Klipschorn and Bookshelf Speaker Compliment

[pantoramasan]

There are lots of knowledgable people on this forum with vast amount of experience with various makes of speakers that I do not have. So here is my question. What brand or type of bookshelf speaker would be the best to "complement" the klipschorns? I am trying to keep the size down and don't have enough room or money for two sets of Klipshorns. I would be using them as accent speakers in the rear listening area and possibly as a quad system in the future.

 

[Coytee]

If you mean the Klipschorn speaker itself, I'd contend that whatever you can fit (larger being better) would work better for you.

If you can't put a Khorn, can you fit a LaScala? If not a LaScala, can you fit a Cornwall? If not a Cornwall, can you fit a Heresy?

My opinion, I'd try to find the largest I could comfortably afford. Buy them used, you can sell them later and maybe move up!

 

[dontmindme]

I've got a set of Khorns a good distance apart, so I put a set of Heresys in between them to fill out the dead spot (that I perceive).... Anyway, I've got the Khorns on speaker A and the Heresy's on B. Every time I try to use A+B I end up going back to the Khorns alone. The Khorns sound so much better than either the Heresy's alone or with the Khorns, I just listen to the Khorns....

Short answer is, if you have Khorns in the room, why have anything else? There are no other speakers, especially bookshelf speakers that would "compliment" the Khorns, only diminish them.

My humble opinion, other offers may vary.

 

[pantoramasan]

If you mean the Klipschorn speaker itself, I'd contend that whatever you can fit (larger being better) would work better for you.

If you can't put a Khorn, can you fit a LaScala? If not a LaScala, can you fit a Cornwall? If not a Cornwall, can you fit a Heresy?

My opinion, I'd try to find the largest I could comfortably afford. Buy them used, you can sell them later and maybe move up!

Thanks for your input.

 

[michaelhigh]

I have Klipschorns on one side of the room and Fortes on the other.

Two separate rigs, two distinct applications, each cooler than can be. Beautiful and beautiful-sounding speakers for the money.

I couldn't be happier, without dropping a ton-o-coin of course.

 

[pantoramasan]

I've got a set of Khorns a good distance apart, so I put a set of Heresys in between them to fill out the dead spot (that I perceive).... Anyway, I've got the Khorns on speaker A and the Heresy's on B. Every time I try to use A+B I end up going back to the Khorns alone. The Khorns sound so much better than either the Heresy's alone or with the Khorns, I just listen to the Khorns....

Short answer is, if you have Khorns in the room, why have anything else? There are no other speakers, especially bookshelf speakers that would "compliment" the Khorns, only diminish them.

My humble opinion, other offers may vary.

Thanks and I appreciate your input and opinion as well. That's exactly what a friend said. He said the other Klipsch types of speakers would not match in sound just as you stated. He felt the only set of bookshelf type speaker that he is familiar with to possibly compliment and not "diminish" the klipschorn speakers would be the B&W Nautilus 805's.

BTW, I still have not permanently enclosed one of my Khorns to this day. But they sound great. I have also been experimenting with different amps. My new favorite is the Fisher 500b.

I also plan to use the Khorns with my Sansui QXR 7500 Quad receiver, thus the need for 4 speakers in unison.

 

[pantoramasan]

I have Klipschorns on one side of the room and Fortes on the other.

Two separate rigs, two distinct applications, each cooler than can be. Beautiful and beautiful-sounding speakers for the money.

I couldn't be happier, without dropping a ton-o-coin of course.

Do you play them together as a quad? And if so, no diminishing of the khorn sound or vice versa?

 

[dontmindme]

Thanks and I appreciate your input and opinion as well. That's exactly what a friend said. He said the other Klipsch types of speakers would not match in sound just as you stated. He felt the only set of bookshelf type speaker that he is familiar with to possibly compliment and not "diminish" the klipschorn speakers would be the B&W Nautilus 805's.

BTW, I still have not permanently enclosed one of my Khorns to this day. But they sound great. I have also been experimenting with different amps. My new favorite is the Fisher 500b.

I also plan to use the Khorns with my Sansui QXR 7500 Quad receiver, thus the need for 4 speakers in unison.

Experimenting is fun, I just found the Khorn somewhat unequaled and quit trying!

