Why heritage over RF?

[radiob]

YOUR GOOFY. I have had 77 klipsch horns, 92 klipsch horns, and I have the chorus2 now only, not because of price, because of sound, and room size.They are heritage all the way. before making a un-educated statement, try listening to a set. Maybe you might belive they were heritage if PWK would have put the wimpy 15" woofer rated at 500 watts peak, instead of te commercial 15" cast woofer rated at 1000 watts peak. Heritage, yea, premium heritage.

[WhoozYoDaddy]

What about Forte Does it have a premium woofer? Its only 500 watts peak

[Number 9]

>> Then why are they being listed as "Classic Heritage" on the Klipsch product page?

Classic ... is the marketing term Klipsch uses for "discontinued".

I agree 100% with an earlier comment ... room size has a lot to do with it and not price. The Forte's are just the perfect size for my listening room in my life at this time. When I owned Cornwalls, my listening room was significantly larger and Forte's would not have worked for me then.

I just can't seem to understand how some people try to squeeze a 2 Khorns and a Belle into a 15 x 15 room and expect good sound. The Chorus II is a small fridge ...not everyone can accomodate a speaker that size, and the RF-7 is almost the same size (Taller, but narrower).

[neo33]

"Classic ... is the marketing term Klipsch uses for "discontinued"."

But they're still Heritage!

[WhoozYoDaddy]

http://www.klipsch.com/product/product_list.aspx?line=heritageclassic

LOOK AT THE LINK. WHAT IS THE LAST WORD IN THE LINK????

[texas42]

Just my two cents to thrown in...I've owned Cornwalls twice, Chorus IIs, KLF-20s, LaScalas, and currently RF-7s. My impressions in my listening room- The RF-7s are the most accurate of all of these speakers. I enjoy the "open" sound of the LaScala, Cornwall and Chorus (no doubt due to the mid-horn) but I enjoy the musicality of the RF-7s two way design. None of these are poor choices and I find it somewhat humorous those who would disparage the RF-7 unless they have actually listened to them in their listening rooms. (I actually did not think the RF-7s sounded good at all when I first heard them at my local brick and mortar dealer). But when I brought a pair home and hooked them up to some tubes, they really blew me away. They gave me the tonal accuracy of conventional dynamic (cone) speakers and the effortlessness and efficiency of a horns. Not to mention they are far more contemporary in appearance (especially in cherry). I think the heritage speakers are certainly wonderful in their own right and I'd own a pair of Khorns if I had the right room for them. But I am more than content with the RF-7s and recommend them highly...

Now, that being said, I think the Forte's are probably the best speaker you can buy for the price (used). I see them go for $500 often. For a full range speaker that is hard to touch and if cost was a consideration, I'd certainly pick those ahead of others mentioned. Either way, it's nice to be able to sit back and just enjoy the music. That's what it is really all about, isn't it?

Regards,

Dave

[edwinr]

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On 7/14/2004 11:38:43 PM lynnm wrote:

For lack of a better description I would say that while the KLF seemed ( if anything ) to have more slam and certainly imaged better.........The Khorns sound more open and natural.

This is not a knock on the KLFs. Both are very good but overall the Khorns sound more real to me.I suspect that the defining difference for me is that the Khorns present a more transparent sound......

In any event one would not go far wrong by purchasing any high end Klipsch speaker.

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I own both the Kipschorns and the KLF10's. Both are great speakers but they are certainly voiced differently. I like the KLF10 for it's punch and dynamics but I always thought it lacked a little in the midrange with perhaps a touch of hardness at times. More voiced for home theatre perhaps? I don't know.

The Klipschorns are a revelation. The midrange is to die for. Smooth, rich and detailed. In fact the whole Klipschorn package is exceptional. I was led to expect something different - like a sound that would take your head off at the slightest provocation. I use my Khorns exclusively now - for home theatre and music. So my vote for the Heritage - you've obviously got to take into account room acoustics and your buying power.

[mace]

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On 7/16/2004 9:43:29 AM Olorin wrote:

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On 7/15/2004 8:16:37 PM neo33 wrote:

The RF-7s are "bright" as hell.

.

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You must like it cool. I own Heresies and have heard Khorns and RF7s, and the Heritage are decidedly more assertive than the RFs.

Maybe you meant "sparkly."

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Boy... I listened to K-Horns and RF-7's in a demo room earlier this year and I really thought the RF-7's were brighter (SS seperates were used, SACD source). Like... lots brighter. I just melted into the K-Horns but found the RF-7's to be reaching out and scratching my ears.

One CD I have which is notably harsh is Dream Theater's latest "Train of Thought" (I really like the music, don't like the mix). This CD really has a harsh, buzzy edge to it which I dislike. I find it sounds this way on any system, even my tube/Cornwall combo. The K-Horns in the demo room really brought on ear-bleed with that CD. Source material plays a big role in the final, overall sound (this statement may seem obvious but oftentimes newbies don't understand this... I know I used to not get it!).

Mace

[dantfmly]

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On 7/16/2004 12:55:10 PM Seadog wrote:

I am aware of what the current Klipsch product pages say, I have read through them many times. I did not mention the Rebel or Shorthorn because these are generally not readily available for putting a system together (although certainly they are PWK Heritage). Not that I really care what Klipsch calls "Heritage", but it is good when everyone is on the same page. I would not want to mix the "old" Heritage with the "extended" Heritage in an HT set up.

OT, but here is an interesting question; if the Forte is Heritage, why not the KG4 which is from the same era?

