Big Rig Guy

Well thanks for the responses, but I ended up with a set of Vandersteen 1C, used but in like new condition.

Maybe you guys can steer me in the right direction here, I am buying Klipsch speakers tomorrow, either the SF 1 or the KG3, specifically for a two channel setup. Not even going to go into the cost aspect, just which is a better speaker?? Old Klipsch or the SF1. I listen to alot of jazz/swing music, light rock and pop stuff, Norah Jones, Jann Arden etc. Narrowed it down to these two specific models, as I am putting a system into my RV and either of these will fit nicely.

Ive got a SAnsui Ba 2000 power amp and CA 2000 preamp, the sound was good but not great, took out the preamp and put in a Nad 1600 tuner/preamp-fantastic. I would like to try a Nad Poweramp with Nad Preamp, and see those results. Anyone here on the forum running Nad power??????????

Forgot to mention, I am taking the 20's out of the shop, cause the bass extends through the shop next door to me, and then into the front offices, where my landord is. Cause the guys like the music, rockn loud at times, I gotta take these out, and install smaller speaker less quality speakers-bose-lol. Can I weld on a lock type deal onto the amp to keep the power down?????????? Ah the problems you get when you buy Klipsch.

I've had the 20's in the shop now for at least a month, they rock and can rock all day long. Its a 2200 SQ FT shop with 20 foot cielings, no problem getting bass or loud clean sound. Now having said that, I just yesterday bought a set of Mission M35 for my RV, this is where I do any kind of serious music listening. I would have went for a set of KLF 10's, but no luck finding any in my area here. I have the RF 15 as well and the MIssions replaced these. The area where the speakers are to be placed could only be a certain size. KlF 20's in an Rv with big power would be suicidal anyhow. Also of note, it takes ten times the power to reach anything close to the 20's with my new missions, not even in the same ball park. I would have bought Klipsch, but as I said I have the RF 15 and really not too impressed with them.

I just did my 20's as well, but I used a two part liguid epoxy called the west system. A little more expensive and harder to find, but I know these cabinets are not coming apart period.

I don't have my Horns anymore, but used to impress me with the AC DC stuff, course this was 20 years ago when I could stand the loud thumping for long periods of time. Do they rock, there ain't nothing else that I have heard that can rock like the Horns do. Turn it loud, I mean loud, then turn it up again, oh yeah they rock.

I will check the serial numners, I had not thought of that, that maybe they are far enough apart during production, that there might have been some sort of parts changeup. As for placement, well I had thought that too, so I moved them side by side, one sounds fantatstic, the other, a little bland. Checked all the drivers, and they are working, ran the each speaker on the same side of the power amp/preamp, thinking that the problem might be in the electronics, no such luck. Now I did take the midrange units out when I needed to reseal the cabinets, so tonite I will take them out again and check for polarity. Should I measure the impedance across the terminals, and see what I get there???and compare all the driver units that way as well???

Well I have had some time to switch in and out different pre amps and power amps, and came across this. One of my 20's sound different from the other. Especially in the high end. The drivers are producing sound, is it possible to have one speaker sound different than the other that much too notice???? Before anyone asks, I did all the usual stuff, ran it in mono, changed out the speakers leads to make sure its not in the amp or preamp etc. No matter what I do, even on the same speaker line side, they sound different from each other and even side by side. Thinking, maybe tolerances in the crossover system?????? could I have a bad tweeter, or tired tweeter. Anyone come across this before????????? Partially could be in the midrange as well.

Read all that material last night, very good info, enlighted me very much. Thanks guys for the links and info. I like the idea of biamping, and will do it, just to see/hear the end results. Now to find one more amplifier for the top end, thinking of a smaller model older Phase Linear, mostly to match the 400 that I just acquired, thoughts opinions, on the amp to use for the top end?? Now, opinions on the active crossover, looking at the Bryston 10b, Rane products, anything else I should consider, or maybe a member here has one for sale???????? Or using a product that I should consider as well?????

I am interested in the speakers, could you post some pics or send to my email, coaltruck@bellnet.ca. List off condition of speakers, drivers 100 % etc. I have truck fleets that I do work for and could have these picked up, possible? Firm at 600.oo US?????????? Do you have the original boxes????????

