fanbrain Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Sometime in the distant future, I want to compile a music only system, mostly to listen to organ music. I want to know what kind of setup I'm looking at. The frequency range of one particular organ I listen to ranges from 8200 cycles per second down to 13. Often the organ is accompanied by a 300+ member choir, and sometimes an orchestra. I know that's a lot of information to play through speakers of any sort, but I want to know what I should be looking for. The Heritage line seems to be the up to the task, but which model? SS or tubes? One sub or two? I thought I'd tap into the sea of knowledge this forum is. I don't have a house to put this in, so no room size can be given. Maybe that should be part of your recommendations. Again, I'm not looking to do this soon; it's more of a goal I'll be aiming for. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Finding the magic configuration for organ music is like the quest for the Holy Grail. You can see it in your mind's eye, but when you reach out to touch it, it crumbles to dust and ashes. In my youth, I was both a church organist/choirmaster and an organbuilder (Casavant). So, I know what organs sound like in the wild. Reproducing that sound is a tough assignment. It is only in rare, fleeting moments that my Klipschorns "disappear" playing pipe organ music. It is that tough. Forget the subs. They muddy organ music. Go for power. I have Mark IIIs (60 W) and sometimes I wish for more power. Forget SS. It has to do with odd numbered distortion frequencies that our ears hate. Organ music brings out the worst of this phenomenon. I had three CornWalls before I got the bargain-of-my-life Klipschorns. For organ music, the CW's are modestly better than the K-Horns. I hate that I committed that to print! Beware! A lot of organ CDs are poorly recorded and then butchered by ignorant editors who love to twist knobs. "DDD" is no assurance of life-like performance! I hope this helps a little. DRBILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanbrain Posted May 30, 2006 Author Share Posted May 30, 2006 DRBILL, I'm surprised to read "forget the subs". I went without a sub for a month or so, and only with an addition of one (a velodyne servo-controlled one I might add) did I realize how much information I was missing. Also, how do LaScala's do compared to the CW's and KHorns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Well, anything that you install that adds to or "enhances" a performance results in a degradation of "fidelity" or truthfullness. Run over to SLC and listen to the famous choir and organ and stunning acoustics. Then buy one of the records and take it home and play it on your system. The degree to which it sounds like your memory of the live experience is the degree of "fidelity." This doesn't touch on personal taste. "There is no accounting for taste," as the saying goes. Maybe you really like an exaggerated bass line. And there is nothing wrong with that. But if that's what it takes to make a fulfilling musical experience for you, then there are hundreds of speakers out there that will cost a fraction of what you are about to pay for Klipsch speakers. I tried a sub with my Klipschorns. I spent the better part of a day moving it around from place to place to try to meld it to the system. In frustration, I returned it to our modest HT setup where it does wonderful things with special effects. DRBILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Isn't JT1stcav into organ music? And who has that monster pipe organ in their garage? Maybe they could lend a hand here? M 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.