KLIPSCH FORTE IV, the perfect first big speaker choice 

Thanks Steve, I’m listening to the album “Put a spell on you” through my Forte 3’s and I’m blown away by this recording! It is amazing, so textured and alive! Thanks for all you do!

Hi Steve, just bought a pair of Forte IV’s in walnut. Auditioned many high end speakers & kept coming back to these! Forte’s are are dynamic & very robust in the bottom end. Extremely lively these are a rockers dream but it goes beyond rock as I demoed them with BURMESTER CD’s that cover the gamut of music! Absolutely blown away with pipe organs & the guttural male voices!

It's October of 2023 and my Forte IV's were just delivered. I enjoy your videos.

I love klipsch. Bought the rf7 big floor standing tower speakers. Low vol, to high... crisp detailed sound. Great experience. I bet these also sound great

Great review. Your point about Klipsch speakers being able to play at low volumes late at night but also satisfy is so true. I would so love to own a pair of the Forte IVs. I get a full frequency music and TV experience on their cheaper little cousins - The Fives - at 1 am when everyone is asleep upstairs and it's a wonderful ability that I think comes directly from their crazy good efficiency.

Steve, I have the first Forte. Bought the pair new in the mid '80s. Still the most musical speaker I've ever heard. I have added a sub, but they are the perfect speaker for me and my tastes. Drive them with a Denon 3312 AVR, more than enough power for these very efficient loudspeakers. I have a used pair of Klipsch Chorus speakers in another room, but they are not as sweet sounding as the Forte speakers. In your review you stated that these fill a room of a certain size, and that for a larger room you would use the Cornwalls. Must be a very large room, as my Fortes will certainly fill any room I've ever had them in. Keep the reviews coming. Love to read them. Mike, Memphis, TN

The quality of Decware's amps deserves a deeper dive into their inventory. They're not just a two watt amp company.

I worked for a Philly area Klipsch dealer in the early 90s. I liked the Forte IIs more than the Cornwalls.. and they were easy to sell for a (1992 money) $1500 speaker. I’ll concede the situation may have changed, but the Forte’s use of a passive radiator gave them an extra bit of heft on the bottom that better complimented their lively upper octaves (for me, anyway).

Yes Steve, “ I dig it and like what you do”. Thanks for the considered and insightful entertainment.

I bought a cheap ($800.00)Klipsch 15" subwoofer 22 years ago. Listening to it right now. I have the largest (Best Buy)Synergy Klipsch surround from 2008 - 2010 era. Love them dearly.

I love your music reviews as well as the equipment breakdown. Keep up the great work. From Southern Leyte.

I think the KLH MODEL 5 May be the best trade off given size and price. However I know these are better, price no object. Great review, Thank you.

I misread this as "perfect first speaker choice", saw the €3000 price and thought "he's abandoned us".

You can always count on Steve Guttenberg reviews..he knows the all telling details of high end audio. I have been a follower of him since back in the day.Upon You Tube arrival we now know what he looks like and his choice of shirts..you can count on his reviews. Look for no other unless he has recommendations. Happy DB'S..to you.

My room is 12x10ft and the fortes are amazing in this room. The backwall was covered with a curtain and it changed the sound dramatically. The speakers are 6 to 7 ft from my ear and it is not too loud.

Roy Delgado has done wonders for the Klipsch Heritage Line 💪

Really like the intro Steve…it fits the channel. I’m a long time Klipsch fan👍

A​ Prima Luna too! WOW!

