Horns: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Klipsch . Its on-going mission: to explore strange new sounds. To seek out new timbres and new recordings . To boldly go where no Audiophiliac has gone before! My apologies to Trekkers and William Shatner And Patrick Stewart. 👍🏻😉
John Fay 1976 was my First time hearing four Klipschorns two sacked in each corner and I thought I was standing right in the orchestra and I was speechless which for me is almost impossible 😉😂
Steve, I’m glad found your channel. I worked at Klipsch in the late 70s and early 80s. Bob Moore was the plant manager then. I knew Paul Klipsch and spoke to him often as he would make a walk through the plant almost daily. I was the speaker tester back then so I am privileged to have my name on the back of thousands of speakers. It was an interesting time.
Mack, I currently own a pair of Fortes and a few pair of their small speakers. My brother has my cornwalls and my ex wife has my hereseys. Nothing beats the old Heritage series made in Hope Arkansas.
I met Wolfman Jack back when he was a spokesman for Klipsch. I tested about 5-6 pair of speakers for him. It was a very cool experience for a country boy!
I literally just brought my Cornwall's home with a new McIntosh MA352. I set everything up and have been tweaking for the last few hours...I'm seriously pleased ...I'm a happy camper with a glass of vino in hand!
You can't go wrong with any of the KIipsch Heritage series... I'll never forget the first moment I heard truly realistic sound reproduction coming from a set of K-horns hooked up to a McIntosh MC225 amp, wow... That moment started my life long passion and interest in the field of high-end audio. Great presentation Steve, I always love and appreciate to hear your take on exceptional audio components at reasonable prices.
Thanks, Steve...I've been listening to horns for decades. Have Cornwalls now, from '81 along with Heresy's from '84. All have been updated with Bob Crites. Thanks again.
I love Cornwalls, I grew up listening to a set that my dad owned and I have been hooked on Klipsch ever since. I hope to find a nice used pair some day. Nice review Steve 👍
i have the smaller klipcsh speakers with one big horn. boy does it FEEL better because of that horn and the decent size . bought them off a friend that somehow fell in love with those silly bose surround speakers . the tiny ones .
I also love horn speakers. I built a pair of 3 way horn speakers in 1976 using 15" speakers from Altec Lansing with the compression horn tweeters and large compression midrange horns, both purchased from an outfit called SPEAKERLAB. I've used and enjoyed these "home-crafted" now for 40+ years. Very dynamic, loud and live sounding. My speakers are not perfect (being homebuilt). I would love to hear the Cornwall IV's in comparison to my large beasts. From your description of the Klipsch's, I suspect they sound very, very good. Thanks so much for this review and all of the great reviews you publish here on TH-cam!!
I just love the revisions that Klipsch has been steadily undertaking with the Heritage Line. Especially with the compression driver diaphragm materials and the horn wave guide designs. Excellent !
I've got the Cornwall III's in my basement system where I watch movies. It sounds like a Cinema because it basically is a Cinema speaker. $1600 more, for the version IV, and for that you get plastic port inserts and a taller plastic mid horn. Not exactly value for money, but they were going to increase the price anyways and just waited until the announcement of the new one to do it. The Cornwall is my favorite Heritage speaker. The thing the Cornwall does better than the Forte in one word is "BIG". Big speaker, big sound, big dynamics. They will fill a room with effortless sound.
I bought a used pair of entry level Klipsch RF 25 tower. I WAS SO IMPRESSED (and still am). I am so intrigued (mouth watering) about the Klipsch Heritage speakers especially after reviews like yours.....thanks Steve.
Love my recent model Cornwall lll's, and so does my Vincent SV-237MK. Like Steve, I'm a big believer in 15" woofers and the superior bass they deliver.
I recently got a pair of these and matched to a set of REL carbon specials and and a prima Luna evo 300 amp upgraded tubes to KY 150s with a rega p8 tube box ds2 and it is just a great escape! The details and sound stage are wonderful and hearing things I've never heard in albums I've listed to thousands of times. Well worth the money spent. My buddies that owns the stereo shop I put this together over time said that look at spending money on other hobbies like motorcycles, and look at the difference. Motorcycle season I ride a few months a year. The stereo can be enjoyed every day. I like the way he thinks. Great investment in my personal happiness.
I am keeping my Mirage OM6,OM10,BPS400 SUB, MC2 CENTER with Plinius Sa102 amplifiers and Conrad Johnson MET 1 multichannel preamplifier, Epson 4k projector, DNP Supernova Core 2 120 inch screen, Magnum Dynalab triode tuner, etc in my Hometheatre. Bought the Klipsch Cornwall mk3s this year powering them with Plinius SA 102, Plinius M8 preamplifier or Dared VP 845 integrated. Also purchased Transparent XL reference interconnects with Innuous Zenith mk3 server and Revelation audio labs prophecy cryogenic silver Ethernet cable and wireworlds Platinum starlight USB to my Lampizator lite 7 SET dac and a VPI Prime Superscout turntable in white with Transparent reference phono rca cables in a dedicated stereo setup. So Mirage omnidirectional powered by Plinius class A amplifiers in my hometheatre and Klipsch Stereo as well. Love them both is right, Thanks for the insightful interpretation Steve, well done. Don't forget dynamic life from these very efficient speakers, in my view sets them apart from the pack. Many choices in power.
