Klipsch Heresy IV Speaker Review

[Ludovic]

This conversation is interesting because it’s true that I rarely look at curves. probably wrongly.
As I have already said, I prefer to let my brain choose between 2 types of speakers in the same room on my favorite tracks.
Unlike you, I won't let ugly speakers into my home.
for the simple reason that I think the gap between two types of conventional speakers is often close. For the heresy it's different, it's true. and that's why I said they were not neutral.
As for distortion, the question I ask myself is: is it more detrimental than a noisy environment? and can we have tolerance for distortion? I think so. much more than external noise.

 

[Ludovic]

It’s true that I don’t make an effort but I have my reasons.
In fact apart from the heresy and 2 or 3 other pairs of speakers which didn't suit me at all, I find that most of the speakers sound relatively the same in thé same room.
I mean, I won't be able to tell if it's a focal , a monitor audio or dynaudio during a blind test.
From there, I should buy a conventional speaker, not too eccentric, I will buy a pair of monitor audio without dwelling on the graphics.

 

[gino1961]

This conversation is interesting because it’s true that I rarely look at curves. probably wrongly.

hi this is the graph i was referring to

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/klipsch-heresy-iv_hd-gif.95852/

lets be clear At the levels very high at which the Heresy start to show distortion other speakers would be broken I mean in normal condition some SPLs are achieved only during short peaks But if you listen from a distance at full power the sound could be fatiguing

As I have already said, I prefer to let my brain choose between 2 types of speakers in the same room on my favorite tracks.

ok no problem It takes time but it is a good method

Unlike you, I won't let ugly speakers into my home.

i try to keep the speakers in the dark This helps to focalize my attention on the virtual soundstage if i listen to music or the vision if i watch the movie
like it happens during concerts or watching movies in a cinema The lights go down

for the simple reason that I think the gap between two types of conventional speakers is often close. For the heresy it's different, it's true. and that's why I said they were not neutral.

Horns speakers are very different from conventional ones If done right they have performance that no conventionale speaker can rival Imho
Very high sound levels with extremely low distortion A live feeling that is fascinating And all with little power

As for distortion, the question I ask myself is: is it more detrimental than a noisy environment? and can we have tolerance for distortion? I think so. much more than external noise.

noise is not music It is always a bad thing Also electrical noise from the amps for instance
If the ambient noise is high this ruins the musical experience Just like a concert with noisy neighbours Noise is always bad

 

[gino1961]

It’s true that I don’t make an effort but I have my reasons.
In fact apart from the heresy and 2 or 3 other pairs of speakers which didn't suit me at all, I find that most of the speakers sound relatively the same in thé same room.
I mean, I won't be able to tell if it's a focal , a monitor audio or dynaudio during a blind test.
From there, I should buy a conventional speaker, not too eccentric, I will buy a pair of monitor audio without dwelling on the graphics.

if you have found a sound that you like i would stick with it You can try different amps maybe Or dacs I like hybrid amps with tubes followed by transistors The best sound beautiful I would try even tubes maybe

 

[mhardy6647]

For instance i amtrying to get a pair of these quite old using CTS woofer and EV compression drivers

The EV T35 tweeter in this loudspeaker uses a diffraction horn and should be oriented vertically if the loudspeaker is used as shown.
The midrange (which looks like an EV horn) may also be a diffraction horn, and, if so, should likewise be rotated 90 degrees.
Klipsch got it right on their original Cornwall morph, but wrong on every other Cornwall (and their other "heritage" loudspeakers) using the EV diffraction horns.

see, e.g., https://www.cieri.net/Documenti/Istruzioni/Electrovoice - Tweeter T35, T35B, T350.pdf (EV EDS for the T35B, T35, and T350)
or https://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=24785&d=1178143480

From the latter:

 

[Ludovic]

if you have found a sound that you like i would stick with it You can try different amps maybe Or dacs I like hybrid amps with tubes followed by transistors The best sound beautiful I would try even tubes maybe

I tried many amps except purifi.
My next one will probably be a purifi power amplifier. With xlr inputs for stereo preamp and classic inputs for my avr. So I will get the best of the two Worlds.

