Chorus II or La Scala ?

[JPahl]

My current setup is Chorus II's in the front, Academy center, RS7's side surrounds and RB35's for back surrounds. Subs are 2 SVS 16-46's. It sounds good, but I want to go all Heritage, for the obvious reasons. Based on space, I have two options, but I don't know which way to go. What do you think would be the best setup of the two and why:

Front - Chorus II's

Center - 2 Academy's

Side Surround - Heresy II's

Rear Surround - Chorus II's

Subs - 2 SVS 16-46

OR

Front - La Scala's

Center - 2 Academy's

Side Surround - Heresy II's

Rear Surround - Chorus II's

Subs - 2 SVS 16-46's

Thanks for any input.

[Olorin]

Two things --

You only need one Academy in the center.

Academys and Chorus IIs go well together. Heresys and La Scalas go well together. Heresys and Academys do not go well together.

It seems to me your optimal choices are

A) Building on the Chorus II/Academy you already have by filling in with Quartets, Fortes, more Academys, and/or more Chorus IIs.

Ditching what you have and moving to something built around La Scalas and Heresys.

The choice is really a matter of taste. Some people prefer the original Heritage sound (La Scala, Heresy) while others prefer the extended Heritage sound (Chorus, Forte). Both series are excellent, but IMO they don't sound enough like one another to blend effectively in a home theater.

[rplace]

Saw this late in the afternoon yesterday and did not have time to comment. I knew O would chime in about not using a Heresy between Choruses (Same goes for Forte, but you dont have them). Very good advice IMHO.

For a long, long time I used an Academy between my Fortes and absolutely loved it. Then I got pair of chorus and was using Chours/Academy/Chours with the Fortes as surrounds. Very nice too. Eventually I landed some more Academies and until I found a local set of Khorns (very recently) I was running Chorus/Forte/Chorus up front with Academy/Forte/Academy in the rear I honestly did not think it could get any better then that. C/F/C up front was killer and the Academies as surrounds were space saving enough without any compromise. With all my speakers I never did put a heresy between them.

Of your two options you list I would at least consider this. Chours/Chours/Chorus up front and 4 Academies in the rear. I think that would be smoking. Maybe you cant do this due to space below your TV up front (not to mention finding 4 academies I have two if you want them). Tell us more about your viewing source, rear projection TV, CRT, Plasma, etc. Have not done it so I cant really comment, but I would think La Scala mains with 5 Heresies (center and all surrounds) would be easier to land than an stable full of Academies and also sound great. As a general rule I think you would be best served with quartet, forte, chorus and academies as one option used as you see fit or La Scala, Heresy, Belle, Corns as another.

I also agree you dont need two Academies up frontunless there is something I am missing like effects/presence speakers but for center channel I think you dont need them.

[JPahl]

----------------

On 4/5/2005 4:27:47 PM Olorin wrote:

Two things --

You only need one Academy in the center.

Academys and Chorus IIs go well together. Heresys and La Scalas go well together. Heresys and Academys do not go well together.

It seems to me your optimal choices are

A) Building on the Chorus II/Academy you already have by filling in with Quartets, Fortes, more Academys, and/or more Chorus IIs.

Ditching what you have and moving to something built around La Scalas and Heresys.

The choice is really a matter of taste. Some people prefer the original Heritage sound (La Scala, Heresy) while others prefer the extended Heritage sound (Chorus, Forte). Both series are excellent, but IMO they don't sound enough like one another to blend effectively in a home theater.

----------------

O - Thanks for the input. I didn't realize there were really two "types" of Heritage series speakers. Can you describe the basic differences ? Have you compared the two types directly ? I love the sound o the Chorus's, but since I heard the KHorns, well enough said ! I didn't mention KHorns, but rather the La Scala's based on available space. I have never heard the La Scala's but based on what I read they sounded like they owuld be very KHornish with less bass.

[JPahl]

RPlace

Interesting thoughts, thanks. I never thought about all Academy's in the rear. I am using a 70" RPTV currently so there is no room below the TV so an Academy is probably my only solution for a center. If it helps, I am using all Rotel amps for power. Have you ever heard a La Scala compared to a Chorus II ? If so what were your thoughts ? Either solution is reasonably viable, (La Scala's with Heresy all around or Chorus II setup). I have time to purchase equipment over time (when available on EBay !). You say you have two Academy's you might consider parting with ? Tell me a little about them.

