Klipsch Heresy IV

Yes, indeed. The Heresy IV's coupled with a sub( or two of you need to rumble) of equal quality are a fantastic choice for a smaller room, etc. If you dig horns, you can't go wrong with them. I demoed them just because I could even though I was set on Cornwalls.

* Disclaimer: Although there are a great many fine speakers, I am an unabashed Klipsch fan. Very few give that live sound and rich tone pallete to my ears.

https://youtu.be/-Eyb7ZnFUQM

Interesting link as posted above.   I’d really like to hear them side by side for myself.   I’ve never heard a speaker that couldn’t be improved by a Sub.  I’ll never be without.   So I’m wondering if I’d be better to save my money & pick up an old pair of Mk2.

I agree, they are amazing!  (My setup : Bluesound Node 2i --> Chord Mojo --> Exposure 3010s2 --> Heresy IV / SVS SB-3000)

I heard them last week.   Agree with what SteveHuff & others have said.   Lively without any hint of harshness.  Natural sound, very nice.

Seriously considering buying a pair.

For those who will wait, these great speakers will be for sale on eBay and Craigs list soon!

Yep what that guy is saying about efficiency in the video makes sense.  You can't get more bass out of essentially the same size package without losing some efficiency so the I would tend to lean towards IIIs with lower power amps.

I heard IVs with a beefy Anthem solid state amp and that was a very good combo.

If you want flat extended bass off a few watts you need big speakers.  No way around that.  It's the laws of Physics.

you gotta pump it...before you dump it!

I like Steve Huff but unfortunately he loves everything and then ditches it within a month on Audiogon/Audio Mart. So I guess everything is "the best" he's ever heard for a short period of time. Pump and Dump at its finest.

Steve Huff has a new review on the Cornwall 4. Sounds like he prefers the Heresy 4 in certain areas. 

Slim Shady 

@riaa_awards_collectors_on_facebook

Yeah sorry didn't read all the comments, was only guessing at why he's having rust and delam issues with the veneer.  My comments weren't intended to be based on facts...

If they arrived damaged to begin with why didn't he send them back and ask for a new set?  Maybe JBL just sent him a beat up demo pair thinking he was only going to review how they sound and weren't expecting them to be shown in a Youtube video with warts and all.  Also seems a bit shady to comment on the speakers condition when he has no idea what that set has been through. 




  

wow,I opened a can of worms there.My intent was to pass along what his observations were between the 2.He must of liked them enough to buy them both.At the price levels,for me, I would like to think there was more than a paperthin layer of veneer.I do not believe that Andy lives at the beach either.I would be more partial to the Heresy IV's since I have heard  Heresy's[older models] before and liked what they were doing.
Did not mean to get anyone's panties in a wad.
Most importantly ALL
Stay Safe and Healthy
Enjoy the Music

So why should we have to read the “Comments “ section to find out the original conditions of gear Andy is reviewing??

I'm not on either side of the JBL or Heresy.  I was interested in both before buying Forte 3's...  I'm sure both rock and they get great reviews but like anything audio, gotta try it in your room with your gear to see if delivers the goods.

Regarding Robinson's JBL peeling veneer and rust complaint, that sounds like a humidity issue.  Maybe he inadvertently exposed them to excess moisture or humidity?  Unless he lives at the beach and has the windows open there's no reason why they would rust if kept indoors.  He probably bought them second hand or he would have sent them back to the dealer he bought them (or JBL directly) for replacement.  

Also, his reviews are crap.  Thick with so much schmaltz and fluff and no real substance.  Seems like he's targeting lower priced mass market stuff to maximize youtube views and page hits.  Slick website, video editing and... dogs!  (lol) 

ugh barf.  

Take a deep breath. It was one hobbyist making a review and mentioning the damage and rust. One person. This was the first review where I heard of this and I would hope that JBL would step up and make a statement regarding the issue. It will not deter my interest in the L100. I hope to get a pair this summer.....unless COVID-19 has other plans for me.

