I’ll respect the OP and move on. I was just responding to what had already been introduced by others.
Peace!
Klipsch Epic Owners?
- Thread starter avguytx
- Start date
I’ll respect the OP and move on. I was just responding to what had already been introduced by others.
Peace!
DEFTECHY
Well-Known Member
Exactly!
Most the better speakers I have owned or own are pretty much just drop in & go. Aside from the basics of placement, usually in or near a corner as PWK has always said, toed in a bit to accommodate your listening position and thats all that should be required for most speakers/rooms. Room treatments can help improve the room acoustics but in general a good speaker should not need a bunch of additional products, effort, super expensive tube amps, or perfect recordings to sound good.
New Epics would be awesome, but with the prices of new fortes and cornwalls etc, new Epics would probably be close to 10K! Id rather have some nice original CF4 for ~$1500... just like forte 2 vs forte4, is there really almost a $4000 improvement in sound on the new vs old? Maybe for those with large disposable incomes.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
True that on the price if new Epics came out. Maybe they should just come up with replacement woofers for the 3's and 4's and call it good.
tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
I ain't holdin my breath for that one. I think the muckity mucks at Klipsch wish the Epic line never existed. I've spoken one on one with a senior Klipsch engineer about them and he was very selective about the information he was willing to share (orders from the top).
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Yeah, you and I have messaged about this before. I knew many reps and dealers that all had matching stories about the Epic line's duration and then the 9 month "rush" through R&D to production of the KLF line that replaced it. Oh well. They are great sounding speakers and I'm always on the lookout for a pair of CF-4's reasonable priced. But, doubtful that will every happen.
The Khorns response was targeted at your negative review. I just designed a "double 15" WTW Two Way BR speaker with a horn in between the woofers. I've owned all of the Heritage and PRO Klipsch speakers, with few exceptions and take my hat off to Roy Delgado, the designed of the CF-4 as a terrific 2 way speaker.
I've never owned a pair, but I have 6 of the K-31 woofers used in the CF-4 and in the Underground Jubilee (also by Roy). I agree with moving the thread, and like life, everything is an A vs B "beer" taste test
Ask a man from Vermont: "How's you wife?" to which, he'll reply: "Compared to what?"
I'm pretty sure it was based on a D'Appolito configuration which went against all of their existing products, but was worth a try. I'm halfway done simulating and building one myself. Look at some of the offerings from JTR is you like that type of speaker.
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tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
It was very much based on the D'Appolito array and the results were outstanding if one values image/sound stage resolution and dimensionality. I've owned Klipsch Chorus II's and Forte and neither of those could come close to the sort of holographic presentation of sonic content I hear from my CF-4's. Honestly, in that regard they aren't that far off from the Acoustat Spectra 22's and Magnepan MG-IIIa's I once owned..and that's saying a lot for a box speaker and even more for a box speaker with horn loaded mids/highs.
I'm not familiar with JTR, but have seen a pretty sweet looking model from PBN that employs an D'Appolito array using a waveguide between two 15" drivers.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
I'm afraid to ask what those might run...
$4k each for dual 15" JTR speakers. I'll have to puff, puff, pass on those. Spending $8k on speakers is something I've never had the desire to do. Just not that important to me. Now, if I had stupid money, well, that's another story.
$4k each for dual 15" JTR speakers. I'll have to puff, puff, pass on those. Spending $8k on speakers is something I've never had the desire to do. Just not that important to me. Now, if I had stupid money, well, that's another story.
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Guillaume57
New Member
I've been the happy owner of the Klipsch Chorus IIs and the Epic-3s for a long time. The Chorusses on good tubes is a stellar combination. The Epic-3s on tubes or SS is, Epic. Some of my very favorite speakers ever.
I understand there are no rebuild kits for the Epic crossovers. What a shame, I would love to listen for another decade or two and then leave them to my kids or grandkids.
Here's a pic of my dining area listening space. They are powered by a upgraded Yaqin MC100B running pre-war Yugoslavian KT-90s with 1950's 6SN7s, and 1960's 12AX7s, and a refurbished Sansui G8000. I change them around when I'm ready.
I understand there are no rebuild kits for the Epic crossovers. What a shame, I would love to listen for another decade or two and then leave them to my kids or grandkids.
