WPM Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi All, Call this an addendum to my earlier review, with some questions at the end. I've lived with my Cornwall IIIs for just over a week now, and grow more amazed by their sound every day. I don't know if I am just smitten with their performance or am I just experiencing what is just typical for Heritage series loudspeakers? I am hearing songs (very familiar ones) as though I am hearing them for the very first time. But, even more astonishing than this, is that they literally sound as though the arrangements are different. Soundstages are spread out wider, deeper, and singers are even placed in different positions than I remembered. Sounds are poping up that I never knew were there. The effect is eerie, and also very appealing, but am I going crazy to be hearing such things? I mean, can a speaker be so radically different from all the others as to totally transform the soundstage? I've used many many loudspeakers in the past 25-years, some very good ones, too, and all have had their differences in tone, soundstage size, and transparency, but none has actually altered the way a recording has been arranged. Is Klipsch the only loudspeaker to have gotten this aspect right? I'd sure like to hear from anyone else who has expeirenced this phenomenon. Cheers! William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 yeah, it's pretty typical. Go ahead - let yourself fall in love all over again! It's ok, happens around here all the time. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damonrpayne Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 You bet the speakers and their positioning have an effect on soundstage. Yeah this Klipsch stuff is OK I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Soundstages are spread out wider, deeper, and singers are even placed in different positions than I remembered. Sounds are poping up that I never knew were there. The effect is eerie, and also very appealing, but am I going crazy to be hearing such things? I mean, can a speaker be so radically different from all the others as to totally transform the soundstage? Yes it can. Example, the synthesizer at the beginning of "Hard Habit to Break" by Chicago. For years I never knew that each note contained a bit of vibrato that I never heard until I listened to the song on my RF-7s. Also, "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins. The triangle or whatever instrument that is playing during the chorus never struck me until I heard it on RF-7s. Speaker positioning will affect some of this, but the quality of the speaker definitely does too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Part of your reaction can also depend on what you had immediately prior. So, what speakers did you replace with these new Klipsch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPM Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi Jeff, Immediately prior to the Cornwall's I had a pair of factory rebuilt Magnepan MG-IIBs, driven by a Classe Fifteen amplifier and Five preamplifier... all quality stuff. The thing is, I have never noticed these things with any of the speaker/amp combinations I've had in the past, and that is what I find so amazing. This is new territory for me, and after more than 25-years dabbling in audio, I'm digging it! William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Way to go WPM! You might also find that cymbals sound more realistic compared to many of the artificial cymbal highs of other speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPM Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi Oldtimer, Yes, you are absolutely right. I have noticed, and marvel at their clarity. I was listening to an old R&B classic from the S.O.S. Band last night, and what I had thought for years to be just synth claps in the background, actually and clearly, were two percussion sticks being struck in rhythm. Spooky.... William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Slightly different perspective: I've read these "WOW" comments/moments before and always wondered why I never experienced the same thing...(and I mean never) Then it dawned on me... as a teenager, I bought a pair of new LaScalas and used them as my mains for the last 27 years. I've never really been familiar with ANY other kind of speaker and had no reason to doubt that they ALL did it. I just presumed the LaScalas were louder. Ahh.. ignorance (mine) is sooooooooooooo blissful... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 well, ya coulda been happy also ... ifn' ya bought JBL, or Altec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi Oldtimer, Yes, you are absolutely right. I have noticed, and marvel at their clarity. I was listening to an old R&B classic from the S.O.S. Band last night, and what I had thought for years to be just synth claps in the background, actually and clearly, were two percussion sticks being struck in rhythm. Spooky.... William I am always amazed how the audio mags leave Heritage out of reviews. Stereophile reviewed RB-15 (?) a while back. To me it was disrespectful to the longevity of Klipsch. Why not RB-75 or RF-7 at least? CSNY, THe Band or The Eagles are great for voices and guitars in their place. .....then when you get to vinyl; look out![] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Slightly different perspective: I've read these "WOW" comments/moments before and always wondered why I never experienced the same thing...(and I mean never) Then it dawned on me... as a teenager, I bought a pair of new LaScalas and used them as my mains for the last 27 years. I've never really been familiar with ANY other kind of speaker and had no reason to doubt that they ALL did it. I just presumed the LaScalas were louder. Ahh.. ignorance (mine) is sooooooooooooo blissful... [] Yes, that's been my experience, too. As a kid, I had Pioneer HPM 100's. Good but not great. I went to Klipsch and never looked back, nor ever really gave anything else the time of day. I have heard "good Bose." No comparison. I heard some decent Polks. Good, but not great. There are some very revealing materials that comprise the KHorn. I think the Cornwalls are maybe a little better balanced in that they might not shine as much when the music shines, but when the music does not shine, they cover up the flaws better. Maybe??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 There are some very revealing materials that comprise the KHorn. I think the Cornwalls are maybe a little better balanced in that they might not shine as much when the music shines, but when the music does not shine, they cover up the flaws better. Maybe??? Garymd said the same thing to me. He has 2 systems (Khorns and Cornwalls) and said on the Khorns good source material sounds fantastic, and bad source material is unlistenable. On the Cornwalls it's all listenable but the good source material doesn't sound as good as the Khorns. [] Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 well, ya coulda been happy also ... ifn' ya bought JBL, or AltecBlasphemy!(but oh so true) Horns are so much more fun [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 congrats and enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 It's the mushrooms. Those Corns aren't even broken in yet. Who knows, it could get even better![] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Hi Oldtimer, Yes, you are absolutely right. I have noticed, and marvel at their clarity. I was listening to an old R&B classic from the S.O.S. Band last night, and what I had thought for years to be just synth claps in the background, actually and clearly, were two percussion sticks being struck in rhythm. Spooky.... William That is something I immediatly noticed by my Klipsch was just how much more "realistic" and pronounced the percussion was. The drums just sounded like they were right there in my living room! I used to have a pair of Infinity Reference 2000.5 towers that I was using for my main system, and these Klipsch RF-7s completely blew them away in shear dynamics, clarity, and detail. I even auditioned some of the bigger Martin-Logans that costed twice as much as the RF-7s. They were indeed very detailed and pleasent to listen to, but I found the dynamics and clarity of the Klispch RF-7s to be so much better. The music just seem to have more "life" to it, and it just sounded more "real" to me. I've got to listen to those new Cornwalls, and I do indeed agree they are very nice indeed. I'd certainly would love to have a pair myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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