It's 3 o'clock in the morning and I'm eating crow...

[Deang]

...what are you doing:)

Been listening the best $1500 stereo I've ever heard. The Heresies sound great, and for whatever reason -- don't sound anything like I remember. I'm even wondering if I've ever really heard these. I'm thinking maybe I heard some KG's instead, and thought they were Heresies. I thought these things would be painfully bright, but that is not what I've found.

For now, I'll only say they sound very good, but will also say that many of you are unduly harsh regarding the Reference lineup. I really don't see the signatures between Heritage and Reference being all that substantially different. It's almost like the bumps and dips in the frequency response are just in different places, but other than that -- the Heresies and RF-7's have the same snappy midrange, and crisp, smooth highs. The RF-7's have it all over the little Heresies in dynamics -- but those Heresies really boogie.

I can see the possibility of something bigger down the road -- but the RF-7's stay:)

[Jim Cornell]

Standing here, trying to figure out my other problem! LOL

Hey Dean

Ive been up almost all night a few times, not being able to turn off the Klipschorns, and was late for work the next day!

That was the originals, like they are now

So now i dont turn the system on late at night LOL

Have fun, enjoy the heresys, goodnite

1:38 AM MTN

Regards Jim

[mike stehr]

I had cookies.

[Audible Nectar]

Glad to hear that you like them, Dean. I must say that I will be most curious to hear your report if you ever get Cornwalls.

You are correct, to an extent, about the Reference series. I think there's a few reasons for the perceptions about the RF line vs. Heritage - some of which are legitimate.

1. New vs. used. For the most part, a prospective buyer will likely be looking at new RF-7's vs. used Cornwalls. In my case, I found a $700 near mint pair of Cornwalls. Comparing them with the RF-7 at $1500 or more makes it seem unfair. Since the two speakers are similar in class, it only makes sense that the Cornwall would seem like a much better deal (and it is). A very nice pair of used LaScala, Belle, or Klipschorn could be had for that same $1500. Since Klipsch built the Heritage line to last a lifetime, I can certainly understand the RF line losing out - especially if the buyer is willing to go used.

2. Build quality. Let's face it - Klipsch built the Heritage like brick s#ithouses (especially the older stuff before MDF) - but even the MDF stuff is overbuilt. If Cornwalls were to be sold new today, I would bet they would sell for $2500-3000.

3. Aesthetics. If you grew up with the idea of large speakers doubling duty as furniture, then the large Heritage are certainly acceptable, if not preferable. But very often, a buddy's wife will see my speakers and say to my buddy "don't even think about it - not in MY living room". The more modern look of the RF series does fit in better to some in terms of style. This definitely plays a part in the buying decision of many - especially if the purchase must pass the approval of that significant other. In my wife's case, the Heritage are preferable, but that is the exception to the rule. How many of you have wives who think big Heritage Klipsch are beautiful?? If you do, give her a big hug - those are extremely rare

Although I do prefer the Cornwall over the RF-7, I don't see it as a knockout - the RF certainly can hang with the Cornwall. For me, it is preference, not necessarily "fact". The Cornwall and RF-7 are still in the same church - sitting on the same side of that church, in fact - they just sit in different pews.

As previously stated, I really do hope you get Cornwalls - I want to hear the results of that showdown from your point of view.

[NOSValves]

Dean,

I new you would be pleasantly suprised. I couldn't understand statements about the squawker and new it would all change when you actually heard a set in a better situation. Glad it all worked out.

Craig

[Audio Flynn]

"but those Heresies really boogie"

That is how I go hooked 25 years ago.

It was on the industrial version though.

HEHE

You are hooked.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I bough a pair of heresys the day after buying my K-horns. The little things sounded so nasal and horney I could not believe it. My old JBL's blew them away.

I took a leaf of faith and went to buy a second pair of Heresy's, but brought one of my first ones with me. We did an A-B comparison on this guys tube amp. OH MAN WERE THEY SWEET!!!!! The vocals and guitar were awesome, they sounded as good as teh K-horns. I bought the second pair then though about why they sounded so bad at home.

The K-horns were hooked up to a different amp than the heresys. The heresys were simply letting me know how bad my 14 year old Denon amp was (and how inferior the KBL's were for covering it up!

