klipsh scala speakers

"way too much stuff" hit it right on the head! you absolutely need good components ahead of any klipsch speaker. i have owned my cornwall 2s since new and would never give them up, BUT YOU NEED good high quality equipment ahead of them. that goes for cables too. with cheap recievers and cd players your ears will bleed. 

Speaking as one who is no fan of Klipsch products, but who has sold them professionally, the latest Forte should be the ticket for your son...quite sensitive, and much fuller range and better balanced than La Scalas, and therefore more forgiving.  Driven by a Rogue Pharaoh tube/ class D hybrid integrated they should do their best.  Consider reminding him too of the long term damaging effect of overly loud playback on one's hearing.  It shows up decades later...believe it!

They look more impressive than they sound. Not to mention the size.
He might be a Tekton buyer. 

If the OPs son can stretch his budget, the current Forte or Cornwall will put many a modern day conventional speaker to shame. The Cornwall IV has been around long enough that they are hitting the used market. This speaker need make no apologies for any aspect of its performance. Quite a heavy hitter.

Oz

As per above posters, I wouldn't have kept my Klipschorns if kept in stock form, crossover and driver limitations. Some have no problems with Klipsch Heritage series running solid state, no way for me. Tube pre and amp are absolutes for me, the lower the power the better. My 300B SET monoblocks best followed by 845 SET, and then EL34 push pull. They'll get far louder than I need with any of these amps. I agree Klipsch's can sound very nice at lower volumes as well, really incredible micro and macro dynamics, loud or quiet volume settings. And yes, the larger Klipsch heritage will give more bass. Finally, yes, Klipsch heritage needs absolute first rate total system to sound best, they are quite revealing!