Klipsch Heritage Series Speakers
We all know about Klipsch and its iconic line of horn speakers. K has redesigned its entire line of Heritage speakers and most of the new models are here. There are four models in the Heritage Series. Each is a new design with modern components, housed in classic, vintage looking cabinets.
Klipsch still makes its top dogs, the Heritage Line, in Hope Arkansas. These are full figured speakers that deliver powerful bass, awesome dynamic range, and can be driven by ANY amp out there. Their cosmetics are VINTAGE GORGEOUS!
Klipsch Heritage is about dynamic range and power- even when being driven by garden variety amplifiers. Of course the speakers sound better as you drive them with better electronics. But because these boys are very efficient, they’re quite forgiving of old or low powered amps.
Heresy III $2000 Per Pair (23 7/8h, 15 1/2w, 13 1/4d, 44lbs)
A classic 12” 3-way with 2” Titanium horn mid and 1” Titanium horn tweet. 99dB SPL
Forte III $3600 Per Pair (36h, 16 1/2w, 13d, 72 lbs)
This 12” 3-way with 15” rear firing passive is the bargain in the line! Note this bad boy is only
13” deep and can BRING IT with the best of ‘em! 99dB SPL. At shallow depth- placement is easy. The new Forte is a dynamite value because it works well near a back wall and produces a truly prodigious sound!
Cornwall III $4400 Per Pair (35 3/4h, 25 5/8w, 15 1/2d, 98lbs)
Cornwall is a 15” 3-way with 102dB SPL! Make no mistake, Cornwall is a heavy hitter with the classic 15. Even the smallest of amps can drive Cornwall with power.
LaScalla II $8000 Per Pair (38 1/2h, 24 1/4w, 25 1/4d, 175lbs)
Perhaps the most gorgeous loudspeaker ever built, now finished quite elegantly, LaScalla combines modern performance with a vintage aesthetic. LaScalla is a 15” 3-way (uses one 2.5” mid) with folded horn cabinet design. SPL is a rockin’ 105dB!! The 175 pound weight is ON PURPOSE. LaScalla is as bold and dynamic as any speaker on the market. Ya wanna hear dynamics?!
NAD C268 Power Amp $800 (80×2 or 300×1 monoblock!)
Just out from NAD is a FABULOUS new power amp! The choices NAD made on C268 are so smart that I had to double check. Is this really just $800?
NAD is about power, AND PEAK POWER, first and foremost. While C268 is rated at 80×2, its peak power exceeds 300w! When you consider most 200×2 amps barely hit 200, you can begin to infer the value of NAD.
NAD uses its patented PowerDrive circuit to invert phase and cancel noise. The result is cleaner, less aggressive PUSH than “the other guys.”
You can run a single C268 at 80×2 with big peaks of 300w. Or, buy a second C268, now or later, and almost quadruple the power! How great to be able to do this in affordable steps! But since C268 is so CHEAP at $800, why not just buy two to begin with?!
Since you’ll have TWO C268s, each has its own dedicated power supply and the two channels don’t even share a transformer. Each amp is totally independent for the imaging and control we audio nuts crave.
C268 runs balanced or single ended. It has an input LEVEL CONTROL which is awesome for a handful of useful purposes. It’s nice to have this flexibility for:
-Running with a preamp with exceptionally high or low output
-Zone 2 (3&4 etc)
-Bi-amping
-Running a passive sub
C268 has a warmish, amber flavor to its sound. It doesn’t bite or sound shrill. Its flavor is musical and will remind you of tubes, without the hassle. C268 uses NAD’s proprietary Hybrid Digital technology. This differs from other D designs in that it uses analog switching technology and discrete output devices. The other guys DON’T.
NAD C368 Integrated Amp, $900 (80×2 or 300×1)
Are you thinking what I’m thinking?! Holy cow, what an upgrade path! You can buy the phenomenal C368 integrated and run 80×2. If you get the itch to upgrade… yup, just buy the C268 and all of a sudden your power is 300×2- for only the C268 investment of $800!
C368 is essentially a C268 with the preamp and DAC on the chassis. It is RIDICULOUS that
C368 only runs $900! Since C368 runs only $900, I’m not even going to push a separate NAD preamp. You have a terrific preamp with DAC, along with a C268 amp, on the C368 chassis already!
Hence, for $1700 in two boxes, you have 300×2 of NAD smooth propulsion, and a very fine
analog preamp with MM phono, and a dynamite DAC (2 OPT & 2 Coax), and Bluetooth! Is there a better $1700 value than this combo?!
While we’re talking… the C368 is so clean and quiet that it’s a great companion for the Klipsch models above.
What Else Are They Into?
Flea: Beekeeping
Roger Daltry: Trout Farming
Ellie Goulding: Avid Runner
Jack White: Upholsterer
Charlie Watts: Car Collector
Rod Stewart: Model Trains
Phil Collins: Historian
Alice Cooper: Golf
Ronnie Wood: Stamp Collecting