Great share! My wife and I did this for real back in 2019. We spent 6 months visiting and revisiting a high end store bringing our own music, changing out DAC's, TT's, tube and solid state amps, and CD players. This video is spot on. They ALL sound different. Of course, the Jubilees weren't in the game at that time. It always comes down to personal hearing and asking the question do you hear a +/- $4000 difference in sound as you climb the ladder in their inventory. We purchased a pair (built to order), and we have listened to them here in the house for several years with an integrated EVO 300 PrimaLuna tube amplifier. We felt that tube amplification was a must have for the Klipsch sound. Again, that's personal taste. If you like the Klipsch sound as we do, you will love your choice. They're keepers. We will never move on from these speakers. We will continue to demo higher end tube amplification and front end sources seeking an even greater sound. The Klipsch speakers definitely reveal every component in the chain of equipment. I cannot say that for speaker wire or interconnects. For us, good was good enough. We simply didn't detect any real change. You do hear a difference when you swap in different components. The Klipsch speakers also reveal great recordings and lousy recordings. This is particularly true with albums. Hiss, clicks and pops are immediately heard and become quite distracting. CD's vary in brightness as well as a foggy background versus a clean, dark background. Most CD's are dead silent between songs. Album s range a lot.
For the money: The Forte IV. Thanks for one of the best demo videos ever. Perfect musical selection for demo. Would love to hear equal demo with Paradigm Founder series speakers.
@stephenfletcher6801 That was my pick as well. In real life, I had come across the Forte a few times and I really like the sound from that speaker. It is what made Klipsh my favorite speaker. But I had been constantly informed about the Heresy and Khorns, but haven't heard those in person. I was warned about the Heresy and yes, I have to agree with those warnings and that was the only speaker in the lineup above that I was truly disappointed with. I have heard recording of the Khorns many times and yeah, they can sound much better than presented here. However, I had never heard it live. It is still something I have to do in my life, but I just don't know anyone (near me) that has them.
Klipshorn, La Scala, Forte (which I own a set of original IIs). Happy to see that the ones I have fared so well to my taste! Many thanks for the comparo.
Only winners!!! Years ago Paul Klipsch was quoted saying, with regard to his speaker line, " What the world needs is a good 5 Watt amplifier." ( I have heard and read this from numerous sources over the last 45 years:) of owning various Klipsch speakers, Including K-Horns, La Scalla and Heresies. To me, room size is my primary deciding point for which Klipsch to use. I'll also add, for the size and modest cost, the Heresies are very good. I know Klipsch is not everyone's cup of tea just like not everyone likes a Ford or Chevy etc. The one thing I'll say about my Klipsch experiences over the years is audio coming from them, moves, me more than anything else I have used or listened to.
I was surprised that I could tell a difference from TH-cam, as I was listening on what I consider to be moderate to poor quality Sony noise cancelling headphones. I preferred the klipschorn, but would need to hear them in person to say for sure.
Interesting demo. I listened this video with Klipsch Heresy III + subwoofers integrated ..and .the actual sound with the pure record from Apple music sounded closest to the La Scala on your youtube video. I have carefully integraded the subs to the mains (group delays etc), measured with REW and umik-1 mic ...and they are raised on the floor about 40cm and not tilted, toe in pretty much straight to the listener, listening distance about 2.5-3m about the same wide as the speakers are apart. So, the room and placement definitely plays part of the "demo effect", so nope you cannot hear it accurate on these demos, but they are fun neverthess ! 👍
I would say the Cornwalls or the Forte. Its hard to pick a real winner though. The bass from the cornwalls and fortes much more present. They make the bass punch on my 287 audio bookshelves. Even though youtube.
Can you please play the song t.b.d. from the group Live from the album Throwing Copper on the La Scala's. Will appreciate it very much. Was about to buy the Cornwalls but after I had a sense of the La Scala's, seems I will need to save $ for another year to buy these instead.
All but the KHorns sound muffled to me. What did you use to record them? Was the mic in the same spot? If so, I am betting it was inline with the KHorn's tweeter. I have heard most of the older Klipsch line. They are definately not muffled. I do have a set of original Fortes I bought new in 1987, with a couple of minor mods I've done over the years and I still love them. This comparison would be great using a binaural mic or a really good pair of reference mics. That would give an even better picture of what this brand is capable of.
Yes the mic was on the same spot for the first 4 speakers, the recording sound very different from the in-room experience but it was meant to provide a comparison rather than and actual experience. Im glad you were able to get your vintage Fortes sounding good, must have been a fun project. What did you do to them? Thanks for chiming in.
@SkyFiAudio I bought the Crites components and rebuilt the crossovers. I also put the Crites tweeter diaphragms in and put rubber mat material on the midrange horns. I removed the factor stands and built stands that put the midrange horns at ear level. I have loved the sound of Klipsch speakers ever since I heard my first pair of Herresys in 1977.
@@335ownrtxI have the CornWall 4’s & Heresy 4’s, Forte 4’s are next. They will be all running simultaneously and I can’t wait. If these had the NAD Amp with the graphic EQ then you’d be able to hear a lot more of what they can do.
I loved the La Scalas but would have to say that the K-Horns win in this case/with this song -- they seem more clear, more present. However, check out the Sound Sommelier demo La Scalas doing Dire Straits "You and Your Friend" -- UN. F--ING. REAL. Cheers.
Agreed - as many other commenters below, the La Scala's sounded the best to me. However, I am very sure I could get used to Jubilees - they sounded very different and I'm sure that, the longer you listen to them, the more accurate and detailed they sound.
Not so much balance in my system. I thought what an improvement over the Heresy IV’s with PL evo 100 separates and happy for all of two months. Then fatigue started on marathon listening sessions. Just too balanced that at high volume 60% it gets messy sound for a medium room. Too much speaker for high level listening in smaller rooms as night time listening was as you all rave. But still, traded to Kantas No 1 and have never looked back. Till now. Damn it!
La Scala definitely. It played the cleanest and sounded equally balanced. May be a touch on the bright side and slightly forward. But that’s ok! As amplifier power goes that’s not overkill, I’ll choose headroom and linearity every time no matter the loudspeaker because it does affect every listening experience and makes it just absolutely wonderful!
To my ears the LaScala were the best by far. Highs Mids and lows performed equally well. Three times the prices of the other lower priced speakers but still better than the most expensive speakers. Could be the rooms or the TH-cam. Thanks for your work.
Agreed, at least with the setups presented. The LaScala presentation was clear, effortless, and of superb tonal balance, as presented. Tempting potential purchase, indeed!! However, in fairness, I do believe that both the Klipschorn and the Jubilee would benefit significantly with more space around them, especially so with the Jubilee, and in the corners of the room, which is especially so for the K-horns, as that is their intended room placement originally stated by the original designer Paul W Klipsch, himself. Corner placement, I suspect, would benefit the much newer Jubilee model mightily as well. As presented, though, that LaScala is amazing!! 😊👍🍺
The Khorns had the outer part of the bass cabinet closed off from the room , improperly . The La Scala's sound best in this video . They also sound most like my large open baffles
Wow I'm surprised how clearly the differences come through over this method of demo. The snare especially, you can tell right away. From a size and value perspective the Forte is very impressive.
I like them for their use. La Scala-symphony, Cornwall-party, Heresy-small room Mighty Mouse, Forte-home theater, Klipschorn-warm & creamy ❤, Jubilee-the whole package & my favorite listening room monsters ❤️💕❤️. Loved your video!
Forte IV. Awesome for the price. As far as comparing by listening on my vans speakers. Thank you for doing this comparison video. It is very helpful. I’m looking for new good speakers.😉
The Jubilee presentation was in another league, another dimension, than all the other speakers. There were virtually no shortcomings in the presentation, no compromises that had to be made. If you wanted mid-range, it was there. If you wanted detailed highs, they were there. If you wanted authoritative bass, it was there . You could make an argument for certain aspects and qualities of all the other speakers, but none of them were even remotely close to the Jubilee and what it brought sonically.
i agree--but i am bias-i own a set of 1977 klipschorn which i purchased new --a lot of people will only understand why the cult type following of these speakers after they experience them in a well set up environment.The way they can energise a room has to be experienced to fully appreciate their positive attributes.Sure they are not perfect ,but for me i wouldn't swap them for any other speaker and i have tried quite a few over the years--i will never sell them.The cost may seem high but they will be the last speakers you ever buy so are actually a bargain.
