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My first "audiophile" experience was the La Scala. My neighbor had a pair. When he was selling them I wanted to buy them. Dumb teenager logic was I could put them in my bedroom. They weren't too big... just get rid of the bed... I can sleep on the floor! I love the horn sound. I have a pair of Altec Valencia speakers in the living room. I have a pair of Decware Imperial Reproducers in the main listening room. There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Klipsch. I would just go off the beaten path. If the stars aligned I would get a pair of Belle Klipsch speakers. Same drivers and specs as the La Scala but a shallower and wider cabinet that is more visually appealing. The other speaker l would get is the Klipsch H700. It is a Heresey cabinet with all ElectroVoice drivers that have Alnico magnets. Drivers with Alnico magnets have a sound all their own. Main reason why I have the Valencia speakers. It is like a two way Cornwall... with Alnico magnets in the drivers. Love the smooth buttery bass of the woofers. Love the creamy top end without loosing detail. Add in a good tube amp like Decware and heaven awaits. Speaking of tube amps Decware has a 300b single ended triode amp coming soon. They are even taking orders on it, but you have to call in to get on the waiting list. That will be an amp worth waiting over a year for.
Jubilee- Best speaker, most expensive. Very large image , scale and effortlessness. I heard the non domesticated version and it was just too fiddly to get right. Klipschorn- Not as good as Jubilee but still a gut punch when you hear them and compare them to non horn loaded speakers. Just scrambles your brain about what music reproduction should sound like. Wept like a baby when I sold them La Scala is a distinct step down- La Scala with Sub does not add up to Klipschorn- the horn loaded sub is just fantastic. But La Scala images much better and easier to place. So bit of trade off Cornwall & Forte - I had a bit of Non WOW moment when I heard Cornwall and compared them to Forte's back to back. Forte is pretty good and Cornwall is a bit better Klipsch RF 7 sounds great, very big and dynamic and may be the value proposition. The heritages look great though and would add to the house visually.
My favorite Klipsch is the Klipschorn that I heard back in 1980. Opted for the LaScalas and still have to this day. Modified now with ALK extreme slope x-overs. I doubt at my age I will ever go to another speaker. My Decware amp is getting close. It has been over a year now but excited that I may see it in the next 45 days. Have I heard better speakers…absolutely. Do I need some subs, probably. Would I ever have a dedicated listening room, hell no I enjoy windows. I enjoy your channel and congratulations on the new home. The room looks great
The color scheme and finish are stunning - kudos to you Andrew and Kristi for impeccable taste. I've never heard the more expensive Klipsch speakers such as these, La Scala, etc. I was always of the mind, listening to many other Klipsch speakers in my 35+ year audiophile journey, to expect that horn loaded V- shaped curved sound / but before I go all in on the KEF Reference speakers I was willing to spend over $8000.00 on, I will demo these speakers after listening to your review. Thanks again A&K - always an engaging experience. 👍👍
I have owned a pair of Klipsch Cornwall I's for nearly 45 years. I have tried on a couple of occasions to replace them but I just keep coming back to the Cornwalls. They are not accurate, highly refined, or neutral. But when you put a mere 1-2 watts of clean power into them, they will absolutely pressurize the room with the excitement, dynamics, and detail of live music. There really is no other speaker like them. Thank you Andrew and Kristy for your hard work in giving us great reviews.
When I was a teenager (a half century ago) I talked my parents into driving me out to the “high end” stereo store in Lincoln Nebraska. Paul Klipsch was giving a talk and demoing the K-Horns. The science was completely lost on me, but the sound of those speakers has always stuck with me as the greatest speaker I ever heard. I hope when I retire to actually get a pair of my own and set up an audio only room for them. I really enjoy your channel. Dave
Listening to both you and Kristi on this review epitomizes my philosophy on life in general. Nothing in life as great as you think it is going to be and nothing in life is ever as bad as you think it is going to be. That new relationship that you think is all you're missing to be truly happy, that new car, that new house, having a baby to make a bad relationship work, even all the money in the world, are never going to live up to your expectations. Happiness and satisfaction comes from within not from external things. Fix yourself and you will never be disappointed. Love the music and remember as Andrew says, "the only person that has to like the sound of your system is you."
I agree with the first part of your observation but not “ nothing in life is ever as bad as you think it is going to be.” How about the death of a child? Surely that is about the worst thing a parent can experience. Sure, they may get through it but that doesn’t mean that that experience didn’t live up to their worst fears. That’s the trouble with generalizations.
@@ericlubow4354 I agree with your example if that is one of your fears that you think about. I would never have that fear in my mind regarding a loved one or how bad it would be if I lost a loved one. I just never want to put negative thoughts out to the universe about the people in my life. That is not to say I have never lost a loved one most of my family is gone. That doesn't mean I don't get your point, I do. I just don't think "what if" regarding the people in my life.
"They do more to stimulate my soul than just about anything." I'm right there with you. I recently upgraded to Cornwall IV's in my home and it was a purely emotional choice. I was happy with my RF-7's, but the Cornwalls evoke emotion in a way the RF-7's couldn't. The Cornwall is definitely a Right Brain speaker.
@@Ladco77 got it. I had the RF7i’s for 13 years. Badass powerful speakers, but horribly bright to my ears. I now have the JBL HDI 3800’s. I did consider Cornwalls too, but got trigger shy not wanting the same fatiguing experience as the RF7i’s.
@@jstoli996c4s Listen to some Cornwalls some time (or any Heritage). SO VERY different than even the current RF-7 III, etc. Way different than the RF-7 I. They can pound like the RF-7's, but can also be so delicate at the same time. It's a whole different world.
My favorite Klipsch Heritage speaker: the Heresy. Why? Just enough to get that Klipsch sound I like, without taking over the entire room. Thank you for doing such a great job covering Klipsch speakers in general. No company does such a great job covering such a huge range of needs as does Klipsch.
I switched from the Forte IV (which I loved) to the Cornwall IV and tbh I did not expect much of a difference, just a somewhat bigger sound. I was more expecting to send them back again after testing them and keep my Fortes. But man was I wrong! It took about five seconds to know that I would keep the Cornwalls. The difference between the two was much bigger than I had expected. The Fortes often sounded harsh to me especially with not so good recordings from the 80s. The Cornwalls are much more forgiving in that regard but still they are sounding much clearer and open. I also prefer the bass of the Cornwalls even though the Fortes go deeper. The Cornwalls have a much more natural bass. To me it is no comparison. The Cornwalls are more than worth the extra money. So if you have the space save a few weeks longer and get the Cornwalls. Next stop for me: La Scala!
For anyone who is looking for more info. I was able to demo them at my local audiodealer 1 year ago (combined with a tube-amp) The thing what stood out the most for me was the bass of the CW4., it was quiet a lot for my taste. Can be the room acoustic , can be because i was used to less bass of my Chorus 1. After that i listened to the Forte4 , smaller soundstage , i also had the feeling the sound was less open. But the bass was more tight , had more kick...at that moment i liked the bass of the Forte 4 above the bass of the Cornwall 4. In the end i bought the CW4 because of the better midrange , bigger soundstage and i had the feeling it gave a better "live feeling". Now , 1 year later , i just own the Lascala AL-5 for a week.. slightly better compared to the CW4 , but i really enjoyed the CW4 . Although in my room/set up it could be a bit boomy with some songs. And i am not a bass-head at all , also a reason why i prefer the Lascala above the CW4. But , the CW4 is a great speaker and i still don't know if i will keep them next to my lascalas 😄
I think you're on the right track with this review. It's worth thinking about these in context of the lineage of Klipsch. Most of the time no one talks about how much better the IVs are than the original Cornwalls. These are the only Heritage speakers that I've had the chance to hear both and the new ones are so much more refined and listenable than the originals. I haven't heard the new Fortes, but the original ones were everything that Klipsch is criticcized for - shouty upper mids, horn sound, etc. If you like the Klipsch sound, the Cornwall IVs are very good.
For the last year I've also been a custom Cornwall IV owner - I requested lambswool grills but the 'Cornwall' badges fell off within a few months. Whatever. I completely agree with everything you said in your review. Your comparison with the Forte IV is right-on but the Cornwall is much better at lower/normal playback volumes. Depending on your room there's a point at which you would wonder whether it's worth the upgrade but the lower the SPL's the more obvious the Cornwall's superiority because that big, sensitive 15" woofer is like a natural 'loudness' control. If you want to rock at 95 db+ you should get the Forte (if you have a normal room) but if you mostly play at 'normal' or soft volumes, or want to blow it out of the water in a big room, then the Cornwall is a worthy upgrade.
Between the Forte IV and the Cornwall IV is a personal preference. They are "Similar" but different. All which will be influenced by the music and setup.
After watching many years of your reviews I purchased the Cornwall IV speakers instead of the Lascala’s I had lusted over for 40 years. I have to point back to 1 song (thank you) that made the Cornwalls stand out among all the other Klipsch speakers. You introduced me to ROBYN HONEY and it became the best reference song for the type of music I enjoy. I also paired them with a single SVS PB-3000 Subwoofer to finish off the bass requirements. What a great channel you and Kristi have. Thanks for making my day by reviewing the Cornwalls!
Man I'll say you guys made those Klipsch Cornwalls look amazing I learned 3 things from the video today!! 1 I never knew the cornwalls were originally center channel speakers. 2 that you can customize the cabinets and grills of the Klipsch higher end speakers!! And 3 I still would take the Forte 4's over anything in the market! Those speakers looks wise and sound are amazing!!! another great video guys! Much love and respect!
