Klipsch Heresy IV Walnut

The Heresy holds a particular place in the Klipsch catalogue: born in 1957, its original purpose was to serve as the centre channel for three-speaker systems built around the Klipschorn. From this supporting role, it retained a contained footprint, but over successive generations it has become a fully-fledged left and right speaker in its own right. The Heresy IV is the current iteration of this lineage, here finished in walnut veneer.

This fourth generation is built on a three-way architecture and stands apart from its predecessors through several technical choices. The tweeter driver adopts a titanium diaphragm paired with a larger magnet; the midrange, which previously used a phenolic diaphragm, also moves to titanium. These more rigid materials and this reinforced magnetic motor translate, when listening, into a better-held tonal balance across registers and a higher output level. The crossover network also supports bi-wiring, allowing the bass and midrange-treble sections to be powered separately.

The sonic character remains that of a high-efficiency speaker: dynamic, with a smooth rather than aggressive rendering, and distortion kept at a low level. This is a profile suited to those listening with modest power electronics, particularly low-power amplifiers, and who appreciate a lively rendition on acoustic music as well as rock.

In terms of integration, the Heresy IV is the most accommodating model in the Heritage family. Its relative compactness allows for positions that the larger models in the range do not permit. It is supplied with an angled plinth that tilts it towards the listener; this base can be removed, making it possible to install the speaker in a cabinet or on a dedicated stand. The wood-veneered cabinetry, here in walnut, fully embraces the brand's vintage aesthetic vocabulary.

When buying used, a few points deserve close inspection on this type of speaker:

• the condition of the veneer on the edges and top of the cabinet, areas where impacts and marks from handling are immediately visible on walnut;
• the surrounds and diaphragms of the three drivers, to be checked with the grille removed, as well as the cleanliness of the titanium domes;
• the connection terminals, which should be free of oxidation and firmly tightened, with their jumpers present if bi-wiring is not intended to be used;
• the presence of the original angled plinth and its fixings, as well as the condition of the front grille and its fastenings.

A prior listening test, at moderate volume then more sustained, remains the best way to check that no channel shows any saturation or unusual silence, and that both speakers in a pair sound the same.