Can't say I've listened in quad though, have at it! And get those free standing Khorn(s) enclosed!

 

[Coytee]

He felt the only set of bookshelf type speaker that he is familiar with to possibly compliment and not "diminish" the klipschorn speakers would be the B&W Nautilus 805's.

Not if you were going to play them at the same time.

In my opinion, it's going to be very difficult to put (according to what I just found on the internet) an 88 db/watt speaker in the same room with a 104 db/watt speaker and have them easily blend together. The Khorns will simply drown the B&W's.

If you want two separate systems in there, then that's fine. Sort of like having two flavors of ice cream.... but if you are planning on using them together, you should keep them in a similar output range.

I once called an out of state dealer and asked what center speaker I needed to put between a pair of LaScalas. He said a (Klipsch) Academy. I said ok, here's my CC number and I'd like to buy three of them.

Set them up in a HT situation.... and the LaScalas simply drown them. I had the channels for the Academy's maxed and they could never keep up. It wasn't a fail.....it was an epic fail. Seems the salesman had no clue (nor at the time, did I) that I really needed a LaScala to best keep up with my LaScalas! Fortunately for me, the Academy proved to become an excellent and somewhat scarce speaker so I was able to sell it 10 years later for more than I bought it!

As was suggested above, there are a lot of speakers that will detract from Khorns. Very few that will complement them.

 

[pantoramasan]

Experimenting is fun, I just found the Khorn somewhat unequaled and quit trying!

Can't say I've listened in quad though, have at it! And get those free standing Khorn(s) enclosed!

That was the idea, playing them the same time. But thanks again. This why I come to this forum to get answers from knowledgable people like yourself. what you say makes sense, i was just hoping there was something out there that would work. Might just have to live with it as is or break the bank and make room for two more Khorns.

 

[michaelhigh]

Do you play them together as a quad? And if so, no diminishing of the khorn sound or vice versa?

I have played them together in the past, and they complimented each other quite nicely in that configuration with that delicious Klipsch house sound. The Fortes tend to a bassier profile, and I use them on a tuner/CD/cassette rig. They both go down into the 30's, frequency-wise.

I never did set them up in a surround configuration, just in front of the Khorns.

Quoting myself, "Two separate rigs, two distinct applications, each cooler than can be".

Klipschorns sit on my main rig doing files/TT duties.

I like your idea of them being in four corners, if your room is perfectly rectangular, that is. I'm kinda OCD about stuff like that as it pertains to placement.

 

[pantoramasan]

I don't have a perfectly rectangle room but close enough to where if I had to I could manage two more Khorns. But just the thought of the space they consume even if cornered. That is why I was contemplating something matching sound wise but in a much smaller box. But the feedback I am getting is very sound advice and information.

 

[michaelhigh]

No getting around physics. Beware of low-frequency response claims (below 40 hz) by small-box manufacturers. Listen if you can and decide.

My Klipsch kg2's play down into the 30's, with a good-sized bookshelf box and an 8" woofer. That might be viable for you. The're standmountable and for my ears sound better than the hundred I paid.

 

[Coytee]

Are you specifically looking to do something down the road of a surround setup? Are you instead, just looking for more sound?

To toss some more ideas onto the wall.... since you already have Khorns, you know how large they are. You could sell them and replace them with the 'Khorn II' (Jubilee). This was PWK's last project prior to his passing and this alone will give more sound and it will be a better quality sound.

My goal is a surround system. Had LaScalas (still do) and bought Khorns. Sold Khorns, bought Jubilee's. Today, I've owned the Jubilee's for 10 years and don't really have the momentum to get the surround finished. The LaScalas will work fine as rears (and they're now built into cubbyholes in the wall) and I have another LaScala in the garage for center duty....

I'm still just so darn impressed with what the Jubilee's can do in a stereo format, I've essentially stopped pushing the HT ball.

 

[pantoramasan]

Are you specifically looking to do something down the road of a surround setup? Are you instead, just looking for more sound?

To toss some more ideas onto the wall.... since you already have Khorns, you know how large they are. You could sell them and replace them with the 'Khorn II' (Jubilee). This was PWK's last project prior to his passing and this alone will give more sound and it will be a better quality sound.

