Klipsch Cornwall III Review

If the loudspeaker can reproduce the whole frequency spectra, from the lowest to the highest note a human ear can perceive, if it can reproduce a wide range and the most complex sounds effortlessly and with lowest distortion, and if it can reproduce music in its whole dynamic range it must really be a good loudspeaker.

No doubt Klipsch Cornwall can do this. And no doubt, it is an exceptional loudspeaker.

Cornwalls are large speakers and they sound it. They present a very large, natural sound stage. They are one of the few speakers you will ever hear that you will instantly love.

They reproduce music effortlessly, whereas most speakers colour sound in some way. They have a transparency to them that I have not heard before, or since.

The other remarkable thing is volume. These things sound perfect at any volume that you can physically withstand. I can honestly say that I have never heard them distort.

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Cornwalls not only reproduce sound. They transfer-transform-restore original power, and energy! Cornwalls transmit, and restore total sound energy within entire audible frequency. They restore it within tremendous dynamic range.

And there is a direct functional correlation between energy radiated by the loudspeaker as a system and the physical and emotional excitation of the listener. That’s why Cornwalls excite so much.

Cornwall is unbeatable in terms of dynamics, presence and the ability to transform a real life feeling into your living room.

They reproduce music with absolute clarity. The sound is pure and clean. Brass is reproduced with the blatt intact. Trumpets and trombones are right there. That’s why Cornwalls are so persuasive.

There is literally thousands of good loudspeakers around. Regardless of price it is hard to find few of them to come close to this masterpiece.

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Sometimes I tried to find deficiencies and deviations, but I simply couldn’t.

Klipsch loudspeakers are immortal! They will be out of date only when the laws of physics change.

Finally I would like to tell you I do not dance and I do not say “Yes, yes …” very often, I do no not conduct an orchestra either. But the Klipsch Cornwalls encourage me to do all these. Day by day. They put me into complete harmony with the music. Yes, they make me happy.

And this report? Is it an Ode to the Legend? Yes it is, it certainly is.

An evaluation of several different genres of music:

Classic: Flute and harp: Bach, 3 Sonatas for Flute and Harp, Irena Grafenauer and Maria Graf.

Flute. Magic and subtle, and delicate. I wish Irena (Solvenian, born in Ljubljana) would join me, and say to me “Yes, this is my flute”. And harp, this heaven gift – rich and precise, vibrating free both silent and decisive, punctual, and soft. Speaker’s volume with its low-end might seem overdimensioned for flute, but contributes to proper harp breathing. Optimal.

Classic, Violin: Niccolo Paganini, Variations on Theme by G. Rossini from the opera “Cinderalla”, Victor Pikaizen – violing, Serafima, Chernyakovskaya – Piano, Melodia

This is almost an archive recording. Probably all-tube recording, and plating process. One of the best “scratchy” recordings. Amazing. Violin is so vivid, and pizzicato so persuasive. No sound compression at all.

You can sense 60dB dynamics in its purest sense, and hear violin playing from whispering and trembling silence up to the “broken sting” crescendo. Even the echo within the violin body can be heard.

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Bravo to E. Shakhnazaryan, recording engineer. Many of us – including time de Paravicini – could learn from you, unknown expert! Bravo!

Here is the opportunity to share my feelings with Micheal Shed, Cornwall owner from Orlando, who owned Cornwalls almost 25 years, and wrote; “Turn up the volume, Mitja. Let all of Europe enjoy them …”

Classic, Piano Concert: Sergej Rachmaninow, Konzert Fur Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2 C-moll op.18, Agustin Anievas, Das neue philharmonia orchester London, Moshe Atzmon.

I listen to this beautiful record quite often. It is a complete work – composer’s and artist’s masterpiece. Piano, this marvellous instrument, so difficult to reproduce with alls its punch, and its energy is here. It is so difficult to manufacture a loudspeaker which can reproduce piano properly – from the lowest to the highest note – with all its energy, with all its strength, and dynamics. Cornwalls can do this. Have you ever felt – not only heard – real piano being reproduced in your room? Only those who have, know what I am talking about.

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Blues: Eric Clappton, Unplugged, Reprise Records.

Relaxed, and open sound. You are there on the stage, you can feel emotion, and you can clap together with the audience. Sound is fast, and you can feel the punches. Dynamics is explosive, and dynamics range is awesome. It is a physical energy that excites. It is not only the sound you are hearing. Hearing is empty without feeling. Horn sceptics – do not worry too much about imaging and spaciousness.

Rock: Bruce Springsteen, Greatest Hits, Columbia.

What an emotion to hear Streets of Philadelphia and My Home Town. What an effortless sound energy. I would like to share my sincere opinion with Scott cox, Cornwall owner from Bakersfield, California, who wrote: “Cornwalls are large speakers and they sound like it! They present a very large, natural sound stage. These things cover entire audible spectrum and sound perfect at any volumes that you can physically withstand.”

Jazz: Jazz at the Pawnshop, Proprius

Sitting in the Pub. Listening to the voices. Feeling atmosphere. Clarinet solo in front, and xylophone, and counter-bass, some visitors clapping, drum section. Everything is there, nothing is missing. Complex sounds are handled very easy, every detail can be heard separately. It’s like every single instrument would have it’s own, well defined place within Cornwall sound stage. Or maybe even its own loudspeaker as a source. Excellent dynamics, very musical and effortless reproduction. Magic. Reference. Listenability, and musicality are unbelievable.

Jazz: The King James version, Harry James & his bad, Sheffield Lab-3

Clear, rich, full frequency and spacious sound. One single stereo AKG C-24 microphone recording. Everything is on the scene, clear, and loud. Saxophone, piano, bass and the drums, everything. And the trumpet, oh trumpet, is there any speaker around that can do this job better than Klipsch? Probably not.

Klipsch loudspeakers are immortal! They will be out of date only when the laws of physics change.

Mitja Borko

 

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