• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Cornwall III - buy or not?

Vilmerok

Vilmerok

New Member
Hi. Sorry for my english, i'm not native speaker. There is an opportunity to buy used Cornwall 3. How does the 3rd model compare to the new 4th? I like the sound of the 4th. I have no way to listen to the third version live. How much worse is the III sound? My music styles are Rock, Jazz, Pop.
 
Register to hide this ad
Vilmerok said:
Hi. Sorry for my english, i'm not native speaker. There is an opportunity to buy used Cornwall 3. How does the 3rd model compare to the new 4th? I like the sound of the 4th. I have no way to listen to the third version live. How much worse is the III sound? My music styles are Rock, Jazz, Pop.
Click to expand...

The Cornwall III is an excellent speaker. The Cornwall IV is said to be better. I bought my Cornwall IIIs new in late 2018 and they were near the end of production. I paid 66% of what they want for Cornwall IVs now. I do not think the IV is 33% better than the III. Maybe 10%, or 20%.

If you can get a good deal on these, get them, also depending on visual and audio condition. In great used condition, I would think $3000 US dollars for pair is as high as one should pay, and hopefully much less.
 
Thanks for the price tip. I dream about jbl434x but don't have enough funds yet. Perhaps Klipsch can be an intermediate step. Do you think Cornwall-3 is suitable for hard rock music?

And more question. Does it make sense to replace my current jbl 4311 with cornwall3 or is it better to save money for future jbl434x?
 
Last edited:
I have heard folks report that generation IV is much better. I have also heard that generation III is much better than IV. Then again, I know that people spend thousands on a data cable. There are high performance power cables. There are probably people who think a dry wash cloth on top of a speaker dramatically improves soundstage.

I think the Cornwall speaker has changed little since it was first produced in 1959. My Cornwall IIIs sound amazing.
 
The amp is a Bottlehead Kaiju. I listen to many genres. Right now....Dire Straits. In a few minutes, I am likely to put on some Yoyo Ma.
 
If the price is right, I would buy them. There is always a market for Cornwalls if you change your mind..

I will not sell mine - and I have had and sold Khorns.

Sansui AU719 - all genres of music.
 
Cornwalls are great.

You asked about the genres I listen. I think my amp (Kaiju) and Cornwalls are best for music where midrange is important. Which is ALL music. But Pop music depends on very low frequencies. Most music is midrange.

I did not play Yoyo Ma, as I said. I listened to piano instead. In either case, the Cornwalls sound GREAT.
 
Eminence1963 said:
Should give you a idea maybe. Depends on what you listen to them through currently.
Click to expand...
Very cool. I have Cornwall II and Heresy 1 on separate systems in the same room. And I have Pneuma on my playlist :)

Vilmerok, If the CWIII are the right price, go for it! You will be able to sell them without too much trouble when you decide to move the the IV's
 
The III is not as accurate or as easy to listen to as the Cornwall IV. I would look for a pre-owned pair of Cornwall IV's especially if your room is on the hard side. The new midrange horn and driver along with the new tweeter make a big difference for me. The IV is a best buy unless you have loads of money to spend for speakers and amps with bunches of Power.
 
You've been gone for a few years @Vilmerok, glad you returned!
I love my Cornwall III speakers, great sounding to my ears. But for the reasons @twiiii mentioned above, I would still leap at the chance of getting a used Cornwall IV pair at the right price. :rockon:
 
Vilmerok said:
Thanks for the price tip. I dream about jbl434x but don't have enough funds yet. Perhaps Klipsch can be an intermediate step. Do you think Cornwall-3 is suitable for hard rock music?

And more question. Does it make sense to replace my current jbl 4311 with cornwall3 or is it better to save money for future jbl434x?
Click to expand...

If your going to stay with low powered amps,
Go with the Klipsch CW's.
For the money they are 1/2 the price of the bigger 434x JBL's.
Both have great resale, so no fear of loosing on either.
FWIW the JBL's will highlight poor recordings, and sources, more than the CW's
Another advantage for the CW4's is the superior horn to both the 434x's and CW3's
for a bigger better sweet spot
 
Last edited:
joecoulson said:
IV’s crush the III’s
Click to expand...

Ridiculous statement. No new version of a speaker I've ever heard - and I've heard many, inc. the CW4's - has ever "crushed" the previous iteration. ..The CW3 and 4 were designed by the same engineer using the same speaker principals and probably much of the same computer modeling and tools. ..I've heard both and they sound pretty much alike. That doesn't mean there aren't audible differences but it certainly means words like "crushes" disqualifies an opinion as credible.

OP, If the price is right... Buy em! ..They're awesome speakers notwithstanding the fact that, yes, a new version has come out.
 
Last edited:
Pretty stupid response. They crushed them. Bass, mids, the whole experience.
If you heard them both, then you would agree like most ever other reviewer out there.
But ok dude, carry on.
 
joecoulson said:
Pretty stupid response. They crushed them. Bass, mids, the whole experience.
If you heard them both, then you would agree like most ever other reviewer out there.
But ok dude, carry on.
Click to expand...

I've heard them both.

EVERY speaker I've ever owned was described as being vastly superior to the previous generation and vastly inferior to the next. Yet, in EVERY case where I was able to directly compare one generation to the next (side-by-side, volumes carefully matched), the differences ended up being very very subtle - so subtle that in some cases you'd be hard pressed to distinguish them while blinded. This was true even in cases where the cabinet was re-braced and EVERY driver was supposedly upgraded and improved.

For the IVs to crush the III would mean that todays geniuses at Klipsch were anything but yesterday. Yet, the same person designed/ engineered both.

Trust me, you'll be making the same argument I'm making when, in 2-3 years, the V's come out and people who bought them are telling you your IV's are crap. ..Which they will do, I promise.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom