Jump to content

Newbie here and my late blooming love for Klipsch


Knows_Very_Little

Recommended Posts

Hey Everyone - newbie here from Texas.

 

Been an avid audiophile since I was 8 years old.  Back then it was about listening to music and always wanting it to sound better though not understanding about it or how it worked.

 

Over the decades I have worked on and off in the industry and always had a system of some sort.  The system had grown at times to be crazy expensive to not so much at other times.  I've owned so many brands of gear and speakers I can't even count.  I was always surrounded by people in the industry so I had so much gear coming in and out I lost track of ENJOYING the music and instead focused on what was wrong with the system and finding faults.

 

An epiphany moment for me came some time ago when I sold my very expensive 803 B&W's, giant Krell amps and preamps, and "down graded" to a set 600 series B&W standers, REL sub, and a measly 30 watt E.A.R. 834 integrated tube amp.  It was the most musical, enjoyable, foot-tapping system I had ever owned.  It was then I realized more expensive isn't necessarily "better".  I gave up caring about it being "perfect sound" (what ever that means) and just enjoyed the musical experience.  

 

I sold off all that stuff when I moved and a couple of years ago I decided to rebuild a system.  I knew after all the decades of owning so many different kinds of "sounds", I was looking for a "you are there" sound and presentation that is still refined and very musically expressive.  I have an ear that can hear the tiniest of differences, so I am very sensitive to different gear.  

 

After much research, I knew I wanted horn speakers and I thought of JBL (I had a smaller powered JBL horn studio speaker and it was quite god for what it was).  After further research and knowing the sound I wanted, I was lead to the Klipsch Heritage series over the JBL's.  I must admit in all my decades I had never seriously considered Klipsch - to my detriment.

 

In my way of thinking the Heresy's would be fine, so the Forte's must be better, which lead me to convince the wife to let me get the Cornwall IV's.  So I put together a Naim integrated, Cornwall IV's and an SVS 3000 ported sub.

 

Holy.  Freaking.  Crap.  It was what I always wanted and didn't know how to achieve.  I am now a Klipsch Heritage fan for life.  

 

Currently in the process of some system mods but Klipsch Heritage are staying at the core of things - and I look forward to sharing my journey with you guys and leaning a lot from you all!

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum! Since you are new to the world of Klipsch I would be interested to know what makes the difference? I mean that many here have been listening to Klipsch speakers for a long time. Only if it's a new discovery for you, what is it about the CW4 that makes it click into place for you? Because your description doesn't sound like a struggle for the last nuances, but I understand it in the way that for you it was an immediate enlightening experience? 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, KT88 said:

Welcome to the forum! Since you are new to the world of Klipsch I would be interested to know what makes the difference? I mean that many here have been listening to Klipsch speakers for a long time. Only if it's a new discovery for you, what is it about the CW4 that makes it click into place for you? Because your description doesn't sound like a struggle for the last nuances, but I understand it in the way that for you it was an immediate enlightening experience? 

 

Hello!  Great question.

 

I went through the phase (with my fellow audiophile friends) of chasing perfection.  And with the systems I had (but especially they had with the huge amounts of money they would spend) I realized that for what *I* was looking for, that was boring and not what brought me happiness.  I lost sight of the music and replaced it with always finding ways to be unhappy with the sound.

 

When I had the small JBL's it was the first time I really heard what horns could do to vocals and the lack of distortion I found enlightening.  In my search for "more" of that, I was led to the Klipsch that gave me a sound more in line with what I was looking for.

 

I felt the C IV's offered more scale and dynamics than the smaller Klipsch Heritage do, and a IMO a more preferable sound signature than the JBL's.  I also think JBL is smoking dope on the prices they charge, and hope Klipsch does not raise their prices too high.  I am addicted to large scale sound and dynamics to make it lifelike.

 

I've had the C IV's about 2 years now, and have had them paired with an integrated NAIM.  I just received a Pass Labs integrated this week and am buying that in to see how I like it.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

 

Hello!  Great question.

 

I went through the phase (with my fellow audiophile friends) of chasing perfection.  And with the systems I had (but especially they had with the huge amounts of money they would spend) I realized that for what *I* was looking for, that was boring and not what brought me happiness.  I lost sight of the music and replaced it with always finding ways to be unhappy with the sound.

 

When I had the small JBL's it was the first time I really heard what horns could do to vocals and the lack of distortion I found enlightening.  In my search for "more" of that, I was led to the Klipsch that gave me a sound more in line with what I was looking for.

 

I felt the C IV's offered more scale and dynamics than the smaller Klipsch Heritage do, and a IMO a more preferable sound signature than the JBL's.  I also think JBL is smoking dope on the prices they charge, and hope Klipsch does not raise their prices too high.  I am addicted to large scale sound and dynamics to make it lifelike.

 

I've had the C IV's about 2 years now, and have had them paired with an integrated NAIM.  I just received a Pass Labs integrated this week and am buying that in to see how I like it.

Would you call it more live sounding with excellent dynamics and detail in the music?

 

You should love the sound of that Pass Labs integrated with those new CW's. Pass Labs are known for their quality sound in a quality product. Tube sound in a SS amplifier. The other thing you have said about listening to equipment is the trap audiophiles fall into. Listening to equipment instead of listening to music. You now have the horn sound from one of the best in the business when it comes to horn speakers. Enjoy the music. Spend your money there. 

