A long time customer at work stopped by the other day.  I'm not sure how we got on the subject but at some point our conversation steered towards electronics and he mentioned that his audio system consisted of vintage amps, tube amps, turntables, etc.  I asked him what speakers he used and he said "I have a pair of Klipsch cornerhorns, Khorns."  Turns out he bought them brand new in the 1980s.  We chatted about Klipsch for a while and he said his friends have had LaScalas and Belles.  He said that the Khorns are in a 2 channel setup and he also has a Reference series setup for home theater.

I told him I was jealous and that I've never even heard a pair of Khorns.  He said the imaging they provide is incredible, being able to close your eyes and tell where each instrument was placed during the recording.

Its rare that I bump into someone who even knows what Klipsch speakers are, let alone someone who owns Khorns with a complete tube system!

wuzzzer:

A long time customer at work stopped by the other day.  I'm not sure how we got on the subject but at some point our conversation steered towards electronics and he mentioned that his audio system consisted of vintage amps, tube amps, turntables, etc.  I asked him what speakers he used and he said "I have a pair of Klipsch cornerhorns, Khorns."  Turns out he bought them brand new in the 1980s.  We chatted about Klipsch for a while and he said his friends have had LaScalas and Belles.  He said that the Khorns are in a 2 channel setup and he also has a Reference series setup for home theater.

I told him I was jealous and that I've never even heard a pair of Khorns.  He said the imaging they provide is incredible, being able to close your eyes and tell where each instrument was placed during the recording.

Its rare that I bump into someone who even knows what Klipsch speakers are, let alone someone who owns Khorns with a complete tube system!

Wuzzzer,

So when do you get your first audition???

Beeing quite familiar with both the K-horn and the Forte II, I will tell you that as far as articulation of good reference material is concerned, you aren't missing anything with your Forte IIs if you have a good listening room and they are propperly set up. If anything, I think the Forte IIs are more articulate when set up correctly, but the K-horns are so much more efficient that you wont even be able to tell if the Forte IIs are playing or not if you have it in 4 channel stereo, they will just play so much louder, and still clean....

                           Roger

I run across this often, but really must learn to shut up, as I am often the one that is talking about how great they are, making the competition for local used, more difficult.

That's rare to run across someone like that, most people I talk to has never heard of Klipsch or they had seen them in BB.

 I discovered that the Local Movie Theaters here- all Use Klipsch !   Haven't been, but it is nice to Know.

I had a similar experience when I moved here..............talking with a local Artist (Paint)............and he ask me, if I had heard about Klipsch.....he has a nice set of Fortes,  and  KLF 20's...............small world.

twistedcrankcammer:

So when do you get your first audition???

Beeing quite familiar with both the K-horn and the Forte II, I will tell you that as far as articulation of good reference material is concerned, you aren't missing anything with your Forte IIs if you have a good listening room and they are propperly set up. If anything, I think the Forte IIs are more articulate when set up correctly, but the K-horns are so much more efficient that you wont even be able to tell if the Forte IIs are playing or not if you have it in 4 channel stereo, they will just play so much louder, and still clean....

                           Roger

I thought about asking for a listening session but felt awkward doing so.  I don't know why.

I remember Duke Spinner calling Forte IIs mini-Khorns.  We're planning on selling our house next year and one requirement will be a much wider room for the home theater.  Our basement room now is long and narrow.  I used my Fortes to DJ a couple wedding dances in large ballrooms and they filled the room nicely and sounded amazing.

wuzzzer:

twistedcrankcammer:

So when do you get your first audition???

Beeing quite familiar with both the K-horn and the Forte II, I will tell you that as far as articulation of good reference material is concerned, you aren't missing anything with your Forte IIs if you have a good listening room and they are propperly set up. If anything, I think the Forte IIs are more articulate when set up correctly, but the K-horns are so much more efficient that you wont even be able to tell if the Forte IIs are playing or not if you have it in 4 channel stereo, they will just play so much louder, and still clean....

                           Roger

I thought about asking for a listening session but felt awkward doing so.  I don't know why.

I remember Duke Spinner calling Forte IIs mini-Khorns.  We're planning on selling our house next year and one requirement will be a much wider room for the home theater.  Our basement room now is long and narrow.  I used my Fortes to DJ a couple wedding dances in large ballrooms and they filled the room nicely and sounded amazing.

Well for comparison purposes, realize that it takes four Chorus IIs to achieve the same spl of a pair of Klipschorns, or 8 Forte II speakers.

                                            Roger

Here'a another "chime-in" as someone who usually receives a blank stare when I mention my speaker brand preference... most people have heard of Blose and the usual suspects of Pioneer, etc...

 As for Klipchorns and its cousins in the Klipsch universe; I really have not heard anything to compare to them.  The "real" sound to all instruments and vocalists, and the imaging and presence they provide have not been matched by other Klipsch speakers, and definitely by other brands.  To my ears, at least...

wuzzzer:

I thought about asking for a listening session but felt awkward doing so.  I don't know why.

