Once a rumor starts on these boards, it seems to never die. "Horn speakers are very colored and sound hollow -like cupped hands." and "Thiel speakers are very bright" or "B&W diamond tweeters are bright and fatiguing". I found all of these to be untrue. Former owner: Klipsch La Scala II and Thiel 2.4SE. And current owner of B&W 804D3. Trust your own ears.
Klipsch Heresy IV - not what I was expecting
I haven't felt the need to share my thoughts on a piece of audio equipment for some time. About 2 months ago, I purchased Heresy IV speakers kind of on a whim to hear horn speakers. With no local dealers, I bought them on Amazon with the thought that I can just return them if I didn't like them. At just 45lbs a piece, repackaging them would not be a big deal either. Most of my speakers have been monitors (Reference 3A mm de capo i, Merlin TSM mxr w/ Master RC networks, B&W 805 D3) with a Prima Luna Dialogue Premium integrated running EL34s and Berkeley Alpha DAC with an Auralic Aries Femto music server. My music tastes are wide ranging digital so long as the recording quality is very good.
Over the years, I had several folks cup their hands around their mouths to describe horns so I had a somewhat negative view going in. I had never heard horns prior. In hindsight now, the differences between my other monitors are more subtle -- some image a bit better, some had better low base control, extension, dynamics, etc. But with the Heresy's the music sounds very different from the others. It is more immediate and present (and fun). Some sounds actually startle me. They are not harsh and do not sound like "cupped hands". The Heresy's do not image as well as my other monitors - can't get that barking dog on "Amused to Death" to sound like it's coming from behind me -- but their imaging is still pretty good. It's just more of a larger but less delineated presentation. The Heresy's bass does fall off around 45Hz but my JL audio fixes that, as it does with my other monitors. The bass down to 45Hz is tight and fast.
I bought the walnut version and its book matched veneer is high quality. One minor aspect that is a bit disappointing -- the feet are just cheap metal grommets which I think are unfitting for a $3K speaker. I'm not sure if Klipsch felt spikes were unnecessary based on the speaker's design? And yes, it's a bit weird that these speakers are designed to sit on the floor and angle up. As a result, the entire soundstage is lower than my stand mounted monitors. Also, be forewarned that the cabinet doesn't have that "dead to the knock" sound that I'm used to with some of my speakers but again, I'm not sure the (ported) design requires it. Anyhow, I just wanted to share my experience with these speakers which was so vastly different (and satisfying) from what I was expecting.
Over the years, I had several folks cup their hands around their mouths to describe horns so I had a somewhat negative view going in. I had never heard horns prior. In hindsight now, the differences between my other monitors are more subtle -- some image a bit better, some had better low base control, extension, dynamics, etc. But with the Heresy's the music sounds very different from the others. It is more immediate and present (and fun). Some sounds actually startle me. They are not harsh and do not sound like "cupped hands". The Heresy's do not image as well as my other monitors - can't get that barking dog on "Amused to Death" to sound like it's coming from behind me -- but their imaging is still pretty good. It's just more of a larger but less delineated presentation. The Heresy's bass does fall off around 45Hz but my JL audio fixes that, as it does with my other monitors. The bass down to 45Hz is tight and fast.
I bought the walnut version and its book matched veneer is high quality. One minor aspect that is a bit disappointing -- the feet are just cheap metal grommets which I think are unfitting for a $3K speaker. I'm not sure if Klipsch felt spikes were unnecessary based on the speaker's design? And yes, it's a bit weird that these speakers are designed to sit on the floor and angle up. As a result, the entire soundstage is lower than my stand mounted monitors. Also, be forewarned that the cabinet doesn't have that "dead to the knock" sound that I'm used to with some of my speakers but again, I'm not sure the (ported) design requires it. Anyhow, I just wanted to share my experience with these speakers which was so vastly different (and satisfying) from what I was expecting.
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- 27 posts total
- 27 posts total