I have a pair of Cornwall V2 from 1989 and recently removed from my listening room as they are require a large room and overwhelmed the listening space. For most rooms I believe the Forte’s are a better choice. I rotate around several speakers and currently have KEF (9.1 system) and vintage Philips FB825 and vintage Klipsh 5.2. for stereo listening on a dedicated stereo system. Will bring these Corwall’s back in with a tube power amp in he future. Keep up the great product reviews
I’m still listening to my 800.00 pair of LaScalas in Raw Birch from the late 70’s and every time I turn them on I’m amazed at the imaging and sounds floating all around and behind me. I’m 65 so I’m keeping them. The best 800.00 Craigslist deal I ever found! Love the LaScalas. I power it with a Yamaha 5.2 receiver and use a huge Klipsch center speaker and a Klipsch 15” subwoofer. Dynamite sounding system
Man the look of the room, the “vintage” looking Cornwall and the Rose equipment combo is freaking great. And well, I’m sure you both are really jamming to these. Enjoy them!
I turned my attention once again to this Corwnall IV review. It is a good review. The best I've watched to do with the Klipsch Cornwall IV; and I have watched this review several times over the last while and have seen many other reviews. I was again considering Klipsch Forte IVs when I happened to recall something that Sean from Zero Fidelity said concerning the Fortes and the Cornwalls: "If you have enough money to spend on a set of Forte IVs .... you can probably afford to stretch out and buy a set of Cornwalls; if you really wanted to." A little further on he adds: "Yes, go with the Cornwalls. It is still the better speaker in pretty much every way." I think Sean is right. And recalling what you stated, Andrew Robinson, about choosing the Cornwalls: "I wanted the Cornwall not for review but for me." I think that you also consider the Cornwalls the better speaker. That statement speaks volumes to me. Though it means waiting a while longer, in the long run it is the right choice to go with the Cornwall IVs. I have been hasty in my comments. That happens to me sometimes. You did state: "My buyers advice ..... go with the Forte IVs." I want you to know that I take your advice seriously. I trust your judgement.
Many many years ago l had the occasion to spend a couple of days with Paul Klipsch we spent time at his office, home and commercial plants. He was quite interesting to talk to, a bit of a kind old curmudgeon but fun to be around. Through our conversations he mentioned that when the cornwall was finally made they were having a bit of a conundrum coming up with a name. His first wife Belle which the Belle Klipsch was named after said after seeing it, we put in a corner or on a wall, said why don't you call it the Cornwall. The rest is history. By the way the Heressy was originally thought a good match for the center between the K-Horns but then the Belle was developed and became the matching Center channel spk. Paul said suddenly people started buying the Belle in pairs for stereo an unexpected gain. Btw Paul was a typical audio buff He had two K-Horns and a Belle in his livingroom. And like all audiophiles When it came time to demonstrate his little system. Well you know the rest.. But we had an enjoyable time together l even got the famous Bulls--t Button. Oh He said back in the fifties someone should build a good 3 watt amp!😎
I worked for a Klipsch dealer in the 90’s and we sold a bunch of the Heritage line before they were officially called Heritage. The Forte was definitely our best seller. Chorus were second and Cornwall were third.
The Cornwalls arrived. I A/B with the Forte, and I’m so surprised how well the Forte’s held up against them. It’s not an obvious choice! Some music the Cornwall’s clearly won, but others (like Radiohead’s Weird Fishes) the Forte seemed best. When you say in this review that the Forte may be the best pound for pound winner in the Heritage line, you weren’t exaggerating!!
I’d love to see you do a video on your perspective on the ultimate benefits of music listening and why all this technology is so important: to me, as a musician, it’s a spiritual force in my life and it’s also a large part of my mental health. I think a video suggesting different rigs for different living situations would be great. For example, portable rigs for extended travel vs day to day listening, car listening, home listening for those with sensitive neighbours or office rigs. In this way, you’d be able to give people different options for music listening so they can make it beneficial in their current life situations. After all, music is life. We should all be able to access good listening habits despite our current lifestyle or financial limitations. I truly believe more music listening will bring about happier, more fulfilled people.
It’s crazy how addicted we all are to different sounding speakers. I love my high end speakers, and then I go out to my gym and turn on my $99 edifier powered pair and I’m like, oof, I like those too 😂
I rotate between 3k speakers and $249 bookshelves quite often, and ranges in between. I'm happy to have invested in the front end and a quality stereo pair of subs. It really makes rotating speakers a breeze and I can get a lot out of a modest pair in a small room. Happy days!
@@KristiWright oh great, that makes wish you could review those beautiful JBL HDI-3800 and compare them to the Forte's!! I wish I was American, they're on sale there hehe awesome review thanks to you both!! I still love my JBL Decade series a lot too... Edit : or the JBL 4700 but they're 3200$ more than the Forte's in Canada.
My listening room has my super fancy kefs then in my gym I have a ropey pair of sub $150 1990s towers and have the time of my life. It depends on mood and circumstances. Drinking a fine wine at midnight in candle light far better suits high fidelity then the ungodly boom the old tower
Congratulations on finding a speaker you love, and thanks for this journey reviewing the Klipsch Heritage series. Your reviews were a factor in getting me interested in the brand, and eventually landing a pair of Klipschorns (for which I thankfully have the right kind of room characteristics.) In my own journey I did spend some hours with the Cornwall IV, and if my living situation changes such that I can no longer accommodate the big K-horns, I know the Cornwalls will be a fine fallback.
Thanks for the review. One of the things I would like your opinion on is placement of the Cornwall and whether the front-ported design makes placement easier or more challenging? With the Forte having a rear-facing "passive bass radiator", the Heresy with it's rear "Tractrix" port and the Cornwall with a front facing "Tractrix" port. I could imagine that flexibility with placement in a room could be more challenging with the Forte and Heresy despite the smaller physical footprint. Is it possible that the larger footprint and porting of the Cornwall could actually make placement for smaller rooms easier?
It’s probably one of the best speaker design/looks on the market right now. Freaking fantastic look. Absolutely perfect pairing to the room design. Bravo!
@@KristiWright Thank you to both of you! As long as you guys are happy with them, I’m happy! It’s truly a stunning room and speaker pair. That would definitely be my choice if I went with those. Oh and great video too!
Soooooo glad you finally got around to reviewing the Cornwall. I have a pair of 1985 Cornwalls that I've owned for 24 years. I absolutely love them and have listened to them with tube amps most of that time. I was one of the "The Cornwall is the sweet spot" guys. I thought about a year ago that I might retire with the Fortes as my endgame speaker, but after listening to them in a showroom, I decided my Spatial M3's (older model) sounded almost the same but had better bass. I decided to wait on the Cornwall IV, saving my money. Anyway, I just bought a 30 watt class A amp and I'm deciding between the Cornwall and the Devore O/93, thanks so much for finally reviewing this classic loudspeaker. Cornwall fan for life. And, SO nice to know you can special order finishes. Seriously, you guys rock.
Great review and speakers. Thanks Andrew and Kristi. I ended up going with RF7iii as i love thier ability to hold it together at high levels where heritage are less comfortable to my ear (never heard la scalas though), and the RF7's have more slam and extension (still need a sub though). IMO, they are the best compromise of a studio and live sound as i listen to a wide range of music. But there is no doubt that the Cornwalls sound more live -if you want to be in the jazz club they take you there.. Everything in life is a compromise. Keep up the great work.
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Long time subscriber, first time commenter. Still have the Crown CT8150 as my primary amp you recommended a long time ago (5 years? Can no longer find that video). This is like Deja Vu for me. I also went the Elysian 4 route, but they didn't have that "Live Sound" I was looking for and hence I returned them and purchased the Cornwall IV's after auditioning. I purchased five of them! For surround sound and 2-channel listening. The hard part was getting a dealership to only sell me one for the center channel, because as you know, they are sold in matched sets (even though they were designed as a center channel). But I managed and now have 5 equal speakers for surround sound. I have owned the Cornwall IV's for just over a year and just wanted to add some listening pointers. It took mine around 1,200 hours to break in. Primarily the bass, which as you know delivers a very tight and clean sound. I also noticed you have your speaker wires connected to the lower terminal with a bridge to the upper. Reverse this, with the speaker wires connected to the upper and a bridge to the lower. Reversing the connection will deliver a better sound from the mid-range and upper, with the bass not being that critical. I also replaced that metal bridge with higher-end banana plugs. Unless you are 20 feet away from the speakers, you may also find raising the front helps with imaging. I sit 11 feet away and have the fronts raised 1/4 inch. You are correct as to being forgiving as to the front-end (Amp, DAC, etc.), but better equipment does yield a better sound from the Cornwalls. The biggest sound improvement came from me using a Torus Power AVR Power Conditioner which all my equipment is plugged into. I live in an old neighborhood that still carries electricity on telephone poles, and the Torus greatly improved the sound. I also find that even though these are high efficiency speakers, they are dead quiet and sound just as good at low volumes. Played at normal listening volumes, the dynamics can be startling. And they have no limits at high volumes, where most speakers will start sounding harsh. I also agree that with the right recordings, they can disappear, which is surprising. The Cornwalls I can recommend for anyone NOT having a dedicated listening room and want that live sound. Singers appear right in front of you and a piano, saxophone, etc., sound like the real instruments. Also the easiest speaker to setup a center image I have ever owned, and that is with only 2" of toe-in. They were designed for Corner and close to the back Wall placement, hence their name CORNerWALL. Enjoy and give another update after break-in. On a side note, I hope you get a chance to audition/review my current 2-channel DAC, which is a Rockna Wavedream Signature (FPGA/Ladder hybrid). Absolutely stunning with the Cornwall IV's.
They are truly gorgeous. When you see a speaker that big it would be hard to not have massive expectations. They’re just spectacular. Perhaps time will even things out. La Scalas in that finish would be pearly-gates otherworldly.
Andrew you hit the nail on the head. The heritage line speakers are more for in the room live sound reproduction where as most other (not all) non-horn loaded speakers have a more studio sound.