 Hey Wuzzer, you know how we like showing off our gear?  I bet he is the same way.  Try dropping a "I sure would love to hear those Khorns" next time you talk to him.  I bet he'd love to show off his gear!   

Thanks for sharing the story, it isn't often I talk to anyone who knows Klipsch.  

Dennie

Dennie:

wuzzzer:

I thought about asking for a listening session but felt awkward doing so.  I don't know why.

 

 Hey Wuzzer, you know how we like showing off our gear?  I bet he is the same way.  Try dropping a "I sure would love to hear those Khorns" next time you talk to him.  I bet he'd love to show off his gear!   

Thanks for sharing the story, it isn't often I talk to anyone who knows Klipsch.  

 

Dennie

Dennie:

wuzzzer:

I thought about asking for a listening session but felt awkward doing so.  I don't know why.

 

 Hey Wuzzer, you know how we like showing off our gear?  I bet he is the same way.  Try dropping a "I sure would love to hear those Khorns" next time you talk to him.  I bet he'd love to show off his gear!   

Thanks for sharing the story, it isn't often I talk to anyone who knows Klipsch.  

 

Dennie

I bet he'd love to have ya listen too!   

Let him know about the forum, send him this link, two birds one stone!

twistedcrankcammer:

 

Well for comparison purposes, realize that it takes four Chorus IIs to achieve the same spl of a pair of Klipschorns, or 8 Forte II speakers.

                                            Roger

Hmm, I am not sure I understand. Maybe at 1 watt right?

Because the Chorus II's will do 121 dbs with peaks of 130 dbs. So just exaclty what are you saying the Khorns are capable of?

From the literature I've read they both appear to reach 121dbs.

Thanks.

Wuzzzer, your customer could have been me if he had a Belle center! Bought my KHorns new in 83, have all tube gear. If you're ever in my neighborhood, feel free to drop by for an audition!

Steve

stormin:

twistedcrankcammer:

 

Well for comparison purposes, realize that it takes four Chorus IIs to achieve the same spl of a pair of Klipschorns, or 8 Forte II speakers.

                                            Roger

Hmm, I am not sure I understand. Maybe at 1 watt right?

Because the Chorus II's will do 121 dbs with peaks of 130 dbs. So just exaclty what are you saying the Khorns are capable of?

From the literature I've read they both appear to reach 121dbs.

Thanks.

Sensitivity, or even theoretical sensitivity (8 Fortes?), is not the most meaningful aspect of the K-Horn.  Room interaction via the corner-loaded bass horn and eerily-accurate reproduction of instruments make this speaker stand above the rest of the Klipsch line.  Not that the others don't sound great - I love my Fortes; there is just a realism to the Klipschorn that haunts my sonic memory, and will until I either own a pair,, or shuffle off this mortal coil...

stormin:

twistedcrankcammer:

 

Well for comparison purposes, realize that it takes four Chorus IIs to achieve the same spl of a pair of Klipschorns, or 8 Forte II speakers.

                                            Roger

Hmm, I am not sure I understand. Maybe at 1 watt right?

Because the Chorus II's will do 121 dbs with peaks of 130 dbs. So just exaclty what are you saying the Khorns are capable of?

From the literature I've read they both appear to reach 121dbs.

Thanks.

Correct, at 1 watt, and on up until the Klipschorns peak out, hence why you can't even hear the Forte IIs playing when listening in 4 channel stereo at the same power output.

                       Roger

chuckears:

stormin:

twistedcrankcammer:

 

Well for comparison purposes, realize that it takes four Chorus IIs to achieve the same spl of a pair of Klipschorns, or 8 Forte II speakers.

                                            Roger

Hmm, I am not sure I understand. Maybe at 1 watt right?

Because the Chorus II's will do 121 dbs with peaks of 130 dbs. So just exaclty what are you saying the Khorns are capable of?

From the literature I've read they both appear to reach 121dbs.

Thanks.

Sensitivity, or even theoretical sensitivity (8 Fortes?), is not the most meaningful aspect of the K-Horn.  Room interaction via the corner-loaded bass horn and eerily-accurate reproduction of instruments make this speaker stand above the rest of the Klipsch line.  Not that the others don't sound great - I love my Fortes; there is just a realism to the Klipschorn that haunts my sonic memory, and will until I either own a pair,, or shuffle off this mortal coil...

Glad you want a set, to me it Klipshorns are impressive to look at, heavy enough to make it hard to steal, and more athoratative sounding, but I always picked up more articulate nuiances with my Quartets. I've had several Klipschorns, and a couple of LaScalas as well, but now I'm into the Pro Stuff and alot more SPL with better Bass then the Klipschorns.

                                                       Roger