what do people think about the "Klipsch sound" ?

[garbulky]

Maybe a visit to your hearing specialist might be in order.

You've got issues

 

[GGroch]

You've got issues

Sam Tellig on the La Scalas: The current Klipsch LaScala is truly a great loudspeaker: few others do dynamics so well -- I am talking real dynamics, or what audiophiles call "macrodynamics" -- and at the price they are a steal. And if you think big horn-loaded speakers don't image, well, you haven't heard the LaScala's. Enjoy. I sure did.

 

[hvbias]

Except for the Heritage Classic product and their pro stuff, I doubt current Klipsch offerings adhere closely to its founding principles. Certainly they put horns in most models but with the current trend toward smaller speakers that disappear in your home, ...their efficiency must be so padded down to match the tiny heavily DSP'd woofers that most benefits are probably lost.

Their pro horns for cinema installs are more about neutrality, flat frequency response on axis and constant directivity.

The K-402 is the absolute best sounding horn I have ever heard. Besides the truly impressive dynamics I wouldn't know I was listening to a horn.

 

[restorer-john]

I haven't seen or heard Klipsch speakers for decades now. The last pair I heard was an older pair of K-horns so I didn't draw any conclusions at the time.

Funnily enough, there is only one real HiFi store left in my area (26km away). I remember catching a bus down to that store with my best mate to buy a cassette deck in 1983 when still at school. The store is still in the same place and still operating. He sells Klipsch...

 

[GGroch]

Just came upon this new Audiophilac video on horn speaker benefits that contrasts horn designs to subjective impressions of Andrew Jone's (the internet's current fave) Elacs. Interesting take. I have owned a lot of Andrew's Kef UniQ designs, love them. But when I hear a great horn speaker, like Guttenberg, I think I may be missing something.

BTW Vert...thanks for starting this topic. An interesting subject that has not been discussed much recently I think.

 

[garbulky]

Sam Tellig on the La Scalas: The current Klipsch LaScala is truly a great loudspeaker: few others do dynamics so well -- I am talking real dynamics, or what audiophiles call "macrodynamics" -- and at the price they are a steal. And if you think big horn-loaded speakers don't image, well, you haven't heard the LaScala's. Enjoy. I sure did.

I've heard several Hereseys and the Lascala. Overall impression for me is if it's at close range the tonal balance moves towards brightness. And that's probably my biggest pick towards it. Also a small amount of discontinuity between the drivers. But nothing that bothered me too much.

My biggest interest in music reproduction is that of acoustic instruments played and recorded in a single acoustic space. I play several acoustic instruments and so if the tone isn't nailed down, I get critical. So that was my biggest critique.

It doesn't take a lot to drive these speakers. The horns allowed for a sensation of "quickness" or improved microdynamics.

In the bass range I found some muddiness and overal soundstage placement of instruments was poor. Honestly I thought my tv sounded better with one Klipsch model I auditioned because it wasn't as muddy. However the Klipschs all were able to play loud without really changing composure. And once again the cabinetry looked wonderful, etc. Most were auditioned with Emotiva XPA-2 amps.
I hear a lot about Klipsch having the lowest distortion drivers etc, but man it doesn't feel like it's reflected in use.

 

[Wombat]

I've heard several Hereseys and the Lascala. Overall impression for me is if it's at close range the tonal balance moves towards brightness. And that's probably my biggest pick towards it. Also a small amount of discontinuity between the drivers. But nothing that bothered me too much.

My biggest interest in music reproduction is that of acoustic instruments played and recorded in a single acoustic space. I play several acoustic instruments and so if the tone isn't nailed down, I get critical. So that was my biggest critique.

It doesn't take a lot to drive these speakers. The horns allowed for a sensation of "quickness" or improved microdynamics.

In the bass range I found some muddiness and overal soundstage placement of instruments was poor. Honestly I thought my tv sounded better with one Klipsch model I auditioned because it wasn't as muddy. However the Klipschs all were able to play loud without really changing composure. And once again the cabinetry looked wonderful, etc. Most were auditioned with Emotiva XPA-2 amps.
I hear a lot about Klipsch having the lowest distortion drivers etc, but man it doesn't feel like it's reflected in use.