Currently using Heresy III's through a 300B SET and it's a great experience for the money. Amazing dynamics. I found an OEM pair that I got for half price due to them being unfinished. I got to apply my own high quality finish and saved a bunch of cash. :) Now that I've been bit by the horn bug, I want to move up to these Cornwall IV's. Patience can be hard sometimes.
Steve!!! This is now my 3rd time watching this video. lol. I'd love to hear what you have to say now. Well actually, it's too late.. mine are on their way to my home by next week. These! These are my unicorns. My last and final speaker.
I have the III's and i own plenty of loudspeakers, and have owned so many different loudspeakers over the years. The Cornwalls are the only ones that i know will never leave mu house. Probably never even my livingroom. They are not the best loudspeakers that i owned regarding any single aspect but they are the ones i love the most. The ones that make me play more music than with any other speaker i owned, including some other Klipsch classic line loudspeakers.
@@Kirwish5 LOUD!! They're designed more for a mid sized to large room. If you put them in a small room you'll be wasting the potential of what these speakers can accomplish. You'd be better off with a mid sized floor standing speaker, or larger bookshelf speaker.
You’ve got some great amps to play with...I got to demo the F7 in my home for a week- WOW- my Focals never sounded better. The J2 is a versatile sweetheart of an amp and the Pass is awesome! Nice work Steve
@@davidquintas1311 so strange I wonder why no JBL reviews? Also I'm really interested to see how well the new Cornwall IV will sell being priced at $6k. I have a friend that is a dealer and he will not carry it in his store. Special order only. He thinks that Klipsch has gotten greedy and are asking to much. He said he sells way to many Forte's iiis and only a handful of Cornwall iiis. We shall see....
Less sizzle and more steak.. Is what captured my ears of these big Klipsch. Considering it was designed with intentions to be used as a center channel system between two Klipschorns. You will want to listen to everything in your music library all over again., You may even hear things you never realized were there before.
Thanks Steve. I am also reading positive reviews about the new Cornwall-iv. Wonderful looks too! I'm currently operating the dynamic Heresy-iii in conjunction with the rather refined Wharfedale Linton 85 in A+B mode to complement each other! I love this crazy combo! Klipsch Heritage speakers are so addictive. Who knows, someday I might upgrade from Heresy-iii to CW-iv!
"Plutocracy Now" just killed me - - beside this excellent video and inside audiophile view or the Cornwalls (thank you Steve, so excellent and appreciated) - - I happily admit that I got one heck of a laugh out of "Plutocracy Now's" comment - AGREED!
Agree with Steve as a serious audiophile one must have & taste every reputed sound signature. I need to go for Omni & Panel to complete the list.. Hopefully soon!
Hello Steve, these remind me in every way of my Mitsubishi SS-152. Same box stand 15 inch in a CLOSED box. 4 inch mid and 3 inch tweeter. The sound after all these years is amazing to the point I hesitate to compare them to anything else (as in wouldn't be fair). I also own a pair of Focal 936 and have not done an A-B test mainly because I know I would favor those 15 inch woofers ! Keep up the good work. Nice preview.
Steve, thanks for the review. I've heard the Forte III's which are famtastic compared to alot of other speakers out there. There is something to be said for high efficiency speakers using a real woofer, the bass has more life, definition and physical impact. There is no replacement for (cone) displacement. Lol Larger woofers typically have lower harmonic distortion when it comes to deep bass.
just arrived my Cornwall, so I would say just one thing, room is full of music, giant speakers, great, warm bass. U never get such big bass from any other floor standing new small bass driver speakers for sure.
Great video, horns have a bad reputation because people for the most part are bias or have never heard really good speakers with horns. I had a pair of the Klipsch khorns, super nice speakers if you have the proper corners for them. Then I found Vintage Altec sound and became a devoted two channel Altec fan. Big 15" drivers and wonderful clear horns. 15" Altec's make you feel the music and the horns let you hear every mid-range sound crisply and clean. I have Altec's I built with a single 15 and a 811 horn that will make the neighbors think a real thunderstorm is going on.
Seems lots of aftermarket ideas have crept into the Klipsch redesign - which is a good thing. New midrange horn design to address 'shout'. New driver (polyamide?) for added naturalness, like the B&C drivers many were substituting (although they were 2" diaphragms), and like some absolutely classic vintage drivers of old. Very nice. Excited to hear these.
