Klipsch Forte III Upgrade and more!
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- In this weeks Tech Talk, Danny Richie from GR-Research walks us through upgrading Tysons Klipsch Forte III! Danny also addresses FAQ's for the RP600M modifications.
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To purchase the kit, email Danny at info@gr-research.com or call 940-592-3400
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Forte upgrade: www.audiocircl...
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www.GR-Research.com
Audiocircle: www.audiocircl...
I really like what you do. Thank you.
Hi-fi geek road trip. What a great idea. Thanks for inviting us along for the ride.
The amount of orders you are getting is awesome! Always look forward to your videos when they come out. Glad to hear that your videos are generating sales. I have learned a ton from Tech Talk videos. Thank You!
Maybe klipsch should do that to all of their speakers . Even if the cost is higher people would go for it
This was needed!
Can I get one of your 600 rp kits here in the uk?
@@lifewithherbthedog6509 Yes you can.
I hear ya!
Upgrading Klipsch speakers is a great idea - especially the Heritage Line.
Yes, just make sure you get ones made before 1984 as the drivers are way better, with the exception of the woofers. The very old ones that used Electrovoice woofers were great. I've done many of these first thang you do is to front mount the horns, this is huge and if it's the only thing you do you will have improved them greatly. The bad news is the E V sp 12's can't be front mounted ( very early Heresey's). Second thing is the crossovers, do like they have done here and make new modern ones. Do not use the iron core auto former or anything like it. Change the crossover frequencies to what is more reasonable for the size of the midrange horn be it the K 700 K 600 and the K 400. The 400 can go fairly low but the others, not so much. The La Scalia's bass horn can't go above 400hz, so you half to run them that low but improved quality components will net good results. And lastly brace the cabinets and quality insulation as mentioned here. The original K horns had true 500hz sized horns but need to be made much more rigid and damped on the outside. Some of the early K horns will except Altec 511E horns with the 1.4" entry. I like the Altec 290E driver in this setup as the phenolic diaphragm is better damped, but with 288's you certainly can't go wrong. Remember that you have a tweeter and won't be using the highs afforded by the 288's. Oh and horns love tube amps😁. My two cents worth having done many of these in decades past.
All speakers i’ve tried with very high efficiency are very dynamic and sound live! And i found them to do rock and metal best! even better than very high end stuff.
Thank you. Someone should open up a workshop to provide mods to people who want improvements, but are not DIY inclined.
If I could find a couple of guys that I could count on to do really good assembly work, I'd hire them.
Yes the above test with the tube connections expanded the dimensionality and sound stage
You guys make me happy
@Danny Richie, this upgrade kit sure is interesting and a very reasonable offer. Does the rebuild affect the impedance curve? Have you done any measurements on that?
Now we're talking, Ron and Danny ! Definitely need to share your impressions on the modded Forte III alongside the Cornwall / La Scala or - dare we say it - the mighty Klipschorn. I admit that I've only heard the latter in a dealer's room at absurdly low volume, but they're a marvel nonetheless. As always, Liked the video and I hope you'll keep them coming.
These speakers are 4 grand....why would they need an upgrade? They should be near perfect at that price...😳
Remove the crossover and replace with a 192k processor and time align the drivers. I used to do that in my pro install designs. Made a huge difference with n coherence.
Please elaborate. Do they need time aligning because the voice coils are at unequal distances from the front baffle? Does the processor allow correction of the peaks noted by Danny? Does the processor allow corrections to maintain proper phase relationships? Thanks.
Hi Danny.. I hope you talk about the specifics of the new crossover etc of the Forte III and how it related to the measurements (CSD, etc.) you got in another video.. Thanks!
Fun. That's the most typically applied term I hear to describe Klipsch speakers. And that all sounds, well, fun. Danny brings up some key and interesting distinctions.
klispch forte 3 at 9:15
Awesome video. I’m planning to buying a set of the Legacies in the near future. Will include the upgrades from GR Research for sure.
Got a question for you: Do you do video calls for audio/room consultations and if so, what is your rate?
Maybe a dumb question, but why not just buy better speakers to begin with? Am I missing something? If you had the money for the Klipsch's, AND the money for the upgrades...
Bought them because I needed something that could go up against the wall in my living room, look good with my decor and not sound terrible. The Forte IIIs are the only speakers that fit that criteria. And yes, I've heard all the other Heritage speakers from Klipsch. Hell I even owned the Heresy III before moving up to Forte III.
The difference between the Klipsch stuff they are upgrading and better speakers are mainly in the cabinet and crossover designs.
