To those running Klipsch Forte IIIs...

What did you own before?  Very curious.

" and before I move on ". I guess they are not the keeper you say they are. 

I cam from Vandersteen Quatro CT's and although 1/4 the price, I'm happier. They have a "live" sense that is absolutely AWOL on most speakers, regardless of price. I have tried  tinned copper cables (Duelund) because Paul Klipsch used them but for me the Audioquest cables I used from the Vandies were more to my liking. I've tried solid state integrated known to be a fantastic match with them (Yamaha A-S2100), a class D amp (Parasound zonemaster2350), and the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III with all Telefunken input tubes in triode mode. For me, the Cronus Magnum III is a stellar match and the phono stage in it is quite good. They are hypersensitive to placement and depending on how lively or dead your room is, toe in and distance to back wall are important. Although most put them close to the back wall, I believe my front baffle is about 54 inches away from the back wall. I have 2 massive subwoofers in the corners that I now leave off as I'm getting ridiculously great bass from them.
   I usually don't post (or even look at the forums anymore) but was really curious myself about people's experience with them and hoping more people will chime in. I think these are worth the time and effort to get right (and I've been churning gear for the last decade at a break neck pace-which I'm not proud of but was looking for that "live" feel all along and glad I came across the Fortes).

I've been using the same old pair on Klipsch kg 5.2 since new 1992 , then last year I upgraded to Harbeth c7s  , ( it was an upgrade cuss alll the forums and other info stated so as Harbeth being in the top 10 or so as best you can buy  )  and after 6 months  of Harbeth   listening  , I dragged out my old  Kg5.2 and did a a/b switch    comparison  and there was No comparison , I mean , these old 1992 $900 a pair Klipsch took my breath away  .As I have stated before , toss out all the adjectives used to describe the perfect sound in speakers and go  for  the one that moves you  emotionally , after all , what move do we make that is not emotionally  driven .For me it's certainly not  what others are gonna tell me what to look for in a speaker sound , especially now that I have heard Harbeth and  cheap old Klipsch side by side
If you are the type to sit down and spend  time  doing some extreme critical  listening ,   then you'll wnat to shop around  for a pair  or just read  the forums and buy based on someones  emotional  experiences 
expressed through fancy adjectives.I live for  those  moments  that the music will move me and I'll stop what I am doing and think , wow , that was amazing , that's what Klipsch does  for me  and that's why I now have a pair of Forte 3 powered by an old Yammie Av receiver  and Heresy 3  in my office powered by a Primaluna .Really , only one Heresy (still using theKG5.2)  is in my office and the other is still boxed in garage  . Some day I'll drag it in .Dromme in Sedona

If anyone is familiar with me, and my posts, I will remind everyone here, that given the price points, and the easy and inexpensive way many Klipsch models can be improved upon, they are more musical, and enjoyable, to most anything else out there......And, I have been stating this for over 50 years now...My statement above, was based on the fact, that jbhiller was ready to move on...So many audiophiles, cannot " sit and listen ", because their systems are not musically engaging. Obviously, the other posters here, Klipsch owners, are engaged. Enjoy ! MrD.

My Heresy IIIs are a less expensive cousin of the  Fortes, and need subs (which I have), but man...what amazingly well designed fat little gems these things are, and I agree with the esteemed mister "d" as these things steal big chunks of my time every day.

happiness in the music IS the goal, enjoy!!!!!

I have a pair of Forte lll's. I have an Ayon Spirit lll, Line Magnetic LM-518ia, Yamaha A-S2100 and a separates system using a Schiit Freya S and Parasound A23+. All sound great with the Forte lll. Source and room are critical.. Garbage in garbage out as it is with all systems.
My source is a Bel Canto 2.7 DAC and Bluesound Node2 streaming Tidal hi-res.
When you hear the brush on a cymbal, Patricia Barber taking a breath in between words in a song and Miles Davis turning away from the microphone while playing his trumpet in YOUR listening room ... That's as good as it gets my friends.
The Forte lll's do that.
Happy listening regardless of what you own!

I have owned many speakers over the years. The Forte iii are the best speakers I ever had the pleasure of owning. They captivate me every time I listen. It was stated in an earlier post that when a speaker can move you emotionally and engage your senses completely you have found it ... The Forte iii do this. Power them with a Parasound pre and amp with Audioquest cables and this combo works beautifully. When the music fills your room as if it was being played right in front of you, I don't know how it can get any better!!

