JBL Dorian v. Klipsch Heresy

[LuvOldJBL]

Which do you folks feel is a better speaker between a JBL Dorian verses Klipsch Heresy? I understand that Klipsch Forte is regarded as better than Heresy. Thoughts? My father's hearing is getting worse, and I am seriously considering supplementing his television with speakers of this sort and a tube amplifier. Thanks for your consideration. :)

[jcrobso]

Do you have speakers or are you planing to buy some?

[midlife]

My 2 cents is; put up some JBL Control Ones and use whatever amp you feel works best. A Crown 150 might be just the ticket? Don't expect alot of Klipsch recommendations here. :)

[Mr. Widget]

Don't expect alot of Klipsch recommendations here. :)Not so fast... I'd take the Heresy over an S12 Dorian. The Dorian will have better bass, but the Heresy will be better everywhere else.


Widget

[Tom Brennan]

I don't know the Dorian but I'd be leery of Heresys; they're a speaker with a sound all their own which some like a great deal and that others despise. I suggest the user listen carefully.

I owned some for awhile and while I was initially taken with their excellent clarity and dynamics eventually their upper midrange hash made them unlistenable. They literally gave my wife a headache and reminded me of my days as a boilermaker when I'd backgouge welds with an arc gouge.

On the other hand though some folks love them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMLaQD4jQg&feature=related

[Mr. Widget]

...but I'd be leery of Heresys; they're a speaker with a sound all their own which some like a great deal and that others despise. I suggest the user listen carefully.Excellent advice. :bouncy:

I'd submit we could exchange the speaker name for virtually every speaker discussed on this forum. Almost none of these vintage systems are remotely as neutral as many contemporary designs and each has it's own devoted following.


Widget

[midlife]

I actually had a pair of Heresys (8 ohm model) raw birch. I liked them. Used a very early D150 amp for power. Don't know much, if anything about the Dorian. I did use JBL Control Ones for more tv audio and I was really taken back by how capable those little speakers were.

[BMWCCA]

I think headphones or in-ear monitors would make more sense unless your Dad is the only one in the house! :)

[LuvOldJBL]

Thanks for all of the great advice! I'd be buying some speakers and an amp. The D150 appears to be an excellent suggestion and the Controls appear to worth an audition. My father refuses to wear a hearing aid or headphones. He's in a house and can hear okay with the volume as loud as many movie theaters, but the small speakers on a television obviously sound terrible at a loud level. Considering the matter involves my aging father -- I wish to do something incredibly nice for him. Of course, I tend to favor JBL, but wished to 'hear' from some professionals and JBL audiophiles. Thanks to all for your valuable input upon my first day joinging this wonderful forum! Cheers! :applaud:

[mike]

Like others have said it would be a matter of personal preference. But keep in mind the Dorians in nice shape can be pretty expensive, up to $1200 pair.

Mike

[jcrobso]

My 2 cents is; put up some JBL Control Ones and use whatever amp you feel works best. A Crown 150 might be just the ticket? Don't expect alot of Klipsch recommendations here. :)

Control One is a good speaker, I use a pair for my PC speakers. I have a Sherwood RX-4104 100w/channel stereo receiver. It has a remote control and AM & FM tuners. You can place the speakers close to your dad if you need to.

[BMWCCA]

Since, I'm assuming, you don't already own either:
Wouldn't we want to know what load the C56 Dorian's are carrying? There very well may be far better speaker choices than either of the two you've mentioned here. Plenty of JBLs qualify, some for far less than the Dorians that might work much better.

Or maybe it's a matter of aesthetics? Not that there's anything wrong with that!

[jcrobso]

That was when it was a bookshelf speaker! Today's Heresy III is whole different speaker! At about $ 1400 a pair I suggest you go and listen first.
How big is the room that your father will be in?

[roy55]

Thanks for all of the great advice! I'd be buying some speakers and an amp. The D150 appears to be an excellent suggestion and the Controls appear to worth an audition. My father refuses to wear a hearing aid or headphones. He's in a house and can hear okay with the volume as loud as many movie theaters, but the small speakers on a television obviously sound terrible at a loud level. Considering the matter involves my aging father -- I wish to do something incredibly nice for him. Of course, I tend to favor JBL, but wished to 'hear' from some professionals and JBL audiophiles. Thanks to all for your valuable input upon my first day joinging this wonderful forum! Cheers! :applaud:


My 90 year old father has had a hearing loss for the last 40 years. He also refuses to wear hearing aids or headphones, says the aids screw up the stereo effect. He has heresys as his hearing aids. I have tried to sell him on JBL but he claims the heresys are the best for him. His late mother owned a music store so he is not new to audio field.

[jcrobso]

My 90 year old father has had a hearing loss for the last 40 years. He also refuses to wear hearing aids or headphones, says the aids screw up the stereo effect. He has heresys as his hearing aids. I have tried to sell him on JBL but he claims the heresys are the best for him. His late mother owned a music store so he is not new to audio field.

If he is enjoying the Hersey's then let him. John

[BMWCCA]

I have tried to sell him on JBL but he claims the heresys are the best for him. His late mother owned a music store so he is not new to audio field.Old folks always know best! :D
And I say that because I am one! I should only live as long as your Dad!