They are correcting those issues and for less money than it would cost for outright better speakers.
Hello. I'm from Chile. How can I get de upgrade kit for my Forte III? Thanks.
The Klipsch Forte is not a budget speaker, the manufactures really should have done the work you have been able to do. Not impressed with their engineering finesse, compared to yours. OK if you think that would not be possible in their existing pricing, but a pressed steel frame bass driver and average quality crossover components?.......
Yes sir I got a used pair and I could withstand the upgrade;
But never at the price point they command $$$$.00 you can literally build a better speaker for 2,000 DIY.
I have some budget Klipsch Synergy towers and their high-end sucks. Will replace the tweeters.
@@nikolasbbq nothing like a little fine-tuning.
If you do a Klipsch Cornwall IV kit I'm in! I've noticed they fall apart at louder levels, the extra bracing and your crossover looks much better. Did you try damping the plastic horns?
Tyson did add strips of No Rez to the back side of the horns, and driver frames.
@@dannyrichie9743 Thanks for the feedback.
Hi. I am interested on crossover upgrade. For the Forte3. Thank you
I'm waiting to see the upgrade kit for the JBL 4350A, or maybe for the Dynaudio M3/4. 😉
Glad it's going to be upgraded. Forte 3: A 12" woofer in a massive cabinet that only has an f3 of 38hz?
That's nearfield monitor territory, but this you have to be way further back, and the box resonance and no bracing?!
Guess it's good for a loud, woodgrained nostalgia speaker, and sensitive enough to be driven by a lower powered tube amp I suppose, but a Phantom Reactor 900 digging lower with 4" drivers, and for $2500 and a tenth the size or less. Hard sell.
Klipsch seriously needs to overhaul the Forte 4 if they are going to go for $4000 a pair... Zero parallel internal walls, active, rounded edges, great bracing, and extension down to 20hz.
You'll never buy a Klipsch. Even the Klipschorn doesn't go to 20 Hz. The bass it does produce is as clean and powerful as you'll ever hear from a speaker because of the folded horn's physics. To get the extension, they'd have to sacrifice efficiency.
Good episode, thx
Could that same crossover work for the new Forte fours
How do the tube connectors improve the sound quality? Given the short distance (1"), common wisdom says a pure copper connection isn't going to change overall resistance much at all vs brass or nickel plated binding posts. Does the difference come from lower box resonance, removing the binding posts making the speaker more rigid?
The improvement in sound quality has nothing to do with resistance. And the improvement is often not subtle.
I've got a issue - it's that wobbly stool you're sitting on!
Yeah, no more videos in that chair.
I thought he had to pee.
I have a pair of Klipsch RF-3's any chance to see an upgrade on this model? Any advice on rebuilding the enclosures?
How does the upgrade kit compare to the new Forte IVs?
Hi. How much is the crossover upgrade? Thanks
Will you announce when you will sell the cross overs? Or do we have to go to the website to check for prices and availability?
We are already taking orders.
I have choris klips do you have up grades for them?
How would you combat the argument that you might be changing the speaker's sound of its intended design? How can you call it the same speaker if you change it?
the speakers were designed to be aggressive ?
@@joeygonzo Yes, like a sports car. Like the klipschorn, the forte's were designed to be efficient because back in the day of tubes, efficiency was almost a requirement. They were designed to be aggressive because the amplifiers were the exact opposite.
They still have the same basic sound after the mod as before it. The strengths of the the Forte III were enhanced, not diminished. The reason people think Klipsh speakers sound aggressive is that they are not used to hearing a highly directional speaker that is super high efficiency. So the 'jump factor' inherent to this design makes is seem like they are aggressive. But they aren't, they are just super fast. The mods done here actually enhance that strength even more, by damping the cabinet so that loud peaks are less muddy and the spectral decay is even cleaner. It's not a different tuning. In a way it's more like a 'super-Klispch" than anything.
Hello, Klipsch Forte III vs Cornwall IV? Value for money. Can I use a sub woofer with the Forte III and sound as good or better than Cornwall IV? When will a Forte IV launch? Thanks
I got to hear the Cornwall IV at the most recent RMAF and was hoping to maybe upgrade to them since they used the same MUMPS technology in the midrange that I liked so much in the Forte III. Alas, I just didn't like the sound of the Cornwall, or I would have sold the Forte III and bought the Cornwall IV.
I have a sub with my Fortes maybe this upgrade can help
Another great video, however, that chair needs a good grease job 😀
That chair does need some work.