Interesting review as always. You know the ins and outs of Klipsch by now. I agree with the need to carefully position the Fortes to adjust high's and the challenge to get the speakers to "disappear". They are big and have a wide front. A bit easier with narrow speakers. But with a little bit of adjustments they will "disappear". I place the Fortes on transport dollies and decouple them from the platform with acoustic damping for large heavy speakers/amps. Then pulled them out from the front-wall by 60-70 cm. Much longer than recommended in the manual. That lifts the Fortes by 15 - 20 cm of the floor which I think is important to get your top drivers at the same hight as your ears. And they need to be "suspended" up in the air to operate right in my small room. Raking angle is slightly adjusted upwards. Adjusting the toe in have a significant effect not only of the "live direct performance" of these speakers. A slight twist in and out, effects the disappearance of speakers as well. I am practicing near field listening, and the soundstage is now absolutely great. The room is 320x450 and height is only 205 cm. It1s hope fro everyone if I get it rtight. Now the recording, cables and CD-player/record-player etc. plays a great role as usual before adjusting the speakers you got. And so far I haven't even touched on the subject of psycho-acoustics... Oh, I do like my placebo on these crazy live-efficient speakers when I put on a live concert with Bettye Lavette;- Live in London. Or to put it even more bluntly like Kevin Deal in Upscale Audio : - Now, if you want to feel you are sixteen again, buy them! What a punchline that underlines what these speakers are all about. A lot of fun. Thank God they are not balanced and not the best speakers in the world. I nearly forgot ; don't mount a high rack with steel and glass between the speakers if you want soundstage and the speakers to diseaapear... Just look at all the pictures on all the expensive soundsystems on the net. They have made a wall between the speakers...

I love your videos. You’re living my dream job!

This speaker will pry open the wallet. I will buy a pair of these in the next year. Thank You for the review.

What I like about horn tweeters is their ability to put an acoustic guitar over a drum kit, yet still hear each strum in detail without the tweeter sounding mushy like it's got a bit too much power going to it. Dome tweeters sound good at low and medium levels but aren't so good when you really push them, unless you get a big enough one like what Steve Meade uses in his towers. This was my experience with an Eminence APT80 and even the budget round piezo horns with the 6 ridges and the Pinnochio nose in the centre. I also want to hear the large midrange horns in these and the Cornwall IV and Jubilee because having a dedicated speaker to cover the body of the vocals is supposed to be good. I want to compare them to the 2 way RF7-III which I would expect to have a bit more of a V-shaped Metallica EQ to them. Though they are crossed over at 1300 Hz so perhaps a good bit of midrange can still come through the horn - like my 1200Hz crossover speakers still work quite well in the midrange, with a horn loaded Eminence 3012HO and Beyma CD10FE

Always look forward to Your Reviews

Good luck with this one!

Thanks for all your reviews Steve :-) *vv* Please evaluate Thivanlabs Eros 9 when you have the chance, thank you. Yours Niels, Roskilde, Denmark

Thank you Steve for reviewing my favorite speaker, the Forte 4.

Spot on for the imaging. I couldn't agree more after listening to the heresy, forte and cornwall.

Klipsch must really be doing a push now. The Forte IV is reappearing everywhere!!!

Love the music recommendations! Keep em comin'...

"You can tell I'm not in my apartment by"...... the massive amount of echo. :-) Love the saying, They tend to sound better in terms of they are more "harmonically developed". That is a daily show in itself. Thumbs up Steve.

Tube amp and high efficiency speakers 😉👍

Klipsch forte same as tangent via klipsch her sound very clear 3 way, tweeter 2 woofers

Warning channel lots of great stuff to buy this episode I got off light as I only ended up buying the 3 artists as his taste in music is spectacular. Rock on Steve Man!!!

I love what your Interior Designer is working with

Steve probably dances like the Joker. Yes, I would like to see.

Gotta love a big speaker. The comments about price.... Don't forget they could last your lifetime. Not a bad deal if you like the sound.

I just ordered the Wilsenton R300 to pair with my Fortes. Hope it is a good match. I would love to hear your thoughts on the Wilsenton R300. Steve Huff loves it.

Thanks Steve-I just sampled Casey & ordered the cd…

Hey Steve, great review. I recently picked up a pair of Forte III’s at a killer price and am powering them with an upgraded Elekit 300B. Honestly I can’t listen comfortably with the volume past 12 o’clock - theses speakers are sensitive! Something you didn’t mention, being as sensitive as they are while good recordings sound good crappy ones sound like crap. They are like big magnifying glasses but I’m really digging them, especially with the 300B setup!

Recommend a push pull tube amp. The horns can be a bit harsh. Push Pull lends a lushness that compliments the sensitivity of the horns. Just my two cents.

True steve very echoey room. I see there is a piece of fluff on the floor /rug to dampen things down well it aint working. Live rooms and horns might be to much. Anyway love your views and reviews.

