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Klipsch Heresy IV vs Heresy II


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Okay, so I finally compared my Heresy II to the new IV in my room but I have to say that I'm extremely disappointed in several aficionados on YouTube who IMO should know better about the way they are presenting the IV's. In other words, not putting the matters of bass into proper context with regard to how they are being driven or with what they are being driven with.  I posted the comparison on video in just 5 minutes to get to the point across. For frame of reference, my Magnepan .7 has slightly more audible bass than both the II and IV, ONLY at moderate volume levels because they don't play as loudly as either of the Heresy's. 

 

There's been a lot of chatter about the new high and mid drivers in the IV but IMO, the II's have an ever so slightly more holographic sound compared to the IV and if I'm being completely honest, I prefer the II's at the listening levels I listen to, so I'm not sure what all this hype is about the IV in fact I think many listeners would fail a blind test miserably at moderate listening levels. Video explains why. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Take it as you like.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Eyb7ZnFUQM

 

 

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Don't give the fours back yet @angelaudio

 

4:00 in right now and I appreciate the fact that you are calmly and intelligently (almost);) presenting your argument against the speakers.

 

Got to tell you that I had IIs for thirty years before I replaced them. Then I missed them so much I got another pair, but what I got were Supers. Super Heresy if you look them up here had the port in the back years ago. I do get a little lower bass in them than the IIs put out.

I enjoyed the pressure of the bass from the sealed IIs that the ported supers don't offer, but lower bass is lower bass and that's what I was craving.

 

So my comparison is only going off of the sealed to ported difference not the IIs to the IVs. But there is a valid point here.

 

Did you ever properly place either pair in your listening comparison? If they were a couple feet out like in your video, you're right you probably missed out on the bass response. Pull the manuals up online if you don't have them on hand. My experience with my IIs for decades before finding this place backed up what I've read here and elsewhere. You'll need walls or even better corners of the listening area to obtain the best response from those Heresy. Especially the ported ones, you even have to play with the placement a little to get them where you might need them for the sound in the room. Tube Amp? Wish I'd gone that route when I rebuilt my rig, did get to put them in the analog path. So if the amp offers different settings try that also.

My Supers with the high & mid drivers from the LS and KHorn angled and out at different heights do well in our den/kitchen big room for the tv or youtube music on the tv, they're spread as far as possible in corners.

 

Not trying to admonish, just enlighten you to a basic principle they you could have missed out on. You might give them another listen after setting them up better! Then you might need to change your online video!

 

Welcome to the forums!

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35 minutes ago, angelaudio said:

Okay, so I finally compared my Heresy II to the new IV in my room but I have to say that I'm extremely disappointed

 

 

the cab is only 1 inch higher ------and as you said , dish out the power and they do perform much better -

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@angelaudio,

 

I can understand a lot of what you are saying because the Heresy II is a fine speaker also and I feel it sounds fantastic in my room.  Some, even on this forum think the Heresy I sounds better than the Heresy II in their rooms.  Most think the Heresy III sounds better than I and II.  Maybe just maybe some of the reviewers on Youtube really like the way the Heresy IV presents itself in  their rooms with their gear.  Not an argument here but just something to think about.

 

I do not have any experience with the Heresy IV so I can't honestly defend it's capabilities.

 

Bill

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FWIW, having all three pairs to audition at the same time,  my personal preference is:

 

1981 Heresys at the top

1990 Heresy IIs second place

2019 Heresy IIIs last place

 

I bought the Heresy IIIs because everyone said they were head and shoulders better than the Is or IIs.  I sent them back after having them a week.

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20 minutes ago, wuzzzer said:

FWIW, having all three pairs to audition at the same time,  my personal preference is:

 

1981 Heresys at the top

are your 1981 -H1 -------k77-k55V-K22 -----

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Love this real life test. My guess is the 4s need some more burn-in time to completely open up, esp for the low frequencies. 

The video is good medicine for Gas or gear acquisition syndrome. It makes me appreciate my 1972 Hs. 

Taking into account the substantial price upgrade of the 4s, critical and sceptical listening is appreciated and welcomed. 

 

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5 hours ago, JohnJ said:

Don't give the fours back yet @angelaudio

 

4:00 in right now and I appreciate the fact that you are calmly and intelligently (almost);) presenting your argument against the speakers.

 

Got to tell you that I had IIs for thirty years before I replaced them. Then I missed them so much I got another pair, but what I got were Supers. Super Heresy if you look them up here had the port in the back years ago. I do get a little lower bass in them than the IIs put out.

I enjoyed the pressure of the bass from the sealed IIs that the ported supers don't offer, but lower bass is lower bass and that's what I was craving.

