WPM Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Greetings all, <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Be patient, because this is going to be long. I was going to wait a week or so until the Cornwall IIIs settled-in before writing, but I just couldnt contain my enthusiasm. Holy shit! Please, pardon the profanity, but there is simply no other expression that accurately describes the feeling I have after listening to these speakers. Simply put, they are the most dynamic, lifelike, and visceral loudspeakers I have ever heard. Furthermore, they are also the smoothest, most transparent, and emotional transducers of the musical event that I have ever had the pleasure of owning. In my 25 plus years of dabbling with audio I have never, I repeat, never, been so enamored with the sound of a loudspeaker coming right out of the box as I am with the Cornwall IIIs. Invariably, almost every (new) loudspeaker Ive owned needed some period of break-in before settling into its own sound. Not so with the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Cornwall IIIs. They sounded so good out of the box that I question the subjectivity of a break-in period all together. However, this is neither here nor there, and such matters neednt be discussed at the moment. Onward Ill spare the details of unpacking and set-up, except to say that the speakers came packed in bullet-proof cardboard containers of substantial rigidity, and set-up was a breeze. And now for the sound I wanted to begin with something simple, to let the drivers ease into a steady pace before pushing down on the throttle. So up first were some tracks from smooth jazz artist Chris Bottis, When I Fall in Love [Columbia CK 92872]. Within the first few notes of the title cut the dynamic shadings were readily apparent, the full weight and scale of Federico Penas piano notes setting the stage for Chris Bottis smooth and sultry trumpeting to cut in, while in the background the gentle pitter patter of Billy Kilsons brushstrokes shimmered effervescently. Together, both piano and trumpet soared masterfully throughout the cut like a hot knife through butter. Nice! Prior to the Cornwall IIIs, I had considered the standards on this album to be of high quality, but nothing more than casual background music, the kind one would play at a dinner party or when not concerned about attentive listening. With the Cornwall IIIs in play the sound gave new meaning to the term smooth jazz. I sat up and took notice. This is one album my wife and I will be spending more quiet nights, curled in front of the fire sipping 88 Zeller Schwarze Katz with. Okay, so these boxes wanted to play, eh? Lets see how they handled something with a little more flair. Next up was a track called Exotique, from the group Soul Ballet [Columbia 17746-2]. This is a haunting, soulful track, layered with upbeat synth-pop and piano, underpinned by heavy bass riffs and drums kicks, while in the background the moody overtones of Stefanis desperate vocals call out with an eerie ring. The Cornwalls ripped through this track like nobodys business, making short work of all the electronica like it were being fed through a food processor, Stefanis voice floating high above the mix adding to the space and air of the track. The bass, in particular, was a real treat, too, giving this tune a solid, purposeful sound. Nice indeed! By now, I was getting the feeling that these Cornwalls meant business, and were ready to handle anything I threw at them. So, without wasting any more time, out came my acid test: Peter Framptons, Do you feel like we do, from the album Frampton Comes Alive [A&M 540930]. This is a soaring, 14-minute classic that is sure to get any loudspeaker (and set of toes) moving. Forget for a moment that this track was recorded live in 1976, when multi-tracking and mike-mixing were the exception, and not the rule, because this cut is all about adrenalin, and it has never sounded better than through the Cornwall IIIs. The Cornwall IIIs are the very reason why I enjoy listening to live recordings so much. No other loudspeaker has taken me to the live event in the way that the Cornwall IIIs have. Through them the music just sizzled, as if I were right there in the smoke-filled audience, just a few rows from the stage. Framptons guitar took on a life of its own, filling my listening space with some of the most breathtaking guitar riffs I have ever heard, while Bob Mayos organ brilliantly bridged the gap between Framptons riffs and Stanley Sheldons masterful drumming, the shimmer of the cymbals floating endlessly out in space. I literally stood up and cheered with the audience after the song ended. Phew! There comes a time during a listening session or audition when a person can safely say that something truly special is happening. Within the first minute or so of Frampton's "Do you feel like we do," I was saying just that. Talk about goosebumps! Some loudspeakers are fussy about placement, room acoustics, and electronics, making set-up and matching a royal pain. I dont know if it was the Cornwall IIIs by themselves or the quality of my Quicksilver Audio gear, but there was no denying the synergy between the two. On more than one occasion I had to look to see if there wasnt a 400 watt Krell or Mark Levinson amp driving the speakers, as the sheer effortless delivery of the Cornwall IIIs was simply startling at times, and most addictive. Song after song, album after album, the Cornwall IIIs displayed superlative music making, the likes of which I had never heard before. No matter what the genre, jazz, pop, rock, vocal, the Cornwall IIIs proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were made to do one thing deliver music in the most realistic and enjoyable fashion possible. Micro dynamics were extracted