Cornwall IV vs. Volti Rival, Razz; Razz v. 1, 2, 3 -- what changed?

The Volti’s I have heard at shows including Razz are also very good and pass the mapman litmus test for speakers I would consider owning.   I recall in every case there was decent distance to walls involved with Volti.  

I clearly remember that thread. The problem was that Silverfox was browbeating the forum in a very explicit manner as if he were desperate to "make a sale." It became kind of unnerving.

Cornwall is designed to be close to wall but being close to wall is an inherent limitation when it comes to imaging, soundstage, etc.

So personally, if I needed speakers very close to the wall I have heard Cornwalls, liked them for what they are at their price point, which is somewhat unique these days, and would highly consider them.  Otherwise not so much.   

eally enjoying this thread — I’ve spent a good amount of time with the Cornwall IV, and figured I’d share a few thoughts for anyone considering them.

They’re not subtle speakers, but that’s part of what makes them fun. In the right room, they bring this massive, effortless soundstage that can make even simple recordings feel alive. They do really well with lower wattage amps too — I’ve heard them sound great on both tubes and solid-state.

Setup matters more than people expect. Toe-in can make a big difference, especially with their horn-loaded mid and high frequencies. They can throw a wide image, but if you’re not careful with placement, they can get a little shouty in the upper mids. I’ve found they really open up in larger rooms or with a little breathing space from the side walls.

I don’t have direct experience with the Volti Razz, but I respect what they’re doing — it seems like a more refined, boutique flavor of that high-efficiency, dynamic speaker style. Would love to hear them side by side one day.

If anyone is nearby (Central AR), I’ve got Cornwalls set up and always happy to talk shop or compare notes with others into this kind of setup.

— Andrew

Good lord, you had folks worried, welcome back 

We are all AI - have been for many thousands of years. Contrary to popular belief, our recent skirmish with "mass formation psychosis" did not put us to sleep. It woke us up.

Hello everyone, I am back….how is everyone doing?

Hey everyone,

So, I’ve been wondering about Silverfox—remember him? The user who seemed to have an endless supply of enthusiasm about his speaker reports? His excitement was practically contagious! But then, poof—he vanished without a trace.

I can only come up with a couple of theories:

1. AI Conspiracy: What if Silverfox was actually an AI bot designed to promote the company he was so ardently praising? Maybe he was too convincing, and now he's been deactivated for being too enthusiastic. “Mission accomplished, now shut down.”

2. Home Drama: Or maybe, just maybe, his wife got fed up with his daily routine of sipping coffee and admiring his speakers. “Look, Silverfox, either you get a hobby or I’m tossing your speakers and computer out the window!” And thus, his computer—and his online presence—were no more.

But let’s not forget the third option:

3. The Great Escape: Perhaps Silverfox has embarked on a grand adventure, escaping the confines of his audio chair and bass traps to explore the world. Maybe he’s found a new passion—like competitive duck herding or underwater basket weaving.

If anyone has any other wild theories or has seen any signs of Silverfox, let us know. Until then, keep your coffee close and your speakers closer!

I haven't been on Agon in a few weeks and come back to this thread. It's like a pimp beat down. What happened?

I was close to buying a pair of Volti Rivals back in early 2022, but came across a great deal on a pair of KEF Reference 3’s.  Ended up buying a McIntosh 462 and it was an amazing pairing. Lived with that for 2.5 years (longer than I usually do before I move on).  Recently I wanted to go back to horns/tubes and I found a good deal on a used pair of Razz.  Tried several different amps, but I am in love with the sound I’m getting from my Art Audio PX-25 SET amp. I have two powered 15” subs and it all pairs wonderfully.  At some point I know I want to get a pair of Rivals, but I’m very happy for now.

All of the current heritage models are superior to those of years ago.

@mrdecibel , interesting you say the latest Klipsch are no different.  I found earlier Klipsch models unlistenable but hear a significant difference in the latest model.   However, this is only in reference to only the Klipchorn.  Latest Klipschorn is great.  Earlier models of Klipschorn, not so much.  I thought they did some major alterations on the crossovers in the latest models?

Not sure how efficient your looking for but i have done the Klipsch LaScala thing for years and was happy after some modifications i.e. damping of horns, upgrading the crossovers and drivers etc. 

The one speaker that gets overlooked here mostly due to being British is the Living Voice line up. I've had an earlier version of the Avatar 2 and was very impressed with the sound. They range from 94-95db at 8ohm, easy load for tube amps as they were designed and voiced off AudioNote Japan's Kondo amps.  highly recommend them if they are efficient enough.  Drove mine with 300b tube amps but they really like a little more power maybe 20-25wpc. 

Very strange indeed I enjoyed Silverfox's posts well written informative and enthusiastic.

Well if he was banned, he couldn’t even log in and post. So why would moderators keep deleting every post within minutes instead of banning him? Makes no sense.

It seems that it isn't Silverfox that is erasing them.

Who knows what is going on and what games are being played.  Perhaps he is "crazy as a fox," as they say.

So @silverfoxtv1800 makes another post and immediately deletes it. Bizarre behavior.

