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Bruce - I just read the sad news you shared with us on December 28. I only know of you and Barbara from your previous posts on this site. I knew of the struggles you and Barbara were dealing with, but had hoped that things might have turned out differently. I have enjoyed your knowledgeable posts and your willingness to help others. I am especially impressed by the positive attitude that you demonstrated and in what you said and did throughout what can best be described as a heart wrenching experience. Please try to find time to enjoy the things that are fun and interesting for you. Don't let this tragedy drag you down. Barbara would not have wanted that, and in fact said that she felt the worst about how this would affect you and the rest of the family - she must have been a saint - I hope that she is now in a better place among other saints. If there is anything we can do to help, all you have to do is ask. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Dean - Do you think that you would hear much difference if you crossed at 500 or 700? Thanks.

What is the best bass crossover point for Khorn, LS and Belle, especially with an extreme slope crossover? Do you want to be as high as the woofer will permit (assuming the midhorn can take it)? Or do you want to be as low as the midhorn can go (assuming the woofer can take it)? Or do you want to be somewhere in-between? The reason for my confusion is that many seem to crossover close to the same point but higher than the midhorn "name" (i.e. Trachorn 400, Kilpsch 400, Klipsch 500, Altec 511). For example, Al K suggests that you use his ES400 only for Khorn - Al, why would the ES400 not work for your Trachorn 400 in the Belle or LS? What factors would cause somebody to use the higher crossover points such as the ES500 or ES600 use? Thanks.

Just read a short article in the latest issue of Forbes magazine entitled "Cheap Beats - A $39 amplifier blows away audio gear costing thousands of dollars. Its makers were the last to know." The article says that last fall orders for the Sonic T-Amp surged from a hundred per week to a thousand units per week. The company was stunned to learn that the demand for the "toy" was coming from audiophiles. The article also says the the T-Amp uses Tripath's lowest-end chip, the model 2024, that puts out 15 watts of power and costs $3. The most powerful chip puts out 500 watts and costs $45. Other than power, there isn't much difference. In order to capitalize on the audiophile interest, Sonic plans new models, including one with the same chip as the plastic T-Amp but boasting a metal case and heavy duty speaker connections for $139, followed next year by a 50 watt version that will cost $349. Don't you love capitalism at work?

Maybe we should start a heritage forum. I think that the old forum sounds better than the new one[]

HOORAY! The dreaded blight has passed.[]

Scotty - If you want to use thicker wire than original (14 or 12 gauge, for example) you can always peel back and cutoff enough strands at the last one-inch of the wire to fit the terminals. That way you get the benefit of thicker wire for almost all of the run.

Good questions, Seti. I am re-wiring my Belle's also. So far all I have done are the woofers. I had some extra 14 gauge speaker wire that was nice and shiny with clear insulation, so I used it. I was planning to crimp and solder the connections, but my soldering iron doesn't put out enough heat for the thick wires. I ended up with crimped spade lugs on both ends that look pretty tight. I will probably use the same wire for the squakers. I will either need to use thinner gauge for the tweeters or take a few strands off the 14 gauge to be able to fit the tweeter connections. 14 gauge is probably overkill, but certainly won't hurt. The original Klipsch wires look something like white lamp cord, either 16 or 18 gauge. Does anybody know which? Thanks.

---------------- I also have to peek inside and check what woofer I have because DC resistance measures 6.8 ohms, which isn't correct for a K-33-E. ---------------- Jon - If you open the box and it is a K-33, unscrew the connections on the inside top of the box 1/2 turn and re-tighten. This may get your resistance down to where it belongs.

---------------- On 7/24/2005 10:57:18 PM DeanG wrote: I mirror imaged my tweeters, and they are towards the inside. ---------------- Dean - As you may already know, I believe that you can simply flip the horn assembly 180 degrees (upside down) to change the orientation of the tweeter versus the horn(i.e. mirror inside, mirror outside, tweeter on left for both or tweeter on right for both). Your speakers are fairly close together, and I am wondering if you would get better imaging with the tweeters to the outside. Did you consciously decide to put the tweeters on the inside? Do you think that this is preferrable? Thanks.

Most Excellent news! Too many of us take good health for granted - there is little that's more important.

---------------- On 7/10/2005 10:50:22 PM Cornwalled wrote: I can't get the hatch apart cause the heads of the screws are all rubbed completely smooth from being drug on the floor. I could drill it out, but then the cab's shot. Looks like it's staying there. -Jon ---------------- Jon - I have not tried it, but Sears sells something they call a screw extractor for rounded out heads and situations like yours. I believe that you use it like a drill bit. It would destroy the screw head, but is intended to remove the screw without damage to anything else. It it cheap and comes in different sizes. You might want to give it a try. If you are like me, maybe your problem is as simple as a bad solder joint. Good luck!