I've owned the Klipsch RP-6000F for barely a year and now I want the Cornwall. If the towers can sound that good, I can only imagine how the Cornwall must sound!
Nice honest open review many thanks. You mentioned you were going to continue with your opinions in a month or two. Were waiting to hear your thoughts with Cornwall's and the tube amp 👍
How do you like Klipsch RF7-II's compared to something like the Cornwall? I currently have the RF7's and RF82ii's in quadraphone. I enjoy them tremendously. They're somewhere between headphones, and a live performance. The tweeters are within 15 degrees of ear level. You just have a seat, and the system transports you to a new place, somewhere in the music, and I'll always love them for that. ---However, I restored a 1960's vintage console with paper woofers and an open back. It has a "warm" sound to it in the 80hz-250hz range. I began thinking to myself, "What can I get that's bigger, and reaches all the way from 30hz, to 20 KHz?" and the Cornwalls just come to mind. They're made of older materials in certain spots, and I see that as an integral part in developing that coloration of sound that transports me to a new place. I mean, I can always get a new house with two listening rooms....
Those are impressive. I’m curious why their higher end models don’t use the silicone damping on the horns. I think it looks a little more finished with it.
As living space got smaller, bookselfs took over but for me, nothing gives you the depth and range of bass like a quality 15 inch woofer. Along with horns a great rounded sound and experience.
I'm very interested in the Cornwall IVs. I have Cornwall IIs and Chorus IIs (and others). When Klipsch brought back the Cornwall III after like 15 years of not making them, they had to do it with the Heresy mid horn because they lost the mold for the Cornwall II midhorn. Its my understanding that the Klipsch Heritage Midhorns have physical crossovers as follows Klipschorn and La Scala 400 hz, Belle Klipsch 500 hz, Cornwall I and II 600 Hz, Heresy 700 Hz. Klipsch networks crossover the bottom of the mids a bit above these physical limits, but still, the Cornwall III had the bottom end of the midrange boundary shifted higher up into the critical region.. Now enter Cornwall IV with restored midrange crossover limits, and mumps and tractrix cabinet ports and titanium tweeter diaphragm and WHOA now we're talking a serious upgrade over the Cornwall IIs. So I'm really looking forward to getting a pair of these someday, hopefully soon. I had La Scala I's and the bottom end of the midrange horn on those was so pleasing and lifelike on deep male vocals like Mark Knopfler. But the cabinets resinated so badly, I find the Cornwalls to be an overall better solution. (Although I haven't heard La Scala IIs yet which use thicker cabs and should resolve this issue.)
I am a big fan of klipsch. Used to have a la Scala and still have a heresy. I would imagine a 10+w 6V6 push pull tube amp or a 30w 6L6 push pull tube amp will do the trick very very well.
I was thinking I needed some of these, but remembered that I have a pair of Chorus II s in the basement. I pulled off the grill and sure enough, there are 15" woofers. I probably would do well to enjoy what I own more than lusting for something new.
It’s funny how 20 plus years ago nobody had anything good to say about horn speakers especially Klipsch. Now all of a sudden they’re the newest thing since sliced bread. The change in attitude began from my recollection, after the Germans came out with their very expense horn speakers.
I have the III's hooked up to a pair of American Tube Amp Monoblocs. When risen off the floor by about a foot the soundstage goes from immense to being akin to sitting at the Hatchshell in Boston on the 4th of July.
Very cool Steve. I've got a pair of Nelson Reed 804C speakers. They are 28 years old and recently reworked. Still breaking them in. I'll be dead before they need any more work.
“A different view of Mt. Fuji”. Nice. This is a reference I assume to Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji (1830-32) by ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock artist Hokusai. As audiophiles I guess we are all searching for our own Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
@@paulallen7848 Neither will the Kia. Lol. Not trying to single out Kia, applies to all used cars in this price range. How about a lifetime worth of musical enjoyment, that you can leave to your kids? That's somewhere...
two beer You obviously haven't bought many cheap used cars. I've only spent more then $2500 for a car on one occasion, and have been driving them (my own cars) to make a living for over 2 decades. There is no reason to waste your money on an expensive car, unless you choose to. The one car I spent $7700 on (2005 Ford Focus in 2011) I got almost 5 years, and almost 120,000 HARD driven miles out of it, and made a ton of money from it too. My last car, which I would still be driving if I wasn't rear ended, cost me $1700, and lasted over 2 years, and 40,000 miles. A 2000 Mitsubishi Gallant. It still drives fine actually, but I found a good deal on a car, and the insurance company is going to total it out anyway. So it's sitting in my driveway waiting for the grim reaper right now.
Great insight Steve! You are right on about different speaker designs having their own superior attributes. I have two systems and could say three if counting the headphone system. Would be great to have four or five rooms (without being a dealer). Good luck with the tube amp set up. Let us know the results !