Good review guys, I picked up a brand new set of Cornwall 4s only a week ago new, I wanted the Heresy 4s but decided to go the extra yards and glad I did, I bought them home thinking my wife was gonna kill me with the size of them but they look great where I have them setup, haven't stoped listening to them and I've heard they get better and better with the more hours you put on them and mine are defiantly getting better with the break in, tried them with my Audiolab 6000A and sounded nice, now have them setup with my Yamaha A-S2200 and Wow, I thought about the Fortes and so glad I went with the Cornwalls, my end game speakers and the horns are special
I really appreciate how you differentiate families of speakers in terms of their suitability for various kinds of music, and would encourage you to do even more of that. As someone who listens primarily to classical and acoustic music, I don't often find reviews that take that kind of music into consideration. You did a nice job of that here, especially when you compared and contrasted the Cornwalls and the R700s. And that immediacy factor the Klipsches have! There's no way around it, which is why I like my electrostatics so much, even though the Polks can sound so good for classical. (I own and enjoy other Polk floorstanders. I haven't heard the R700s yet, but suspect they are really fine.) I really enjoy your channel and wish you both all the best.
My pair of Heresy speakers are 45 years old. My ears have not suggested to go elsewhere, but the Cornwall would be the next logical choice given space considerations. Great review!
I think I'd collapse the day I see these speakers guys I love them, I'm getting the forte 4s later this year and I must say, the journey of saving for these speakers has been painful but I'm almost there but my ultimate goal is these speakers, the forte 4s I can easily tell you now that they are beyond my level economically speaking but I just had to save for them from last year. Americans make iconic products man I love the Cornwalls and for now they are my dream speakers in terms of what I can realistically possess in the future. I wanted to start with the Heresys but my heart just went for the Fortes once I saw them in real life, havent seen the Heresys but jah! I really enjoyed this review and when I saw this vid my heart lit up immediately! thank you.
Heresy IV here - and completely biased as I own a pair LOL! I’m completely sold on the sound of horns, especially when paired to the right amp (it only took me 2 attempts before I landed on a locally made tube amp!). While I haven’t heard Cornwall’s or La Scalla’s, Tubes are the way to go for these speakers (although my Pioneer SX950 did drive them beautifully too!) I have heard Forte IV’s and they are fantastic! I would have gone that way if my room was larger for sure! For the record (pardon the pun), my front end is an LP12, and the Heresy’s bring out all the detail available in this TT! Love your reviews and all the empathy you bring to your vids, I really appreciate that in your delivery sir. Finally, you have got to hear Steely Dan’s Gaucho on these babies, the freakin band might as well be IN THE ROOM, wow!!!!
Great video....the way you talked about Klipsch speakers is exactly how I feel about them. Been a fan of them for over 30yrs being what they are... classic and beautiful. Really enjoy your videos.
Utterly enjoyed this review. Loved both of your remarks and insights. Very fair as always. I have the C IVs in black and I can't begin to tell you how stunning and better your custom speakers look. Just awesome choice there. No regrets on the Cornwalls. I can easily see how the Forte IVs could be fantastic as well.
You mentioned your room isn’t right for the La Scala. Can you elaborate why that is the case? What should I keep in mind if I am considering either La Scala or Cornwall?
In my opinion Klipsch are some of the Best speakers made. You can spend more money but for what you spend won’t be worth what it will cost you to get more sound ! I am a Klipsch Fan ! I will always own a pair ! Any of the Heritage Speakers will Rock you and basically never wear out and any problem can be fixed in a matter of minutes ! I just can’t say enough of their Quality and Value ! Yes I have been listening to them for a long time, okay I’m just getting old 60’s . They Rock !
I like that you added the micro sub. I thought I was nuts thinking my cornwalls needed one.. I went with the KC62, very similar to what you’re running. I found that at low volumes especially, the cornwalls lack a bit of heft, but when things things get rolling, oh man. The sub can disappear at around 100db and I wouldn’t even know it. Great video, thanks for all your content.
I couldn’t agree with you more Andrew, I have had a set of EV PA speakers for over 20 years, they have taken a pounding over the years. There is something magical about horn loaded speakers, even though PA speakers are not the best option. I recently purchased the Monitor Audio 7G speakers which are very nice and smooth speaker. But when you are watching a live Blu-ray, like Hans Zimmer they just cannot compare to my EV horn load speakers, yes it can be a little bit bright, but you actually feel like you’re listening to the performer live. “Long live horn loaded speakers!”
Well... To be honest... Since I heard the Forte 4's on a set of 50 watt monoblock tube power amps and a tube preamp, I fell completely in love with the heritage series by Klipsch. So badly I'm building a second system next to my accuphase/b&w Nautilus reference setup. Found a Yamaha ca 1010 integrated amp, now I'm saving money for the heresy's (my room is really to small for the Forte's). Some may ask why both? Well that's easy, to have both of my favorite sounds at home and depending the mood, switch between them. Thank you Andrew and Kristi for this lovely review and sharing you guys experience with the heritage series!
I've owned several Klipsch speakers,and of the Heritage,I've owned the Chorus II,the Heresy,and was caretaker of the original La Scala's in the early '80's,and the the first generation Fortes,and I'd still take the Klipschorns in the times I've had to listen to them.Iv you have the appropriate space,they are in another league.
I own the Heresy IVs and an SVS 3000 Micro subwoofer (added after hearing Kristi's description of the synergy of this particular sub and speakers). No, the Heresys are not flat or linear, but I absolutely love them, especially when the source material is at their level. I will always be indebted to you and Kristi for the role you played in helping me along this portion of my audio journey. Many thanks to you both!
@@DougMen1 La scala with a sub is the most flexible and best sounding of the heritage. Cornwalls are amazing speakers but Lascala’s with a good sub beats them handily. The reason many Klipsch gurus and ex employees use that combination.
Beautiful speakers and they look stunning in you living room. Great choice 👍🏻 I think that’s great that Klipsch offer this level of customisation. Many wrongly thinks that 15” woofers equals brutal bass. But often it means less distortion due to less excursion.
Exactly this... I find smaller drivers are more harsh. I don't like the tonal properties at all... When I started looking for speakers this week.. 15" was the only choice I gave myself.. Not many options... I found some used klh 950s on the east coast... I found the last pare of Cornwall IV's 20 miles from me... Meant to be...
That is a beautiful room Andrew. Your wife and yourself have done a fine job of decor. Probably and of the Cornwall finishes would look good, except maybe the dark Walnut . Now the fine tuning of the sound can continue.
I’m loving all the speaker reviews lately as I get ready to build my basement media room. Not sure the Cornwalls would be a good fit but certainly some of the recent pieces you’ve reviewed certainly are. Keep ‘em coming! Happy 4th!! 🇨🇦🇺🇸
I run my Heresy's as satellites, up on stands at ear level. It opens them up quite a bit and they feel more open like their big brothers. Never figured out why they were designed to sit on the floor or small risers. My ears aren't in my kneecaps.
Another wonderful review Kristi and Andrew. I love the custom look you had built. I've always really liked the cream or lambswool grills. I plan to update my grills to this color as well. The honest review you gave was very informative. The expectation to reality experience you communicated was a really cool self reflection. You are by far and away my favorite content creator. I really appreciate what you produce. As far as your question. I didn't think it would come to a reality, but about a year ago I was able to purchase my 1976 Walnut Klipschorns. They blew my Boys and I mind when we first listened to them. I enjoy listening to music on them almost every day😃
Rarely have I had a day like this in audio! You blessed the Forte IV's and Randy chose OG 600m's over the update- on the same day! Looks like I'm good for the next 12-24 months! Another stellar review! Gracias!
Awesome review! I recently owned the CW IV's and sold them and replaced with Magnepan 3.7i's. While I love the Maggies and have owned many of them over the years, there was something special I missed from the CW's. I've wrestled with what to do as I will not give up my Maggies and their special performance. BUT, I MISS the CW's. Do not have room for another pair so again, wrestled with choices. Forte IV or Heresy IV? You have solidified my decision and I thank you. I love having speakers and electronics with a definite flavour and thus own tubes, solid state AB and D class, a pair of Rogers LS3/5A I bought in 1978 and a pair of CSS Criton2TD TMM kits. I will very soon own a pair of Forte IV's. Thanks for your help Andrew and Kristi!
I currently have klipsch rp-5000f II. I play records from a fluance rt85n through a fluance phono preamp into a 90’s denon receiver. I love klipsch. Hoping to upgrade in the future. All of these videos I’ve been watching, I would love to hear all of them and compare them. Thanks for another great video.
Hi Andrew as an instrumental guitarist in neoclassical music I am hyper critical of sound. I also have Klipsch Cornwall speakers and I've noticed periodically you mention what's a great recording to just dazzle your ears with well when you get a chance play the album or stream Brand X Live Stock it's off the charts for a sonic experience...
The Klipsch rp150m opened my ears to what a hornloaded tweeter (not even a compression driver) does to presentation. Far from subtle and quite fatiguing, I loved the liveliness. I have heard Heresy IV's, and they are a perfect blend of the scale of my Lintons and the liveliness of the Klipsch RP series.
Klipsch, the ultimate love it or hate it speaker..I’ve been in the love them camp for 50 years.First heresy now fortes . You know a Klipsch speaker when you hear one not sure many other brands can say that
Nice review and I agree with your rationale for staying away from direct comparisons. I also appreciate your analysis of the difference (and mostly similarities) between the Forte and Cornwall. I have the CWIV and never really considered the Forte, mostly because of the placement considerations with the rear passive radiator on the Forte and front Tractrix ports on the CW. I still think I made the right choice for my own personal use case, but now I wonder whether I could’ve save a few bucks and a coupe square feet of floor space 😂 Great video and discussion as always. Also, that maple and lambs wool is stunning 😍
They look gorgeous in your room. Like the room and the speakers were designed for each other. Although could you do more bookshelf speakers as I feel that's what most people end up buying.
