bobd Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I've had a pair of Forte's since 1987. They are in good shape and sound OK it seems like they are a bit of "shrill". I feel that when I listen for any length of time I get fried/fatigued. I listen mostly to jazz and these speakers are very good with separation in terms of each instrument is nicely defined. I was thinking of maybe upgrading to a Reference speaker like the RF-35 or RF-55. Are these speakers considered to be smoother and less shrill thatn the Forte's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6 Driver Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 What are you driving your Fortes with? What sources/interconnects/wires are you using? Ever consider gettings seduced by tubes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonga Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 What equipment are you using to run the Fortes with, solid state or tube ?? While I also have the Fortes as a back up pair of speakers, my main ones are the KLF-30 Legends. Currently the KLF'S are biamped with a 1 1/2 wpc for the high side and a 100 wpc Hybrid amp for the low end. Without going in to how my system sounds ( as that is not why I am responding to this), but I would look into getting a tube amp for the Fortes, instead of buying new speakers. That is just my .02. Feel free to email me : bchasteen@cfl.rr.com B- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckears Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Fortes LOVE a high-quality amplifier. I have not forayed into the world of tubes, but I have run mine with an amplifier which I have heard described as being very tube-like - the 185 wpc McCormack Deluxe (DNA-1, also comes in -.5, and -2, 120 and 225 wpc respectively). My ears had not been as happy prior to listening to the Fortes with this amp, nor have they been as happy since I let go of it... I would describe the sound as "liquid music", if that makes any sense. I had run these speakers for years with a Carver 120-watt amp, but I never realized how much bass they were capable of reproducing until I hooked them up to the McCormack. I prowl the classifieds and ebay daily, hoping to find someone willing to give up the 5-channel version of the McCormack for a ridiculously low price. My Rotel is great for movies, but music does not carry anything near the emotional impact as it did on the DNA-1. I would stick with the Fortes; you might kick yourself later, discovering that they are just not made like that anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Hang on to the Fortes and get a good amp. Reference is an even tougher nut to crack. In the end they're both great. Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel Delaflor Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I would not consider that change as an "upgrade", both are different speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobd Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 Hello, Thanks for all the replies. I am currently using a Yamaha RX777 Natural Sound 100w/ch reciever to power my Forte's. It has a few switches to bypass the treble/bass controls and go from amp directly to the speakers. I was actually thinking of adding a Margules DAC unit to warm it up but haven't gone that route yet. Maybe I should save my pennies and invest in some other warmer source. What are some options in recievers that are new and in the 500-700 dollar range? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Do you really need a receiver (with a radio tuner)? Or will an integrated amp suffice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 Please consider usine your receiver as the tuner. Then get a Eico, Scott, Fisher or Heathkit tube amp. Send to a reputable technician to update poorly performing capacitors. Can be done for less than $ 700 easy and then you will hear a very diferent musical quality from your current speakers. Good Luck. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 The reason they sound shrill is that Yamaha receiver that you are powering them with. Yamaha units tend to be very bright when mated with Klipsch speakers. Better amplification will really make a huge difference with those speakers. I think going to the Reference Series using that same receiver will make things worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 Definitely upgrade your amplification before making a decision on speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 Yamaha has to be one of the least popular receivers to mate with Klipsch, including the Reference series, but especially the super-sensitive Heritage series. The combination will wear out your ears. The advice here is right: check out a low cost refurbished integrated tube amplifier from NOSvalves and others like him. Horns love tubes. You could also investigate better placement, nicer cables and room treatments. All of which will make your big ole horns sing like no other low cost musical solution can do. Vintage horns are different than cone loudspeakers. They have their own unique problems. This requires totally different solutions than conventional loudspeakers. Once you are used to rethinking what you need and we will certainly be tons of help you will learn to ignore conventional box thinking of chain audio stores and appreciate the rare qualities of super-sensitivity, dynamics, imaging and soundstage that big ole horns can give. Bookshelf loudspeakers, and the smaller Heritage series compete in that realm, do not reach down low enough to pick up all of the nuances of the deep bass regions. They need subwoofer support. This is especially true, in my opinion, if you use a tube amplifier. The low impedance common with bass drivers is a challenge for tube amplifiers to master. They do not have the oomph to control the bass driver and so the bass driver often ends up controlling them. The frequency response of a tube driven speaker can reflect the impedance of the speaker compared to the frequency response of a solid-state driven one. Hence some solid-state support, in the form of a powerful, active sub-bass woofer is required for big ole horns driven by tubes. In fact, though Bob Carver recently lost the legal claim that he invented the modern subwoofer a small box powered with a Class D or BASH amplifier - I believe this evolutionary innovation made the return of tube driven big ole horns possible. Now one can enjoy the magic of both worlds: sweet and delicate mid-range, shimmering and sparkling treble, deep and solid bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobd Posted December 2, 2003 Author Share Posted December 2, 2003 So if I sold off the Yamaha and got something like a Jolida tube amp(I mention them because they seem affordable) I would hear a big difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMF Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 Colin, that implies you want to bi-amp the big Heritages with tubes on top and something silicon on the bottom. Is that what you're getting at? Is there a bi-amp mod for the Forte? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelerFan Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 bobd, if you go with the Jolida please post your thoughts. I also have Forte's and have wondered how they would sound with the Jolida. I'm currently running my Forte's with an old JVC receiver(50wpc) I got as a gift way back in 1981 and it is an improvement over the Yamaha and Forte combo. I'm running my RF-7's with the Yamaha now and it is even brighter than it was with the Forte's. Gotta replace the Yamaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hightone Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 I use a jolida with klf-20 for music. It is much better sounding than my av reciver. I think the jolida with my rb-35's is an better match though very smooth. I also used the jolida with cornwalls for a while it sounded good as well. A used jolida can be found for around 500.00 or less. Any tubes will be a step in the right direction. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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