Malcolm

You may want to check the archives here for a schematic of the crossover. Schematics have been posted for several Klipsch crossovers. Don't know whether what you need has been posted. Assuming the tweeter is a K-77, which should be right for the vintage Klipschorn you have, the only option for a new tweeter is going to be buying a replacement from Klipsch or find a new old stock one somewhere. The original K-77 was the Electovoice T35A. EV has not built them for many years. Replacement diaphrams are available directly from Klipsch and should also be available through Klipsch dealers, repair shops or EV pro sound dealers in Europe. Used K-77s and T35As show up on eBay frequently. Some have been offered by European sellers. New old stock K-77-Ms have shown up in the past, but I don't think recently. Good luck with your project!

Hmmmm.... K-24-E is the same as K-22? Makes one wonder just what the people who claim it improves the sound of a Heresy heard. Actually, IMHO, even if the K-24-E is not identical to a K-22, you probably won't hear a difference in response. Klipsch used many woofers (EV SP12B variant, a couple from CTS, some from Eminence, etc.) over the years in the Heresy and they all sound pretty much the same to me. I am sure they had some parametric differences. But the volume of the box is the main constraint on performance with the Heresy. Factory service is nice if you can get it. But this is not always an option. Companies come and go, or change, like CTS. And EV won't recone an SP12B because they don't have the parts anymore. If just sound is important, you might want to go with the most cost effective solution. Either way, I think you'll want to replace or recone the woofers in pairs to keep the speakers timbre matched. One thing to keep in mind if the Heresys are mid-seventies or earlier (labelled K-22, not K-22-E, K-22-EF, or K-22-K) is that the woofers have alnico magnets and the K-24-E has a ceramic magnet. This difference won't really affect the sound. But it may affect the resale value of the speakers. And it may cause you some problems if they are located near a TV. Bucking magnets may be required. Let see.... Other uses for dead woofers or their magnets: retrieving things off the bottom of a lake, small boat anchors, entertaining children...

You might want to check completed auctions on eBay to get an idea of the value of your Cornwalls. I've seen them go from about $600 a pair up.

Both toslink and coax have their own problems. But for most cases either toslink or coax should work just fine. Main advantages coax has for me are cost (as long as we are not talking rediculously price "audiophile" grade cables) and the fact that I can tailor it easily to my exact length requirements. It also can carry the signal farther than the 60' or so maximum for toslink if you need to. I use both because of the inputs/outputs available on my equipment.

You can use the Quintet center with the RBs if you bump up the center level by about 6 dB. But there will be a distinct timbre mismatch between the center and the RBs that may drive you batty. The center channel speaker, where there is one, in a HT system is the most important speaker. Most of the dialogue and other on-screen sound comes from it. If it is not timbre matched to the left and right front, you are likely to be disappointed. FWIW, because of the limited frequency range and mono signal, rears did not seem to have to match all that well in the days of Dolby ProLogic. With Dolby Digital, DTS, etc., because of the full range, discrete signals, timbre match of the rears is a lot more important. But center match is still the most important. If I were in your situation, I would go for the RBs and the RC now and get the RSs later. BTW you will want a good sub, too.

Dang! deanG beat me to it!

Check the archives for Dynamat/Moretite tweak for the horns. Or, you might just try turning down the treble, if you haven't already tried that.

I have run without a preamp from time to time as a matter of convenience or necessity, using nothing more than the volume control on the source, but only for those reasons. A preamp, or the corresponding circuitry in an integrated amp, is a signal processor. Among other things, it lets you tailor the sound to the environment and listener. The bypass/flat switch is there so you can easily switch between the flat signal and your tweaked signal so you can hear the difference. There are, indeed, those who always run with the bypass/flat switch on. There even some who eschew a preamp with active elements in favor of a passive "preamp" that does nothing more than insert a variable resistance between the source and the poweramp. The theory is that the less you do to the signal, the more accurate the resulting sound will be. OTOH some people who have tried a passive "preamp" find them to sound flat/compressed/lifeless. IMHO, passing the signal, flat, unmodified directly from the source to the power amp is going to result in less than optimal sound in almost every case than a signal that has been tweaked for the environment with even rudimentary tone controls. This is because, even assuming a perfect source and power amplifier, the speakers, room and listener's ears are going to ensure that what is heard is not the same as what was intended by the engineer who mastered the recording. If you want to hear the shortcomings of your equipment and environment, by all means, turn the bypass switch on. If you want the most accurate sound, or even the most personally pleasing sound, you are going to need to tweak the signal. And in most cases, for the most accurate sound, you will need more signal conditioning that even your preamp can provide to do the job right.