Good potential garbage Xover parts . I know threw experience 
on most all Klipsch speakers .a friend has them he replaced all the garbage resistors ,inductors,and capacitors , even the $12k Khorns  cheap Xover parts totally beyound believe made in China 
when in fact if you spend just 1k in Xover parts you would totally 
refine the speaker at least a 15% increase in resolution, imaging,
and soundstaging. Pull the woofer out you will see what I mean .
you want 1% resistors mills decent Pathaudio the best, 
abunch of Quality capacitors , Inductors Jantzen  Copper open coil.

While you are at it Upgrade the wiring, and scrap the cheap $6 Loudspeaker terminals . They are thin brass , Gold Over Copper night and day better 4 x more 
conductive much more natural sounding.

and dynamat ( or better ) the horn bodies, but as said the fundamentals are there,,,,!!!! enjoy the music

@mrdecibel ,  You are totally off Sir/Madame.  I'm not "ready to move on".  In fact, the Forte IIIs are so wonderful that it will be a long time before I do sell them.  They will remain in the stable with other speakers for some time.  But even more importantly, how do you know that I don't "sit and listen" or am not "engaged"?  I am not offended in the least yet I do think it's super important to note that your post has nothing to do with the original subject and you make some huge assumptions about my listening habits and amenability to selling the Fortes.  It's posts like yours that make me scratch my head.  Enough said--on to the topic at hand. 

On the question of what I am coming from--I've used Monitor Audio, Totem, PSB, Wharfedale, B&W and a few others which escape me right now.  The Forte IIIs are my first horn speaker. 

At AXPONA I heard some Volti horns that seemed to be larger and more elegant Forte IIIs.  I was impressed with them and left thinking the Forte IIIs are very similar (getting me about 90% of the Volti sound), which made me happy.  So, "before I move on" to Volti or another more expensive horn, I'm going to love my Fortes and enjoy experimenting with them on my own journey.  

One character trait of the Forte IIIs is their ability to sound so different with different pieces--whether it be amplification, front end sources, tube rolling, etc.  

@schw06 , you get the point of the post--we are curious to hear about others' experiences with the Forte IIIs!  I'm just looking to hear and share our mutual journeys with them. 

I don't doubt, as others have posted, that there are some cheaper internal parts (resistors, caps and maybe wiring).  Even my Primaluna uses middle grade caps in spots when I would prefer Clarity, Jupiter, Jantzen, etc.  

I see my 1 glass of wine- long winded response  may of had nothing to do with  your question , other than my personal search for a better sound  from a  supposedly  better hi end speaker actually lead me back to a  much lower end speaker   that  had a much better emotional sound  that engaged me like no other speaker does .I was in Portland Or in July , there is  a Hifi  shop that sells Focal and Harbeth and others , got to  hear the Focal  sopra 2 and maybe I was tired   or something , maybe spoiled or maybe I just need to hear them next to my Fortes  to understand what they can do for me . I was bored ..

I am hoping my next purchase is a LM 219ia , used of course  .There's a tiny tube amp shop in Phx that sells them new , $8K .They now come in 2 pieces  because of the weight .:)

JBhiller , I think you were a little offended , your response sort of suggest it .

jbhiller....you were offended, and I am sorry for that. I am a somewhat educated guy. When I read a statement such as yours, saying " before I move on ", I take it to mean one thing, and one thing only. So, say what you want. If you are able to sit, listen, and stay engaged in your musical selections, while listening to your Forte IIIs, excellent. This was very gracefully pointed out, by our Heresy III leader, wolf. I do not know you....but....I do know you, and many like you, more than you think. Want to improve the Forte IIIs, for very little money, and a bit of time ? Remove the mid horns, and apply to them, from the rears, equally, and systematically, some Dynamat, and you will hear some improvements throughout the entire spectrum. For some, this is subtle, for others, dramatic. If you are asking why a new 4K, Forte III, would need improvements....Everything is made to a price point. Just like the crossovers. BTW, and excellent speaker, has shown me subtle, and dramatic differences in upstream equipment, cables, fuses, etc. Based on the high efficiency and sensitivity of the Klipsch, it is easily more apparent. So, good for you. Enjoy ! and let's all stay engaged....MrD.