 

By the way your handle does not seem to be correct. You sound like you are very knowledgeable on the subject of equipment and sound.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

 

Yes - absolutely.  It sounds more effortless and natural and less forced.  Detail retrieval is excellent without being analytical.  

It is about the tiny movement of the diaphragm in a driver vs the force required to move a conventional much larger speaker. A tiny movement of a driver along with the acoustic amplification of the horn minimizes distortion and is much quicker with much more detail in the music. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, henry4841 said:

It is about the tiny movement of the diaphragm in a driver vs the force required to move a conventional much larger speaker. A tiny movement of a driver along with the acoustic amplification of the horn minimizes distortion and is much quicker with much more detail in the music. 

 

It's interesting - I never knew how much compression in other speakers affected the sound (especially in vocals) until I finally heard what it sounded like WITHOUT driver compression.  Then it was like an "ah ha!" revelation.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, henry4841 said:

 

 

By the way your handle does not seem to be correct. You sound like you are very knowledgeable on the subject of equipment and sound.  

Thank you for the kind words.   BTW, the Pass integrated weighs 93 pounds so I had to bring it from the front door to the speakers via 4 wheel dolly.   LOL

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a lot happening on the paper, or whatever, cone of a conventional speaker when the motor part called voice coil tries to move the cone. I have seen graphs of the waves happening on the cone trying to reproduce the sound wave and it is not pretty. Naturally the larger the cone the more happening. Even the 15" speaker in the K-horn and LaScala moves much, much less than the cone in a conventional speaker trying to reproduce the low notes.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

Thank you for the kind words.   BTW, the Pass integrated weighs 93 pounds so I had to bring it from the front door to the speakers via 4 wheel dolly.   LOL

That tells you a lot about what goes into one of Pass Labs amplifiers. Should work as intended for decades before needing a freshening up. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your journey mirrors mine except I started with Klipsch and went full circle and am back.

I owned at one point Pass labs mono amps and there pre-amp and they were excellent.

I can't resist tubes so that is where I have settled along with some original Chorus speakers.

I would purchase the CW-4's if I was going new in a heartbeat, although I sure would like to see a new Chorus come back.

It is so true how we get lost in listening to the equipment instead of the music and forget why we started this journey.

Klipsch has a way of bringing you out from the darkness and you just listen to the music again.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, henry4841 said:

That tells you a lot about what goes into one of Pass Labs amplifiers. Should work as intended for decades before needing a freshening up. 

Yup.  It's the INT 60 so it runs in Class A up until 30 watts then goes into class AB but has a crazy amount of current.  

 

In my experience class A can be too extreme and have a lot of weaknesses, but from what my OCD has done research-wise Pass seems to be dialed in just right.  We will see once burned in.  I do listening at 0 hours, 25 hours, 50 hours, 75 hours and 100 hours.  I've found over the years sometimes gear takes a step backwards at the 75 hour mark and recovers at 100 hours.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

Yup.  It's the INT 60 so it runs in Class A up until 30 watts then goes into class AB but has a crazy amount of current.  

 

 I do listening at 0 hours, 25 hours, 50 hours, 75 hours and 100 hours.  I've found over the years sometimes gear takes a step backwards at the 75 hour mark and recovers at 100 hours.

 

 

I have heard the 60 it is a very nice unit.

That is something I found also at times with break-in.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, SonicSeeker said:

Your journey mirrors mine except I started with Klipsch and went full circle and am back.

I owned at one point Pass labs mono amps and there pre-amp and they were excellent.

I can't resist tubes so that is where I have settled along with some original Chorus speakers.

I would purchase the CW-4's if I was going new in a heartbeat, although I sure would like to see a new Chorus come back.

It is so true how we get lost in listening to the equipment instead of the music and forget why we started this journey.

Klipsch has a way of bringing you out from the darkness and you just listen to the music again.

 

Tubes are fantastic but I also find them a bit stressful as I end up going down a rabbit hole wanting to try all the different brands and kinds!  LOL

 

I'm looking to the Pass to give me the best of both worlds.  From what I understand, the INT-60 strikes a good balance of having the humanity, texture and tone of tubes while having the power of solid state.

 

I will say, many of the reviews regarding Pass comment on the powerful bass.  I have experienced that as well and the bass from the C IV's with the Pass is incredible.  At the same time, I am hearing micro dynamics and texture in the bass with the Pass I have not heard previously. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

 

Tubes are fantastic but I also find them a bit stressful as I end up going down a rabbit hole wanting to try all the different brands and kinds!  LOL

 

That actually is the one rabbit hole I enjoy. It satisfies my tinkering itch and desire to try something different once in a while without major changes and expenses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Knows_Very_Little said:

I'm looking to the Pass to give me the best of both worlds.  From what I understand, the INT-60 strikes a good balance of having the humanity, texture and tone of tubes while having the power of solid state.

 

I will say, many of the reviews regarding Pass comment on the powerful bass.  I have experienced that as well and the bass from the C IV's with the Pass is incredible.  At the same time, I am hearing micro dynamics and texture in the bass with the Pass I have not heard previously. 

I agree. I had the 60 as a demo until my monos came in and I honestly could have stopped there.

I sold the Pass and went to the Coda amp and pre before I landed back here.

I blame a lot of my wondering on Terry :) but I am done and happy.

http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/coda-technologies-16.0-amplifier-by-terry-london

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...