from each CD I played, bringing new life to familiar recordings. Late into the evening I was still marvelling over performances by Sinatra, Monk, Sade, Pink Floyd, etc. No matter what I played, the Cornwall IIIs transformed my room into a viable space devoid of any boundaries. The Cornwall IIIs simply did not discriminate against what was being fed through them. They gave each performance equal billing and the proper amount of space to showcase the talents of each artist/group at hand. Ive read where horn drivers are ruthless in their upper frequency delivery. This is simply not true. If there were any nasties in this region they never once reared their ugly heads. On the contrary, I found the high frequencies of the Cornwall IIIs to be among the best Ive ever heard, lending not only greater extension and clarity to the music, but smoothness, as well. From top to bottom the Cornwall IIIs sat there confounding my preconceptions of what a dynamic loudspeaker was capable of. Did I mention that I am a long-time user of Magnepan loudspeakers? Well, I am, and although I was excited about the purchase of the Cornwall IIIs, I anticipated the loss of spaciousness sound that Magnepans are renowned for. Well, fear not planer speaker users, because I am here to inform you that the Cornwall IIIs are imaging champs. Thats right. At least in my room they are. Sure, I expected the Cornwall IIIs to throw a palpable soundstage. But what I wasnt prepared for was how a speaker of their size could literally disappear before my eyes. My listening room is far from ideal; the walls are bare, and there is little absorption to speak of, except for the thick, plush carpet the speakers sit on, yet from the onset the Cornwall IIIs melted into the background as if they were a pair of high-end mini-monitors, adding great dept and transparency to the music. Im serious folks. This is a testament to quality engineering and sound design. If the Cornwall IIIs can sound this good I can only imagine what you owners of La Scalas and K-Horns must be experiencing. I guess it gives me something to shoot for. Honey, we need to sell one of our cars, I need a pair of K-Horns! I could go on and on, but I think my message is clear. In all, I couldnt happier with my purchase. My only regret is that I didnt get into Klipsch loudspeakers sooner. Oh well, better late than never, right? I am the proud owner of Cornwall IIIs and plan on keeping them for a lifetime. Cheers everyone! William 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Aaaah ..... upgrade from maggies .... well, you have now discovered ... Dynamic's ....[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Just anothah satisfied customah......[] There are a lot of ex-electrostat users who get off on horns.....that's nothing unusual, many have had both over the course of thier audiophilia. Both have their own good stuff, but the big dynamics of the Heritage Klipsch make them the place to be. I too find the Cornwalls to be very flexible.....I use six of them in the HT and find them to be very forgiving. It's pretty easy to tweak them for the desired soundstaging in the room. You would be surprised at just how far out you can bring them from walls and corners.......just for kicks, bring them out into the middle of a large room and listen if you get a chance, and see what happens. It's a really neat mini-experiment that shows just how self sufficient these speakers can be. They work just about anywhere......but like larger rooms a LOT. Congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 I'm afraid to be bitten by the Heritage bug so I'll just stay with my lowly RF-7s for now. I know what you mean as far as being blown away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawson's Ridge Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 I have not had an opportunity to hear the new Cornwall III but this evaluation has me thinking that maybe I should consider selling my pristine Chorus I and replacing them with the new Cornwall. Does anyone have experience comparing the sound of the New Cornwall and older Chorus I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 Very nicely written review. Do you have any other experience with Klipsch speakers? You stated very eloquently why I love CW's so much. They are the most flexible of the Klipsch big-boxes imho. And I love that SLAM bass. Welcome to the Madness! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrios212 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 my uncle who has a pair of original cornwalls my age (25) has been thinking of getting some rf-83s. the only thing that stops him is that everytime he goes to listen to them and then comes back home to the cornwalls he can't justify it. i've loved his speakers ever since i was a little kid. my favorite track to listen to with those speakers is ACDC Back in Black. i get a stupid grin on my face everytime. one day i'll have to get myself some of these speakers. for now i'm happy with my RB-75s and my Velodyne SPL-1500r. i'm going to forward this post to my uncle. it'll make his day. jacob ps. any idea what the differences are between these cornwalls III's and the originals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Good review......Lucky Man...and to like them instantly is quite something.....Nice looking set-up you have there.....clean,simple, and to the point.........Enjoy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPM Posted October 2, 2006 Author Share Posted October 2, 2006 ... Michael... I've never owned Klipsch loudspeakers before these Cornwalls, however, I have heard the Heritage series on many occasions in the past. Missed out on the version II Cornwalls when they were new and said I would never let that happen again, so here I am with the IIIs. ... Jacob... From