After all my auditioning.....Klipsch it is (1 Viewer)

[Dan Hine]

the majority prefer klipsch therefore the majority is correct?

As others have posted in this thread, audio is a very subjective field. There is no correct. There is I like, you like, she likes/he likes, we like, they like, etc...
Perhaps you don't like people disagreeing with your choice in speakers. I can understand that. I get it all the time when I say I like my Polk RT series speakers. Loosen up man.

 

[Paul Seyfarth]

It really sounds like you don't have sensitive hearing, or you have lost some of your hearing.

"If I want a real good laugh I could invite you over and hook up your speakers to my system next to my klipsch. I think you people bashing klipsch speakers have no idea yourselves what sounds good."

Yes we could just like I did with my Polk LSi series and my brothers Klipsch. He really liked the klipsch, and I really liked the polks. I couldn't listen to the Klipsch for very long before my ears were in pain.

We are not hearing the same things, the Polk LSi series sounds very real, open and detailed. I don't hear anything in the Klipsch that I don't hear in my polks. Sure the Klipsch is louder, but I can still hear the details in the polks.

 

[Saurav]

Sales figures - I think Klipsch is 3rd or 4th in the US speaker market, behind Bose and Polk and some others. This is according to an article I read about a book that was released recently on the life of Paul Klipsch. However, I'm guessing that the speakers marketed towards the "high-end listener" make up a fairly small percentage of these total sales figures, both for Klipsch as well as for Polk. Sales volumes in computer/multimedia speakers and car audio (in Polk's case, don't know if Klipsch plays in that field) would probably be much higher.

 

[Dan Hine]

Saurav,
Thank you for making a great point by reminding us that Bose sells the most speakers. God help us if the majority is right.

 

[Chris Tabor]

For one my ears are fine. give me a break. Am I privy?? I don't have numbers but I would bet my entire HT system that klipsch outsells any audiophile speaker on a world wide basis. And about the speakers sounding the same....Why are you asking me this. Did I make those claims? NO. I was referring to people saying klipsch doesn't produce true sound. Think or read a little more before you make remarks. And finally, the last thing in this world i'm gonna worry about is whether or not people in here disagree with my purchase. I heard enough to know audiophile speakers are not my way to go Whether other people like audiphile speakers or not I really don't care. I actually find the way this thread went to be funny. How old is everyone here anyway?

 

[Dan Hine]

Chris,

Whether other people like audiphile speakers or not I really don't care.

Great! Like what you like. Just be prepared to let others like what they like. You are not doing this by telling them they don't know what good sound is.

Again, Chris, loosen up. Your written words seem to be full of frustration. I'm not typing anything to be a jerk. I was just trying to give out a viewpoint from the other side of the coin.

 

[John F. Palacio]

Dan Hine says: "Thank you for making a great point by reminding us that Bose sells the most speakers."
And probably Carlo Rossi or Ripple sell the most wine.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

And probably Carlo Rossi or Ripple sell the most wine.

:rolleyes

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Dan said: Thank you for making a great point by reminding us that Bose sells the most speakers. God help us if the majority is right.

I was thinking the exact same thing Dan as soon as the "compare sales" argument came up.
I auditioned side by side in the same room with the same material:
Klipsch
Boston
Def Tech
Polk
& Infinity
My material was Pearl Harbor, Matrix, Fast & the Furious, Gladiator, & Episode I and I probably compared for more than 2 hours on more than one day. Sales associate was quite nice about it.
All were in the ~$1200-$1400/pair price range for the mains ~$350 for the center and another ~$600 for surrounds. For the type of movies I liked I prefered the Klipsch sound. Just my opinion. I don't listen to music so didn't care to compare that. But I did hear the difference (sometimes major) between speakers and I can see how some people would prefer another manufacturer. I don't think any sounded bad and would have been happy with any but for me and for the price, Klipsch stood out.

 

[Dan Hine]

Jason,
YOU DON'T LISTEN TO MUSIC!!!!!???
Just kidding.

 

[Chris Tabor]

Dan, that is exactly my point. They all say klipsch isn't a true sound. So who's to say b&w or paradigm is right? I never said klipsch was true sound. Its MY sound that I like. So the point i was trying to make is now showing some light. How can audiophile speakers be producing true sound if they all sound different? And no I don't claim any speaker i know of produces "true sound" or whatever that may be. So the whole arguement they make about klipsch and against klipsch not producing true sound is rediculous. Its no more or less "true" sound than any other different sounding speaker is.

 

[Saurav]

Saurav,
Thank you for making a great point by reminding us that Bose sells the most speakers. God help us if the majority is right.

*shrug* I don't think it means much one way or the other. High sales volume definitely doesn't imply poor quality, and it doesn't imply high quality either. Most of the stuff I'm interested in (and which make up parts of my system) isn't available through normal retail channels anyway, so if I started judging quality on number of units sold, my setup would count as being very poor indeed.
For instance, how many of you own the "Saurav's Super Duper Black Plastic Passive Autoformer Based Linestage"? Have you even heard of it? It's the best linestage I've heard in the $300 price bracket, and probably better than many costing a good deal more too.

