J M O N Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 Just got my November issue of Stereophile magazine. In quickly scanning it, I noticed an interesting mention of Klipschorns in the "Letters" section. The letter I'm referring to is on page 14 and is titled "Getting it right." This particular letter is from someone who recently discovered Klipsch and proclaims the Khorn as "the very best stereo sytem I've ever heard". I thought those that subscribe to Stereophile might be interested in reading that letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discorules Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 I subsribe and will be looking for it. I get the feeling they're biased against Klipsch, esp the Heritage line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKlipsch Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 Here it is.... This message has been edited by MacKlipsch on 10-18-2001 at 09:40 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 Yes sometimes Stereophile reviewers sound like bunch of snooty(I was called snooty many times )farts. I still like Stereophile,I own some gear they reviewed and most of it(if not all)is on the Recomended components list.The amp was even AMP of the YEAR(yee haw). I disliked some reviews in Stereophile's Guide to HT. One reviewer almost spit on the Dynaudio speakers!?His review was biased and full of bull crap.This snooty clown should wake up and smell the cofee. Overall Stereophile is a good "snooty" mag with all the gear TV from SVS loves to hate. Just joking I like SVS,the Ultra subs are real High-End bargains. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 quote: Originally posted by discorules: I subsribe and will be looking for it. I get the feeling they're biased against Klipsch, esp the Heritage line. Yeah, that's my impression as well. I was suprised they even published that letter. But then again, I remember them publishing another letter from some guy complaining that his Bose 901's were not on their recommended components list even though they are "the world's greatest loudspeakers". It's also interesting to note that the person who wrote the letter (about the Khorn, not the 901) is a musician, and claims to "know what live music sounds like". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Poor Stereophile. Having been a subscriber since around 1979, I have watched that magazine ebb and flow with writer changes, editor changes, until they finally lost their founder, J Gordon Holt, a few years back over disagreements with John Atkinson. JGH is now over at the Absolute Sound, which used to be Stereophile's main competition. Sadly, Stereophile is a pale shadow of what it once was. Compared to other smaller mags like Listener, Postitive Feeback, and even the Inner Ear, Stereophile has fallen way off the cutting edge, especailly in the tube field. I still get the damn thing since it went from around $35 a year in the old days to a palty $11 or so. And to be frank, it's barely worth that. The Recommended Components issues, which come out every October and April, are so abused by those that think they can amass a fine system by picking out componenets in A or B category, hoping like the wind through a Willow that the sound will happen to fall together. System matching is way more crucial and buying a bevy of gear in class A doesnt guarantee anything but some serious ducats out the door. The poster above is correct about the anti-Klipsch bias. Indeed, most audiophiles(sic) consider Klipsch to be mass market dreck, fit for Best Buy showrooms. Believe me, it's not from a lack of Klipsch trying! They have done as much as possible to drop the name into the gutter as anyone. Of course, the millions of loons that bought said Klipsch and hooked them up to mid-fi horror and got off on how "loud they play" surely has not been a boon to the reputation. I have to be honest in saying I havent heard a good Klipsch speaker in I dont know how long. Of course, I am very close to procuring a pair of '77 Cornwalls so I am eager to listen to the vintage Klipsch again, this time with some really fine amplification. I friend of mine just auditioned the new Reference R-5 speakers next to a few others. The clear winner was the Silverline Sonata II speakers... What came in second? That's right, that 1977 pair of stock Cornwalls I am looking at. The R-5 came in third ahead of a much touted