JRH

The K-22-R was a second source to the Eminence K-22-E for several years. R stands for Rola, and was the last woofer I designed for them prior to coming to Klipsch.

They shipped together to Audio Center in Albuquerque on 11/20/62. K77, K55V, K33J, W6 network. They were D style.

779 shipped to K.L.A Labs on 10/25/54 as a woofer only. 1096 shipped to Customode Products Co. of Pontiac, Michigan on 9/27/56 as a complete system. 15WK woofer, SAHF mid, and 4401 tweeter.

Cabinart sold many products as kits, thus the EV knob. I would definitely crack these open to see what drivers were used. Some can be quite pricey.

Sorry for the belated response. I think WMcD is pretty much on track, and would bet a hypothetical sum (PWK-ism) that it started out as a stock Klipsch product and received some skilled modifications. Further internal pics might provide the final proof. Highly unlikely to find a mate.

Your Heresy's left the factory with Electro-Voice SP-12-B woofers. I see no record of Cletron woofers ever being used. The other drivers appear to be stock. If the capacitors are not leaking oil, they are very likely OK and just need re-mounting. There were three H-12's built in 1957. 1958 saw another 30 built. Serial numbers 134 - 176 were made in 1959. 177 - 204 in 1960. 1961 saw the old style and new style mixed. If they were mine, I would try to find original woofers and restore them to stock. Not the optimum sound attainable, but historically significant.

The links jjptkd posted above would be my input (since I wrote most of it). The actual "Heresy History" (second link above) was written by former Klipsch employee, Mark Kauffman, a co-worker and friend. JRH

Hi JDH, I have seen these sell for as much as $300 each, but that may have included a vintage driver. The one with slots (boats, as PWK would say) is the older one. He realized that he could change the taper slightly and eliminate the boats with no deleterious acoustic effect, but at a lot less cost. That's when the designation went to K-5-J. I personally wouldn't feel too bad if I got $200 each. JRH

Right here!

The Aristocrat was based on one of the Rebel series, and we have EV's royalty documentation on these, Patricians, etc. And Norelco had a sense of humor!

Attached is the section of the logbook covering 617 and 618. It was 618 and 619 that were "peas in a pod" (built to the same specs). 617, a custom job, actually shipped several days later. There's no telling exactly what went on with the serial markings.

I was hoping that "Bonehead" would pick up the ball, but he moves on his own time scale. PWK from as early as the 1940's wanted K-horns in theaters. However, the corner requirement (or even false corners) was an impediment, particularly with the "closed club" mentality that still exists in this business. Theater owners were used to one-stop shopping for screens, speakers, popcorn machines, etc. About 1980 or so John Allen http://www.klipsch.com/bicentennial, a friend of PWK's, convinced Klipsch to let him become the worldwide distributor of Klipsch speakers to the cinema market. This introduced the MCM, LaScala, Heresy, and TSCM to the market. The first digital presentation was with a John Allen/Klipsch system. With management changes at Klipsch in the early 80's the relationship faltered. In the late 90's a relationship developed with Regal Cinemas that continues today, and has been added to with many other chains. Essentially Klipsch's calling card is the demo. Massive "shoot-outs" with virtually all of the competition are what convinces theater execs that Klipsch sounds best and is generally less expensive. Hearing is believing.

The woofer access door started out on the side, and was quickly moved to the top under the mid horn. That was also changed fairly quickly to the bottom. This was still in the 60's. I Don't believe the organ variant came until the 70's.

Baltic birch has been used in Heritage products sparingly over the years due to its void-free properties, most notably in 1/2" for K-horn woofer back panels and interior parts, as well as Heresy backs. While 3/4 & 1" may be in current use in some pro products, I Don't believe it has seen use as 3/4" material for Heritage. Klipsch has 3/4" laid up custom in 4 X 8 sheets for non-veneered applications (think old LaScalas). Currently veneers are laid up on 3/4" MDF since the early 80's. Prior it was lumber core. This is a denser, more dimensionally accurate material when kept dry. PWK was in on the decision.

True. The top panel was screwed on rather than glued. That allowed them to remove it, install an amplifier, and put it back.

I can't confirm either one, but who knows what will turn up when our archives are fully digested?

Yes, this appears to be one of several that friends of PWK built with his permission (and encouragement). The date must be after 1945 since the HF horn was not designed until late that year. The owner's "family legend" says that this is one of 5 built at the time. I cannot confirm, but it is not out of the question at all. We are currently working on acquisition of another prototype built by the guy that suggested to PWK that he should design a cheaper line of speakers that resulted in the Rebel series. It appears that this guy made the original wooden pattern (we have it) for molding the curved portions of the K-5. Stuff seems to be coming out of the woodwork recently!

I wish I had a silly answer, but I don't.

Don was still at Klipsch when I started in 1978, but not for long afterwards. I was under the impression that his title was VP of Sales, or similar. Brownie is Don's ex-wife. She occasionally visits friends in Hope. If I run into her I'll ask what her ex is up to. jim@klipschmuseum.org

The "historian" must admit that he has no direct information on the change in splitter block size. Keeping an eye out..............

According to Don Davis (Klipsch VP of Sales 1958), Paul did not hear the difference. It was Don's wife Carolyn that reliably passed blind listening tests and convinced PWK that it mattered. The "phasing" of the woofer to the next band up (squawker) is dependent on many, many factors. Although the EV designs were licensed by K&A, they did not copy everything exactly, sometimes to PWK's dismay.

Brociner was an early distributer in NYC and became the first blatant infringer of the patent. Besides Vitavox and EV, other licensees included Radio Shack and Dominion (Canada).

The only horn made in house prior to the fiberglass pro units (K-260, K-400-2, and maybe a few other misc.) was the k-5-J used prior to the K-400. The first K-400's were made at Arkansas Machine Specialties in Hope using the sand cast method. Only the slab of the building remains. Several other casters and casting techniques were used over the years. The mold you've seen is a more recent one. No horns were received "in halves" as far as I know. The ones HDBR are referring to were cut in half by (or for) Bob Moers to be plant hangers. Same guy that kept an antique barber's chair in his office along with a K-horn/Belle 3-channel array. I too have forgotten the Mennonite's name, but he was not the originator of fiberglas at Klipsch. That honor would go to Jim Irvine.

Unfortunately much of the serial number records were lost due to "computer system of the year syndrome". We did much better on paper!

They definitely "have value". I'm not the expert in that area, but there are others on this forum that can help.