Wiim has distinguished themselves in the hi-fi market with an affordable yet quality remote included with every product they sell; plus there is also an app available that enables control.
At worst-case power listening tests, the Forte 1 proved more than capable of driving challenging headphones such as Beyerdynamic’s high-impedance DT 880 and the HiFiMan HE6se with ease.
The Forte 1
The Forte 1 integrated amp is an international class device utilizing the same technology found in their Aavik streamer, including their custom made 1 bit DAC to deliver all-out truth performance and Tidal/Spotify connect for Tidal streaming and Spotify listens respectively. At $8k cheaper than Daniel Hertz Maria or about $15,000 less than Aavik U-150 it represents great value.
The sound is crisp and open with a 3D soundstage and stunning imaging that makes you feel like you are present at a real live performance. At times it may sound dry or thinned out but nonetheless contains lots of body. In short it offers up a great musical experience while leaning slightly toward truthfulness.
Experimentation will be necessary when positioning this amp, to find an ideal balance between direct and front wall reflected bass from its rear passive radiator. It makes an ideal amp for rock and electronic music genres which benefit from having additional bass presence.
When I used it with Polish Amber speakers from my system, the Forte 1 produced incredible sound quality. The soundstage was expansive and detail incredible with voices filling my room much more clearly than other amplifiers can manage. The Forte 1 offers an airy highs and rich midrange that make vocals come alive within my room more than other amps could. When played loud, its musicality comes alive – making for an enjoyable listening experience!
I found the Forte 1 with the KG 3.5s to be excellent partners. Their tone is far more rounded and balanced than Heresy III; although lower volumes can sound bright and analytical; they excel when played back at high volumes with rock music, metal songs, EDM tracks or anything that requires bass boost.
They provide an authentic live experience and are the only Heritage speaker with deep kicking bass that can be heard across a room. While not boasting as much top end energy as Heresy IV speakers, these units deliver more visceral electric live experiences when played music live. Plus they look stunning – choosing between black, cherry walnut or distressed oak depending on your aesthetic tastes!
The Forte 2
This amp takes all that was great about the Heresey III and improves on it, including its live feel that brought you closer to musicians than traditional speakers can. The Forte III builds on this while improving in many other areas: it boasts impressive dynamic swing, its treble is clear yet open without being threadbare, midrange has enough body for truthful representation without sounding dull; bass reproduction is amazing with rich imaging and detail while its 99dB sensitivity allows it to drive any volume with ease.
Their streamer is equally impressive, utilizing technology from their high-end Aavik line of streamers. It comes equipped with all necessary protections and begins up with an automated sequence to check that everything is functioning as intended. You have access to digital inputs like RCA, optical and USB as well as analog connections like turntable or CD player inputs; additionally it has pre-outs for adding power amps or amplifying speaker sound quality for optimal audio playback.
Tesla Coils make these amplifiers truly incredible performers. By reducing noise and resonance that cause muddy sounds, these amps open up music like no other amplifier can and add depth. I found myself listening for hours!
The Forte IV’s are among the more expensive speakers in this series but really stand out as being an exceptional value. Lighter and more focused on imaging than their Maria counterparts, these Fortes exude an otherworldly feel, are more transparent, musical and have less bass response than Cornwall or Heresy IV models but provide incredible soundscape.
Forte IV speakers feature an expansive soundstage that is highly detailed and 3D, filling a large room very efficiently. Their large soundstage provides incredible detail for an amazing listening experience in classical and choral works; singing with clarity and beautiful tones from their gorgeous voices with unparalleled dynamics and control. In addition, these Forte IVs will even play rock, metal and other genres which require greater bass power such as heavy metal.
The Forte 3
Forte III speakers not only look incredible, they deliver an immersive musical experience with full soundstages that enthrall listeners. Though its sound might not be as refined or detailed as Heresy III speakers, Forte IIIs are perfect for listening to rock, metal, rap and EDM with deep chest rock bass response and unrivalled imaging. In other words they recreate live concert hall experiences unrivalled within Heritage line speakers.
These speakers may not be audiophile-grade speakers, but they still deliver an amazing midrange that’s warm and realistic, providing vocals with clear articulation that have good tone quality. Vocals sound clear with realistic tonality. Their top end energy surpasses that of Heresy III Cornwall LaScala but this adds more of a live feel when listening to some recordings; though sometimes sounding sparser compared to speakers like Graham LS6 this may just be minor issue.
Listening to Blood, Sweat and Tears’ rendition of “Spinning Wheel” showcases the Forte III’s powerful bass as well as its sharp percussion. These instruments complement drums perfectly by keeping their tone clear without congestion when played at high volumes; brass instruments also don’t sound shrill when played at moderate or loud volumes.
These speakers stand out by easily accommodating high-resolution audio files, so you can listen to all your digital music libraries through them. Furthermore, these models come equipped with HDMI ARC input, optical, USB, and RCA connections; perfect for most modern sound systems.
They weigh 72 pounds each and require considerable strength and agility to move around, but their design makes them impossible to overlook. Furthermore, they need plenty of breathing room–particularly behind where there’s an ample passive radiator–but these speakers can be tricky to set up properly as their back panel needs to sit at exactly the right angle against the rear wall for best results. Once set up properly however, their big sound will be instantly captivating!
The Forte 4
This latest model in Klipsch’s Forte series has been enhanced to be more than just another Klipsch speaker; it can pair easily with any high-end amplifier ranging from small tube amps up to larger Mark Levinson or McIntosh solid-state amplifiers. These three-way speakers feature 12″ woofer, horn-loaded tweeter and 15″ passive radiator in front of each cabinet as well as 15″ passive radiator in rear for optimal sound reproduction.
The Forte IV is an extremely musical speaker capable of reproducing any genre. It excels at reproducing full-range sound without distortion, creating an authentic experience as though an entire band were playing live in your living room. Furthermore, its low frequencies handle deep bass passages well; creating an authentic experience when listening to classical music while being versatile enough for rock or pop music as well.
The Forte IV sounds more like an elite Klipschhorn or La Scala speaker than its predecessor due to its new crossover design and titanium compression driver with modified horn, providing amazing imaging and soundstage. Furthermore, its titanium diaphragm also comes equipped with a wide dispersal phase plug to ensure uniform polar response across its high frequency range.
These modifications also give the Forte IV an extraordinary level of detail and musicality, particularly pianos which had never been at the center of Forte III but are now easy to hear with exceptional clarity and space between notes. Furthermore, the horn helps extend upper midrange frequencies to enhance vocal detail and naturalness.
The Forte IV Heritage Series speaker should be considered an exceptional value in this series. Capable of performing all of the Heresy, Cornwall and La Scala’s functions while remaining easy to integrate into any living space – you could even pair it up with Pass Labs XA60.8 monoblock amplifier for even deeper bass than any of its peers!