Thanks for the help, guys. I opened the bottom of the cabinet and was surprised that the panel gasket still seems good after all these years. I do have the original K-33 square magnet woofer. I think it says K-33 b, but I was reading it using a mirror, so I'm not sure about the suffix. Tom Mobley and Dean were correct - it has a bad solder joint at one of the speaker terminals. It looks fine - nice and shiny, but obviously has broken down. I wonder how long this condition has existed. I have heard about solder joints going bad over time, but never fully believed it, especially in a closed environment with no heat, weather or other issues. Do you think that the sonic performance was degraded (i.e. would somebody with great hearing notice the difference)? Anyway - thanks again - and check your ancient solder joints!

I am in the process of replacing the type AA networks in my Belles. Since I had the networks disconnected, I decided to compare the resistance in the woofers and drivers. I don't know if resistance is a good measure of the impedance of a speaker or driver, but would expect that the left and right side should be similar. Using an ohmeter (connections to network removed) I get the following: K-77 round magnet- Left 5.7 ohm right 5.5 ohm k-55 spring type- Left 10.5 ohm Right 10.5 ohm Woofer (k-33?)- Left 3.4 ohm Right 6.8 ohm Should I be concerned about the difference between the two woofers? I am sure that they are both original Belle equipment, approximately 1974. Thanks.

I am surprised that nobody has offered another option for "best sounding Klipsch speaker" - modified Belles, LaScalas or Khorns - or does that make them non-Klipsch? As Amy said, the key is IMO. I hope everybody is here to share ideas and learn from the experiences of others. I know that's why I come to this forum.

Thanks Colin - interesting reading.

I re-read Seadog's thread on his 511 k-horn project, and it looks like he placed the tweeters on the outboard side of each speaker. For horizontal tweeters, is there any advantage to placing the tweeters inboard or outboard (or both left or both right)? Thanks.

---------------- On 6/19/2005 3:56:08 AM DrWho wrote: The Airport express is a good alternative if you want wireless capabilities between your laptop and reciever. It'd allow you to work on your laptop where you're sitting while streaming music at the same time...otherwise you'll need to find a place beside your reciever to set the laptop (and then you'd have to get up and fiddle with it to change a song or anything like that). ---------------- I use an M-Audio firewire audiophile external soundcard. I think that it is designed for mixing different sources, but I use it only for stereo from the internet. I use a 15 foot firewire cable to go from my laptop to the card which sits next to my amplifier. That lets me sit back and control playback, volume and equalizer settings from my normal listening chair - wired (not wireless) remote control.

---------------- On 6/5/2005 4:10:27 PM rockbobmel wrote: How about Lava Lamps with those skid pads? ---------------- Bob - The lava lamps (with a coaster underneath) are OK. I am not so sure about the wallpaper, though.

Not only are high sound levels potentially damaging, sound levels are all too often uncomfortable for me also. I often carry some inexpensive foam earplugs with me, and find that I use them in movie theatres and other locations more often than I should need to. I also cut the foam plugs in half, to lower the sound levels only partially, and make them less obvious.

I think that the electromagnetic waves from the speakers might cause harm and possible genetic mutation to any plants placed above them.

---------------- On 5/29/2005 1:59:46 AM DeanG wrote: One thing is for sure, the ALK is very responsive to parts changeouts, much more so than than the Type A or AA. ---------------- Dean - Do you believe that Al K's extreme slope crosssovers are also very responsive to Cap changes? Do you know what brand Al uses in his ES versions? Thanks.

There have been a number of topics relating to the benefits (or disadvantages) of using equalizers. As I understand it, the purposes of an equalizer are (1) to adjust for issues relating to the quality of the recording, equipment coloring, room conditions, etc., or (2) to adjust sound to meet personal taste. Often, a microphone and RTA are used to make the frequencies flat at a particular point in the room (i.e. the listening chair). It occurred to me that if the frequency response is made perfectly flat, everything has been considered except the actual hearing capacity of the listener. Does anybody know if an individual's hearing can have peaks and troughs over the frequency spectrum, or does an individual's hearing simply have a fall-off at higher frequencies over time? Is is possible to get a hearing test with frequencies plotted out like the frequency response curve of a speaker? I don't really want to do this, but am curious from a theoretical standpoint.

---------------- On 5/14/2005 6:53:55 AM Daddy Dee wrote: I also thought it was discontinued. Where can you find it for $100? ---------------- Go to www.needledoctor.com Their price is $99.99 plus $10.00 UPS shipping. Others may have them also, but I know Needledoctor just received a large shipment.

---------------- On 5/13/2005 9:41:55 PM ben. wrote: Still $99? ---------------- Yes. $99 plus $10 shipping.