Boomzillas

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have used multiple Klipsch products over the years. They include Heresy 1, Heresy 2, La Scala 1, and Cornwall 1 speakers. I spent significant time auditioning other products (Klipschorn, Belle Klipsch, and numerous newer "non-Heritage" models). I am currently running a pair of Heresy 2 speakers with a VERY nice M&K subwoofer.

Additionally, I've owned a variety of non-Klipsch expensive speakers including Dahlquist DQ-10, KEF 102.b, Magneplanar III, Tannoy, B&W, Ohm Walsh, JBL, Yamaha, Electro Voice, Infinity, Revel F-30, Avalon Symbol, etc.

Obviously, I've been in audio for over 30 years. I'm familiar with both solid state and tube electronics. As a matter of fact, I used to design and sell modifications to Dynaco tube gear.

The bottom line is, having listened to just about every combo on the market for all this time, I'm ready to just kick back and enjoy listening. My choice of a "for the rest of my life" speaker is: (you guessed it) the Klipsch Cornwall.

Why? Numerous reasons including:

1. Exceptional dynamics - The Cornwalls can sound dynamic at any listening volume. Most "cones in boxes" and particularly most planar speakers have to play at or above a certain volume before they "come alive." The Cornwalls, being horn loaded, can sound explosive even at almost inaudible volumes. This lets the speakers be played at significantly lower volume without losing the sense of hearing real music. Don't think that this dynamics issue is trivial - it is what makes most speakers sound like speakers and not live music. The "jump factor" on Cornwalls is just higher than on any other speaker I've owned or heard.

2. Ultimate volume capability - The Cornwalls can play LOUDLY when desired. It is probable that the fully-horn-loaded Klipsches such as the Klipschorn, La Scala, and Belle Klipsch can play at higher ultimate loudness than the Cornwalls, but in my home, I'll never notice the difference. Further, unlike most speakers, the dynamics don't compress at super high volumes. Most speakers just settle into a loud roar at high volume - not so the Cornwalls. The Cornwalls still sound like music even at rip-your-head-off levels.

3. Sensitivity - This characteristic is related to the first two. Without sensitivity, you don't get dynamics or ultimate volume (without a million watts of input and the likelihood of blowing your tweeters). The Cornwalls can play both dynamically and loudly with the most modestly powered of electronics. With right at 100 decibels (dB) of output with a single watt of electrical input, the Cornwalls can be driven by low-powered receivers, tube amplifiers, or even integrated amplifiers (listen to an old Pioneer SA-5100 integrated amp at 10 watts per channel if you don't believe me). Of course, with sensitivity comes the likelihood of hearing any hiss, hum, or noise in your electronics. Good electronics can be clearly heard and appreciated through the Cornwalls. Bad electronics will not be tolerated. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad, though; I have a bottom-of-the-barrel Yamaha AV receiver that sounds sweet and clean!

4. Bass response - With specified frequency response to the low 30's, the Cornwalls, for most people, will go low enough in the bass that no subwoofer will be needed. This is a MAJOR advantage for several reasons. First, if a subwoofer is to be good, it must go both low and clean. Most cheap subwoofers can't do either. The ones that can cost more than the Cornwalls. Second, for a subwoofer to work with music and not just movies, it must remain flat in frequency response across its range. Most subwoofers don't. They're tuned as "one note boom boxes" for impact on movies and really don't sound good on music. Third, with a subwoofer, you lose stereo bass. All the bass response below the subwoofer crossover frequency is routed to the single (mono) subwoofer. For movies, who cares. But for music, there is often stereo content into the bass frequencies that just gets lost with a mono subwoofer.

5. Appearance - This is, of course, a very subjective issue. Some people think that speakers should be "out of sight; out of mind." The Cornwalls (particularly in a nice veneer finish) are more like fine wood furniture. The proportions are pleasing (particularly with the optional risers) and the speakers are handsome.

So what don't I like about the Cornwalls? Very little. My few objections would include:

1. The 15" woofers cross over to the small horn midrange at 600 to 700 Hertz (Hz). In the upper frequencies of the woofer, there is slightly less detail than would be delivered by, for example, the La Scalas whose larger midrange horn takes over at 400 Hz. For most music, this is never noticeable, but it occasionally is.

2. The 15" woofers can sound sloppy with some amplifiers. Tube amplifiers, in particular, with their high transformer output resistance and subsequently poor damping factor, make for less than tight bass (sometimes). Despite the theoretical disadvantages of tube amplifiers, some do a wonderful job of driving the Cornwalls' bass, so audition carefully before you buy amplification. If the tube amp you already have sounds wooly in the bass when driving the Cornwalls, try another amp. Most solid-state amps provide awesome bass with the Cornwalls.