Absent the awesome reviews and my own love and collection of the heritage line. I appreciate the respect you and Kristy have FOR EACH OTHER.. that is equally amazing as the Klipsch Heritage line. Thank you for the continued joy to the hobby
I owned a pair of Cornwall II's in the late 1980's and to this day I regret selling them... End of story.. Your custom Cornwall's are absolutely gorgeous... and YES I contacted Klipsch last year about using the distressed oak veneer on a pair for extra dolleros... They said call them for a quote. First comes a new space to live in... Then a living room that actually LIVES and you want to congregate in... Enjoy your new space and your new Cornwall IV's!
So sad that 5.1 and all that have erased what we used to know about speaker placement and the correct use of graphic equalizers. That freq response could easily be corrected for the room. Not every speaker is going to sound the same in every room otherwise - ideally, yes. In the real world - no. PW Klipsch said you need a room of certain dimensions (ratio of width to depth) and at least 32 (34?) feet deep to produce the best bass response and imaging. I'm pretty sure he was right.
I own the Hersey IV’s and run them with a pair of REL Tzero subs. My front end is McIntosh c50 preamp and depending on my mood I use either a McIntosh mc352 Solid state, Carver Crimson 275 tube amp or DIY class D mono blocks. My other speakers are Magnepan LRS. The Hersey IV’s leave me wanting for nothing. I have auditioned La Scala and Cornwall IV and prefer the Cornwall over the La Scala in smaller rooms, in larger rooms the La Scala would be my choice. I had a chance to audition used Cornwall II against Hersey IV side by side and picked the Hersey! I am waiting to hear the next generation of Cornwalls before I consider selling the Hersey IV’s. I purchased the Hersey IV’s after your review of the IV’s last year. Thanks for your reviews, really enjoy your style and opinion!
Forte lV are the ones I like , and congrats on those custom Cornwall speakers, I hope you get many years of enjoyment and can pass down as family heirlooms. Thank you for the review, klipsch heritage speakers are very unique I’m glad you can own a pair.
It was about time, you two got to the CW's. I/we really appreciate you going through the...more approachable.. Heritage lineup. I'm still very much grooving to the Magnats you talked me into. Thanks for all the hard work put into these videos. Happy and safe 4th.
I still miss those Magnats. You're lucky you were able to get a pair when you did. I honestly don't think they are EVER coming back in stock here in the US.
I posted a review comment yesterday on your excellent review of the CWIVs, but I failed to mention my use of bi-wiring on the set that I own. If you have an amp driving them with plenty of wattage and current, I found that bi-wiring the Cornwalls added another dimension to the already great detail presentation. Especially in the mid-bass region. I purchased cables from BJC that were constructed with Canare wire and came with bi-wiring ends and lockable banana plugs at the speaker end. Very nice cables!
I can appreciate your explanation of comparing horn loaded speakers to non horn loaded. Live sound vs studio is about the best explanation there is. Some people would not mind a drum set in their room being played, others would not tolerate it! For my room, the Forte IVs would be the best match. Wouldn't it be great to have two different rooms in the house, each optimized (for the time being) for a special speaker ? That would require a very large house and lots of work.
As a cornwall 4 user, I would suggest to place more closer to the back wall for full range listening as they used before, audiolab 6000 A is a very good match if you use it’s own dac.
Great review! I run a pair of 1986 LaScalas, and I've often wondered about all the hype of the Cornwall 4, if they were better sounding than my LaScalas. The newer LaScala AL5s I'm sure are much better, as you stated, but with older heritage like mine, I'm not so sure. I need to find a pair and listen to them. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
I use to have Klipsch Forte ii speakers that I upgraded to the Original La Scalas. Loved the LS but they did not have any bass. I added a sub and it was hard to integrate it very good. Sold my Lascalas. Then tried other speakers out. There was something about that Live sound that I could not get with other speakers. So later in life I had some money and the LS were just too expensive so I went with the Cornwall IVs. Love them. Too me they make a larger sound that the Forte IVs that I demoed. I feel they dont need a sub as they make a realistic natural sounding bass. For me the Cornwalls are my choice because of that snappy realistic bass and large soundstage.
exactly this. The more comments I read. The more I realize it mirrors my experience with 15" speakers... They are more about reproducing accurately... I think modern ears are ruined by artificial bass [ skrillix ]. I little EQ goes a LONG way with speakers like this if you desire a little bit more low end.
Love these speakers… I’m not a Klipsch fanboy but I respect their products. Also the natural lighting in your new room really looks great. Everything just pops! Would love for A&K to review the spatial X5 or M3 sapphires. I think their new room is built for it and would wonder for Kristi would think of open baffle sound.
Love that finish! I would LOVE the Forte IV, but my gut is to wait for the KLH Model 7 to come out to demo them side by side. Great points about dynamic drivers vs standard, I couldn't agree more; my friends look at me as if to say, "eek, you like 'that' (Klipsch)"? They just don't understand. When I heard the KLH Model 5 I thought it just trumped over the Hersey IV (sorry, Andrew), but they did not come close to touch the Forte IV, not even in the same league. But I have a feeling KLH is making the Model 7 to compete w/ the Forte so I just have to wait. I think my favorite thing about the KLH is the soundstage width and depth, I was hearing sounds at least 3 feet back from the drivers, it was really cool. Gosh, only if a horn can do that, but still, horns do SO MUCH things Better than any other type of speaker, so there is a strong, strong tendency that I will end up with the Forte IV -- especially if I can get a floor model sale demo. Thanks for this review.
I have had mine just over a year and love mine. The Fortes are wonderful but the Cornwalls provoke an emotional response from me. Almost like I have come to an end point in my audio travels. Thrilling g but also a little sad too. Great review.
After moving to a new home, I purchased a set of Cornwalls and paired them with the largest Klipsch Sub - bi-amped with Cambridge, so overpowered with 400W per. They are amazing - they ROCK but needed the sub to really have chest thumping, floor shaking, wall rattling BASS... and boy, do they. I grin hearing the horns - listening to Chicago up loud, it sounds like the trumpet is right there. I had B&W 803s in my office and after hearing the Cornwalls, immediately sold my B&Ws which to my ear are FLAT, lack bass, and do not shine in comparison - yet they cost far more, and I purchased the Heresy IV for the office. The Heresy does NOT compare to the Cornwall IMO - yes, same architecture, but not the same sound, but they do rock a small room, but w/o the clarity. So, Cornwalls are BETTER, but FOR THE MONEY are a great value IMO. And I get tons of comments from my wife and her friends how much they like the "retro look". Wife thought they were too big at first, but now loves them. Would like to try the La Scala, but at double the money, don't think the 10% better mids, but worse bass is really a fair trade... but maybe someday. Would love to hear your review of the Klipschorn compared to La Scala. Great channel, love your analytical style.
I used to have klh 9000s... basically 950s but sold by costco... 15" 3 or 4 way speakers cannot be bested by smaller drivers. Soul moving is hard to quantify... But that's exactly my experience with these types of speakers... HUGE and PRESENT... We don't only hear with our ears.. It's visceral... We FEEL the pressure waves... Perhaps 15" woofers emit a soundwave our bodies are more in tune with.
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The way both You and Kristi adore the mighty La Scala make me love them too😇
My first "audiophile" experience was the La Scala. My neighbor had a pair. When he was selling them I wanted to buy them. Dumb teenager logic was I could put them in my bedroom. They weren't too big... just get rid of the bed... I can sleep on the floor!
I love the horn sound. I have a pair of Altec Valencia speakers in the living room. I have a pair of Decware Imperial Reproducers in the main listening room.
There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Klipsch. I would just go off the beaten path. If the stars aligned I would get a pair of Belle Klipsch speakers. Same drivers and specs as the La Scala but a shallower and wider cabinet that is more visually appealing. The other speaker l would get is the Klipsch H700. It is a Heresey cabinet with all ElectroVoice drivers that have Alnico magnets. Drivers with Alnico magnets have a sound all their own. Main reason why I have the Valencia speakers. It is like a two way Cornwall... with Alnico magnets in the drivers. Love the smooth buttery bass of the woofers. Love the creamy top end without loosing detail. Add in a good tube amp like Decware and heaven awaits.
Speaking of tube amps Decware has a 300b single ended triode amp coming soon. They are even taking orders on it, but you have to call in to get on the waiting list. That will be an amp worth waiting over a year for.
Jubilee- Best speaker, most expensive. Very large image , scale and effortlessness. I heard the non domesticated version and it was just too fiddly to get right.
Klipschorn- Not as good as Jubilee but still a gut punch when you hear them and compare them to non horn loaded speakers. Just scrambles your brain about what music reproduction should sound like. Wept like a baby when I sold them
La Scala is a distinct step down- La Scala with Sub does not add up to Klipschorn- the horn loaded sub is just fantastic. But La Scala images much better and easier to place. So bit of trade off
Cornwall & Forte - I had a bit of Non WOW moment when I heard Cornwall and compared them to Forte's back to back. Forte is pretty good and Cornwall is a bit better
Klipsch RF 7 sounds great, very big and dynamic and may be the value proposition. The heritages look great though and would add to the house visually.
My favorite Klipsch is the Klipschorn that I heard back in 1980. Opted for the LaScalas and still have to this day. Modified now with ALK extreme slope x-overs. I doubt at my age I will ever go to another speaker. My Decware amp is getting close. It has been over a year now but excited that I may see it in the next 45 days. Have I heard better speakers…absolutely. Do I need some subs, probably. Would I ever have a dedicated listening room, hell no I enjoy windows. I enjoy your channel and congratulations on the new home. The room looks great
The color scheme and finish are stunning - kudos to you Andrew and Kristi for impeccable taste.