I've got a pair of forte II that I want to keep and don't have the budget to upgrade to newer models any chance a kit specific to the forte II? I know of other companies that offer replacement crossovers and tweeters but that's about all they focus on.
I don't know how different the model 2 is. I have not seen them.
@@dannyrichie9743 yeah thanks for the response just wishful thinking. If shipping wasn't an issue I'd definitely send them over so you can work your magic. There are a lot of post out there from people that have done tweaks to the forte II but it's kind of the wild west and there is no data or measurements to show what really helps. In the meantime I'll be tuning in.
For $2000 EACH they SHOULD sound MINDBLOWING out the door.
So, do you believe this channel 100%?
They DO sound great.
Greetings Danny & GR Research.
I got a question that's been boggeling my mind ever since i heard that sound/music seperation is a bad thing in speakers.
If this Sound/music seperation is so bad, by placing speakerelements far from eachother, and placing them tighly together is promoted, why are we seeing such a craving for floorstanding speakers with the elements spread out across 100cm+ or even more at times ?.
I'm interested in getting back into building speakers again, using PR-research elements. But due to this question, and my uncertain plans of making a floorstanding with 2x6.5" base 1x6.5"mid 1xRibbon tweeter, this is someone i would love to get clarity in..
Why am i seeing floorstanding speakers costing $120.000, if sound seperation is bad ?.
Sound separation? I am really not sure where you are coming form there.
@@dannyrichie9743 It's when you can pinpoint the source of different sounds coming from a speaker. If you're sitting at listening distance from a speaker and you can make out that the bass is coming from a completely different source than the midrange or trebble.
I built a towerspeaker once, using an 8" Peerless woofer, 5,1/4 midrange and titaniumdome tweeter. They were all placed with 5mm distance from eachother about 1meter up. The mid and tweeter had seperate enclosures and the rest of the speakercabinet was filled with fine sand. When playing that speaker, it was impossible to hear where any specific sound were coming from, even when placing my head right next to the speaker... pretty much perfect.
When i play the floorspeakers i have bought, which are 2x6" bass, 5.1/4 mid, softdome+ribbontweeter - i can ofc clearly hear where different sounds are coming from... the bass, mid and trebble is clearly seperated.
Sorry for the lack of correct wording. I believe you call it Acoustic Center spacing.
Ideally, you hear nothing coming from the speaker. You want to create a three dimensional sound field that is layered in depth and exceeds the boundaries of the speakers.
Ohoooo, why not a heresy upgrade....
take a look at: community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/150280-super-heresy-1-baby-cornwalls-mod/page/1/ its a long read, but a good upgrade!
Can someone name me a speaker or brand that doesn’t need upgrading?
gary lawrence ... it’s about compromises. 😬
You’re right
LOL I'm guessing Tannoys at this point
Even most of our own products that we offer (DIY kits) have upgrade options.
@@dannyrichie9743 And soon, the upgrade options will have upgrade options!
This would also be fun to do with some other popular speakers likem Kef LS50 and Elac Unifi.Just sayin'......
Charles Katz ... yeah the LS50! Smoothen our the top end.
Wow Paul Klipsch was my hero, Now youTwo guys are.
Maybe I should bring my 4 Klipsch RF 7 III to update
I'd love to see Danny show upgrades for the RF7 III. I have a pair of them and would love to squeeze more out of them.
Do it I’d like to upgrade mine as well
I wonder what this upgrade would do to a Forte II. Or in other words, what's the evolution from II to III entail, and does this upgrade fit?
I don't know. I have not seen the model 2.
What exactly is no-rez?
It is a material designed to control the resonances of MDF: gr-research.com/norez24x27sheet.aspx
How about a kit for the JBL Century L-100 the vintage ones!!!
More information from Tyson and listening impressions are posted here: www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=166996.0
Peut etre un bon ingenieurs , je ne le saurais jamais , son kit hors de prix est incomplet et immontable! 800 € foutu a la poubelle et lui est incapable de m’envoyer des infos valables.
I thought I heard him say 20 Hertz
With subwoofer added, I beleive.
David Kasman✌ that is the only way. I'm eventually going to order this upgrade kit would love to hear the difference.
@@jorgesalado600 I expect the difference will be very obvious. The crossover impovements alone should be day and night. I believe I can hear the stock inductors saturate on my Cornwalls (the Forte crossover they removed looks very similar to the one in my Cornwalls). As they sound good up to a certain volume level but then fall apart.
@@dksculpture just like Danny said the change a severe at a 100 decibels so thoroughly enjoy this video very eye-opening and ear catching😁
4 grand for this cheapo box and crossover!?!?! wth
Welcome to the 21st century. So annoying what people expect to get paid these days.