My goal is a surround system. Had LaScalas (still do) and bought Khorns. Sold Khorns, bought Jubilee's. Today, I've owned the Jubilee's for 10 years and don't really have the momentum to get the surround finished. The LaScalas will work fine as rears (and they're now built into cubbyholes in the wall) and I have another LaScala in the garage for center duty....

I'm still just so darn impressed with what the Jubilee's can do in a stereo format, I've essentially stopped pushing the HT ball.

Yes, that is exactly my intention, Quadraphonic set up. But like you, don't know if I will follow through, but am trying hard. Heard it in the 70's and have many Quad albums and would love to have the speakers to do it right. I just love the Khorns. Right now driving them with a Fisher 500b and Rega Planar 25 TT with the top of the line cartridge and I don't know how I can improve upon this beautiful sound. So that's why I am attempting to find a smaller source of speaker to compliment the Khorns (space saving) but am increasingly skeptical that I will be successful. Never heard the jubilee's but would love to. Are they difficult to find? Cost?

I have the Sansui QRX-7500 & Marantz 4270 Quadraphonic Receivers for this project and either one would be great with the Khorns.

 

[pantoramasan]

Are you specifically looking to do something down the road of a surround setup? Are you instead, just looking for more sound?

To toss some more ideas onto the wall.... since you already have Khorns, you know how large they are. You could sell them and replace them with the 'Khorn II' (Jubilee). This was PWK's last project prior to his passing and this alone will give more sound and it will be a better quality sound.

My goal is a surround system. Had LaScalas (still do) and bought Khorns. Sold Khorns, bought Jubilee's. Today, I've owned the Jubilee's for 10 years and don't really have the momentum to get the surround finished. The LaScalas will work fine as rears (and they're now built into cubbyholes in the wall) and I have another LaScala in the garage for center duty....

I'm still just so darn impressed with what the Jubilee's can do in a stereo format, I've essentially stopped pushing the HT ball.

I think the Klipsch Jubilee's are just a little out of my price range. Sure are beautiful though.

 

[twiiii]

You need to stay with Klipsch classic speakers to get the same sound quality. Same Tweeters, same midrange driver, and hopefully the same woofer, but if the space is really small, only the Hersey is the answer. The Forte and possibly the Chorus would have different drivers and there fore a different native sound. I prefer the Belle to go between two Klipschorns. But again providing the drivers are the same. My only pet peeve with the Belle is the tweeter and mid are not the same height as with the Cornerhorn.

 

[weber1]

I am using the Belle as a center to the Khorn in a ~ 20' x 23' room with the speakers on the wide wall. I have't had an issue with the Belle being lower in that sitting they are at ear level. I have had to unhook one of then due to too much center. The Belle are to be moved into a different room, soon I hope, and I will be looking to replace them with Cornwall.

If the information was correct, I read that the Cornwall was made to be a center for the Khorn.
Hope this link helps

 

[weber1]

I've got a set of Khorns a good distance apart, so I put a set of Heresys in between them to fill out the dead spot (that I perceive).... Anyway, I've got the Khorns on speaker A and the Heresy's on B. Every time I try to use A+B I end up going back to the Khorns alone. The Khorns sound so much better than either the Heresy's alone or with the Khorns, I just listen to the Khorns....

Short answer is, if you have Khorns in the room, why have anything else? There are no other speakers, especially bookshelf speakers that would "compliment" the Khorns, only diminish them.

My humble opinion, other offers may vary.

I have experienced the same diminishing issue before. In my case, it turned out to be the amp(s) (receivers) I was using. The first time was the mighty Kenwood KR9600 which sounded great A or B, but couldn't do the A + B. I am now using an Onkyo M504 and I can't hear any reduction in quality or quantity when I go A + B. Also, the link I attached above has info that says PK wasn't satisfied with the Heresy as a center for the Khorn, which is what you are experiencing.
Love my Khorns all by themselves too, but I keep looking for more

 

[pantoramasan]

Interesting Klipsch history.Thanks for the link. It would make sense that if the same parts used i.e.: speakers, tweeters, drivers and crossovers that the sound should be somewhat "similar" even though its in a smaller box. I have the K-55-V 1982 series Klipschorns. I'll see what I can find spec wise and try some of the speakers suggested.

The klipsch speakers are so efficient so I am curious as to why your Kenwood amp couldn't drive both sets.