AndyKubicki Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 OTOH, I was at my brother's house for Christmas listening to these http://www.genesis-audio.com/port6.htm'> Those are his Martin Logans powered by mostly Proceed electronics and I must admit, they sounded good, but I was happy to get back to my KHorns! My son, who played his band CD on his sytem after being used to hearing it over his SF2s said it sounded muffled. Yeah, I'm happy with my KHorns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 "They get loud enough to shake the snot out your nose and shoot it thirty feet across the room." Request permission to use that as my signature -- I almost lost a mouthful of coffee when I read that. LOL Jeff, let me help you out here a little. First of all, I had never heard Klipschorns on tube gear until I went to Paul's house. In fact, every exposure I ever had with Klipschorns was with Crown pro gear. My opinion of the Klipschorn until this past November was that they were some of the most obnoxious, ear bleeding speakers I had ever heard. Awful by ANY standard, and my previous experiences with LaScala had me such that I knew I would never even be in the same room with them again. I don't like listening while laying in the fetal position. Because of Kelly, and all of the hype surrounding the Cornwall, I did break down and buy a nice vintage set of them, and ran them with Craig's first tweaked out 299A. I was very impressed by them until I pushed them. I decided the Cornwall was more suited to moderate SPL levels (below 95db) with Rock, and could easily see why they were preferred by many for Jazz listening. The Cornwall is a very open sounding speaker, and I actually thought imaging and depth of soundfield were excellent -- but I did have them a couple of feet off the back wall. At some point I needed an influx of cash, and I certainly didn't hear anything from the Cornwall that was going to usurp my modded RF-7s. I had mixed feelings about Heritage after the experience, really feeling they were outdated, and simply could not figure out the extreme love affair people had with these things. Now, I did have them down in my finished basement, and I put the mixed feelings down to a combination of room acoustics, recording tastes, and listening habits. I'm not "nice" to my speakers. I expect them to pull double duty. They need to stay open and near invisible down low, and also need to move every molecule of air in the room when asked to do so. I really felt, and still feel the RF-7 does an all around better job here -- especially in the areas of coherency and articulation at higher SPLs. Of course, this assessment may not be completely fair, as I was running the Welborne Apollos upstairs with the RF-7s. Still, one can easily surmise the general character, signature, and capability of a speaker with any decent tube amp. So, these were my experiences, feelings, and thoughts going to 'Audio Myths and Legends' get together at Paul's. Quite frankly, I wasn't expecting much, and had desperately wanted to bring my RF-7s so I could put on a clinic of what good sound really was. Craig and Paul were already jamming when I got there -- some Classical piece -- and walking through the front door completely overwhelmed me, and every cherished idea I ever had relating to speakers went down the drain. It was one of the most humbling things I've ever experienced. It was bewildering to me, trying to correlate my strong views and feelings to what I was hearing, and finally -- I just had to let go. My immediate listening area is very small, with the Klipschorns on the short wall, at the one of the ends of a Cape Cod 2nd floor. Even at only 12 feet apart, with the lenses crossing five to six feet in front of them -- I can be ANYWHERE in the room, and the sound is completely immersive. I can do nearfield with my chair, lay on the bed and read, sit on the floor and play computer chess, whatever, it matters not -- the sound is there -- completely intact. The baffle so large, the propogated sound waves just cover every square inch of the room. Do not worry about depth of soundfield. You think about things like 'coherency', 'imaging', and 'soundfield depth' -- but these terms and concepts become completely meaningless when the Klipschorns start playing music. You just won't care! I have attempted to engage them with critical listening -- but they won't let me. It is like an insult to their majesty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Damn Dean, you and Colin should be getting free khorns for your writing, I need to hear an feel this. I must buy a NEW pair as soon as I get used to my 6 cornwalls and all the new acoutrements I really am serious! Thanks for the delicate, intrcicate feelings from both you nutz. Smilin for New Khorns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 To Dean and Colin.....Well done. Some say you can't put emotional feelings of music to words describing it. Music must be heard to appreciate it. Guess what? Your both very close!!! Great Job, and I agree too!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 All I can add is that for twenty six years my Khorns have been my "other woman". Sometimes I have lavashed money on them and sometimes I've treated them like sh!t. But I cherish them and wouldn't give them up without a fight. "From my cold dead hands".... Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 bumpity comment, designed to keep topic on top: I too was shocked at the shallowness of the soundstage at first, especially after seriously auditioning, in my home, with the same equipment and the same music, for EnjoyTheMusic.com., loudspeakers like the Vince Christian E6c, which do a superb job with classical music and wrapping the images AROUND the listener, with a super powerful amp. My classic Klipsch corner Khorns are 14 feet apart. Unlike most big ole horns, they currently point more towards themselves than my ear! They are fitted tightly to the 45-degree corners. This improves the bass and strangely, does little to diminish the imaging. They do sound real, in and out of the room. I do know find it critical to sit in the sweet spot, except that the vocalists image becomes incredibly well-focused, dimensional and tasty enough to touch. Music often makes us break out in dance. Incredible bargain at less than $2K. They thrill me more than any other modest system I have heard, notwithstanding some incredible money-is-no-object systems like the $70K Martin-Logan Statements with massive Krell blocks, $100K Nearfield Pipedreams with OTL amplifiers and $50K Advantegarde Acoustics with Viva amplifiers. I don't think I will ever part with them, at least not untill the rest of the audio chain far outweighs their performance! I dont know what happened to Mike Lindsay Lets set a date for me to come up there now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Dean made some comments that I think are universal to Khorn users. I agree that soundstage, imaging, & other typical speaker considerations deminish at the sound of a well-cornered pair. It's not that descriminating descriptions can't be made, so much as it is, why talk when you can listen. Nothing is as important as what is at the time; what isn't isn't important while they are playing. Listening does become an emotionally attaching sensation. I also agree that listening position is less critical, even though it is obvious when I sit in the sweetest spot. They sound great all over the house (and yard, if you want them to). My sweet spot is only about nine feet from the plane of the horns. Great post, Dean. Ditto. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Well, I intended to say : Great post Colin & Dean. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 ---------------- On 1/21/2004 11:40:23 PM DeanG wrote: Craig and Paul were already jamming when I got there -- some Classical piece -- and walking through the front door completely overwhelmed me, and every cherished idea I ever had relating to speakers went down the drain. It was one of the most humbling things I've ever experienced. It was bewildering to me, trying to correlate my strong views and feelings to what I was hearing, and finally -- I just had to let go. ---------------- *Now* I understand. I thought your bewildered look was from seeing me and Craig dancing to Mahler's 6th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Thanks Steve for bringing that opost to the top, I didn't see Dean's response to my post. This aspect of the Khorn is really interesting. When I heard them at Chris's place, the sound struck me, despite a less than optimal placement. Are they a cure agains the audiophile neurosis? Maybe. Needless to say, I'm anxious to hear them in my living room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Dean, GREAT post there ... You got the Klipschorn experience exactly right, with all the nuance. I couldn't post here for two reasons: (1) Jeff's already heard my system so I have nothing new to add, and (2) my living room is very funky, approximately 25' x 14' with 8' ceilings; the only two good corners are in OPPOSITE corners so there is NO soundstage. Nevertheless, the K-horns just FILL the entire room with music, and I agree that the sound permeates well into other rooms. When I'm home alone and cooking in the kitchen (adjascent to the living room), I'll just crank up the music and enjoy from 30' feet away. This is particularly interesting when you consider that I have a 5-channel Heritage system in a family room common to the kitchen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Jeff, I don't think there is a cure, but they certainly do soothe the spirit. A review from your livingroom will be fun. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Colin, I'll email you with an approximate date. I don't want you coming untill I finish the center channel Klipschorn. I'm using the University Classic as a center channel speaker right now. I want to take it down and put it in the other room where I have some stock Klipschorns. While your here I want you to A/B the University and the Klipschorn. You need to hear this bass horn. I'm not going to take the University down untill the center channel K-Horn is ready to go up. I hope you don't go home too disapointed about your Klipschorns after hearing my modified ones. I won't say anything more, I'll let you be the judge. Heck, you might not like the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 My Klipsch modified Klipschorns sound pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Qman, looking forward to it, need to pencil in a weekend now though, I am involved in a local campaign and things may get extremely busy for the next six weeks, would love to hear your system, especially if something sounds better than classic Klipsch corner Khorns, which crossovers did you end up using for the Khorns, the others (Belles?) and the Universities? Always looking for that big step that takes my home movie and music reproduction system closer to the illusion of the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 You never know ! old peter lee might think your system sounds like cheap junk ? Systems and our perception of there quality vary more than choices of chocolate bars at the corner store. It's what you get use to listening to , what you personaly look for in the music, Hardly anyone could afford to have the perfect reference system sitting idle just to use for judgeing purposes against there own gear. My thoughts are " Whatever floats your boat " . If you like it then it really does not matter what anyone else might think. But try to persuade others ones quality is higher and feathers are sure to get ruffled. I can sit right beside or across the room from my 7 year old daughter and listen to her play the violin yet i've listen to 1/2 million dollar setups that don't come close to sending shivers down my spine like she can. Music and it's reproduction are subjective to personal perceptions of the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Colin, To make a long story short, I'm using Altec 290-16K midrange drivers with the Altec 311-90 horns and JBL-2404H tweeters. I ended up shipping the above to John Warren to design me a network to pull it all together. I took a chance and had him build me four of them, but they make a big difference so I'll have him build another pair. You can look under Odds & Mods, K-Korn, 290/311, something like that. No Belles, Just Klipschorns, Jensen Imperials (Home Built), University Classic (Home Built), and LaScalas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted February 14, 2005 Author Share Posted February 14, 2005 After 4 hurricanes one nasty divorce, two evaucations, two moves, I finally got my wonderful big ole horns set up with my tube pre-amp and 2A3 amps and... I love it! Not a wild difference mind you, just very listenable, very enjoyable, very musical with my new ACI Titan sub went to big band concert last night, seems like stereos will vnever replicate the energy of a dozen musicians, but in a modest scaled down way, it was wonderful to hear a swing recording at home: clear, clean, crsip, wide, natural, deep, powerful with the blat and blare of horns - wonderful!!!!! man, I still love my horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I've been reading this like a new post...when I saw my replies I had to look at the date...didn't realize this is over a year old! Sorry to hear about your nasty divorce...my K-Horns survived my divorce as well..they were in storage in my parents' garage for some time, but they've been out 'n' singing for a few years now. I'm remarries and wife knows she married the KHorns with me, though she wants me to downsize, I think she realizes that won't happen . They're mine for life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Well at least I managed to keep MY wife after I bought Klipschorns!!! Woops... Sorry guys. Couldn't resist that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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