Here's a pic of my dining area listening space. They are powered by a upgraded Yaqin MC100B running pre-war Yugoslavian KT-90s with 1950's 6SN7s, and 1960's 12AX7s, and a refurbished Sansui G8000. I change them around when I'm ready.
DEFTECHY
Well-Known Member
There may not be any kits for these, but you can just buy the same value capacitors of your choice for the crossovers to refresh them.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Really, the crossovers in these are fine. I took them out of my CF-3's and sent them to someone (that I can't mention) to test them completely out and they were within spec. The only parts that got changed in mine while there were the electrolytic caps on the low pass side plus 2 resistors. They sound fine to me as they are and I don't care to go any further with the crossovers, personally, especially since they were in spec.
DEFTECHY
Well-Known Member
You can mention them here, just cant post links to the business for some reason... yet people in the other sub groups here post links to manufacturers and 3rd part retailers all the time.
I will take a wild guess that it was CRITES who did that service and was upfront that the caps were still in spec and didnt try to sell you something you didnt need. But I could be wrong on that, good to hear that whoever it was was honest about the test results.
Really, most these film caps are still within spec for capacitance values, I have tested all the original caps I replaced on models like Chorus2, forte2, KG4, KG5.5 etc, and most were within tolerance. However the ESR was pretty high on the blue film caps they used in the chorus2/forte2, although I dont know what they should have been when new. The blue film caps all measured 2.2-2.5 ohms yet the yellow ones they use in other models of this era were all .5-1.5, which is the same range as the ERSE polypropylene caps I have used.
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avguytx
Lunatic Member
You can mention them here, just cant post links to the business for some reason... yet people in the other sub groups here post links to manufacturers and 3rd part retailers all the time.
I will take a wild guess that it was CRITES who did that service and was upfront that the caps were still in spec and didnt try to sell you something you didnt need. But I could be wrong on that, good to hear that whoever it was was honest about the test results.
Nope. Wasn't them and wasn't a retailer.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
I couldn't believe in the difference in sound when we voiced our first pair of Rosewood Cornerhorns back in 76. Urei room EQ's made all the difference in the world. All you needed was a pre-owned 8B or MC 240 to drive the speakers. 275's and 9B's were just to much.
The Kornerhorns with their tight room destroying bass played 1812 Overture with cannons and chimes like nothing else. Even a stacked pair of ML-4's pushed with a pair 2300's couldn't compete even if they could reach almost an octave lower. Our sound room was 20 X 30 and didn't matter if you used a 3 channel sound on the long wall or a two channel system on the short wall, the sound was fantastic. I learned a new respect for Kornerhorns that week.
Even if I bought a pair today I would still voice them to get the best sound. I'd want a B style with the newer drivers and tweeter from today. I'm still not convinced the sealed back of the horn is the best solution. I imagine its more consistent in performance that way , but mated perfectly to a corner the results should be great. It sure was almost 50 years ago. The Rose wood and Ebony models were something to behold. I Know paying an extra 100% was a lot to pay back then, but they were beautiful and it sure helped women accept them in their homes. I had tri-amped Concert Grands with added super tweeters that were voiced with Crown parametric EQ's and they improved just as much as the Kornerhorns did by voicing.
My current line arrays improved too using a Mcintosh MQ-107 with a little help from the bass filter for the left channel because my room is not symmetrical.
I have heard the new Hersey, Forte, Cornwall and Kornerhorn and they really are a big step forward over previous models. I am still looking forward to hearing the Jubilee for the first time. But my dealer is reluctant to order a pair. He really doesn't have the room. He always uses either tube pre amps or amps with the other piece being SS state when demoing Klipsch Heritage speakers. I was favorably impressed listening to Cornwalls and Hersey when he used a MA 352 Mcintosh integrated power amp with graphic tone controls. Though we never used more than a watt or two at 10 feet or so. The amp is also direct coupled with out autoformers which I feel works better with horn loaded and ported speakers that are not critically damped.
The Kornerhorns with their tight room destroying bass played 1812 Overture with cannons and chimes like nothing else. Even a stacked pair of ML-4's pushed with a pair 2300's couldn't compete even if they could reach almost an octave lower. Our sound room was 20 X 30 and didn't matter if you used a 3 channel sound on the long wall or a two channel system on the short wall, the sound was fantastic. I learned a new respect for Kornerhorns that week.
