Is it true what "they" say?

[Mudkicker]

I am actually appalled by some of the responses that i received from this thread. Such a lack of respect and manners for a fellow Klipsch fanatic.

Where did it say that in your original post ? You wouldn't be the first from another forum coming here and stirring crap up, or have been banned from here, and come back under another name, and stir up stuff ......................... You think this thread is flaming you, stick around, you may get flamed someday ....

Well, if that is the way things work around here, flaming, then no thanks, i won't be sticking around for too much longer.

Mud

[jwc]

Mud,

You know....my nickname in High School was Mudd.....loong story.

Interesting enough....I think your opening question is a good one. Daddy Dee answered you appropriately. But I will give you some guts.

I'm a Klipsch fan. Mostly attracted to the Heritage line....new or old.

Now I for one have heard the Reference line and I'm not too impressed. Interesting enough...I own RF-52's. But this is because my wife dictated the dimensions of what was allowed in my exercise room. I'm gonna give Klipsch the business....so I went out and bought what fit....RF-52. Never demoed them. They are fine for what I use them for. Not for "critical" listening.

To be honest....I went to a Klipsch dealer and heard the RF-82's on Some high end Marantz equipment. Brought in my own discs. I didn't like them.

Now this same dealer had some La Scala II's. Now I loved these. Yes they are "new"......refined "old" design.

I own them.

So.......I wouldn't say the new stuff is poor or anything like that. Just what I like.

Can you tell us your equipment in a little more detail, needs for 2 channel vs HT, and most importantly....price range.

The "newer" Klipschorn Jubilee (heard) and Palladium (not heard) are different but quality products.

jc

[Islander]

Well, if that is the way things work around here, flaming, then no thanks, i won't be sticking around for too much longer.

It's a pity your first post stirred up such a response. We have a wide variety of forum members, most of them interesting in their own way and very happy to give you their opinion, sometimes much more vehemently than is called for. Do stick around and get a feel for the place. Most members are friendly and helpful, so don't be driven away by the one or two who are not.

As colterphoto usually says, "Welcome to the madness!"

[oscarsear]

Here's my tale. I had Khorns from the 80's and incorporated them into an AV system. The place I got the system at used to sell Klipsch but no longer carried the line. They dissed Klipsch and I purchased a mish mosh (Snell, paradigm) collection of speakers from them that did not include side speakers. I shopped for those and bought some little SS 0.5 Klipsch units. I think they were bottom of the line for that application. Well they performed right up there with the rest of that system. Subsequently I replaced that set-up with a dedicated AV room using all RF 7 Klipsch product ( and an RSW 15). I auctioned off the old set up with exception of the Khorns. Of all the speakers I'd purchased those little SS 0.5 side speakers actually sold for more than I paid for them. Now the place I bought my 1st system from was a high end dealer in Orange County Calif called Genesis Audio. They did not know of which they spoke. Look at E-Bay and see what sells. Look at Audiogon and see what sells. What re-sells is Klipsch and it is because of the quality of sound, the quality of manufacture and the quality of company. Where else will you find corporate people on an open forum taking the heat right along with the accolades. Klipsch cares about its products and its reputation and they care enough to listen. That is a rare asset in todays corporate climate.

[WMcD]

Okay, now everyone has calmed down a bit.

I see Mudkicker has KGs. Nice speaker. It does have plastic horns and an MDF box. Stuff like that made some people cluck and roll their eyes. This is because the original Heritage units were made in a time of plywood and metal. Cars had fins and phones had dials. If you like the KGs, you're in a very good position to judge whether change is bad or good. The KGs are part of the story.

The Heritage line continues the same in basic principles. In some cases they have plastic horns and MDF. Arguably crossovers have changed for the better.

If you look at the history of the entire line of speakers there have been a lot of additions. Klipsch is a major supplier of speakers to theaters. Some people are running those at home. This is the Jubilee - 402 horn combination.

The Reference series is an example of meeting the demands of a new market. People want, or will buy, a thinner and taller speaker. It fits into the home theater business with a center and surround, and a sub. That is a new approach from the 1970 or 1980 or 1990s. Are these "not as good?" I don't think so; they're dang good. They're not K-Horns in form but they're not suppose to be. And they get very good reviews.

The desktop computer units are not K-Horns either, in size. The pack a wallop though.

Klipsch makes in-wall and in-ceiling speaker. Outdoor speakers. Earphones too. The earphones do sound like K-Horns in a way, with a considerable change in price, size and mass. Smile.