Favorite? Probably the Klipschorns. They all sounded really good, but I was surprised at how different they sounded from each other. The La Scalas are just silky smooth, but you could feel the Cornwalls move more air. The Hereseys (a pair of IVs I live with) sound like smaller speakers, but the family DNA is still there (and in smaller spaces, like my listening space, they fill it up just fine.) Bang for buck the Fortes might just get the nod. They sound bigger than they are. The Jubilees sounded a bit like the Klipschorns, but i wonder if in person the sense of scale is more apparent. It also dawned on me I would probably really enjoy living with McIntosh electronics! Thanks for doing this BTW. Yeah, you can't get 100% of the experience, but you can get 75-80% of it and there is something to be gained from it.
The Cornwalls sounded the best to my ears. Each pair had a different strengths, but I definitely liked the Cornwalls the best. I guess it also depended on the equipment we were listening with.
As impressive as the jubilees are, im still so impressed with the LaScalas. Im a Magnapan fan. They are my end game speakers. Since ive had my vintage MGllas ive been happier than i have ever been. Belive me, ive yried dozens of speakers in my long life, but the only thing i would ever give them up for would be a pair of LaScalas. Never going to happen on my fixed income, but its always nice to dream!! Thank you so much for doing this! It only setves to reinforce my idea. Thank you again!
As a Maggie fan, may I ask your opinion? I'd like to get Magnepan 1.7i or 3.7i but a few Maggie lovers have warned me that my room is TOO big. It's 26 x 22 x 15 ft high. My listening triangle would have 8 ft open space to the left, 10 ft to the right, and 9 ft above. Even with a good high current amp, some say the absence of boundary walls to act as the "enclosure" will kill the Maggies and make them sound tinny. In your experience, is this a legitimate worry. Btw, the reason I'm here is that these same people suggested I go for Klipsch Cornwalls instead. But I don't like their hornish sonority.
@@issadad I think there is reason for feeling that your room is too large...part of the magic of Maggie's is the fact that the sound comes from all sides...that transparent sound that we all love could be dimished somewhat by the large room. I have seen a friend offset this somewhat by using screens to set up a false wall nearer the sides of the speakers. They can't be the fabric type, moreso a solid surface. Plus the accordion type effect of the folding joints makes a reflective surface that breaks up the sound a little. All I can tell you is that for me, I can't imagine life without mine. Listening position is important, of course, with any speakers and Maggie's are no different. They need to be pulled out at least 3 feet into the room(mine are about 5 feet) It's hard to have them in a traditional "living room" because they dominate the space, but to me that's part of the draw. Mine are oak and fabric and though dated, I still find them very attractive. Just my experience.
@@stephenstevens6573 Thank you. Hearing from real users is invaluable, especially living in Maine without dealers. If your friend actually has similar spatial concerns, sufficient to require setting up false walls, then, sadly, I must look elsewhere -- because I also have a huge chunk of space ABOVE my speakers (whatever I choose). Klipsch Cornwall IV's were recommended, as I mentioned, but they're not Maggies. I do like the open baffle speakers from Spatial Audio Labs and GR Research -- ever heard those? If you couldn't have your Maggies because you had a huge room, where would you turn?
I don’t know if it was the change of room but in my opinion the Klipschorn was the most superior speaker of the group. They had a true life like studio sound to them, the music came alive in a natural, smooth, mellifluous way. The La Scala’s are a close second. The worst were the Jubilees, very muffled and artificially forced.
Here is my list from best to worst. Which I'm sure some of you will disagree with. 1. Jubiless (If you have the space) 2. LaScala (Prefer the openness of the bass sound vs Klipshorn) 3. Forte (Very balanced sound) 4. Klipschorn (Good mids and highs but the bass makes it sound shut in) 5. Cornwall (More dynamic and larger sound than Forte but bass sounds too bloated and overall a boxy sound) 6. Heresy (Balanced but just less of everything the others have)
You are hearing the differences through a microphone, which even the absolute best is not a good representation. Personally, I liked the Jubilee, Forte, Cornwall, Klipschorn, Heresy. But I know from actual listening It would be almost in order of price except swapping Cornwall for LaScala. I own Cornwalls so I could be biased. But I know that hereys rock.
In the last 47 years I have owned every model of Heritage Klipsch speaker (also 2 pair of full sets of MCM Concert Klipsch) … This demo was very swayed in that the Klipschorns were not set in a corner which makes a HUGE difference. In my last large home's Great Room I had two Klipschorns in corners running in Stereo and a Klipsch Belle running in mono in the dead center between the Klipschorns. The sound was to die for …. I died and went to heaven in a sonic bliss ….
Back in the late 1970s I heard that set up of corner horns and a Belle Klipsch center, driven by Luxman tube amps. It was a dealer up in Northern NJ. To this day I still dream back to that golden day of pure listening pleasure. You are “very fortunate “ to have that set up of a true wall of sound system !! So lucky !!
Mr. Paul set up the LaScala as the center speaker in his demonstration room. Fantastic! Proper placement in the corner horns is important. According to him, they provided the last eight feet of the 16 foot folded horn. I’ve experienced (ages ago) a sample of both setups and the corner placement is far better.
@@Justwantahover They sound like that even if you have them in the corners, just maybe not as much. The balance is obviously off. The classic metallic-sounding horn ringing is the price you pay for the efficiency. If you can hear it even on computer speakers, it's pretty bad, every Klipschorn setup I have ever heard is more-or-less like that to varying degrees. Hard to tell whether this is a fair test over a computer and Grado SR325s or what the mic setup is, but the overall impression is much what I heard in real life in live tests. McIntosh is less than ideal for this but I think any weakness in the amplifier is completely swamped by the speaker problems. The Jubilee sounds the best to me (less metallic-sounding honking), La Scala second, others are non-players. I cannot tolerate the coloration, it's a particular pet peeve. I think you can do A LOT better for far, far less money, like
Its because most of what we are hearing is the room. The jubilees were clearly in better treated room. The showroom sounds like a disaster in this video.
The new Cornwall had the best overall sound...Impact...bass punch...dynamics...midrange/vocal presence...and treble smoothness/clarity. A VERY solid presentation. I am a synesthete. I have the ability to "see" music in abstract forms in my mind's eye. So, the Cornwall had the best "visual" presentation. Thanks so much for the videoof the loudspeakers! Peace!!!
What a fun video. The Jubilees are in a different league. Aside from them the La Scala blew away the rest, especially with its midrange. I was surprised the Forte held their own even with the bigger ones. Nice job. Thanks for doing this.
@@SkyFiAudioexactly, to me considering budget and room size the winner is the Fortes, it’s the new musical warrior lol wasn’t overshadowed by their bigger brothers 🎸
Yes, the Jubilees have a pronounced and clean bass but the la scales were more natural overall. But that might have to do with the listening room. I expect in the right room with some DSP applied the Jubilees are superior.
The Klipschhorns are the clear winner! Most if any online reviewers review these fantastic speakers, so I think for some here, bias may be afoot with regard to the as many have reviewed and raved about them. My system is very revealing and reaches down below 30hz. In clear second place are the Forte IV. It’s no wonder they are the best seller in the Heritage line, having a smaller footprint and costing less than half of its bigger siblings. The LaScala lacked the midrange and upper resolution of both the Klipschhorns and the Forte IV. The Lascala, while huge in scale, place the listener in larger venue, on row fifty. The Jubilees do the same but with less mid and upper resolution than the Lascala. The Cornwalls bass was sloppy, and I’ll get back to that in a moment. The Heresy, in this test are in last place and almost misplaced in this group, lacking in every aspect compared to the others. For some reason, most by default, always pair these speakers with tubes, which I feel is not he best for speakers that already sound warm and more “recessed” with their large Horn Implementation. The Cornwalls don’t need Tube amplification. And that’s where, as all of these speakers were driven by tubes, the Klipschhorns stood out from pack, being driven by tubes. It was by far the more balanced sounding of the group, bringing you closer to the performance. Which is why the Forte’s would be my choice out of the bunch for my home….they come very close for a fraction of the cost. Best sound, Klipschhorns. Best Value, Forte IV.
That‘s hands down the best comparison available in the net! Thank you! I was really surprised about the big differences and how bad the boxy speakers sound after the La Scala. Each for itself very good, but compared to the La Scalas not so great anymore. From boxy ones the Forty four was the best to my ears. Add one or two very good subs to the La Scalas and they run circles around the Jubilee. At least to my ears and in this comparison. This being said, I am now listening to brothers in arms on my set up and am also so very impressed and would love to compare it here and now to the La Scalas :D (canton reference 5k, Yamaha A-S3200, Denafrips Pontus II, via Quobuzplus a well measured in SVS closed sub)
On paper the La Scalas read like they need a sub but be sure to listen to them first in person, they have tons of believable and impactful bass. I have never felt they need a sub. Just my 2 cents.
