening environments. I have listened to a couple of other fifteen inch based JBL loudspeakers in the same environments and I know that the bigger loudspeakers can move a lot more air than a 12 inch speaker does. Trying to get a better understanding of what differences you are finding. Thanks.

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3 hours ago, moray james said:

I am confused why do you say the CW3 works better in a larger room and a Forte3 works better in a smaller room?

 

I preferred how the Cornwall III's sounded but they are extremely large and imposing looking.   They are passably attractive in our great room - my wife was ok with getting them.  However, if this room was smaller, they would be visually overwhelming, in which case she wouldn't have been and I would have had to make do with the F3's.

 

As for sound, the CW's sounded more expansive and open, and they extend deeper - though not by much and thus noticeable only on a sub-set of my music  But again, the F3's sounded very good as well.   I think the CW's are also a bit easier to place because they don't have a rear-firing passive-radiator.  ..The F3's might have had to stick out further in the room.  ..But that's a guess.

CWiiiToeIn.thumb.jpg.e05149ade13a68b5513762ffaaa91229.jpg

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41 minutes ago, ODS123 said:

 

I preferred how the Cornwall III's sounded but they are extremely large and imposing looking.   They are passably attractive in our great room - my wife was ok with getting them.  However, if this room was smaller, they would be visually overwhelming, in which case she wouldn't have been and I would have had to make do with the F3's.

 

As for sound, the CW's sounded more expansive and open, and they extend deeper - though not by much and thus noticeable only on a sub-set of my music  But again, the F3's sounded very good as well.   I think the CW's are also a bit easier to place because they don't have a rear-firing passive-radiator.  ..The F3's might have had to stick out further in the room.  ..But that's a guess.

CWiiiToeIn.thumb.jpg.e05149ade13a68b5513762ffaaa91229.jpg

Very nice room. Those CWs look like a great match to your cabinet and even the flooring. 

 

I like your avatar pic also, one of my favorite rockers!

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20 hours ago, WillyL said:

 Next step new crossover and titanium tweeters.

I would not be in any rush to change things out, the caps in those last much longer than normal caps. Because of what type they are, I can't remember why but I was telling Roy I needed to change mine out and he said there was probably no need it's ____ caps, I don't remember what he said they were they were made of? But he said they last much longer.

 

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8 hours ago, Ceptorman said:

Very nice room. Those CWs look like a great match to your cabinet and even the flooring. 

 

I like your avatar pic also, one of my favorite rockers!

 

Thanks!!   ...Yes, Buddy Holly was incredible.  ..To think of how much incredible music he made in his short life is just staggering.  

 

"True Love Ways" sounds absolutely magical on my Cornwalls, and probably on any Klipsch speaker.

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