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!
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.
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.
Hi Steve, i wanted to buy a good cheap ampli, because i'm youg and dont realy have much money. I wanted to buy the iotavx sa3, but i'm going crazy because someone say that the best cheap ampli is the crown xls 1002
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.
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 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 👍
@@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....
@@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.
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 .
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.
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.
"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.
Wow. Thanks Steve. Can I address the Elephant(!) in the room? The Cornwall was originally designed for corner/wall placement. Is that still the best implementation of these behemoths?
ive heard the Cornwall III and they wow me. sense of being live like no other speaker ive heard to date. Problem with Klipsch in Australia is they are a rip off here.
So let me see if I understand this. It’s funny that over 25 years ago stereophile said that 15 -inch woofers had too much mass and were too slow compared to like two 10-inch woofers. But as manufactures started going back to big 15” and18 inch woofers, stereophile now has change their tune once again. It looks like you got your hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar of deception. If you don’t cater to the manufactures then you don’t get any free speakers to review. Klipsch does not need stereophile or the likes to review their speakers, they’ve been around way too long. I remember when sterophile did review Klipsch speakers 25 years ago they really never got a great review from stereophile at all. All reviews were just “mediocre.” The speakers that got all the great reviews were the ones that were skinnier and used smaller 10” or 8” speakers. That is until Wilson came out with their big Wamm Masters with 15 inch woofers then the tone changed.
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.
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....
Ok since I can't afford a Beautiful pair of Klipsh, I made the best system I could so I will testify You can never have enough amplifiers or speakers. My system; Mackie 1604vlz, Yamaha mv12, 2 crest vs900, 2 qsc 900, Carver m400. 2Ev 18"subs, 2 Ev 15"subs, 2 Reinkus Heinz pro line array 15" with conical horns, 2 jbl pro line array 15" with large dispersion horns. 2 peavey internationals 15" with wide dispersion horns. 2 original Bose 801's (used for midrange) 2 Dayton audio 5&1/2" mids with 3" horn loaded super tweeters. 2 Definitive Technology r-90's. 1 Sony blue ray player and a mountain of cd's many recorded from vinyl off my brother's un- believable system. All this for a little over $1,200 and it sounds like GOD! 😛 it is set up as a 4way. Subs ,mids, highs, super tweeters. I know I'm a sick man but loving every minute 😂😂😂
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 heard the 4s and I was thoroughly disappointed. A lot of the horn magic has been sucked out of these and now they just sound like another generic loud speaker.
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 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.
Mmm...am not into horns. Not even with the comments about the Cornwall. Am thinking of a convincing re-enactment of a group of performers onstage. Pounding impact? Yes. But focus coherently? Mmm got to hear it. Agnostic show me. The drivers are on THREE different fronts! Can't image coherence except with 3-way delay!
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?
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.)
There are not many fully horned loaded speakers and the Cornwall isn't one of them. Its reflex in the bass up to the upper midrange.. The Klipschorn is of course fully horn loaded. I'm sure most understand this but horn bass done properly is often a step up in low end dynamics and realism.
If you feel the Cornwall rocks your boat, the Bob Crites Cornscala's in their various guises will not only rock your boat, they will more than likely sink the Cornwall. At a fraction of the price.
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've been getting really annoyed about all the horns blowing that I thought were from my neighborhood. Turns out that I've been binge watching Steve, and that the horns are in his neighborhood, not mine. oops.
“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.
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.
15" woofer? Bigger woofers = slower bass. More mass takes longer to start/stop. Basic physics. Doesn't mean it doesn't sound good. I like fast, tight, deep bass.
Bigger woofers=less excursion. More surface area requires less excursion to move the same amount of air. Basic physics. When a 15" speaker is making deep bass, you don't see it move.
@@woohunter1 It would depend largely on the room and placement. And of course the type of music. If you use a Stereo amp without room correction, then things get even more room dependent. 8000fs should be fine for most music when it comes to frequency range, but you need to make sure you place them with enough room at the sides and behind them and also make sure your main listening position is well away from the rear wall, but also not exactly in the middle of the room.