pair of Victories by Coincident. He was very surprised by that outcome. Amp used in the audition were a pair of Wright Sound 3.5 Monoblocks (a 2A3 SET amp). For those new to Stereophile, they do have some interesting articles but by and large most of the good writers have long departed. They have changed publishers in the last year or so and they hasnt helped. See them run closer and closer towards mainstream audio. Sam Tellig (whose real name is actually Tom Gillete), can be amusing and he is a big tube proponent. Of course, he changes his mind like the wind. Amazingly enough, Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio just had his pair of Gemini 2A3/45 Monoblocks reviewed and he somehow managed to escape with his hide still intact. The review started off a bit rocky but ended up an insane rave, lauding it as perhaps one of the most sublimb amplifiers he had ever heard. With a 45 putting out around 2w, he needed some serious speakers - he auditioned them with Avantgarde Unos (the big horns with subs). Dont expect to see any Klipsch reviews in there anytime soon however. I cant even remember the last time they reviewed a Klipsch. Who knows, there may be one in there sooner than later! khf>s>s y s t e m Linn LP-12/Linn Basic Plus/Sumiko Blue Point Rega Planet Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Creek OBH-12 Passive Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks DIYCable Wire - Various ProAc Mini Towers Alternate System: EICO HF-81 ASUSA A-4 EL-34 UL EICO HFT-90 Tube FM Tuner Sumo Aurora Tuner Nakamichi CR-7af>s> This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 10-19-2001 at 01:10 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 I remember an article a few years back in Stereophile where they interviewed some record producer at his house. They were astounded that his home speakers were Khorns and spent half the article trying to convince him that he needed "audiophile" speakers but he wasn't buying their line, very funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 What is so remarkable about this letter is that the author is a musician who has spent a good deal of time in high end showrooms around the country looking for the "ultimate" system. He first heard the Khorns from a driveway and thought he was hearing a live band. He was amazed to find that what he was hearing was a pair of "big old speakers" driven by a 30 year old receiver. He asked Stereophile (he's been a reader for a year)" What, kind sirs, is a Klipschorn and why was it the very best stereo system Ive ever heard?" They didn't answer him. However, to Stereophile's credit they recently reviewed Dynaco 70 tube amps very favorably. And I sold all the EICO and Dynakits I made as a teenager many years ago. But always felt I had made a big mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 I've been a subscriber to Stereophile since, uh, sometime back in the early 80's. When I started reading it, most of the reviews were written by Tony Cordesman, J. Gordon Holt or Dick Olsher. Interesting that Tony and JGH now both write for TAS... Anyway, one of the things I love about Stereophile is they measure EVERYTHING they can - if they can find a dohicky® that measures something, they'll measure it. Whether the measurement, in any way shape or form, has anything whatsoever to do with ANY aspect of the way equipment sounds is determined empirically - that is, rather than trying to come up with a theory that says "this measurement reflects the capability of the CD player under review to produce a grainless extended high frequency because of blah blah blah...", they take the approach of "Let's measure every damn thing we can possibly measure, then see if any of it appears to be related to the way stuff sounds." This has led some folks to criticize them as a bunch of tech heads who care more about specs than about sound. I don't feel that way. An excellent example of how some useful info can come out of this is the apparent relationship between the off axis frequency response radiation pattern of a speaker and that speaker's imaging capability. They didn't start out by saying "We think an off axis pattern that shows tightly grouped contour lines with no significant flares or depressions, whose horizontal radiation pattern decays smoothly, will result in a more stable stereo image." They identified the cause (off axis response) and effect (stable