AS Robinson stated he MOVES and swaps out his speakers all the time. DO YOU?? Im betting you dont have a constant rotation going on which would of course cause less wear and tear on the speakers. I own about 10 pairs of speakers and constantly swap them so Mr Robinson's point about the Veneer is valid and should be a concern for anybody that is not just leaving them in place for a year or whatever.  Wait a year and ask DARKO if he sees any problems with his since he will be moving them in and out of his lineup constantly like Robinson does. Maybe he comes to the same conclusion and maybe he doesn't.  There is mention of this problem on the STEVE HOFFMAN Forum site so perhaps you should search the ENTIRE internet before making "concrete" statements

Totally not true. This fake vlogger most probably let them fall on the floor causing the corner veneer to be damaged. I own the new L100 classics + the stands now for 13 months. I move them around and I have no issue at all with the veneer, quality in general and totally No rust or oxidation whatsoever. I also checked my dealer who has them as a demo model for more than a year now in his shop and no problems at all, not with the speaker, not with the stands.

Look at the internet and search for these faults, you will not find any post of it. Please check all the hundreds of positive reviews about the L100 classic like the one from Andrew Robinson himself (!) and John Darko! Andrew is the only one on the net talking now bad about them after he first called them amazing. He is not even a pro reviewer. What amp did he use? A 200 dollar amp and a low power vintage pioneer. Of course the heresy will launch quicker on low volume as it is 8 ohm and the L100 4 ohm what requests more current. I m really amazed by the L100 classic I must say, like 1000 other reviewers, every day I m stunned by the sound quality, I really consider them audiophile level and find them even better then my focal utopia’s. Anyway 1 hipster reviewer first praising the hell out of them and then fall of on them is really unprofessional. Just my 2 cents.

My veneer is as new...I also use special pads supplied by Deer Creek Audio who made my custom stands!

Definitely Heresy over L100....4429’s have a more robust build:)

true but,he pointed out that the very thin veneer was pulling away from the JBL's and the Speaker Base/Stand was developing Rust Spots around the Welds..That would hurt someones feelings after dropping that much coin.He did say he felt  the Bass was a little better on the JBL's.

Having heard the Heresy IVs, and assuming the new JBL have similar character as their classic ancestors, which one prefers would largely come down to personal preference, though Klipsch are inherently more tube amp friendly and efficient by design whereas those JBL less so and probably designed with SS amplification in mind.

So like with pretty much all things, it all depends.

Andrew Robinson on a  Youtube Shootout  liked the Heresy IV's over the new JBL L100 reissues.

Heresy’s always had fantastic detail!  Nice compact music maker...actually preferred them to any Harberth speakers.  My 4429’s actually remind me of the Heresy’s I had, but with a larger and more commanding presentation. 

Hope they sound good... I have a Parasound amp (250wpc) and I'm using a Denon 3808 to steer the remainder of the system.  

The Hersey's will be the fronts driven by the Parasound.  

We'll see if they REALLY sound good late at night when the volume is not so high

I don't get the comments that Heresy IIIs (or IVs) might not have the "uber detailed" sound of more precious designs...balderdash! I've owned a lot of those more typical (read expensive) designs, and the Heresy keeps up with and even surpasses all of those to my tastes anyway. I've noticed the closeness of the drivers in Heresy IIIs as something that might contribute to the coherency of the things...from the center of the tweeter to a few inches into the woofer cone is around 8 inches...less if measured from the lower opening of the tweeter horn, and far tighter dimensions than most any other wide range 3 ways...same with the IVs.

The whole delusion about loosing detail or quickness with a ported design is unfounded.  You will have perceptibly less bass output with a sealed system, thereby emphasizing the attack over the fundamentals and overtones.  What is lost is often the freedom of the lower midrange and bass that tend to expand out and energize a room when played live.  A lot of the energy is often in the recordings, but too many audiophiles tune it out in favor of an Uber Detailed sound.  Real music has power, physicality and it fills the acoustic space with vibrant resonances.  Taming the source material by overdamping a speaker to accentuate leading edge definition is foolish and not in pursuit of the Real Sound!

Hooked my system up for the first time last night - H IVs and Wadia 321 / a315 with Cambridge CXC transport.  Really wonderful sound that fills my 16 x 24 foot space.  Grainless highs, liquid mids and real solid base.  Needless to say, I was up until late at night listening to all sorts of music.  Belefonte at Carnegie Hall is a revelation.  If feels as though you are right there in the middle of the show.  Lots of detail, but no harshness on all the albums I have listened to so far.  Some less well produced music made itself known, but it was not intolerable.  Very pleased so far.