I am building a pair of "Cornscalla's". But I really want to hear a pair of these. I have the RP 150's and the new klipsch horn technology and the tractrix ports are no gimmicks, they are true technology advancements. I have no doubt that these Cornwall 4's are incredible.
Any chance you could do a review on the Klipschorns? I know they are huge and weigh a ton but I would like your opinion on those. I will be making a decision on new speakers next spring and I have put those on the list of possibilities.
one really has to have the space for such monsters, but if you do, the huge sonic footprint produced really sends you. I have not heard these, but have heard older versions some 15 years ago, and the tech involved has not changed one bit.
Steve what would you say is the minimal ... yet effective.. watt power a receiver should have to operate these Klipsch speakers? I have Klipsch RB 75s .. a nice speaker but nothing like these IVs ... you have to have you think 100 watts or more for them?
Owned both Forte and Cornwall. Both are great, but very forward sounding and bright. The Belle Klipsch and Klipschorn are better. Especially on,a single ended tube amp.
The new 'mumps' horns [sic] have change my opinion of this speakers. Formally, I found the same as you. Having heard the new Forte III, I've changed my mind. Open sounding and not pinched or shrill. Looking forward to these Cornwall IVs.
Heard the Cornwall over 30 years ago and it was impressive. I ended up buying the Forte’ because it had a more balanced sound overall. With the latest generation, the Cornwall may be a more complete speaker than the original. Either way, The 15” woofer makes for a high impact bottom end sound.
"Once you get used to", I've said it before, but it bears repeating, if you are happy with your stereo system, do not listen to a much better stereo. You will not be happy a system you were perfectly contented with a short time ago.
Horns: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Klipsch . Its on-going mission: to explore strange new sounds. To seek out new timbres and new recordings . To boldly go where no Audiophiliac has gone before!
My apologies to Trekkers and William Shatner And Patrick Stewart. 👍🏻😉
"To boldly go . . ." The most famous split infinitive in the English language. Lighten up, grammarians.
Aswaguespack
👍 All other speakers I have heard some sound good all Heritage sound like the band or symphony is right in front of you
John Fay 1976 was my First time hearing four Klipschorns two sacked in each corner and I thought I was standing right in the orchestra and I was speechless which for me is almost impossible 😉😂
Aswaguespack
👍😂
Everytime I put them in I get the same feeling
Beam me Scotty up there’s no intelligent life down here!!
Steve, I’m glad found your channel. I worked at Klipsch in the late 70s and early 80s. Bob Moore was the plant manager then. I knew Paul Klipsch and spoke to him often as he would make a walk through the plant almost daily. I was the speaker tester back then so I am privileged to have my name on the back of thousands of speakers. It was an interesting time.
Very cool!
Awesome live sound speaker's ...... not these over priced clinical cold sounding speakers people think sound real .... Each to their own
Niceeeeeee!
Mack, I currently own a pair of Fortes and a few pair of their small speakers. My brother has my cornwalls and my ex wife has my hereseys. Nothing beats the old Heritage series made in Hope Arkansas.
I met Wolfman Jack back when he was a spokesman for Klipsch. I tested about 5-6 pair of speakers for him. It was a very cool experience for a country boy!
I literally just brought my Cornwall's home with a new McIntosh MA352. I set everything up and have been tweaking for the last few hours...I'm seriously pleased ...I'm a happy camper with a glass of vino in hand!
Steve, you are great at your job. Appreciate your knowledge and passion. Thank you!
You can't go wrong with any of the KIipsch Heritage series... I'll never forget the first moment I heard truly realistic sound reproduction coming from a set of K-horns hooked up to a McIntosh MC225 amp, wow... That moment started my life long passion and interest in the field of high-end audio.
Great presentation Steve, I always love and appreciate to hear your take on exceptional audio components at reasonable prices.
Thanks, Steve...I've been listening to horns for decades. Have Cornwalls now, from '81 along with Heresy's from '84. All have been updated with Bob Crites. Thanks again.
I love Cornwalls, I grew up listening to a set that my dad owned and I have been hooked on Klipsch ever since. I hope to find a nice used pair some day. Nice review Steve 👍
i have the smaller klipcsh speakers with one big horn. boy does it FEEL better because of that horn and the decent size . bought them off a friend that somehow fell in love with those silly bose surround speakers . the tiny ones .
Just ordered a set of Cornwall IVs Definitely an upgrade from the old version..
The sound is incredible..
He gets plenty of horn from the street outside.
I can't imagine worse living enviroment for an audiophile than NY.
I thought that was my neighborhood, lol
😂😂
@@awdadwadwad1723 Just get good windows and you`re mostly set ;)
@@geemee3364 That would be Zeos, lol..
Steve, I would love a comparison of the Klipsch lineup, the La Scalas, Klipsch Horns, Cornwalls and also the RF7 -III? is that possible?
add the chorus to that too plz
Yes, please! 😁
Me too.