 

[gino1961]

View attachment 410400

The EV T35 tweeter in this loudspeaker uses a diffraction horn and should be oriented vertically if the loudspeaker is used as shown.

Hi thank you very much for the very valuable advice If i get them i am going to play a little
I would like to put the horns exposed on top Maybe trying other bigger horns for the mid The mid is what intrigues me more for voices
i like choirs a lot

The midrange (which looks like an EV horn) may also be a diffraction horn, and, if so, should likewise be rotated 90 degrees.

wow This is what i meant Not always drivers are used at their full potential It will be my first horn speakers Hopefully the last

Klipsch got it right on their original Cornwall morph, but wrong on every other Cornwall (and their other "heritage" loudspeakers) using the EV diffraction horns.

View attachment 410401

see, e.g., https://www.cieri.net/Documenti/Istruzioni/Electrovoice - Tweeter T35, T35B, T350.pdf (EV EDS for the T35B, T35, and T350)
or https://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=24785&d=1178143480

From the latter:
View attachment 410409

very very interesting and thank you very much again I guess that of they did not know or decided for an aesthetic reason
This is what happens when people select a loudspeaker for how it looks
By the way i hope that the mid throat size is standard ? the idea is to leave the box for the woofer alone And your advice has convinced me even more
I would like to use the mid more that i can by using a bigger horn

 

[mhardy6647]

By the way i hope that the mid throat size is standard ?

So -- the answer to that is "yes -- but there are multiple standards".
Mis-matching the driver to the horn via the throat (and any adaptors or discontinuities) can do a fair amount of damage in terms of performance.
EV has myriad useful and interesting guidance documents on this stuff, collected as "the PA Bible". One "book" in particular of that "Bible" may be of interest to you.
Horn resonances can also do a fair amount of audible damage -- and, as I think we have talked about before in this thread(?), there is value to doing everything possible to diminish them. Sometimes just bolting the horn smugly is a value-add. Depends on the horn. They can be damped other ways. But I digress...

https://electrovoice.com/media/downloads/ev_pabible-17-add16-mismatching_drivers_and_horns-1986.pdf

 

[GXAlan]

On this forum, repairability, durability, environmental and social impact, for example, are ignored.

I think the forum is diverse enough that you do see a range of opinions.

It’s a small sample size but among those who did vote, country of manufacture (which is proxy for your concerns) was not ignored.

Do you care where your speakers are manufactured?

Would you prefer that your speakers are manufactured in Europe (or the US if you live there) despite the price premium, or don't you really care? EDIT: I am talking here not about US/EU manufacturers vs Asian manufacturers, but rather about US/EU based manufacturers and how they produce, do...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Horns speakers are very different from conventional ones If done right they have performance that no conventional speaker can rival

Very high sound levels with extremely low distortion A live feeling that is fascinating And all with little power

The magic comes with science *and* horns. @Mr. Widget has owned JBL DD66000 Everests and custom TAD horn speakers but uses Meyer Sound X20’s in his home theater setup. I have Meyer Sound X40’s.

Now you get to combine modern DSP *and* the live feeling, all while satisfying repairability, durability, environmental and social impact metrics too.

You just lose out on value for the money and aesthetics! You also need to pair these with subwoofers to get a full range sound.

Staying with Klipsch, people say the Jubilee’s with their active crossovers and DSP are incredible as well.

 

[gino1961]

So -- the answer to that is "yes -- but there are multiple standards".
Mis-matching the driver to the horn via the throat (and any adaptors or discontinuities) can do a fair amount of damage in terms of performance.
EV has myriad useful and interesting guidance documents on this stuff, collected as "the PA Bible". One "book" in particular of that "Bible" may be of interest to you.
Horn resonances can also do a fair amount of audible damage -- and, as I think we have talked about before in this thread(?), there is value to doing everything possible to diminish them. Sometimes just bolting the horn smugly is a value-add. Depends on the horn. They can be damped other ways. But I digress...

https://electrovoice.com/media/downloads/ev_pabible-17-add16-mismatching_drivers_and_horns-1986.pdf

