Why are people so ignorant?

[Vital]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=387451&perpage=20&pagenumber=1

I am willing to bet the guys bashing Klipsch have never even heard them.

"The Klipsch I personally would never recommend. Their reference stuff all sounds terrible to me no matter how long their broken in. Far too much horn effect IMO."

"As far as Klipsch goes ..... those RF's to my ears sound terrible (Sorry to those that like this sound) They have a very broadcast / P.A. / megaphone speaker sound . Not natural and pleasing."

"Any one that fools themselves into believing these sound anything like corner horns has simply bought Klipsch hype. They sound nothing like the open airy live sound of the Klipsch corner / folded horns. That's a fact."

"To me the Klipsch are way too colored in sound . When I think of those Klipsch I think/hear of someone putting their hands together around their mouth and shouting . Anything but a natural sound. "

"The problem with most "Klipsch guys" is they have trained their ears to here this heavily colored timbre and high efficiency and equate that to being accurate reproduction."

It goes on and on. I did not realize how many people out there thought so little of Klipsch. Maybe that thread just needs some of our more audio-savy members here to go educate them.

[killerbee_vr6]

I don't care for the Reference series, either. I've heard them in a million rooms (set up systems throughout college) and they always pale in comparision to the old Heritage series.

[hwatkins]

Maybe they just live by my motto:

I am not a simple, ignorant man. I simply enjoy being ignorant.

(found written above the urinal at Tom's in the Central West End - St. Louis, circa 1987)

[j-malotky]

Don't let these ignoranusus get to you.

I can't tell you how many so called "audiophiles" have left my house as Khorn converts. Many of them have spent a lot more money than me on there systems.

Just sit back and enjoy the sound.

JM

[Daddy Dee]

Vital,

Thanks for posting. It is an interesting, but sad phenomenon that "audiophiles" not only find themselves drawn to one of many various "voices" or timbre genre type of speakers... since such preferences are patently subjective.... What is odd about audiophiles is that they seem to be compelled to trash the topologies they do not prefer and to trash the people who incomprehensibly and foolishly prefer something different from themselves. As a collective, it seems that audiophiles are about the most unlikely to have a mature and non anxious attitude toward others' and their preferences. You will occasionaly see this even on this forum.

A wise supervisor once told me, "Dee, you have to choose the hills you are willing to die on." I was flying off at everyone who said the sky wasn't blue. Surprisingly enough, you'll hear people say that, or it's audio equivalent every day.

Henry, great quote.

Here's one from Tom Waits:

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

[jt1stcav]

Imagine how the Bose lovers feel everytime we cut them down...

I read the entire AVS Forum thread...just a bunch of guys with differences of opinions. No different from all the heated discussions on this forum IMO. And for every Klipsch bashing, there were equal comments in favor of the specific models in question (and even the guy who disapproved so much of the Reference bookshelves did like the smoothness and clarity of Heritage Klipsch)!

And there were many comments made from both camps that YMMV and that specific loudspeakers will sound totally different with your gear in your own home as opposed to the gear used and loudspeaker placement in dealer's showrooms. It all balances out in the end, I suppose.

And the fella who started the thread, who finally decided on the Polks, still had reservations even after his purchase. He found both strengths and weaknesses in both the Polks and the Klipsch models, and he may still try more auditions in the near future. It's his ears that will ultimately make his final decision, not the comments and critiques (and opinions) expressed by others.

There was a bit of trolling going on in that thread, but overall it was no different from all the bickering that also takes place here on this Klipsch Forum, by people who all love their Klipsch no less!

Just my two cents worth...you know how opinions are. Take them for what they're worth.

[WJE]

It's pretty common to "pimp" the speakers that one owns. Also, keep in mind that the posters are either 1) teenagers or, 2) Adults that should act like adults, but are acting like teenagers, or 3) They are audio dealers who are selling other products, so if they can trash the competition, things look better for their sales.

However, I refuse to listen to such opinions on the Internet. If I did, I'd never even be able to make my own mind up. The process of finding the right gear is a long and drawn out one. At least it is for me. Others might be happy in investing just 30 minutes in their decision-making process.

Instead of letting such ignorant comments get to you, just enjoy the fine gear that you have in your home.

[James RD]

Keep in mind that those opinions are formed while under the influence of those lovely AVS colors.