Low frequencies might rattle your door but highs are tossed out from horn speakers to the extent that reflection is less of an issue.

Having read a long article about what Alon Wolf thinks about sealed vs. non sealed speakers I feel better about my completely sealed system of Heresy IIIs with 2 RELs. I get that the IVs have many other improvements beyond porting, but Alon makes sense as he feels the bass boost at low levels can be out of scale at higher levels...I suppose the port can be plugged, but, again, my IIIs sound so good I'd have to do some serious side by side comparison to decide to switch to IVs, and I currently get a great sounding adjustable low bass from my 2 REL subs.

I know that speaker placement is critical with these speakers and I will have to place one of them in front of a glass door.  This door is the fixed part of a sliding glass outside door.


Should that be a problem?

Yes it does and thank you. The research goes on.

Anthem is high quality gear, but maybe not exactly what I was suggesting. 

In my system, I have a Marantz AV7704 for home theater.  I have a five channel amp that powers the center and four surround speakers.

I also have monoblocks that drive my 2 main speakers and a separate preamp for two channel listening.  For two channel listening, the home theater processor is not in use.  The preamp has a home theater bypass function that sends the signal from the pre pro to the main speakers while using the monoblocks to power them for home theater use.

Hope that helps.

Consider separate amplification for home theater and stereo listening.  A two channel integrated with home theater bypass or an amp/preamp combo with HTBP.

Good day folks.  New here, but I'm configuring a system with the Heresy 4 speakers and Steve talks about not using them with a cheap a/v receiver.  Since these would be used as front speakers in a HT system, what a/v receiver would you  recommend Steve?  

My guess is that over 50% of the time they would be used for music in stereo. I've had a Marantz 2270 back in the day and I'd be starting from scratch with this.  Thanks if anyone else has thoughts on this.

Thanks for clearing that up Steve.  I've been forced to put some of my speakers in less than ideal positions, but whenever possible I get them out into the room.  I had some Klipsch KLF-30s that got moved into my bedroom for a while and were right up against the wall and just a couple of feet from the foot of my bed.  Far from ideal, but I wasn't playing them at high volumes in there and they actually sounded quite good.  I sold them recently to free up the space.  That was one of the few times when I struggled to let some of my gear go, they were great speakers (at their price point).

I have some Heresy I speakers from the mid-80's that I've upgraded with Crites crossovers, tweeters, and woofers.  They are fun speakers and easy to listen to.  They don't have the detail, soundstage, or imaging of my Harbeth speakers, but they are really good.  I've heard some of the newer Klipsch Heritage speakers, but not the newer Heresy.  I wondered if adding ports to them would be a good thing or not, sounds like it's a good move on the part of Klipsch.

I payed $1600 new Canadian for my Heresy 3’s yes they were on sale regular list price in Canada is I believe $2200. the 4’s are $4k. Electronics for Less has them for $2200 each. sigh...…...so yes double. hopping for a sale or discount later in the year maybe. or La Scala’s mmmm La Scala’s

If you have Heresy 3’s (or any of their heritage line) an easy tip dyi is horn and cabinet damping. get some Dynamat 2’x4’ sheet is enough for both speakers. put it on all the back side of the horn drivers to damp the horns. also damp the bass driver’s metal frame. that will use half the sheet use the rest to put on the inside back, side and top of the cabinet. you don’t need full sheets on the inside of the cabinet I just use 5"x12" strips on the sides and top and a 12"x"12 on the back just behind the midrange and tweeter.
this will help immensely with detail retrieval, cabinet resonance issues (somewhat I’d rather put in braces but this is easy for now) and focus. cost me $120 for the Dynamat, a screwdriver and a couple hours of time.

I’m betting that would help all Klipsch heritage speakers from any year. damping the horns is really noticeable.

I found the dynamat at a car audio installation shop home depot I believe has it on their website too. 

I may get a new crossover with better parts as well GR research has some interesting DYI upgrade products. oh they have a full upgrade kit for the Forte 3 as well supposed to be excellent and includes the damping mat, braces and crossovers. 

Aren’t Cornwalls designed to go up against the wall? Hence the name?