On trips to the annual Pilgrimage to Indy (everyone is welcome BTW although I don't speak for Klispch) almost 100 people show up for a day of listening to new products and the new versions of the Heritage line. In my view, it is amazing how good the small, budget level models are. They should. The engineers at Klipsch put a lot of R&D into making things right.

PWK said that listening to Klipsch speakers is an "ear opening experience." It is still true about all things with the Klipsch trademark. If "they" say to the contrary, it is only because they have not been exposed to the products and sat down and listened.

Well . . . okay . . . I'll grant you . . . the tee-shirts don't sound very good. But they sound about the same as the old ones.

Gil

[boom3]

This is a question that I have heard before, and also applied to other products, like Marantz and Macintosh....

It's a legitimate question that deserves a reasoned answer.

re: Klipsch, this has been motivated by people unhappy over use of MDF vs. plywood, plastic horns vice metal, and their "favorite" drivers replaced by newfangled ones. Paul replaced drivers often while he was directing design at Klipsch, because he was a scientist above being a businessman, and science marches on. There will always be partisans of old stuff. When I first heard Klipschorns, an older salesman told me he liked the K-5-J vs. the K-400. That was in 1971, and I'm sure there are still some who see things that way.

I think the Klipsch build quality is just as good, and better in some ways. There are many instances in which older technology or methods of production looks attractive, but after nostalgia is dismissed, the new stuff is usually is a better value. Hey, I sigh over old cars...but I drive an '01 with an airbag on daily basis.

[Amy]

I DO think it's fair to say the "company" might not be what it once was (with specific regard to marketing their Heritage products) because it's about as rare as hens teeth to find a dealer stocking Heritage speakers.

Hmm....not exactly fair to blame the company for this, Coytee. Especially considering the vast majority of people who would buy Heritage products would never pay full price for a new pair. Doesn't really movitate dealers to keep them in stock, does it?

Thank you, eBay! []

[Coytee]

Hmm....not exactly fair to blame the company for this, Coytee. Especially considering the vast majority of people who would buy Heritage products would never pay full price for a new pair. Doesn't really movitate dealers to keep them in stock, does it?

Thank you, eBay!

I agree with you 100% but that doesn't change the (unfortunate) demographics that your business model has evolved further away from the Heritage line than it might have once been, no??

For the record, it wasn't intended to sound like a negative towards the company, I hope it didn't come across that way. Without evolving, the company might not be here to do what it's doing. I for one (and I can probably add about 13 other Jubilee owners and 100 Jubilee lovers) am glad the company is still here, especially with a mean-ole crusty Forum Boss Woman []

[Amy]

I agree with you 100% but that doesn't change the (unfortunate) demographics that your business model has evolved further away from the Heritage line than it might have once been, no??

But is the company to blame for the evolution in industry trends? I'd like to think we have that kind of power, but probably not. []

If we still made and marketed "old-school" speakers only, would be still be in business? Maybe we would, but I have my doubts. At least we certainly wouldn't have seen the growth we've been able to manage. The hi-end audio industry as a whole has been taking a beating the past several years, but we've been able to come out on top time after time.

I think we do what we do pretty well, and still manage to salvage the cool "retro" stuff.

[JJkizak]

The only thing that bothers me is MDL. Everything I have purchased constructed with MDL has warped with weight applied to it for periods of six months or more. I would still purchase the Klipsch products though even if they use that stuff.

JJK

[jacksonbart]

The only thing that bothers me is MDL. Everything I have purchased constructed with MDL has warped with weight applied to it for periods of six months or more. I would still purchase the Klipsch products though even if they use that stuff.

JJK

Did you mean MDF? Never heard of MDL.

[Guest David H]

If we still made and marketed "old-school" speakers only, would be still be in business? (Probably not)

But the cool thing is that you still produce the old school speakers. (Heritage line)

In fact, I think Klipsch is the only speaker company to still produce its flagships of the 60s and 70s.

Interesting thought...Does any manufacturer other than klipsch produce their classics? ie. Dahlquist, ESS, JBL, Polk Audio KLH etc?

[Islander]

Everything I have purchased constructed with MDL has warped with weight applied to it for periods of six months or more.

They're speakers, not TV stands... [:^)]

[seti]

I DO think it's fair to say the "company" might not be what it once was (with specific regard to marketing their Heritage products) because it's about as rare as hens teeth to find a dealer stocking Heritage speakers.

Hmm....not exactly fair to blame the company for this, Coytee. Especially considering the vast majority of people who would buy Heritage products would never pay full price for a new pair. Doesn't really movitate dealers to keep them in stock, does it?