One last thing that was kind of cool. This guy had electrostats hooked up to his tubes. No hum. Hooked up the hereys, tons of hum. Hooked up my Heresy, tons of hum. Efficiency is a good thing. Just think of how much power is necessary to keep up with those little boxes.

Anyway, enjoy the speakers, you will have them for a lifetime.

Chris

[HDBRbuilder]

Dean,

TOLD YA! LOL!

Glad you like em...enjoy!

You said "the best 1500 buck system..." How much did the Heresys run you...what are they hooked up to? How much were the other items?

Now, once you have heard those Heresys through an old H/K 430....hint, hint...LOL!

[Deang]

This system is very simplistic.

Heresies @ $500

Scott 299A @ $500

Marantz DV-7010 @ $500

That's how I listened to it last night for about 5 hours. The Heresies didn't actually hit my doorstep until 7:30pm last night (the UPS dude looked wiped).

By the time I got them cleaned up (3 rub downs with Gibson guitar polish) and hooked them up -- it was too late in the evening to run the SVS with them. I'm using the derived center channel of the Scott to feed the low level output to my HSU electronic crossover, which is sending 50Hz and below to the Samson 1000 pro amp, feeding the SVS. Monday, I'll open up the system.

Actually, even without the sub -- there is plenty of bass for me. They're just sitting on the floor with the risers underneath. The tilt of the risers is perfect for the couch -- which is only 6 or 7 feet back from the system.

So Craig, where on that dial can I go with the Heresies? Didn't you say '8' or '9'

[NOSValves]

All the way buddy ........just grow some hair on your chest and crank it clockwise till it stops. Your need to do a serious comparision job with the sub and your better Sony source !!!

I still say the Heresy's blow my RF-3 II's in the dirt !! Better dynamics from the mids and top the only place the RF's win in my book is the bottom end.

Craig

[Invidiosulus]

Hehe,

I knew someone alse would get hooked.

I got my HK430 about 7:30 last night(late night for the delivery guys) and I hooked up my heresies.

I've been listening to a CCR CD a friend of mine let me borrow.

It sounds like a million bucks

$90 for the HK430, $300 for the Heresies, $300 for my ps2 which is my CD player.

$690 and it sounds incredible.

I am one happy camper.

Peace, Josh

[HDBRbuilder]

Yet another satisfied Heresy/HK430 customer...LOL!

Maybe I outta go into the "audio on the cheap" consulting business! LOL!

Josh, now all you need is a ladyfriend and a little bit of Lionel Ritchie's "Can't Slow Down" album!! LOL! If you have it, then give Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" a play through your set-up at some VOLUME!!...It will leave you gasping for air! BTW...did you run through the list of what to do once you got that H/K 430 in? I posted it in the "General Questions" section for Justin a few weeks ago...give it a read!

I've been playing some of my vinyl through my H/K 430 and Heresy combo this morning...Life just doesn't get much better than this!! The old Technics SL-1300 turntable with that JVC 4MD-20X CD-4 cartridge I bought back in 1976 sure sounds great through the little 430 and the Heresys!!

[Deang]

Andy, (or HD, isn't 'Andy' your 'real' name?)

I can certainly see where the Heresies would be a good canditate for lower powered solid state. They certainly don't sound much like Scalas to me -- at least, not with the Scott on them. I think any solid state amp that doesn't double up the transistors would surely sound very good on them.

If a person really wanted to take the solid state path with the Heresies, crank things up a notch over something like the HK, and not want to break the bank account doing it -- I think splitting the crossover, adding dual binding posts, and biamping with a pair of Byston 2B-LP's -- would be the bomb.

No, I'm not going to do this. I really am broke now:)

Craig,

Seriously, how far can I go on the dial before the Scott pinches off? I'll probably find out Monday anyways -- but if you told me, my wife would appreciate it:)

[arfz28]

I new you would like those heresys, you should hear a set of k-horns on a scott 299a,it sounds awsome.Dean I heard a set of rf7s the other day, they were getting powered by a new denon receiver. What got me was how similar they sounded to the heritage linup, not exacly the same thow, but simalar.Something in the midrange and upper end is different.Wish I could have heard the rf7s on some tube equipment but of course they didnt have any. The salesman about craped in his britches when I told him I had a scott 299a tube amp powering a set of k-horns.He was more interested in my stereo than anything he had for sale at the place.LOL

[ShapeShifter]

Dean,

Nice post on your initial Heresy listening. Glad they arrived safetly and you find them really pleasing. The only speaker in that size that surprised near as much was when I first heard them were KG4's. They raised the hair on the back of my neck almost as well as the Heresy's.

