minn_male42 Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 i work at an electronics distributor in minneapolis and our main focus is commercial audio...paging systems, speakers, commecial amplifiers, etc... when i talk with my customers...(dealers, installers, contractors)..and i mention that my home system is klipsch...i always get positive comments..."you can't go wrong with klipsch", "wow, sounds like a great system!"...."klf-30's...man, i've always wanted a set of those"...and more comments... these are people who do sound for a living...they work with all kinds of speakers..whatever is called for on the spec.... by the way...we don't carry the klipsch pro line... just wanted to share the perception among the professional installers that i hear.... russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I get the same kind of remarks from the instructors at my college, many of whom are audio engineers who have worked in the business for some time. One of my favorite stories though is one where my mom and younger brother were talking to the conductor of the chattanooga TN. symphony philharmonic, maestro Robert Bernhardt. The subject came around to music and recording as opposed to live music in the concert hall. Bob Bernhardt said something to the effect of "the problem with recordings is most people listen to them on 2" plastic tweeters". My mom said "well, we have more than 2 inch tweeters for speakers". At this point the maestro looked excited and said "what do you have? Klipsch??". It just goes to show how many people really respect the klipsch sound. Peace, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Unfortunantly, my experience has been mostly negative (which pisses me off to no end)! My brother used to work at a high-end audio salon in Tampa that sold loudspeakers from such manufacturers as EgglestonWorks, Thiel, Magnepan, Mission, Vandersteen, Dynaudio, Meridian, etc. When he mentioned our dad's Klipsch, the other employees would either laugh or sneer...never once did he experience a positive comment! Later when I visited another like salon, filled to the brim with lots of tube gear and loudspeakers from Definitive Technology, Epos, Paradigm, ProAc, McIntosh, Miage, NHT, Snell Acoustics, etc., and was looking at tube preamps, I was asked what loudspeakers I owned. When I told the salesman I owned Cornwalls, he gave me this look as if I had just farted and stunk up the joint! I've never patronized either audio retailers again. Most of my non-audiophile friends never even heard of Klipsch, but mention Bose, JBL or Polk Audio, and oh yes...they know them! Besides my dad's boss and a doctor our family knew years ago, I know of only friend who owns a pair of Klipsch KG 5.5 horn-speakers. Unfortunantly, he only bought them because he got them at a deep discount, and not because they sounded better than the Infinitis he also auditioned (if the Infinitis were cheaper, he would've bought them instead). He knows they're horns and that they're efficient, but he doesn't really appreciate them like we do; he's a computer geek who also has a stereo system (JVC A/V receiver and Toshiba DVD with no center channel or surround speakers; he did just purchase a Hitachi 57" rear projection HDTV monitor, but still has no plans to buy additional speakers for HT use). This Forum doesn't interest him in the slightest. Wish my experiences were better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 I get mixed reaction in audio stores, some good some bad. funny story goes with this topic though , i had a slight problem with some of my ht rotel gear and while the rep was in town the audio store decided to send one of there top guys along with the rep out to my place to check out the problem. Anyway the rep is for b&w plus rotel, after i rocked his socks off with my k-horn and lascalas his impression of klipsch gear took a 180 to say the least. The guy even went back to his car and grabed his camera to take a few pic's for the boys back at HQ. Just goes to show, what you have'nt heard for yourself you can't comment on.Plus my k-horns are 1/3 the price of a decent pair of b&w speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robB Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 ---------------- On 1/24/2003 1:33:37 AM jt1stcav wrote: Unfortunantly, my experience has been mostly negative (which pisses me off to no end)! My brother used to work at a high-end audio salon in Tampa that sold loudspeakers from such manufacturers as EgglestonWorks, Thiel, Magnepan, Mission, Vandersteen, Dynaudio, Meridian, etc. When he mentioned our dad's Klipsch, the other employees would either laugh or sneer...never once did he experience a positive comment! Later when I visited another like salon, filled to the brim with lots of tube gear and loudspeakers from Definitive Technology, Epos, Paradigm, ProAc, McIntosh, Miage, NHT, Snell Acoustics, etc., and was looking at tube preamps, I was asked what loudspeakers I owned. When I told the salesman I owned Cornwalls, he gave me this look as if I had just farted and stunk up the joint! I've never patronized either audio retailers again. Most of my non-audiophile friends never even heard of Klipsch, but mention Bose, JBL or Polk Audio, and oh yes...they know them! Besides my dad's boss and a doctor our family knew years ago, I know of only friend who owns a pair of Klipsch KG 5.5 