HornEd

Yes, Andy, even I have been to Udine to marvel at those acoustics. Actually, I was thinking about four MCM's to better effectuate the sound stage for the farthest seats. It is surprising how well sound caries just in the natural bowl with brush, grass and trees. In addition to the natural upslope... the gentle prevailing wind sweeps over the reservoir and up the slope where the amphitheater is being built. Some of my latter day audio engineering friends scoff at Monster Klipsch installations... but mine have always pleased me. Even the pro stuff that I have acquired that is other than Klipsch relies heavily upon horns to make things right. Fini, I have lots of photos and even have one of me that was taken by a pro who will use it in a second edition of a best selling coffee table book called "Odd Jobs." The photographer/author is from NYC and seems to think that my influence on this place is something worth writing about. I'll have to dig up some shots of the Clubhouse Restaurant, pools, spas, sauna, tennis, volleyball and petanque courts, sundecks, hiking trails, "Little Village", the flowing creek... or even the view from the top of the mountain and the 87,000 gallon water tank that provides "bottled water quality" branch for your bourbon Fini. Hmmm, I'll just have to reacquaint myself with the photo uplink after my long absence. It may take awhile this is a particularly busy week. -HornED

Yep, as you suspected... it is indeed a natural bowl. I am terracing the natural bowl with large grassy areas and retaining walls to create areas that people can sit on the grass or bring chairs. We will sell picnic lunches, wine, beer, soft drinks, etc. at the concerts. Concert goers will not have access to the main resort. There are two other venues in this area that sell concert tickets in the $50-75 range per ticket for name acts. I have the contacts to bring the same caliber acts to this venue... and I have a prettier location that is somewhat easier to get to. At the bottom of the bowl I will build an elevated stage with a large bowl behind the band. There will be a large "sunken" dance floor that can be used as "up close" seating for special acts. My idea came from visiting Greek and Roman amphitheaters in Europe, the bucolic atmosphere of Ravinia (the Chicago Symphony's summer home), and the tiered seating of the River Walk Theater in San Antonio, Texas. The way I am building it, there will be "box sections" tiered and tickets will be sold on that basis. The grassy boxes will allow some very casual listening potential. I would sure like to get a line on the speakers you spoke of, so if anyone knows of one hiding somewhere at a great price... put in your two cents... please? You would be surprised at some of the national names that have expressed a preference to perform here. Also, a major show which made Esquire's top ten things to do in 2003 will be opening there new version here later this year. That festival has its own sound system and the festival will be the first of this summer's large concert series. We also have a great lawn with a stage under a huge oak for groups of 800 or less for which we have I have built a custom PA system for about $14k. It sure would make me smile to have a tree studded natural bowl filled with Klipsch sound! Life is getting exciting again... sure wish I had a bit more energy. More later... -HornEd

Jim... you old Cornwallian Dawg... you are a man after my own heart. Just the thought of what you are doing has rendered my Belle Klipsch to some future downgraded venue. While you may not be building the center that would warm the heart of Paul's first wife, Belle (for whom my Khorn system center was named)... you would thrill the heart of Paul himself. I believe you are on the right track... well, with a little addition to the space in which you currently "house" your Khorn system. I mean a sand filled cinder block addition to your current abode should be just the thing for a Kamikaze Khorn Junkie like Q-man and me to appreciate. Cheers and keep us tuned to this latest Cornell saga! -HornEd

