Ever try moving away from Klipsch speakers?

[KT88]

As a teenager in the 70s who was already very interested in hi-fi and music, I had three listening experiences that have shaped me for the rest of my life. Klipschorn, BBC BC1 and Tannoy Alnicos. Crazy enough, I had a system in the 80s where I combined a Klipschorn bass that I built myself (only chipboard, I didn't have any more money) with 2 Tannoy HPD 295 10" drivers in a normal bass reflex cabinet that I built myself. The amp was self-built, it was analogue active. The Tannoys kept their xover (similar design to Klipsch with autoformers for the mid/high horn) and I cut off at about 200 Hz. This was probably one of the best I've ever had.
This old love has survived to this day, because all three speakers illuminate the music from a different side. My main speakers today are a BBC LS3/6 from Stirling Broadcast from 2016, a Tannoy Canterbury 15“ from 1994, my beloved La Scala from 1977, my Klipsch UJ from 2008 and a Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a in the small room. Yes, and there's also an old ESL57 that I bought second-hand almost 30 years ago. The ESLs are impressively transparent, but not for me in the long term. If I could only take one pair with me to the desert island, it would be very difficult. Probably the old 1977 La Scala and I'd smuggle the little LS3/5a in with me.

[KWB]

New here. I was a big fan of A/D/S before i got my First set of Heresys. 

As far as moving away . lol I now own 2 set of heresys with a extra one i was using in a surround setup.

A set of Belles for my main setup and a set of  chorus 2 in my bar.

I also have a set of 650 outdoor speakers and 2 650 rocks. 

There is no moving away. lol

[the real Duke Spinner]

On 11/29/2023 at 9:04 AM, Shakeydeal said:

I've owned over 30 different speakers in the last 25 years. These were probably the last ten I've had that weren't Klipsch.

 

Spatial Audio X3

Reference 3a Grand Veena

Green Mountain Audio Continuum 3

Wilson Audio Sophia

Piega P10

Von Schweikert VR4 Gen III HSE

PBN Montana EPS3

PBN Montana SP2

Magnepan 3.5r

Silverline Sonata II

 

Most of these were very good and brought some things to the table that horns don't. But at the end of the day, the immediacy and dynamics of horns win. For now.....

 

 

Exactly ..

Impact. 😀

[Steve.]

I currently have Forte IV and really like them.  In the past I have had several other brands,  all decent but I like the flavor that Heritage speakers bring.   Past Klipsch speakers were KG 1.5, KG4, CF4 v1 , Heresy II , Heresy III.     Someday I'd to own Lascala.

[Iteachstem]

To answer the question "Ever try moving away from Klipsch speakers?" The answer is yes.  I'm glad I did... more on this later.

 

If you haven't listened to other speakers produced by other manufacturers, then you are missing out on a lot of what the audio world has to offer. To me, that's part of what I love about the wonderful world of audio, that exciting feeling of exploring what else is out there. Striving to improve your listening experience! Comparing one speaker to another, pairing a set of great amps against each other to see which one your ears tell you is more pleasing, etc.

 

It's like only trying a cheese pizza... sure, you might think it's love at first bite, as you sink your chompers into the warm flavorful combination of flaky crust combined with a luscious tomato sauce topped with stringy mozzarella cheese, but what do you have to compare it to?  If you've never had it with any other toppings, like sausage, pepperoni, olives, garlic, etc. then how do you know that your cheese pizza is the best for you? 

 

It's almost a "must" to get out there and try other combinations.  Who knows, you may decide that your first love is what you find yourself returning to, but you owe it to yourself to get out there and explore the wonderful world of audio!  To say that Klipsch is the only speaker you'll ever listen to is very narrow minded.  I understand brand loyalty and the cult like following some people have with different speaker manufacturers, but to say they will never even consider something else is downright foolish.

