Klipsch are truly a departure from the analytical accurate HiFi sound, and the older I get, the more I appreciate that aspect. Hearing horn speakers project people in the room with you is such a thrilling and emotional experience. I like to get my fix from Altec speakers personally, but the Cornwall 4 might be the bargain of the century for a modern horn speaker. I have loved listening to them in 2 friends systems. Great video! I would like to see more of your review videos like this for other speakers that have made an impression on you!
Still loving my 1984 Cornwall one's... original owner here... driven by a Class A SET tube amp (EL34 or KT88's), 8 WPC I believe.. So easy to drive.. and sounds so sweet....
I'm listening to my Cornwall IV's via a McIntosh MA-2275 integrated amplifier. It is magic and a match made in heaven. This was a retirement gift to myself a couple of years ago and I haven't looked back. I highly recommend it.
I got a deal on my CW IVs that would not wait for a retirement. Pioneer HT bumped with a Parasound Pre amp a 15 “ SVS sub. Did I mention I live in trailer ?
my buddy thats a HIFI nerd and master speaker builder,he made a homemade klipsch la scala`s,he made me a pair of towers,he built on a side firiring driver and cross networked klh bookshelf speakers on top,these speakers sound nice hooked up to my carver pm 1.5 amp, output is 160 watts but they are very efficient..they sound nice...i just subscribed
Last December I set out to get Heresy 4 speakers, but after listening to them all I fell in love with the sound of Cornwall 4. I’m really running a McIntosh MA252 and Cornwalls and I am loving it.
Great review Fernando. As a Klipsch owner myself I appreciate your objective opinion and find it refreshing. I very much enjoyed the laid back nature of the entire review. You have a great channel and I look forward to future reviews and informative content.
Excellent video! I’ve had the Cornwall IV’s for 2 years combined with a Primaluna EVO 300 integrated amp. The sound is still magical to me. I’ve always wanted to try a McIntosh amp but no where near me to do an A B comparison.
Steve Guttenberg ran his Cornwalls with a 2watt Decware tube amp and said they got loud enough and sounded great. So Cornwalls are very efficient. The only downside is that I don't have the room at present. I've only heard them and LaScalas at a dealership and yeah for me the LaScalas are next level. The Forte is in the middle for me, lots of bass though not as much as the Cornwall and a really good midrange that approaches the LaScala. A friend of mine has a pair of those. Personally I love the liveliness of the Heritage line and Klipsch in general. Really good video and explanation of the Klipsch Heritage sound!
Hey Fernando, thanks for your honest reviews and point of view. Love when you go inside the speakers and make suggestions for pairing components. I've switched from highly resolving speakers to Heresey IV's for my office/listening room (11'x18'x9'). And I'm thrilled. I don't listen at loud volumes and having great dynamics at 60-70 db makes listening fun and not fatiguing. The best compliment I can pay to Klipsch is that records I thought I didn't like and replayed with a tiny, 2.3 watt SET come to life with the Heresey IV's. I'm paying a lot more attention to the music and not the gear. Finally, the set up sounds great with jazz, acoustic and rock...very versatile speakers.
I have the Heresy IV’s and they will never leave. Cornwall will be my next permanent addition. To think I used to be a never Klipsch guy. To think I hesitated. I do run a sub . Always
I could have written this same post. Only difference is I don't find that I need a sub with the Heresy (for music). I've read they need 500 hours to reach optimal performance, but definitely a keeper even just out of the box.
I owned a set of these , the 1981 yr edition. Powered by Citation 16/A I believed then as i still do , that its one of the best musical experiences out there. Its the closest drum sound and Grand Piano sound ive heard come out of a set of speakers..... especially at home. Short of having a Westlake or Altec 604 in your living room, these put you as close to the performance as you can get for most tastes. p.s ( I had always thought these would make for a phenomenal large format studio monitor, but its a hard business to get into....) Good to see the latest addition is carrying on the excellence
Hi Fernando, Love your channel and the vintage gear you deal with! I thought I had bought my last speakers when I set up my Heresy IV’s. I had bought a single La Scala 5 years ago for $500 but could never find a 2nd, then out of the blue I saw one for sale missing the crossover for $600 with 2 extra mid horns and tweeter with compression drivers. I snapped it up, ordered Crites crossovers and installed them. I was going to sell them, but after listening for a day, I retired the Heresy’s to our living room and kept the La Scala’s for myself. I like them best with my McIntosh mc352, using a c50 preamp.I play vinyl, stream, and have a large CD collection, as well as a NAS for ripped music. I also tried them with my Carver Crimson 275, and with a DIY class D amp I built. Funny with the Heresy IV’s I was ready to sell the mc352 and switch between the tube amp and the Class D. But with the La Scala’s the Mc352 sounds the best to my ear. The Carver is going on Market Place very soon. By the way the Heresy IV’s sound great with an NAD C700 all in one streaming amp I purchased for the living room and my wife to enjoy. Keep making the videos, you are good at it and I love the vintage equipment.
So much appreciate your understanding and wisdom on the Klipsh speakers. I have my Klipsch 5.2Kg from 1977 still in my music room in perfect condition. I just sold the amp that was acquired at the same time - a Sansui 8080DB which ran them for over 40 years. This Sansui 80 watt was the perfect amp for the Klipsch speakers. But I have always wanted the Cornwalls so thanks for all the info again. I forgot how good looking these are. So when I grow up those are the ones I'm looking to get (I'm savin up). A good friend has a pair and had me build a set of speaker stands specifically to fit the base of the Cornwalls out of some beautiful premium rainbow ambrosia maple wood. They really looked nice sitting down in the stands but sounded even better. You have a beautiful walnut rack as well that WOULD look good with them. I agree totally. Thanks again for the vid. I'm glad I found your channel. I'm toying with the idea of getting another vintage amp or a new amp. I'd be interested to know if you have seen any Sansui 8080 that have been reconditioned/rebuilt?
Personally I'm a Klipsch speaker on tube amp junkie for jazz. At the moment I am running a set of recapped Heresy Is on a recapped Heathkit AA30 stereo amp with RFT EL84s as a small room system and I love it. I plan on swapping out the amp for a Fisher 800B I've had for years as soon as I get it into the shop some long overdue TLC. And yeah, I get not demonstrating speakers as in the end they would just sound like my hifi system on TH-cam playback mode. Thanks for the video!
Your tv analogy was spot on. I had heresy’s IV’s then forte IV’s using primaLuna evo100, separates 40 w per and my goodness they ROCK as if your next to the PA at the concert! Seriously that is so different than the sound in the studio. Now I have the details of the studio from the Kanta No1 and now after watching your video I want to go to the rock concert! Let’s do a deal! Lol thank you in Earnestness.
Love you said: no analytic speaker for me, same here with me! Have this hyper-analytic ELAC S507 and prefer for Jazz/Vocals Vintage speakers only and especially fullrange speakers. Thanks for sharing, one day I will visit and come over from Germany, for sure!
Im a huge heritage line lover. I have owned them all. The cornwalls were and still are my favorites. LaScalas and Khorns have basically no bass compared to the cornwall. Same with the heresy. Cornwalls absolutely rock!