So where's the segment where you take, say, 20 random, youthful people looking for gear who believe they have excellent hearing, tell them nothing except that they need to evaluate a familiar, wide-spectrum signal out of two different pairs of speakers next to each other in the same room, A/B, and run your "upgrade" against the factory version--then show us their responses and how the upgrade rated subjectively at the ears of these ignorant and random individuals, and how much they said they would pay for the difference vs. the actual cost in parts and labor to modify them? That would be much more interesting and useful, maybe even compelling, to the consumer as a sales pitch.
So you want a Tech Talk that's focused on .... market research? That's, uhm, odd.
@@tysonn4736 Tech talk? Oh, where was that? I wasn't referring to the occasional reference to measurements. I was referring to the topic of speakers and sound, the bulk of the video, with multiple subjective opinions expressed in these postings. Yes, that is the nature of marketing and sales. The research I suggested was regarding a broader, disinterested slice of human perception of whatever sound reproduction is being compared and promoted here, and in light of that, its relative value. The audiophile world is about as objective as the fragrance industry. No amount of specs or charting will tell you whether a speaker is "good" or "better" for most people's listening purposes, nor by how much. Online listeners will never be the same as listeners in a room with direct-comparison ability.
@@ReflectedMiles So you are bothered by subjective opinions by one person about the sound of a speaker, so your solution is to have subjective opinions by more people? Again, odd. Also, I'm not selling anything - these were my speakers that I wanted upgrade to make them sound better. So that's what we did - improved their basic (and measured) performance and used better quality parts. And guess what, they sounded better! Shocking, I know.
As for value, if you don't already own a Forte III then I wouldn't go out and buy one just to do an upgrade. However, if you do have one, it might be worth it as you take a big hit selling speakers used and there's no guarantee the next pair of speakers will be engineered any better.
Tyson Neidig I am not bothered by subjective opinions as long as it is understood that they are subjective and that the viewer has no way of evaluating them, let alone pricing their worth. It makes a great difference, even statistically speaking, for the subjective data from 20 or 50 persons to be utilized instead of one or two, assuming the basis of obtaining those is as objective and neutral as possible. So no kit was offered for sale as part of this video? Just because it wasn’t offered by you personally doesn’t mean it isn’t a sales video as well. My question was about improving the YT-viewer usefulness of the work and evaluations presented, as well as being able to evaluate their cost.
Sorry man, your suggestion for 20 to 50 listeners to validate subjective opinion is quite dumb. But if you really want it to happen, I suggest doing it yourself. Be the change you want to see!
Why should one have to "upgrade" these high end speakers? This pseudo-phile wants to convince you otherwise, for his own profit. One is by far better off learning ROOM TUNING, and SPEAKER PLACEMENT. Most complaints of "bad sound" are a result of poor placement, separation, and BAD ROOM TUNING. This arm chair expert wants you to believe he knows more than an entire TEAM of audio engineers with years of experience.
Those Forte IIIs in this video are mine. I have them in my 2nd system upstairs. I'm a single guy and I have a 1950's split ranch style home all to myself. So I have unlimited freedom to place them in the room however I want. I also have tuned the room through very large acoustic panels (which I built myself). You are right, room tuning and speaker position is important. If people have not worked on that, they should. I did the upgrade to the Forte IIIs after I tuned my room. Because I thought they could sound better than they did stock. And I was right. After the upgrades they sound much better than stock.
4000 a pair with junk drivers and x over components. That's why I dislike Klipsch!!
First comment: Bam!
Fuck off
Does anyone posting here he reads these? Doubt it.
But my 2 bits is how someone will say something like.. now these speakers are the best.
(Qualifier...based on the location type of music individual tastes physical hearing limits weed .. )
It's the way some say it. Funny
Anyone seen the video cant remember about the new klipsch ak6
Like 7400$ each man on the video digging into them because they sounded off . Found all spade? Lugs loose and cut to fit. Very poor cabinet wbig cabinet heavy speakers zero bracing iron ? Cross over coil low end electronics budget electronics pretty bad review 7,400$ each one might think quality design at least. Per the reviewer.
Stereo police is the reviewer
They are my speakers and while they are certainly better, they are definitely not "the best". But they are good enough for my 2nd system which is in my upstairs living room listening area. Now, if you go downstairs to my dedicated room in garden level basement, the Super 7 planar magnetic speakers down there are much closer to "the best".
Any possible chance this upgrade kit would well on a Forte 1??