Do any Klipsch in the current offering share characteristics of the older ones?

I am so impressed with my KG4's with my tube amp and Baresford DAC I am curious about the current line? Do any of the current speakers do well with low powered tube or SS amps?

I ran a few more tests with my new and vintage racks. It is amazing how well these speakers work with tube and lower powered solid state vintage.

They really shined with the following:
Sansui 350A, Pioneer SX-990, Marantz 2230, HK Three Thirty

Trying to decide which Klipsch to try next. Seems like the Heresy owners have a love hate relationship. The LaScala seem great but costly. Perhaps the Cornwall? or another KG-?

Thanks

Do any Klipsch in the current offering share characteristics of the older ones?

I am so impressed with my KG4's with my tube amp and Baresford DAC I am curious about the current line? Do any of the current speakers do well with low powered tube or SS amps?

The current Heritage (http://www.klipsch.com/products/lists/heritage-floorstanding.aspx) line remains very tube/low-power friendly.

Heresy III

Cornwall III

LaScala II

Klipschorn

Jubilee*





*Technically, not a Heritage Series speaker, but PWK designed it (with help), so it's a Klipsch Heritage Speaker in my book.

If you're talking about the heritage series, then yes. I haven't heard Synergy but the RF's only give you a small taste of what the big ones are capable of. They don't need much power at all to play loud. 3w/ch will shake the whole house.

They don't need much power at all to play loud. 3w/ch will shake the whole house.

And you simply do not want to know what several hundred will do... :yikes:

tell it Coytee...tell it!
Bill

Last week I pulled a system switch that really showed me what my KG2.5s can do. At my summer house my listening room is a big old barn with a lot of space to fill. Previously that system was fronted by a McIntosh Mac1700 pushing 40 watts (conservatively) into the KGs. I had to really crank it on music and movies when I wanted some real oomph, and the amp always sounded like it was straining. So I swapped the 1700 out and dropped in my Mac4300/Mc754 monobloc system whose 200wpc had been powering my main system in a room at home that was way too small for that kid of juice. Well, the KGs (rated for 75wpc) grabbed that 200 watts and ran with it. They sound great, like I had never really heard them before. Fast attacks and resolves, great bass that sounds like it goes lower than it measurably should (hardwood-on-slab floor probably helps), imaging and soundstaging that are really breathtaking. I didn't know they had it in them. I had always enjoyed them when mated to lower-power amps (they also spent time with a Fisher 800B and a Marantz 2220B), but they really come alive with some more power.

I've always felt that Klipsch (I've owned LaScalas for 29 years, owned & sold Khorns and now own Jubilees) have a bit of a dual personality.

I've run my Khorns on some 1.5 watt SE-OTL amps and they've sounded very good, within that range. I've run my Jubilees on McIntosh tubes and Crown K2's.

There is a low level reality to these speakers where they sound great and do all sorts of nice things with the sound.

There is however, another side to them..much different in that, if you crank them up with some horsepower, they will reach out and punch you in the chest unlike most others I've heard. They will do so while sounding very clean (especially the Jubilees I must say)

I've played to an outdoor field with a single LaScala and it was fabulous. I've played two of them at night, whisper quiet.

They just continue to amaze me with how they sound when fed "baby watts" as well as when they are fed major watts.

Gotta love em! I really doubt I'm telling anyone here, anything new.

:thmbsp:

And you simply do not want to know what several hundred will do... :yikes:

Oh yeah, I've ran some high powered SS on my Heritage and RF's. I used tubes most of the time however. I was just telling the original poster how little power it takes to make them scream.

After 6 years of going through tube amps, I've finally gone back to SS. Have you tried gainclones on your Jubs? I purchased a pair of mono blocks and it took all my speakers to a new level of performance. Chest pounding bass and transients even at low levels. It's my new preferred design after SET's.
I'd love to get a pair of Jub top sections one day and make a Jub Scala.

Cornwall is a GREAT first Klipsch speaker.

I bought a set in 1994 and look how I turned out!

I used a SS Kenwood KM-105 (100-125wpc)with my La Scalas most of the time with spectacular results. I've used 200+wpc (Fort'e) and a very cool little 20wpc HK Integrated and the LS's sounded great but. . . Something about my 10 dollar Kenwood (BPC?) that just works right with the LS'a. Not only me but knowledgable Klipsch lovers who knew what they were supposed to do with the right gear were blown away. . .

Seldom did I play those speakers with over about 10 watts but on occasion I light up all the bars on the power meters and I can not see how any sane person could want more for any reason than those guys delivered with that kind of power. I can not fully describe the ground shaking smoothness that they projected. . .

Even my KG-5.5 and 4.5s do very very well behind that Kenwood. I would have bet money that this combo just wouldn't couldn't cut it but I would have lost that bet. . .

I also 2nd what was said about low level listening in a dead quiet room using quiet source material and trust me it is spooky how good they sound. . .

I like my RF3II's with both SS and tube. When I really wanna belt out the volume I feed them a couple hundred watts. They do not give up much to my Cornwalls except for the size of the image they project (sounstage). The Cornwalls are tremendous with just 30WPC of tube PP power. I would look for something in the Reference line if you are wanting to try "newer" Klipsch speakers but, if you really want the best of all things Klipsch you simply must go with the Heritage line. IMO.