Roland Rohde I listen to almost every type of music out there, room is almost a perfect square (yes I know) finished in tongue and groove rough sawn cedar with a vaulted ceiling, it’s approx 300 square feet. Cement floor with a large area rug, room actually sounds pretty dead compared to the rest of the house. Depends on the mood I’m in, sometimes I crank it up, and other times I just want to relax to something that sounds good but not flat. I like a tad more bass than the average listener.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
Just get the studio 590's for less than a grand shipped with a 30 day return policy including free return shipping of a 70 pound speaker and pocket the change like I did!🤓🤫🤫😎 a never ever thought I would keep them. Fantastic for movies as well. As soon as I played some AC/DC I bought the center as it's a home theater. Didn't want to chance it before they are all gone due to the series being discontinued.🤓
@@infooptimalfitness7720 How is that greedy? From what my quick research, the heritage line actually hasn't inflated in price much over the decades when accounting for inflation. Also, considering most speakers are built in China, I don't mind paying a small premium on a pair of speakers built in Arkansas to last a lifetime. Skilled labor in America costs more than in China (for now anyways with the trade way and all.) Besides, Klipsch offers a budget line for those who don't want to fork over for the latest and greatest Heritage line. So, considering all of that and compared to other speakers in the high-end category, I don't think it's too outlandish. To each their own.
The bottom end is very controlled, so as long as you can sit at a distance of around 3 m in order to get good integration between the drivers, you should be ok.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Great stuff as usual !
Had me going until he said $6k. Maybe price should be mentioned earlier at least for alot of us. Enjoy this channel though.
So this or JBL 4229?
Hi Steve, i wanted to buy a good cheap ampli, because i'm youg and dont realy have much money.
I wanted to buy the iotavx sa3, but i'm going crazy because someone say that the best cheap ampli is the crown xls 1002
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.
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..
When are we getting a tour of your apartment? Thanks for your great reviews, Steve!
Hoarders: Buried Alive has a tour on the way... 😏
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.
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 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 👍
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.
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.
Steve, you are great at your job. Appreciate your knowledge and passion. Thank you!
if horns are so great, why is klipsch the only company making them.....maybe 2-3 other companies.
Just ordered a set of Cornwall IVs Definitely an upgrade from the old version..
The sound is incredible..
kudos for "no system is perfect". kudos for "having several rooms" kudos for matching amp to speaker.
Klipsch getting a lot of exposure on your channel. Just saying...
So Klipsch finally did what Klipsch owners have been doing to their Cornwalls for years and updated the mid range horn.
Any thoughts on Cornwall iv vs. RF-7 iii?
i'd like too! thanks for asking.
Do both have the same horns?
Would love to see you review La Scalas, Klipschorns and Jubilees too :)
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 .
Thanks for discussing the differences with the Forte, that was my first question
Would be interested in a comparison with the Cornwall IIs
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.
Are these good for Metallica?
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
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.
"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"
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.
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?
Wow. Thanks Steve.
Can I address the Elephant(!) in the room?
The Cornwall was originally designed for corner/wall placement. Is that still the best implementation of these behemoths?
Khorns
Finally we get to hear you talk about the Cornwall’s , another excellent video
ive heard the Cornwall III and they wow me. sense of being live like no other speaker ive heard to date. Problem with Klipsch in Australia is they are a rip off here.
A house full of rooms with different killer speakers? Sounds like Sound by Singer.
So let me see if I understand this. It’s funny that over 25 years ago stereophile said that 15 -inch woofers had too much mass and were too slow compared to like two 10-inch woofers. But as manufactures started going back to big 15” and18 inch woofers, stereophile now has change their tune once again. It looks like you got your hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar of deception. If you don’t cater to the manufactures then you don’t get any free speakers to review. Klipsch does not need stereophile or the likes to review their speakers, they’ve been around way too long. I remember when sterophile did review Klipsch speakers 25 years ago they really never got a great review from stereophile at all. All reviews were just “mediocre.” The speakers that got all the great reviews were the ones that were skinnier and used smaller 10” or 8” speakers. That is until Wilson came out with their big Wamm Masters with 15 inch woofers then the tone changed.
reviewers and their readers all push there opinions and have biases
Please tell me the tube amplifier is going to be a PRIMALUNA DIALOG PREMIUM / EVO
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.