So so impressed not only with your store, but your knowledgeable opinion. It bothers me when people assume how klipsch speakers sound when they haven't heard them at all, but people love to repeat what they read online. Im really trying to decide which heritage route i want to go. Curious if the return on investment from the forte to the cornwall is worth it. Or just i just slurge and blow my bonus on la Scala. My room is large and open so no space constraints. 18x30
Great video, thanks for the detailed information. My Cornwall 4’s have just arrived, I haven’t unboxed them yet. They are in a custom colour (Maple veneers and Lambs Wool grills). I’m in Western Australia and I note that your video states Klipsch Cornwall 4’s have a 3 year warranty; mine come with a 10 year warranty, markedly different from yours. You might want to check this. Thanks again, all the best 😊
You're both totally right. Thanks for pointing out. Not sure where I got the 3 years from, maybe old literature. 10 years it is. Haven't had a single claim yet, I guess it doesn't cost much for them to offer 10, LOL.
@@SkyFiAudio A 10 year warranty in this day and age shows that Klipsch are very proud and confident that their Heritage speakers are built to last. It’s amazing to me how many folks have Cornwalls 2’s & 3’s, they love them and won’t be parted from them. Thanks again for the video :)
Love the deep dive. I am rocking some 1980s vintage la scalas. Yes it is like listening to live. Also very nice low level listening. Don't feel like I am missing anything. And I can have a conversation and still hear the music in good detail. Also they have good image and sound stage. The mid is pronounced which is what I was looking for. I pair them with dual subs.
I'm on an Anthem MCA 225 g2 with my Fortes. Amp and speakers sound amazing. When I go to Lascala in a the next year or two, I really want to go to new amp, but not sure what. I got this Anthem at a scorching deal I couldn't turn down, brand new. But I think it's overly analytical, still sounds great.
I have the heresy 4 and the denon pma sx 11 sold only in Japan and they are heaven I agree with you about the character of the speaker. I would love to hear the la scalas in my room but price wise I'm looking at the Cornwallis
I bought the Cornwalls when I was 18 in 1973. I bought them unfinished for 890 dollars new. buying them unfinished saved me as much as 500 dollars. A few years later one of my friends bought the La Scala's, a speaker not available when I bought my Cornwalls. I hated his La Scala's. The Cornwall bass drivers sounded so much better then the folded horns. When you ask where does the Cornwall sit in the Klipsch lineup, I had to roll my eyes. Originally, Klipsch had two speakers. The Klipschorn and the Cornwalls. The K-horns had to sit in the corners with 32 foot folded horns which relied using the walls to get the bass. According to Klipsch, in order to get the perfect C note, You had to play it through a 32 foot horn. The Cornwalls didn't have to be in a corner, making them much less restricted for placement. That's why the Cornwalls were made. The question you should be asking is, where do the La Scala's fit into the Klipsch lineup. They were made for the same reason the Cornwalls were made, so you had much more versaltility on where you could put them in a room. Unfortunately, their attempt to make a "versatile Klipschorn" is a failure. Instead of achieving the perfect C note using a 32 foot folded horn, the La Scala used a 15 foot folded horn which by definition cannot acheive the perfect C note. That speaker makes no sense. That's why the bass isn't any good. As for the Heresy, it's just a mini version of the Cornwall for smaller rooms. If you get the chance, Google "The legacy of the Klipsch Cornwall".
I agree with your assessment of Klipsch vs other speakers, and I fall on the Klipsch side. Heresy IV'S waiting to upgrade to Cornwalls driven by a Parasound preamp to a Wilsenton Tube amp (w/NOS tubes) or Parasound amp. I wonder with a good sub, and since they have the same horn drivers, are the Cornwalls head and shoulders above the Heresy?
Loved the video almost as much as my La Scala’s. As for the amp I’m using depends on what I listen to. Hard rock n roll my Marantz 2330 and classic rock, jazz and classical I have a Harmon Kardon Citation 2 tube amp that’s been brought up original specs.
Forte 1 owner here. While I absolutely love my Fortes, I would love to snag a pair of Cornwalls, or even La Scalas with sub. Some day lol Love your channel and reviews.
I own a 1990 pair of La Scalas. Tried many different solid state amps. Hafler, NAD, Marantz with good results. Then I went tube. First Decware 2watt and now Quicksilver Horn Mono 25watt. Of all the amps I've tried the Quicksilver are by far the best match.
I recently picked up 4 mint kg4 for only $600. I love them. They were made in 1985. Where would they fall in today's Klipsch lineup? SPECS: Nominal impedance: 6 ohms Sensitivity: 94db @ 1watt/1meter Frequency response: 38hz-20khz (+-)3db Power handling: 100 watts maximum continuous Finishes: Walnut oil, oak oil, finished black Height: 18-7/8" Width: 13-1/4" Depth: 11-1/2"
Try tri-amp'ing a pair of Heresy's then use a Klipschorn bass horn as a sub below 80Hz - you end up with a quad-amplified system with virtually unlimited dynamic range without the time anomalies of the stock Klipschorn or the bass limitations of La Scala and Cornwall, and you get the better placement flexibility of Heresy's. This is how one of my systems is configured.
I’d like to see a dedicated La Scala subwoofer module designed to sit right underneath, same dimensions as the horn module, matching veneer, maybe slot-loaded.😊
Excellent ending about the embellishment and comparing televisions. I turn off 'soap opera' mode on all of my TVs and can't handle it when friends leave it on in their homes. Everything looks fake or even uncanny. I've heard 'analytical' setups that people love and to me it's akin to looking at humans under fluorescent light. I don't need to see all your veins and acne.. I want to turn the red lights on and just appreciate everyone in their best visual setting. I have been waiting to find a decent price on nearby Cornwall IV to bring into my home. I'm currently a Heresy II/subwoofer guy wanting to take the next step. I'm using a Chinese Willsenton R8 amplifier (KT88, 40wx2) and they sound 'good enough' to me, but I'd like to be even more impressed with a new set of Cornwalls because I know the bass will be improved and I can ditch the subwoofer.
