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Disappointed w/ Klipsch Heresy III. Now what?

I'd be very grateful for some help with a quandary.

I recently replaced my Ohm Walsh 1000 speakers with Heresy III speakers, running two-channel from a Rega Brio. I was pretty excited about the Heresy IIIs based on reviews — they were efficient, so my 35-watt amp would get the job done; they were supposed to have real punch in the low mid-range, so I could hear the upright bass clearly; they reportedly had excellent imaging; and best of all, they were supposed to sound great at low volumes. They are also indisputably beautiful, which was an important factor for my wife. (The Ohms are elegant, but you have to be an audio lover to see their beauty.)

I set them up, and . . . not so bad, pretty good. Especially loud. In fact the louder the better. Crank them up and they sing. But loud is not really an option with a new baby. So how do they sound quiet? They sound like the band is trapped in shoe box. Really in two shoe boxes because the L and R don't merge that well. The sound stage is tiny. All the detail is gone, the joy is gone. They are no fun at all. Music just seems like a bunch of noise.

But I want to believe! I want to make these speakers work. So I am faced with a quandary. I could:

1. Buy stands, a subwoofer and a tube amp, all of which people in various forums have recommended to improve the various failings I hear now.

2. Replace the Rega with something much more powerful and pull the Ohms out of the closet. (Suboptimal because it will make my wife sad because of the aforementioned perceived ugliness.)

3. Just start all over again. Different amp, different speakers.

I'd kind of prefer number 1. But I don't want to end up with a bunch of stuff designed to solve a problem and then not have that problem solved! (And I'd also just as soon avoid getting a subwoofer.)

Final note. Positioning is an intractable nightmare. It is the one thing that I can't really change, because of how our living room is layed out. It is obviously a big problem though. The living room is a big rectangle, 18 x 40 feet, and the speakers are near the corners of the 18-foot ends, on either side of a couch. I can move them around — closer or further from the couch, closer or further from the wall. But I can't raise them above the height of the couch or move them out in front or over to another wall. That discussion went nowhere!

What should I do?

 



brooklynluke
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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Just to experiment, try temporarily moving them one third, or as close as possible to it, then adjust your seating for best sound. This may sound heretical (no pun intended), but it may show what's possible with your Heresy III's, or at least what you're missing. This works for me in my similar sized living/listening room.

Class D can sound spectacular with horn speakers, and can be done on a small budget. In my system, I switch between an SET 300B, and Class D Audio, which is kit-built, and sounds much better than it has any right to, considering its modest price.

At any rate, I don't believe you are getting anywhere near what the Heresy's are capable of, whether it be break-in, room placement, or whatever else it may be.

Best of luck, hope you can get them to work out to your satisfaction. Regards,
Dan 

brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Most of what I am going to say you have already heard.  Don't buy speakers without auditioning them, preferably in your system.   I've done that twice, and been disappointed both times.   Reviews are almost irrelevant, unless the review is done by someone you trust based on prior experience.   Now, as to the Heresys.  I haven't heard them.   The closest I come is my first audition of a CD player back in about 82 or 83.  The monitors were Cornwalls.  I had never, ever, heard such poor mid to low frequency reproduction.  I walked away from the demo, concluding that digital was the culprit.  Later, I was told by a friend who had recently been an employee of the salon, that, "yes, that is how the Cornwalls sound."  The point is that you like the Klipsch sound or you don't.  It is not for me, and perhaps it is not for you.  There are many other options out there for high efficiency tube friendly speakers.    But audition what you buy.  Speakers that excel at low volume are out there, and if that is a requirement, start your search with those and be prepared to build your system around them.   

inna
7,296 posts
 
Speakers that don't sound good at low volume are not speakers. Good speakers sound good at any reasonable volume given the proper amplification, source, cables and decent wall current.
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brooklynluke OP
21 posts
 
Atmasphere, this very helpful! "Harsh" is definitely the right word. On placement, my options are limited. The couch is flat against the back wall, so it creates basically two cubbyholes, one on each side. The couch is about 9 feet wide and 2.5 feet deep centered on an 18 foot wall. That means the cubbyholes are 2.5 feet deep and 4.5 feet wide (and, for the record, 30 inches high). Right now the speakers are positioned about a foot away from the couch on each side — that is, ten feet apart — and back about six inches from the front of the couch, and toed in significantly, so I can see down the horns from my listening chair, which is maybe 8 feet from the front of the couch. I've moved them around with some improvements, but nothing major. Would an even wider spread help?

Also, I am thinking about having some stands made by Deer Creek Audio that would raise the speakers by eight inches. (So their height is equal to the height of the couch.) Any higher and I run into WAF. Worth the bother?

Islandman, when you say "moving them one third" which direction do you have in mind. I will try it! Also, on amps, one reason I got the Heresys is that I love the way old systems sound. There is a kind of jukebox heft and authority to them. The music, especially the bass, is thick, tactile but there is also a clear sense of fine detail and depth. Is class D worth considering from that perspective?

Brownsfan, you may well be right. I had thought (from the descriptions) that horns were just the ticket, but I don't have any special allegiance to them other than that I now I own a beautiful pair of horn speakers! Experimenting sure is a lot of hassle though. Sigh.

Also, and I know this is a whole different kettle of fish, but: What would be the right tube amp? This is for dedicated two-channel — though I am also open to a subwoofer — listening to jazz, classic rock, acoustic music, country, indie, etc. but mostly jazz. I personally would like to get a vintage integrated, so I could have tone controls, plus I just love them from when I was a kid. But I'd be just as happy to get a Chinese tube amp if it sounds great. Trying to keep it under $2,000 and cheaper is even better.

Oh, and . . . what about that subwoofer?

I am grateful for suggestions from all!



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