The latest incarnation in an ever-changing array of equipment. The Majestics are the finest speakers I have ever owned (and I've owned PLENTY!) Detailed with the purest, most natural bass I've ever experienced. These are not dynamic like the big Wilsons, but they produce harmonics and textures like no cone speaker can, especially when driven by the Levinson electronics. The big Lev #33s are still the finest amps I have used (this is my 2nd pair) and do not leave me missing tube amps. The Lev. #40 is a wonderful 2-channel preamp, though I am wasting most of its considerable abilities in a mere 2-channel system. The DACS in the 40 are world-class, and sound heavenly mated to the Lev 31.5 transport. VPI's HRX is easy to use and absolute world-class! Analog rules!! I will be selling the 40 to go back to a pure 2-channel pre. My room is 21 x 18 with 11.5' ceilings and is treated with bass traps and panels. I am very happy with the sound from this system, having recently sold an entire Mcintosh reference system, which was, iteslf, awesome, but a touch more "clinical" than the Levinson setup. Frankly, I could have (and should have!) lived with the Mac stuff forever, but the Levinson gear is just a little more textured and natural to my ears.
Thanks for the specs. My speakers came without even a manual, much less a spec sheet. Whatever the changes made, I can tell you that these new Khorns are extraordinary speakers. I am extremely picky, having gone through MANY high end speakers over the past 5 years and feel that these are among the best available at ANY price. I have heard better staging, bass extension, even "airiness" of treble, but never a speaker that puts it all together so musically.
No, they are the same size, but my wife loves them because they don't stick out into the room. Given their bulk, they are fairly unobtrusive. Bass is not a problem in these new Khorns. They don't go as low as some reference speakers, but I have no desire to add a sub.
I am not referring to the Jubilee. That is a prototype which has yet to make it to commercial production, and it is doubtful it ever will. Klipsch has a Jubilee speaker in its "pro audio" line, designed for theaters, not a home environment, but that is not the Jubilee for which Klipsch afficianados have been longing. The speaker to which I refer is the classic Klipschorn which was redesigned and re-introduced only a few months ago. Apparently production of the Khorns ceased for a year or two while the engineers at Aragon (Klipsch purchased Mondial which makes Aragon) fiddled with the design. From what I understand, changes were made to the midrange horn and the crossover was modified. Klipsch has provided no information regarding the changes, but an engineer there told me they were significant. I can tell you from my own listening, that they are dramatic in their effect. The speaker looks exactly the same as it has for over 50 years, but the sound is much improved.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to find a pair on display. Tweeter, for one, carries Klipsch speakers, but they do not even sell the Klipschorns. There is a dealer in Chicago who reportedly has a new pair on display. The problem is that these speakers are back-ordered at least 6 months, so every pair is already spoken for. I bought mine from Audio Classics in NY. I was fortunate that someone changed orders to a different finish, so I was able to purchase these without much wait. Klipsch has a FANTASTIC website that has, among many other things, a list of dealers and even a forum for Klipsch devotees to exchange ideas.
Actually, I owned the 8xs(triode version) for a few years before I sold them and replaced them with the pentode 8A. I recently borrowed a pair from a buddy, but the bias circuit on one of the amps needs replacement, so I haven't had a chance to A/B triode vs. pentode.
Yes, these new Khorns are a VERY special speaker. I used to own an older pair from the 70's and was never very impressed. They always did dynamics and were easy to drive, but they were opaque when compared to most good modern designs. I ordered the new Khorns after hearing about the changes (I have precious little info regarding the technical changes and Klipsch has provided NO information) I have always favored planar speakers and figured I would miss the transparency of my Maggies and Logans, but I must say that the new Khorns are damn near as airy as the Maggie ribbon tweeter, and the way they energize a room is something special. I very carefully A/B'd back and forth between them and ML Prodigys and ultimately settled on the Khorns. The Prodigys were probably more transparent and imaged more precisely, but there is something so musical about the Khorns that is hard to describe- You just have to experience them. Voices are extremely natural, and the bass is not boomy or muddy, just natural and very planar-like. If you listen to the Maggies, the bass is natural and harmonically right. The Khorns are similar in this respect, but with much more "ooomph". They don't image with the razor-sharp, incisive precision of the Logans, but the soundstage is HUGE!! Since they run from corner to corner, the staging may be exaggerated in its width, but I can live with this. Another interesting thing to note is how natural these speakers sound from outside the room. When listening from another room, they still sound amazingly lifelike. I have yet to experience this phenomenon from another speaker. At $7500 retail, these speakers are an incredible bargain and will last FOREVER! If Klipsch could just produce them with any speed, more music lovers could enjoy them as I do.