La Scala and Cornwall use the same tweeter and midrange driver . So its Klipsch's adjusting the crossover that make a difference. Because of the higher directionality of the La Scala midrange you have to sit much further away for the tweeter/mid and woofer to blend as their arrival times are so different. A La Scala is like listening to three separate speakers, one for bass, another for midrange and and another for highs where the drivers are lined up properly. But then as Don Davis from Altec and founder of Syn-aud-con said if you can't precisely line up your drivers for the same arrival time then its better if you are way off. The Klipschorn, and La Scala do this. That's main reason I don't like the LA and the C horn is the high directionality and the staggered arrival times. Yes, the Cornwall is 3 or 4 db less efficient. Wow but then so it takes 2 watts or less for average listenings versus less than 1 watt. if listening at 15 to 20 feet to allow proper blending of the sound. Cornwall you can get buy with 10 foot listening distance with better blending. Now I don't like horn loaded or ported bass as the harmonic distortion is way to high and the frequency linearity is horrible. And considering all of the speakers are bass compromised you don't dare pull them out of or near corners or from against walls. Dynamics is their claim to fame, but by the time your feeding them all 100 watts they are compressing the sound close to 5 db. Klipsch even says so. So they aren't any more dynamic that a line array or speakers from B&W or Magico though they are priced much more reasonably. I will admit for the money Klipsch is a great value and you don't need to be spending big money on amplifiers which is another virtue. So if I were on a budget it would be pre-owned Cornwalls for me. Though I would much prefer the model IV with its improved voicing. In fact all of the latest versions have been improved. Which is a great thing. Why don't I prefer the Forte. Well the rear firing Sub passive radiator is the why I don';t. Small room the Hersey reach as low as a La Scala is the perfect answer. In fact my favorite HT systems had 5 or 7 Hersey with two other brand subs. It was great sound. But for Stereo systems I'll take line arrays with bass down to 16 HZ smoother response and significantly lower distortion than Klipsch. Yes they require more power, but the sound doesn't dissipate like horn and point source speakers, and 104 Db at my listening position of 14 feet is all I need. Which is about 111 db at 1 meter\ or in my case is around 100 to 120 watts to each speaker combined . Or about around 10 to 15 watts to each La Scala or corner horn or about 30 watts to each Cornwall. So where I run two MC 830's a Cornwall owner could be very happy with a MC 502 or a MC 240. I really liked MC 75's with early Cornwalls and Corner horns in the late 60's and 70's. I didn't care much for the series II and III Cornwalls with 6 to 8 db peak at 6.3 KHZ. Same went for the rest of the Klipsch models at that time. Its that same kind of peak at 10 KHZ which make me reject current B&W and other brands of speakers, too.
If you are looking for horned speakers, have a listen to something like a vintage Altec 19. They give you all the efficiency and dynamics you could ever want plus a degree of refinement and smoothness that no Klipsch can touch. It can be heard as well as seen in it's measurements which are far superior than say a Cornwall or LaScala. Altec 19s are smooth, very well balanced and flat... and most importantly low in ringing and stored energy. Something that cannot be said for the Big Klipschs. This last aspect of performance makes all the difference in the world if your goal is realism and low listening fatigue.
Paired Heresy IV speakers with a Firstwatt J2. This has been working great for multiple years. Would move to La Scalas if I had the room, and will likely look deeper into Forte IV since they're taller, not deeper & wider than the Heresy.
Must admit I'm a wee La Scala curious, though I love my updated Forte IIs that are driven with an Einstein preamp and First Watt F7 20 watt amp. The sound is glorious! Great videos ✌️
My father purchased the Cornwalls in about+- 1975. I have them now as well as his Marantz 4300. I am a niave "audio interested" 65 year old. How good of a combination are these components?
Hello, I am a long time viewer and I have the Cornwall IV speakers which I love. I was wondering if you have figured out a way to incorporate isolation feet to these speakers? Also, I have the sheepskin covers on my Cornwalls, it is a special order. Thankyou
Well, for approx. 35K, if you have the space, you can have the ultimate Klipsch speakers, the new and absolutely world class sounding Jubilee speakers. Other than the Jubilees, the obvious choice would be the Klipschhorns, which are awesome speakers. Between the Cornwalls and the La Scalas, I'd go with the true horns of the La Scalas and just add a couple high quality subs to augment the bass response, and be done with it.
In the early '80s, the Cornwall was the best balanced of the entire line. Nowadays, the La Scala (based on what I am hearing on TH-cam) have now taken their place in my opinion.
Have Cornwallis 50 years. Many different rooms. Alway good. Best with Mac c28 and Sony 3200f. Lost the Sony now with Decware amp. Still a great speaker.
I'm very close to seeking out some Fortes or Cornwalls locally. I've lusted for them for many years and it's about time to give them a proper listen. I showed a review video to my wife and she approved the idea.... even pushing me to go for the bigger Cornwalls!!
Glad to hear. Pls give us a chance to earn your business if your local dealer doesn't inspire you. We can drop ship and avoid the sales tax too. Cheers.
Great reviews! I understand that the cornwalls which I’m looking at can be ran off of low power but I never really hear how they do with high powered amps? I have a Emotiva xpa dr2 what are your thoughts on that combination?
My favorite Klipsch speaker is the Klipschorn. I have a new MC275 and love it; the Klipsch Heritage speakers are kinda aspirational. I don’t like the Heresy and prefer the Forte to the Heresy. I’ve had LaScala’s 2 different times; they were different, like a club speaker. The new ones are really good.
4:14 from 25W to 100 the output doesn't even reach what we sense as a 'doubling of loudness'... on such efficient speakers, most of the loudness comes from the first tens of watts so to speak. the 100W continuous power is basically a thermal limitation of the larger transducers (as the compression drivers are usually attenuated quite a few dBs to match the overall sensitivity). "peak" can be interpreted as the potential dynamic range of a system (and also the mechanical limitation of the larger transducers. even if the components don't have time to overheat, damage may occur due to over excursion). having a 4X peak rating over the max continuous wattage can signal the system will get dangerously loud in bursts (most music can be considered low duty cycle as compared to action movie scenes w/ long sound effects)
I’m wondering if you could get a lower bass response from the La Scalas if the backwards inner enclosure used two smaller robust 10” bass drivers rather than the one 15”
I own Cornwall IVs and drive them with a Unison Simply Italy with about 3-4 watts (Room about 40m²). you realy dont need a lot of watts to drive them till your ears bleed ;-)
I’ve got a pair of Klipsch Cornwall 2s and Mc-240 with MX-110 - great combo. I also have a Fisher 500c and a 400 and they pair excellently with those too. Good videos!
Brit in Ireland, interesting to hear a yankee view on the BIG sound US speakers.. I got captured 40 years ago by the Linn Naim thing and got thru 2 pairs of Isobariks a mk 1 and a final mk4 pair The mk1’s were so much more exciting I came across a pair of 1957 Tannoys studio monitors once in Lonnie Donegans home studio…he was our Jerry Lee Lewis but he was a good family man! So old they were pre. The dual monitor Tannoys with their Centre piece horn tweeter!in other words from the 78rpm time when HF weren’t recorded or replayed by consumers. To cut a long story short I was amazed how huge and competent the sound from them is and strangely if fed by digital sources it seems like there is HF…it’s strange. Big 12 and 14inch Tannoy studio monitors are the Brit equivalent of your klipsch speakers so it was really interesting to listen to your views. I also have some Maggie’s mk 1 so in need of a tweeter rebuild and some Quad Els57 which image like nothing I ever heard but they do need valves to do this best..it’s like listening via a breeze when they are on beam To old now to have them all set up, weirdly the high scene isn’t very developed in Ireland so it’s nice to listen to your enthusiasm
Im a big fan of the large Tannoys and Isobariks from your side of the world. We just shipped a set of Tannoy reds to the west coast for a speakeasy bar being built. Nice to hear from someone in Ireland, doesn't happen often. Cheers.
The power handling 100/400 doesn’t mean min/max. It means maximum continuous power (100) and peak (400)in other words there is no minimum. Go ahead and use that two watt set. Just don’t go over 100 watts.
I have 1980 La Scala’s with 2 REL Tzero subs and 2 NHT Ten subs, the sound is fantastic.I am sure I could get away with just one set of subs, but since I have them, why not use them!