Hi ! thank you very much clearly i have to study a lot about different horns shapes and materials
For materials i have seen used those adhesive pads used for car audio to dampen resonance I understand that someone even uses cast iron horns But that is too much for me
But the point is that great horns can provide a very realistic feeling of live music I think that this is unpayable The best sensation a system can provide

 

[gino1961]

.... The magic comes with science *and* horns. @Mr. Widget has owned JBL DD66000 Everests and custom TAD horn speakers but uses Meyer Sound X20’s in his home theater setup. I have Meyer Sound X40’s.
Now you get to combine modern DSP *and* the live feeling, all while satisfying repairability, durability, environmental and social impact metrics too.
You just lose out on value for the money and aesthetics! You also need to pair these with subwoofers to get a full range sound.
Staying with Klipsch, people say the Jubilee’s with their active crossovers and DSP are incredible as well.

Hi ! thank you very much for your valuable advice Impressive speakers indeed
I see they are active ? i wonder if active is the way to An old idea was a 2 ways stereo active crossover and a passive on the mid highs
I could cut at 700Hz between the bass unit and the mid high unit The mid will have a low pass and the tweeter a high pass filter
And i could use different amps for the two ways

 

[gino1961]

.... Horn resonances can also do a fair amount of audible damage -- and, as I think we have talked about before in this thread(?), there is value to doing everything possible to diminish them. Sometimes just bolting the horn smugly is a value-add. Depends on the horn. They can be damped other ways. But I digress...,,

Hi i promise my last rambling on this fundamental issue of resonance
Sometimes is useful to study the opposite case where the resonances are very wanted

what makes a bell resonate ? the shape ? the material from which is made ?
my guess is material
Then the very first requirement for a horn is the selection of a non resonant material
the challenge is to find one not to heavy easy to work with and not too expensive
The classic knock test will tell how resonant it is

 

[Ludovic]

Hi thank you very much for the very valuable advice If i get them i am going to play a little
I would like to put the horns exposed on top Maybe trying other bigger horns for the mid The mid is what intrigues me more for voices
i like choirs a lot

wow This is what i meant Not always drivers are used at their full potential It will be my first horn speakers Hopefully the last

very very interesting and thank you very much again I guess that of they did not know or decided for an aesthetic reason
This is what happens when people select a loudspeaker for how it looks
By the way i hope that the mid throat size is standard ? the idea is to leave the box for the woofer alone And your advice has convinced me even more
I would like to use the mid more that i can by using a bigger horn

don't really like listening without visual support. I like watching a soccer match while listening to an album. However, the darkness improves the context as in the cinema. In the car, during night trips I like to listen to minimal techno. And rather less hard things in the morning. I've noticed that my listening styles vary depending on the music. Right now I have my headphones on and I'm listening to some ambient music which fits perfectly with the new Ocean documentary on Netflix. Separate the visual from the audio for testing probably. on the other hand, depriving oneself of sight for the sake of audio is a bit like depriving oneself of sight for the sake of taste. If I didn't have sight or touch, maybe I would like all kinds of pasta equally.

 

[gino1961]

don't really like listening without visual support. I like watching a soccer match while listening to an album.

hi you are kidding me ... come on Clearly if i watch a movie or a concert on tv the visual experience blend with the music very well
but whatching sports and listening to music ... you are real multitasking

However, the darkness improves the context as in the cinema.

that was exactly my point Full immersion And the next step will be a virtual helmet like those of jet pilots

In the car, during night trips I like to listen to minimal techno.

this is dangerous When you listen to music while driving the attention is not completely on driving Unless you drive a train on a railway

And rather less hard things in the morning. I've noticed that my listening styles vary depending on the music. Right now I have my headphones on and I'm listening to some ambient music which fits perfectly with the new Ocean documentary on Netflix. Separate the visual from the audio for testing probably. on the other hand, depriving oneself of sight for the sake of audio is a bit like depriving oneself of sight for the sake of taste. If I didn't have sight or touch, maybe I would like all kinds of pasta equally.

i see I feel differently For instance i stopped to go to audio shows for the people I find very annoying during a demo when people keep on chatting
It is like to go in the Curch and sing tavern songs with bad words Not the case Go to the tavern