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On 7/16/2004 3:13:32 AM dantfmly wrote:

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On 7/16/2004 12:22:26 AM Seadog wrote:

When did Forte and KLF speakers get promoted to Heritage classification? I always thought Heritage were the K-horn, Heresy, Cornwall, LaScala and Belle.

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yes there were more heritage then just those. during the 80's and 90's it included the chorus (I & II), forte (I & II), and one i don't hear about much the quartet. and you forgot about the covenented (spelling?) cornwalls (I & II) that ran from the late 50's to the 90's. the academy center channel. and some speakers i never heard of before rebel, rebel 4, rebel 7 manufactured from 49 to 73 between the three. and some other speakers i never heard of the shorthorn 12 and 15 manufactured during 50's and 60's. it is all under the classic products tab under heritage.

if you just look it up.

klf's are not promoted as heritage series. they are promoted as the legend series. look it up under classic products, classic classics, page 3.

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the kg4 would not be because it is the KG series. A completely difference series. I would be like calling synergy series reference series in now days terms. and you are correct i would not mix the "extended" heritage with the rest. But the does not change the fact that klipsch still designated them heritage wether we like it or not.

[dantfmly]

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On 7/16/2004 2:12:45 PM neo33 wrote:

"The Chorus I&II, Forte I&II, Quartet, and Academy aren't Heritage speakers, someone may want to think that they are but...."

Then why are they being listed as "Classic Heritage" on the Klipsch product page? Perhaps some clarification from Trey?

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they are, but some people don't like to admit it, because PWK was not the biggest influence in making them. So automatically some people say they are not heritage, even though they were desinated as so. no they are not on the same playing field as the khorns, but what is. There are defferent levels in everything, like in the reference. the rf-15 don't compete with the rf-7 by any means.

[Strabo]

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On 7/16/2004 3:30:37 PM WhoozYoDaddy wrote:

What about Forte

Does it have a premium woofer? Its only 500 watts peak

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Don't worry about that. At 100 watts in your small room you will cause permanent hearing damage in 7 minutes or less. 50 watts will get you concert level sound pressures of 115 dbs peaks.

http://www.headwize.com/articles/hearing_art.htm

[Dflip]

What about Forte   Does it have a premium woofer? Its only 500 watts peak .

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The Forte has a twelve inch woofer, not a 15" to begin with. I would assume the 12" is made the same as the 15" and the same as the 10" in the Quartet.

For the money, the Fortes will be very hard to beat and will do you nicely until you can afford some real equipment. They should do you nicely for another ten to twenty years.

[WhoozYoDaddy]

Real equiptment like what ? . Well I finally did it, I bought a pair of mint condition Forte I's. I had the choice of getting II's but everyone says the I's are smoother. Just wondering, how does the Forte I compare to the Chorus II and Cornwall II (I never asked that before)? If you dont want to answer thats fine, im just curious. I finally bought them!! , cant wait to hear them on my Jolida 302B.

Still not sure if I should have gotten the RF-5. People say its really incredible....

[Kevin97225]

My, My..... you people are too much. Why do you even have to debate that the Heritage vs. Reference line? Both are very good and both can be appreciated for each.

I have the RF-7 and they are very stunning sounding and give a very "LIVE" perfornace and who claims they are bright and harsh, just have marbles in their head! If it's bright, you better

look in the chain link for the culprit because it's not the RF-7. I know with the Rotel RB-1090 it is not bright or harsh at all.

My Dad has the Klipschorn that he got back in 1981 and he loves them, and they sound very good. My Dad also loves the sound of the Klipsch RF-7 and is actually thinking about getting a pair with the same Rotel Amp that I have. I like both and both have their plus and minus points but one being better than the other, no such thing, it's just a little different than the other. I greatly enjoy them both. I told my Dad.... I will go buy another RF-7 pair and give it to him if he gives me the Klipschorn, and to my surprise.... he said YES! I'm quite surprised because growing up, he wouldn't let anyone near those speakers and talk about in MINT condiction! Looks brand new and I know I wouldn't ever be able to find a pair in that good shape.

So what I plan to do, is get that other set for Dad, then I'll get the Klipshorn and set it up in the large family room with another Rotel RB-1090 and just enjoy both sounds of the RF-7 and Klipsch. And yes, the RF-7 puts out better bass than the Klipschorn. That might have to do with the Rotel amp though, so once I get the Klipschorn setup on the Rotel RB-190 380watts, will see if it does better. My Dad is using an older 1978 McIntosh on the Klipschorn right now.

Believe me, you will very much like either the RF-7 or the Klipschorn in my experience!!!!

Some like the RF-7 better after having Klipschorn, some like the Klipschorn better but for me, I love them both!! Neither is better, just different. Kevin.

[cjgeraci]

Bravo, excellent post. Congrats on your father being willing to trade the nice set of K-horns for a pair of RF-7s.

As just pointed out, there is no right or wrong answer to the question of Heritage vs. Reference - it comes down to personal taste. Heritage and Reference are very different-sounding speakers, and I've heard mediocre Heritage and Reference setups as well as outstanding ones, run off of nice equipment and in nicely-treated rooms. My RF-7s off of a Solid State Rotel were bordering on excellent, and my RF-7s now run by a tubed Marantz are excellent - so they are staying. In contrast, I also love the Heritage sound so I will be adding some Heritage in the near future for yet another two-channel setup.

The best answer, if achievable, is to have both quality Reference and Heritage somewhere in your house. That way, depending on your mood and choice of music, you can enjoy the variety Klipsch has to offer.

Carl.