Well Forum Friends... it's time for another HornEd update. I am humbled by the comments of so many good folks... and by the large number of "hits" that have been accorded this thread. Oh, yeah, thanks BBB after sixty-five years of experience you have brought me up to date. Now I realize that what used to pass as recreation has now gone to "pot!" On the Klipsch front, I first really noticed my now fiancé when she attended a movie in my "Klipsch Legend" theater at the resort... and she took notice of me during my "Klipsch commercial" that routinely accompanies major showings that I attend. I have lost count of how many folks have bought Klipsch after being exposed to this timbre matched 6.1 theater. So, while I have been remiss in not keeping up my Forum presence, I have not faltered in promoting my favorite speakers. For those romantics among you, I must confess that the first time Kassandra and I touched as more than friends, it was while watching the second half of the "Sound of Music" in the Klipsch Legend Theater. The combination of Alps (she is a Swiss native and recently naturalized American citizen) and the 6.1 Klipsch experience pushed her over the edge of sanity... and into my arms for forever... (or what ever reasonable approximation of that that I can muster!). Oh, yes, and to the most romantic of all (tee hee), let me confess that the first night we spent alone together, a certain New Jersey Afghan covered this old dog and... oops, somehow the metaphor has gotten dangerous! Oh, yes, Gordon, I must second your choice of the K2 to fuel the stacked Ultras. The pro-sound system that I have installed for indoor and outdoor dances/concerts have pushed me further into the pro-amp ranks. I appreciated your detailed photos on how you brought up the bass for Sweet Nancy and you. I am currently researching sound options for a 2,000 seat amphitheater that I will build on a remote corner of the property adjacent to the road. Any thoughts on how that system should go together will be most appreciated. That part of the property has a good sized scenic reservoir on one side and thousands of wilderness acres held by an open spaces conservancy. Actually, my property and the adjacent one that I am in the process of acquiring (hopefully) are the only two adjacent sites not owned by the conservancy or the major water utility for the Silicon Valley area. Thus, my mountain retreat is about as private as it gets in this part of California. I will be spending a good deal of time and resources on this project this Spring and will probably post some photos... especially of the Klipsch equipment that has been innovatively installed. There are so many that have posted here to whom I should personally respond, and I shall try to as time permits. But, for now, I want to personally express my appreciation to Chris Robinson who started this thread... and made me feel guilty enough to rise from the "dread." To be candid, I have just concluded five and half days of being in Ventricular Tachycardia more than anything else. It is not fun. It is dangerous. And, usually, I don't communicate with anyone when I am in that debilitated space. I can report that my battle with neuropathy brought on by Type II Diabetes has improved somewhat... and my esoteric research on that subject also continues. In the past year, I have improved well enough to be able to walk up and down these hills for an hour or so at a time. I also have a two-cycle gas golf car that is being modified as a mini all terrain vehicle. It comes in handy when riding the fire-break trails that are being expanded again this year. Be well... and enjoy your Klipsch experience! -HornEd PS: Cluless, you are in my mind more than you know... and, yes, I sure like that Avatar! Now, if you could only use some of that vast skill set you possess to have the Avatar flash from the docile kitty avatar to the saber tooth tiger avatar... doing a "clu"/"less" thing... what a thrill it would be. I have covered the majority of the resort with a modified T1 line tied into an extensive Wi-Fi system. So, guests can be online while catching rays by one of the pools or watching a spirited volleyball match on our new Olympic quality sand volleyball court... that has a double-door deterrent from becoming a cat box with over 200 tons of smooth-grained sand. And, oh yeah, clu... if you can make it here, there are cases of your favorite beverage courtesy of your longtime but not-so-secret admirer.