 

[Ludovic]

hi you are kidding me ... come on Clearly if i watch a movie or a concert on tv the visual experience blend with the music very well
but whatching sports and listening to music ... you are real multitasking

that was exactly my point Full immersion And the next step will be a virtual helmet like those of jet pilots

this is dangerous When you listen to music while driving the attention is not completely on driving Unless you drive a train on a railway

i see I feel differently For instance i stopped to go to audio shows for the people I find very annoying during a demo when people keep on chatting
It is like to go in the Curch and sing tavern songs with bad words Not the case Go to the tavern

It all depends on what level you listen to music in the car.
For sport, you actually have to be a little disinterested in what is at stake. When my favorite team is playing, I let the sports commentary on. I didn't understand your third answer. Coming back to heresy, I regularly listen to new devices to be amazed. This weekend it was teufel and sonos. I still prefer klipsch. But hey I don't know Meyer, Revel and Jbl.
On the other hand, modern things like dua lipa or Charlie x sound bad on heresy.

 

[gino1961]

It all depends on what level you listen to music in the car.

Good morning probably maybe i have been worried by what i read about the level of attention to driving decreasing
i prefer to listen to music or radio when i have to wait someone in the car

For sport, you actually have to be a little disinterested in what is at stake. When my favorite team is playing, I let the sports commentary on.

this is what i used to do But it would be nice to hear only the sounds from the stadium Like being there Maybe even in sorround mode
i like immersive experiences The feeling to be there

I didn't understand your third answer.

it was just meaning that i consider the listening experience a very intimate moment I always listen alone
my ideal situation would be a closed headphone able to reproduce the front sound image For now no system can Maybe in the future who knows

Coming back to heresy, I regularly listen to new devices to be amazed. This weekend it was teufel and sonos. I still prefer klipsch. But hey I don't know Meyer, Revel and Jbl.
On the other hand, modern things like dua lipa or Charlie x sound bad on heresy.

Please dont get me wrong The Heresys are excellent speakers and their huge success shows Mine was mostly ramblings based on what i see on the lab report
Maybe in stock form their work at 90% of their true potential
There is an expert designer at GR Research who take commercial speakers and elevate their performance mainly redesigning the xover and using better parts
Someone say that the improvements can be marginal Others say substantial
Another my impression is that with the SW and instruments available these days is not impossible to check a speaker performance, design a xover etc.
But what is needed is a working space and time At present i am fighting with space I have components stored away everywhere
i am looking for a small space to use as lab
Have a nice day

 

[Ludovic]

Please dont get me wrong The Heresys are excellent speakers and their huge success shows Mine was mostly ramblings based on what i see on the lab report
Maybe in stock form their work at 90% of their true potential
There is an expert designer at GR Research who take commercial speakers and elevate their performance mainly redesigning the xover and using better parts
Someone say that the improvements can be marginal Others say substantial
Another my impression is that with the SW and instruments available these days is not impossible to check a speaker performance, design a xover etc.
But what is needed is a working space and time At present i am fighting with space I have components stored away everywhere
i am looking for a small space to use as lab
Have a nice day

I always defend the Klipsch Heresy because it is the best purchase I made for my expectations.
It's totally defensive, nothing offensive. I would never say that these are speakers that I can recommend to everyone.
I'm just fighting against claims I can't confirm. In my case, the screaming highs are wrong, I chose them precisely because they produce no sibilance.
The lack of bass is not totally true, there is shallow bass but much more controllable and punchy than other speakers.
Fairground enclosures are also false. Badly designed speakers, that's not true, they do the essential thing. Speakers that cannot be associated with a small AVR, my Marantz proves the opposite to me every day. They're expensive, that's for sure. There is better, I have no doubt about it, particularly on the refinement.
I agree with you, audio is a personal matter. You need a minimum of quality of course. But you're dreaming of a 3D headset, that's not at all what I'm looking for. Everyone has their own brain, like our fingerprints. And I dont say that we dont need measurements, but in my opinion, we have personal taste.
Good evening to you too and thank you for this conversation.