Black plastic because this was my first time with a power drill, so I decided to stay away from metal enclosures. So don't make fun of me or my super duper linestage

 

[Chris Tabor]

Dan, I see you changed your post. The only reason I was getting that way was because you were putting words in my mouth that I didn't make claim too. Maybe i didn't word my own statement correctly enough but I was still referring to the claims of true sound when I said "maybe they don't know what good sound is". I do like what I like but its rediculous that someone else that likes what they like makes claims of a speaker not being "true". Do you know where i'm trying to go with this?

 

[Dan Hine]

They all say klipsch isn't a true sound. So who's to say b&w or paradigm is right? I never said klipsch was true sound. Its MY sound that I like.

Ok, I see where you're coming from. And now that I know what you meant, I agree. I think the idea of "true sound" is impossible anyway. I mean, we hear "real" sounds differently just as we hear speakers differently. Hmmm, a parody of the Matrix. "There is no true."
Saurav,
I know just what you mean. My Dayton DVC can hold it's own against any sub in twice its price range (cost me $300to build). Something tells me more people own subs from Radioshack though. (I'm allowed to say that since I used to be one of them)

 

[Tim Hoover]

Sorry to jump into this so late!

Horn speakers are good at duplicating the sounds/dynamics many live(amplified) bands use in playing venues. Is it lifelike? I think that's very debatable. What is the largest need for a club's sound system, quality, or SPL's? But, the real question is, is that sound lifelike, or what they are forced to use in that particular venue to get the high SPL's?

I think the real reason here is the difficulty in finding good quality, reasonably priced PA cabinets without horns. Most PA manufacturers use horns for their efficiency, and then have to design a quality sound around that.

As far as the old argument about which speaker is the best, I think most of can agree that it depends on the person. The human ear is a highly complex instrument, not to mention the brain it is wired into. All of us hear something differently, and if two people did happen to hear the exact same thing, their brains would still process the info in entirely different ways.

Chris, I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your new speakers. I wish that those who spend so much time bashing others' speaker choices would instead devote that time to simply enjoying their own..

 

[Lyle Schenher]

Hi, I think there is one aspect of Klipsch that many people miss.

Like many manufacturers Klipsch has entry level models, and higher end stuff.

The part that I find most fascinating is that the top of the line (Klipsch Heritage Klipschorns, Belle, La Scala) have been continuously manufactured with minor driver and crossover changes for over 30 years...

What other manufacturer has a line of speakers that have stood that test of time, and still garner great reviews ?

For insight check out the used market for Klipsch Heritage speakers on Ebay... they typically sell like hot potatos at a very good price for vintage gear ...

I own La Scala's and agree that Klipsch like any other speaker choice is a personal preference ... I love em, you may hate em... that's ok ... to each his own right ???

I guess too that in my experience the sound of instruments such as piano is best portrayed by my La Scala's...

However one of my favourite instruments heard through the La Scala's is guitar... Oscar Lopez Heat is one of my favourite CD's.


So without trying to cut down any other speaker, I would suggest that those who get the opportunity should take a listen to a pair of Klipschorn, Belle, La Scala, Cornwall, Heresy... You may just find yourself getting hooked and bringing them home with you...

Lyle.

 

[Dan Hine]

Chris,

but I was still referring to the claims of true sound when I said "maybe they don't know what good sound is".

You lost me here, buddy. Referring to claims of true sound or not aren't you still saying that they don't know what good sound is? Your original quote was actually "I think you people bashing klipsch speakers have no idea yourselves what sounds good." Good sound is what they like, plain and simple, whether or not they agree with what sounds good to you. Would you mind elaborating on what you mean exactly?

 

[Chris Tabor]

What i'm saying is....They claim I don't hear right or am deaf to highs or that klipsch doesn't sound good. Klipsch sounds awesome and what i've heard of audiophile speakers sound underperforming. So I sarcastically said that statement to them in a manner at which it was being directed to me. And notice i started the sentence with "I think". And thats the truth, I don't think they know what sounds good if they say klipsch sounds bad. Remember...."I think".

 

[Manuel Delaflor]

Saurav,

I've been curious about trying out some of the older Klipsch speakers, but I fear that I would have to give up too much tonal neutrality in exchange for dynamics. There are many other options available today that seem more attractive to me, based on reviews of how they sound.

We will need reviews on the old speakers with new techniques. In the meantime, I think you (and everyone else) will find interesting this link I just found (so far, this discussion has been entirely subjective, how about some numbers, just for the sake to see if there is something as "color", "tonal imbalance" or anything else):
Cornwall Objective Review, Electroacoustic & Vibration Measurements

 

[DanaA]

But that is exactly what happens everytime Klipsch speakers are being discussed. Haven't you heard the cliches - "made my ears bleed" - that people (often the same people) post over and over. Why is it ok in one direction and not the other?