I've never heard the more expensive Klipsch speakers such as these, La Scala, etc. I was always of the mind, listening to many other Klipsch speakers in my 35+ year audiophile journey, to expect that horn loaded V- shaped curved sound / but before I go all in on the KEF Reference speakers I was willing to spend over $8000.00 on, I will demo these speakers after listening to your review.
Thanks again A&K - always an engaging experience. 👍👍
Kristi's honesty is always appreciated and so refreshing.
I love my Cornwalls and my Hersy's and I have heard hundreds of speakers at my friends and customers houses. Klipsch for life!!!
I have owned a pair of Klipsch Cornwall I's for nearly 45 years. I have tried on a couple of occasions to replace them but I just keep coming back to the Cornwalls. They are not accurate, highly refined, or neutral. But when you put a mere 1-2 watts of clean power into them, they will absolutely pressurize the room with the excitement, dynamics, and detail of live music. There really is no other speaker like them. Thank you Andrew and Kristy for your hard work in giving us great reviews.
When I was a teenager (a half century ago) I talked my parents into driving me out to the “high end” stereo store in Lincoln Nebraska. Paul Klipsch was giving a talk and demoing the K-Horns. The science was completely lost on me, but the sound of those speakers has always stuck with me as the greatest speaker I ever heard. I hope when I retire to actually get a pair of my own and set up an audio only room for them. I really enjoy your channel. Dave
Listening to both you and Kristi on this review epitomizes my philosophy on life in general. Nothing in life as great as you think it is going to be and nothing in life is ever as bad as you think it is going to be. That new relationship that you think is all you're missing to be truly happy, that new car, that new house, having a baby to make a bad relationship work, even all the money in the world, are never going to live up to your expectations. Happiness and satisfaction comes from within not from external things. Fix yourself and you will never be disappointed. Love the music and remember as Andrew says, "the only person that has to like the sound of your system is you."
I agree with the first part of your observation but not “ nothing in life is ever as bad as you think it is going to be.” How about the death of a child? Surely that is about the worst thing a parent can experience. Sure, they may get through it but that doesn’t mean that that experience didn’t live up to their worst fears. That’s the trouble with generalizations.
@@ericlubow4354 I agree with your example if that is one of your fears that you think about. I would never have that fear in my mind regarding a loved one or how bad it would be if I lost a loved one. I just never want to put negative thoughts out to the universe about the people in my life. That is not to say I have never lost a loved one most of my family is gone. That doesn't mean I don't get your point, I do. I just don't think "what if" regarding the people in my life.
"They do more to stimulate my soul than just about anything."
I'm right there with you. I recently upgraded to Cornwall IV's in my home and it was a purely emotional choice. I was happy with my RF-7's, but the Cornwalls evoke emotion in a way the RF-7's couldn't. The Cornwall is definitely a Right Brain speaker.
Congrats on the Cornwalls. Which generation RF7 did you have?
@@jstoli996c4s Gen 1. The version that came before the RF-83 was released.
@@Ladco77 got it. I had the RF7i’s for 13 years. Badass powerful speakers, but horribly bright to my ears. I now have the JBL HDI 3800’s. I did consider Cornwalls too, but got trigger shy not wanting the same fatiguing experience as the RF7i’s.
@@jstoli996c4s Listen to some Cornwalls some time (or any Heritage). SO VERY different than even the current RF-7 III, etc. Way different than the RF-7 I. They can pound like the RF-7's, but can also be so delicate at the same time. It's a whole different world.
My favorite Klipsch Heritage speaker: the Heresy. Why? Just enough to get that Klipsch sound I like, without taking over the entire room.
Thank you for doing such a great job covering Klipsch speakers in general. No company does such a great job covering such a huge range of needs as does Klipsch.
I switched from the Forte IV (which I loved) to the Cornwall IV and tbh I did not expect much of a difference, just a somewhat bigger sound. I was more expecting to send them back again after testing them and keep my Fortes. But man was I wrong!
It took about five seconds to know that I would keep the Cornwalls. The difference between the two was much bigger than I had expected. The Fortes often sounded harsh to me especially with not so good recordings from the 80s. The Cornwalls are much more forgiving in that regard but still they are sounding much clearer and open. I also prefer the bass of the Cornwalls even though the Fortes go deeper. The Cornwalls have a much more natural bass.
To me it is no comparison. The Cornwalls are more than worth the extra money. So if you have the space save a few weeks longer and get the Cornwalls.
Next stop for me: La Scala!
For anyone who is looking for more info.
I was able to demo them at my local audiodealer 1 year ago (combined with a tube-amp)
The thing what stood out the most for me was the bass of the CW4., it was quiet a lot for my taste.
Can be the room acoustic , can be because i was used to less bass of my Chorus 1.
After that i listened to the Forte4 , smaller soundstage , i also had the feeling the sound was less open.
But the bass was more tight , had more kick...at that moment i liked the bass of the Forte 4 above the bass of the Cornwall 4.
In the end i bought the CW4 because of the better midrange , bigger soundstage and i had the feeling it gave a better "live feeling".
Now , 1 year later , i just own the Lascala AL-5 for a week.. slightly better compared to the CW4 , but i really enjoyed the CW4 .
Although in my room/set up it could be a bit boomy with some songs.
And i am not a bass-head at all , also a reason why i prefer the Lascala above the CW4.
But , the CW4 is a great speaker and i still don't know if i will keep them next to my lascalas 😄
I think you're on the right track with this review. It's worth thinking about these in context of the lineage of Klipsch. Most of the time no one talks about how much better the IVs are than the original Cornwalls. These are the only Heritage speakers that I've had the chance to hear both and the new ones are so much more refined and listenable than the originals. I haven't heard the new Fortes, but the original ones were everything that Klipsch is criticcized for - shouty upper mids, horn sound, etc. If you like the Klipsch sound, the Cornwall IVs are very good.
My first exposure to Klipsch was with the Cornwalls built in 1978. OMG! Super impressed. My friend drove them with a 25watt amp and I was astounded
For the last year I've also been a custom Cornwall IV owner - I requested lambswool grills but the 'Cornwall' badges fell off within a few months. Whatever. I completely agree with everything you said in your review. Your comparison with the Forte IV is right-on but the Cornwall is much better at lower/normal playback volumes. Depending on your room there's a point at which you would wonder whether it's worth the upgrade but the lower the SPL's the more obvious the Cornwall's superiority because that big, sensitive 15" woofer is like a natural 'loudness' control. If you want to rock at 95 db+ you should get the Forte (if you have a normal room) but if you mostly play at 'normal' or soft volumes, or want to blow it out of the water in a big room, then the Cornwall is a worthy upgrade.
I was ready to buy the Heresy iv’s. But after listening to the complete Heresy line, I fell in love with the Cornwall sound.
Between the Forte IV and the Cornwall IV is a personal preference. They are "Similar" but different. All which will be influenced by the music and setup.
After watching many years of your reviews I purchased the Cornwall IV speakers instead of the Lascala’s I had lusted over for 40 years.
I have to point back to 1 song (thank you) that made the Cornwalls stand out among all the other Klipsch speakers. You introduced me to ROBYN HONEY and it became the best reference song for the type of music I enjoy. I also paired them with a single SVS PB-3000 Subwoofer to finish off the bass requirements. What a great channel you and Kristi have. Thanks for making my day by reviewing the Cornwalls!
Man I'll say you guys made those Klipsch Cornwalls look amazing I learned 3 things from the video today!! 1 I never knew the cornwalls were originally center channel speakers. 2 that you can customize the cabinets and grills of the Klipsch higher end speakers!! And 3 I still would take the Forte 4's over anything in the market! Those speakers looks wise and sound are amazing!!! another great video guys! Much love and respect!
Appreciate you watching, Nick!
@@KristiWright The Pleasure is all mine I appreciate the work you guys put into to making these great reviews!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend
I have a pair of Cornwall V2 from 1989 and recently removed from my listening room as they are require a large room and overwhelmed the listening space. For most rooms I believe the Forte’s are a better choice. I rotate around several speakers and currently have KEF (9.1 system) and vintage Philips FB825 and vintage Klipsh 5.2. for stereo listening on a dedicated stereo system. Will bring these Corwall’s back in with a tube power amp in he future. Keep up the great product reviews
I’m still listening to my 800.00 pair of LaScalas in Raw Birch from the late 70’s and every time I turn them on I’m amazed at the imaging and sounds floating all around and behind me. I’m 65 so I’m keeping them. The best 800.00 Craigslist deal I ever found! Love the LaScalas. I power it with a Yamaha 5.2 receiver and use a huge Klipsch center speaker and a Klipsch 15” subwoofer. Dynamite sounding system
Man the look of the room, the “vintage” looking Cornwall and the Rose equipment combo is freaking great. And well, I’m sure you both are really jamming to these. Enjoy them!
I love the way this system looks in our room, though I prefer the Decware/Cornwall pairing.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I hadn’t seen the Decware yet and I agree. Rose streamer/Decware/Cornwall for the win!!
@@vitoy147 That is the trio to die for right there!
I turned my attention once again to this Corwnall IV review. It is a good review. The best I've watched to do with the Klipsch Cornwall IV; and I have watched this review several times over the last while and have seen many other reviews. I was again considering Klipsch Forte IVs when I happened to recall something that Sean from Zero Fidelity said concerning the Fortes and the Cornwalls: "If you have enough money to spend on a set of Forte IVs .... you can probably afford to stretch out and buy a set of Cornwalls; if you really wanted to." A little further on he adds: "Yes, go with the Cornwalls. It is still the better speaker in pretty much every way." I think Sean is right. And recalling what you stated, Andrew Robinson, about choosing the Cornwalls: "I wanted the Cornwall not for review but for me." I think that you also consider the Cornwalls the better speaker. That statement speaks volumes to me. Though it means waiting a while longer, in the long run it is the right choice to go with the Cornwall IVs.