 

I am 48 years old and have been wowed with electronics, speakers, and music since I was in grade school. I tipped over my brothers old Jensen speaker, lifted it a couple inches off the ground after placing it in the corner of our basement, connected it to our Peavey Pacer guitar amp and fed it a signal from my old Panasonic boom box to make it my first ever subwoofer!  Yikes!  Yes, I have come a long way since then, but I've always been curious about speaker design.  I have tried many speakers over the years, as I like to purchase speakers in need of a little TLC, restore/refinish them, and then compare them to my speakers I currently own.  Then, I decide if they bump one from my current lineup, or go on their way for someone else to enjoy.  This allowed me to try many different speakers over the years.  Now being a teacher, I'm on a limited budget, so I can't speak to any fancy $$ speakers out there, but I have to say Klipsch has the most bang for the buck!  However, for my ears, the ones I own and have tried are not necessarily the best overall sounding speakers to listen to.  For example, I did an A/B comparison with my RF7 II's compared with my set of Focal Chorus V's.  (Both paired with my dual 15" subs)  The Focal's stomped all over the RF7's when it came to detail in the upper frequencies!  However, if I was looking for a speaker to crank and stand alone without any subs, then I would for sure choose the RF7's. 

 

I guess what I'm saying in a rather long winded attempt, is that there is a speaker out there for every purpose and for every person.  Have fun an explore what the audio industry has to offer.  Go out on a limb and try something you normally wouldn't ever listen to, who knows, you may just find a new love of your audio life!

[nickyboy6100]

I didn’t start with Klipsch speakers. I’m not an audiophile either. I just like my music to sound like it does live and Klipsch does the best job of that out of all the other brands I have tried. I’ve had quite a few speakers from Klipsch, and I’ve liked all of them. 

[Peter P.]

On 11/29/2023 at 12:42 AM, Bananas and Blow said:

My main system has a set of Forte IV's. They are my favorite speakers I've ever owned, and I've owned a few. I'm a rocker at heart and nothing pounds quite like a Forte in my experience. I'm temporary relocated away from my system in an apartment for 5 months. I brought some Dynaudio Special 40 speakers which do some things nicely. I've got them paired with my recently acquired Yamaha A-s1200. The combo is an utter snooze-fest compared to my Fortes. It's not a good pairing, to say the least. Listening to music is dull and uninvolving. It finally hit me today that what I'm missing is the live Klipsch sound. Nothing comes close in my experience. I'm feverishly attempting to track down some Heresy to get me by until I get back to my beloved Fortes. Heaven help the audiophile who doesn't have his Klipsch speakers.

Sounds like you should have bought some RP-600Ms and a subwoofer instead of the Dynaudios. You would have saved a bundle and still had that Klipsch taste.

 

Oh well, absence makes the heart grow fonder so, stick with what you have at your temporary digs and wait until you return home!

[Bananas and Blow]

2 hours ago, Iteachstem said:

To answer the question "Ever try moving away from Klipsch speakers?" The answer is yes.  I'm glad I did... more on this later.

 

If you haven't listened to other speakers produced by other manufacturers, then you are missing out on a lot of what the audio world has to offer. To me, that's part of what I love about the wonderful world of audio, that exciting feeling of exploring what else is out there. Striving to improve your listening experience! Comparing one speaker to another, pairing a set of great amps against each other to see which one your ears tell you is more pleasing, etc.

 

It's like only trying a cheese pizza... sure, you might think it's love at first bite, as you sink your chompers into the warm flavorful combination of flaky crust combined with a luscious tomato sauce topped with stringy mozzarella cheese, but what do you have to compare it to?  If you've never had it with any other toppings, like sausage, pepperoni, olives, garlic, etc. then how do you know that your cheese pizza is the best for you? 

 

It's almost a "must" to get out there and try other combinations.  Who knows, you may decide that your first love is what you find yourself returning to, but you owe it to yourself to get out there and explore the wonderful world of audio!  To say that Klipsch is the only speaker you'll ever listen to is very narrow minded.  I understand brand loyalty and the cult like following some people have with different speaker manufacturers, but to say they will never even consider something else is downright foolish.