I also love horn speakers. I built a pair of 3 way horn speakers in 1976 using 15" speakers from Altec Lansing with the compression horn tweeters and large compression midrange horns, both purchased from an outfit called SPEAKERLAB. I've used and enjoyed these "home-crafted" now for 40+ years. Very dynamic, loud and live sounding.
My speakers are not perfect (being homebuilt). I would love to hear the Cornwall IV's in comparison to my large beasts. From your description of the Klipsch's, I suspect they sound very, very good. Thanks so much for this review and all of the great reviews you publish here on TH-cam!!
I just love the revisions that Klipsch has been steadily undertaking with the Heritage Line. Especially with the compression driver diaphragm materials and the horn wave guide designs. Excellent !
I've got the Cornwall III's in my basement system where I watch movies. It sounds like a Cinema because it basically is a Cinema speaker. $1600 more, for the version IV, and for that you get plastic port inserts and a taller plastic mid horn. Not exactly value for money, but they were going to increase the price anyways and just waited until the announcement of the new one to do it. The Cornwall is my favorite Heritage speaker. The thing the Cornwall does better than the Forte in one word is "BIG". Big speaker, big sound, big dynamics. They will fill a room with effortless sound.
I would imagine the crossover has also been updated.
I brought my Cornwalls with me to a 9'x10' dorm room at Princeton in 1982. Used to rock out the Wilson College courtyard.
so that was you eh"
Love you reviews Steve. They are always crisp, lucid and well articulated with depth of your subject matter expertise .
Thanks!
Those Cornwall IV’s are so beautiful! Can’t wait to see the tube amp.
Thanks, Steve!
my fave speaker......loved them since i first heard them in 1983.
Thanks for discussing the differences with the Forte, that was my first question
Finally we get to hear you talk about the Cornwall’s , another excellent video
Love your enthusiasm for these Cornwalls. I also appreciate speakers which flex their muscles without abusing the listener. Enjoy them ! :-)
I bought a used pair of entry level Klipsch RF 25 tower. I WAS SO IMPRESSED (and still am). I am so intrigued (mouth watering) about the Klipsch Heritage speakers especially after reviews like yours.....thanks Steve.
Love my recent model Cornwall lll's, and so does my Vincent SV-237MK. Like Steve, I'm a big believer in 15" woofers and the superior bass they deliver.
Love klipsch still rocking my RF7II
Darion Fox still rocking my 4 RF-7’s (yes, the RF-7 “1’s”) with Dean G rebuilt crossovers.
I recently got a pair of these and matched to a set of REL carbon specials and and a prima Luna evo 300 amp upgraded tubes to KY 150s with a rega p8 tube box ds2 and it is just a great escape! The details and sound stage are wonderful and hearing things I've never heard in albums I've listed to thousands of times. Well worth the money spent. My buddies that owns the stereo shop I put this together over time said that look at spending money on other hobbies like motorcycles, and look at the difference. Motorcycle season I ride a few months a year. The stereo can be enjoyed every day. I like the way he thinks. Great investment in my personal happiness.
Any kind of Music you play through those Klipsh will give you an experience you won't forget.
The Klipsch really come alive and Breath when you turn them up. I love my La Scala iis
thats the problem. I dont like loud.
I am keeping my Mirage OM6,OM10,BPS400 SUB, MC2 CENTER with Plinius Sa102 amplifiers and Conrad Johnson MET 1 multichannel preamplifier, Epson 4k projector, DNP Supernova Core 2 120 inch screen, Magnum Dynalab triode tuner, etc in my Hometheatre.
Bought the Klipsch Cornwall mk3s this year powering them with Plinius SA 102, Plinius M8 preamplifier or Dared VP 845 integrated.
Also purchased Transparent XL reference interconnects with Innuous Zenith mk3 server and Revelation audio labs prophecy cryogenic silver Ethernet cable and wireworlds Platinum starlight USB to my Lampizator lite 7 SET dac and a VPI Prime Superscout turntable in white with Transparent reference phono rca cables in a dedicated stereo setup.
So Mirage omnidirectional powered by Plinius class A amplifiers in my hometheatre and Klipsch Stereo as well.
Love them both is right, Thanks for the insightful interpretation Steve, well done. Don't forget dynamic life from these very efficient speakers, in my view sets them apart from the pack.
Many choices in power.
When are we getting a tour of your apartment? Thanks for your great reviews, Steve!
Hoarders: Buried Alive has a tour on the way... 😏
Currently using Heresy III's through a 300B SET and it's a great experience for the money. Amazing dynamics. I found an OEM pair that I got for half price due to them being unfinished. I got to apply my own high quality finish and saved a bunch of cash. :) Now that I've been bit by the horn bug, I want to move up to these Cornwall IV's. Patience can be hard sometimes.
