Are we ALL missing something?

[MarkBK]

Every since I started pursuing a good playback system, Klipsch was the brand every non Klipsch salesman would bash. At that time, Heritage was the the current line - period. Fast forward to today and that still holds true. I have on occasion met a salesman in one of the few remaining audio stores that actually likes some of the Klipsch line, including a few of the Reference models - but that has always been the exception - not the rule.

I have listened to a lot of brands over the years - both at friends homes and in various Audio stores - some were set up well and some were not. I've listened to Bose, Quad, Tannoy, B&W, Thiel, Magnapan, Martin Logan, M&K, Def Tech, PSB, etc and most recently to the Joseph Audio Pearls at $20,000.00 a pair on a tube based system (Conrad Johnson) whose total retail value was slightly over $40,000.00. Along the way, there have been many fine sounding speakers and many lousy ones. The Pearls are great sounding, dynamic speakers - but very ugly to MY eyes - and not worth an additional $18.5k to ME over my RF5s. The Pearls were VERY good sounding - I lost myself in the music - it sounded very much like a live, well mixed performance - and the gear was no longer the focus - just the music - pure and simple.

At home, I can accomplish the same results and do so - EVERY night. My system has a different "signature" to the sound, but is just as good at making one listen to the music and not the gear. And that is why I listen in the first place. Mission accomplished - no matter what anyone else may think.

[kenratboy]

One thing with Klipsch - the VALUE is sure there. Money is a very real issue.

I have not heard a lot, but I have heard plenty of $3,000 stuff I thought was pretty sad compared to $500 Klipsch.

However, one requirement I have is my stuff needs to play LOUD, CLEAN,

and with a WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE - little bookshelf speakers with

butter-soft woofer travel cannot do that, nor do they have any bite.

At the end of the day, who cares, just listen and enjoy!

[DrWho]

Do you know what I am learning my

obession is? It is the "drug induced euphoria" - you know what I

mean... the high you felt the first time you listened to something

*really* good, or at least that much better than anything you heard

before.....

...Perhaps that is what I am trying to find, but at least now I think -

with your help - I know what I am looking for...it might be a waste of

time or stupid discussion, as some have pointed out on this thread, but

I think the journey is the goal, yes?

Allow me to make an observation...was it the system you were listening

to that gave you that euphoria that you seek? Or was it the music

itself that hit your mood just right?

There is certainly plenty of enjoyment to be had by being a gear head,

but it's really all in vain if you don't eventually come back to the

music - especially since the gear just sits there until you start

playing something. And since it always comes back to the music, does it

really even matter how good the system is?

Sure, there is a certain extent where the quality of the playback can

hinder the musical enjoyment, which will of course be different for

everyone. But why not approach the system fidelity from this angle? To

put it another way, what do you find lacking with the music

that you want to be fixed? I know that is a hard question to answer

when you don't know what "better" sounds like, but if you can't think

of anything that needs to sound better, then why bother worrying about

it? I think many people fear they are enjoying something that sounds

"bad"...but if you enjoy it, doesn't that mean it sounds "good"? All I

know is that I would totally give up all my "ear training" in exchange

for pure and utter ignorance. I envy people like my dad who can sit

down and just enjoy the music - regardless of the system...

All that to say...the path to audio nirvana does not rely upon the

equipment. If you're looking for that next "drug induced euphoria" then

I suggest you get yourself looking for new music. If your current

system is inhibiting your enjoyment of your current music, then by all

means fix that first, but there is absolutely no reason in the world

for the equipment to far exceed the fidelity of the music. It's the

music that is going to determine whether or not you enjoy yourself -

not the equipment.

Another thing you might consider would be to listen to music with other

people. I can confidently say that all of my favorite listening

sessions have happened over at colter's place - why? Because his

enjoyment of music (even music that I originally hated) rubbed off on

me and now I find myself dying for more of it. And because I was

enjoying it, he too was feeding off me and enjoying music that he was

getting bored of. I suppose I exagerated reality a bit, but it conveys

the idea. Humans are social creatures.

[gaspr]

DrWho

Interesting observation about the reason for the euphoria.

My experience has been that when I hear a tune on the radio or someone

else's system that catches my attention for musical reasons (it has a

great hook), I can't wait to hear it on my Khorns. When I

do buy the CD and fire it up I am almost always either very pleasantly

surprised (euphoria) or more often than not, dissapointed with

the fidelity of the recording even though I really liked the song.