 

I am 48 years old and have been wowed with electronics, speakers, and music since I was in grade school. I tipped over my brothers old Jensen speaker, lifted it a couple inches off the ground after placing it in the corner of our basement, connected it to our Peavey Pacer guitar amp and fed it a signal from my old Panasonic boom box to make it my first ever subwoofer!  Yikes!  Yes, I have come a long way since then, but I've always been curious about speaker design.  I have tried many speakers over the years, as I like to purchase speakers in need of a little TLC, restore/refinish them, and then compare them to my speakers I currently own.  Then, I decide if they bump one from my current lineup, or go on their way for someone else to enjoy.  This allowed me to try many different speakers over the years.  Now being a teacher, I'm on a limited budget, so I can't speak to any fancy $$ speakers out there, but I have to say Klipsch has the most bang for the buck!  However, for my ears, the ones I own and have tried are not necessarily the best overall sounding speakers to listen to.  For example, I did an A/B comparison with my RF7 II's compared with my set of Focal Chorus V's.  (Both paired with my dual 15" subs)  The Focal's stomped all over the RF7's when it came to detail in the upper frequencies!  However, if I was looking for a speaker to crank and stand alone without any subs, then I would for sure choose the RF7's. 

 

I guess what I'm saying in a rather long winded attempt, is that there is a speaker out there for every purpose and for every person.  Have fun an explore what the audio industry has to offer.  Go out on a limb and try something you normally wouldn't ever listen to, who knows, you may just find a new love of your audio life!

 

I am also 48 fwiw. Reading here I think many members have tried many different brands and found Klipsch to be their favorite. Or at least near the top. In the past 7 years I've owned the following speakers:

 

Thiel 3.5

KEF R300

ATC SCM 11 v2

Harbeth SHL5+XD

Dynaudio Special 40s

Triangle Magellan Duettos

B&W 804N

B&W 803S

B&W CDM 1nt (Still own these in a bedroom setup)

B&W CM1s2

B&W 602s2

B&W CDM7SE

Heresy IV (only sold because I preferred the Forte IV and I did not have another room they fit)

KLH Model 5 (current re-issue).

NHT SuperOne 2.1

Forte IV (current main speakers).

 

I may be forgetting a pair in there somewhere. I'm a Klipsch fan because no speaker in all of those came close to providing the joy and listening experience I get from the Forte IV (in particular paired with my Cary SLI-80 tube amp). My second favorite speaker from that list was the Heresy IV. The funnest speaker from this list was the KLH 5. Just made me want to pull out album after album all night long. Don't presume that people here have only heard Klipsch speakers. The Harbeth had the best sweet sweet midrange I've yet heard. If I only listened to acoustic jazz I would have stuck with them. But they were terrible with hard rock music. The Triangles had the most detail I've heard and in some ways were the best speakers for about 45 minutes. However they were way, way too bright and very fatiguing. So in some ways they were also the worst speaker because they weren't fun to listen to.

 

But the Fortes are the king for me because I'm a rocker at heart. Love classic metal. Thin LIzzy, UFO, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and such bands I love so much. No speaker delivers that sound for me like the Fortes. The gut punch bass. The Fortes have 1 slight weakness that I don't even care about. Vocals are a bit recessed. But they do everything else very well. Pick a category of sound and they are at least an 8 out of 10 to my ears. They also have a big sound. And I didn't really understand how much I like a big sounding speaker until I owned the Fortes. But something that just fills the room and envelopes you in sound is just a great listening experience. For that reason I'm curious about the Cornwall IV at some point. But I'm pretty sure I prefer the punchy bass of the Forte more, even without hearing the CW.