No worries Mr. D!  

I'd bet the markup on the F III would be $1-2k if better components were used.  I know that caps have really impacted my budget when building tube amps.  And they do make a difference in my opinion, which sounds similar to what I think your view is too. 

Never have been a fan of Klipsch speakers and the Forte is no different. You can improve this speaker, but I dont think you can do anything to make it even remotely competitive with many speakers in this price range in the areas of reproduction which I feel are most important. 

i read your initial post the same way “ before I move on”..., no matter as we seem to be beyond that....everything is engineered to a price point, including the acoustic space you have them in....

i probably have ten hours into dialing in a set of Forte 3 and countless hours w restored and upgraded Cornwalls for buddies, they reward careful system matching, placement, and component upgrades. so glad the emotion of the music comes thru...as I listen right now The Teskey Brothers and horn section are in my room....ah

BTW , I assumed the same , you were moving away from Klipsch for a possible greener pasture

'move on'? I thought he meant move on to Cleveland. I think Klipsch need special permission to operate there. 

the mistake by the lake, the river than burned ? who would ever move away ?????

I have heard the Forte's in different setups and they all were positive. They gave me the "transport to a different time" feeling.

That feeling is being in an audio store as a teenager in the 70's,and being wowed by everything.

The only thing  I can't get over(which would prevent me from buying a pair) is their traditional looks. Aesthetically, kinda tired in appearance(just a personal thing), but great sounding speakers. 

The distressed white oak finish would be my choice,if my arm were twisted.

It appears you like them a lot. I would just maximize positioning and room treatment. After that, sit back with a cold one and turn it up. Other than that, it's time to move up the food chain and get the the Cornwall/ La Scala's or something in that league.

Sorry  to write , the Harbeths were a waste of time , other than just having the experience of knowing the " unfatiguing character "  is another way of saying "boring" .     Who ever came up with the description " not fatiguing "  was trying to be nice  .  I suppose in the recording studio you'd want  a neutral  sounding speaker , that makes sense , I guess .  
After all , the whole idea of studio recordings is to make it sound the best way that is acceptable and not over the top . , But ya gotta start with something neutral , and add to that  , I guess .  Not sure how that works .Besides , I do not think what you are hearing is a natural presentation .It's a studio's engineer's idea  of what he wants you to hear .Or maybe you think what you hear is the natural presentation that's intended  . lol.If you were in an auditorium ,  watching a movie , do they use a  natural sounding  system ?? , They do not .I added a center channel  so I could better hear the details , like voices .Klipsch adds a degree of  excitement , engagement .Harbeth adds boredom .I purchased  the Harbeth from reading reviews and others experiences  and now I have my own experience  , luckily , I sold them  for the same price I paid

Besides , the non fatiguing I keep reading about  , "you can listen to them all day"  kind of thing  , I  could not do that with the Harbeth or any speaker , 1.5 hours of music is all I can stand, then I need some quiet  , when it  comes to TV  , no problem with the Klipsch , we'll sit and watch 3-4 hours  straight

Here's an idea ,   everyone should have a pair of Harbeth as a sound base line , to compare all other speakers to ., You know , reference  speakers , that kind of redefines the term " reference speaker "
The boring neutral sounding Harbeth  used as a  base line of sound .
Alright , y'all , just playing , sort of

dromme, very interesting that you found the Harbeths boring.  I get that.  

Did you mention one you are using for 2 channel music now?  Sounds like the Fortes are being used for television/movies.  

Did you ever try the Fortes with you Primaluna? If so, what did you think? 

I'm running the Forte IIIs, paired with McIntosh MC2105 and MX119.  Primary source is Bluesound Node 2.  This is the best setup I've ever had and I enjoy it completely.  The Fortes fit perfectly in my 1969 vintage living room and are more or less period correct.  For me the biggest compromise in my system is the long cable run to the speakers dictated by the system location across the room.  Need to figure out that part but for now it sounds great. Been a Mac & Klipsch fan since a teen in the 70s.  No reason to change now.