Enjoy,

Wes

[HDBRbuilder]

Dean,

I am kinda partial to the little H/K 430 for a number of reasons. As you pointed out, it is a simple design and doesn't have transistors doubled-up on it...it is very quiet and clear sounding partially due to that feature...but its frequency response is so damned flat, too! And, quite honestly...unless you ever hear one, you won't believe me...BUT it really IS a little BASS MONSTER!! It somehow just makes the Heresys sound like they put out more bass bottom-end than you would expect to hear!! I am talking about CLEAN bass, too. Just wait...we already have myself, and two young people who have these little OLD receivers on this BB...but, if things turn out right...we will soon have another one in the hands of a member here! Rick Tate has a bid in on one...and so far it looks like he will get it. He is getting it for his son, but I am sure we will be hearing about it once he has given it a listen!! I hope he tries it out on his speakers BEFORE handing it over to his son...should be an interesting review, to say the least! LOL!

[Deang]

Yeah, definitely. The RF-7's and Heresies have almost as much in common, as they don't have in common.

I do think the RF-7's need to be placed off to the side when discussing comparisons between Reference and Heritage. I mean, the driver/horn in the 7 is very different from the one used in the RB-5, RF-3, or RF-5. Kelly recently compared his Cornwalls to the RF-5, and really preferred the Cornwalls -- but the RF-5 is not the RF-7. Besides leo and myself, I don't think anyone here has driven the RF-7's with push-pull and/or SET. Leo's getting ready to build his Moondogs, and his future report will be very interesting indeed. At any rate, I think it much fairer to compare the Heresy to the RB-5, RF-3, or RF-5, as this is where it really falls.

Leo's (Leok) earlier posts comparing his Fortes to his RF-7's always left me feeling a bit confused. He claimed the Fortes were smoother on top, and the RF-7's were somewhat hotter, making them sound more 'live'. I always thought the complete opposite would be true. This comes from my general experience with three-ways compared to two-ways, along with my exposure to LaScalas and K-horns in the past. What I found is that Leo is right. The RF-7's ARE hotter than the Heresies. I'm sure this has mostly to do with the titanium driver in the RF-7. The RF-7's project a sense of immediacy, and though they may not have the hair trigger dynamics of the LaScala -- they do very well in their own right.

I've loved the sound of the metal drivers ever since they first started appearing in speakers, but I know some people just hate the way they sound. I think they add a 'realness' to the sound. I am not a big fan of plastic or silk domes. Silk and fabric drivers sound too soft and compressed, and plastic sounds...well...plastic. The only plastic dome drivers I have ever liked are those from the old ADS 'L' series. I still think the somewhat inverted 2" paper cone/dome in the Original Advent sounded better than 99% of all the speakers using the plastic domes through the 80's and 90's -- which was why I ended up with Magnepans.

I told Kelly once that it's all about the midrange. If the midrange sounds right, you can tolerate just about anything else that is 'wrong' in a speaker. The quality of 'openness' and the lack of constriction that comes with it, the snap and crispness of the snare drum, and the sound of veil-less voices hanging in the air. It's really odd -- but more times than not, it just seems the simple designs pull this off better than the really complicated pricey stuff.

The midrange in the Heresy sounds 'right' to me, but so does the midrange in the Reference models I've heard. Its all ear candy to me, and I think we should just say that their is a "Klipsch sound" for everyone.

[NOSValves]

Dean,

You will have to test how far you can push the Scott it will all depend on the output of your CD drive I would bet at least 8. With my sony CA7ES I was able to go full volume without losing clarity if your table puts out more signal you may not be able to do the same.

[JCturboT]

Dean,

Next up the ladder is the Cornwalls which I just happen to know a fellow with a real nice pair-hint,hint

Jeff

[maxg]

Glad you like them Dean...

Confession time. I still haven't sold mine, despite 2 offers at the price I had said to myself I would take.

Will be interested to read what you think after some longer term listening. My bias tells me that they will be less wearing on you than the RF7's if you are listening for extended periods, but that is my bias talking.

As soon as you have your own sorted out please let me know.