Audio Science Review of Heresy IV

[Panelhead]

  I need to look hard at your comments on polar reflections. My system must have this issue. Speakers are in a loft with 3/4 hardwood over 5/4 decking. And there are flat 8’ sheetrock ceiling over speakers and listening position. The reflections from both should be strong.

  I have REW, but only used it to run sweeps on electronics. Never graduated to the big boy capabilities. 

[dkalsi]

On 11/28/2020 at 10:25 PM, Kevin S said:

To my non-technical mind, speakers should be measured in room, placed as they were designed to be placed, and not upside down in the driveway. . 

 

 

 

While I generally agree with this statement (because I too have a non-technical mind) - I think the intent of taking outside ground-plane measurements was to isolate the response of the speaker. Given every potential buyers' room could be different, I think it still helpful to see what the speaker is solely producing vs. what its produces in someone's specific room (because my room response could be vastly difference). 

 

I'm a Heresy fan (and a Klipsch Heritage fan in general - having owned Cornwalls, La Scalas, Khorns, modified Khorns, etc.) - and I still thoroughly enjoyed the review. The speaker was not Erin's cup of tea - and that is perfectly fine. I still think its super awesome for him to provide such measurements. I agree with what Chris said, one doesn't need to go by his "bottom line conclusions" - but they can still make their own judgement based on measurements provided. 

 

I did follow Erin's measurement thread at Diyaudio.com - and it was crazy the amount of testing / procedures he went through to perfect measurement technique. Thus, I have a lot of confidence in his measurements. 

 

 

 

 

 

[OO1]

-why  not say off the bat that he did not like the speaker ?  but to add test after test  to show a very competitive speaker  , then to bash it as non HIFI speaker ,  geeeez  ,  we all know the Heresy is not a Studio monitor ,  but it sure sounds great to a lot of people ,  and  4 generations of selling like hotcakes is hard to beat in any brand -

[dkalsi]

11 hours ago, RandyH000 said:

- geeeez  ,  we all know the Heresy is not a Studio monitor ,  but it sure sounds great to a lot of people 

 

So true. We still have a pair at my parents' (Heresy II - "Signature Edition" - walnut with cane grills 🙂 ). 

 

I think its a great speaker - but I must say I have to agree that the Heresy require a sub. Its the same reason why so many fellow forum members here love the Cornwalls. Cornwalls are definitely more "full-range" than the Heresy - mind you they are 3 times the size (lol). 

 

In a smaller room, with close proximity to rear/side walls - the bass may be sufficient with room gain. However, in a larger space, augmenting them with a sub is the way to go. 

[OO1]

On 12/1/2020 at 12:33 PM, dkalsi said:

 

So true. We still have a pair at my parents' (Heresy II - "Signature Edition" - walnut with cane grills 🙂 ). 

 However, in a larger space, augmenting them with a sub is the way to go. 

yes  

 

 

[MicroMara]

I do not question the professional measurement results and they are physically important and correct. But on the elitist" Audio Sience " platform, acoustics is considered exclusively on the laws of physics. There, loudspeakers are scientifically deployed to reveal their weaknesses. It seems to me as if they are searching for the perfect sound source. The combination of audio components and loudspeakers have only one purpose, the transport of musical emotions and these cannot be reflected in measurement diagrams.

 

[Mirko]

On 11/25/2020 at 12:36 PM, PrestonTom said:

Over at Audio Science Review there is a review (mostly measurements) of the Heresy IV

 

Note: This is not done by their regular reviewer and I can not speak regarding the competence of the measures presented (they may or may not be accurate - I have no idea). 

The review is not favorable. This is just an FYI. If you don't like what you see, don't beat up on me (I have certainly never heard or measured this speaker). 

 

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/klipsch-heresy-iv-speaker-review.17853/

 

 

Look how he tests his speakers, To me that says it all.  I totally disregard this “opinion”. Saying it’s a “Non neutral”. Speakers with “Underwhelming bass” is something I 100% disagree with.  Just trust your own ears and go listen to them. 

[Stephen Buck]

On 11/28/2020 at 9:30 AM, boom3 said:

I like the ASR reviews because Amir is doing things no one else, certainly not Stereophile, is doing right now. He is using a consistent, defendable, set of metrics (no Klipschorns on stools in somebody's driveway) he is not using a lot of fluffy adjectives to puff up his advertisers'  products; and he can admit when he's made an error. His call-outs of  several examples of high priced trash audio products I am sure have made the manufacturers squirm. 

 

I do share one concern about Heritage that both Stereophile and Amir point out-cabinet resonances. In all the uproar about Sterophile's bungled review of the Klipschorns, I did not see any discussion of the midrange cabinet resonances discovered. One would think that Klipsch could engineer these resonances to be lower in frequency and amplitude that the reviews have uncovered.

 

Having said that I don't always agree with him or any other reviewer. His speaker reviews concentrate on bookshelf systems and has not tested many floor standers. His idea of perfect response is output declining with increasing frequency (like pink noise). I don't know why he thinks that is "perfect";  you'd have to ask him.

 

 

One needs to take cabinet resonances with circumspection.  Many thin wall and furniture grade plywood cabinets were actually made to resonate just like an instrument.  I have a friend who wants to hear kick drum on old tunes.  Having heard the tunes and seeing they are not accentuated like a modern recording can be, how do you give it to him?  The answer is box resonance. 

[boom3]

Well, that falls into personal preference or taste. However, that deliberate  resonance will be a permanent part of the speaker and any music that excites it will reveal it, whether's appropriate or not.

 

I knew someone who rebuilt jukeboxes, and he said that his customers wanted the "jukeboxy" sound, not "hi fi."