Hey All,
Brand new member here but a frequent lurker and frequent AK poster.
Had to jump in on this conversation as I picked up a lovely pair of Forte III about a year ago for a great price used, locally. Mint condition.
I upgraded from my Heresy 1 which I really loved.
So, here’s the kicker. A friend heard my III and decided he HAD to have a pair so I accompanied him to a local dealer for an audition. We were able to A/B/C between the Forte III, IV and the Heresy IV.
I felt the Fortes were very similar. So much so that I didn’t feel compelled to run out and upgrade. To be fair, the store had less than optimal acoustics for critical listening.
Now, here’s the kicker: I was absolutely stunned at how great the Heresy IV were. I know it’s a subjective thing but they just “grabbed” me more. Now, I’m not ready to run out and look for a pair but if a great price presented itself I might just do it.
I will note that my Heresy I were pretty painful at higher volume using a solid state amp but sounded perfect using tubes (Pilot 240 EL84). The Forte III DEFINITELY present with a slightly subdued “sharpness”. I’ve found I can now use solid state with the III pretty comfortably.
I had a pair of Cornwall II for a very short time and didn’t like them. I was (am) shocked because of their stellar reputation. I still wonder if it was me or that there was something wrong with them.
Sorry for the long post but I love talking about and hearing opinions on these fantastic speakers.
So, if a pair of Forte IV dropped in my lap I’d take ‘em but, if I were to add a second pair of speakers if they came up locally for a steal, I’d love to have another pair of Heresy. Preferably the IV!
Thanks!