imaging) relationship by observation and comparison. Their analysis of jitter and it's effect on reproduction, using the Miller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer®, has led to some interesting thoughts regarding just what it is that high levels of data-related jitter do to the sound of a D/A converter. Check out the snapshots I stole from their website showing a good jitter measurement (Mark Levinson CD Player) and a not so good jitter measurement (Linn Classik combination receiver / CD player). Archives of their reviews of quite a few other CD / DVD devices are here: http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Digital%20Source%20Reviews Ray ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Geez, it's the only audio rag I can afford!!! So let's cut'em a little slack, eh? Yeah, I know, Klipsch is not even on STEREOPHILES radar, which irks me too, but still, it's an entertaining, if only occasionally relevant read. Shoot, the Industry Update, record reviews, and the interviews with music and audio folk alone justify the price. And once in a while they do review something I'm interested in -- and can afford! ------------------ JDMcCall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 21, 2001 Share Posted October 21, 2001 The RF-7,RC-7 may make Stereophile reconsider.Just maybe. Stereophile reviewers hate coloration and most classic Klipsh have it.The newer RF(RF-5 and up)line is much less colored. Strange how they love tube gear,and tubes add some coloration to the sound! TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 21, 2001 Share Posted October 21, 2001 I find much of their technical information very interesting, but way beyond me, of course now they are so cheap, that it is hard not to subscribe, I am not so impressed with what can be done for $5000 as I am with what can be done for $500, it is interesting how many components that BBSers love and recommend that are also on their lists ... ------------------ HORNS & subs; leather couch & feet up; lights out & tubes glowing! This message has been edited by Colin on 11-02-2001 at 11:56 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomer9911 Posted October 28, 2001 Share Posted October 28, 2001 I wait for the day the Klipsch Heritage and Adcom are takin for serious review I ran the Adcom GFA LE-585 with fan kit, off a set of 92 Khorns...all I can say is OUCH... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted November 1, 2001 Share Posted November 1, 2001 I get a bit hacked off at Stereophile but as it was said the letters, music reviews and industry update is worth the price. Some of the brands they avoid reviewing make me suspicious of their objectivity. 1. Klipsch 2. Parasound 3. Harman Kardon 4. KEF 5. Definitive Technology I am sure other competent brands are avoided I am not thinking of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted November 1, 2001 Share Posted November 1, 2001 Ironically enough, it was Stereophile and Anthony Cordesman's review of the legendary ADCOM GFA-555 that got that whole company over the hump. Add to that, Sam Tellig's raves for the ADCOM GFA-535 and you have a magazine that has put A LOT into ole ADCOM's pocketbook. Indeed, they gave the latest ADCOM preamp a place in Recommended Components Class A for a few years. They also went gaga over the original ADCOM digital processors. Add the Sam Tellig tongue wag over the monster ADCOM 565 monoblocks and you have a yet another example of the myth of ADCOM being furthered by Stereophile. Michael Fremer gave the big MOSFET amps an OK review a year or so as well. Indeed, I am trying to think of another company that STEREOPHILE has really endorsed as MUCH as ADCOM. They have also been very kind to Parasound in the past as well as KEF. A lot of times, the companies wont send products. As for Klipsch, they just have not been that great in recent years...perhaps the Reference series will help them out... kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 Audio Flynn, Hummm.... let's take a look. Parasound:s> CD Transports: Parasound C/BD-2000 Robert Harley XIX-5-179 Preamplifiers: Parasound P/FET-900 John Atkinson XI-12-143 FM Tuners & Antennae: Parasound T/DQ-1600 Donald A. Scott XIX-12-208 Power Amplifiers: Parasound HCA-800 Thomas J. Norton XI-2-116 XII-2-126 Parasound HCA-800 II John Atkinson XIII-10-197 Parasound HCA-1000 Barry Willis XX-8-101 Parasound