I have been hasty in my comments. That happens to me sometimes. You did state: "My buyers advice ..... go with the Forte IVs." I want you to know that I take your advice seriously. I trust your judgement.
Many many years ago l had the occasion to spend a couple of days with Paul Klipsch we spent time at his office, home and commercial plants.
He was quite interesting to talk to, a bit of a kind old curmudgeon but fun to be around.
Through our conversations he mentioned that when the cornwall was finally made they were having a bit of a conundrum coming up with a name. His first wife Belle which the Belle Klipsch was named after said after seeing it, we put in a corner or on a wall, said why don't you call it the Cornwall. The rest is history.
By the way the Heressy was originally thought a good match for the center between the K-Horns but then the Belle was developed and became the matching Center channel spk.
Paul said suddenly people started buying the Belle in pairs for stereo an unexpected gain.
Btw Paul was a typical audio buff
He had two K-Horns and a Belle in his livingroom. And like all audiophiles
When it came time to demonstrate his little system. Well you know the rest..
But we had an enjoyable time together l even got the famous Bulls--t
Button.
Oh He said back in the fifties someone should build a good 3 watt amp!😎
Congrats guys. They are beautiful. Klipsch should release this color scheme it is .. truly a stunner
I’ve got two REL S/812’s helping out my C iv’s. The fullness of the bass is outstanding. A great pairing.
I worked for a Klipsch dealer in the 90’s and we sold a bunch of the Heritage line before they were officially called Heritage. The Forte was definitely our best seller. Chorus were second and Cornwall were third.
The Cornwalls arrived. I A/B with the Forte, and I’m so surprised how well the Forte’s held up against them. It’s not an obvious choice! Some music the Cornwall’s clearly won, but others (like Radiohead’s Weird Fishes) the Forte seemed best.
When you say in this review that the Forte may be the best pound for pound winner in the Heritage line, you weren’t exaggerating!!
100% you see what I was talking about. Which one are you leaning towards keeping?
Thanks for the extra support!
I’d love to see you do a video on your perspective on the ultimate benefits of music listening and why all this technology is so important: to me, as a musician, it’s a spiritual force in my life and it’s also a large part of my mental health. I think a video suggesting different rigs for different living situations would be great. For example, portable rigs for extended travel vs day to day listening, car listening, home listening for those with sensitive neighbours or office rigs. In this way, you’d be able to give people different options for music listening so they can make it beneficial in their current life situations. After all, music is life. We should all be able to access good listening habits despite our current lifestyle or financial limitations. I truly believe more music listening will bring about happier, more fulfilled people.
It’s crazy how addicted we all are to different sounding speakers. I love my high end speakers, and then I go out to my gym and turn on my $99 edifier powered pair and I’m like, oof, I like those too 😂
I rotate between 3k speakers and $249 bookshelves quite often, and ranges in between. I'm happy to have invested in the front end and a quality stereo pair of subs. It really makes rotating speakers a breeze and I can get a lot out of a modest pair in a small room. Happy days!
@@KristiWright oh great, that makes wish you could review those beautiful JBL HDI-3800 and compare them to the Forte's!! I wish I was American, they're on sale there hehe awesome review thanks to you both!! I still love my JBL Decade series a lot too... Edit : or the JBL 4700 but they're 3200$ more than the Forte's in Canada.
My listening room has my super fancy kefs then in my gym I have a ropey pair of sub $150 1990s towers and have the time of my life. It depends on mood and circumstances. Drinking a fine wine at midnight in candle light far better suits high fidelity then the ungodly boom the old tower
I’ve recently started really experimenting in different sounding speakers. I am definitely addicted at this point lol
Congratulations on finding a speaker you love, and thanks for this journey reviewing the Klipsch Heritage series. Your reviews were a factor in getting me interested in the brand, and eventually landing a pair of Klipschorns (for which I thankfully have the right kind of room characteristics.) In my own journey I did spend some hours with the Cornwall IV, and if my living situation changes such that I can no longer accommodate the big K-horns, I know the Cornwalls will be a fine fallback.
Love knowing you found something you are happy with!
Thanks for the review. One of the things I would like your opinion on is placement of the Cornwall and whether the front-ported design makes placement easier or more challenging? With the Forte having a rear-facing "passive bass radiator", the Heresy with it's rear "Tractrix" port and the Cornwall with a front facing "Tractrix" port. I could imagine that flexibility with placement in a room could be more challenging with the Forte and Heresy despite the smaller physical footprint. Is it possible that the larger footprint and porting of the Cornwall could actually make placement for smaller rooms easier?
It’s probably one of the best speaker design/looks on the market right now. Freaking fantastic look. Absolutely perfect pairing to the room design. Bravo!
Thanks Vadym! We shot the b-roll before your new cables arrived, but they worked great on these beasts!
BTW, the cables you made for us are beautiful. Thank you again. ❤️
@@KristiWright Thank you to both of you! As long as you guys are happy with them, I’m happy! It’s truly a stunning room and speaker pair. That would definitely be my choice if I went with those. Oh and great video too!
Soooooo glad you finally got around to reviewing the Cornwall. I have a pair of 1985 Cornwalls that I've owned for 24 years. I absolutely love them and have listened to them with tube amps most of that time. I was one of the "The Cornwall is the sweet spot" guys. I thought about a year ago that I might retire with the Fortes as my endgame speaker, but after listening to them in a showroom, I decided my Spatial M3's (older model) sounded almost the same but had better bass. I decided to wait on the Cornwall IV, saving my money. Anyway, I just bought a 30 watt class A amp and I'm deciding between the Cornwall and the Devore O/93, thanks so much for finally reviewing this classic loudspeaker. Cornwall fan for life. And, SO nice to know you can special order finishes. Seriously, you guys rock.
Thanks for sharing Tim! You're going to have to make a pretty difficult end-game decision, for all of the speakers on your list are pretty great!
Great review and speakers. Thanks Andrew and Kristi. I ended up going with RF7iii as i love thier ability to hold it together at high levels where heritage are less comfortable to my ear (never heard la scalas though), and the RF7's have more slam and extension (still need a sub though). IMO, they are the best compromise of a studio and live sound as i listen to a wide range of music. But there is no doubt that the Cornwalls sound more live -if you want to be in the jazz club they take you there.. Everything in life is a compromise. Keep up the great work.
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Long time subscriber, first time commenter. Still have the Crown CT8150 as my primary amp you recommended a long time ago (5 years? Can no longer find that video). This is like Deja Vu for me. I also went the Elysian 4 route, but they didn't have that "Live Sound" I was looking for and hence I returned them and purchased the Cornwall IV's after auditioning. I purchased five of them! For surround sound and 2-channel listening. The hard part was getting a dealership to only sell me one for the center channel, because as you know, they are sold in matched sets (even though they were designed as a center channel). But I managed and now have 5 equal speakers for surround sound. I have owned the Cornwall IV's for just over a year and just wanted to add some listening pointers. It took mine around 1,200 hours to break in. Primarily the bass, which as you know delivers a very tight and clean sound. I also noticed you have your speaker wires connected to the lower terminal with a bridge to the upper. Reverse this, with the speaker wires connected to the upper and a bridge to the lower. Reversing the connection will deliver a better sound from the mid-range and upper, with the bass not being that critical. I also replaced that metal bridge with higher-end banana plugs. Unless you are 20 feet away from the speakers, you may also find raising the front helps with imaging. I sit 11 feet away and have the fronts raised 1/4 inch. You are correct as to being forgiving as to the front-end (Amp, DAC, etc.), but better equipment does yield a better sound from the Cornwalls. The biggest sound improvement came from me using a Torus Power AVR Power Conditioner which all my equipment is plugged into. I live in an old neighborhood that still carries electricity on telephone poles, and the Torus greatly improved the sound. I also find that even though these are high efficiency speakers, they are dead quiet and sound just as good at low volumes. Played at normal listening volumes, the dynamics can be startling. And they have no limits at high volumes, where most speakers will start sounding harsh. I also agree that with the right recordings, they can disappear, which is surprising. The Cornwalls I can recommend for anyone NOT having a dedicated listening room and want that live sound. Singers appear right in front of you and a piano, saxophone, etc., sound like the real instruments. Also the easiest speaker to setup a center image I have ever owned, and that is with only 2" of toe-in. They were designed for Corner and close to the back Wall placement, hence their name CORNerWALL. Enjoy and give another update after break-in. On a side note, I hope you get a chance to audition/review my current 2-channel DAC, which is a Rockna Wavedream Signature (FPGA/Ladder hybrid). Absolutely stunning with the Cornwall IV's.
They are truly gorgeous. When you see a speaker that big it would be hard to not have massive expectations. They’re just spectacular. Perhaps time will even things out. La Scalas in that finish would be pearly-gates otherworldly.
They are among the most beautiful speakers I've seen. Thanks for watching, jason!
@@KristiWright Frank Lloyd Wright drinking Cristal Brut Champagne with Jony Ive…
Andrew you hit the nail on the head. The heritage line speakers are more for in the room live sound reproduction where as most other (not all) non-horn loaded speakers have a more studio sound.
Good review guys, I picked up a brand new set of Cornwall 4s only a week ago new, I wanted the Heresy 4s but decided to go the extra yards and glad I did, I bought them home thinking my wife was gonna kill me with the size of them but they look great where I have them setup, haven't stoped listening to them and I've heard they get better and better with the more hours you put on them and mine are defiantly getting better with the break in, tried them with my Audiolab 6000A and sounded nice, now have them setup with my Yamaha A-S2200 and Wow, I thought about the Fortes and so glad I went with the Cornwalls, my end game speakers and the horns are special
It is nice to see a YT audio video where the creator is interested in visual aesthetics as well as sound. Very nice.