Thank you, eBay!

Mudkicker,

Welcome to the forums. I hope you stick around there is a lot great information and helpful people here.

Hey Amy ouch don't knock some of us just because we can't afford brand new Klipschorns or heritage speakers. I bought used klipschorns but I also bought my truck used as well perhaps even my uhhh nevermind. The way products move on the used market is also a testament to the high quailty craftsmanship that klipsch is famous for which is a great thing. The new khorns and heritage look just as good as they ever have. If I could afford a brand new pair of klipschorns I would have them already and maybe some of them rogue speakers as well. If I am at a point where I can by brand new speakers there is only one brand I would even consider. It is a bit of a dilema as you have a hard time getting dealers to stock the heritage speakers yet not many people would spend that much money on a speaker they haven't heard.

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[Oblio]

Everything I have purchased constructed with MDL has warped with weight applied to it for periods of six months or more.

They're speakers, not TV stands...

Out of necessity (living in a small house), I've used my Khorns as both a TV and aquarium stand. [:$]

[Islander]

I also bought my truck used as well perhaps even my uhhh nevermind.

It's really hard to find a never-been-used nevermind. Besides, the experienced neverminds are more interesting anyway...

[JJkizak]

Geeeezzz, MDL or MDF? Now i'm confused. I think it's the stuff made out of glue & sawdust. The other stuff I recall is 3/4" tongue & groove (pieces & glue) flooring which they installed in the 2 million dollar house behind me. The 18" x 6" beams were glue and long fibre laminations. And they are heavy. I have 7 utility stands that warped, one desk with 1" stuff that warped, and a few of those white painted utility shelves that warped. My Klipsch Sub didn't warp nor the small SS surround speakers. But remember also that plywood will dry out so bad in dry climates that the screws will fall out after about 20 years. In Greenland the untreated plywood was turning into sawdust but the marine stuff held up good. My K-horns/Cornwall were as good as new after 40 years as far as the quality of the plywood. I was astounded when I removed the woofers to find that there was no mouse or critter damage to the drivers or the cabinets. But maybe they didn't care for the music.

JJK

[thebes]

Welcome Mudkicker. It's a legitimate question. But relax a bit. Don't be so sensitive just because your speakers are.[]

Considering your own experience you can look at this two ways. You can view the Synergy series as a very poor rendition of the Kg series or you can view the Reference series as a real killer upgrade to the Kg series. The Reference series, like the Heritage series, gets marginally better with every new release. Don't forget, These are the two main lines of home speakers aside from the wonderful top of the line Heritage series. These lines are pitched at the home theater crowd, and why not. It's where the the consumer wants to go.

Compared to almost everything Klipsch has produced in main floorstanders the Synergy line is junk. Better than most anybody else's mid to upscale offerings, and worth owning if you are on a serious budget, but compared to the company's history, junk.

Then there is the overall direction of Klipsch away from being a speaker company to being a full range electronics company. So far their experiments with partnering with others on providing Ht packages and buying an upscale SS receiver line is decidedly mixed. I think they are stepping away from that and going with their strength: building excellent value speakers.

They have also branched out in other ways, computer speakers and ipod stuff comes to mind. I have no idea about the ipod stuff but the computer speakers sound great, although with some quality control problems. Their new foray into ear-bud land seems to be a major quality improvement in the existing market.

So there you have it, a company that is growing , rather than dying. Becoming more corporate with some loss of quality in certain lines, but overall produces the best value in sound on the planet.

Take your pick.

[Amy]

Compared to almost everything Klipsch has produced in main floorstanders the Synergy line is junk.

I understand you are using the word "compared," but junk seems pretty harsh to me. I really like our Synergy products--in fact, a couple of models could rival our older Reference models. They are well built, and very well engineered and voiced. Don't underestimate our line of "junk!"

[thebes]

Now Amy let's not take things out of context. Here's the whole paragraph:

"Compared to almost everything Klipsch has produced in main
floorstanders the Synergy line is junk. Better than most anybody else's
mid to upscale offerings, and worth owning if you are on a serious
budget, but compared to the company's history, junk."

A person I respect who works for your company feels, I think, that the S2 (?) is a killer speaker. The orignal poster owns Kg and, I'm sorry, Imo etc., KG kills Synergy. I'm giving the guy a baseline to compare. Synergy was a plastic step back but certainly understandable given that the market only cares about price and Hometheater. Don't forget the KG line was desiged as affordable HT . I've got a Kg HT setup, and I've heard Synergy numerous times and I would never sell off my Kg to buy that particular line of dare I say it?[]