@@sauleomarova7730 The K-Horns placed in corners and I prefer the older ones with the AA crossovers. It’s basically like the la Scala’s on steroids, much more and Awesome, tight base due to the larger folded horn. The laScala’s would be my second choice. Definitely worth the price!
Even through TH-cam and twenty years I immediately recognised the Klipsch sound. I was lucky enough to be in your position and work in a few London dealers for a few decades, we always had the Klipsch horns and for a while next to the Tannoy GRFs, Apogee Scintillas, big Maggies, Martin Logan CLS etc. Edit (these were just what popped in my mind...but) couldn't miss out the ProAc response 4s they were amazing! I will not say my favourite except to say I used the Quad ESL 57s at home for many years with various valve and turntable combinations. Watching this makes me hungry to play... You have a wonderful shop.
Khorn, La Scala have very similar sound signatures. Jubilee and Forte sounds signature are alike and Cornwall and Heresy are similar with Cornwall’s base is smoother. Of the 3 groups, I like Jubilee and Forte the most, live with composure and smooth. Cornwall and Heresy the second but not as smooth at the low. The LaScale and KHorn are the most exciting of the brunch but does feels like screaming, more than in a live concert. My reference… Heresy IV at home and a few very good experiences at live concerts under my belt. Great comparison BTW!
What a stunner! I wasn’t expecting much since I was on my iPhone but my goodness, the Fortes were my clear favorite. They seemed the most balanced as well as the most comfortably listenable.
I once had the opportunity to hear a pair of Klipschhorns in a room with walls filled with sand and steel-reinforced floor and ceiling with acoustic panels and treatment, all guided by the use of a real-time acoustic processing unit. The speakers were placed (as they should be) in the corners of the room (as the last half octave of the bass horn uses the corner of the room) and listened to them for as long as the owner would allow. He impressed me at one point by playing a frequency sweep off a CD and showed that the horns could reproduce to 5Hz and absolutely shake the room, even with that construction. Amazingly efficient and accurate. I was amazed at what I was hearing.
I have a pair of K Horns and had designed my home around them, with the speakers placed in reinforced plywood backed up by sand filled corners, and have a Mac environmental room equalizer that was set up using a pink noise generator. Currently do not have a space to house it so all equipment in storage.
I had Speakerlab Ks in the corners of my living room long wall. Have you heard these? To me with a 4 digit serial number Marantz 2270 they sounded great.
@@daviddrake6875I built mine in 1977 from the Speakerlab plans and never looked back. Over the years, I've probably cut the parts for 10 pair for friends. I made sure to wear hearing protection while I cut the wood so I wouldn't ruin my ears for the finished product! They are in the corners of the living room where they need to be and sound as good as the pair of real Klipschorns I first heard in a hi-fi showroom, but could only dream of owning. The bass drivers in mine are Electrovoice SP15s with Altec horns on the midrange and JBL tweeters for 5K and up. They've always been powered by a 100 w home built solid state power amplifier and I'm in the process of building a Mosfet amp based on a design from Elliot Sound Products in Australia. The best thing about horn designs is how efficient they are and it only takes a few watts to achieve incredibly clean and loud sound. My main sound source these days comes from a Wiim Pro Plus streamer with Schiit Modi DAC.
LaScala and Forte did it for me. Given the price difference I would go with the Forte. I’m glad you did this and I’ll add your site to my list of favorites. BTW, we’re the Forte IV or III? I’m new at this audiophile thing and don’t know if I could tell a discernible difference between the two. What amp and DAC would you recommend for the Forte that would keep my budget around $10,000? Thanks!
1. Forte IV, 2. Klipschorn AK6...only two I'd own. I'm guessing the abundance of bass on the Cornwalls could be adjusted based on positioning of the speaker in the room.
Great experiment. Grew up with Chorus's as a child, Belle's through my 20s, and Crites Cornscalas for 10 years now. Easily the Cornwalls have the best bass in most rooms with excellent midrange. KHorns, if put in corner traps, in the right shaped room, outperform all others. Stereo image is better with LaScala and KHorn. Jubilee is awesome but DSP makes it a non contender. The 3rd gen Cornwall makes major improvements in midrange, bringing it to an almost match to Cornscalas from Crites (Cornscala= Lascala mid and high + Cornwall bass). Heresy is a very good speaker for its size. All Klipsch have excellent clarity and excel in being versatile enough to be acceptable in most rooms, with excellent efficiency allowing most amplifiers room to breath. Low wattage requirements and high power capabilities generally do not go hand in hand but with Klipsch they do, and they sound fantastic. Taking all in to account i believe the Forte is the best balance and imaging and tone with its excellent passive radiator. Chorus is the same design with a larger enclosure and bass driver. Curious if Klipsch with bring the Forte's big brother back. Love what yoll got goin on in Glen Rock
@gotham61 Ive got 3 decades experience with all these speakers including owning 3 models. Im not referring to how they sound on TH-cam. Im referring to experience.
@keithwiebe1787 Perhaps...maybe....probably.....horns would benefit from DSP. Im not prepared to make that decades old argument. DSP takes the Jubilees out of the apple to apple comparison because the DSP obviously is another factor that is meant to improve sound, but it can also degrade from the sound, making comparisons difficult. That aside the Jubilee out excels the other examples.
For me, the La Scala is extremely well balanced, but the vocals and the snares sound less in your face than the horns. Those are more in your face, with the midrange and higher being more direct. So I suppose for Jazz and the like, the La Scala would be better. For rock etc, the horns. The fortes, in comparison to these two, seem less bright. With the fortes, it feels like the singers are in the back of the soundstage. When you switch the same section to the horns, it's like they came to the front or the curtain in front of them went away. Of course, I'm listening with TH-cam compression and on a small desktop speaker. I will say though; there is still a very noticeable difference between them. Even with these limitations. The jubilee is brilliant. It's not overemphasizing anything, relative to all of them and I think is closer to the La Scala. I read the sort of negative comments about it. I don't get it. What would be awesome is to hear them against some excellent non-Klipsch speakers. But this was a wonderful comparison. TY.
Thank you so much for putting this great video together. It's greatly appreciated. I currently own Forte Ones which I love. Here is my list. 1. Klipschorn 2. Jubilees 3. La Scala 4. Fortes 5. Cornwall 6. Heresy
Interesting. The speakers were noticeably better from each model until the 75th anniversary model. Corner Horns for the win. LaScala’s second. Cornwalls third. Man I love Klipsch speakers. 🔊
No daubt for me: la scalas are outstanding and beating all of them easiley...all others way too shouty.....klipschhorn dissapointing, because la scala on similar level... but of course your room accoustics are tough! Thanks a lot, la scala are on my listening list! 😊
It all has to do with midbass response. The La Scalas have more oomph in the 80 hz compared to khorns but khorns go lower. I'm surprised at the difference in voicing though. I have homebuilt khorns from 35 years ago and still enjoy them. Running through a dsp on Yamaha receiver and that helps tremendously with the midrange and upper end responses (using 6.5 Audax midrange driver with tractrix horn and EV35 tweeter). Many different crossover's have been used in the khorn over the years to tame the 125 hz boost they naturally have. Some do better than others. I would definitely build my own or buy a used pair before spending 15k on new ones.
whatever electronics you are using must be absolutely fantastic. I was able to hear clear and obvious differences in the audio as each speaker changed. The first and the last was to my mind the best.
Wow! What a great demo. You could really hear the difference which is amazing on a TH-cam video. Overall winner for me were the Jubilee, followed by Klipschorn and LaScalla. However, bang for the buck has to go to the Forte IV. Thank you for creating this video and for the fun quotient
First time 'hearing' Klipsch speakers and even through TH-cam the Cornwall's sounded fantastic to me. The others had either a bloom or a flatness that took away from the realism of the music. They had cohesion and unforced detail that made the whole presentation really enjoyable.
This is THE comparison I've been looking for. Thanks for taking the time to set all of this up. I've always had my heart set on acquiring the Cornwalls (of course, which I can't afford). Then after reviewing this "rough" comparison, the clear winner to me were definitely the La Scalas. I was amazed at the punch, clarity and overall range. Now I pine for speakers which I can so NOT afford even more. But, this helps me with the technical decision. Can't wait to hear these in person. Thanks, again!
I am surprised at how well I can hear the character of these speakers through my headphone system. Great job! I choose the La Scala first, Forte second. Thanks!