Thanks for the links, I have printed them out and will go over the material tonite. Has anyone on the forum, bi amped the 20's and if so, could you list your equipment you used and results your getting. Now a second question, because these 20's sound so good, what about a second set? bearing in mind, this system is in my truck shop. I tried to limit myself at the onset of this whole, I want to put sound into the shop, well, it's now starting to get balistic, no sense in stopping it, is there? Anyone in the Ontario area of Canada, have a set of 20's or 30's for sale????????

I have decided to biamp my 20's and need to know the correct way of doing this. I will run a Phase Linear 400 for the woofers, and likely another smaller Phase Linear for the upper registers. Now, what I am not too familiar with, is, the output of the preamp, should it be go into another crossover network to separate the freg range for each power amp? And if that is the case, can someone point me in the right direction as to what equipment I should be using. Thanks

I have decided to biamp my 20's and need to know the correct way of doing this. I will run a Phase Linear 400 for the woofers, and likely another smaller Phase Linear for the upper registers. Now, what I am not too familiar with, is, the output of the preamp, should it be go into another crossover network to separate the freg range for each power amp? And if that is the case, can someone point me in the right direction as to what equipment I should be using. Thanks

What's thier name in Toronto-are you referring to Legendary Motor Cars, thier shop is about a mile from mine. Fiddled some ten years ago or so, restoring and rebuilding, it s a hard gig. Nice example of a fine automobile though, not worth that kind of money to me though, someone else for sure.

Had the Rotel, smaller version a few years back, albeit, only I beleive 60 watts/side, that one overheated and shut down badly. Like Rotel components too. Nads all shut down too, the Carver that I had in here for a wee, continually shut down. The Sharp I am running right now, does not shut down, but should, at the higher levels, just does not cut it. Now the Phase Linear 400 Series 1, I had for well over ten years, and been in the family for 20, never once shut down. Through all the Ac Dc years, at extreme high power, driving Khorns, then into a smaller system, driving Missions and Polks- ie 4 ohm loads, again never shut down, nor a hint of problem. Mind you, you could not touch the amp in any part due to heat. Speaking of horns, my brother still has my set of Khorns I had bought in 85, I will be talking to the other brother this weekend, to see if he can buy them from my brother and then sell back to me. Myself and the one brother do not get along. They were offered back to me some ten years ago for a grand, but at the time I did not have the room, now I do. I paid 4500.00 CDN in 85 for them. I went about 15 years, with all different brands of speaker, higher end stuff, alot of it very good, easy on the ears, still, I was always comparing anything that I had a the time, to the Khorns, nothing measured up. These 20's I bought last weekend, are the closest thing to the Khorn sound, that I have heard to date. I am very impressed with them.

Michael- I stopped using Fusor products in the shop and switche over to 3m brand, had too many problems with Fusor, anything product of this type out of the Ashland group I found to be good products. Sikaflex, yup, but will use either the West System or MVS system, this stuff is pretty much bullet proof. An amp with a fan, might just suck in all the dust continually and I think that might be worse. The enviroment here, is pretty much the worst case scenario for this type of equipment. I go through fax machines, about one every other month, same with printers. I put the Rf 15'S I had bought originally for the shop, into my Rv in the same spot where I had a similair type of Polk speaker. I don't know, but the sound from these RF 15 was not all that good, acutally was surprised at the low quality of sound, at least compared to the Polks. Now having said that, I used a Carver Reciever, and am now, going to switch that out for a Nad Monitor Series 7100, that I use in the shop here, but luckily for me, a guy about an hour away has a used one for sale, should be interesting to see the improvement. I had bought the Carver Reciever for the shop, as the Nad has one channel in the power amp section not working. I did not like the sound of the Carver in the shop either. The days in the 80's, yup loud rock and roll all night, can't believe I still have ears,lol. I can take the rock and roll still, but no where near as much. We need the volume in the shop, plus I need speakers and amps that can take the abuse when someone turns it up. Gotta be idiot proof?????????