Believe it or not, my Klipsch friends, I have survived... prospered... and now at the age of 65 have found the love of my life in a 38 year-old enchanting Swiss beauty. We will be married on May 2nd, 2004 at a 110 acre resort I have purchased in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California October 1st, 2003. As Chris mentioned, I have had and continue to have serious health issues... but somehow being in love has made me younger than a horn tweeter on a piccolo solo! Actually, when I last posted in May 2003, I had come to a startling conclusion. Twelve years ago I was told by a panel of expert cardiologists that I would be dead in two years at the outside. And it was ten years to the day last May when my two years was supposed to be up! So, after preparing to be a dead person for the past decade, I decided to live a little... and now I am with a person that is 27 years younger than I and she wants to have a family! While my health issues remain serious, some accelerated research into the problem has allowed me to make some important conclusions and work toward reversing some of the pain and problems that held me back. Having a good woman, however, seems to be a living incentive that even eclipsed my prized khorns! Sorry PWK, but I think you would understand what Swiss precision has done to my life! My experimental Klipsch 6.1 theater entertains as many as 50 people a session and gets special exercise by bands that play their CD's in the theater after performing in the restaurant or on the outdoor stage. One of my diversions has been to build some pro outdoor and indoor PA systems. I am in the process of building a 2,000 seat amphitheater that will cater to name acts. Additionally, I am negotiating to pick up a blind canyon adjacent to my property that will double the size of the resort. It has a running stream and seven waterfalls... and a wide assortment of forest... and a "two-hole golf course!" The 77 year-old fellow that owns the property cut a fairway through the trees and covered it with grass... then he put greens at both ends. It is kind of bizarre driving my 4x4 up a windy mountain road and then come upon a lush green fairway in the middle of a deer laden forest. Lately we have also been visited by coyotes... and last week a mountain lion. Well, friends, as you may guess, I haven't had a lot of time to browse the Forum. I still spend about 40% of my time in "v-tac"... which means I try to either be flat on my back or hard charging! I have lost weight, had my hair and beard trimmed, and was in the midst of plans for another swimming pool and another 26-person hot tub. The new pool will be covered in the winter for more enjoyment. Adjacent to the new pool, I am clearing out an area that will become a health spa with estheticians, massage therapists, etc. The restaurant has a spectacular view of the mountains across the San Andreas Fault... which is about 1,400 yards west of my property. The main clubhouse was taken down by the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989... along with serious damage to a dozen or so cabins. But many of the damaged buildings (including the old clubhouse) were built when the resort started in 1936 or before when it was a winery. The house near San Francisco was sold after it was clear that I much preferred rebuilding my health in the mountains. Oh, and I am just about twenty miles from the Pacific Ocean beaches in Santa Cruz... so I have been able to get some ocean swimming in as well. The resort is nestled in a unique microclimate just east of the summit (to avoid the coastal fog) and with a row of mountains between the resort and Silicon Valley (to keep out the industrial smog). So, while working on the pool plans in the wee hours, I checked out my favorites to find an engineering web site... when my eyes saw "KLIPSCH" at the top of the favorites list... and I just had to share a few (hindered?) words in Klipsch camaraderie. It has been too long!!! -HornEd

Ah, yes, and don't forget the late Mr. Paul preferred false corners in his own home listening environment right up 'til the day he traded his folded horn for Gabriel's trumpet. =HornED PS: The results of the extensive testing and reworking of my Legend theater will soon be translated into an innovative K-horn design. I haven't given up, Q-man, I've just been sidetracked a time or three. Just out of curiosity, what projector and sound-friendly screen would you select if $$$$ were not a question? Thanks. H.E.

STL, thanks for being another concerned Klipsch audio-fan willing to learn how to get more utility from existing Klipsch power. And, first off, let me congratulate you on the professional look your speaker enclosure has taken on. As you know, I have made home theaters with the implementation of monopole rear arrays that provide a better than WDST solution... at least IMHO. Actually, this past weekend I had a visit from a well-known "Home Theater Specialist" who goes by the handle of "Mr Bob" on numerous Internet venues. "Mr Bob" was not only blown away at the sound of the "Klipsch Home Theater Yurt"... but also with how well the 65" Mitsu big screen had been "fine tuned" from an ISF Calibration viewpoint. Of course, re-building monopole surrounds takes in a lot of audio engineering territory that not every enthusiast has in the virtual hip pocket of his work-a-day cerebellum. Generally, it is better to use your horns horizontally... the way they were intended to cover a room. Horns are highly directional and can be aimed far better than any other type of loudspeaker. If you have a horn tweeter and an exponential horn... they should be stacked in the center. If you have two woofers, they should be mounted as close to the left and right edges, respectively, for maximum "cone" coverage. Tuned ports work best if there emissions are reflected off a wall for a horn-loaded effect... rather than being simply sprayed into the room. These are issues that are critical to maximize the "ambient" aspects of a monopoles potential. Of course, putting a speaker in a cabinet or tight shelf configuration compounds the acoustic challenge. On the issue of mounting height... the ideal height (in my experience) is based on the center of the horn tweeter being aimed at a point six inches above where the listener's head is when seated in the sweet spot. More later... =HornED PS: Part of your "vertical horn" concern is answered in part by the "vertical horn Cornwalls" designed by Mr. Paul himself... except he designed them to be horizontal not vertical. The idea was that the Cornwall would be laid on its side to better accomodate a video screen.