Theres a video called Open Baffle vs Forte I vs Heresy IV, by Dr D, the forte sound natural, incredibly rich in the lower register in that vid, might help to compare sound quality to improve the sound of your vids.
Those Klipscorns sound so full and well balanced I'm in love. I know what I want for Christmas. They sounded that beautiful and they weren't even in the corners. Amazing. Thank you for this sound comparison Fernando. It was tremendously helpful.
La Scala - but shocked to know that such high end speakers all sound so different - this causes disturbing thoughts onthe validity of expensive hifi 'fidelity'
Well. The sound produced by the Klipsch horns or trac trix horns can’t be replicated over TH-cam. You HAVE to go SOMEWHERE to hear the clarity. Put your hands 🙌 on them for yourself. I have the bookshelf 12 inch sub surround setup Youswear there are people behind you. I got neighbors. But. I was here first!!!🤩🚦✅
What a treat. From 1975 to 1985 I sold Klipch ,Acoustat,Mission,Dalquist and numerous other loud speakers and Amps I always used Dire Straits first Album to demo on an Oracle with a mission 774 arm and a high output MC cartridge I ended up buying a pair of Klipsch Speakers in 1976 Just sold them last year Loved the trip down memory lane
Hi 👋, SkyFi, I am listening to your music on my Transmission Line cabinet , NAD Amp , I think it is very close between the, Cornwall, and the klipschorn , but the La Scala is very close, probably a slider cleaner sound, stage. Phil from the moulin,
As a recent Forte owner,= powered by an MC 352, I have my prejudices naturally. But to be brutally honest, those LaScalas seem the best and brightest of the bunch. The Fotes came in a close second for their overall crispness and balanced tone. Im a retired broadcaster and used to hifi --the good stuff--all of my life; growing up in (nearby)Paterson NJ. , where my father had Les Pauls's audio guy build our HIFI Room--i kid you not! . I might consider trading up for the LaScalas.. maybe even take a drive to my old stomping grounds(from Kansas now).
Thanks for doing this sir. I had a pair of LaScalas and was quiet impressed with them. In video if I could have my way I would choose Cornwall for their bass response combined with the klipschorn mid to highs , omg I think would sound out of this world, what do everyone think of that for a set of speakers. Thank again for posting video. Great job.
Who the fluck keeps this all clean? What happens when it sounds good through your system, your camera, then my setup? Paradox? La Scala, but the jubilees would be my pic for hard hitting all around!
Go easy on the bass its dominating. It was bottoming out on the la scalas. Quite a boomy video. IF you listen to some open baffles they are quite light on bass but they can help tune the ears to bass. The snare on the KHorn was way off. Normally the Fortes sound incredibly rich in the lower register but in this vid they all sounded muffled like your voice in the narration. You might want to eq your vids.
The sound of klipschorn recorded is so different from the real thing. The sound of klipschorn is the sound of the radio. Be good at recording! I've been using klipschorn speakers for 30 years, and I'll be with them for the rest of my life.
Ah, when Cornwall starts it should be “Link Below” not “Bellow”. Huge characters should be easy to proof read 😊 Oh, the same can be said for the other speakers.
Hands down "The Forte IV's" could not find a fault to them (sorry but only one listened to all the way thru), each other one had something not quite as right. So now that you have my personal information what can you tell about me? ;)
They all have an unpleasant cavernous sound, with excessive domed resonances. The most expensive Jubilee seems to be more balanced and seems do not has cavernous resonance.
The only speaker I have owned I enjoyed more than my La Scala's were my pair of Duetta Signature's personally refurbished by Jason Bloom himself before he sadly passed away.
Don't yell at me, but I liked the Cornwalls. Sounded more like being in the studio with them and piano had more punch. Just a very overall enjoyable sound.
Neat comparison; I used to have a pair of Cornwall's and to be they still give the best definition of all of them. Probably not a good comparison listening on a Klipsch computer set but I thought it was fun and informative. Good work
I purchased a pair of Cornwalls in 1977. I now own Altec Lansing model 17’s pushing them with stereo tube pre amp and a separate stereo tube power amp made in 1959 from Stromberg Carlson 100 % satisfaction so airy, superb imaging, outstanding instrument voicing performance 15 watts total a side: 117 dbl 1 watt at 4 meters. I believe Cornwalls were the best flawless speakers for their size back in 1977. Try Dire Straits “You and your friend” or “Fade to black”with zero bass zero treble with a bit more volume.
First of all, congratulations. What a nice idea. Even though the session is "in" TH-cam environment, it is possible to capture the personality of each pair of speakers. And they are all quality ones.😊 My vote goes to La Scala.
In my opinion I prefer the Klipschorn as they give a balanced bright sound across the bands but my other choice are the La Scala, they are a bit toned down but still bright enough for my taste, a very tough decision to make between the two…….maybe both.
I am not sure if one can judge speakers on TH-cam. However, based on what I've heard, my choice is Cornwall. The depth and clarity. Especially the depth of the sound that seems to come from the back of the speaker. Clean and true representation of live music and voice without too much mid and bass heard from the other larger speakers. Even from my cheap TV speaker, the depth and clarity came through above the other speakers. The speakers should not be judged based on bass alone. The speakers job is to recreate live music and voice best as possible. There were couple others that were close. But, the Cornwall stood out. Many voted La Scala. I think this was based on its popularity, familiarity and design with this model. I am sure all the speakers sound great in its set up location. Also, this Dire Straits, Brothers in Arm album is one of the best album for a speaker test. Along with Norah Jones 1st. album., come Away with me. Ty. for taking me back to my college days.
Great share! My wife and I did this for real back in 2019. We spent 6 months visiting and revisiting a high end store bringing our own music, changing out DAC's, TT's, tube and solid state amps, and CD players. This video is spot on. They ALL sound different. Of course, the Jubilees weren't in the game at that time. It always comes down to personal hearing and asking the question do you hear a +/- $4000 difference in sound as you climb the ladder in their inventory. We purchased a pair (built to order), and we have listened to them here in the house for several years with an integrated EVO 300 PrimaLuna tube amplifier. We felt that tube amplification was a must have for the Klipsch sound. Again, that's personal taste. If you like the Klipsch sound as we do, you will love your choice. They're keepers. We will never move on from these speakers. We will continue to demo higher end tube amplification and front end sources seeking an even greater sound. The Klipsch speakers definitely reveal every component in the chain of equipment. I cannot say that for speaker wire or interconnects. For us, good was good enough. We simply didn't detect any real change. You do hear a difference when you swap in different components. The Klipsch speakers also reveal great recordings and lousy recordings. This is particularly true with albums. Hiss, clicks and pops are immediately heard and become quite distracting. CD's vary in brightness as well as a foggy background versus a clean, dark background. Most CD's are dead silent between songs. Album s range a lot.
For the money: The Forte IV. Thanks for one of the best demo videos ever. Perfect musical selection for demo. Would love to hear equal demo with Paradigm Founder series speakers.
I love mine
@stephenfletcher6801 That was my pick as well. In real life, I had come across the Forte a few times and I really like the sound from that speaker. It is what made Klipsh my favorite speaker. But I had been constantly informed about the Heresy and Khorns, but haven't heard those in person. I was warned about the Heresy and yes, I have to agree with those warnings and that was the only speaker in the lineup above that I was truly disappointed with. I have heard recording of the Khorns many times and yeah, they can sound much better than presented here. However, I had never heard it live. It is still something I have to do in my life, but I just don't know anyone (near me) that has them.
Forte - they have no bass at all!
Klipshorn, La Scala, Forte (which I own a set of original IIs). Happy to see that the ones I have fared so well to my taste! Many thanks for the comparo.
La Scala followed by Forte as far as I can tell through my headphones on PC.
For me the Lascalas
Only winners!!! Years ago Paul Klipsch was quoted saying, with regard to his speaker line, " What the world needs is a good 5 Watt amplifier." ( I have heard and read this from numerous sources over the last 45 years:) of owning various Klipsch speakers, Including K-Horns, La Scalla and Heresies. To me, room size is my primary deciding point for which Klipsch to use. I'll also add, for the size and modest cost, the Heresies are very good. I know Klipsch is not everyone's cup of tea just like not everyone likes a Ford or Chevy etc.
The one thing I'll say about my Klipsch experiences over the years is audio coming from them, moves, me more than anything else I have used or listened to.
Just from this video, my ears enjoyed the klipschorn best
Owned a pair of Cornwall’s back in the day 💯🔊😂🔊
I was surprised that I could tell a difference from TH-cam, as I was listening on what I consider to be moderate to poor quality Sony noise cancelling headphones. I preferred the klipschorn, but would need to hear them in person to say for sure.