[hoggy]

I agree with j. Over the 28 years I've owned heritage. 1st Belles now Khorns I cannot even guess how many people that listened to them changed their tune about horn speakers. Most I think have it in their mind they would/should sound like they're in their high school gym. That is until they actually hear them in a home enviorment.

hoggy

[Audible Nectar]

I cannot tell you how many I have converted.

It all starts when they visit my home. One guest thought that one of my Cornwalls was a dorm sized refrigerator, and wanted to know if there was beer in it. When I explained to him that these were speakers (and his eyes gazed across the room to see five more), his eyes got REAL WIDE - an "OH S#IT" kind of look - as he asked "what are you trying to do here - go deaf"?

"Noooooooo", I said. "Allow me to show you........."

So I pop in my favorite demo DVD that always results in more dirty shorts than any other - The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over. That one wins 'em over every time. Comments always include "it's better than the theater", "it's better than live" and "I want one of those"

Then I tell them that they can have one of these for less than in store systems (and show them several Best Buy/Other local electronics ads for systems).....and they cannot believe it. Those who bought systems recently cry, because they didn't talk to me first. They do now.

[WMcD]

I'll say there is some validity in that the corner horns are something unique. But the direct radiators have a lot of merit too.

It is pretty much a common occurance. Pundits, most who have not heard them, report that Klipsch speakers are colored or unnatural. People who have heard them find to the contrary.

You have heard me report on the Forte II at the office. A new employee, who was unfamiliar with the debate, recognized the sound quality with no prompting. "What makes them sound so good."

It is good bass and the tractrix mid, in my view.

Gil

[Deang]

I came into this forum thinking much the same thing 3 years ago. I was relentless with my "they sound like P.A. speakers" comments. Under the worst conditions they do, but what I forgot is that no decent audiophile listens to their stuff under the worst conditions possible. Decent gear, proper placement, and some room treatment make all the difference in the world -- and bring Heritage to a level of realism of sound not even remotely approached by most of what is out there.

[sunnysal]

people naturally gravitate to certain components, just as they gravitate to certain kinds of music, it is thus natural there be "taste" as a factor in audio. to each his own I always say BUT I am firmly in the heritage, corner-horn taste camp, and proud of it! I have found no other type of speaker that pleases my taste as much as my k-horns. regards, tony

[ironwoods]

"The problem with most "Klipsch guys" is they have trained their ears to here this heavily colored timbre and high efficiency and equate that to being accurate reproduction."

Hi, I will not be bothered by remarks like these, when the person typing about *AUDIO* stuff does not know the correct spelling of the word "hear".

[427rs]

Years ago I started with a set of Home built Cabinets with 15in. Utah gear with mid and tweeter horns, Bass reflex design. Sold them as I was living in apartments and kept having the law called. Owned Pioneer, JBL Century l00s, Bose 601s and then the 901s. I had heard Cornwalls cranked at a local pub in the early 80s and was blown away. The end of last year I was looking for a set and ended up spending a bit more and bought a set of LaScalas, I was blown away and stored the 901s in the basement. Since then I have bought all tube equipment and "rediscovered audio." I have sent my Jolida 100 to Canada to Parts Connexion for Chris Johnson's level 2 mod. My Klipsh have brought back my desire in music!

427rs

[phatbass]

Everyone has a right to their own opinion whether it is right or wrong. In this case he is wrong and has probably never heard a set of klipschorns.

There are a lot of people out their who think blose, wait bose sounds good, just let them be.

It is all about the enjoyment of the music anyway.

Ignorance is bliss.

[D-MAN]

It seems to me that these "opinions" are from people who are members of the "CULT of the NEW".

It is also quite fashionable to bash anything with horns.

Check out the "popular" audio media to verify that fact.

These people are simply parroting the current popular media view. You can't say anything against opinions that are learned by rote instead of research. They have no value.

[Vital]

D-Man that is exactly right.

[Audio Flynn]

I do not mind ignorant audio people; I just cannot stand to listen to their equipment very long.

Especially when I am stopped at a traffic light; have my windows rolled up and still hearmindless thumping.

[TBrennan]

Hell Dman, I been with this hobby over 30 years and for most of that time horns have been "uncool". Nuthin' new about that.

Meanwhile conventional audiophiles in that time have often gone through many sets of speakers; ARs, double Advents, Fultons, Maggies, DQ-10s, "real" Infinities, Rogers and then Maggies again would be a typical kind of thing.

And then most of the guys that were hornys in 1969 still are. Oh, hornys make lateral moves; Klipsch to Altec say, or JBL to Klipsch or Edgar or whatever, but they stay pretty close to one kinda thing.