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Choices: Forté II for $1250 or Quartet for $650


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So part of this question is about value, the other part about long-term satisfaction. 
 

Forté II original owner. Walnut. Sequential serial numbers, factory boxes. All the paperwork. $1250

 

Quartets. Black, great shape, Also sequential numbers.  $650

 

I love the sound of both. Smallish room. Both will fill it with sound.

 

Community advice?

Edited by Outrider 6
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They are both over priced IMO though the Quartets are closer in a realistic price, what area are you from? Strictly going by sound preference the forte II over the Quartets having owned both. My first set of Klipsch were Quartets back in the very early 90's. I wanted the forte IIs but the wife put the brakes on the extra money.

 

Or have prices gone up that much? Three years ago I picked up an “ok” pair of forte IIs for $400 and had to re cone both of the passive radiators for another $100.

 

 

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The fortes are about double what they're worth.

 

The Quartets are about 20% more than what they're worth.

 

Quartets are pretty awesome.  If you can get them closer to $400-500 that's a realistic value.

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This is why we ask.

 

DC market tends to be high, but I think that Heritage prices are not going down at the moment.
 

I’ll use Heresies as a benchmark, since they are so common. I haven’t seen anything listed for less than $500 and nothing stays listed for more than a few days. eBay is higher. 

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@nickyboy6100 I see the same prices you are reporting. I lost a superb set of H2s by offering $700 when the seller was asking $750. Considering I was willing to drive four hours to get them, the $50 seems penny wise and pound foolish. 
 

The primary reason I’m considering the premium on these Forté IIs is the combination of condition, cabinet material, sequential serial numbers, original documents and brochures—along with the original boxes.

 

I also really like the Quartets. The wife isn’t going to tolerate high dbs, so as long as I tolerate her, neither speaker is going to get over stressed when she’s in the house. 

Edited by Outrider 6
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On 5/13/2020 at 8:08 PM, Outrider 6 said:

So part of this question is about value, the other part about long-term satisfaction. 
 

Forté II original owner. Walnut. Sequential serial numbers, factory boxes. All the paperwork. $1250

 

Quartets. Black, great shape, Also sequential numbers.  $650

 

I love the sound of both. Smallish room. Both will fill it with sound.

 

Community advice?

 

1250$ could get you a pair of Chorus 1 or 2 speakers -----I am not saying the Forte or the quartet , are overpriced , but , look for Chorus II  speakers , you see a Forte is the Big Brother of the Quartet , and the Forte is also the small Brother of the Chrorus which is top of the line -

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A huge part of it is being in the right place at the right time. About 2 years ago, I had been looking quite religiously, and found a local pair of Forte II's, about an hour away. I made a deal on the phone for $500, and couldn't make it to pick them up until the next day. I got a call from the seller the next morning saying he sold them from underneath me. A few weeks later, I found a pair of Chorus II's about 3 hours away. Made another deal on the phone, drove up the next day and got them for $600. This seller said he had about 4 people that were lined up if I hadn't have showed.

 

So in answer to your original question -- yes those are overpriced, but as others have mentioned prices are pretty high now. Don't let anxiety associated with "getting something right now" get in the way of a bad deal.

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On 5/13/2020 at 10:37 PM, Outrider 6 said:

@nickyboy6100 I see the same prices you are reporting. I lost a superb set of H2s by offering $700 when the seller was asking $750. Considering I was willing to drive four hours to get them, the $50 seems penny wise and pound foolish. 
 

The primary reason I’m considering the premium on these Forté IIs is the combination of condition, cabinet material, sequential serial numbers, original documents and brochures—along with the original boxes.

 

I also really like the Quartets. The wife isn’t going to tolerate high dbs, so as long as I tolerate her, neither speaker is going to get over stressed when she’s in the house. 

 

I have owned my forte II since new, purchased in 1992.  When you consider that a new pair of forte III run $3,600.00 a lot to weigh there.  The forte II with a few reversible mods comes very close to a 3.  I know we are comparing apples to oranges in the sense of comparing a 25 plus year old speaker value to current production.  The point being if immaculate original paperwork, boxes, etc. is $1,200.00 too much for at least another 25 plus years of enjoyment? Only you can answer that.  My vote would be  to buy.  I would try and settle at or around a $1,000.00 .  

 

Regards,

John

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On 5/13/2020 at 10:11 PM, Outrider 6 said:

This is why we ask.

 

DC market tends to be high, but I think that Heritage prices are not going down at the moment.
 

I’ll use Heresies as a benchmark, since they are so common. I haven’t seen anything listed for less than $500 and nothing stays listed for more than a few days. eBay is higher. 

I have a pair of Heresy II for less than that. Accept the advice from whoever you want. I am of the camp that is saying that they are both over priced and the Forte are 2x higher that what they can be bought.

 

If I were you, I would get these Cornwall for less than the Forte. 

 

<edit> I wouldn't spend that much on Cornwall 1, either, but...

 

BTW, what size 'smallish' room are you putting them in? 

 

.

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I sold a mint pair of Quartets three years ago for $650.

 

The buyer was thrilled to take them home.

 

Hadn’t listened to them since I got Cornwalls. I was thoroughly impressed with their sound during the audition process. 

 

Sold a decent pair of walnut Forte 2s a couple years back for $1000.

 

That new owner was smiling when he left too.

 

I think the Quartets will scratch your itch at a price you can recoup when something with a bigger woofer at the right price inspires you to climb up the Klipsch ladder.

 

Oh, and do it now...

 

The only regrets most of us on here have, myself included, are the ones we let get away.

 

Good luck with your search and please keep us posted.

 

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Thanks so much for weighing in on prices, options, and buying strategy.  I’m grateful for your time and thoughts—and for the diversity of views. 

 

Out of the box opportunity is for three La Scalas for $2K. Crites crossovers in each plus a single spare.  Two matching raw birch, one darker, but still light wood—maybe cherry. 
 

One thing that’s been true for me as well as being reported by the group is that opportunity disappears, and the best deals are the most fleeting.  Can’t let money burn a hole in your pocket, but dithering is also unproductive, too.  Context also matters. Price, supply, and demand all factor in—as does time.

 

Best,

 

James

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