I really appreciate how you differentiate families of speakers in terms of their suitability for various kinds of music, and would encourage you to do even more of that. As someone who listens primarily to classical and acoustic music, I don't often find reviews that take that kind of music into consideration. You did a nice job of that here, especially when you compared and contrasted the Cornwalls and the R700s.
And that immediacy factor the Klipsches have! There's no way around it, which is why I like my electrostatics so much, even though the Polks can sound so good for classical. (I own and enjoy other Polk floorstanders. I haven't heard the R700s yet, but suspect they are really fine.)
I really enjoy your channel and wish you both all the best.
My pair of Heresy speakers are 45 years old. My ears have not suggested to go elsewhere, but the Cornwall would be the next logical choice given space considerations. Great review!
45 years young and still kicking! That's all you can ask for in hifi is it not? Appreciate you sharing and for watching!
I have Cornwall’s there amazing, I can hardly come away from them very musical
I think I'd collapse the day I see these speakers guys I love them, I'm getting the forte 4s later this year and I must say, the journey of saving for these speakers has been painful but I'm almost there but my ultimate goal is these speakers, the forte 4s I can easily tell you now that they are beyond my level economically speaking but I just had to save for them from last year. Americans make iconic products man I love the Cornwalls and for now they are my dream speakers in terms of what I can realistically possess in the future. I wanted to start with the Heresys but my heart just went for the Fortes once I saw them in real life, havent seen the Heresys but jah! I really enjoyed this review and when I saw this vid my heart lit up immediately! thank you.
The Fortes are killer speakers! I'm sure you'll love them.
You'll appreciate the Forte IVs for sure!
Forte IV my dream speakers I will give myself a nice birthday present this coming October
Very hard to choose since I haven’t really heard any klipsch speakers yet. But just the nostalgia and knowing about the background is captivating.
The Heritage line has a truly unique story that I just love!
Heresy IV here - and completely biased as I own a pair LOL! I’m completely sold on the sound of horns, especially when paired to the right amp (it only took me 2 attempts before I landed on a locally made tube amp!). While I haven’t heard Cornwall’s or La Scalla’s, Tubes are the way to go for these speakers (although my Pioneer SX950 did drive them beautifully too!) I have heard Forte IV’s and they are fantastic! I would have gone that way if my room was larger for sure! For the record (pardon the pun), my front end is an LP12, and the Heresy’s bring out all the detail available in this TT! Love your reviews and all the empathy you bring to your vids, I really appreciate that in your delivery sir. Finally, you have got to hear Steely Dan’s Gaucho on these babies, the freakin band might as well be IN THE ROOM, wow!!!!
Great video....the way you talked about Klipsch speakers is exactly how I feel about them. Been a fan of them for over 30yrs being what they are... classic and beautiful. Really enjoy your videos.
Utterly enjoyed this review. Loved both of your remarks and insights. Very fair as always. I have the C IVs in black and I can't begin to tell you how stunning and better your custom speakers look. Just awesome choice there. No regrets on the Cornwalls. I can easily see how the Forte IVs could be fantastic as well.
Thank you, Harry. We love how they turned out. Both are very good speakers.
Congrats on getting your own personal dream speakers! Enjoy rocking out this Fourth of July weekend.
Thanks! You too!
You mentioned your room isn’t right for the La Scala. Can you elaborate why that is the case? What should I keep in mind if I am considering either La Scala or Cornwall?
In my opinion Klipsch are some of the Best speakers made. You can spend more money but for what you spend won’t be worth what it will cost you to get more sound ! I am a Klipsch Fan ! I will always own a pair ! Any of the Heritage Speakers will Rock you and basically never wear out and any problem can be fixed in a matter of minutes ! I just can’t say enough of their Quality and Value ! Yes I have been listening to them for a long time, okay I’m just getting old 60’s . They Rock !
I like that you added the micro sub. I thought I was nuts thinking my cornwalls needed one.. I went with the KC62, very similar to what you’re running. I found that at low volumes especially, the cornwalls lack a bit of heft, but when things things get rolling, oh man. The sub can disappear at around 100db and I wouldn’t even know it. Great video, thanks for all your content.
I couldn’t agree with you more Andrew, I have had a set of EV PA speakers for over 20 years, they have taken a pounding over the years. There is something magical about horn loaded speakers, even though PA speakers are not the best option. I recently purchased the Monitor Audio 7G speakers which are very nice and smooth speaker. But when you are watching a live Blu-ray, like Hans Zimmer they just cannot compare to my EV horn load speakers, yes it can be a little bit bright, but you actually feel like you’re listening to the performer live.
“Long live horn loaded speakers!”
Well... To be honest... Since I heard the Forte 4's on a set of 50 watt monoblock tube power amps and a tube preamp, I fell completely in love with the heritage series by Klipsch. So badly I'm building a second system next to my accuphase/b&w Nautilus reference setup. Found a Yamaha ca 1010 integrated amp, now I'm saving money for the heresy's (my room is really to small for the Forte's). Some may ask why both? Well that's easy, to have both of my favorite sounds at home and depending the mood, switch between them. Thank you Andrew and Kristi for this lovely review and sharing you guys experience with the heritage series!
I've owned several Klipsch speakers,and of the Heritage,I've owned the Chorus II,the Heresy,and was caretaker of the original La Scala's in the early '80's,and the the first generation Fortes,and I'd still take the Klipschorns in the times I've had to listen to them.Iv you have the appropriate space,they are in another league.
I own the Heresy IVs and an SVS 3000 Micro subwoofer (added after hearing Kristi's description of the synergy of this particular sub and speakers). No, the Heresys are not flat or linear, but I absolutely love them, especially when the source material is at their level. I will always be indebted to you and Kristi for the role you played in helping me along this portion of my audio journey. Many thanks to you both!
Honestly, from all of your thoughts on the Heritage speakers, you should have kept the La Scala’s.
@@DougMen1 La scala with a sub is the most flexible and best sounding of the heritage. Cornwalls are amazing speakers but Lascala’s with a good sub beats them handily. The reason many Klipsch gurus and ex employees use that combination.
Beautiful speakers and they look stunning in you living room. Great choice 👍🏻
I think that’s great that Klipsch offer this level of customisation.
Many wrongly thinks that 15” woofers equals brutal bass. But often it means less distortion due to less excursion.
Exactly this... I find smaller drivers are more harsh. I don't like the tonal properties at all... When I started looking for speakers this week.. 15" was the only choice I gave myself.. Not many options... I found some used klh 950s on the east coast... I found the last pare of Cornwall IV's 20 miles from me... Meant to be...
That is a beautiful room Andrew. Your wife and yourself have done a fine job of decor. Probably and of the Cornwall finishes would look good, except maybe the dark Walnut .
Now the fine tuning of the sound can continue.
The bass gets better, much better, after you beat them up a bit.
I’m loving all the speaker reviews lately as I get ready to build my basement media room. Not sure the Cornwalls would be a good fit but certainly some of the recent pieces you’ve reviewed certainly are. Keep ‘em coming! Happy 4th!! 🇨🇦🇺🇸
Really appreciate the love!!
I run my Heresy's as satellites, up on stands at ear level. It opens them up quite a bit and they feel more open like their big brothers. Never figured out why they were designed to sit on the floor or small risers. My ears aren't in my kneecaps.
Another wonderful review Kristi and Andrew. I love the custom look you had built. I've always really liked the cream or lambswool grills. I plan to update my grills to this color as well. The honest review you gave was very informative. The expectation to reality experience you communicated was a really cool self reflection.
You are by far and away my favorite content creator. I really appreciate what you produce.
As far as your question. I didn't think it would come to a reality, but about a year ago I was able to purchase my 1976 Walnut Klipschorns. They blew my Boys and I mind when we first listened to them. I enjoy listening to music on them almost every day😃
Rarely have I had a day like this in audio! You blessed the Forte IV's and Randy chose OG 600m's over the update- on the same day! Looks like I'm good for the next 12-24 months! Another stellar review! Gracias!
Bells + Marantz 2500 has been absolutely awesome. Very musical.
Awesome review! I recently owned the CW IV's and sold them and replaced with Magnepan 3.7i's. While I love the Maggies and have owned many of them over the years, there was something special I missed from the CW's. I've wrestled with what to do as I will not give up my Maggies and their special performance. BUT, I MISS the CW's. Do not have room for another pair so again, wrestled with choices. Forte IV or Heresy IV? You have solidified my decision and I thank you. I love having speakers and electronics with a definite flavour and thus own tubes, solid state AB and D class, a pair of Rogers LS3/5A I bought in 1978 and a pair of CSS Criton2TD TMM kits. I will very soon own a pair of Forte IV's. Thanks for your help Andrew and Kristi!
😍
The Maggie’s are special but you need a proper room and setup for them
I currently have klipsch rp-5000f II. I play records from a fluance rt85n through a fluance phono preamp into a 90’s denon receiver. I love klipsch. Hoping to upgrade in the future. All of these videos I’ve been watching, I would love to hear all of them and compare them. Thanks for another great video.
Hi Andrew as an instrumental guitarist in neoclassical music I am hyper critical of sound. I also have Klipsch Cornwall speakers and I've noticed periodically you mention what's a great recording to just dazzle your ears with well when you get a chance play the album or stream Brand X Live Stock it's off the charts for a sonic experience...
Beautiful speaker. Cornwalls are definitely my favourite. Good review as always
Thanks so much and thank you for tuning in this morning!
The Klipsch rp150m opened my ears to what a hornloaded tweeter (not even a compression driver) does to presentation. Far from subtle and quite fatiguing, I loved the liveliness. I have heard Heresy IV's, and they are a perfect blend of the scale of my Lintons and the liveliness of the Klipsch RP series.