Ah, to that point, Webmaster... I remember long licks of flames that once emanated from TheEAR(s) at the drop of a "bassawkward" comment by a newbie trying to be a sage... like putting Klipsch KSW-10 a notch ahead of the latest Carver creation. I remember the flack that nearly pounded the elf's hat flat. I respect the person who still tells it like it is... seeing plenty of red... but still leaving a little white space around the maple leaf in the center of his flag. A little (chat) room for everyone to grow where no Webmaster has to hose every methane-passing honey-bucket that strikes a match before it bursts into defame. And now we have the "tallest" elf on the Internet... a helpful hand to newbie and old-bass-wannabes around the globe. Yes... and even old Forres-tHump was almost rehabilitated before unrighteous indignation rendered him indigestible even when he was on the right side of what's left. Yes, I can think of dozens of worthwhile posters who started out with all wind and "no sale" in this sea of opinions. Somehow believing what someone has to say about audio is more meaningful when you understand more about the person saying it. My hat's off to the Two Channel folks... for they seem to get more up close and personal while staying almost totally tubular. While there's Hope, perhaps the Indy influence can take a tip from Phoenix and let the General rise again from the flames... bigger and more PWK-like than ever... =HornEd

Last year we who treasure nearly all that's Klipsch united to mourn the passing of Paul W. Klipsch... the man with an open mind and a yellow "bs" button to pin on opinions he found unworthy. And while the company he kept still has "Preguntas Generales" and "General Questions" in every other category... the old, mainstream "General" Questions seems to have been done in by a hot foot applied by the "thought terrorists" that have done in so many worthwhile attempts at flameless Internet dialogue. The old General was an icon of freedom of expression where patent ignorance could grow into international tolerance. It was a place where someone who was a little "over the top" could get his bottom trimmed and his attitude adjusted... without benefit of gutter humor or mindless flames. It was a place to grow on because the Klipsch web tenders hoped that the sage among us could flavor the "general opinion stew" to offset the occasional bitter root... and spare the Webmaster to thankless chore of yanking noxious weeds growing between sincere posts. Exploring the "General" led to understanding more about the kind of folks that buy Klipsch and take the time to share their views in the finest PWK tradition. Every once in awhile, there is a hue and cry to bring back one "Klipsch Heritage" or another... but we, the market, might not be mature for a PWK-style "General" Renaissance. I pray that the spirit of Mr. Paul will prevail and not fall prey to the flatulent flamers too naive to objectively contribute to do their part in support of person-worthy free speech. Clearly, when one person's "free" speech is another person's right to be free of unjustifiable slurs... a cancer becomes imbedded in our primary artery of sound advice beyond the audio sphere. It was a faucet of the Klipsch Gem in a "cyberbin" of lesser stones, cool rock and hot pebbles. It was a place where mindful folks could prepare comfort food for thought... and get seasoned contributions from the world over. It was a place where people of widely different views could meet and find merit in each other's stance. It was a mini-theater of diversity that grew a more peaceful human condition in a little corner of the Klipsch World Market Bazaar. It was a place that could only survive with self-restraint and mutual respect as cornerstones of free expression. In other times, some of us were able to speak to moderation... and flaming rhetoric receded as new Forum Friendships grew from the opportunity of understanding. Who killed the General? Why maybe it was HornEd! Yeah, the HornEd that believes in Klipsch loudspeakers... and the spirit of the greatest Klipsch Loud Speaker of all time... Mr. Paul... who must be turning in his grave to see what we, collectively, have wrought. We "No Life's" (and above) who have invested so many words... only to have our "market" collapse in flames. In other years I felt the pride of a "fireman" squirting the fiery rhetoric from the un-Klipsch-ly among us... and, now, I feel the shame of being just another "drip" offering too little to late. No, my Forum friends and detractors, I cannot blame the "BobG" establishment for the task of being the "censoring ladle" in an open stewpot bubbling over with "salsa de vitriol" and chunks of rotten "rudie-beggers"... that would be a no-win for Klipsch proposition. World togetherness just lost another noble champion. If only the living could Rest in Peace... =HornED