3. The older Cornwalls use an Electro-Voice T-35 tweeter mounted ** behind ** the 3/4 inch thick baffle board. This, in my opinion, causes the tweeter to sound dull (particularly off axis). Uncle Paul Klipsch did this deliberately since he wanted the speakers to function when placed either in a corner or on the wall (get it - Corn - Wall?). To avoid so much treble reflection when in corners, the dispersion of the tweeter (and the midrange, for that matter) were limited by mounting them behind the baffle board. The easy remedy is to either listen directly on-axis or to buy the Series 2 or 3 Cornwalls (which have their tweeters mounted on the front of the baffle board).

That's it - I have no further criticism of the Cornwalls or their sound. That is VERY unusual. Most speakers could receive pages and pages of negatives. The overall excellence of the Cornwalls makes them my first choice for my home. If you've never auditioned a Klipsch Cornwall, do yourself a favor. Give the Cornwalls a fair try with music that you're familiar with and decent amplification. You'll be glad you did.

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mhpfister

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $1200.00

Summary:
These speakers were the first purchase made after getting out of college in 1980. They are the one true purchase made in my life that has maintained value and satisfaction for some 27 years. I will never get rid of them for any price. I recently moved into a new home and have rediscovered the enduring quality of these speakers. They are amazing when properly placed in a large room. Electronics come and go but the physics of sound reproduction stays the same.

Strengths:
Quality

Weaknesses:
Placement is critical as with any speaker.

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sla429

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $550.00 from Craigs List Columbia

Summary:
This is it. The sound I have been looking for. Its been a long journey. The Cornwalls are the most engaging speakers I have ever heard. Highs and midrange are open, airy, and extented. On the low end, no sub is needed. The low octives are tight and go very low. I am using the Cornwalls with a Magnavox 14 watt el/84 pp amp and this system can rearrange the pictures on the wall. Whats most noticable about these speakers is they sound wonderful a low volumes.

Strengths:
Sound,efficiency, Its all excellent.

Weaknesses:
They are big. 100lbs each

Similar Products Used:
JBL l-100, JBL-l-166, Large Advent, Dynaco A-50, Paradigm Studio 20, Dynaudio Contour 1, B&W 602, and others.

tbcyberzom

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $550.00 from CL

Summary:
I am not an expert or anything ...i am a 37 years old man and like stereos since i am a kid...when i listen to these speakers i said wow..they sounds great and the best speakers for me so far...my opinion is enjoy listening, dance with the music ,enjoy it ...and they will sounds more and more satisfiying.its all about enjoying the music....and the corwall are the best speakers for to this point...??

Price Paid:  $550.00 from ebay

Summary:
Ok, I posted back on 12/2006 (?) about my Cornwall I's (see below). I have just purchased another set of Cornwalls from Ebay. I havent picked them up yet. (my wife didnt even get mad ...I WIN!). Im adding this thought because Ive had additional experience with Klispch speakers that I should pass along. In that my prior posting, I mentioned "the problems" I've heard with room size, and speaker placement with the Klispchorns. Turns out that its true. I purchased a set in Feb, 2007 and have used them as my main speakers ever since. Quite frankly, I miss my Cornwalls (as my main speakers). Now I'm not bashing the Klipschorns...they sound very nice ....but in my room, they dont sound as nice as my intitial pair of Cornwall's.

Essentially what I'm saying is...if you are thinking about Klispchorns v Cornwalls. make sure you have an ENORMOUS ROOM before you buy the Klipschorns. I was able to use the equalizer function of my stereo system to soften the somewhat harsh midrange on the Klispchorns...and as a result...they just don't produce the soundstage and nuances that my Cornwalls do. Oh sure I could continue to tweak the settings, the placement and layout of the room etc., but I'm too busy to spend any more time trying to ge the Klipshorns to sound perfect in a room where I am certain they wont ever sound perfect.

What I'm saying is, take a MUCH less expensive pair of Cornwalls, connect them to any old stereo, and place them wherever they fit....then just sit back and be amazed! Believe me, as much as I lusted for a set of Klipschorns (and no, I don't want to get rid of them because some happy day, I WILL have a big listening room), I would sooner sell my Klipschorns before I sold my Cornwalls.

Strengths:
Everything!!!!! These ARE the best sounding speakers made (...and if I haven't hit you over the head with it at this point, REMEMBER: I have Klispchorns...AND I've bought and sold a set of LaScalas since I bought the Cornwalls.!)

Weaknesses:
All your friends think you're stupid for buying 30 year old speakers that, by today's standards, are almost laughably big. But you can always blow thier mind with just how incredible these speakers sound and you can remind them that you paid a fraction for what they paid for thier late model "JBLPOLKBOSE Whatevers"

Similar Products Used:
Klipschorns (1976)
LaScallas (1990)
Cornwall Is (1979) Current pair.
Cornwall 1s (197x???) (Review to follow)
Quartets

Altec Voice of the Theaters