I own a pair of Forte 3s and I love them play them everyday.
I can only imagine what these version sound like( Artful noise).
Steve!!! This is now my 3rd time watching this video. lol. I'd love to hear what you have to say now.
Well actually, it's too late.. mine are on their way to my home by next week.
These! These are my unicorns. My last and final speaker.
Finally found this pre review. Good stuff.
Absolutely LOVE my Cornwalls very open and airy
I have the III's and i own plenty of loudspeakers, and have owned so many different loudspeakers over the years. The Cornwalls are the only ones that i know will never leave mu house. Probably never even my livingroom. They are not the best loudspeakers that i owned regarding any single aspect but they are the ones i love the most. The ones that make me play more music than with any other speaker i owned, including some other Klipsch classic line loudspeakers.
matereo
I own the lls and know what you mean
How Cornwall sounds in small room? My room 15 square meters
@@Kirwish5 LOUD!! They're designed more for a mid sized to large room. If you put them in a small room you'll be wasting the potential of what these speakers can accomplish. You'd be better off with a mid sized floor standing speaker, or larger bookshelf speaker.
@@dapster Heresy III's came to mind: you still get most of the dynamics.
Kirwish5
Mine is 16 by 12 yours would be like headphones but Cornwall’s are awesome
You’ve got some great amps to play with...I got to demo the F7 in my home for a week- WOW- my Focals never sounded better. The J2 is a versatile sweetheart of an amp and the Pass is awesome!
Nice work Steve
We need a JBL s4700 or 4367 comparison and maybe Volti Rival too. The horn shootout
Agree! If we are in the $6k range for a speaker it would be great the hear the JBL line.
Chadillac so true. We see so few reviews or camparisons of New JBL stuff.
@@davidquintas1311 so strange I wonder why no JBL reviews? Also I'm really interested to see how well the new Cornwall IV will sell being priced at $6k. I have a friend that is a dealer and he will not carry it in his store. Special order only. He thinks that Klipsch has gotten greedy and are asking to much. He said he sells way to many Forte's iiis and only a handful of Cornwall iiis. We shall see....
JBL 4365/4367/K99800/K9900 there are JBL iconic Horn. Steve May I know which Pre amp you connected to J2/F7 and XP25 power. Gain matching.’
Chadillac the new Cornwall is surprisingly good. Thats why we ask the question.
Less sizzle and more steak.. Is what captured my ears of these big Klipsch. Considering it was designed with intentions to be used as a center channel system between two Klipschorns. You will want to listen to everything in your music library all over again., You may even hear things you never realized were there before.
Thanks Steve. I am also reading positive reviews about the new Cornwall-iv. Wonderful looks too!
I'm currently operating the dynamic Heresy-iii in conjunction with the rather refined Wharfedale Linton 85 in A+B mode to complement each other! I love this crazy combo! Klipsch Heritage speakers are so addictive. Who knows, someday I might upgrade from Heresy-iii to CW-iv!
I do agree with you : one listening room for each loudspeaker design from ordinary boxes to horns to panels and electrostatics.
kudos for "no system is perfect". kudos for "having several rooms" kudos for matching amp to speaker.
"Plutocracy Now" just killed me - - beside this excellent video and inside audiophile view or the Cornwalls (thank you Steve, so excellent and appreciated) - - I happily admit that I got one heck of a laugh out of "Plutocracy Now's" comment - AGREED!
I love Klipsch, have a pair of Chorus II and love them to death! 👍 💪
Agree with Steve as a serious audiophile one must have & taste every reputed sound signature. I need to go for Omni & Panel to complete the list.. Hopefully soon!
Hello Steve, these remind me in every way of my Mitsubishi SS-152. Same box stand 15 inch in a CLOSED box. 4 inch mid and 3 inch tweeter. The sound after all these years is amazing to the point I hesitate to compare them to anything else (as in wouldn't be fair). I also own a pair of Focal 936 and have not done an A-B test mainly because I know I would favor those 15 inch woofers !
Keep up the good work. Nice preview.
Steve, thanks for the review. I've heard the Forte III's which are famtastic compared to alot of other speakers out there. There is something to be said for high efficiency speakers using a real woofer, the bass has more life, definition and physical impact. There is no replacement for (cone) displacement. Lol Larger woofers typically have lower harmonic distortion when it comes to deep bass.
just arrived my Cornwall, so I would say just one thing, room is full of music, giant speakers, great, warm bass. U never get such big bass from any other floor standing new small bass driver speakers for sure.
Great video, horns have a bad reputation because people for the most part are bias or have never heard really good speakers with horns.
I had a pair of the Klipsch khorns, super nice speakers if you have the proper corners for them.
Then I found Vintage Altec sound and became a devoted two channel Altec fan.
Big 15" drivers and wonderful clear horns.
15" Altec's make you feel the music and the horns let you hear every mid-range sound crisply and clean.
I have Altec's I built with a single 15 and a 811 horn that will make the neighbors think a real thunderstorm is going on.
Being into Klipsch is like being into Mozart. Just beautiful ART...
Seems lots of aftermarket ideas have crept into the Klipsch redesign - which is a good thing. New midrange horn design to address 'shout'. New driver (polyamide?) for added naturalness, like the B&C drivers many were substituting (although they were 2" diaphragms), and like some absolutely classic vintage drivers of old. Very nice. Excited to hear these.
Would love to see you review La Scalas, Klipschorns and Jubilees too :)
I've owned the Klipsch RP-6000F for barely a year and now I want the Cornwall. If the towers can sound that good, I can only imagine how the Cornwall must sound!
Nice honest open review many thanks. You mentioned you were going to continue with your opinions in a month or two.
Were waiting to hear your thoughts with Cornwall's and the tube amp 👍
So Klipsch finally did what Klipsch owners have been doing to their Cornwalls for years and updated the mid range horn.
I would love to own the Khorns one day.
It really trips me out seeing the clock at different times through your videos.
How do you like Klipsch RF7-II's compared to something like the Cornwall? I currently have the RF7's and RF82ii's in quadraphone. I enjoy them tremendously. They're somewhere between headphones, and a live performance. The tweeters are within 15 degrees of ear level. You just have a seat, and the system transports you to a new place, somewhere in the music, and I'll always love them for that.
---However, I restored a 1960's vintage console with paper woofers and an open back. It has a "warm" sound to it in the 80hz-250hz range. I began thinking to myself, "What can I get that's bigger, and reaches all the way from 30hz, to 20 KHz?" and the Cornwalls just come to mind. They're made of older materials in certain spots, and I see that as an integral part in developing that coloration of sound that transports me to a new place. I mean, I can always get a new house with two listening rooms....
2 words - effortless power.
Those are impressive. I’m curious why their higher end models don’t use the silicone damping on the horns. I think it looks a little more finished with it.
Damian Zaninovich I’ve wondered that. A modern surround on the old cone.
As living space got smaller, bookselfs took over but for me, nothing gives you the depth and range of bass like a quality 15 inch woofer. Along with horns a great rounded sound and experience.
Those things would probably be perfectly happy behind a 50ft wide cinema screen.
I'm very interested in the Cornwall IVs. I have Cornwall IIs and Chorus IIs (and others). When Klipsch brought back the Cornwall III after like 15 years of not making them, they had to do it with the Heresy mid horn because they lost the mold for the Cornwall II midhorn. Its my understanding that the Klipsch Heritage Midhorns have physical crossovers as follows Klipschorn and La Scala 400 hz, Belle Klipsch 500 hz, Cornwall I and II 600 Hz, Heresy 700 Hz. Klipsch networks crossover the bottom of the mids a bit above these physical limits, but still, the Cornwall III had the bottom end of the midrange boundary shifted higher up into the critical region.. Now enter Cornwall IV with restored midrange crossover limits, and mumps and tractrix cabinet ports and titanium tweeter diaphragm and WHOA now we're talking a serious upgrade over the Cornwall IIs. So I'm really looking forward to getting a pair of these someday, hopefully soon. I had La Scala I's and the bottom end of the midrange horn on those was so pleasing and lifelike on deep male vocals like Mark Knopfler. But the cabinets resinated so badly, I find the Cornwalls to be an overall better solution. (Although I haven't heard La Scala IIs yet which use thicker cabs and should resolve this issue.)
Love the grill cover!
Cornwalls vs. La Scala...Now that would be a review...Good job Steve.
Forgot to mention my set up : McIntosh MC275 Tube power amp, C2600 tube preamp, sound is super warm, big and clear.
Tubes + Klipsch = Smiles
I am a big fan of klipsch. Used to have a la Scala and still have a heresy. I would imagine a 10+w 6V6 push pull tube amp or a 30w 6L6 push pull tube amp will do the trick very very well.
I like the idea of taking your time with this review.
I was thinking I needed some of these, but remembered that I have a pair of Chorus II s in the basement. I pulled off the grill and sure enough, there are 15" woofers. I probably would do well to enjoy what I own more than lusting for something new.
Would be interested in a comparison with the Cornwall IIs
It’s funny how 20 plus years ago nobody had anything good to say about horn speakers especially Klipsch. Now all of a sudden they’re the newest thing since sliced bread. The change in attitude began from my recollection, after the Germans came out with their very expense horn speakers.
I have the III's hooked up to a pair of American Tube Amp Monoblocs. When risen off the floor by about a foot the soundstage goes from immense to being akin to sitting at the Hatchshell in Boston on the 4th of July.
Steve is slowly making his way on Hoarders: Buried Alive airing on A&E 😏
I wonder which would be more $$$$. The cash from the TV Show... Or, the loss of equipment excavated?