Scooterdog... glad to see you come through with flying colors. Your center surely is the kind of "big guy" that desereves the spot when DVD's put 75%+ of the total sound through your center. On my Heritage system, I use a Belle Klipsch in the middle and a pair of Klipschorns in false corners, just like Mr. Paul favored to his dying day. Given the size of the Belle in relation to the K-Horns, PWK understood the need for a robust center even before the advent of center weighted DVD movies. That's why I used a KLF-30 cabinet weighing in at 105 lbs. and sporting specially re-engineered motorboards for center... with a bit different config for surrounds. My Legend Center atop the HDTV is 45" x 14" x 16" and that makes it a tad larger than your good work. My hero, Q-Man, takes top honors for big Heritage centers with his all out Heritage effort. Check it out. In the meantime, enjoy what must be a most deserved and heady experience! =HornED

Hmmm, lynnm, after last night's screening of "Dangerous Beauty," I am convinced that "Squalor is in the Eye of the Beholder." I salute yet another "NOZ NUZZLE" in the Klipsch Warm Fuzzy Archives. =HornED PS: On second thought, a recent chuckears post suggests that "Squalor is in the Eye-of-the-Rounder" and present NOZ company is, therefore, exempt!

Not only have I put the "putter" to the kitchen... I've put the "driver" to a gourmet restaurant in one of my past ventures. When living in Paris, France, I studied the culinary arts and was the founder and executive chef of "Brambles" in its heydey. Sadly, the people to which I entrusted it only upped the prices and lowered the quality until market forces said "No Mas!"... something old customers and this old owner lament. That method of cooking a Choice Eye-of-the-Round was derived from the classic restaurant method of roasting Prime Rib. Since the "Eye" is a smaller cut of meat and leaner by far than Prime Rib, and comes out perfectly rare in one hour it was a favorite by both my chef staff and our patrons. Including it in my anniversary toast to mr. & mrs. chuckears" was my way of saying have a healthier way to enjoy even the beefs of an obviusly fine marriage. So, without further adieu, it's time to throw you both a few "bons"... Bon Appétit, Bon Anniversaire!! Bon Klipsch!!! =HornED PS: I'll leave it to you, chuckears, to supply the bonbons!

Let me hasten to add my "CONGRATS" to the long list of "lynnm appreciation society." Horns not only create sounds that cones can't... they offer directional control that even the latest and greatest WDST implementation can't muster. You gotta realize, lynnm, it's the tooth fairy that exchanges a quarter for an eye tooth... and the Maple Leaf Elf that lends anEAR(s) to our SUB set... but even the spirit of PWK can't seem to get vintage Klipschorns into newly appreciative hands. It's a good thing you have had all that commute practice to get yourself ready for your K-Horn Rescue Run. At least "Murphy" left more loudspeaker for you than the Klez left on the hardrive for me! Enjoy, my friend, close your eyes and enjoy! It would be a great boon to all "Klipsch Forumdom" if you would take before and after photos and describe the cosmetic processes within your grasp. There's more than a few Klipsch Folk that would like to know. =HornED

Congrats upon thee, chuckears, for you have the wisdom to not only timbre-match your center... but youe "lady chuckears" as well. If your posts are any indication, she is a lady of taste and discretion. A toast to you both, may you live long and Klipsch well together. =HornEd PS: Next time she asks, "Where's the beef?" Pick up a choice Eye of the Round... prick it with a sharp fork... put it in a Ziploc bag with a bottle of your favorite marinade overnight... drain it well, pat dry and put it in a pre-heated oven at 500°... after fifteen minutes, turn off the heat but DON'T OPEN the oven door until another forty-five minutes. The results is a pefectly rare, tender and delicious hunk... Gee, that almost sounds like what that bride of 19 years calls chuckears!