I love what my La Scalas can do but what they can't do is low end. REL fixed that. I would recommend you talk to REL about your room and setup before choosing one (or two).
Am struggling with this distinction between "live" and "studio" sound. What I too often hear from the Heritage line (although not from La Scala) is a reverberant nasal or metallic sonority, as if the music was recorded in a subway station. Everything is huge and dynamic, yes, and "live" but in the fatiguing way I often hear the amplified sound system at a concert or club, that hollow twang or metallic halo around everything -- cold to my ears with vocals recessed and, ironically, boxed in. Rock and electronic music, since they thrive in a heavily synthesized sound world, sound great thru Klipsch, but a purely acoustic vocal recording, to my ears, suffers from this "live" amplified glare, when what I want is another kind of live: daylight, open air, a natural warmth -- say closer to the ambience and sonority of a string quartet live in a small hall or a jazz singer with acoustic trio in an intimate club. Am I completely deluded? Or am I hearing something, a distinction, that's there?
As a classical listener, I’ve wondered about this with Klipsch. Does “live” = amplified? What’s your way of optimizing recordings of unamplified acoustic music?
@@ScottAClarke First of all, may I ask: do you hear from the Klipsch at all what I'm lamely attempting to describe? As a classical listener myself, I've been listening thru Focale Utopia headphones -- wonderful. But now I'd also like to build a hi-fi rig around SACD and vinyl, a process which always starts with speakers -- so as yet, I'm still shopping. I started out wanting Magnepan 1.7i's (and may go back to them!), but I have a big space, 26 x 20 with high ceilings (10,000 cu ft), and I was warned that Maggies won't work without "boundary" walls. Instead, people said, look into the Klipsch Cornwall IV, ideal for your needs . . . Then you start hearing rave reviews about the "live" Klipsch sound -- except that to my ears it is a distinctly "amplified" over-reverberant rock concert coloration of live. I prefer air, openness, warmth. If $ were no object, I'd probably get Spatial Audio Labs X4s or Eminent Technology LFT-8C or NX-Otica -- all open baffle speakers. I like the efficiency of Klipsch, Maggies being a headache to drive, but I don't like that Klipsch metallic sonority -- and am increasingly shocked that nobody else even mentions it.
I haven’t heard Cornwalls or La Scalas, but have worried that I’d have the same reaction you’ve had. I have Ohm Walsh 2000s, which I love. Like Magnepans,, they definitely need “boundary walls,” so probably not the right solution for you. They fill my space in a way that resembles live classical performance, image well, and have no harshness. But, I still am curious about other solutions and definitely want to hear, concerning Klipsch, what all the fuss is about.
I would have thought that the Lascala’s wouldn’t be that hard to move around considering that they’re a 2 piece design. The pro version I had wasn’t that bad but it wasn’t wood so idk
Is this a review for the Cornwall or a sales pitch for the la scala. Clearly he is very intelligent but how do the speakers sound. Their sound should be the focus as opposed to the finish or how they look.
I want to build a pair of Cornwall clones. That or find some shagged out project speakers and essentially rebuild them. So many resources out there for both but it will be a learning experience to make cabinets that big.
@@SkyFiAudio I just bought a pair of 1983 Cornwall "1.5" at an estate sale for $172. The base of one cabinet will be a total rebuild. I'll probably replace the crossovers as these look like they were taken off, dropped in a pond for the summer, and then put back on. Given their state, I'm not going to keep them stock. It's just as much work and money to upgrade them at this point.
La Scala sound incredible outside. Cornwall /Heresy sound great in a room but not great outside. La Scalas in a room won't sound as good as they do outdoors.
Klipsch are truly a departure from the analytical accurate HiFi sound, and the older I get, the more I appreciate that aspect. Hearing horn speakers project people in the room with you is such a thrilling and emotional experience. I like to get my fix from Altec speakers personally, but the Cornwall 4 might be the bargain of the century for a modern horn speaker. I have loved listening to them in 2 friends systems. Great video! I would like to see more of your review videos like this for other speakers that have made an impression on you!
I'm 72. I have always loved Altec. I do like the Cornwall IV speakers.
Still loving my 1984 Cornwall one's... original owner here... driven by a Class A SET tube amp (EL34 or KT88's), 8 WPC I believe.. So easy to drive.. and sounds so sweet....
I'm listening to my Cornwall IV's via a McIntosh MA-2275 integrated amplifier. It is magic and a match made in heaven. This was a retirement gift to myself a couple of years ago and I haven't looked back. I highly recommend it.
Very nice! The MA-2275 is a rare and fantastic amp, great match for the Cornwalls.
I ve got the same exact same set up with a blue sound node. I love it.
I'm looking to do something very similar as a retirment gift to myslef too though I'm looking at a MC275 and C22. Thanks for the reassurance.
My Cornwall IVs were my present in my preparation for retirement. I still have about 5 to 10 years to go
I got a deal on my CW IVs that would not wait for a retirement. Pioneer HT bumped with a Parasound Pre amp a 15 “ SVS sub.
Did I mention I live in trailer ?
Really impressed how you tell it like it is (the good and the bad). Being a Klipsch dealer who is honest about issues is really commendable.
I'm finally glad to see the face that goes with the voice from most of the videos posted. Thanks!
Good to meet you Andy. So stop by some day!
my buddy thats a HIFI nerd and master speaker builder,he made a homemade klipsch la scala`s,he made me a pair of towers,he built on a side firiring driver and cross networked klh bookshelf speakers on top,these speakers sound nice hooked up to my carver pm 1.5 amp, output is 160 watts but they are very efficient..they sound nice...i just subscribed
Last December I set out to get Heresy 4 speakers, but after listening to them all I fell in love with the sound of Cornwall 4. I’m really running a McIntosh MA252 and Cornwalls and I am loving it.
Great review Fernando. As a Klipsch owner myself I appreciate your objective opinion and find it refreshing. I very much enjoyed the laid back nature of the entire review. You have a great channel and I look forward to future reviews and informative content.
Excellent video!
I’ve had the Cornwall IV’s for 2 years combined with a Primaluna EVO 300 integrated amp. The sound is still magical to me.
I’ve always wanted to try a McIntosh amp but no where near me to do an A B comparison.
Steve Guttenberg ran his Cornwalls with a 2watt Decware tube amp and said they got loud enough and sounded great. So Cornwalls are very efficient. The only downside is that I don't have the room at present. I've only heard them and LaScalas at a dealership and yeah for me the LaScalas are next level. The Forte is in the middle for me, lots of bass though not as much as the Cornwall and a really good midrange that approaches the LaScala. A friend of mine has a pair of those. Personally I love the liveliness of the Heritage line and Klipsch in general.
Really good video and explanation of the Klipsch Heritage sound!
Hey Fernando, thanks for your honest reviews and point of view. Love when you go inside the speakers and make suggestions for pairing components. I've switched from highly resolving speakers to Heresey IV's for my office/listening room (11'x18'x9'). And I'm thrilled. I don't listen at loud volumes and having great dynamics at 60-70 db makes listening fun and not fatiguing. The best compliment I can pay to Klipsch is that records I thought I didn't like and replayed with a tiny, 2.3 watt SET come to life with the Heresey IV's. I'm paying a lot more attention to the music and not the gear. Finally, the set up sounds great with jazz, acoustic and rock...very versatile speakers.