Wow. That room is lively!!

Steve- Nice rounded review. As an owner of an original pair of 1986 vintage Fortes- spot on observations. I suspect the IVs are impressive.

Fantastic review all around. Thanks.

Steve, great review. I am an audio newbie so please forgive the question... I have the first generation Forte speakers running on my Sherwood R-965 receiver. Love the sound BUT how do I know that I'm getting the most out of them; are they working properly, etc. Short of having an experienced audiophile like yourself come for a listen is there any kind of test that can be run? They are, after all, 35 year old speakers that I acquired from an estate sale.

I have Klipsch epic cf4's from the 90's. Run with a tube amp. Can sometimes make vocals sometimes sound eerily like someone is in the room, but they lack bass...need a subwoofer even with two 12's built in each speaker. Used to have Heresy 2's i thought they were ok...but sold to a friend and in his system i was jealous. crazy.

Bet they would sound great with an old Marantz or a Pioneer!

You gotta have space for those things.

Great album suggestions as always! Btw Son of Dave's album is titled: o3

Steve, being so keen on Klipsch speakers, howcome you have not reviewed neither the LaScala nor the Klipschorn yet?.

Still waiting for the right time to upgrade from my Forte II's. They still sound just like they did when I first purchased them. May do a test run of the IV's to see if "new and improved" really is new and improved. But, until then, lovin' my II's.

I would have appreciated a comparison to the Cornwall IV and the Heresy IV.

Have to say, I must disagree with your wording about the Heresy in particular giving a “flat” soundstage. I have my Heresy 3’s elevated 18” and level, with slight toe in, and it’s one of the deepest 3D stages I’ve ever heard. Using Denafrips Pontus and Hegel Rost.

I remember walking down a long street towards Cambrige centre streen on a Sat' afternoon while starting to hear music coming from somewhere in the distance of my direction. About getting 80'ish (i guess) yards before turning the last corner & seeing what was making the police-attracting volume of sound, i could easily tell it was live & not re-produced music, a jazz band of 6'ish on the Town Square playing Dixie type Swing music. As as i approached & stood behind the 2 or 3-folk thick semi-circle around the band's 4'ish ft high stage, i thought "wow, if only my stereo...blah blah,etc, & i wondered then, if any top-draw stereo is capable of approaching this sound, just for aspiration sake, Mine was a pale gutless immitation & i got over that & enjoyed their last 3 numbers. 1 obvious aspect of the difference (of live vs a stereo) was hearing & ='ly feeling the physicallity & dynamics of the sudden honk from a tennor-sax taking-over the melody, or a loudly blown ckarinet even & the side-drum ..wow, feeling it esp' in the chest & all this but not uncomfortly loud. My Klipsch Forte IV speaker-related point is: I've often heard horn-speaker lovers say they get more of this "as live" dynamic range & physical feeling to the sound that & most say non-horn speakers don't give them that. Horn speakers may be my favourite type if they get noticably closer to the sound of that live jazz band i heard in dynamics & muscular physicality of that sound, when reproducing a good recording of say, like i heard live, then they may be my favourite speaker type, esp' if they loose little in late-night low vol' levels

Great speaker

Great review, Steve. Next time a tour of the store would be nice!

Great review Steve! I've been contemplating these or the Heresy 4's to pair with a Yamaha AS 1200. My living room isn't that big. Right now I'm using some Linton Heritage speakers

Sweet... -good choice, if you have a decent size room, great albums and no neighbours.

Steve, I like your intensity and love of music. I do watch to see the awesome shirts your wife has made for you. Thank you for describing the room size that is appropriate for different speakers. We are building a new cottage, and I am getting a 15x9.5x24 foot listening room in basement. Turns out, that's a small room. Feeling kind of selfish having that, and wife reminds me often.

Casey Abrahms the most gifted artist ever on American Idol hands down!!!

How about these compared to the Tekton Double Impact? I'm convinced I need big speakers to get anything close to live music. thanks.....love the channel Steve.

