Exertfluffer:
In particular I wished to address your question about crossover upgrades. A bit of background...
I have a home theater setup using all Klipsch heritage speakers, Forte's L/R & surround, Academy center, KG2 rear (these are not heritage, never mind on these)...you get the idea.
Visiting the Klipsch website for over a year I realized that there was MUCH debate and conjecture regarding crossover upgrades, and I decided to investigate. Over the last few months I designed and manufactured a new, better quality crossover network using two cojoined PCBS, and components from manufacturers such as Madisound, Auiricap, Solen, Dayton, and Mills.
Just this past weekend I had the opportunity to install my networks into the front Forte's. Mind you, like most I was skeptical about the results. I listened to a variety of DVD's with different types of music in the soundtrack - jazz, orchestration, big band, rock.
My immediate response to the network swap out was one of:
a) Improved clarity - it was like "removing the hiss" from
a cassette tape; there was no more noise in the high end.
b) Better dynamics - the better S/N ratio allowed me to
bring up the volume about 5dB, without any of the
harshness I was accustomed to.
c) Sound stage - the sound stage deepened appreciably, so
much that it seemed to improve my unmodified speaker
(the center channel).
Conclusion: I DO believe in the merits of crossover upgrades, and in fact am planning to market these boards as kits or full assemblies. I very much enjoy my Klipsch speakers and did not believe I could improve on them, but I did.
Chris
In particular I wished to address your question about crossover upgrades. A bit of background...
I have a home theater setup using all Klipsch heritage speakers, Forte's L/R & surround, Academy center, KG2 rear (these are not heritage, never mind on these)...you get the idea.
Visiting the Klipsch website for over a year I realized that there was MUCH debate and conjecture regarding crossover upgrades, and I decided to investigate. Over the last few months I designed and manufactured a new, better quality crossover network using two cojoined PCBS, and components from manufacturers such as Madisound, Auiricap, Solen, Dayton, and Mills.
Just this past weekend I had the opportunity to install my networks into the front Forte's. Mind you, like most I was skeptical about the results. I listened to a variety of DVD's with different types of music in the soundtrack - jazz, orchestration, big band, rock.
My immediate response to the network swap out was one of:
a) Improved clarity - it was like "removing the hiss" from
a cassette tape; there was no more noise in the high end.
b) Better dynamics - the better S/N ratio allowed me to
bring up the volume about 5dB, without any of the
harshness I was accustomed to.
c) Sound stage - the sound stage deepened appreciably, so
much that it seemed to improve my unmodified speaker
(the center channel).
Conclusion: I DO believe in the merits of crossover upgrades, and in fact am planning to market these boards as kits or full assemblies. I very much enjoy my Klipsch speakers and did not believe I could improve on them, but I did.
Chris