I've had the 20's in the shop now for 4 days, they rock, no problem there. Did notice one speaker has the infamous glue problem and that the top rear panel vibrates at louder listening levels. Did a search here on the forum, and found alot of useful info, so maybe in the next day or two I will reglue these cabinets. I plan on using a two part epoxy though in place of the glue. I use this in the shop, for fibreglass repairs to truck parts etc and found it too be extremely strong. Been driving these 20's with a Sharp lower grade 150 watt/channel power amp that I recently bought used. I have bought a Phase Linear 400 series two power amp and expecting delivery in about a week or so from Wester Canada. I had the series one years ago with my Khorns. Before, anyone jumps on this thread regarding the amp choice, I run this system in a truck shop and have to compete with the sounds of impact guns, grinders etc, I cannot think of a better amp that can sustain higher power levels without overheating and shutting down as in the past with so many amps, they shut down. The Sharp amp, continually runs up close to 100 a side, especially at night when I work alone. I find the amp straining, bass is getting muddy etc, highs are harsch. So, thoughts-concerns and or opinions??????????????

The 20's arrived this morning, and I am totally impressed with them, I can only imagine what the 30's would have sounded like, nice to be back with the Kilpsch sound again, the RF 15 do not compare to these speakers at all, not even close. These 20's fill the shop with ease, with even 20 -30 watts of power per side, you can hardly hear yourself think. Reminds me of when I had the Khorns, and my dad needed me to play music at a social function inside a very big type social hall. Alot of swing type music, along with some rock and roll, you know an older crowd. Anyone here had the pleasure of opening up a set of Khorns in a huge room, say over 3000 sq feet, it is something. I had a Phase Linear- 400 I think poweramp driving them, sometimes the powermeters were well into the red zone. These 20's remind me of the Khorns, as you can listen to it, then turn it up, then turn it up some more, there seems to be no end, all the while sounding clean, undistorted and producing volumes of sound with ease. I can't think of too many brands of speakers that can do that. I did try the speaker on the forklift about 14 feet in the air, lost all the bass, so they are now sitting on the floor. I will post some pics a little later this afternoon.

Well I ended up with the KLF 20, I emailed the owner this mornning and advised that I would take them, might be picking them up tonite. I don't get alot of time, to search out other models of Klipsch speakers so I will settle on these ones. With regard to my old Khorns, I am going to talk to the other brother this weekend about buying them off the other other brother, and then I will buy them from him, ha. Next thing now to do, is put these 20's approx 12 to 16 feet in the air, maybe close to the corners of the inside walls here, sounds hard but not really as I have two forklifts. I will lift them up on a pallet and do a sound check, if I like it, I will build brackets and such and bolt/weld to the framing of my shop. I will post pics. I read so much info off the forum here, you guys really like your Klipsch speakers and post alot of very good info. The Khorns dazzled me some twenty odd years ago, and been a big fan ever since. Thanks to all that replied

When I moved out of the west, I did not want to move them, had them for sale and my brother ponied up the money. He sold them to my other brother many years ago, and then bought them back, I could have bought them then, say around 95 for a grand, but did not have the room for them. The balance of the equipment that I had, I just parted with maybe three years ago, I hanged onto thoses pieces for years, kick myself now for that too. KLF 30, are they that much better, I thought 800.00 CDN for the 20's was a good price, considering they retailed for 2400 per pair new 7 years ago. These units are in excellant condition too. Keep the opinions coming guys, cause I am buying/doing something this coming Saturday, I have the two gentlemen with the used equipment on hold till I make up my mind.

And this is the second area where I would like to mount the KLF 20, thats the RF15 sitting on top of my air dryer.

This is a shot of the one RF15 sitting up about 12 feet. Give an idea of the area that I have to work with.

Used to live in Alberta back in the 80's, bought the Khorns in Winipeg around 85. My choices are limited to the subwoofer with the RF15's, or the KLF 20, as both items are available in excellant condition-used in Toronto where I am located. I read somewhere the KLF 20 approaches the sound level of the K Horns? That ought to be enough for this truck shop?? I really like the RF15's, very nice midrange and upper end, can listen to those and not get tired at all.

SORRY GUYS-KLF 20 KLIPSCH- IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER.