Early Klipsch Heresy - some advice please

[pbroido]

Hi

I have an opportunity to purchase a pair of what looks like early Klipsch Heresy in Oiled Oak. I don't have the serial numbers yet so I'm not sure of the details but they have the covers with the logo in the top corner rather than to the rectangular top centred plaque saying Klipsch. They are priced at ~£180 in fair condition (looks like they will need some cleaning up). The catch is they are in South Africa so need to figure shipping cost packaging and leg work around getting them back to London. I am off to SA next week so will see them before I get them.

Can I get some thoughts on what a decent pair of early Heresys would cost in the UK and any ones experience with them?

Thanks

Peter

[walpurgis]

They sound worth getting. I believe earlier examples are more desirable for some reason. Possibly driver quality. UK price for a decent pair can I guess be anything between £600 and £900. It seems to vary. The cost of shipping to the UK, properly crated up, is likely to be high though. The sound of the Heresy is an acquired taste for many, I'd definitely have a listen to them if you can.

[pbroido]

Thanks - shipping will be boxed and boxed again and travel as additional luggage in the hold on the plane back with me. Its either that or I leave my kids behind and they can have a seat. Its a toss up at the moment.
Not sure why I'm drawn to to them so.

Any thoughts on driving them with a Quad303 or are they strongly suited to valves.

Peter

[walpurgis]

Speakers come before children surely? :)

I reckon the more forgiving nature of the Quad 303 would suit them fine.

[Ninanina]

Peter up until very recently I owned a pair of Heresy II's and loved them, actually these were my second pair as I owned a pair about 10 years ago

The Heresy I was first introduced in about 1957, the Mk II was introduced in 1985, and then the Mk III much more recently. There were slight changes to the drivers used over time. All Heresys are VERY easy to drive; my first pair was driven by a 1.5w SET amp and believe me that is plenty, my second pair were driven by my Oto which is about 8w

I have not heard the Mk I or Mk III so I cannot comment on their sound compared to the Mk II's. I would suggest that valve amps are a better match for the Klipsch Heritage range, which includes the Heresy

If you can get a pair for £180 that's a bargain assuming they are working well

The way to tell the difference between the Mk I and Mk II is that the Mk I had the drivers mounted from behind the front baffle and the Mk II has them mounted from the front, here are a couple of pictures to see the difference:

Heresy 1
http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a450/ninanina2/Heresy%201.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/ninanina2/media/Heresy%201.jpg.html)

Heresy 2
http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a450/ninanina2/Heresy%202a.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/ninanina2/media/Heresy%202a.jpg.html)

[struth]

JEEZ BEV! how old are you?;)

[Ninanina]

JEEZ BEV! how old are you?;)

Actually quite old.... :doh:

[walpurgis]

Actually quite old.... :doh:

I bought my walking stick from Bev. She has no use for it since graduating to the Zimmer frame. ;) :D

[struth]

It was the "The Heresy I was first introduced in about 1957" that caught my eye..... thinking that she first heard them 59 years ago :D

[Ninanina]

I love the Zimmer should have got one years ago :D:D:lol:

[pbroido]

Thanks All.

IF I manage to get them and IF I manage to get them back Ill let you know no doubt will need some help fixing them up.
I don't know what it is about them that draws me to them. Maybe just something different, a challenge, an excuse to get another pair of speakers, the "need" for another amplifier?.

Appreciate the input.

Peter

[DSJR]

I'm devils advocate again... The Heresy is a very loud screamer more suited to small PA applications than 'proper' High fidelity these days, that throws the midrange and treble out at you in a most un-genteel way :lol: Having appeared to annihilate it in one sentence, these things are so highly addictive as they fly in the face of almost all modern speaker designs and should give a taste on one Top End approach to very efficient speakers :)

A GOOD 303 should be fine I think, as the Heresy's don't have seismic bass extension as I remember, so won't upset the definite 'cap coupled' 303 bass quality I think. These speakers are very sensitive, so any grain or noise in the matching amp will risk being reproduced with emphasised 'clarity' ;)

Hope you enjoy them - they're quite an experience and all but polar opposites to Ditton 44's in any shape or form :lol:

[Marco]

Hi

I have an opportunity to purchase a pair of what looks like early Klipsch Heresy in Oiled Oak. I don't have the serial numbers yet so I'm not sure of the details but they have the covers with the logo in the top corner rather than to the rectangular top centred plaque saying Klipsch. They are priced at ~£180 in fair condition (looks like they will need some cleaning up). The catch is they are in South Africa so need to figure shipping cost packaging and leg work around getting them back to London. I am off to SA next week so will see them before I get them.

Can I get some thoughts on what a decent pair of early Heresys would cost in the UK and any ones experience with them?


Hi Peter,

Got any pictures, or links to pictures, of the speakers concerned? :)

Marco.

[pbroido]

Not much of a picture and all I have seen. Have asked for more and the serial number. They are not far from my parents house so will pay them a visit next week.

http://s23.postimg.org/4968bcybf/Klipsch_Heresy_OO.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

[pbroido]

So I managed to get these back to the UK (long story I wont bore you with, I will say they are very heavy for small speakers). They are a bit of mystery though. The person I bought them from was convinced they were circa 80s in Oiled Oak. I spent some time on the Klipsch community site to see if the serial numbers would reveal anything and eventually found a thread from 2008 discussing the very speakers I bought :).

Here is the link if anyones interested - https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/100979-model-h-date-serial-number-info/

They are apparently pre Heresy 1963/64 Klipsch see link above for detail - very interesting but a bit beyond me.

They do sound fantastic though a very different experience to my Ditton 44's.

[Macca]

Certainly a rare set of speakers. A different presentation to modern speakers I'd guess, or old Celestions for that matter.

So the crossovers and wiring inside have been updated at some point? Looks like it from the picture on the thread you linked to.