[Istari]

The Chorus I & II, Forte I & II, Quartet and Academy are not of the Heritage series. A lot of folks call them the extended heritage line but that is a misnomer or wishful thinking.

[Olorin]

J,

I have compared them directly as I am fortunate enough to own two sets of Heresys, a pair of Fortes, and an Academy. I have not heard La Scalas, Belles, or Cornwalls, but I have heard Khorns.

In my opinion, the original Heritage speakers have a more assertive, up-front sound than the extended Heritage have. In contrast, the extended Heritage have a more laid back presentation. The K-75/76/79 tweeters in the extended Heritage reach higher and sound more . . . I don't know, delicate? than the K-77 in the original Heritage.

Again, just my opinion, but I think the Heresys by themselves sound better than the Heresys with an Academy between them. The Academy's more relaxed nature took something away from the big midrange attack the Heresys have. (The Academy says Bang! The Heresys say BANG!) Fortes across the front with an Academy between are also excellent, just a slightly different type of excellent.

So, I really can't help coming back around to what I said at first. Either is excellent, but mixed is as good as neither. Your choice comes down to what you like best and what you can fit in your room.

[Olorin]

Istari, get off it already.

http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=113

You have selected a Klipsch Classic product. The three-way Heritage Series Forte was first introduced in 1985 and manufactured by Klipsch until 1989. While no longer in production, Forte model loudspeakers are still owned and listened to by Klipsch fans around the world as part of two-channel audio and home theater surround sound systems. . . .

http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=119

You have selected a Klipsch Classic product. The Heritage Series Academy center channel was first introduced in 1992 and manufactured by Klipsch until 1994. . . .

Should I go on with the rest? You don't assign products to groups, Klipsch does.

[rplace]

I love Heresies, they were the first Klipsch speaker I ever heard. They do rock, and I agree with Os assessment of Bang! and BANG!. If it were just for music (Rock, Pop, Jazz) and space was the issue I would personally pick Heresy for space reasons. Having said that with a gun to my head and only able to pick one pair of speakers to take with me to a desert island, between Heresy and Forte I pick Forte. Between Forte and Chorus it is a coin toss. Forte is a tad more Heresy-like while Chorus is a bit more refined. Like them both equally for different reasons. YMMV it is very personal.

Having both Chorus and Forte I think I might have to give the nod to Forte just because it is actually manageable to pick them up and move them as needed. Stairs and such are a challenge by yourself with Chorus.

I have heard La Scalars and loved them in a dealers room. However, no a/b sort of comparison with a Chorus, so I cant help you there. If you subscribe to the bigger is better notion, then LSs are the choice. They are huge, effectively taking up more room then my Khorns. Do you have corners for Khorns? If so we can further complicate this discussion.

LaScala/Heresy you can still buy new if you have the desire and $$$ Chorus/Forte/Academy you will need to squeeze the used market. All great speakers for the money.

Heresy all around the back would be easy to wall mount or put on stands. Chours/Forte (and I have done it) as surrounds and back surrounds take up a lot of space even in a dedicated HT room.

Given your TV restriction for center and assuming unlimited funds/availability I might be inclined to go with Chorus and Academies as you see fit (Chouri where they fit, Academies where space is an issue) if movies are your main goal. If you are more into multi-channel music then I think LaScalas with Heresy might edge them out.

Rotel amps should power any Klipsch speaker just fine and sound quite nice.

Finally I do have two black Academies. One is just about like it was the day it left the factory. The other is almost as nice, no dents/gouges all corners are perfect but slightly losing its black color in a few spots. Easy fix, do a search on the forums here. I paid 1800 for 3 of them (600 each) and UPS killed one, so now I have two. Since buying my Khorns, things changed and I have too many speakers. I just want back out of the Academies what I have in them. Would rather give them to forum member and avoid ebay non-payment-types. But I am in no hurry to get rid of them as they are paid for and once in a while I like to swap things around just to play. Let me know if you are interested. Currently they are in use and sound perfect. If I find an interested party that will just force me to swap out my 6.1 (A/C/A) set up in my signature for 7.1 with 4 Heresies (I have 3 pair currently) for surrounds and back surrounds. The eventual goal would be a belle in the centerbut I am done buying speakers for a whileyea right!

I probably have given you more questions then answers. Take your time; listen to them all if you can find a person willing to let you. If in the Baltimore area give me a yell. Eventually you will find what works for you. All are great speakers.