Most consumer horn related systems are only using horns above 500Hz. Others use horns for LF but 50Hz(large mouth) is problematic for most domestic applications and can give poor results in typical smallish rooms leading to disappointment for those who expect more.
Great 50Hz from horns can out-do typical 35Hz from 'most' 2-4 cu.ft. box speakers for most music which are usually 'dull' at LF, IMNSHO. The acoustic transformer at work.

Good horn systems never gave me the impression that they were making an effort. All box speakers give me the contrary impression to some degree as do small(in comparison) cone drivers and various low BL tweeters.

By the way, the sound pressure in the box transfers through the speaker cone to the room. The higher this level, e.g. smaller boxes/cones driven by DSP and higher powered amplifiers the more of a problem it is.
I always feel that bigger enclosures do it more easily than 'shoeboxes'.

 

[hvbias]

Most consumer horn related systems are only using horns above 500Hz. Others use horns for LF but 50Hz(large mouth) is problematic for most domestic applications and can give poor results in typical smallish rooms leading to disappointment for those who expect more.
Great 50Hz from horns can out-do typical 35Hz from 'most' 2-4 cu.ft. box speakers for most music which are usually 'dull' at LF, IMNSHO. The acoustic transformer at work.

Good horn systems never gave me the impression that they were making an effort. All box speakers give me the contrary impression to some degree as do small(in comparison) cone drivers and various low BL tweeters.

By the way, the sound pressure in the box transfers through the speaker cone to the room. The higher this level, e.g. smaller boxes/cones driven by DSP and higher powered amplifiers the more of a problem it is.
I always feel that bigger enclosures do it more easily than 'shoeboxes'.

I agree with much of what you said about horn bass, this is why I am getting a custom midbass horn as well.

I wrote some more back here shortly after ASR was formed: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...402-another-controlled-directivity-horn.1120/

Regarding small speakers I am pretty much completely in agreement as well. The Kii/D&D might squash all that with their cardioid bass and exceptional frequency/directivity, so I am waiting to hear them before I pass judgement on all small speakers.

edit: damn it looks like the picture I took is down, I'll have to grab it from a backup. In the meantime this is similar to what I am planning to do for the straight bass horn below the K-402, which is the midrange/treble constant directivity horn on top.

 

[garbulky]

I agree with much of what you said about horn bass, this is why I am getting a custom midbass horn as well.

I wrote some more back here shortly after ASR was formed: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...402-another-controlled-directivity-horn.1120/

Regarding small speakers I am pretty much completely in agreement as well. The Kii/D&D might squash all that with their cardioid bass and exceptional frequency/directivity, so I am waiting to hear them before I pass judgement on all small speakers.

edit: damn it looks like the picture I took is down, I'll have to grab it from a backup. In the meantime this is similar to what I am planning to do for the straight bass horn below the K-402, which is the midrange/treble constant directivity horn on top.

Impressive! Those will knock ya over!

 

[GGroch]

Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac has just posted 2 videos with his subjective impressions of the newly released Klipsch RP-600M 6.5" bookshelf speakers. New titanium infested vented hybrid tractrix horns and hornyish rear ported reflex design.

In the first video he assembles a $1000 system using the $550\pr RP-600M and an NAD integrated and was gobsmacked.
In the 2nd he connects the RP-600Ms to $40,000 of electronics and is gobsmacked too by the horn microdynamics.

So apparently some of the new designs are quite well executed. He is convinced that good horn speakers, even smaller ones, can have measurably superior "fun" than other designs.

He also comments that hooking moderately priced speakers to end-game electronics is good because it shows the speaker's potential..but that the reverse ....inexpensive electronics to $10,000 speakers is bad because they will sound awful. Will $10,000 horns sound awful with $600 of electronics? I see on the JDS Labs Atom thread Eurasian is considering using the headphone amp to the HF of his horns.

 

[graz_lag]

... I see on the JDS Labs Atom thread Eurasian is considering using the headphone amp to the HF of his horns.

Nothing is certain except for death and taxes - Benjamin Franklin

 

[andreasmaaan]

He also comments that hooking moderately priced speakers to end-game electronics is good because it shows the speaker's potential..but that the reverse ....inexpensive electronics to $10,000 speakers is bad because they will sound awful. Will $10,000 horns sound awful with $600 of electronics? I see on the JDS Labs Atom thread Eurasian is considering using the headphone amp to the HF of his horns.

It depends on which inexpensive electronics. Plenty of 600€ rigs will sound great driving any pair of (appropriately-matched) expensive speakers.