Interesting demo. I listened this video with Klipsch Heresy III + subwoofers integrated ..and .the actual sound with the pure record from Apple music sounded closest to the La Scala on your youtube video. I have carefully integraded the subs to the mains (group delays etc), measured with REW and umik-1 mic ...and they are raised on the floor about 40cm and not tilted, toe in pretty much straight to the listener, listening distance about 2.5-3m about the same wide as the speakers are apart. So, the room and placement definitely plays part of the "demo effect", so nope you cannot hear it accurate on these demos, but they are fun neverthess ! 👍
I would say the Cornwalls or the Forte. Its hard to pick a real winner though. The bass from the cornwalls and fortes much more present. They make the bass punch on my 287 audio bookshelves. Even though youtube.
I liked the cornwall's
Can you please play the song t.b.d. from the group Live from the album Throwing Copper on the La Scala's. Will appreciate it very much. Was about to buy the Cornwalls but after I had a sense of the La Scala's, seems I will need to save $ for another year to buy these instead.
If I could afford it, I would definitely bet on Klipschorn...
All but the KHorns sound muffled to me. What did you use to record them? Was the mic in the same spot? If so, I am betting it was inline with the KHorn's tweeter. I have heard most of the older Klipsch line. They are definately not muffled. I do have a set of original Fortes I bought new in 1987, with a couple of minor mods I've done over the years and I still love them. This comparison would be great using a binaural mic or a really good pair of reference mics. That would give an even better picture of what this brand is capable of.
Yes the mic was on the same spot for the first 4 speakers, the recording sound very different from the in-room experience but it was meant to provide a comparison rather than and actual experience. Im glad you were able to get your vintage Fortes sounding good, must have been a fun project. What did you do to them? Thanks for chiming in.
@SkyFiAudio I bought the Crites components and rebuilt the crossovers. I also put the Crites tweeter diaphragms in and put rubber mat material on the midrange horns. I removed the factor stands and built stands that put the midrange horns at ear level. I have loved the sound of Klipsch speakers ever since I heard my first pair of Herresys in 1977.
The LaScalas sounded the best to me.
And it wasn't even close for all around big, full and well-rounded live sound. Couldn't agree more!
Hands down!
I got a set of forte' .
Lascala are next.
@@335ownrtxI have the CornWall 4’s & Heresy 4’s, Forte 4’s are next. They will be all running simultaneously and I can’t wait. If these had the NAD Amp with the graphic EQ then you’d be able to hear a lot more of what they can do.
Jubilees destroy the Scala
La Scala hands down. It has a royally neat sound with great bass and clear highs with no harshness
I loved the La Scalas but would have to say that the K-Horns win in this case/with this song -- they seem more clear, more present. However, check out the Sound Sommelier demo La Scalas doing Dire Straits "You and Your Friend" -- UN. F--ING. REAL. Cheers.
Nothing is "hands down" its just your opinion.
Agreed - as many other commenters below, the La Scala's sounded the best to me. However, I am very sure I could get used to Jubilees - they sounded very different and I'm sure that, the longer you listen to them, the more accurate and detailed they sound.
i think the horn, for clarity and precision
They are harsh actually between 450 and 540hz
I was really surprised at how well balanced the Fortes are from top to bottom
I own them and absolutely love them. Great observation.
Not so much balance in my system. I thought what an improvement over the Heresy IV’s with PL evo 100 separates and happy for all of two months. Then fatigue started on marathon listening sessions. Just too balanced that at high volume 60% it gets messy sound for a medium room. Too much speaker for high level listening in smaller rooms as night time listening was as you all rave. But still, traded to Kantas No 1 and have never looked back. Till now. Damn it!
Wow my ears must be so different to yours
@@davidcarter9156maybe a mismatch with your amp? Haven't experienced that issue.
@@ericnigg it was and didn’t know much about room treatment
La Scala definitely. It played the cleanest and sounded equally balanced. May be a touch on the bright side and slightly forward. But that’s ok!
As amplifier power goes that’s not overkill, I’ll choose headroom and linearity every time no matter the loudspeaker because it does affect every listening experience and makes it just absolutely wonderful!
I agree 👍👍
To my ears the LaScala were the best by far. Highs Mids and lows performed equally well. Three times the prices of the other lower priced speakers but still better than the most expensive speakers. Could be the rooms or the TH-cam. Thanks for your work.
I Agree !!!
Agreed, at least with the setups presented. The LaScala presentation was clear, effortless, and of superb tonal balance, as presented. Tempting potential purchase, indeed!! However, in fairness, I do believe that both the Klipschorn and the Jubilee would benefit significantly with more space around them, especially so with the Jubilee, and in the corners of the room, which is especially so for the K-horns, as that is their intended room placement originally stated by the original designer Paul W Klipsch, himself. Corner placement, I suspect, would benefit the much newer Jubilee model mightily as well. As presented, though, that LaScala is amazing!! 😊👍🍺
Absolutely agree!
I agree too....
The Khorns had the outer part of the bass cabinet closed off from the room , improperly . The La Scala's sound best in this video . They also sound most like my large open baffles
Wow I'm surprised how clearly the differences come through over this method of demo. The snare especially, you can tell right away. From a size and value perspective the Forte is very impressive.
La scala are the clear winner for me, with Forte next.
I like them for their use. La Scala-symphony, Cornwall-party, Heresy-small room Mighty Mouse, Forte-home theater, Klipschorn-warm & creamy ❤, Jubilee-the whole package & my favorite listening room monsters ❤️💕❤️. Loved your video!
Forte IV. Awesome for the price. As far as comparing by listening on my vans speakers.
Thank you for doing this comparison video. It is very helpful. I’m looking for new good speakers.😉
The Jubilee presentation was in another league, another dimension, than all the other speakers. There were virtually no shortcomings in the presentation, no compromises that had to be made. If you wanted mid-range, it was there. If you wanted detailed highs, they were there. If you wanted authoritative bass, it was there . You could make an argument for certain aspects and qualities of all the other speakers, but none of them were even remotely close to the Jubilee and what it brought sonically.
yep. for the price of a decent SUV, you can own them.
@@timhallas4275 I would if I could
For $30,000 the Jubilee BETTER out-class the others.
The Klipshorns were my favorite. I could see myself owning a pair of those one day
i agree--but i am bias-i own a set of 1977 klipschorn which i purchased new --a lot of people will only understand why the cult type following of these speakers after they experience them in a well set up environment.The way they can energise a room has to be experienced to fully appreciate their positive attributes.Sure they are not perfect ,but for me i wouldn't swap them for any other speaker and i have tried quite a few over the years--i will never sell them.The cost may seem high but they will be the last speakers you ever buy so are actually a bargain.
Favorite? Probably the Klipschorns. They all sounded really good, but I was surprised at how different they sounded from each other. The La Scalas are just silky smooth, but you could feel the Cornwalls move more air. The Hereseys (a pair of IVs I live with) sound like smaller speakers, but the family DNA is still there (and in smaller spaces, like my listening space, they fill it up just fine.) Bang for buck the Fortes might just get the nod. They sound bigger than they are. The Jubilees sounded a bit like the Klipschorns, but i wonder if in person the sense of scale is more apparent.
It also dawned on me I would probably really enjoy living with McIntosh electronics!
Thanks for doing this BTW. Yeah, you can't get 100% of the experience, but you can get 75-80% of it and there is something to be gained from it.
The Cornwalls sounded the best to my ears. Each pair had a different strengths, but I definitely liked the Cornwalls the best. I guess it also depended on the equipment we were listening with.
As impressive as the jubilees are, im still so impressed with the LaScalas. Im a Magnapan fan. They are my end game speakers. Since ive had my vintage MGllas ive been happier than i have ever been. Belive me, ive yried dozens of speakers in my long life, but the only thing i would ever give them up for would be a pair of LaScalas. Never going to happen on my fixed income, but its always nice to dream!! Thank you so much for doing this! It only setves to reinforce my idea. Thank you again!
As a Maggie fan, may I ask your opinion? I'd like to get Magnepan 1.7i or 3.7i but a few Maggie lovers have warned me that my room is TOO big. It's 26 x 22 x 15 ft high. My listening triangle would have 8 ft open space to the left, 10 ft to the right, and 9 ft above. Even with a good high current amp, some say the absence of boundary walls to act as the "enclosure" will kill the Maggies and make them sound tinny. In your experience, is this a legitimate worry. Btw, the reason I'm here is that these same people suggested I go for Klipsch Cornwalls instead. But I don't like their hornish sonority.