I have the Heresy IV’s and they will never leave. Cornwall will be my next permanent addition. To think I used to be a never Klipsch guy. To think I hesitated. I do run a sub . Always
I could have written this same post. Only difference is I don't find that I need a sub with the Heresy (for music). I've read they need 500 hours to reach optimal performance, but definitely a keeper even just out of the box.
@@lynnhenson3042 I actually own B&W 606 S2 speakers. Not a bad choice for that price range.
I like listening to music not the equipment. I have the cornwall IVs and a yamaha AS2200 integrated amp. Sounds amazing
I owned a set of these , the 1981 yr edition. Powered by Citation 16/A I believed then as i still do , that its one of the best musical experiences out there. Its the closest drum sound and Grand Piano sound ive heard come out of a set of speakers..... especially at home. Short of having a Westlake or Altec 604 in your living room, these put you as close to the performance as you can get for most tastes. p.s ( I had always thought these would make for a phenomenal large format studio monitor, but its a hard business to get into....) Good to see the latest addition is carrying on the excellence
Hi Fernando, Love your channel and the vintage gear you deal with! I thought I had bought my last speakers when I set up my Heresy IV’s. I had bought a single La Scala 5 years ago for $500 but could never find a 2nd, then out of the blue I saw one for sale missing the crossover for $600 with 2 extra mid horns and tweeter with compression drivers. I snapped it up, ordered Crites crossovers and installed them. I was going to sell them, but after listening for a day, I retired the Heresy’s to our living room and kept the La Scala’s for myself. I like them best with my McIntosh mc352, using a c50 preamp.I play vinyl, stream, and have a large CD collection, as well as a NAS for ripped music. I also tried them with my Carver Crimson 275, and with a DIY class D amp I built. Funny with the Heresy IV’s I was ready to sell the mc352 and switch between the tube amp and the Class D. But with the La Scala’s the Mc352 sounds the best to my ear. The Carver is going on Market Place very soon. By the way the Heresy IV’s sound great with an NAD C700 all in one streaming amp I purchased for the living room and my wife to enjoy. Keep making the videos, you are good at it and I love the vintage equipment.
So much appreciate your understanding and wisdom on the Klipsh speakers. I have my Klipsch 5.2Kg from 1977 still in my music room in perfect condition. I just sold the amp that was acquired at the same time - a Sansui 8080DB which ran them for over 40 years. This Sansui 80 watt was the perfect amp for the Klipsch speakers. But I have always wanted the Cornwalls so thanks for all the info again. I forgot how good looking these are. So when I grow up those are the ones I'm looking to get (I'm savin up). A good friend has a pair and had me build a set of speaker stands specifically to fit the base of the Cornwalls out of some beautiful premium rainbow ambrosia maple wood. They really looked nice sitting down in the stands but sounded even better. You have a beautiful walnut rack as well that WOULD look good with them. I agree totally. Thanks again for the vid. I'm glad I found your channel. I'm toying with the idea of getting another vintage amp or a new amp. I'd be interested to know if you have seen any Sansui 8080 that have been reconditioned/rebuilt?
Personally I'm a Klipsch speaker on tube amp junkie for jazz. At the moment I am running a set of recapped Heresy Is on a recapped Heathkit AA30 stereo amp with RFT EL84s as a small room system and I love it. I plan on swapping out the amp for a Fisher 800B I've had for years as soon as I get it into the shop some long overdue TLC. And yeah, I get not demonstrating speakers as in the end they would just sound like my hifi system on TH-cam playback mode. Thanks for the video!
Hi..I've been listening to the cornwall 3 for years now with an English leak valve amplifier and a Lenco 78 turntable, they sound fantastic
Heard Cornwall for the first time in 1978. Amazing then and surely now as well
They sure hold up over time.
Your tv analogy was spot on. I had heresy’s IV’s then forte IV’s using primaLuna evo100, separates 40 w per and my goodness they ROCK as if your next to the PA at the concert! Seriously that is so different than the sound in the studio. Now I have the details of the studio from the Kanta No1 and now after watching your video I want to go to the rock concert! Let’s do a deal! Lol thank you in Earnestness.
Spot on with the TV analogy, perfect visual!
Love you said: no analytic speaker for me, same here with me! Have this hyper-analytic ELAC S507 and prefer for Jazz/Vocals Vintage speakers only and especially fullrange speakers. Thanks for sharing, one day I will visit and come over from Germany, for sure!
Im a huge heritage line lover. I have owned them all. The cornwalls were and still are my favorites. LaScalas and Khorns have basically no bass compared to the cornwall. Same with the heresy. Cornwalls absolutely rock!
Thank you for posting.
These are one of the top 10 best speakers for me
Hello Fernando ! Huge fan of your videos ! Thanks for making understanding Hi-fi accessible! You truly are remarkable! 🎉
Do you recommend them being up off the floor or tilted at all?
Hi I love my Klipsch forte. I run those with Audio Note Sorro PP 20 watts, and the Garrard 501 turntable. Plays fantastic.
Love your videos
Very cool! Please share a picture to our website and we will show it in our email blast.
So so impressed not only with your store, but your knowledgeable opinion. It bothers me when people assume how klipsch speakers sound when they haven't heard them at all, but people love to repeat what they read online.
Im really trying to decide which heritage route i want to go. Curious if the return on investment from the forte to the cornwall is worth it. Or just i just slurge and blow my bonus on la Scala. My room is large and open so no space constraints. 18x30
Great video, thanks for the detailed information. My Cornwall 4’s have just arrived, I haven’t unboxed them yet. They are in a custom colour (Maple veneers and Lambs Wool grills). I’m in Western Australia and I note that your video states Klipsch Cornwall 4’s have a 3 year warranty; mine come with a 10 year warranty, markedly different from yours. You might want to check this. Thanks again, all the best 😊
mine came with a 10-year warranty - i believe he was mistaken as it's listed on Klipsch website as 10-year warranty, non-transferable!
You're both totally right. Thanks for pointing out. Not sure where I got the 3 years from, maybe old literature. 10 years it is. Haven't had a single claim yet, I guess it doesn't cost much for them to offer 10, LOL.
@@SkyFiAudio A 10 year warranty in this day and age shows that Klipsch are very proud and confident that their Heritage speakers are built to last. It’s amazing to me how many folks have Cornwalls 2’s & 3’s, they love them and won’t be parted from them. Thanks again for the video :)
Love the deep dive. I am rocking some 1980s vintage la scalas. Yes it is like listening to live. Also very nice low level listening. Don't feel like I am missing anything. And I can have a conversation and still hear the music in good detail. Also they have good image and sound stage. The mid is pronounced which is what I was looking for. I pair them with dual subs.
I'm on an Anthem MCA 225 g2 with my Fortes. Amp and speakers sound amazing. When I go to Lascala in a the next year or two, I really want to go to new amp, but not sure what. I got this Anthem at a scorching deal I couldn't turn down, brand new. But I think it's overly analytical, still sounds great.
