JBL 4349 or Klipsch Cornwall IV

I heard Cornwall with a few tube amps, most memorable of them Luxman MQ-300 with only 8W per channel, but I doubt I even used 1 watt, as Cornwall’s sensitivity is 102db, which means at 1 watt you’re at 102db, which is quite loud. Cornwall excels at low volume and near field listening as well as super high volumes if desired. You can achieve rock concert levels ~108-111db with only 4-8watts. They’re very easy to drive and you can have fun with all types of low power tube amps, especially SETs.

If you go for Cornwalls I suggest a Luxman tube integrated, LX-380 and you’ll be in heaven. This amp has it all, 18W per channel tubes, beautiful dac, solid phono stage and looks superb and quite fitting for Cornwalls. The only downfall is that it is not made in America. You will never look back after you hear this combo.

If you cant listen to your system for extended periods of time without fatigue then you should look for a different speaker. Not a Klipsch or JBL fan, but my guess is that you could look to modifications on the tweeter with the Klipsch. Have also heard that you can do alot with modifications on the Klipsch crossover. To my ears the JBLs get nothing right, but my exposure has been limited to the older models.

Current klipsch speakers need make no apologies and need no tweeter mods. Listen for yourself and you'll see.

Oz

I own the JBL L100. Used to own Cornwall 2’s and Cornscalla B version and Klipsch Forte 3’s. I have not heard the Cornwall 4’s yet. I’m sure I would love them though. My only reservation is that they are very big speakers. The JBL’s (in my room) sing. I can play them crazy loud with no ear fatigue at all. Excellent soundstage and imaging too. They sound good with tubes and solid state. You might try playing with positioning if you listen to them again. They are one of the best speaker purchases I have ever made. 

The first time I listened to Cornwall's it was a pair of II's and I thought the highs were a little bit shrill and the overall sound seemed thin to me.

Last week, I listened to a pair of broken-in Cornwall IV's in a dealer show room that was 14W X 20L x 10H and treated with corner bass traps on the front wall.

The speakers were mated to an all McIntosh solid state front end including a receiver rated at 200 WPC into 4 ohms.

The speakers were two feet off the front wall with ten feet between their centers and ten feet to the listening position. 

My impression, after listening for about an hour and a half with 5 or 6 different CD's, was that the sound seemed veiled and not particularly resolving. I liked the palpability of the large woofer but kept thinking that I needed to sit further away from the speakers as I felt almost "overwhelmed" even at low volumes.

I am trying hard to like a highly efficient American made speaker and do not mean to disparage the Cornwalls.

Would a tube amp make that much of a difference or is it maybe I just do not care for horns?

Thanks for listening, 

Dsper