Recently heard the Forte III’s hooked up to the new Luxman SQ-N150 10 wpc Tube integrated. Excellent open clear dynamic sound w/plenty of bottom end. The Integrated is only 11" wide and about 8.5" deep. A very musical mini me.

jbhillerMy F3s are used for TV and music  in LRMy office is where  my PL amp is with the Heresy  3   and my old KG5.2
Have not spent any  time comparing the double S  and the tube amps .I feel my office is rather small  to move around in .I will do the comparison and report back to you , someday :)

Greetings Fellow Music Lovers! I apologize in advance for the long post.. 

I’m so glad I ran across this thread! I am really close to getting a new set of Speakers and the Heresy / Forte models seem to be where I keep coming back too. Initially I was dead set on the Heresy iii’s, but once I started researching and leaned that even though they gave that live sound I am craving (I’m an avid Dead Head / Rock Concert kinda guy), that I’d really still need a Sub or 2 to get that powerful Bass I love. I am now leaning to the Forte or maybe the Cornwalls if I can swing the extra money. Just so everyone can see where I’m at now, here’s my current system:

Parasound Halo A21 amp  & P5 preamp,
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon with the stock Ortofon Red Cartridge upgraded with an Acrylic Platter and Cork Mat, Integra 6 Disc CD Player (yes, it’s a low end CD player but when not playing records, I love just loading up 6 discs and hitting Random lol), my Speakers are Goldenear Triton 5’s along with Two JL Audio Dominion D108 Subs. I use Schmitt Custom Audio Cables for everything and all the interconnects are made with Vintage Western Electric Wire.

The Parasound is the only change I’ve made from my initial system, it was my first foray into higher end audio and I didn’t know much of anything (still don’t technically but I do know what sound I like) but I knew then to buy better speakers instead of a high end amp and cheap speakers so my first power source was an Integra AV Receiver. 

So the Goldenear Tritons do sound nice, but I really have never just loved them, and I also don’t want to use Subs in my 2.0 Stereo set up. I want Speakers that will give me the Bass I love on their own. Which depending on who you ask may or may not be an important factor. When I hook up my old Cerwin Vega 317p Hardrockers they give me that live sound, Bass, and loudness when wanted, but they’re not as detailed as I have grown to appreciate.

For me, I want to go back to a more traditional Speaker with a decent or good Wood Veneer etc. for the looks and my style,  but most importantly that live sound.. I’ve also looked into Focal 948’s, KEF Q550’s, PSB Imagine T3’s and Legacy’s.. but again, the Klipsch Heritage line seems so far to be possibly what I’m needing.

I’ve even toyed with the idea of parting ways with my A21 which I just absolutely love and going to Tubes because so many folks say the Heritage line Speakers really love Tubes.

So to the Original Poster- I am glad you enjoy the Fortes and will be following this thread and others to learn more until I can get up to the shop to listen myself. I could only find one Heritage Dealer in Chicago! Crazy.. so to each and every one of you have a great day and keep the music flowing!

@bigjohn9095, Welcome!!! 

With your interest level, I'd say you definitely have to give the Forte IIIs and Heresy IIIs a whirl.  I'm in Chicagoland if you want to pop by to listen to your music to put them through their paces. 

I'm familiar with the PSB Imagine T3s.  They are a great loudspeaker. In contrast to the Forte IIIs, you're going to get a deeper but not wider soundstage and more pinpoint imaging.  The T3s have a laser focus from midband upwards.  On the other hand, the Forte IIIs are more holographic and without question more "live" sounding.  The Forte IIIs are more dynamic, more sensitive, and very revealing of sources.  They are two different animals and I like both very, very much.  

The Forte IIIs can play great, IMHO, with solid state.  I enjoyed them with Class D topology too.  I do, however, strongly prefer them with tubes. 

I'm not an evangelist of cables or at least dropping a fortune on cables. I will say though, decent cables that can at least keep noise out of the chain are important with the Forte IIIs due to the loudspeaker's efficiency plus it's transparent nature.  At this efficiency level I took efforts to keep all hum out of the sound. 

What's also fun about the Forte IIIs is their characteristic of sounding different with different amps and sources. That's why I said above that I'll enjoy the journey long before I move them out for something different.  I'm no expert but I think I can hear greater differences when swapping out gear than with a more modern design like the PSB you reference.  So that is a plus for me because I like to play around and the F3s are a great common denominator to play around on my journey. 