I doubt that you will experience a significant difference between toslink and coax. But if you decide to replace toslink with coax, you ought to be able to do it for about $10. For more information, misinformation and opinion than you will ever need on the subject of interconnects and power cables, check out the cable forum at www.audioasylum.com.

If you have a Quintet system now (4 satellites and center), I would suggest upgrading your left and right main speakers first. If you just have two Quintet satellites, just move them to the back and add new front speakers. Although the center channel speaker, when there is one in the system, carries the brunt of the load in a HT system, you can always use phantom mode and get by without a center quite well unless the left and right front speakers are very far apart. BTW if you have a Quintet center, you ought to be able to sell it for a good price. They are in high demand and hard to come by.

Sounds like the voice coil is stuck in the magnet assembly. If so, a recone is probably in order. You'll need to recone both woofers to keep them sounding the same. This is not a DIY project. If you are in the SF bay area, I second A Brown Soun. They do work for some big names and do a first rate job.

Just to set the record straight, Heresys do have 12" woofers. I think the simplest, and best, solution would be to add a good subwoofer to your system, especially if you ever intend to use the Heresys as part of a HT system. I have a Decware WO32 that pretty seamlessly extends the bass quite a bit. There are a lot of other good options for a subwoofer, mostly non-Klipsch, as the powered subwoofer forum reflects. If you are really intent on modifying your Heresys for more bass, you might want to look at the specs for some of the other Klipsch speakers that use the same tweeter and squawker driver for ideas. But I think you will probably have to at least replace the woofer and make some minor crossover changes to make the result sound right. I think you would probably have to build something like a Cornwall to get what you are looking for. And its already been done by Klipsch. I think it would be much simpler to buy a set of used Cornwalls, or other Klipsch speakers with more bass, and sell the Heresys, even if you still build new cabinets. If you do decide to modify your Heresys, let us know what you do and how it turns out. Good luck!

Given your space limitation, the RC-3 II sounds like a reasonable choice to me. You might want to see if you can get one to take home for an audition before buying, or at least buy somewhere you can return it within a reasonable time, just in case you don't like the tonal match. Most folks listening to your system probably won't even notice a difference. But you may.

Every Heresy I have owned, made from 1965 to 1984, had a K700 or K701 horn. K700 for the K-55-V driver, K701 for the K-53-K. Not sure which was used with the K-52-H.

The speaker that generates the largest magnetic field at your TV is the biggest culprit. It depends on the size of the magnet, the shape of the magnetic field, and the distance from the TV. But it is usually the woofer, mainly because it has the largest magnet by far. Don't know if you can do the job with the Radio Shack magnets. The best way would be to use the appropriate bucking magnets from Klipsch if they are available. As far as I remember, the parts list that used to be on this site listed bucking magnets for the woofer, squawker and tweeter for the Heresy II. You can find out if they are available by calling Klipsch tech support. I have seen bucking magnets advertised by other dealers that specialized in DIY speakers but don't remember which ones. They are just donut magnets that you glue, appropriately oriented, to the back of the magnet on the speaker. The size of the bucking magnet will depend on the size of the magnet on the speaker. Your Heresy II center channel idea is interesting. Let us know what you are doing when you do it. Like you, I am going to build a Heresy center channel speaker when I get the time. I am going to use two 16 ohm CTS 10" woofers of similar vintage to the other components to get that center channel form factor.

