I'm a big Kilpsch fan, I once met Mr. PWK at a presentation he gave in St Louis. Yeah he was way out there, but a great guy IMO.
I couldn't fit the corner horns in my L.R. so I got the Belles & they were not exactly cheap. Unlike many designs, they do work well close to back walls (you don't have to crowd your living room - nice feature). Paul named the Belle after his wife, & she must look beautiful because these speakers sure are! I've also been told it's a dressed up LaScala.
I never compared real closely regarding MF / HF comparisons, but they have the same drivers so are likely quite similar. LF may behave somehwat differently, as the cabinet's architectures vary. They do use the same woofer, but again I've never compared carefully enough to say. I did like the Forte when I heard it 20 years ago but I went for the biggies instead. Back then they were still making the classic design with metal (Altec?) horns. I've been told that the Heritage design uses cheaper plastic horns & has other cost-reductions, but again I've not heard them to compare - sorry I'm trying to help you Ek, but I don't know all the facts.
Klipsch has many fans, & as many detractors; either you really like them or you really do not. They are definitely colored by resonances, but that tweakable to a great degree if you're a dedicated hobbyist as I am. The wire they used isn't very good & that's the first improvement you would want to make, but use copper not silver. I have tweaks info available & always like to hear from others regarding their tweaks too.
I don't completely agree re: "teribly bright" but yes they are bright & not easy to matchup well with just any equipment & cables. Sure they were built for SET's but I've had good results with SS mosfet amps. (My best sound was with an old Luxman M4000A mosfet, but they're unattainable now & mine's now broken for lack of 4 Toshiba 2SC2239 driver transistors.)
You do get great slam & dynamics with these beauties; also very revealing & certainly unforgiving. If you're pumping in 'bad sound' that's just what you'll get out. Input some good clean signal, & you'll love them.
I couldn't fit the corner horns in my L.R. so I got the Belles & they were not exactly cheap. Unlike many designs, they do work well close to back walls (you don't have to crowd your living room - nice feature). Paul named the Belle after his wife, & she must look beautiful because these speakers sure are! I've also been told it's a dressed up LaScala.
I never compared real closely regarding MF / HF comparisons, but they have the same drivers so are likely quite similar. LF may behave somehwat differently, as the cabinet's architectures vary. They do use the same woofer, but again I've never compared carefully enough to say. I did like the Forte when I heard it 20 years ago but I went for the biggies instead. Back then they were still making the classic design with metal (Altec?) horns. I've been told that the Heritage design uses cheaper plastic horns & has other cost-reductions, but again I've not heard them to compare - sorry I'm trying to help you Ek, but I don't know all the facts.
Klipsch has many fans, & as many detractors; either you really like them or you really do not. They are definitely colored by resonances, but that tweakable to a great degree if you're a dedicated hobbyist as I am. The wire they used isn't very good & that's the first improvement you would want to make, but use copper not silver. I have tweaks info available & always like to hear from others regarding their tweaks too.
I don't completely agree re: "teribly bright" but yes they are bright & not easy to matchup well with just any equipment & cables. Sure they were built for SET's but I've had good results with SS mosfet amps. (My best sound was with an old Luxman M4000A mosfet, but they're unattainable now & mine's now broken for lack of 4 Toshiba 2SC2239 driver transistors.)
You do get great slam & dynamics with these beauties; also very revealing & certainly unforgiving. If you're pumping in 'bad sound' that's just what you'll get out. Input some good clean signal, & you'll love them.