Yes, I know it's heresy to speak badly about the Heresy ll, but-

[Cornman]

[*-)]I have loved the sound of Klipch for 40 years, and as some of you may have seen in an earlier post I purchased a pair of Heresy ll for my 85 year young father for a fathers day gift. He has been using a pair of Sansui SP5500x for the past couple of years, driven by a Pioneer SX950. So I thought I would up grade his speaker's to the sound of Klipsch. I was so excited looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he heard the Heresy's. But it was not to be, I was the one with the shocked look on his face when we A-B compared the speakers. What a disapointment, the Heresy was badly out done by the Sansui. Yes the Sansui has a larger woofer & more speakers. Was the Heresy competing with a speaker out of its class or what? I just cant figure it out... What do you think?

[HarryO]

Chalk it up to "non matching" equipment. I've heard many a sx-950 and it's one of my favorite Pioneers. Good power and sound pretty nice. It's the only one of Pioneers' '50 or '80 series I care for. I tried the same match about a year ago on my Heresys and I was disappointed also. I thought they were shrill and flat with the Pioneer. I hooked up an old Sansui 5000x and they came back to life and sounded excellent. Some components just don't match up well at all. My experience and now yours tells me this is one of those combos that don't cut it. Try them on another receiver or amp and the difference can be pleasing.

Harry

[NOSValves]

Pioneer SX-anything with Heresy's is a receipy for disaster. Heresy's need an amp tilted to the warm side and Klipsch in general deserve much better the most mid level 70's solid state.

[Groomlakearea51]

Pioneer SX-anything with Heresy's is a receipy for disaster. Heresy's need an amp tilted to the warm side and Klipsch in general deserve much better the most mid level 70's solid state.

Funny you should observe that... I have/had many, many of the more "high end" Sansui ss amp series; the 999's, the 11000's, and the 919's. Of all of them, my Heresy's sounded best with the 999's and 11000's (tilted a little to the 999's). The Klipschorn's sounded best with the 11000's; the LaScala's, interestingly, sounded best with the 919's. Go figure (more power? less THD/IMD?). I've sold my 999's and 919's and am staying with the 11000's (Sansui Pro Series) for the stereo room "wall of voodoo".; reason - of all the SS amps I've had, regardless of power, THD/IMD, etc., the 11000's simply sound better through the Klipschorns, Cornwalls, LaScala's, Heresy's (in general) than the others. Very "warm" is a good way to describe it. Eventually I'll go for a tube system for one of the K'horn pairs, but until that moment of truth..., different amps have different sounds.

[Cornman]

I love it when there is a consensus as we have on this subject. I am in full agreement about Klipch working best with tubes or some type of SS on the warm sounding side. Having gone thru this before with my Cornwalls, working my way thru various receivers & amps. The selected combinations are like night & day in satisfaction. For some reason I got the wrong notion in my mind that the Heresy was an exception to this "rule". So as always I appreciate ever ones input that has never led me wrong yet. When I get back home I will try the Heresy's with the tried & true HK930, & my Mc. with tube pre amp.& I am sure the Grin will return to my face again. []

[oldbuckster]

Sometimes first impressions are wrong......................Heresy's grow on you, unless you first heard them on tubes it's takes awhile to appreciate the Heresy's.............they are thin on BASS with SS equipment, unless a sub woofer is used, maybe massive wattage would help, but on 20 watts of Scott Tubes I can drive you out of the room, and with my sub, make the house shake.......More BASS than I want or need.....My Yamaha SS sounds much better than my Sony SS did.....but neither is in the same league as the Scott.........

[Audio Flynn]

Amp matching is a must. Old SS can be warm enough at times but you have to try around. Try older Sansui, HK or Marantz.

[Daddy Dee]

Cornman,

What's the year of manufacture of your HII's. They may be old enough to need fresh caps on the crossovers. Caps off spec can make for nasty sound. I've got two pairs of HII's.. One pair, the newer ones sound great. The other pair is 20 years old and sound sucky. I REALLY need to get fresh caps for that pair.

[djk]

"What a disapointment, the Heresy was badly out done by the Sansui"

In what department?

The Sansui is much more efficient, but has virtually no deep bass. The crossovers use electrolytics that will sound quite poor by now.

The Heresy II should sound quite a bit cleaner in the mids and highs, assuming it all works.

You want to buy something to impress him, get some Forte. Much better overall sound, deeper bass, but at least 6dB less efficient.

[Arky]

I REALLY need to get fresh caps for that pair.

I know a guy that can get them for ya.[] Sorry, I'm bored tonight.

[pauln]

This being an audio thing (subjective and within the limits of ones hearing abilities), I would wonder why you were so worried about being shocked or disappointed with what you heard. The real thing is how did your father hear them? At 85 I would think his hearing is pretty limited, but not his appreciation for your thoughtfulness. Maybe they sounded great to him? The more shrill the better?

[GBSLPS]

Last Saturday I received my Heresy III's I bought used off Audiogon. I hooked them up to my Sam Kim Audio modified Heathkit 151 integrated amp 15 watts per channel put on Chopin piano concerto no. 2 and my first impression was WOW!!! something special goin on here. Later played George Thorogood Live tilted the volume up a bit and the wife wanted to dance.

Now I have not heard Klipsch speakers in 15 years and they were La Scala's but they were in dealers show room with SS amps and I was not that impressed. I agree with oldbuckster get you some tubes.