Cheers to you chuckears & hwatkins for understanding the value of an "adequate" timbre-matched center for HT... and, further, to seek the joy of timbre-matched monopoles all around. And you are exactly right, properly set up with an SPL meter, the individual speakers no longer standout on their own... but become a 360° seamless curtain of sound... with all the DVD movie ambience and directionality the sound engineer intended. Lately, old hands and webmasters on other audio forums have invited me to discuss how consumers of other quality audio brands can turn their HT into 5.1 (or above) truly timbre-matched monopole systems. It is interesting that all of the vitriolic nay-Sayers have not heard a properly set-up system of timbre-matched horns. In the hundreds of folks that have been through the HornEd Klipsch Legend Theater in a Yurt in the past two months... not one has issued the standard "horn's hurt" complaint. The neat thing is that a significant portion of those who have sampled the Eight Legend & Stacked Ultra in person have trotted off to buy Klipsch! Moreover, we seem to be gaining Klipsch converts from other brand's forums to which I have been invited to comment. For all my Forum friends (and enemies), don't be discouraged by the techno-babble of the great unwashed... there are sounds that horns realistically produce that coneheads and planar-know-it-alls fancy. You just can't get ear-sippin' sound from "monster audiophile mash"... wimpy less-then-your-best centers... or ear-wigged-out sound-spraying surrounds. Now I don't curse the folks who must settle for less because of a decorator WAF or acoustic chaff cluttering their listening area... but I don't appreciate their preaching out of the Book of Revelations (of ad copy) from the Bully Pulpit of Acoustic Ignorance. They treat us Timbre-Matched Monopolecats as if we were heretics. HERITICS!? Hmmm, I would think that the man (PWK) who built the brand that made Heresy a timbre-matched Heritage would find those who stand for flaccid brass from the dehorned mains and unnatural sax from timbre-fuzz surrounds as the real heretics. =HornEd PS: The Academy was not built to be a center for what has become known as the Heritage line of Klipsch loudspeakers... and, thus, was not discontinued as a Heritage Center. The late great Mr. Paul essentially created the Klipschorn... and all the other "Heritage" speakers were originally created and tuned to be "centers" for the mighty K-horns. Only the Belle Klipsch made it into his own first WAF living room in Hope. The function of the center in those days was described by "Bell Labs Three Channel Stereo" that PWK favored. The Academy is a fine speaker. I've used mine as a rear center for an otherwise all Heritage multi-channel audio system... anchored with a front array of Klipschorn's and Klipsch Belle... so I can ear-trip down nostalgia lane and enjoy classical "three channel stereo" in the finest Paul W. Klipsch tradition.

Good job and well thought out, STL! I was not able to tell the volume from the photo and do appreciate the update. Lately, it is difficult to be online long enough to review all the projects such as yours in sufficient detail. However, solving the center channel problem/opportunity that has not been resolved by manufacturers (at least not below the Heritage level) is an important step in the name of all serious consumers. Whatever your talents as a "perfectionist"... your sharing of details on this Forum certainly marks you as a Klipscher with the "right stuff!" And in that vein, Earle Decker, you also deserve a round of Forum applause for the work that you did with your custom center. There's nothing quite like the thrill of making what you cannot buy... particularly when the issue is not a lack of money... but rather a lack of product. There are so many constituents to creating a timbre match... and you certainly approached the issue in a workmanlike way. I would like to hear about what you and your guests hear with the new center. How does it sound when you feed it some "pink noise" and then take an individual roll call of your speakers? Sorry I wasn't able to follow your progress more closely... in fact, a giant tree fell a week ago and took out three major cables of leased lines that provide Internet access here in the mountains. But, while my Forum contact was bad... the continuing delight of putting an ear to my Klipsch hoard continues to bring delight to this old horn lover. =HornED

STL, that's a great piece of work in both places. The center intriques me, what are you using? It looks like two centers built into one with rear ports now facing forward. It also looks like you have less enclosure than I would surmise one might use with that many woofers. How does it compare in timbre to your left and right mains? I got to hand it to you, your subwoofer is built like a brick sh...imney! Generally a verticle mount of a horn just reduces its dispersion rate from side to side. Which sometimes helps a center. However, you can mount speakers quite close together with good results. I try to leave at least one inch between speaker flanges. I would not recommend trimming the flanges. More later. =HornED PS: Of all the many folks I have helped make a "HornED Center"... no one as yet has found it less than a great improvement. I trust, Earle, you will not be the first to build a horizontalized speaker without a smile to match.

