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Tube amp Friendly Speaker That Sounds like Klipsch Cornwall

Hi All, 

I am shopping for a tube friendly speaker after a long time with Magnepan 3.6's and then Thiel CS5i's.

I was able to spend a couple of hours with a broken-in pair of Klipsch Cornwall 4's. These were in a dedicated dealer space with corner bass traps and some treble absorption. They were driven by an all McIntosh setup (7200 Receiver and T500 CD player).

The Cornwalls were dynamic, and I loved the palpable sound of the 15 inch woofer. Loud rock in roll was great with them. However, I was less impressed at lower volume levels and finally decided they were not very detailed and a bit too much in my face, at least in that setup.

When I left that room, I wandered over to where some Magnepan 1.7i's were playing in a casually set up open space. I thought the Maggies were much more resolving than the Cornwalls and a lot more laid back.

Any suggestions on a tube friendly speaker with good sized woofers that is dynamic but with good weight and detail to the sound?

Thanks for listening,

Dsper
dsper
schubert
7,386 posts
 
I don't think there is a tube amp that  sounds  like  a Cornwall .
ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,844 posts
 
but i am quite surprised to hear you say the x series lacked resolution to your ears

I didn't say the X3 wasn't revealing, it is. What I meant was that I disagree that the CW IV is not revealing, because it is too. I think my one disappointment with the X3 might have been using a 12" driver to cover the midrange. The Cornwall just oozes tone and texture and sounds more real, whereas the Spatial sounded more refined and like hi-fi. It, of course, comes down to a matter of taste because there are tradeoffs with most speakers.

Oz


audiokinesis
2,722 posts
 
@ozzy62 wrote:  "Many people, and not saying this is you, conflate earlier Cornwall versions with the IV. They are very different animals."   

I don't have experience with the Cornwall IV but I do have some experience with horn design, and imo the midrange horn in the Cornwall IV looks like it would have less coloration than the old-style horn.  

Duke

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,844 posts
 
I don't have experience with the Cornwall IV but I do have some experience with horn design, and imo the midrange horn in the Cornwall IV looks like it would have less coloration than the old-style horn.  
 I have owned KG 3.5s, Cornwall IIs, Cornscalas, Forte IIIs and Klipschorns. You are correct, these are the least colored horns that I have heard.

Oz


jet88
62 posts
 
There are so many excellent speakers it's hard to say what's best. Then you have rooms, amplifiers, dacs, sources... It's tough to be an audiophile, lol. Everything will be a different flavor, with some areas excelling over others and some not as much.

If I had unlimited funds, I'd probably try them all to find the "perfect" sound. As it is, I have very happily "settled" for Cornwall IV's and a Luxman L509X and enjoy wonderful music with a three mile smile. I love horns so some bias there, but I feel the Cornwalls are the best there is in their price range.

If you want something that sounds like Cornwalls then get them! If you want less 'in you face ' try Heresy IVs with a pair of quality subs. They are also beautiful sounding but more subtle.
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