How is erasing everyone else fair?  If you care to repost your own insights that should work for me.

@silverfoxtv1800

WHY did you erase the posts? They were part of a dialogue and now the thread makes far less sense.

Pretty weird.

From what I understand, repeat offenders who solicit members' phone numbers or emails via PM several times get the boot after a few warnings. Not sure if this is what happened but is very likely.

The fact that he hasn't said anything so far makes it sound kind of permanent...

@norust "he wanted me to reach out to him on his email- evidently not allowed.  This was the last I heard of him..... "

That's probably it. Same here, received a message asking to engage and share more. Maybe too enthusiastic for this forum -or- favorable mention about a particular vendors product. Hard to say how/why posts get removed sometimes.  

Same here, hope he’s alright 

I just now have noticed what was mentioned above with all of @silverfoxtvx1800 posts in this thread being removed.  He was very "enthusiastic" and had PM'd me on a few of my experiences re the Razz and my visit to Greg's shop.  I noted in one of the PM's that the admin and removed specifics of his email address as he wanted me to reach out to him on his email- evidently not allowed.  This was the last I heard of him..... 

He must have angered the administrators in some way. I see that they reached out to him about a problem with his virtual system on this thread. They might have had a private squabble. It'll be interesting to see if he reappears, and what he'll have to say. 

Yes, it is very curious why ALL of his posts in this thread disappeared.

Looks like all of @silverfoxvtx1800 posts are gone, removed from this thread, and a few others too perhaps.  What's going on with forum posts lately. Is that self-removed or forum moderators, and if so maybe less effort is the way going forward if things just disappear for whatever reasons.  

@silverfox I did. I'd like to seem him do a tear-down of a Volti for comparison.

@silverfoxvtx1800 thanks for the history and all that you’ve worked through prior. I’m not looking for speakers for myself, yet helping a few friends looking at ideas from time to time. I have followed Gary/BorderPatrol and Greg/Volti some from the shows and reports. Also interested in optimization and improvements made through the various iterations of different designs through the generations. Appears you are really enjoying the new speakers and amplifiers, happy listening! Keep us posted as you listen more over time. Much appreciated.

@silverfoxvtx1800 what is it about the Volti Audio speakers that you enjoy more [when compared with the same amplifier], Is it the bass, midrange, top-end, or maybe how its being presented differently in a more desirable way? Or, perhaps how the music sounds more natural, etc. Yes, I'm stretching and digging a little here, ... are there any descriptive words and explanations top of mind for you to describe what makes it "way better" for you and your ears? 

@plinko I think the newest Klipsch speakers (Forte, Cornwall, Klipschorn) are far better than their past versions.

Good to know. If you don’t mind the ask - have you actually compared the different versions first hand? A buddy of mine has owned the 2s, 3s, 4s in the Hersey indicating he likes the more recent 4s are notably better than his prior versions after a more complete redesign. Keeping an eye out for a few friends looking again.

While I’ve read similar posts on the Forte and Cornwalls in the latest versions, I keep an eye out for posts by members who’ve owned and compared version over long periods of time and with different amplifiers types to get a better sense of things.

Also keeping an eye out for posts where lower powered (tube or ss) amplifiers [under 10wpc or in the 10w to 20w range] are used on the later 4 version speakers with notable success. Apparently sound great when matched up with good amps.

P.S. to my post above - not to sound like a fan boy but I do want to mention for those curious and looking at a Razz that Greg has a beautiful pair in mahogany ready to ship - nicely discounted due to a very slight suppressed "ding" along one front corner of one of the speakers.  Had I seen these in person prior to purchasing mine, I would have definitely pulled the trigger.  Also note that I am not related by business or blood to to Greg but I have shared a few beverages with him :) 

A bit late to this thread but timely based on the speakers I picked up on Friday! 

I will post in the next few days a follow up to a thread earlier in the year when I was seeking "coaching" on high efficiency speakers for my system.  After listening to a few different speakers and doing way to much research I went with the Volti Razz.  Since I am in the South, I elected to drive to Volit world headquarters in Baxter, TN and get the full customer "experience".  I will write more in my follow up on all this but after listening to MY speakers in Greg's listening room and having a few days now to listen at home I am confident that I made the right choice.  I will share the whole journey including pre-purchase communication, workshop time with Greg socializing, listening to music and first hand experience with seeing a Razz being built.  Stay tuned..... 

I think the newest Klipsch speakers (Forte, Cornwall, Klipschorn) are far better than  their past versions.  Haven’t heard the latest LaScala.  

Good morning all and happy belated Fourth of July! Hope everyone survived with fingers and dignity intact… @silverfoxvtx1800 makes me happy to hear the pairing of the First Watt and the Razz hits all your happy buttons! To me one of the superpowers of the Razz is that they sound sublime without needing heroic power amplification. I have an old pair of TDL speakers with a sensitivity in the lower 80’s (ironically the same as their birth year) that only sound good when they were paired with a long sold Threshold amp. 
Visiting the Volti/Border Patrol/ Triode Lab room this early spring, I was completely mesmerized by what only a handful of watts can do.