 

So my comparison is only going off of the sealed to ported difference not the IIs to the IVs. But there is a valid point here.

 

Did you ever properly place either pair in your listening comparison? If they were a couple feet out like in your video, you're right you probably missed out on the bass response. Pull the manuals up online if you don't have them on hand. My experience with my IIs for decades before finding this place backed up what I've read here and elsewhere. You'll need walls or even better corners of the listening area to obtain the best response from those Heresy. Especially the ported ones, you even have to play with the placement a little to get them where you might need them for the sound in the room. Tube Amp? Wish I'd gone that route when I rebuilt my rig, did get to put them in the analog path. So if the amp offers different settings try that also.

My Supers with the high & mid drivers from the LS and KHorn angled and out at different heights do well in our den/kitchen big room for the tv or youtube music on the tv, they're spread as far as possible in corners.

 

Not trying to admonish, just enlighten you to a basic principle they you could have missed out on. You might give them another listen after setting them up better! Then you might need to change your online video!

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

First, I want to thank you for this very informative response . I agree 100% and I had completely forgotten to mention that I did in fact place each speaker in the exact same spot which kind of goes back about something I mentioned in the video regarding ear placement affecting the speakers somewhat equally. After I read your post though, I added two more video showing each speaker playing in the same position. Here's the IV 

 and here's the II 

 

 

BUT, there's something you also said that I think deserves serious mention which I have been thinking about or the past several months and that is, that I don't have corners. My room is shaped like an A frame. My friend who's a recording engineer says the acoustics in my room are really excellent but I have always thought about placing a large board against the right and left sides of those slanted walls to generate more bass acoustics, so your point was well made. I think it's time to do that. Thank you again for your guidance and wisdom. I'm still a rookie. 

 

 

 

Edited by angelaudio
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1 hour ago, wuzzzer said:

Yes.  With soldered lug midrange. 

yeah , I had read that only the 81 had those K55V  --------with the dual phase plug ,  best Heresy ever ----for sure

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It has taken somewhere in the range of about 40 hours to get my H4s "broken in".  No crazy volume or low bass tunes, just normal (for me) listening levels.  They are sounding much, much better than the day they came in.

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I don't doubt what you're saying.  Unfortunately, when a new iteration comes out it's inevitable that some will claim HUGE improvements based on marketing claims, etc..  In reality, there's not a great deal known now that wasn't known when the V2's came out.  ..I wouldn't be surprised that when you actually set them side by side, the differences are suddenly quite subtle.

 

As for break-in.  ..I wouldn't count on it.  THere's no way it takes 40 hours for speakers to break in.  Bob Crites, who manufacturers replacement parts (incl. drivers, crossovers, etc..) and is regarded/ respected as an authority on all-things Klipsch, said that the most it takes for drivers to break is about an hour.  40 hours is totally redic.  

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29 minutes ago, ODS123 said:

I don't doubt what you're saying.  Unfortunately, when a new iteration comes out it's inevitable that some will claim HUGE improvements based on marketing claims, etc..  In reality, there's not a great deal known now that wasn't known when the V2's came out.  ..I'm wouldn't be surprised that when you actually set them side by side, the differences are suddenly quite subtle.

 

As for break-in.  ..I wouldn't count on it.  THere's no way it takes 40 hours for speakers to break in.  Bob Crites, who manufacturers replacement parts (incl. drivers, crossovers, etc..) and is regarded/ respected as an authority on all-things Klipsch, said that the most it takes for drivers to break is about an hour.  40 hours is totally redic.  

No, sorry, but I am quoting from experience. And it seems that perhaps you are not.  40 hours is not totally ridiculous, because it is more than just the driver, it is the woofer material, etc. Believe me it is a reality.

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10 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

No, sorry, but I am quoting from experience. And it seems that perhaps you are not.  40 hours is not totally ridiculous, because it is more than just the driver, it is the woofer material, etc. Believe me it is a reality.

to add to this I have installed a specific brand of cap I use for bypass caps on main filter caps in amps and they can take over a month to burn in. For the first 20 minutes they sounded wonderful then like crap for almost 5 weeks I was ready to take them out thinking they were bad and then one morning they came around and now sound excellent. Not all caps are this extreme but if you just took them out you would miss how good they sound after full burn in. Everything has some period of burn in.

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2 hours ago, billybob said:

My first thought...

I think the weak point of any H1  is the K22  , now , I am not trying to better the H4 ,  but just to get a better bass response -from a H1 ---along with a k77 and the k55V  ---I purchased new woofers that I will tryout on the H1 -----in both 8ohms and 4 ohms -----not sure if a port is needed for either version -----but new woofers can't hurt

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