horn-speakers. Unfortunantly, he only bought them because he got them at a deep discount, and not because they sounded better than the Infinitis he also auditioned (if the Infinitis were cheaper, he would've bought them instead). He knows they're horns and that they're efficient, but he doesn't really appreciate them like we do; he's a computer geek who also has a stereo system (JVC A/V receiver and Toshiba DVD with no center channel or surround speakers; he did just purchase a Hitachi 57" rear projection HDTV monitor, but still has no plans to buy additional speakers for HT use). This Forum doesn't interest him in the slightest. Wish my experiences were better... ---------------- I have heard similar things... When i bought my 1981 Cornwalls, they were considererd top of the mark. I worked at a Audio dealer at the time , where we sold just about everything audio, and were lucky enough to carry many manufactures home and pro lines... I bought my cornwalls after hearing the owners Klipschorns the night before..at his home There was no question... i went down and put my $2600.00 canadian..for a pair of CWO Cornwalls with the risers. I had to have the exact same finish as the bosses cornerhorns... Didn't buy horns, because i didn't have two good corners to put em in.. But...the Cornwalls.....still had "that sound" But over time peoples perceptions change. Remember... these were the days when PWK was running the show. And at that time,..excluding PRO, what is known today as..."heritage" was the only thing that the home audio line offered.. Now there are many branches to the Klipsch tree. Yes i too have heard, ,Well they aint what they used to be,..or,.they used to be top of the line..but not anymore. The marketplace is so crowded with the "mid- line speakers . Perhaps people make that comparison to the heritage...and come up dissapointed, with the more moderate priced Klipsch speakers Because.... Heritage sounds different than any other speaker in the klipsch lineup. I also have heard offhanded comments from high end NON klipsch dealers One dealer gave to me "his greatest sympathys" for owning cornwalls But ....i put it down to them pushing their own goods,while knocking the competition. I have also heard Well....i can get a much better sound from a smaller powered sealed box. I do find alot of the negativity base on the lower priced Klipsch, found in the megga stores, and bought by some folks who could not begging to tell you what a Klipschorn is. There is a certain snobery in high end speakers. Some consider heritage....outdated 40yrs past the mark....in comparison to the "new "high end models The best way i can conclude is by saying that ,especially the heritage line is not worse, better or outdated. IT just sounds different. to some ears its Count Bassie in the front row To others its like a P.A speaker. Raw agressive harsh. look at it this way Klipsch heritage is like a Harley Davidson. it stands out on its own. because...it is different from the pack. Some people luv em..some hate em ITs that simple *p.s The MCM pro speaker, incidentally is the most awesome Pro speaker ive heard or used.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasN00b Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 whats with the formatting of that post... it was a pain to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 I would hardly call audio boutique owners/employees professionals. They are always snobbish. The one I use had that same attitude and whined incessantly about my La Scalas until he came over to upgrade my ACT-3. When he heard them through the gear he sold me, he liked them and quit his *****in'. He had never heard La Scalas in any other setting but a club where they were driven so hard the KLiP circuit stayed activated the whole time. They are surely tizzy like that. I grew up near Nashville. More studios had Klipsch than just about anything else back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I think people who really LIVE music and audio either like, or appreciate Klipsch. The audio stores I goto are for the mid-level managers and small business owners, people who really work for their money, but at the same time, have some $$$ to spend on luxuries. Those stores seen nice and down to earth. I have NO interest in the "audio salons" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 The Sound Advice (yea, right) around me has 1 salesman that likes and actually owns Klipsch. I think he has the KLF30's. The rest of them turn their nose up at the mention of Klipsch and only become interested when KHorns are talked about because of the commission. Oh yea, the "good" salesman is also a guitar player. Someone who not only knows what music is suppose to sound like but what music is suppose to FEEL like. I have had several other brand of speakers (Martin Logan, NHT, ADS, Boston Acoustics) and they all make the music sound great but without the feeling the Klipsch bring to me. As for me, I was a trumpet player in school and marched drum and bugle corps for several years later. When you are down on the field or up in the stands with 66 guys with bugles blowing like there's no tomorrow, and the goosebumps raise on you skin, and a chill runs up your spine, and you feel the presense of the music, that is where my Klipsch bring me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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