Hey Steve should i save up for the klipsch forte to or just get the hercy 4s

Very interesting review! I demoed and purchased a pair of Klipsch Forte II's for $1,100, in 1990. It would be cool to compare the new IV's side by side with their older versions. I have spent a lot of time with the II's and yes, speaker placement makes a huge difference, they do sound their best with a low power, high end amp played at lower, not too loud, volume. Sadly the independent Hi-Fi store is closed now since the owner retired.

Which is better buy a pair of B&W 800 series diamond bookshelfs for 8000 or these forte?? I'm asking for playing music and movies

For listening while sitting, if you ears are about 40" from the floor, should the Forte IV speakers be put on stands such that the tweeters are the same height?

one must not forget they have a 15 inch passive radiator on the backside, without that plus the gathered edge design of their woofers, not much bass, i have no idea what motivates them to put amid range design speaker for a woofer

I have a pair of RP 8000 which I tweeted for better sound just right for my room measurements is Prima luna a good match

Have you heard the Forte One's

Tough room, I tell ya *fingers collar, adjusts tie* tough room

Price aside, Forte IVs vs. Tannoy Cheviots?

Like other big Klipsch speakers they're efficient, loud and dynamic. Refinement not so much.

Son of Dave! Thanks for the heads up!

2 ways to know Steve isn't home. Bare walls and echo.

there should be a tube cd player in the set up used for these fortes.

Anyone have insight on Forte II ? Just inherited a pristine pair! Thanks!

I have a pair coming What amp would you recommend? Integrated? Thanks

Hey Steve, have you ever heard/reviewed Living Voice speakers? High efficiency, but a more traditional skinny tower design. Somewhat expensive, but would love to hear your review of the lower priced Auditorium model. They are UK brand but sold through Border Patrol in the US.

its a pa speaker and thats a kool thing

Can anyone help me. I heard a track of a female singer of outstandimg voice when i was driving in my car. I missed the intro & waited extra 8 mins for the track to finnish & get the name of this superb track. The radio girl just said "that was Nomie /Noami / or Nomi & was from a tittle she spoke so fast that i only caught the word 'Lagoon' & that it was either recorded in Nigeria or had Nigerian female singers doing backing. Sang in English (except a foreign line or 2 at the end) Ive no idea who Noamy is but i need to get that album very desperately. Thought a site like this, sombody will know. Anyone....?

Did you notice like other reviewers noted that these are not as forgiving of bad recordings as the Forte III??

My first "big" speaker pair was the Cerwin-Vega U-15. $500/pair new. My next big speaker was a nice used pair Klipsch LaScala (built 1975). They were just too big for my space at the time, so I actually gave them away!

Would a tube am like an icon audio integrated amp stereo 40 or a hybrid mc ma252 be a good match with this speaker ?

Where are the volti speakers🤔

I wonder how these compare to the 5000F or the 6000F?

Any chance Adkav are opening a hifi loft in Brisbane Australia? If not, beam me to NY for a spell (no use going to the airport at the moment).

Now do Klipschorns!

Boy when you reveiw Klipsch it brings the hate. I love my Klipsch so I don't get it. I have many brands in my apartment so I am not just a fan boy. Great review Steve! I love Casey especially when he pairs up with Hailey

I try to be a Klipsch fan but I can't believe they can't make a full range speaker at this price that plays lower than 38Hz

Steve would a Luxman 509z integrated work well with these?

on second thought,keep the luxman player but bi amp the fortes with a pair of mcintosh tube power amplifiers.

I Bought a set vintage pair scala and didn’t like it…. It sounds big, the sound is surround you. But it sounds the most like I was in a disco/ bar. That’s why it sounds ‘life’, it’s sound like the disco you always go to. PA speakers, not interesting for home use, they are also way to big for almost all rooms

Steve: you voice is awfully muddy in this environment.

would klipsch heresy iv do well in 9x10 room, or still too big...I like the idea of low watt tubes and low level listening

Do you dance like Elaine?

Too bad they don’t cost more.

Better late than never :-)

Call me Steve Huff.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Steve, you should do a review of the Thieaudio Monarch in ear monitors

The Forte V will have 3D soundstage? Or perhaps you could add an omnidirectional tweeter on top of the IVs? (Such as the Aperion Dual AMT Super Tweeters.) Heresy?