Klipsch, the ultimate love it or hate it speaker..I’ve been in the love them camp for 50 years.First heresy now fortes . You know a Klipsch speaker when you hear one not sure many other brands can say that
Nice review and I agree with your rationale for staying away from direct comparisons.
I also appreciate your analysis of the difference (and mostly similarities) between the Forte and Cornwall. I have the CWIV and never really considered the Forte, mostly because of the placement considerations with the rear passive radiator on the Forte and front Tractrix ports on the CW. I still think I made the right choice for my own personal use case, but now I wonder whether I could’ve save a few bucks and a coupe square feet of floor space 😂
Great video and discussion as always. Also, that maple and lambs wool is stunning 😍
They look gorgeous in your room. Like the room and the speakers were designed for each other. Although could you do more bookshelf speakers as I feel that's what most people end up buying.
More bookshelf speaker reviews are on the way.
My dream speaker. I have the Heresy IV and it also is my forever addition. Cornwalls are next
Absent the awesome reviews and my own love and collection of the heritage line. I appreciate the respect you and Kristy have FOR EACH OTHER.. that is equally amazing as the Klipsch Heritage line. Thank you for the continued joy to the hobby
I owned a pair of Cornwall II's in the late 1980's and to this day I regret selling them... End of story.. Your custom Cornwall's are absolutely gorgeous... and YES I contacted Klipsch last year about using the distressed oak veneer on a pair for extra dolleros... They said call them for a quote. First comes a new space to live in... Then a living room that actually LIVES and you want to congregate in... Enjoy your new space and your new Cornwall IV's!
Thanks for sharing Richard. Cornwalls in distressed oak would look great in a cabin or old english abode.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I live near the beach in Florida.... So I was thinking they would fit with a coastal beach style...
Maybe they'll make your version an Andrew Robinson Signature Cornwall...
How did they sound with your Crown XLS Drivecore?
I just picked up a near mint pair of Forte II and they rock!
So sad that 5.1 and all that have erased what we used to know about speaker placement and the correct use of graphic equalizers. That freq response could easily be corrected for the room. Not every speaker is going to sound the same in every room otherwise - ideally, yes. In the real world - no. PW Klipsch said you need a room of certain dimensions (ratio of width to depth) and at least 32 (34?) feet deep to produce the best bass response and imaging. I'm pretty sure he was right.
I own the Hersey IV’s and run them with a pair of REL Tzero subs. My front end is McIntosh c50 preamp and depending on my mood I use either a McIntosh mc352 Solid state, Carver Crimson 275 tube amp or DIY class D mono blocks. My other speakers are Magnepan LRS. The Hersey IV’s leave me wanting for nothing. I have auditioned La Scala and Cornwall IV and prefer the Cornwall over the La Scala in smaller rooms, in larger rooms the La Scala would be my choice. I had a chance to audition used Cornwall II against Hersey IV side by side and picked the Hersey! I am waiting to hear the next generation of Cornwalls before I consider selling the Hersey IV’s. I purchased the Hersey IV’s after your review of the IV’s last year. Thanks for your reviews, really enjoy your style and opinion!
Same here. Love my Heresy IV’s with Sunfire sub(s)
Nice review. I like my Cornwall IV's. A good, smooth, dynamic sound.
Cornwall iv are the best. Live up to their “Heritage”.
I’ve enjoyed watching you guys review the heritage line your joy is just palpable. And I will say your custom combo looks beautiful.
Thanks!
Forte lV are the ones I like , and congrats on those custom Cornwall speakers, I hope you get many years of enjoyment and can pass down as family heirlooms. Thank you for the review, klipsch heritage speakers are very unique I’m glad you can own a pair.
It was about time, you two got to the CW's. I/we really appreciate you going through the...more approachable.. Heritage lineup. I'm still very much grooving to the Magnats you talked me into. Thanks for all the hard work put into these videos. Happy and safe 4th.
I still miss those Magnats. You're lucky you were able to get a pair when you did. I honestly don't think they are EVER coming back in stock here in the US.
Thanks Dan and enjoy those Magnats!
Ya Baby. Cornwall IV's are amazing. Especially with a Heresy IV as a dedicated Center Channel. Great video Guys.
Thank you, Joey.
I posted a review comment yesterday on your excellent review of the CWIVs, but I failed to mention my use of bi-wiring on the set that I own. If you have an amp driving them with plenty of wattage and current, I found that bi-wiring the Cornwalls added another dimension to the already great detail presentation. Especially in the mid-bass region. I purchased cables from BJC that were constructed with Canare wire and came with bi-wiring ends and lockable banana plugs at the speaker end. Very nice cables!
I can appreciate your explanation of comparing horn loaded speakers to non horn loaded. Live sound vs studio is about the best explanation there is. Some people would not mind a drum set in their room being played, others would not tolerate it!
For my room, the Forte IVs would be the best match. Wouldn't it be great to have two different rooms in the house, each optimized (for the time being) for a special speaker ? That would require a very large house and lots of work.
As a cornwall 4 user, I would suggest to place more closer to the back wall for full range listening as they used before, audiolab 6000 A is a very good match if you use it’s own dac.
Great review! I run a pair of 1986 LaScalas, and I've often wondered about all the hype of the Cornwall 4, if they were better sounding than my LaScalas. The newer LaScala AL5s I'm sure are much better, as you stated, but with older heritage like mine, I'm not so sure. I need to find a pair and listen to them. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
I use to have Klipsch Forte ii speakers that I upgraded to the Original La Scalas. Loved the LS but they did not have any bass. I added a sub and it was hard to integrate it very good. Sold my Lascalas. Then tried other speakers out. There was something about that Live sound that I could not get with other speakers. So later in life I had some money and the LS were just too expensive so I went with the Cornwall IVs. Love them. Too me they make a larger sound that the Forte IVs that I demoed. I feel they dont need a sub as they make a realistic natural sounding bass. For me the Cornwalls are my choice because of that snappy realistic bass and large soundstage.
exactly this. The more comments I read. The more I realize it mirrors my experience with 15" speakers... They are more about reproducing accurately... I think modern ears are ruined by artificial bass [ skrillix ]. I little EQ goes a LONG way with speakers like this if you desire a little bit more low end.
this is the review I've been waiting for!! Thanks, Andrew!!
Kristi's comments are pure gold.
Love these speakers… I’m not a Klipsch fanboy but I respect their products. Also the natural lighting in your new room really looks great. Everything just pops!
Would love for A&K to review the spatial X5 or M3 sapphires. I think their new room is built for it and would wonder for Kristi would think of open baffle sound.
I don't really care for it based on what I've heard.
Andrew - just added an SVS 3000 (because you have one!) and it's transformed my Cornwall IV's, not overbearing, but substantial!! Thank you...
That's great. We love ours!
The ported or sealed? I love my 3 sealed SB3000’s.
Love that finish! I would LOVE the Forte IV, but my gut is to wait for the KLH Model 7 to come out to demo them side by side. Great points about dynamic drivers vs standard, I couldn't agree more; my friends look at me as if to say, "eek, you like 'that' (Klipsch)"? They just don't understand. When I heard the KLH Model 5 I thought it just trumped over the Hersey IV (sorry, Andrew), but they did not come close to touch the Forte IV, not even in the same league. But I have a feeling KLH is making the Model 7 to compete w/ the Forte so I just have to wait. I think my favorite thing about the KLH is the soundstage width and depth, I was hearing sounds at least 3 feet back from the drivers, it was really cool. Gosh, only if a horn can do that, but still, horns do SO MUCH things Better than any other type of speaker, so there is a strong, strong tendency that I will end up with the Forte IV -- especially if I can get a floor model sale demo. Thanks for this review.
Thank you so much for mentioning Tori Amos' Legs and Boots live albums. Those sound SO good!
How would you describe the difference in bass between the Forte IVs and the Cornwall IVs?
You guys delivering again! Thanks for your “buyers guide”, really useful! Cheers to both!
Glad you found it helpful!
I have had mine just over a year and love mine. The Fortes are wonderful but the Cornwalls provoke an emotional response from me. Almost like I have come to an end point in my audio travels. Thrilling g but also a little sad too. Great review.
Cornwall IV and Luxman L-507z magical
I drive them with the Luxman SQ-N150 tube amp. Magical!
After moving to a new home, I purchased a set of Cornwalls and paired them with the largest Klipsch Sub - bi-amped with Cambridge, so overpowered with 400W per. They are amazing - they ROCK but needed the sub to really have chest thumping, floor shaking, wall rattling BASS... and boy, do they. I grin hearing the horns - listening to Chicago up loud, it sounds like the trumpet is right there. I had B&W 803s in my office and after hearing the Cornwalls, immediately sold my B&Ws which to my ear are FLAT, lack bass, and do not shine in comparison - yet they cost far more, and I purchased the Heresy IV for the office. The Heresy does NOT compare to the Cornwall IMO - yes, same architecture, but not the same sound, but they do rock a small room, but w/o the clarity. So, Cornwalls are BETTER, but FOR THE MONEY are a great value IMO. And I get tons of comments from my wife and her friends how much they like the "retro look". Wife thought they were too big at first, but now loves them. Would like to try the La Scala, but at double the money, don't think the 10% better mids, but worse bass is really a fair trade... but maybe someday.
Would love to hear your review of the Klipschorn compared to La Scala.
Great channel, love your analytical style.
Been loving my Forte III setup! Definitely a speaker perfect for my rock & jazz collection.
Same here. I don’t even have a center speaker- I use my Forte 3 as a phantom center! They image amazing.
I used to have klh 9000s... basically 950s but sold by costco... 15" 3 or 4 way speakers cannot be bested by smaller drivers. Soul moving is hard to quantify... But that's exactly my experience with these types of speakers... HUGE and PRESENT... We don't only hear with our ears.. It's visceral... We FEEL the pressure waves... Perhaps 15" woofers emit a soundwave our bodies are more in tune with.