Let's see: He's 90 and his mother owned a music store. So, that would mean she could have owned a store prior to his birth (1919) up until she reached retirement age (perhaps around 1965). Certainly nothing's changed since then! ;)

Congratulations to your Dad for living a long life, still enjoying his sound system, and for having a son who lets him have his own way! :applaud:

[roy55]

Old folks always know best! :D
And I say that because I am one! I should only live as long as your Dad!

Let's see: He's 90 and his mother owned a music store. So, that would mean she could have owned a store prior to his birth (1919) up until she reached retirement age (perhaps around 1965). Certainly nothing's changed since then! ;)

Congratulations to your Dad for living a long life, still enjoying his sound system, and for having a son who lets him have his own way! :applaud:

Thanks, Dad was born, fall 1918, the forth child. His dad died that winter (1918 flu pandemic) his mom a year later listed as grief. So he and his brother were raised by Aunt Helen and Uncle Mac (he knew as mom and dad) on a farm in Texas. They moved to San Francisco (health reasons) at the end of WWII and bought a music store. Shorty after he died. Aunt Helen kept the store till the year of my birth, 1955(young puppy), where she learn she had leukemia. She passed in 1966 @ 74. We got a glass topped mono console (phono/radio) that stood about 4 feet and maybe 2 feet or so wide, tubed. I think for mono it sounded good, sometime in the late 70's they upgraded to SS. BTW mom is still alive, 87, although health wise not as good. Her parents both died early too (late 60's). So yes I hope I have more healthy genes from my parents than marked ones from the grandparents. I have one daughter in her third year of college at Chico State (daddy I need more money) who also loves her music. Investing in the future :D.

[BMWCCA]

Thanks, Dad was born, fall 1918, the forth child. …Aunt Helen kept the store till the year of my birth, 1955(young puppy),… BTW mom is still alive, 87, although health wise not as good.… I have one daughter in her third year of college at Chico State (daddy I need more money) who also loves her music. Investing in the future :D.

Oh the similarities! My Dad was born in December 1918, but died before he could know my wife or his grandchildren…but not before buying our first JBL! I was born in 1953 (not as-young a pup) and Mom is now 83 with her health just beginning to betray her age. I have one daughter who is a (private liberal-arts) college grad (help with paying those loans, please), another going back for her third year (no, really, help!), and a third in high-school. The middle one is a very talented singer with an excellent teacher at a great school (world-renown tenor) though she's a theatre major. They all love their music but the middle one also loves mine.

Give your Dad a bear hug from all of us father-less old guys. :D

[jcrobso]

My dad born in 1910-died in 1981. The fact that your dad still wants to listen in stereo is good thing.

[RIGGED]

I don't know the Dorian but I'd be leery of Heresys; they're a speaker with a sound all their own which some like a great deal and that others despise. I suggest the user listen carefully.

I owned some for awhile and while I was initially taken with their excellent clarity and dynamics eventually their upper midrange hash made them unlistenable. They literally gave my wife a headache and reminded me of my days as a boilermaker when I'd backgouge welds with an arc gouge.

On the other hand though some folks love them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMLaQD4jQg&feature=related


LOL!!!!

Tom, which is the lesser of two evils? The Heresy or the Lascalla?



RIGGED

[LuvOldJBL]

Well, as my journey continued and things developed... dad gets a pair of JBL 4312s and a McIntosh 2205 amplifier, along with a McInosh MR-77 FM stereo tuner. Meanwhile, he bought himself a hearing aid. LOL! But, what wonderful music enjoyment, along with awesome football games. Wow! Thanks again to all! It's been a lot of fun.

[Jaxon]

Since, I'm assuming, you don't already own either:
Wouldn't we want to know what load the C56 Dorian's are carrying? There very well may be far better speaker choices than either of the two you've mentioned here. Plenty of JBLs qualify, some for far less than the Dorians that might work much better.


I have a pair of C56 Dorians from 1967-68 I'm fixing up. They have 175DLH horns (potato mashers) and LE14-A woofers. I notice that they aren't all that efficient of a speaker. It seems that you have to crank them up a little to get good bass out of them. The woofers might be a little tired at this point. I dunno. This is in comparison to my main speakers-4333A's.

[duaneage]

THe heresy is a good speaker that can be tweaked a bit to improve the midrange qualities. It's a durable system that can play very loud. I've owned Klipsch and find them to be different speakers in many ways but not bad really.

Forte's are nice systems, I had a set of Cornwall II speakers and loved them. Just too big for a house I moved to .

[speakerdave]

I have a pair of C56 Dorians from 1967-68 I'm fixing up. They have 175DLH horns (potato mashers) and LE14-A woofers. I notice that they aren't all that efficient of a speaker. It seems that you have to crank them up a little to get good bass out of them. The woofers might be a little tired at this point. I dunno. This is in comparison to my main speakers-4333A's.

Check your woofer surrounds. If they are beige-yellow, and if they feel dry and a little crusty, the lansaloy has dried out and stiffened and needs to be replaced. In original or renewed form those speakers will have plenty of bass.