Even if I bought a pair today I would still voice them to get the best sound. I'd want a B style with the newer drivers and tweeter from today. I'm still not convinced the sealed back of the horn is the best solution. I imagine its more consistent in performance that way , but mated perfectly to a corner the results should be great. It sure was almost 50 years ago. The Rose wood and Ebony models were something to behold. I Know paying an extra 100% was a lot to pay back then, but they were beautiful and it sure helped women accept them in their homes. I had tri-amped Concert Grands with added super tweeters that were voiced with Crown parametric EQ's and they improved just as much as the Kornerhorns did by voicing.
My current line arrays improved too using a Mcintosh MQ-107 with a little help from the bass filter for the left channel because my room is not symmetrical.
I have heard the new Hersey, Forte, Cornwall and Kornerhorn and they really are a big step forward over previous models. I am still looking forward to hearing the Jubilee for the first time. But my dealer is reluctant to order a pair. He really doesn't have the room. He always uses either tube pre amps or amps with the other piece being SS state when demoing Klipsch Heritage speakers. I was favorably impressed listening to Cornwalls and Hersey when he used a MA 352 Mcintosh integrated power amp with graphic tone controls. Though we never used more than a watt or two at 10 feet or so. The amp is also direct coupled with out autoformers which I feel works better with horn loaded and ported speakers that are not critically damped.
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CJ Payne
Well-Known Member
About 6 years ago a neighbor had a moving sale to go to FL. I went up to see if there were any good power tools. Instead I found these giant speakers that weighed a ton; the serial # tags had been long since sun bleached so I figured they were near a window. I Couldn't figure out what they were, then with the grill off I caught the word "Klipsch" on the horn. I went back and fourth because the late 90's early 00's was when there was high end Klipsch but also Sears stuff that was lower quality (the same era companies like Sony and Yamaha and Polk started going the Best Buy route)
Finally I asked what he wanted and he said "make me an offer"...so I gave him $100 for them.
Some research later that day and I got V3 CF3's. Cherry finish
And they're still my favorite speakers! They are EPIC! Ppl knock the V3's as the "worst" but being the worst of the best is still great!
My Wharfedales are still my main speakers because the Wife likes them (profile pic) and let's face it, Epic's don't win aesthetic awards. But I'm building a garage with a room over it and the CF3's will go in there, powered by two Crest Audio Pro Amps and will get about 400 Watts each.
I think the thing that's great about them is they have a slight PA sound. HiFi enthusiasts might disagree, because they believe the real HiFi speakers make it sound like "the band is in the room with you" but the truth is every time you go see a band they're playing through a PA (Symphony's excluded) So a little PA sound is good, the CF3's make it sound not like the band is in my room, but like I'm actually at the concert
For Frame of reference I've owned:
KG4's
Wharfedale W70C
Sansui SP1500
Infinity RSe
Boston A150
Vandersteen 1C and 2Ce
And a few other's I've long since forgotten
Epic CF3's win, hands down
Finally I asked what he wanted and he said "make me an offer"...so I gave him $100 for them.
Some research later that day and I got V3 CF3's. Cherry finish
And they're still my favorite speakers! They are EPIC! Ppl knock the V3's as the "worst" but being the worst of the best is still great!
My Wharfedales are still my main speakers because the Wife likes them (profile pic) and let's face it, Epic's don't win aesthetic awards. But I'm building a garage with a room over it and the CF3's will go in there, powered by two Crest Audio Pro Amps and will get about 400 Watts each.
I think the thing that's great about them is they have a slight PA sound. HiFi enthusiasts might disagree, because they believe the real HiFi speakers make it sound like "the band is in the room with you" but the truth is every time you go see a band they're playing through a PA (Symphony's excluded) So a little PA sound is good, the CF3's make it sound not like the band is in my room, but like I'm actually at the concert
For Frame of reference I've owned:
KG4's
Wharfedale W70C
Sansui SP1500
Infinity RSe
Boston A150
Vandersteen 1C and 2Ce
And a few other's I've long since forgotten
Epic CF3's win, hands down
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DirtyErnie
Well-Known Member
CF-2's work great in the 13x15' living room I have. Marantz A/V receiver with Audyssey auto correction is working just fine. Most of the time I can't hear the speakers over the noise of the children anyways...