JBL 4367 ? Can you get a pair Steve? Really good with live Rock music :)
Keep on rocking in the free world!!!
I love Klipsch, have a pair of Chorus II and love them to death! 👍 💪
I would love to own the Khorns one day.
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).
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....
I’m thinking that might be too much speaker for your apartment, Steve. I’ll be interested in the full review.
Ok since I can't afford a Beautiful pair of Klipsh, I made the best system I could so I will testify
You can never have enough amplifiers or speakers.
My system; Mackie 1604vlz, Yamaha mv12, 2 crest vs900, 2 qsc 900, Carver m400. 2Ev 18"subs, 2 Ev 15"subs, 2 Reinkus Heinz pro line array 15" with conical horns, 2 jbl pro line array 15" with large dispersion horns.
2 peavey internationals 15" with wide dispersion horns. 2 original Bose 801's (used for midrange)
2 Dayton audio 5&1/2" mids with
3" horn loaded super tweeters.
2 Definitive Technology r-90's.
1 Sony blue ray player and a mountain of cd's many recorded from vinyl off my brother's un- believable system. All this for a little over $1,200 and it sounds like GOD! 😛 it is set up as a 4way. Subs ,mids, highs, super tweeters. I know I'm a sick man but loving every minute 😂😂😂
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 heard the 4s and I was thoroughly disappointed. A lot of the horn magic has been sucked out of these and now they just sound like another generic loud speaker.
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 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.
You need some 300Bs feeding those things.
Mmm...am not into horns. Not even with the comments about the Cornwall. Am thinking of a convincing re-enactment of a group of performers onstage. Pounding impact? Yes. But focus coherently? Mmm got to hear it. Agnostic show me. The drivers are on THREE different fronts! Can't image coherence except with 3-way delay!
Forgot to mention my set up : McIntosh MC275 Tube power amp, C2600 tube preamp, sound is super warm, big and clear.
Those Cornwall IV’s are so beautiful! Can’t wait to see the tube amp.
Thanks, Steve!
Tubes + Klipsch = Smiles
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?
Tell us your opinion about speaker break in please. I sent a pair of Cornwalls back as they were underwhelming compared to my ESS AMT 1a's.
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"
Oh and I agree with the size comment show us perspective... jus how big are they really ... lol... just stand by them.
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.)
If Americans could drive properly, maybe they wouldn't need to use their horns every 200yds. Here in the UK, most drivers almost never use their horn.
There are not many fully horned loaded speakers and the Cornwall isn't one of them. Its reflex in the bass up to the upper midrange.. The Klipschorn is of course fully horn loaded. I'm sure most understand this but horn bass done properly is often a step up in low end dynamics and realism.
Steve come check out my University Dean speakers. Size-wise, they make the Cornwalls look like Heresy's.
If you feel the Cornwall rocks your boat, the Bob Crites Cornscala's in their various guises will not only rock your boat, they will more than likely sink the Cornwall. At a fraction of the price.
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've been getting really annoyed about all the horns blowing that I thought were from my neighborhood. Turns out that I've been binge watching Steve, and that the horns are in his neighborhood, not mine. oops.
“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.
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.
Out of my league price wise but I bet they're worth it. I love my Klipsch Forte 2s.
Stop allowing your records to lean like that. They'll be prone to warping!
klipsch can do no wrong...
Never believe anyone who got shit for free to review. Same goes to people who bought their shit and don`t want to feel dumb for buying it.
15" woofer? Bigger woofers = slower bass. More mass takes longer to start/stop. Basic physics. Doesn't mean it doesn't sound good. I like fast, tight, deep bass.