@@issadad I think there is reason for feeling that your room is too large...part of the magic of Maggie's is the fact that the sound comes from all sides...that transparent sound that we all love could be dimished somewhat by the large room. I have seen a friend offset this somewhat by using screens to set up a false wall nearer the sides of the speakers. They can't be the fabric type, moreso a solid surface. Plus the accordion type effect of the folding joints makes a reflective surface that breaks up the sound a little. All I can tell you is that for me, I can't imagine life without mine. Listening position is important, of course, with any speakers and Maggie's are no different. They need to be pulled out at least 3 feet into the room(mine are about 5 feet) It's hard to have them in a traditional "living room" because they dominate the space, but to me that's part of the draw. Mine are oak and fabric and though dated, I still find them very attractive. Just my experience.
@@stephenstevens6573 Thank you. Hearing from real users is invaluable, especially living in Maine without dealers. If your friend actually has similar spatial concerns, sufficient to require setting up false walls, then, sadly, I must look elsewhere -- because I also have a huge chunk of space ABOVE my speakers (whatever I choose). Klipsch Cornwall IV's were recommended, as I mentioned, but they're not Maggies. I do like the open baffle speakers from Spatial Audio Labs and GR Research -- ever heard those? If you couldn't have your Maggies because you had a huge room, where would you turn?
I don’t know if it was the change of room but in my opinion the Klipschorn was the most superior speaker of the group. They had a true life like studio sound to them, the music came alive in a natural, smooth, mellifluous way. The La Scala’s are a close second. The worst were the Jubilees, very muffled and artificially forced.
The LaScala's felt like coming home. A very familiar, comfortable warmth. I've never owned Klipsch, HOWEVER, I'd consider those.👍
Here is my list from best to worst. Which I'm sure some of you will disagree with.
1. Jubiless (If you have the space)
2. LaScala (Prefer the openness of the bass sound vs Klipshorn)
3. Forte (Very balanced sound)
4. Klipschorn (Good mids and highs but the bass makes it sound shut in)
5. Cornwall (More dynamic and larger sound than Forte but bass sounds too bloated and overall a boxy sound)
6. Heresy (Balanced but just less of everything the others have)
This seems to be the consisted theme. 1 Jubilee, 2 La Scala.
You are hearing the differences through a microphone, which even the absolute best is not a good representation. Personally, I liked the Jubilee, Forte, Cornwall, Klipschorn, Heresy. But I know from actual listening It would be almost in order of price except swapping Cornwall for LaScala. I own Cornwalls so I could be biased. But I know that hereys rock.
Your on the bullseye with your list Yippie. They are all truly wonderful speakers.
The Jubilees!! Wow! What a system!!!!
In the last 47 years I have owned every model of Heritage Klipsch speaker (also 2 pair of full sets of MCM Concert Klipsch) … This demo was very swayed in that the Klipschorns were not set in a corner which makes a HUGE difference. In my last large home's Great Room I had two Klipschorns in corners running in Stereo and a Klipsch Belle running in mono in the dead center between the Klipschorns. The sound was to die for …. I died and went to heaven in a sonic bliss ….
Back in the late 1970s I heard that set up of corner horns and a Belle Klipsch center, driven by Luxman tube amps. It was a dealer up in Northern NJ. To this day I still dream back to that golden day of pure listening pleasure. You are “very fortunate “ to have that set up of a true wall of sound system !! So lucky !!
how big was your great room? Mine is 60'x40' and looking into Klipschorns. I'll need to look into the Belle.
Mr. Paul set up the LaScala as the center speaker in his demonstration room. Fantastic! Proper placement in the corner horns is important. According to him, they provided the last eight feet of the 16 foot folded horn. I’ve experienced (ages ago) a sample of both setups and the corner placement is far better.
You can tell by the cold sound that the Klipschorns need to to be in the corners.
@@Justwantahover They sound like that even if you have them in the corners, just maybe not as much. The balance is obviously off. The classic metallic-sounding horn ringing is the price you pay for the efficiency. If you can hear it even on computer speakers, it's pretty bad, every Klipschorn setup I have ever heard is more-or-less like that to varying degrees. Hard to tell whether this is a fair test over a computer and Grado SR325s or what the mic setup is, but the overall impression is much what I heard in real life in live tests. McIntosh is less than ideal for this but I think any weakness in the amplifier is completely swamped by the speaker problems. The Jubilee sounds the best to me (less metallic-sounding honking), La Scala second, others are non-players. I cannot tolerate the coloration, it's a particular pet peeve. I think you can do A LOT better for far, far less money, like
Klipschhorn clearly my choice, sounded most balanced, Jubilee surprisingly muffled.
Its because most of what we are hearing is the room. The jubilees were clearly in better treated room. The showroom sounds like a disaster in this video.
The new Cornwall had the best overall sound...Impact...bass punch...dynamics...midrange/vocal presence...and treble smoothness/clarity. A VERY solid presentation. I am a synesthete. I have the ability to "see" music in abstract forms in my mind's eye. So, the Cornwall had the best "visual" presentation. Thanks so much for the videoof the loudspeakers! Peace!!!
I have been to a LOT of live concerts and the Cornwall comes closest of having that “live”concert type sound . “Concert” sound is my taste.
What a fun video. The Jubilees are in a different league. Aside from them the La Scala blew away the rest, especially with its midrange. I was surprised the Forte held their own even with the bigger ones. Nice job. Thanks for doing this.
Glad you liked it Jeff. There is really no wrong choice, just a matter of budget and room size.
I agree. Forte is fine. Trusted horns. Made few subs by BM design. Perfect strong bass. Every note is in the air. 😊
@@SkyFiAudioexactly, to me considering budget and room size the winner is the Fortes, it’s the new musical warrior lol wasn’t overshadowed by their bigger brothers 🎸
Yes, the Jubilees have a pronounced and clean bass but the la scales were more natural overall. But that might have to do with the listening room. I expect in the right room with some DSP applied the Jubilees are superior.
To me I was torn between the Forte and the Cornwalls. Anything above that I couldn't even touch.
The Klipschhorns are the clear winner! Most if any online reviewers review these fantastic speakers, so I think for some here, bias may be afoot with regard to the as many have reviewed and raved about them. My system is very revealing and reaches down below 30hz. In clear second place are the Forte IV. It’s no wonder they are the best seller in the Heritage line, having a smaller footprint and costing less than half of its bigger siblings. The LaScala lacked the midrange and upper resolution of both the Klipschhorns and the Forte IV. The Lascala, while huge in scale, place the listener in larger venue, on row fifty. The Jubilees do the same but with less mid and upper resolution than the Lascala. The Cornwalls bass was sloppy, and I’ll get back to that in a moment. The Heresy, in this test are in last place and almost misplaced in this group, lacking in every aspect compared to the others. For some reason, most by default, always pair these speakers with tubes, which I feel is not he best for speakers that already sound warm and more “recessed” with their large Horn Implementation. The Cornwalls don’t need Tube amplification. And that’s where, as all of these speakers were driven by tubes, the Klipschhorns stood out from pack, being driven by tubes. It was by far the more balanced sounding of the group, bringing you closer to the performance. Which is why the Forte’s would be my choice out of the bunch for my home….they come very close for a fraction of the cost. Best sound, Klipschhorns. Best Value, Forte IV.
That‘s hands down the best comparison available in the net! Thank you! I was really surprised about the big differences and how bad the boxy speakers sound after the La Scala. Each for itself very good, but compared to the La Scalas not so great anymore. From boxy ones the Forty four was the best to my ears. Add one or two very good subs to the La Scalas and they run circles around the Jubilee. At least to my ears and in this comparison.
This being said, I am now listening to brothers in arms on my set up and am also so very impressed and would love to compare it here and now to the La Scalas :D (canton reference 5k, Yamaha A-S3200, Denafrips Pontus II, via Quobuzplus a well measured in SVS closed sub)
On paper the La Scalas read like they need a sub but be sure to listen to them first in person, they have tons of believable and impactful bass. I have never felt they need a sub. Just my 2 cents.
I think the Cornwall sounds most "clean" and open.
2:18La Scala 7:20 Cornwall 12:21 Heresy 17:21 Forte 22:24 Klipschorn 28:05 Jubilees
Thank you.
Maybe the video was edited but the different speakers are in the progress bar and you can hit the same music section with each speaker.
so, which one is your favorite?
@@sauleomarova7730
The K-Horns placed in corners and I prefer the older ones with the AA crossovers.
It’s basically like the la Scala’s on steroids, much more and Awesome, tight base due to the larger folded horn.
The laScala’s would be my second choice.
Definitely worth the price!