 

[vert]

Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac has just posted 2 videos with his subjective impressions of the newly released Klipsch RP-600M 6.5" bookshelf speakers. New titanium infested vented hybrid tractrix horns and hornyish rear ported reflex design.

In the first video he assembles a $1000 system using the $550\pr RP-600M and an NAD integrated and was gobsmacked.
In the 2nd he connects the RP-600Ms to $40,000 of electronics and is gobsmacked too by the horn microdynamics.

So apparently some of the new designs are quite well executed. He is convinced that good horn speakers, even smaller ones, can have measurably superior "fun" than other designs.

He also comments that hooking moderately priced speakers to end-game electronics is good because it shows the speaker's potential..but that the reverse ....inexpensive electronics to $10,000 speakers is bad because they will sound awful. Will $10,000 horns sound awful with $600 of electronics? I see on the JDS Labs Atom thread Eurasian is considering using the headphone amp to the HF of his horns.

In 2015 some French audiophiles, three of them, independently wrote about some stunning results with a $120 FX-AUDIO full digital amp and >$10k speakers. It caused quite a stir in French audiophilandia and some audio/AV forums, into early 2018. It's been more quiet since then. I'd like to see the experiment replicated elsewhere.

 

[graz_lag]

In 2015 some French audiophiles, three of them, independently wrote about some stunning results with a $120 FX-AUDIO full digital amp and >$10k speakers. It caused quite a stir in French audiophilandia and some audio/AV forums, into early 2018. It's been more quiet since then. I'd like to see the experiment replicated elsewhere.

The little blue led onto the little box on the floor surrounded by the 2 giants of speakers (Vivid G1) is in fact the little FX-Audio D802 Class-D amplifier ...

 

[Kyle / MrHeeHo]

The little blue led onto the little box on the floor surrounded by the 2 giants of speakers (Vivid G1) is in fact the little FX-Audio D802 Class-D amplifier ...

View attachment 18384

Those speakers are hideous

 

[graz_lag]

When it comes to speakers, the uglier they are the better they sound

...

 

[Ron Texas]

Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac has just posted 2 videos with his subjective impressions of the newly released Klipsch RP-600M 6.5" bookshelf speakers. New titanium infested vented hybrid tractrix horns and hornyish rear ported reflex design.

In the first video he assembles a $1000 system using the $550\pr RP-600M and an NAD integrated and was gobsmacked.
In the 2nd he connects the RP-600Ms to $40,000 of electronics and is gobsmacked too by the horn microdynamics.

So apparently some of the new designs are quite well executed. He is convinced that good horn speakers, even smaller ones, can have measurably superior "fun" than other designs.

He also comments that hooking moderately priced speakers to end-game electronics is good because it shows the speaker's potential..but that the reverse ....inexpensive electronics to $10,000 speakers is bad because they will sound awful. Will $10,000 horns sound awful with $600 of electronics? I see on the JDS Labs Atom thread Eurasian is considering using the headphone amp to the HF of his horns.

Steve thinks it's the speaker of the year:

https://www.cnet.com/news/the-klips...eaker-of-the-year/#ftag=rss.audiophiliac.ftag

Is he on to something, or is this bull?

 

[Ron Texas]

Those speakers are hideous

They're what nightmares are made from.

 

[garbulky]

Steve thinks it's the speaker of the year:

https://www.cnet.com/news/the-klips...eaker-of-the-year/#ftag=rss.audiophiliac.ftag

Is he on to something, or is this bull?

Steve, well he's really about easy reading and relaxing. I'm not sure if he really cares about the sound quality much, if at all. He's more like hello readers who aren't in to audio. Check out this new thing. This is called a "headphone". Astute readers may have heard of such a device. I ran this $5000 unit with ipad and I thought it sounded great. So to make sure, I then plugged it in to my iphone. Good times were had. Tune in next time.

 

[graz_lag]

Steve thinks it's the speaker of the year:

https://www.cnet.com/news/the-klips...eaker-of-the-year/#ftag=rss.audiophiliac.ftag

Is he on to something, or is this bull?

Look @ this :
"So I'm not claiming it's the best sounding speaker I've heard, just that it's the one I can't shake loose.
I kept coming back to it, prolonging the reviewing process precisely because it sounded so alive and visceral."

I am a Klipsch fanboi ... but sometime too much is simply too much ...