Very cool Steve. I've got a pair of Nelson Reed 804C speakers. They are 28 years old and recently reworked. Still breaking them in. I'll be dead before they need any more work.
Sounds like the quality of sound compares to my Altecs Lancings. Big and bold with detail and finesse
“A different view of Mt. Fuji”. Nice. This is a reference I assume to Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji (1830-32) by ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock artist Hokusai. As audiophiles I guess we are all searching for our own Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
People pay more than 6 grand for a used Kia. The Cornwall will bring you more joy, and last a lot longer...
Except the Cornwall will get you nowhere.
@@paulallen7848 Neither will the Kia. Lol. Not trying to single out Kia, applies to all used cars in this price range. How about a lifetime worth of musical enjoyment, that you can leave to your kids? That's somewhere...
Right on two beer.
Paul Allen - $7,000 will buy you a set of Cornwalls and a used Chevy.
two beer You obviously haven't bought many cheap used cars. I've only spent more then $2500 for a car on one occasion, and have been driving them (my own cars) to make a living for over 2 decades. There is no reason to waste your money on an expensive car, unless you choose to. The one car I spent $7700 on (2005 Ford Focus in 2011) I got almost 5 years, and almost 120,000 HARD driven miles out of it, and made a ton of money from it too. My last car, which I would still be driving if I wasn't rear ended, cost me $1700, and lasted over 2 years, and 40,000 miles. A 2000 Mitsubishi Gallant. It still drives fine actually, but I found a good deal on a car, and the insurance company is going to total it out anyway. So it's sitting in my driveway waiting for the grim reaper right now.
Great insight Steve! You are right on about different speaker designs having their own superior attributes. I have two systems and could say three if counting the headphone system. Would be great to have four or five rooms (without being a dealer). Good luck with the tube amp set up. Let us know the results !
Excellent video, well done
I am building a pair of "Cornscalla's". But I really want to hear a pair of these. I have the RP 150's and the new klipsch horn technology and the tractrix ports are no gimmicks, they are true technology advancements. I have no doubt that these Cornwall 4's are incredible.
OMNIDIRECTIONAL! ❤️
Any chance you could do a review on the Klipschorns? I know they are huge and weigh a ton but I would like your opinion on those. I will be making a decision on new speakers next spring and I have put those on the list of possibilities.
Dennis Wilkerson Nope, they’re too big for me
Great stuff as usual !
I’m impressed.
I love Klipsch speakers!
one really has to have the space for such monsters, but if you do, the huge sonic footprint produced really sends you. I have not heard these, but have heard older versions some 15 years ago, and the tech involved has not changed one bit.
It's like a modern Dodge with a Hemi!
Steve what would you say is the minimal ... yet effective.. watt power a receiver should have to operate these Klipsch speakers? I have Klipsch RB 75s .. a nice speaker but nothing like these IVs ... you have to have you think 100 watts or more for them?
Still a proud owner of Cornwalls and chorus’ ! Run them with old school Cerwin Vega PD3’s it’s glorious thunder and lightning
Steve please just send those speakers my way!
Owned both Forte and Cornwall. Both are great, but very forward sounding and bright. The Belle Klipsch and Klipschorn are better. Especially on,a single ended tube amp.
The new 'mumps' horns [sic] have change my opinion of this speakers. Formally, I found the same as you. Having heard the new Forte III, I've changed my mind. Open sounding and not pinched or shrill. Looking forward to these Cornwall IVs.
Tekton makes a pair with dual 15" woofers and I think dual 10". You should love that shxt.
Wish I could hear them with that new McIntosh MA352
That could be awesome.
My system is McIntosh and Klipsch but the 1980s era.
Out of my league price wise but I bet they're worth it. I love my Klipsch Forte 2s.
Heard the Cornwall over 30 years ago and it was impressive. I ended up buying the Forte’ because it had a more balanced sound overall.
With the latest generation, the Cornwall may be a more complete speaker than the original. Either way, The 15” woofer makes for a high impact bottom end sound.
Picked up a pair of Corwall II's, Added a Musical Paradise MP 301 tube amp, 6 watts / channel. Lots of power, can't turn volume past 1/4.
"Once you get used to", I've said it before, but it bears repeating, if you are happy with your stereo system, do not listen to a much better stereo. You will not be happy a system you were perfectly contented with a short time ago.
The same problem happens to those going after "strange flesh"
I’m thinking that might be too much speaker for your apartment, Steve. I’ll be interested in the full review.
Wonder how they compare to the older JBL K2 S9800SE. Similar horns design, 15" woofer, but at around $30k.
Yes, good one.
@Тайбирияс Чайковский They destroy the KLF. MUCH better tweeter, mid and crossover, not to mention bigger cabinet and woofer.
A house full of rooms with different killer speakers? Sounds like Sound by Singer.