There was no comparison at all, the La Scala’s were by far the best sounding for this song and I’m a huge Mark Knopfler fan.
Even through TH-cam and twenty years I immediately recognised the Klipsch sound. I was lucky enough to be in your position and work in a few London dealers for a few decades, we always had the Klipsch horns and for a while next to the Tannoy GRFs, Apogee Scintillas, big Maggies, Martin Logan CLS etc. Edit (these were just what popped in my mind...but) couldn't miss out the ProAc response 4s they were amazing! I will not say my favourite except to say I used the Quad ESL 57s at home for many years with various valve and turntable combinations.
Watching this makes me hungry to play... You have a wonderful shop.
Cornwall and Forte.
Khorn, La Scala have very similar sound signatures. Jubilee and Forte sounds signature are alike and Cornwall and Heresy are similar with Cornwall’s base is smoother. Of the 3 groups, I like Jubilee and Forte the most, live with composure and smooth. Cornwall and Heresy the second but not as smooth at the low. The LaScale and KHorn are the most exciting of the brunch but does feels like screaming, more than in a live concert. My reference… Heresy IV at home and a few very good experiences at live concerts under my belt. Great comparison BTW!
Least to most expensive (start of vocals) Hersey 12:45, Forte 17:45, Cornwall 7:46, La Scala 2:42, Klipschorn 22:49, Jubilee 28:28
Yes - I completely agree
What a stunner! I wasn’t expecting much since I was on my iPhone but my goodness, the Fortes were my clear favorite. They seemed the most balanced as well as the most comfortably listenable.
I bought a pair of Forte for 50 bucks from a guy in a bar 25 yrs ago. still the best speakers I have. LOVE'EM
Nice score!
I once had the opportunity to hear a pair of Klipschhorns in a room with walls filled with sand and steel-reinforced floor and ceiling with acoustic panels and treatment, all guided by the use of a real-time acoustic processing unit. The speakers were placed (as they should be) in the corners of the room (as the last half octave of the bass horn uses the corner of the room) and listened to them for as long as the owner would allow. He impressed me at one point by playing a frequency sweep off a CD and showed that the horns could reproduce to 5Hz and absolutely shake the room, even with that construction. Amazingly efficient and accurate. I was amazed at what I was hearing.
I have a pair of K Horns and had designed my home around them, with the speakers placed in reinforced plywood backed up by sand filled corners, and have a Mac environmental room equalizer that was set up using a pink noise generator. Currently do not have a space to house it so all equipment in storage.
What power level to reproduce 5 Hz?
I had Speakerlab Ks in the corners of my living room long wall. Have you heard these? To me with a 4 digit serial number Marantz 2270 they sounded great.
@@daviddrake6875I built mine in 1977 from the Speakerlab plans and never looked back. Over the years, I've probably cut the parts for 10 pair for friends. I made sure to wear hearing protection while I cut the wood so I wouldn't ruin my ears for the finished product! They are in the corners of the living room where they need to be and sound as good as the pair of real Klipschorns I first heard in a hi-fi showroom, but could only dream of owning. The bass drivers in mine are Electrovoice SP15s with Altec horns on the midrange and JBL tweeters for 5K and up. They've always been powered by a 100 w home built solid state power amplifier and I'm in the process of building a Mosfet amp based on a design from Elliot Sound Products in Australia. The best thing about horn designs is how efficient they are and it only takes a few watts to achieve incredibly clean and loud sound. My main sound source these days comes from a Wiim Pro Plus streamer with Schiit Modi DAC.
I like the Cornwall speakers. More clarity; I can hear much more gong on in that song.
LaScala and Forte did it for me. Given the price difference I would go with the Forte. I’m glad you did this and I’ll add your site to my list of favorites. BTW, we’re the Forte IV or III? I’m new at this audiophile thing and don’t know if I could tell a discernible difference between the two. What amp and DAC would you recommend for the Forte that would keep my budget around $10,000? Thanks!
The Cornwall or the Forte vi, but I'd put my money on the Cornwall they sound the best to me, I do wonder how much they cost? Thank you
1. Forte IV, 2. Klipschorn AK6...only two I'd own. I'm guessing the abundance of bass on the Cornwalls could be adjusted based on positioning of the speaker in the room.
Great experiment. Grew up with Chorus's as a child, Belle's through my 20s, and Crites Cornscalas for 10 years now. Easily the Cornwalls have the best bass in most rooms with excellent midrange. KHorns, if put in corner traps, in the right shaped room, outperform all others. Stereo image is better with LaScala and KHorn. Jubilee is awesome but DSP makes it a non contender. The 3rd gen Cornwall makes major improvements in midrange, bringing it to an almost match to Cornscalas from Crites (Cornscala= Lascala mid and high + Cornwall bass). Heresy is a very good speaker for its size. All Klipsch have excellent clarity and excel in being versatile enough to be acceptable in most rooms, with excellent efficiency allowing most amplifiers room to breath. Low wattage requirements and high power capabilities generally do not go hand in hand but with Klipsch they do, and they sound fantastic. Taking all in to account i believe the Forte is the best balance and imaging and tone with its excellent passive radiator. Chorus is the same design with a larger enclosure and bass driver. Curious if Klipsch with bring the Forte's big brother back. Love what yoll got goin on in Glen Rock
"Stereo image is better with LaScala and KHorn"
LOL. Except for the Jubilee, the audio was all recorded in mono.
All horns would see major improvement with dsp.
@gotham61 Ive got 3 decades experience with all these speakers including owning 3 models. Im not referring to how they sound on TH-cam. Im referring to experience.
@keithwiebe1787 Perhaps...maybe....probably.....horns would benefit from DSP. Im not prepared to make that decades old argument. DSP takes the Jubilees out of the apple to apple comparison because the DSP obviously is another factor that is meant to improve sound, but it can also degrade from the sound, making comparisons difficult. That aside the Jubilee out excels the other examples.
I am considering cornscalas. How would you rate them against cornwalls and la scalas?
For me, the La Scala is extremely well balanced, but the vocals and the snares sound less in your face than the horns. Those are more in your face, with the midrange and higher being more direct. So I suppose for Jazz and the like, the La Scala would be better. For rock etc, the horns. The fortes, in comparison to these two, seem less bright. With the fortes, it feels like the singers are in the back of the soundstage. When you switch the same section to the horns, it's like they came to the front or the curtain in front of them went away.
Of course, I'm listening with TH-cam compression and on a small desktop speaker. I will say though; there is still a very noticeable difference between them. Even with these limitations.
The jubilee is brilliant. It's not overemphasizing anything, relative to all of them and I think is closer to the La Scala. I read the sort of negative comments about it. I don't get it.
What would be awesome is to hear them against some excellent non-Klipsch speakers.
But this was a wonderful comparison. TY.
I’ve heard the LaScalas in person and they are my grail speakers (one of these days) but my Cornwalls are 98% there and I love them
Considering the price difference, the Cornwalls are a great value compared to the La Scallas and probably 90% of the performance.
Thank you so much for putting this great video together. It's greatly appreciated. I currently own Forte Ones which I love. Here is my list. 1. Klipschorn 2. Jubilees 3. La Scala 4. Fortes 5. Cornwall 6. Heresy
Interesting. The speakers were noticeably better from each model until the 75th anniversary model. Corner Horns for the win. LaScala’s second. Cornwalls third. Man I love Klipsch speakers. 🔊
No daubt for me: la scalas are outstanding and beating all of them easiley...all others way too shouty.....klipschhorn dissapointing, because la scala on similar level... but of course your room accoustics are tough! Thanks a lot, la scala are on my listening list! 😊
It all has to do with midbass response. The La Scalas have more oomph in the 80 hz compared to khorns but khorns go lower. I'm surprised at the difference in voicing though. I have homebuilt khorns from 35 years ago and still enjoy them. Running through a dsp on Yamaha receiver and that helps tremendously with the midrange and upper end responses (using 6.5 Audax midrange driver with tractrix horn and EV35 tweeter). Many different crossover's have been used in the khorn over the years to tame the 125 hz boost they naturally have. Some do better than others. I would definitely build my own or buy a used pair before spending 15k on new ones.
whatever electronics you are using must be absolutely fantastic. I was able to hear clear and obvious differences in the audio as each speaker changed. The first and the last was to my mind the best.
A bit overkill using the MA12000 but I figured that would be the most neutral.
@@SkyFiAudio how about one of the better Jadis?