I have the heresy 4 and the denon pma sx 11 sold only in Japan and they are heaven I agree with you about the character of the speaker. I would love to hear the la scalas in my room but price wise I'm looking at the Cornwallis
I bought the Cornwalls when I was 18 in 1973. I bought them unfinished for 890 dollars new. buying them unfinished saved me as much as 500 dollars. A few years later one of my friends bought the La Scala's, a speaker not available when I bought my Cornwalls. I hated his La Scala's. The Cornwall bass drivers sounded so much better then the folded horns. When you ask where does the Cornwall sit in the Klipsch lineup, I had to roll my eyes.
Originally, Klipsch had two speakers. The Klipschorn and the Cornwalls. The K-horns had to sit in the corners with 32 foot folded horns which relied using the walls to get the bass. According to Klipsch, in order to get the perfect C note, You had to play it through a 32 foot horn. The Cornwalls didn't have to be in a corner, making them much less restricted for placement. That's why the Cornwalls were made. The question you should be asking is, where do the La Scala's fit into the Klipsch lineup.
They were made for the same reason the Cornwalls were made, so you had much more versaltility on where you could put them in a room. Unfortunately, their attempt to make a "versatile Klipschorn" is a failure. Instead of achieving the perfect C note using a 32 foot folded horn, the La Scala used a 15 foot folded horn which by definition cannot acheive the perfect C note. That speaker makes no sense. That's why the bass isn't any good.
As for the Heresy, it's just a mini version of the Cornwall for smaller rooms. If you get the chance, Google "The legacy of the Klipsch Cornwall".
I have the cotton fabric speaker grilles for my Cornwall IV. They were around 10% of the purchase price but the dealer didn't add a markup for them.
Another great video. Thanks for continuing to produce them. The effort is appreciated!
Glad you like them!
I agree with your assessment of Klipsch vs other speakers, and I fall on the Klipsch side.
Heresy IV'S waiting to upgrade to Cornwalls driven by a Parasound preamp to a Wilsenton Tube amp (w/NOS tubes) or Parasound amp.
I wonder with a good sub, and since they have the same horn drivers, are the Cornwalls head and shoulders above the Heresy?
Loved the video almost as much as my La Scala’s. As for the amp I’m using depends on what I listen to. Hard rock n roll my Marantz 2330 and classic rock, jazz and classical I have a Harmon Kardon Citation 2 tube amp that’s been brought up original specs.
Great video. Thank you.
What pre amp would go well with that Mac 275 ?
Forte 1 owner here. While I absolutely love my Fortes, I would love to snag a pair of Cornwalls, or even La Scalas with sub.
Some day lol
Love your channel and reviews.
100 watt continuous power handling with 400 watt peak. They run just fine on low watt tube amplifiers.
I own a 1990 pair of La Scalas. Tried many different solid state amps. Hafler, NAD, Marantz with good results. Then I went tube. First Decware 2watt and now Quicksilver Horn Mono 25watt. Of all the amps I've tried the Quicksilver are by far the best match.
Thanks for sharing! Definitely go with tubes on these speakers, they are highly efficient and will rock with as little as 25w.
I recently picked up 4 mint kg4 for only $600. I love them. They were made in 1985. Where would they fall in today's Klipsch lineup?
SPECS:
Nominal impedance: 6 ohms
Sensitivity: 94db @ 1watt/1meter
Frequency response: 38hz-20khz (+-)3db
Power handling: 100 watts maximum continuous
Finishes: Walnut oil, oak oil, finished black
Height: 18-7/8"
Width: 13-1/4"
Depth: 11-1/2"
I think somewhere better the Forte and the Heresy. Wish they had more models, perhaps something in the $8k range.
Great idea,
Very grateful for this vid,thanks!
Great guy telling the truth, bad and good.
Do the screws holding the speakers go into inserts or into wood
Try tri-amp'ing a pair of Heresy's then use a Klipschorn bass horn as a sub below 80Hz - you end up with a quad-amplified system with virtually unlimited dynamic range without the time anomalies of the stock Klipschorn or the bass limitations of La Scala and Cornwall, and you get the better placement flexibility of Heresy's. This is how one of my systems is configured.
I’d like to see a dedicated La Scala subwoofer module designed to sit right underneath, same dimensions as the horn module, matching veneer, maybe slot-loaded.😊
Why do they always sound like funnels when i audition them? Mids are pinched sounding.
Your comparison at the end referencing TV resolution and real world was so spot on. Kudos for the analogy; very well put.
Excellent ending about the embellishment and comparing televisions. I turn off 'soap opera' mode on all of my TVs and can't handle it when friends leave it on in their homes. Everything looks fake or even uncanny. I've heard 'analytical' setups that people love and to me it's akin to looking at humans under fluorescent light. I don't need to see all your veins and acne.. I want to turn the red lights on and just appreciate everyone in their best visual setting. I have been waiting to find a decent price on nearby Cornwall IV to bring into my home. I'm currently a Heresy II/subwoofer guy wanting to take the next step. I'm using a Chinese Willsenton R8 amplifier (KT88, 40wx2) and they sound 'good enough' to me, but I'd like to be even more impressed with a new set of Cornwalls because I know the bass will be improved and I can ditch the subwoofer.
La Scala and Cornwall use the same tweeter and midrange driver . So its Klipsch's adjusting the crossover that make a difference. Because of the higher directionality of the La Scala midrange you have to sit much further away for the tweeter/mid and woofer to blend as their arrival times are so different. A La Scala is like listening to three separate speakers, one for bass, another for midrange and and another for highs where the drivers are lined up properly. But then as Don Davis from Altec and founder of Syn-aud-con said if you can't precisely line up your drivers for the same arrival time then its better if you are way off. The Klipschorn, and La Scala do this. That's main reason I don't like the LA and the C horn is the high directionality and the staggered arrival times.
Yes, the Cornwall is 3 or 4 db less efficient. Wow but then so it takes 2 watts or less for average listenings versus less than 1 watt. if listening at 15 to 20 feet to allow proper blending of the sound. Cornwall you can get buy with 10 foot listening distance with better blending.
Now I don't like horn loaded or ported bass as the harmonic distortion is way to high and the frequency linearity is horrible. And considering all of the speakers are bass compromised you don't dare pull them out of or near corners or from against walls. Dynamics is their claim to fame, but by the time your feeding them all 100 watts they are compressing the sound close to 5 db. Klipsch even says so. So they aren't any more dynamic that a line array or speakers from B&W or Magico though they are priced much more reasonably.
I will admit for the money Klipsch is a great value and you don't need to be spending big money on amplifiers which is another virtue. So if I were on a budget it would be pre-owned Cornwalls for me. Though I would much prefer the model IV with its improved voicing. In fact all of the latest versions have been improved. Which is a great thing. Why don't I prefer the Forte. Well the rear firing Sub passive radiator is the why I don';t. Small room the Hersey reach as low as a La Scala is the perfect answer. In fact my favorite HT systems had 5 or 7 Hersey with two other brand subs. It was great sound.
