Tube amp Friendly Speaker That Sounds like Klipsch Cornwall


Hi All, 

I am shopping for a tube friendly speaker after a long time with Magnepan 3.6's and then Thiel CS5i's.

I was able to spend a couple of hours with a broken-in pair of Klipsch Cornwall 4's. These were in a dedicated dealer space with corner bass traps and some treble absorption. They were driven by an all McIntosh setup (7200 Receiver and T500 CD player).

The Cornwalls were dynamic, and I loved the palpable sound of the 15 inch woofer. Loud rock in roll was great with them. However, I was less impressed at lower volume levels and finally decided they were not very detailed and a bit too much in my face, at least in that setup.

When I left that room, I wandered over to where some Magnepan 1.7i's were playing in a casually set up open space. I thought the Maggies were much more resolving than the Cornwalls and a lot more laid back.

Any suggestions on a tube friendly speaker with good sized woofers that is dynamic but with good weight and detail to the sound?

Thanks for listening,

Dsper
dsper
but i am quite surprised to hear you say the x series lacked resolution to your ears

I didn't say the X3 wasn't revealing, it is. What I meant was that I disagree that the CW IV is not revealing, because it is too. I think my one disappointment with the X3 might have been using a 12" driver to cover the midrange. The Cornwall just oozes tone and texture and sounds more real, whereas the Spatial sounded more refined and like hi-fi. It, of course, comes down to a matter of taste because there are tradeoffs with most speakers.

Oz


@ozzy62 wrote:  "Many people, and not saying this is you, conflate earlier Cornwall versions with the IV. They are very different animals."   

I don't have experience with the Cornwall IV but I do have some experience with horn design, and imo the midrange horn in the Cornwall IV looks like it would have less coloration than the old-style horn.  

Duke

I don't have experience with the Cornwall IV but I do have some experience with horn design, and imo the midrange horn in the Cornwall IV looks like it would have less coloration than the old-style horn.  
 I have owned KG 3.5s, Cornwall IIs, Cornscalas, Forte IIIs and Klipschorns. You are correct, these are the least colored horns that I have heard.

Oz