Wow! What a great demo. You could really hear the difference which is amazing on a TH-cam video. Overall winner for me were the Jubilee, followed by Klipschorn and LaScalla. However, bang for the buck has to go to the Forte IV. Thank you for creating this video and for the fun quotient
First time 'hearing' Klipsch speakers and even through TH-cam the Cornwall's sounded fantastic to me. The others had either a bloom or a flatness that took away from the realism of the music. They had cohesion and unforced detail that made the whole presentation really enjoyable.
Cornwall 👍😎 you have it all and more at a reasonable price range.
I love that Memorex print on your wall. I remember those in Stereo Review and High Fidelity magazine back in the day. Brings back good memories.
Maxell, not Memorex
This is THE comparison I've been looking for. Thanks for taking the time to set all of this up. I've always had my heart set on acquiring the Cornwalls (of course, which I can't afford). Then after reviewing this "rough" comparison, the clear winner to me were definitely the La Scalas. I was amazed at the punch, clarity and overall range. Now I pine for speakers which I can so NOT afford even more. But, this helps me with the technical decision. Can't wait to hear these in person. Thanks, again!
Room treatments? We don't need no steekin' room treatment!
Mark, look into KLH model 5. They're not full range, but pretty good for 1/2 the price of a set of Fortes
The Forte IV seems to be just as good as the Cornwall for Less money. Listening again to both and compare.
1 - La Scala
2 - Klipschorn
3 - Forte
4 - Cornwall
5 - Jubilees
6 - Heresy
I am surprised at how well I can hear the character of these speakers through my headphone system. Great job! I choose the La Scala first, Forte second. Thanks!
Theres a video called Open Baffle vs Forte I vs Heresy IV, by Dr D, the forte sound natural, incredibly rich in the lower register in that vid, might help to compare sound quality to improve the sound of your vids.
Those Klipscorns sound so full and well balanced I'm in love. I know what I want for Christmas. They sounded that beautiful and they weren't even in the corners. Amazing. Thank you for this sound comparison Fernando. It was tremendously helpful.
Oh great, Im so happy you got something out of it. Thanks for the encouragement.
You are right, I own two Klipschorns...they definitly need a corner.
La Scala - but shocked to know that such high end speakers all sound so different - this causes disturbing thoughts onthe validity of expensive hifi 'fidelity'
La Scala pulled well ahead of the others. Such pure clean sound. Wow I did not realize they are so very expensive.
News flash.... all high quality loudspeakers are expensive, lol!
Well. The sound produced by the Klipsch horns or trac trix horns can’t be replicated over TH-cam. You HAVE to go SOMEWHERE to hear the clarity. Put your hands 🙌 on them for yourself. I have the bookshelf 12 inch sub surround setup Youswear there are people behind you. I got neighbors. But. I was here first!!!🤩🚦✅
What a treat. From 1975 to 1985 I sold Klipch ,Acoustat,Mission,Dalquist and numerous other loud speakers and Amps
I always used Dire Straits first Album to demo on an Oracle with a mission 774 arm and a high output MC cartridge
I ended up buying a pair of Klipsch Speakers in 1976 Just sold them last year
Loved the trip down memory lane
774 ................great sounding arm.......
yes, but did you ever BUY them?
Hi 👋, SkyFi, I am listening to your music on my Transmission Line cabinet , NAD Amp , I think it is very close between the,
Cornwall, and the klipschorn , but the La Scala is very close, probably a slider cleaner sound, stage. Phil from the moulin,
As a recent Forte owner,= powered by an MC 352, I have my prejudices naturally. But to be brutally honest, those LaScalas seem the best and brightest of the bunch. The Fotes came in a close second for their overall crispness and balanced tone. Im a retired broadcaster and used to hifi --the good stuff--all of my life; growing up in (nearby)Paterson NJ. , where my father had Les Pauls's audio guy build our HIFI Room--i kid you not! . I might consider trading up for the LaScalas.. maybe even take a drive to my old stomping grounds(from Kansas now).
I have heard all but the Jubilee's in a decent display room and love the overall music realism from the LaScala the best.thank you
the
The speaker has a very weak sound.---I have a Monitor Audio Gold 100, it sounds much nicer and it's not even driven by a Mcintosh amplifier,......
Thanks for doing this sir. I had a pair of LaScalas and was quiet impressed with them. In video if I could have my way I would choose Cornwall for their bass response combined with the klipschorn mid to highs , omg I think would sound out of this world, what do everyone think of that for a set of speakers. Thank again for posting video. Great job.
Who the fluck keeps this all clean? What happens when it sounds good through your system, your camera, then my setup? Paradox? La Scala, but the jubilees would be my pic for hard hitting all around!
Go easy on the bass its dominating. It was bottoming out on the la scalas. Quite a boomy video. IF you listen to some open baffles they are quite light on bass but they can help tune the ears to bass. The snare on the KHorn was way off. Normally the Fortes sound incredibly rich in the lower register but in this vid they all sounded muffled like your voice in the narration. You might want to eq your vids.
The sound of klipschorn recorded is so different from the real thing. The sound of klipschorn is the sound of the radio. Be good at recording! I've been using klipschorn speakers for 30 years, and I'll be with them for the rest of my life.
Ah, when Cornwall starts it should be “Link Below” not “Bellow”. Huge characters should be easy to proof read 😊 Oh, the same can be said for the other speakers.
I like the sound of the Klipschhorn the best. Great detail and solid Bass. If I had the room in my house I would buy a pair.
Hands down "The Forte IV's" could not find a fault to them (sorry but only one listened to all the way thru), each other one had something not quite as right.
So now that you have my personal information what can you tell about me? ;)
Klipschorn was the liveliest for me. Thanks! But one needs to actually hear them and on different amps.
If you want to test your speakers, listen to "Crystal Ball Carolin No - Topic". My God, the deep base shook my entire room.
Cornwallis, but I’m biased it’s what I have. Wonderful performance.
They all have an unpleasant cavernous sound, with excessive domed resonances. The most expensive Jubilee seems to be more balanced and seems do not has cavernous resonance.
To me the Klipschorn AK6 is the best reason I could clearly hear what Mark was singing.
The only speaker I have owned I enjoyed more than my La Scala's were my pair of Duetta Signature's personally refurbished by Jason Bloom himself before he sadly passed away.
Don't yell at me, but I liked the Cornwalls. Sounded more like being in the studio with them and piano had more punch. Just a very overall enjoyable sound.
Corner or against a wall “Cornwall” sounds the most “live” like you are at a concert. Forte is right in there as well. Cornwall is my pick.
For me and my old ears, I liked the tubby Cornwalls.
Neat comparison; I used to have a pair of Cornwall's and to be they still give the best definition of all of them. Probably not a good comparison listening on a Klipsch computer set but I thought it was fun and informative. Good work
Have to give it to the La Scala's, sounded better top to bottom ( who said they don't do bass ! ) Forte's next but at a distance.
I can’t tell which is best with my AirPods. But I like Klipsch.
I purchased a pair of Cornwalls in 1977. I now own Altec Lansing model 17’s pushing them with stereo tube pre amp and a separate stereo tube power amp made in 1959 from Stromberg Carlson 100 % satisfaction so airy, superb imaging, outstanding instrument voicing performance 15 watts total a side: 117 dbl 1 watt at 4 meters.
I believe Cornwalls were the best flawless speakers for their size back in 1977. Try Dire Straits “You and your friend” or “Fade to black”with zero bass zero treble with a bit more volume.
First of all, congratulations. What a nice idea. Even though the session is "in" TH-cam environment, it is possible to capture the personality of each pair of speakers. And they are all quality ones.😊 My vote goes to La Scala.
In my opinion I prefer the Klipschorn as they give a balanced bright sound across the bands but my other choice are the La Scala, they are a bit toned down but still bright enough for my taste, a very tough decision to make between the two…….maybe both.
Over the years, I've owned most of these speakers. If you have the room, go with the Klipschorn. There is no substitute.
I am not sure if one can judge speakers on TH-cam. However, based on what I've heard, my choice is Cornwall. The depth and clarity. Especially the depth of the sound that seems to come from the back of the speaker. Clean and true representation of live music and voice without too much mid and bass heard from the other larger speakers. Even from my cheap TV speaker, the depth and clarity came through above the other speakers. The speakers should not be judged based on bass alone. The speakers job is to recreate live music and voice best as possible. There were couple others that were close. But, the Cornwall stood out. Many voted La Scala. I think this was based on its popularity, familiarity and design with this model. I am sure all the speakers sound great in its set up location. Also, this Dire Straits, Brothers in Arm album is one of the best album for a speaker test. Along with Norah Jones 1st. album., come Away with me. Ty. for taking me back to my college days.
For me , Klipschhorn!!!!!! The best sound balance