But for Stereo systems I'll take line arrays with bass down to 16 HZ smoother response and significantly lower distortion than Klipsch. Yes they require more power, but the sound doesn't dissipate like horn and point source speakers, and 104 Db at my listening position of 14 feet is all I need. Which is about 111 db at 1 meter\ or in my case is around 100 to 120 watts to each speaker combined . Or about around 10 to 15 watts to each La Scala or corner horn or about 30 watts to each Cornwall. So where I run two MC 830's a Cornwall owner could be very happy with a MC 502 or a MC 240. I really liked MC 75's with early Cornwalls and Corner horns in the late 60's and 70's. I didn't care much for the series II and III Cornwalls with 6 to 8 db peak at 6.3 KHZ. Same went for the rest of the Klipsch models at that time. Its that same kind of peak at 10 KHZ which make me reject current B&W and other brands of speakers, too.
If you are looking for horned speakers, have a listen to something like a vintage Altec 19. They give you all the efficiency and dynamics you could ever want plus a degree of refinement and smoothness that no Klipsch can touch. It can be heard as well as seen in it's measurements which are far superior than say a Cornwall or LaScala. Altec 19s are smooth, very well balanced and flat... and most importantly low in ringing and stored energy. Something that cannot be said for the Big Klipschs. This last aspect of performance makes all the difference in the world if your goal is realism and low listening fatigue.
Paired Heresy IV speakers with a Firstwatt J2. This has been working great for multiple years. Would move to La Scalas if I had the room, and will likely look deeper into Forte IV since they're taller, not deeper & wider than the Heresy.
yeah they are much deeper. Good choice on the J2, must be a stellar combo.
Must admit I'm a wee La Scala curious, though I love my updated Forte IIs that are driven with an Einstein preamp and First Watt F7 20 watt amp. The sound is glorious! Great videos ✌️
Screw the speakers where did you get the poster in the background 😂😂😂
haha, its actually an image displayed on a Samsung Frame TV. Good eye!
Can you get the custom cotton grills for KHorns AK6?
I had a pair of La Scalas... Lost them in a fire.
BEST SPEAKER EVER!
As an owner of CW III and B&W 800d2's you are spot on. Currently, the Cornwalls are on an Anthem STR which is overkill but they work well together.
Sounds like you've got all the bases covered with the Klipsch and the Bowers. They are so different and great in their own ways.
My father purchased the Cornwalls in about+- 1975. I have them now as well as his Marantz 4300. I am a niave "audio interested" 65 year old. How good of a combination are these components?
My heresys III sound amazing with my Manley Stingray. Tubes and Klipsch. You can't go wrong.
Hello, I am a long time viewer and I have the Cornwall IV speakers which I love. I was wondering if you have figured out a way to incorporate isolation feet to these speakers? Also, I have the sheepskin covers on my Cornwalls, it is a special order. Thankyou
Well, for approx. 35K, if you have the space, you can have the ultimate Klipsch speakers, the new and absolutely world class sounding Jubilee speakers. Other than the Jubilees, the obvious choice would be the Klipschhorns, which are awesome speakers. Between the Cornwalls and the La Scalas, I'd go with the true horns of the La Scalas and just add a couple high quality subs to augment the bass response, and be done with it.
I own vintage Cornwalls, La Scalas, Klipschorns, Hereseys, Chorus, klf20's and 30's. They all sound great. My favorite is LaScalas with a subwoofer.
I dont feel like they need a sub and we have them in a ridiculously large space.
@@SkyFiAudioFor pipe organ I think you'll want a sub. 16Hz is gonna be tough for any of them except perhaps the K-horn. 😊😇
In the early '80s, the Cornwall was the best balanced of the entire line. Nowadays, the La Scala (based on what I am hearing on TH-cam) have now taken their place in my opinion.
Are the La Scala’s in a teak finish with the cloth grills in the this video?
another great video from u guys thanks again for all of the great info
Glad you enjoyed it
Nice! Enjoyed watching this professional review 👍
Much appreciated!
Have Cornwallis 50 years. Many different rooms. Alway good. Best with Mac c28 and Sony 3200f. Lost the Sony now with Decware amp. Still a great speaker.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm very close to seeking out some Fortes or Cornwalls locally. I've lusted for them for many years and it's about time to give them a proper listen. I showed a review video to my wife and she approved the idea.... even pushing me to go for the bigger Cornwalls!!
Go for the Cornwalls, they are the best sounding in the Heritage line, in my opinion.
Glad to hear. Pls give us a chance to earn your business if your local dealer doesn't inspire you. We can drop ship and avoid the sales tax too. Cheers.
Great reviews! I understand that the cornwalls which I’m looking at can be ran off of low power but I never really hear how they do with high powered amps? I have a Emotiva xpa dr2 what are your thoughts on that combination?
Great review. For me Klipsch Heritage and McIntosh tube amplification is a perfect match.
Agreed! Seem like the perfect match, notice those are the only two brands we carry new. Cheers Jeff.
My favorite Klipsch speaker is the Klipschorn. I have a new MC275 and love it; the Klipsch Heritage speakers are kinda aspirational. I don’t like the Heresy and prefer the Forte to the Heresy. I’ve had LaScala’s 2 different times; they were different, like a club speaker. The new ones are really good.
Just received a set of K-horns and we are looking forward to hearing them. The MC275 is a perfect match, thats what we are going to use.
I have Cornwall iv on a Conrad Johnson classic 62 atm. I’m having a pesky 60hz hum I’ve yet to pin down however.
Surprisingly common for CJ owners.
@@bigblueocean really? Or are you pulling my leg? Can you point me to any forum on the topic? I really want to sort this out
@@scottkasper6378 just Google for "Conrad Johnson humming" lots of hits.
4:14 from 25W to 100 the output doesn't even reach what we sense as a 'doubling of loudness'... on such efficient speakers, most of the loudness comes from the first tens of watts so to speak.
the 100W continuous power is basically a thermal limitation of the larger transducers (as the compression drivers are usually attenuated quite a few dBs to match the overall sensitivity).
"peak" can be interpreted as the potential dynamic range of a system (and also the mechanical limitation of the larger transducers. even if the components don't have time to overheat, damage may occur due to over excursion). having a 4X peak rating over the max continuous wattage can signal the system will get dangerously loud in bursts (most music can be considered low duty cycle as compared to action movie scenes w/ long sound effects)
Hello,
does the La Scala work with a Accuphase Class A Amp like the E 800 or the A 48?
Excellent and informative video. Many thanks........
I’m wondering if you could get a lower bass response from the La Scalas if the backwards inner enclosure used two smaller robust 10” bass drivers rather than the one 15”
I own Cornwall IVs and drive them with a Unison Simply Italy with about 3-4 watts (Room about 40m²).
you realy dont need a lot of watts to drive them till your ears bleed ;-)
I’ve got a pair of Klipsch Cornwall 2s and Mc-240 with MX-110 - great combo. I also have a Fisher 500c and a 400 and they pair excellently with those too. Good videos!
Thanks for sharing! I bet the MC240 sounds great with the Cornwalls.
hy, what do you think of the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier for the Cornwall 4, is it a good choice? thanks in advance
Brit in Ireland, interesting to hear a yankee view on the BIG sound US speakers.. I got captured 40 years ago by the Linn Naim thing and got thru 2 pairs of Isobariks a mk 1 and a final mk4 pair
The mk1’s were so much more exciting
I came across a pair of 1957 Tannoys studio monitors once in Lonnie Donegans home studio…he was our Jerry Lee Lewis but he was a good family man!
So old they were pre. The dual monitor Tannoys with their Centre piece horn tweeter!in other words from the 78rpm time when HF weren’t recorded or replayed by consumers. To cut a long story short I was amazed how huge and competent the sound from them is and strangely if fed by digital sources it seems like there is HF…it’s strange.
Big 12 and 14inch Tannoy studio monitors are the Brit equivalent of your klipsch speakers so it was really interesting to listen to your views.
I also have some Maggie’s mk 1 so in need of a tweeter rebuild and some Quad Els57 which image like nothing I ever heard but they do need valves to do this best..it’s like listening via a breeze when they are on beam
To old now to have them all set up, weirdly the high scene isn’t very developed in Ireland so it’s nice to listen to your enthusiasm
Im a big fan of the large Tannoys and Isobariks from your side of the world. We just shipped a set of Tannoy reds to the west coast for a speakeasy bar being built. Nice to hear from someone in Ireland, doesn't happen often. Cheers.
4 Klipschorns in the corners, 2 Cornwalls in the center. I can dream.
The power handling 100/400 doesn’t mean min/max. It means maximum continuous power (100) and peak (400)in other words there is no minimum. Go ahead and use that two watt set. Just don’t go over 100 watts.
Would a LaScalia pair well with dual REL subwoofers to make up for the base ?
They should work well together. I ran my LaScalas with a pair of SB16's and loved the pairing. Try it out and you'll probably never go back.
I have 1980 La Scala’s with 2 REL Tzero subs and 2 NHT Ten subs, the sound is fantastic.I am sure I could get away with just one set of subs, but since I have them, why not use them!
I love what my La Scalas can do but what they can't do is low end. REL fixed that. I would recommend you talk to REL about your room and setup before choosing one (or two).
Am struggling with this distinction between "live" and "studio" sound. What I too often hear from the Heritage line (although not from La Scala) is a reverberant nasal or metallic sonority, as if the music was recorded in a subway station. Everything is huge and dynamic, yes, and "live" but in the fatiguing way I often hear the amplified sound system at a concert or club, that hollow twang or metallic halo around everything -- cold to my ears with vocals recessed and, ironically, boxed in. Rock and electronic music, since they thrive in a heavily synthesized sound world, sound great thru Klipsch, but a purely acoustic vocal recording, to my ears, suffers from this "live" amplified glare, when what I want is another kind of live: daylight, open air, a natural warmth -- say closer to the ambience and sonority of a string quartet live in a small hall or a jazz singer with acoustic trio in an intimate club. Am I completely deluded? Or am I hearing something, a distinction, that's there?
As a classical listener, I’ve wondered about this with Klipsch. Does “live” = amplified? What’s your way of optimizing recordings of unamplified acoustic music?
@@ScottAClarke First of all, may I ask: do you hear from the Klipsch at all what I'm lamely attempting to describe? As a classical listener myself, I've been listening thru Focale Utopia headphones -- wonderful. But now I'd also like to build a hi-fi rig around SACD and vinyl, a process which always starts with speakers -- so as yet, I'm still shopping. I started out wanting Magnepan 1.7i's (and may go back to them!), but I have a big space, 26 x 20 with high ceilings (10,000 cu ft), and I was warned that Maggies won't work without "boundary" walls. Instead, people said, look into the Klipsch Cornwall IV, ideal for your needs . . . Then you start hearing rave reviews about the "live" Klipsch sound -- except that to my ears it is a distinctly "amplified" over-reverberant rock concert coloration of live. I prefer air, openness, warmth. If $ were no object, I'd probably get Spatial Audio Labs X4s or Eminent Technology LFT-8C or NX-Otica -- all open baffle speakers. I like the efficiency of Klipsch, Maggies being a headache to drive, but I don't like that Klipsch metallic sonority -- and am increasingly shocked that nobody else even mentions it.
I haven’t heard Cornwalls or La Scalas, but have worried that I’d have the same reaction you’ve had. I have Ohm Walsh 2000s, which I love. Like Magnepans,, they definitely need “boundary walls,” so probably not the right solution for you. They fill my space in a way that resembles live classical performance, image well, and have no harshness. But, I still am curious about other solutions and definitely want to hear, concerning Klipsch, what all the fuss is about.
Adding car type damping sheets to the midrange back side will address the sound you describe.
@@charlesparker838 Thanks. As much as I appreciate the reply, I have no idea what you're saying.
I would have thought that the Lascala’s wouldn’t be that hard to move around considering that they’re a 2 piece design. The pro version I had wasn’t that bad but it wasn’t wood so idk
They are a bit too square to move around easily . We have them on carts which helps a lot.
Wanted to Buy McIntosh Home Theater Amp with Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV main Speakers .... But I got a Mercedes For The Same Price!
They are perfect for EDM junkies like me that have played on huge horn loaded PA’s for a zillion years.
How I have always wanted a pair of Klipshorns with a Macintosh system a marriage made in a Audiophile dream.
When volume matched what is the difference between Forte & Cornwall?
The size of the horn is really noticeable in a larger room. A good bit more bass too.
Is this a review for the Cornwall or a sales pitch for the la scala. Clearly he is very intelligent but how do the speakers sound. Their sound should be the focus as opposed to the finish or how they look.
Do they have more bass than the Forte
The name "La Scala" sounds more sofisticated , but for half the price I'd go with the Cornwalls.
lol, never like the name Cornwall for a speaker. I guess it's some reference to the placement.
What I notice most of all is the Maxell/ JBL L100 poster on the wall....... kind of says it all people. :)
Believe it or not, that is a digital image on a Samsung frame TV made to look like a poster. Glad you like it.
I want to build a pair of Cornwall clones. That or find some shagged out project speakers and essentially rebuild them. So many resources out there for both but it will be a learning experience to make cabinets that big.
Yea, the cabinets are a bit unwieldy. Gonna need a big table saw. Good luck and pls share the progress.
About 2 years ago I saw pictures of the Cornwall assembly process in a Klipsch factory on the internet. Those might be useful too.
@@SkyFiAudio I just bought a pair of 1983 Cornwall "1.5" at an estate sale for $172. The base of one cabinet will be a total rebuild. I'll probably replace the crossovers as these look like they were taken off, dropped in a pond for the summer, and then put back on. Given their state, I'm not going to keep them stock. It's just as much work and money to upgrade them at this point.
La Scala sound incredible outside. Cornwall /Heresy sound great in a room but not great outside. La Scalas in a room won't sound as good as they do outdoors.
Interesting point, I wonder if thats why they sound so good in our large warehouse space, it's kinda like being outside.
What about the Klipsch Bells ?
Those are no longer in production and the consensus seems to be they are lacking compared to CS or Cornwalls.
Don't they come with a 10 year warranty? You mentioned 3 years.
Yes. Awesome.....