 

I've been told that if I like the sound of Heritage to try some vintage Altecs. But those speakers are massive and hideous looking to my eyes. The Volti Razz has been described as a more refined Forte. But I find the Forte to be a refined speaker in it's own right. The audiophile journey can be an endless never satisfying journey. Always searching for the next sound. Always finding some flaw in the system that needs an upgrade to correct. That journey ended when I paired my Cary amp with the Fortes. It's been said to me I'll get itchy and change things. But I'm going on 2 years with this combo and nothing I've heard at home for any length of time compares. I am swept away on a musical journey daily with this system. I am a Klipsch fan because they are a refined, resolving speaker that makes me feel like the artist is in the room with me performing. I don't listen to the Rolling stones on my hifi, I hang out with them in my room.

 

 

[Bananas and Blow]

22 minutes ago, Peter P. said:

Sounds like you should have bought some RP-600Ms and a subwoofer instead of the Dynaudios. You would have saved a bundle and still had that Klipsch taste.

 

Oh well, absence makes the heart grow fonder so, stick with what you have at your temporary digs and wait until you return home!

Perhaps but I like to try new speakers and read about the 40s for quite a while so I really wanted to own them. I've realized the past 2 weeks that for some reason the Yamaha a-s1200 is just a terrible amp for the 40s. I find this very surprising as the Yamaha A-s801 was a pretty good pairing for them. I like the 40s a lot when paired right but they are not nearly as enjoyable as the Heresy despite doing some things better. There's a very real chance I will drive 6 hours home and back to get my Fortes for the next 4 months. Life's too short to live without Fortes.

[billybob]

Not scientific yet, alot have come to Klipsch stories rather than the moving away from.

Thanks

[The History Kid]

I've listened to my fair share of speakers from many brands over the years, but Klipsch was always what caught my ear.  I've always liked how they sounded and how they looked - the two biggest things probably when pursuing audio greatness.  That being said, I've also been an avid critic of many Klipsch designs over the years, especially the "modern" "Reference" series, and the in-between-years of second gen Reference and Reference Premier.  But I'm still a fan at heart, and I base it off my experience of the sound, not the science - which I think we often get way too caught up in.

[MC39693]

I've had Klipsch mostly for 40+ years, my Klipsch lasted because of my ability to repair and change them, thanks to this forum.  But as time moves on, the forum moves on and I have moved on from Klipsch.

 

Over time I've moved to Sonus Faber bookshelf speakers, amazing sound, with twin Velodyne DD10.  Other Sonus Faber coming eventually.

 

As some have stated above, if you don't give other speakers a shot you don't know what you don't know.

Enjoy the music!

[JohnJ]

Interesting subject and I liked a lot of the comments in here. I started with some infinities with these skinny foil slits for tweeters and almost transparent woofers. I had heard Klipschorns but being 14 I had to have something. Next had some 501s not button fly but with the rudder you could twist on one corner. At 4 ohms they put out more sound than the infinity bookshelves did. I got two more a couple years later. Then I heard a pair of Heresy IIs in a studio apartment.

That was 1990 I ordered my Heresy IIs put them in the main listening area with the other four speakers throughout the house. You probably guessed what the next move was that was moving down to one pair of much better speakers.

Used those for 30 years then made the slight jump to the Forte III.

Been without them for too long but will have them back in operation soon and my question to resolve will be with one sub or two?

[the real Duke Spinner]

My JBL 4430 have incredible detail But no Impact like Klipsch Trade offs.  🙄🙄🙄

[Marvel]

I only moved far enough away to be in the sweet spot...

[Invidiosulus]

Not exactly.

 

 

[Marvel]

Nice, very nice!

[the real Duke Spinner]

I moved away from my Forte lls... But

That was my ex wife doing. 🤬🤬🤬

[the real Duke Spinner]

On 12/5/2023 at 10:58 PM, Invidiosulus said:

Not exactly.

 

 

Did you find the Bracing made a difference, Josh ?

[Invidiosulus]

21 minutes ago, the real Duke Spinner said:

Did you find the Bracing made a difference, Josh ?

Absolutely.

but perhaps not as much of a difference as Roy’s PEQ settings for the Jubescala.

The LS bass bin has a massive bump around 148Hz and some EQ to flatten it out really helps the low end definition.

 

Put the EQ together with the braced sidewalls and it’s much better.