Bigger woofers=less excursion. More surface area requires less excursion to move the same amount of air. Basic physics. When a 15" speaker is making deep bass, you don't see it move.
I wonder what the Hegel H390 would sound like with the Cornwall 4’s ?
Steve, how do these compare to "Cornscala's" ?(I read an article of you reviewing one in Brooklyn)
-Dave
Finally found this pre review. Good stuff.
I will combine my RP600M with a SP150 Sub (and later on a second one) for my Home Theater. So, 15" woofers here as well, just not in the same box...
I’m thinking of going with the RP600M’s with a sub also, or the RP 8000’s with no sub, any suggestions? No home theater duty, just music.
@@woohunter1
It would depend largely on the room and placement. And of course the type of music.
If you use a Stereo amp without room correction, then things get even more room dependent. 8000fs should be fine for most music when it comes to frequency range, but you need to make sure you place them with enough room at the sides and behind them and also make sure your main listening position is well away from the rear wall, but also not exactly in the middle of the room.
Roland Rohde I listen to almost every type of music out there, room is almost a perfect square (yes I know) finished in tongue and groove rough sawn cedar with a vaulted ceiling, it’s approx 300 square feet. Cement floor with a large area rug, room actually sounds pretty dead compared to the rest of the house. Depends on the mood I’m in, sometimes I crank it up, and other times I just want to relax to something that sounds good but not flat. I like a tad more bass than the average listener.
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.
Wish I could hear them with that new McIntosh MA352
That could be awesome.
My system is McIntosh and Klipsch but the 1980s era.
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.
Sounds like the quality of sound compares to my Altecs Lancings. Big and bold with detail and finesse
Those things would probably be perfectly happy behind a 50ft wide cinema screen.
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!
Tekton makes a pair with dual 15" woofers and I think dual 10". You should love that shxt.
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
I do agree with you : one listening room for each loudspeaker design from ordinary boxes to horns to panels and electrostatics.
"living with a 15 inch... *giggles* .... driver*" :'D
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.
Being into Klipsch is like being into Mozart. Just beautiful ART...
It's like a modern Dodge with a Hemi!
Glad to see a refined 15" woofer horn speaker. $6,000/pair is high, but not as high as JBL 4367: $15,000/pair.
Just get the studio 590's for less than a grand shipped with a 30 day return policy including free return shipping of a 70 pound speaker and pocket the change like I did!🤓🤫🤫😎 a never ever thought I would keep them. Fantastic for movies as well. As soon as I played some AC/DC I bought the center as it's a home theater. Didn't want to chance it before they are all gone due to the series being discontinued.🤓
@@bigjay1970 A product so great at so low price is being discontinued? Sad news.
Shop around and get the 4367 for much cheaper (still) NIB
Yeah $6k is stupid! Klipsch has gotten greedy.
@@infooptimalfitness7720 How is that greedy? From what my quick research, the heritage line actually hasn't inflated in price much over the decades when accounting for inflation. Also, considering most speakers are built in China, I don't mind paying a small premium on a pair of speakers built in Arkansas to last a lifetime. Skilled labor in America costs more than in China (for now anyways with the trade way and all.) Besides, Klipsch offers a budget line for those who don't want to fork over for the latest and greatest Heritage line. So, considering all of that and compared to other speakers in the high-end category, I don't think it's too outlandish. To each their own.
Sony es amps can drive the shit out of them.
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.
Wow! Incredible speaker! I also want to buy it, but don’t know how it sound in small room. 15 square meters is small for that loudspeakers?
The bottom end is very controlled, so as long as you can sit at a distance of around 3 m in order to get good integration between the drivers, you should be ok.
Any experience with the Devore o/93’s? How do these compare?
These new Cornwalls are more dynamically alive, more potent bass.
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
Steve please just send those speakers my way!
Best comparison I would love to see is the new polk L800 vs these for the same $$$$🤓🤓🤓😉
The polk lose, badly. The polk sound comparatively polite and syrupy.
@@scottlowell493
Interesting 🤔 I assume you were at the show recently as they are not out yet?🤓