While I may have a problem with people that lay around to take potshots at what has proven to be a good approach for those with the resources, inclination, acoustic potential and "WAF-ability"... in no way does it mean that I look down on people who find a roomful of acoustic fuzz to their liking. I mean, after all, the "high end" audiophile speakers seem to be engineered to deliver an unnatural sound that some high-toned folks have agreed to call "audiophile" quality... and then there's Bose that claims to be the top of the heap in quality (not so) instead of sales (sadly true). I have seen beyond the manufacturers veil... and the answer for Klipsch ears is monopole, timbre-matching, mostly horizontal speakers, at every discrete location! I have even made the concept work in a space only 8' wide! The point is that set up correctly with an SPL meter... wonderful things happen! Our friend "fini di Fabaione" even has the same kind of subwoofing mains that "Talkety-Talkety-Talkety-Talk-too-Keith" has... so his "HornED" approach to a center could be a real ear & eye opener! Hmmm, with his savvy of woodworking and sound skills, maybe he is not pulling our mill-turned legs... =HornED PS: BTW fini, on your Italian cup the middle name is probably the manufacturer, the last name is the Italian city most known for its taste. But, the "Fabaione" is a challenge that tickles my brain pan just enough to know there's more beyond the fog. Next time I go up to S.F., I'll have to peruse my library of Italian cookbooks. Sure would like to hear from some "Forumer" who can shed some light on the Fabaione facet of fini.

Wow, I can't miss this opportunity to say congrats to all you with the guts to move up to where the rest of Klipsch natural sound enthusiasts will be. Yes, in essence it is as easy as a new "baffle" board (but the pros at Klipsch call it a motorboard... since it holds speakers which are really air moving motors!). In most "HornEd" speaker conversions, the porting, wires, etc. remain the same. Some older versions of the KLF-30's require about a foot of additional cable. The really aggressive among us will solder new monster cable where smaller gauge wire ran originally. On most Klipsch speakers, there is a colored line to indicate which speaker wire goes where. It makes sense to mark down the wiring comfit. when you first open the speaker box. I use a "DeadHead" mallet from HomeDepot to pop the old motorboard out and a thin continuous bead of Liquid Nails to put the new motorboard in (Liquid Nails is what the factory has been using). Use 3/4" MDF for the new motorboard... and the old motorboard as a template for the new speaker positions. If there are two woofers, a midrange horn and a tweeter horn, stack the midrange on top of the tweeter in the dead center of the motorboard and flank them with the woofers left and right sides as closely as practical. If you have a non-symmetrical group, just group them so they are dynamically balanced around the center. The primary reason for the juxtaposition is to have a greater mechanical difference between the location of the floor standing woofers and those in the center conversion. I had the opportunity to convert three KLF-30's to "HornEd Surrounds", the next phase of making a closely timbre-matched rear array with all the benefits and none of the drawbacks of bipole, dipole or WDST acoustic "mush-room" makers. When making a surround sound unit, I place stack the tweeter/mid-range horns in the center... but put the dual woofers as far to the opposite sides as possible. This expands the sweet spot and allows folks to sit quite close to the surrounds and still have a wonderful time. FYI, the three conversions were made in a single afternoon. Be sure to pick up a better quality disposable mask because the fine dust from MDF is not a good thing to carry around in your lungs! It seems I just can't leave well enough alone... I also designed and built a faux subwoofer corner that can be aimed at putting more bass in the room and less to your neighbors. Of course, building an adequate bass system is second only to getter that front center speaker right! Good luck guys. =HornEd PS: Once you've matched your speakers all the way around, you will have a hard time believing that you have lived so long in an acoustic wilderness!

Gary, I use an Academy in the sixth position in an otherwise 6.1 Heritage multi-channel system. I have tried the Academy as a center with Cornwalls and it's the best match I have found in a small speaker. Actually, a pair of Cornwalls and the Academy have worked as the rear array for an array of a pair of Klipschorns and a Belle up front. While the Cornwalls and Academy work well up front for playing CD's... playing a DVD really calls for somehthing equal to your best speaker being in the middle... because that's were over 75% of the sound will be coming from in a movie. As always, the best timbre matches come for same size cabinet, same porting arrangement, same sort of speakers... and no di-bi-triPoleCats in the litter! =HornED PS: Congrats Chuckears... it couln't happen to a more patient Academy buyer.