HCA-1000A Barry Willis Thomas J. Norton XX-8-101 Parasound HCA-1206 6-channel Thomas J. Norton SGHT1-2-156 Parasound HCA-2003 3-channel Thomas J. Norton SGHT3-1-108 Parasound HCA-2200 Robert Harley XV-4-203 Parasound HCA-2200 II Steven Stone XVII-3-125 Parasound D/AS-1000 Thomas J. Norton XI-1-110 Parasound D/AS-1000 II Thomas J. Norton XII-2-126 Signal Processors: Parasound P/SP-1000 Dolby surround-sound preamplifier Daniel Kumin SGHT1-2-140 Parasound P/SP-1500 Dolby surround processor Robert Deutsch SGHT3-2-110 CD D/A & data processors: Parasound D/AC-1100HD Robert Harley XIX-4-235 Parasound D/AC-2000 Ultra Robert Harley XIX-4-235 Feature Article Parasound's John Curl Barry Willis XX-8-104 Interview John Curl (Parasound Vendetta Research) Barry Willis XX-8-104 Industry Update C.E.C. belt-drive CD turntable distributed by Parasound Peter W. Mitchell XVI-2-57 Parasound introduces HCA-1000 amplifier Peter W. Mitchell XVIII-6-39 Parasound launches the Great Mother of All Subwoofers Peter W. Mitchell XVI-3-53 Parasound purchases Spica John Atkinson XVII-2-33 Parasound to discontinue Spica TC-60 Wes Phillips XIX-1-37 Harman Kardons> Preamplifiers: Harman/Kardon Citation 11 J. Gordon Holt III-4-11 Harman/Kardon 825 Sam Tellig VII-3-80 FM Tuners & Antennae: Harman/Kardon Citation 14/15 J. Gordon Holt III-7-4 Harman/Kardon Citation 23 Donald A. Scott X-8-138 XVI-4-246 Harman/Kardon TU905 Donald A. Scott IX-5-122 Harman/Kardon TU915 Donald A. Scott VIII-1-72 Harman/Kardon TU920 Donald A. Scott XII-4-153 Harman/Kardon TU-9600 Donald A. Scott XVI-4-244 Recording Equipment: Harman/Kardon CAD5 cassette recorder J. Gordon Holt III-1-10 Harman/Kardon HK1000 cassette recorder J. Gordon Holt III-7-9 Power Amplifiers: Harman/Kardon 870 Sam Tellig VII-3-80 Audio/Video Receivers: Harman Kardon AVR30 Robert Harley SGHT1-1-140 Harman/Kardon AVR80 Robert Harley Thomas J. Norton SGHT2-4-112 CD & MD Players: Harman/Kardon HD800 Sam Tellig XI-9-65 Harman/Kardon HD7500 Robert Harley XIII-4-151 Integrated Amplifiers: Harman/Kardon PM655 Sam Tellig VIII-5-37 Turntables: Harman/Kardon T40 J. Gordon Holt VI-5-20 Harman/Kardon T45 Stephen W. Watkinson IX-2-82 Harman/Kardon T60 Sam Tellig VI-5-52 Harman/Kardon T65C Stephen W. Watkinson IX-2-82 Loudspeakers: Harman/Kardon Fifty John Atkinson Robert Harley J. Gordon Holt Guy Lemcoe Thomas J. Norton Dick Olsher XVI-9-107 KEFs> Subwoofers & Crossovers: KEF AV1 THX active J. Gordon Holt XIX-1-233 Home Theater Loudspeaker Systems: KEF THX loudspeaker system J. Gordon Holt XIX-1-233 Loudspeakers: KEF 200C center-channel Lawrence B. Johnson John Atkinson SGHT3-1-64 KEF AV3 THX LCR J. Gordon Holt John Atkinson XIX-1-233 KEF AV2 THX surround J. Gordon Holt XIX-1-233 KEF Cara Alvin Gold IX-7-53 KEF Q60 John Atkinson Corey Greenberg Robert Harley Guy Lemcoe Thomas J. Norton Dick Olsher XV-5-137 KEF RDM Two Sam Tellig XX-10-50 KEF R103/4 Thomas J. Norton XV-6-175 KEF R107 Alvin Gold Dick Olsher Martin Colloms IX-4-81 IX-7-108 X-2-106 KEF R107/2 John Atkinson XIV-5-108 XIV-10-205 KEF Reference Series Model 107/2 (Raymond Cooke Special Edition) Thomas J. Norton XVIII-10-265 KEF Reference Series Model Four Thomas J. Norton XIX-3-147 ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 Ray, OK I am full of hot air too often. Sorry; I'm stressed, flying in commercial aircraft again, brain dead, I got 4 kids, 2 dogs, oldest kid just went to college in September; second just got braces, wife is still torqued over my new Sherwood Newcastle power amp I didn't ask permission for(I did but she did not see it that way) and my mutual funds are taking a pounding! Correct about the Klipsch though; I hope. I have only been subscribing to Stereophile for about 4 years I think. It is humbling being caught embelishing. How many years back does that list go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 4, 2001 Share Posted November 4, 2001 Here is what I sent to them: Dear John Atkinson, Over the years Stereophile has indeed created what "is the largest body of credible audio information available anywhere." It has done this by providing more objective measurements than any other print or electronic magazine. Then, in a move of deft lawyerly skill, Stereophile combines that mountain of hard evidence with subjective views from professional witnesses. I am not on your panel of regular jurors, for I only purchase the odd issue every now and then. I do