Model 19 Reviews

[George Roland]

When I bought my model 15's about 30 years ago I too listened to the Klipschorn and LaScala's. And to say the Klipschorn and LaScala's had a weak midrange was an understatement. It was downright horrible. A few years later a guy I worked with had a pair of LaScala's and we did a side-by-side comparison. We played his favorite album. And one song when played through my 15's...he had to stop and play a certain section over and over again...back and forth between the 15's and LaScala's. There was a faint bell being played in the background only heard on the 15's...On the LaScala's you literally couldn't even hear it...it was that muffled. He was so impressed with the musicality of the 15's...he sold his LaScala's and bought a new pair of Model 19's....and never regretted it.

That era Klipsch speakers you never new who made their drivers. Their base...while plenty of punch and loud..always sounded muddy to me. This was the end of the disco era....and whenever I walked into a disco that had Klipsch speakers I knew it long before I ever saw them..The lack of good solid deep base along with the almost non-existent mid-range was a dead giveaway.

I had a similar experience (not hearing it all) with my K-horns. I remember vividly listening to a Gordon Lightfoot CD track with which I was very familiar. I purchased a pair of Quad ESL-63s and listened to the same track and was astonished to hear, very clearly, backup singers singing at the song's end. They were completely inaudible over the K-horns.

Along with my Quads, I now have a pair of Altec Model 19s, and those backup singers are audible over the 19s too. I have had both Klipsch Cornwalls and K-horns. I vastly prefer the Model 19s. Much more accurate and listenable speakers than my Klipsches for those of us who don't mind big speakers and like the clarity and efficiency horns allow.

George