Hey Big Greg. The photos in my review are almost all from Klipsch. The last one, is of them in my room. They are just about 3ft from the back wall and not pushed up against the wall in any way. One should never place speakers against a wall if they are ported in the rear or even if they are not. You will not hear the best of whatever speaker you have unless they are out into the room some. To let them breathe so to speak. These Heresy IV..I am still listening hours every day. They are addictive. Different from all other non horn speakers in the way they present the music but for me, it's a better way. Whether I listen to vinyl or digital, they just play music. After 100 hours they do warm up some but are still much better than the III's. An improvement in all areas. These are not going to give you the sound of an uber detailed audiophile speaker that is more about tech than music but they will give you music that sounds rather amazing at times. 

As for the larger brothers, The Cornwall IV's should arrive to me next week for review. Can't wait to hear them. I did own the Cornwall III's and even in my small 12X13 room they sounded phenomenal, just leaned warm. Those who say you must have a large room for Cornwalls maybe never heard them in a dedicated controlled smaller space. I had them in my room here and in my much larger living room. They sounded much better in my dedicated (smaller) room with a powerful presentation that commanded attention. They could be as thunderous as needed or as gentle and intimate as you could imagine. The sound was always full, rich and big with a very real vocal presentation. The Heresy IV's have some of this but they are more transparent and not as dark in presentation. When you power these with quality amplification they will not scream, shout or sound overly loud. They will remain composed, smooth and live sounding but they never get harsh or piercing in any way. If you use a harsh amp, like a cheap HT amp, they may sound harsh and thin. They scale very well. 

In any case, these Heresy IV's are well worth an audition! 

Work trip this week for a couple days to Detroit and Ann Harbor. Gonna try and check them out. 

I spent about an hour with a pair at a local dealer today. They definitely have a unique sound and aesthetics to offer versus the competition.

The sound was pretty much as Mr. Hoffman describes in his review. This was off a sizable Anthem STR SS integrated amp, not tubes.

$3000 is a lot of money but I notice pretty much everything at the local shops has increased a good bit in price over the last 6 months or so. There are some very tiny speakers out there that can set you back a lot for what you get.   Most are 2-way not 3 like the Heresy's.

The unique thing with the Heresy’s as will be no surprise was the jump factor....these are way more efficient than most and a good choice for a very dynamic sound especially I would expect with a tube amp or smaller SS amp.

The aesthetics are unique....very old school but classy looking.

I played all kinds of music and recordings old and new, and they handled everything with aplomb. I had things going fairly loud most of the time and my ears survived quite nicely....not shouty or fatiguing even on poorer quality recordings.

They really jumped to life with better recordings like "Birds of a Feather", by Carribean Jazz Project. There was a nice realistic sounding liveliness to the xylophone which was miked very closely in this recording and you could precisely locate each strike left to right across the sound stage loud and clear .

"Everything in it’s Right Place" by Radiohead came through crystal clear and expansive with nice fullness but no flab in the bass.

These definitely offer a unique sounding option with a lot of audiophile appeal beyond just efficiency and dynamics.

Would you say the JBL 4306 monitor is more refined than the Hersey 3&4. Probably Heresy more dynamic.

So for those who have possibly heard both. Cornwall 4 or heresy 4 in a 12x 16 room?

**deleted bad joke**

Ha feel like a dumb**s. The guy that wrote the review posted right above me in this thread. Lol. 

I'm waiting for the Ken Rockwell review.  Well, no, not really.  

@stevehuff In your photos (which are great by the way) you have the speakers pushed right up against the wall.  Is that how you're listening to them?  I would think that wouldn't be the best placement, especially now that they are ported.  Just curious.  

@stevehuff 

Nice review. Well done. You're based in Phoenix?

 Not sure if anyone posted yet but a new Heresy iv review with comparisons to Dynaudio Special 40 and Heresy iii.
  https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2020/02/17/klipsh-heresy-iv-review-klipsh-steps-into-the-audiophile-realm/

Sounds like I need to hear them. 

My IIIs new were from an Ebay store that's allegedly an "official" Klipsch dealer and cost about $1500 including shipping..."B" stock IVs I see here and there can be owned for as low as $2200 or so which is tempting to say the least (or maybe I can say less), but since I like my IIIs so much I can wait...

I'm not sure about double the price.  Music Direct has the 3's listed at $2598 for a pair.  The 4's are listed at $2998 a pair.  Looks like there's only a $400 difference.