what little I've read about the Cornwall IIIs, it seems that they've raised the woofer a few inches higher on the front baffle from the IIs, tweaked the crossover, to include bi-wire output terminals, covered the front baffle with a thick coat of undercoating type paint, and now use magnets to secure the grill, but apart from that they appear physically unchanged. I think something to do with the type of wood used in construction, but I am not sure. ... Oldbuckster... Lucky it may seem, but I've waited 25 years for a system like this. I'm sure we've all been there... buying and selling systems, changing components every few months... well, I finally got tired of it and sold off my Classe/Magnepan system and made the switch. A switch, I am happy to say, that has brought me nothing but pure audio joy, but then you guys already knew. William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 I'm afraid to be bitten by the Heritage bug so I'll just stay with my lowly RF-7s for now. I know what you mean as far as being blown away. If you lived around me you might see some minds being blown. Jimi Hendrix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 ps. any idea what the differences are between these cornwalls III's and the originals? There is a bunch of threads dealing with this subject. new drivers all around, moved woofer postion, upgraded xover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 "my uncle who has a pair of original cornwalls my age (25) has been thinking of getting some rf-83s. the only thing that stops him is that everytime he goes to listen to them and then comes back home to the cornwalls he can't justify it." SMART MAN. Tell him to keep what he's got. Here's a little secret about Heritage Klipsch - just because they are old doesn't mean they are "finished". In fact, age is a benefit in my book - in those days, gear was built to last as long as YOU. I think the same can be said for the new Heritage.....it will last as long as you do - and are therefore speakers FOR LIFE. Now nothing against the Reference, but Heritage is another level..... I think of Heritage Klipsch like I do old McIntosh: Never sell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Congratulations on the CW III's! I really enjoyed reading your post and could definitely tell the excitement as you wrote each word. [] Yes, these speakers are special, and at their pricepoint there is nothing better on the planet! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Great review William and congratulations on the CWs. I had never heard them until your review. I bet they are a great match with that Quicksilver gear. Enjoy! Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted October 2, 2006 ps. any idea what the differences are between these cornwalls III's and the originals? There is a bunch of threads dealing with this subject. new drivers all around, moved woofer postion, upgraded xover. I have been thinking the same thing, how much of a difference from the two originals ? Very nice review, it's hard to put the quality of music into words. I would have loved to write a good review when I got my CWlll's but I really didnt think it would have been really fair. I am " for now " useing my Yamaha reciever and I know I am Missing much quality for 2 ch compared to other rigs. I will in the future do better for 2 ch but to many other projects lined up for now.[] I don't know if it will be tubes or vintage amp or both, also I don't want to rush into any of it the CWlll's will be hear when it happens whenever it does. Oh don't get me wrong they sound great even with this HT receiver but I know I am missing out compared to what it could sound like , { thanks Hope Pilgrimage } . I really liked the way that integrated amp sounded in the Klipsch listening room, if it wasn't for other projects already started I would have jumped on one like that, came close though. Glad you like your new CW's smart choice, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawson's Ridge Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Several years ago I switched from using a Sony ES integrated amp to a new McIntosh MC6500 integrated amp to power my Chorus I speakers and was overwhelmed with the improvement in sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmsummer Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Congratulations, KING William! Where did you buy them? Did you get to audition them first? PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 William, Congratulations on your new pride & joy. I just wanted to make a thought provoking suggestion. It is probably the case that you have obtained a pair of speakers that you will still have 20 or 30 years from now. How many purchases (cars, microwave ovens, tv sets etc) can we say that about? It really is a sobering thought. Enjoy, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted October 2, 2006 William, Congratulations on your new pride & joy. I just wanted to make a thought provoking suggestion. It is probably the case that you have obtained a pair of speakers that you will still have 20 or 30 years from now. How many purchases (cars, microwave ovens, tv sets etc) can we say that about? It really is a sobering thought. Enjoy, -Tom Quite a value over the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPM Posted October 2, 2006 Author Share Posted October 2, 2006 PM, I purchased them sight unseen (and unheard) from my local Klipsch dealer here in San Antonio (Bjorn's). Actually, they had to be built to order, so I didn't have the luxury of an audition. I had heard the CWIIs several times before, so I was pretty sure the IIIs were going to be special. William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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