To borrow a line from WolfGarcia, I'm now that guy in his mid 40s (Wolf is likely mid 50s) using horns and tubes!  I never thought I'd own anything Klipsch too.  

Mid 60s...this is the oldest I've ever been.

How's your hearing WG ??
I'm 63.5 and I am enjoying my tinnitus

I enjoy listening to my Forte iii speakers. I have never enjoyed music as much as I have with the speakers. Music is fun, exciting and sometimes scary in a good way. Great with vinyl and streaming sources. Positioning and set up is important to get the best out of these amazing speakers. 

Note that I think Fortes and Heresy IIIs sound very similar, albeit with differing low bass response...at least they did when I briefly heard Forte IIIs while auditioning the Heresy IIIs. I often mention that the Heresy IIIs size appealed to me as they're the shortest floor speaker I've owned and I can see my gear behind 'em...I like that...

I've been punishing my earballs since the mid 1960s when my loud guitar playing career started, and I guess that sound in my head must be tinnitus...but with that I'm never alone! Doesn't get in my way at all, although ambient noise like a loud restaurant makes it hard to hear specific voices well, but meh...I still run and mix small-ish venue live concert sound and get paid for that, so that's working fine, and weirdly I can hear relatively high frequencies well enough...acoustic guitar overtones, hifi unboosted treble...I protect my ears on long motorcycle rides but don't need to on shorter ones as ripping around the backwoods here I rarely get up to ear damage speeds (wind noise, even with a full face helmet is crazy over 60mph).

@dromme 
different strokes i guess.    i happen to love harbeth speakers.  did you have the old version of the C7 or the latest version the ES3? 
regardless they have a polished rich sound that is not boring with the right amplifier, speaker placement and system synergy.
the realism i hear with vocals and instruments is spellbinding,  
i listened to the Forte III extensively before a recent speaker upgrade and found them a very fun listen but could not get past the nasal, highly colored quality of the vocals and the lack of imaging and sound stage depth.  

I dont want to put a nickel in any of the Klipsch people on this forum, but a dealer friend told me that Klipsch is now being made in China. Perhaps all but the Heritage? Anybody know for certain?

Yes, the Klipsch Heritage, and the Cinema and pro lines, are made here. The other Klipsch products, have been made in China for quite a while now. And ?

Nothing like kicking back and listening to the Forte iii speakers. Put some Tom Petty on the turntable and transport with a great American rock band with great American made speakers. It just doesn't get any better. The Forte iii are a unique speaker that may not appeal to everyone, but if you like to be transported musically to a live presentation of your favorite artists then Klipsch has got you covered. It's a fun and engaging speaker. Feed the Forte's some solid power either SS or Tubes. Enjoy!! 

I think that my two amp situations fall on the extremes of what I need.  My 300B sounds glorious with the Forte IIIs but my room is a bit large and I wish it had more power. My other amp is a Primaluna HP premium integrated.  The Fortes sound best with KT150s in the amp. BUT, the PL volume control must stay below 9:30/10:00 o'clock--my sense is it's too much juice.  Would I be better off with a 30w tube amp?

Can you adjust the gain? I reduced on my amp with good results. 

hifificrazed, great idea.  I wish I could. Both amps do not allow for it. 

avanti1960  , interesting , those are the reasons I like the F3 ;)
nasal, highly colored quality of the vocals and the lack of imaging and sound stage depth

With the Forte IIIs it is really a different kind of imaging than a lack of imaging. It’s more akin to live music. I hear specific image locations and depth but not as pronounced.  At first I thought I might miss such imaging. Later it seemed more natural to me. Both are interesting frameworks to listen to recorded music.  

After living with the Klipsch for a year, it did change my perspective on hyper imaging. Now, I still appreciate it but I’m more after a bigger holographic sound. I’m not as desirous of hearing something so perfectly placed because it sounds more processed to me now.  

Jbhiller I agree with your assessment. Not sure if I can go back to something other than the Forte iii.... and the sound they produce. 

I'm going to have some older Heresys(vintage 80s?) here on Friday to listen to courtesy of my brother.He wants to hear them with tubes.I've never heard them before.We listen to his Cornwalls when I visit him.It'll be fun to compare them to my Tektons.I'll let you all know!

Hificrazed, I agree with your view on it being hard to go to something else. I’m torn between selling the Primaluna to fund a new lower powered amp versus staying put.