In this review, we will be comparing Cornwall IV and Heresy III, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Cornwall IV and Klipsch Heresy III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Cornwall IV | Klipsch Heresy III |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" horn-loaded | 1" Tractrix horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 1.75" | 1.75" |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" Fiber composite | 12" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-20k Hz | 58-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 102 dB | 99 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 100 watts | 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.55kg / 98lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38" x 25-5/16" x 15-1/2"
966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm | 23-7/8" x 15-1/2" x 13-7/16"
607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm |
|---|
Cornwall IV and Heresy III are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Heritage Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Cornwall IV and Heresy III are 3-way speakers.
Klipsch Cornwall IVKlipsch Heresy III
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch Cornwall IV |
Klipsch Heresy III |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.75-inch |
1 x 1.75-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
Cornwall IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 15" Fiber composite Woofer. On the other hand, the Heresy III features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression Tractrix horn Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Cornwall IV has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz whereas Heresy III has a frequency range of 58-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Cornwall IV can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Heresy III's min frequency of 58Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Cornwall IV and Heresy III have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Cornwall IV sensitivity is rated at 102 dB and the Heresy III's is at 99 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch Cornwall IV a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch Heresy III, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though Cornwall IV is rated up to 100 watts and Heresy III 100 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Cornwall IV and Heresy III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Klipsch Cornwall IV's and Klipsch Heresy III's external dimensions. Klipsch Cornwall IV has external dimensions of 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm (38 x 25-5/16 x 15-1/2inch) whereas Klipsch Heresy III has external dimensions of 607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm (23-7/8 x 15-1/2 x 13-7/16inch).
Klipsch Cornwall IV is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 249mm wider, 359mm taller and 52mm deeper than Klipsch Heresy III.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch Cornwall IV and Klipsch Heresy III in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch Cornwall IV and Klipsch Heresy III Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Klipsch Cornwall IV is approximately 2533.4cm2 / 392.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch Heresy III is approximately 1347.5cm2 / 208.9inch2. The Cornwall IV requires 88% more surface area than the Heresy III which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Klipsch Cornwall IV weighs 44.55kg / 98lbs and the Klipsch Heresy III weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the Cornwall IV 123% heavier than the Heresy III.
Here is a comparison of how Cornwall IV and Heresy III's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch Cornwall IV?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Cornwall IV:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
What's in the Box of Klipsch Heresy III?
Here are the items that come with the Heresy III:
- Floor-standing loudspeaker
- Detachable grille (installed)
- Base riser (installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
 Sensitivity |
102 dB
vs
99 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
607mm
vs
966mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1347cm2
vs
2533cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2346USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV |
Klipsch Capitol Heresy III |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 100 watts |
100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
102 dB |
99 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-20k Hz |
58-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber composite |
Fiber-composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Treated cloth |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
horn-loaded |
Tractrix horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
1.75" |
1.75" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
966.0mm (38") |
607.0mm (23.9") |
| Width |
643.0mm (25.3") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
394.0mm (15.5") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
44.55kg (98lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Blonde Cherry |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Klipsch's Heritage series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Klipsch Cornwall IV digs deeper - 34Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch Cornwall IV is more sensitive (102dB vs 99dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Klipsch Heresy III is easier to place; Klipsch Cornwall IV is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch Cornwall IV: bi-amping; Klipsch Heresy III: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Klipsch Heresy III is cheaper - $2,346 against $6,598, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch Cornwall IV B Klipsch Heresy III
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Klipsch Cornwall IV measures better, Klipsch Heresy III costs about about 2.8x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch Heresy III much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch Cornwall IV has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch Heresy III is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.