So simply looking for new music doesn't always do it for

me. The best tunes that I couldn't wait to hear on my

system were often a huge letdown due to the "fidelity" of the

recording. Hate when that happens, its the opposite of

euphoria.

But when I find an excellent recording of a tune I like I have to ask myself why all CD's can't sound this good.

Why does Jack Johnson sound so incredibly good even though it was

recorded in his brother's garage studio? The separation

between the instruments is perfect, the acoustic guitars sound

better than anything that I've heard before, the overall balance

is great. Again, why can't they all be this good. It

really can't be that hard.

Thanks to Kriton for starting this thread. Most informative.

Garth

[TheEAR]

Klipsch makes are fine sounding speakers,they are a bit on the edgy side.Ideal matches for tube amps and the newer "Reference" speakers more laid back to match better with edgy low cost solid state amps found in almost all receivers.

Klipsch hallmarks are explosive dymanics,across the frequency range,life like sound reproduction.They do not sound like Hi-Fi they sound live.And this is the way I like my sound and any real audiophile should like theirs.

The people that claim Klipsch speakers are overpriced dont know much about audio and real lasting value. Owners of Klipsch speakers often keep thier speakers for a long time,sometimes a lifetime.And Klipsch Heritage are still in demand by audiophiles and thos who enjoy realism over the manufactured Hi-Fi sound.

I do not give a damn what some pseudo elitist clown thinks about my speakers,its MY ears and MY money spent on the speakers I like.End of it.

Yes there are better speakers,but they have limited output if the price level is to be kept intact or cost way more if high output is desired.Me I have Klipsch and Dynaudio speakers each doing very well.

B0$e speakers are pure overpriced garbage,flawed from the ground up.Distortion,irregular frequency response,lack of detail,clarity.Total garbage,plus the quality of p[arts used a disgrace.

[Jeff Matthews]

Hey, Ear.... Listen to yourself! []

[Kriton]

DrWho,

I get your point...it may have been the music, but I don't think so...I

think the thing that struck me was the *sound*. I was having

parts of my body giggle to bass notes that had never happened. I

heard hues and tones and dissonances, and badly played riffs and it was

- well - euphoric. I listened to everything on that college

stereo, the guy had to give me key because all I wanted to do was

borrow that sound...To this day, I haven't listened to Phil Collins in

years, but I can still tell you the name of that first song...I think

it was the right music at the right time, but it was difference in the

sound coming out of that system that floored me...

Trying different music (or the same composer and different players) has

definitely raised my appreciation for the music, but for instance,

there is something about a good recording of Barber's Adagio for

Strings played on a tight pair of Klipsch Cornwall's (MY Cornwalls)

that will bring you to tears, the song is meant to be screechy up top -

but my system handles it, wraps it, and makes it the "cry of the

innocents"...I have taken this recording with me to various listening

parties, friends houses, and heard it done on various and sundry good

and not so good systems...and the piece is always good, becasue it is

an exceptional recording...but for some reason on my speakers it is a

religious experience, every time.

Now, what it comes down to - if *I* think that my speakers sound this

good - but a majority of other folks think that in comparison that my

speakers/setup/what-have-you, is crap - then what choir of

angels must they be listening to, and where can I sign up? That

is what I wanted to know...

Thanks for the replies, really...you have all at once supported what I

am hearing, and given me the impetus to do some more comparing, if only

to appreciate what I have more (and improve the WAF factor through

creative propaganda -"Listen to how DULL these things sound, compared

to those monstrous horns WE have...") - !!

K

[Jay481985]

Well put it this way with violinist

Good violinist, cheap violin = still great music as it is the actual

person that puts the song together, the violin merely an instrument.

Hmm maybe I should say not to the best potential (Think your

favorite song on a cheap radio. The song is not at fault and if you can

get over the fact that the music is coming out of a cardboard box then

you should be fine)

Bad violinist, a Stradivarius = still a bad violinist and or bad music.

This is where the person is the weakest link and the violin is not

being ully utilized. (this is the debate with garbage in garbage out

amps for Heritage line)

Great violinist, a Stradivarius = great music with great instrument to complement the song. Both are full potential.