however, applaud the masterful effort. Since the pile of audio magazines grows smaller every year, I offer five suggestions, for I would be sorry not to see such an eminent advocate before the audiophile bar. 1. I don't think that your magazine, as lean as it has become, stretches the public understanding of your objective measures. "The Merlin Music Systems VSM Millennium loudspeaker system" in the September 2001 issue, for example, uses terms that leave the jury behind: unity gain, capacitive coupling, finite power-supply impedance, lower phase angle, audioband impedance magnitude, accelerometer, cumulative spectral-decay, design axis, horizontal window, 2pi environment, lateral response family and positive acoustic polarity! Come on. How do you expect your average, off-the-street, jury member to keep up with your testimony when you obfuscate with language as obtuse as that? Maybe Stereophile should sell a play book so I can keep up with the sophisticated moves in this high court. Certainly a regular side bar on peculiar terms would help. 2. For the sake of survival in these changing times, I think that you should move to embrace multi-channel sound by including comments for how reviewed equipment can or cannot fit into a multi-channel home theater system devoted to music. Does the speaker manufacturer make complimentary rear and side models? Can the pre-amp expand or adapt to more channels? As a confessed audio and computer laggard, I am waiting for the Stereophile blessing to be conferred on a modest six-channel music system as better than any exotic two-channel one before I make my own multi-channel music move. Addressing future audiophile needs in current issues would be a smart tactical move. 3. Since one of the issues I frequently grab is the popular Recommended list, I suggest that you divide the annual issue into two best-selling parts: electronics and speakers. 4. As difficult as it is to judge individual pieces of equipment on their merits alone, it is doubly hard to find evidence of a conspiracy where they act in concert with each other. Help us out here. If I am a buyer off your recommended C list, for example, since it suits my budget range, it would be invaluable to know which combinations of equipment sound particularly sweet together. In other words are there certain units that form a sum greater than their parts? The potential for favorable combinations is mind boggling; which is all the more reason the jury needs your help in sorting things out. Imagine the impact of an expanded Recommended Components list which has batches of recommended components matched with each other. These 1/2 dozen amps, for example, sound especially good with these 1/2 dozen speakers and these 1/2 dozen pre-amps 5. Speaking of combinations, are there pieces of equipment, which for one reason or another, a plurality of reviewers have come to own themselves? Does PS Audio equipment, for example, end up in many reviewers' homes? These are just a few of my thoughts from the peanut gallery, sorry for the interruption, thank you for listening, you may now get on with the proceedings. A. Colin Flood This message has been edited by Colin on 11-04-2001 at 12:29 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted November 4, 2001 Share Posted November 4, 2001 James D McCall "Geez, it's,(Stereophile),the only audio rag I can afford!!!" You might want to consider Ultra High Fidelity Magazine. This Canadian audio magazine has been around since the 80's and while they too get carried away with themselves betimes,in general,I find the content and reviews more "real world" than most audio magazines. I think you will find the subscription price reasonable at $50.00 for 13 issues,(2 years as they publish every other month). You can take a look for yourself at: http:\\www.uhfmag.com ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca. 1304 BCE) This message has been edited by lynnm on 11-04-2001 at 01:12 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted November 4, 2001 Share Posted November 4, 2001 UHF is indeed a true High-End mag.I would rank it over Stereophile. Good letter Colin.Hope they take some advice. And look UHF uses a SimAudio(Celeste) MOON W5 power amp.How surprising(NOT) The MOON W5 is a masterful amp,anyone who has high class speakers and wants total quality and power needs to look no further. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.