If you have no more than 10" of height, I think you may be SOL. According to the specs, the KLF-C7 and Academy are 11" high, KV-4 is 10.5". IMHO those would have been your best choices, short of another Heresy, which is apparently out of the question in your case. You may have to settle for something else with less bass and a less optimal tonal match that fits the space available.

Bucking magnets should be available from Klipsch to minimize your problem. Reconvergence of the TV should help also. Any direct view (tube type TV) may be affected, HDTV capable or not. Rear projection sets are less vulnerable. Newest technology like RCA's LCOS based sets are not vulnerable but currently have their own problems. Heresy for a center channel may not be a good choice to go with your Heresy IIs. It will have a different tonal quality in the midrange which you may or may not find objectionable as sound pans around the front speakers. Even the last of the original Heresys sound different than the earlier years. I think your best bet might be a KLF-C7, KV-4 or Academy. KLF-C7s are easy to find.

They are pretty simple to build. Some designs require soldering or crimping. Neither is a big deal but requires a little practice to do properly, plus the proper tools, ofcourse. Nothing you should not be able to handle.

Indy, I don't question your intention, just your method. I think you were certainly right to question the validity of the listing. And I cannot think of a better place than this forum to do it. The speakers certainly looked strange to me the first time I looked. It was just the jump to the conclusion that the the speakers were fake that I found a bit precosious. Your post impuned the honesty of the seller before you had the facts, not a good thing to do. I know I would resent it if you did it to me. In any case, we apparently learned something about yet another Klipsch product. Now for the big question. Why on earth would someone pay $350 for these where Heresys of the same vintage, with tweeters, go for about the same price?

I don't think the "cane" grills on my Heresys are actually cane. Looks like the "cane" part of them is more like rafia. Anyway, if the Heresy IIs are the same, I think you could make that kind of material work on your KLF-C7. If you are thinking of real cane, I think it will be more difficult. Also, I don't know what the sonic impact of real cane would be.

Seller says serial numbers are 161Y265 and 161Y267. That is toward the end of the Heresy run. Woofer and squawker I cited would be appropriate. Looks like it is Klipsch. Indy, sounds like you were a little early in flaming the seller.

Main difference is the Belle comes in a beautiful furniture grade cabinet with grill cloth. Hence the name Belle (beautiful). The LaScala comes in an ugly unfinished birch or black industrial grade cabinet with no grill cloth. I think it was originally intended for places like theaters where it wouldn't be seen. Hence the name LaScala (an opera house/theater in Italy). Bass horn design is a bit different, too.

Looking at the picture of the inside of the box, I would say it either was not built by Klipsch, or somebody improved it. It appears to be better built than those from Klipsch. This one has cleats where all the panels come together. All the Heresys I have had, manufactured from 1965 to 1984, only had cleats for the back panel. A Klipsch box will have the serial number stamped into the back edge of the top panel. Looks like one may be there, but hard to tell. The seller admits there is no tweeter. "Looks to be factory made" tells me the seller does not know. All in all, if the components are what I guess them to be, I would say that the description is fair. Maybe BobG or another moderator can answer: Did Klipsch ever build such a beast?

Kind of hard to tell from the pictures. But the components do look like what Klipsch was putting in Heresys in the mid 80's: K-22-K woofer, K-53-K squawker, E2 crossover. Grills look right, even have the tweeter cutout.

I have to agree that muddy is not a term normally associated with Heresys. Most who complain cite lack of bass, brightness, or harshness. Because you say they changed after about 10 year, I can think of three possibilities: 1. Your hearing changed 2. Your taste changed 3. Something in the speaker changed I've heard people complain of muddiness when the squawker or tweeter failed. Are you sure the squawker is working properly? As far as capacitors go, I think it is unlikely that a paper in oil (PIO) capacitor would change much unless seriously abused. Its easy to test though, just swap out with another one. If you do, you might consider good audio grade metallized polypropelene caps as a tweak. Technology has improved since Klipsch built your Heresys. OTOH some people swear by PIO caps.