advertisement


Klipsch Speakers Reviving Old Designs

P

PBB

pfm Member
Here in North-America these Klipsch speakers are enjoying a renaissance of sorts.

I always harboured a thick and heavy coat of prejudice towards them seeing them as dinosaurs. I have to sheepishly confess I have never heard a pair in my life.

Anyone in the Old Country running a pair of those very efficient horns?

Are they worth finding a shop to audition them in or are they better left to the history books?

Thanks.
 
I’ve owned Heresys and La Scalas, there are threads in the ‘classic’ room somewhere. They are very odd speakers that just don’t play by conventional rules, but once you get to understand them, place them correctly and use the right amplification (different rules apply with real high efficiency) they can do good things. I really loved certain aspects of the La Scalas, just so open, dynamic and articulate, and the Heresys a very much smaller but still dynamic and alive version. They can be a cheapish entry-point/gateway to the world of real high-end horns.

PS A lot/most of the hate comes from folk who don’t know how to set them up or think of them as a PA speaker for loud heavy rock (which their classical music loving designer, PWK, detested!).
 
Del monaco said:
Are they worth listening to and if so why?
Click to expand...

They do the old-school ‘dynamics, scale & ease’ thing that has been largely lost with the move to heavy inefficient little drivers moving a long way in ‘lifestyle’ boxes. If you like that, and I do, they are a pretty affordable option (i.e. affordable compared to big JBLs, Tannoys etc).
 
Tony L said:
They do the old-school ‘dynamics, scale & ease’ thing that has been largely lost with the move to heavy inefficient little drivers moving a long way in ‘lifestyle’ boxes. If you like that, and I do, they are a pretty affordable option (i.e. affordable compared to big JBLs, Tannoys etc).
Click to expand...
They’re a different kind of speaker but I am intrigued.
 
The new Heresy Mk4 has a rear facing reflex port and by all accounts is rather good, without having to make any excuses. I'd love to hear a pair.

I do have a pair of Klipsch R-51M budget speakers which are cheap, as ugly as sin, but somehow communicate music better than most things I've heard, albeit with a slightly 'cheap' overall sound character - clearly and honestly flawed but rather good too. Buoyed by the positive R-51M experience I bought a pair of Klipsch RP-600M speakers which are larger and less ugly - these are actually rather refined but somehow the musical magic of the cheap R-51M has been lost. The RP-600M is undoubtedly a technically better speaker, but one that is strangely uninvolving.
 
years ago me and a mate went to a hifi show and we was astounded by what was a pair of klipsch la scalas, they was playing the police, and you could feel the bass hitting you in the guts, great speaker, would love to hear the new la scalas , where is the nearest dealer to nottingham
 
graystoke4 said:
years ago me and a mate went to a hifi show and we was astounded by what was a pair of klipsch la scalas, they was playing the police, and you could feel the bass hitting you in the guts, great speaker, would love to hear the new la scalas , where is the nearest dealer to nottingham
Click to expand...

I'm in Nottingham, but I don't play mine loud enough for you to feel the bass hitting you in the guts!
 
I've always wanted to try a pair of Klipsch speakers. The Heresy appealed as it would fit in my shed!
 
I've been toying with the idea of Klipsch Heresy Mk IV or even JBL L100 Classics (both of which have mainly rave reviews) but my amp is a Devialet D200 which I have no plans to change. Thoughts on such a marriage . . . ?
 
I've never heard them myself but I'd like to hear the new Heresy or perhaps Cornwall alongside some Tannoy Legacy Eatons or Cheviots.
 
I listened to the Heresy III a number of times at my dealer and was set to buy them before I went down the Audio Note route. I thought them very natural sounding with satisfying but controlled bass. Superb partner for tubes but they also brought out the best on the end of a modest Naim set up I heard there too.

I noticed an ex-demo pair on sale there now If any of the UK fishies fancy a very pleasant way to fill some down time, I’d be happy enough locked down with them.
 
End game for a lot of people
https://www.hifinews.com/content/klipsch-la-scala-al5-loudspeaker

.
cat2_319.jpg
 
PBB said:
Here in North-America these Klipsch speakers are enjoying a renaissance of sorts.
Click to expand...

Not sure I agree with the title of this thread. Klipsch has been making these designs for many years. They have just been updating and improving the models every so many years. Maybe they are getting more notice now as they don't have much in the way of competition for their vintage designs.
 
Darren L said:
I've never heard them myself but I'd like to hear the new Heresy or perhaps Cornwall alongside some Tannoy Legacy Eatons or Cheviots.
Click to expand...

I had the Cornwalls coming here at the end of March but Covid-19 put pay to that happening... I'm looking forward to hearing them with the Tron Atlantic as it would be the perfect amplifier for all 4 Heritage models.
 
They sound very lively, with very dry upper bass which many won't like. They can really impress with a little valve amplifier, like EL84 SE!
 
Yes, a bit like my friend telling me yesterday about trying to teach students, they didn't know what rust was. :rolleyes:

Klipsch speakers are legendary and just as famous in audio circles as JBL, Altec Lancing, Lowther, Tannoy to name a few.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top