Well, Bill, skonopa has "skonoped" me again! Here's the explanation straight from the Klipsch web site: The new RS-7 surrounds also feature Klipschs exclusive Wide Dispersion Surround Technology (WDST), which produces the diffuse effects needed for envelopment as well as the direct sounds necessary for good localization. Actually, m00n, my horizontalized surrounds (KLF-30's: 2-12" woofers plus a horn tweeter and horn mid-range) are less than three feet from the audience and perform marvelously. I have no problem with those who like their WDST speakers... I just have a problem with those people who say what I have working doesn't work. In the current yurt configuration, I can seat upwards of 50 people at a time... so having a system that allows people to sit close to the surrounds is imperative. In this case, I actually re-engineered the rear array to be able to have people sit closer. As far as I know, the whole concept of di-pole speakers started as a way to have better quality sound in marginal seating areas in commercial theaters. In my view (and that of a host of others), the price for expanding the sweet spot was paid in lower quality on issues of programmed directionality and timbre matching realism. Frankly, being inundated with sound to the point where normal acoustic differentiation no longer works doesn't seem to be a good plan to have on all the time. A correctly set up monopole system provides the overwhelming effect when it is programmed into the movie by the audio engineers as an admixture of discreet signals. Hopefully, one day we will be able to buy such technology off the peg and really get the most out of what the DVD format has to offer. The acoustic and psychoacoustic principles that I use can be found by reading about the theories of the late Paul W. Klipsch and the much renowned by his peers, Floyd E. Toole. To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Paul had nothing to do with (and no control over) WDST technology. And, again, WDST makes a lot of sense for a lot of installations... but just not mine. Bill H., for your benefit, WDST has two (relatively small) speakers aimed in opposite directions to fire all frequencies above about 2,500 Hz to the front and the back of the room... and one small speaker aimed toward the sweet spot that handles frequencies below about 2,500 Hz. The result is that their is directionality in the lower range... but the higher range bounces off so many objects and strikes the ear repeatedly from many directions (due to the reflectivity of the room and objects in it) and strike the ear so close together that your mind gets confused and results in the impression that you have been enveloped by a sound that has been reshaped by whatever cumulative effect of bouncing around your particular room happens to be. Modern DVD's (unlike the old ProLogic system) engineered by modern audio engineers have discrete channels to the surrounds so that the amount of sound from any one surround is quite predictable. By adjusting how much sound goes to which of five (or more) speakers, the sound engineer can approximate the acoustic environment of the movie in your own room. WDST speakers, IMHO, do not allow the same degree of quality that monopole speakers do in recreating the acoustic pattern inherent in the DVD. A good ear and an understanding of the phenomenon quickly demonstrates the clear superiority of a properly set up monopole system in a reasonable good acoustic listening area. But, this kind of attention to detail and the rewards that come from it are not common knowledge by most audio store salespeople... and manufactures can move more equipment if the surrounds flood listeners with arbitrary rather than precision acoustic recreations. Since I have put my second system in a place to survey a broader section of the population, a whole lot of relatively affluent folks have become disappointed with their own home theaters... most of which have wimpy centers and fuzzy surrounds. At least friend m00n has risen beyond the wimpy center level. We all admire your courage and the consideration that you have for mrs.m00n and the wee m00nbeams. =HornED PS: Sorry, Keith, but I prefer to do it naturally.

Bob, I was bought two of the first batch of SVS Ultra subwoofers ever made. And, although I use them in an unusual configuration (stacked speaker end to speaker end in a 7' tower surrounded by a false corner with top and bottom port deflectors), I can say unequivocally, the SVS Ultras deliver more QUALITY and QUANTITY for your money by a very large margin! Tom Vodhanel is the "V" you spoke of... and, busy as he is, he goes out of his way to see that email to him is answered properly and promptly. For example, when I came up with the idea of stacking subs, Tom gave me the inside scoop on how to make the tower more successful. SVS knows their stuff! Tom is so dead honest that he will even refer you to a different subwoofer manufacturer if he thinks that will suit you best. They are nice folks... and you have a guarantee that they stand behind. They will ship you the goods and if you don't like it then send them back... and all you are out is the shipping. There big (Ultras = 39" tall by 16" diameter) and get rave reviews in every consumer board I have visited. You don't find a lot of complaints about SVS quality or service. I had some minor dammage on a pro-style amp they sent me... and they sent me an immediate replacement and it didn't cost a dime. =HornED

Right on!!! Q-man's my hero and gets my vote for President of the Klipsch Mono-polecats... 'cause we are a different "stripe" than our "WDST Wonders"... we are all brothers and sisters under the Klipsch. Sure now an then there's a Klipschtomaniac loose on the Forum... and probably we all have treaded upon the edge of decorum a time or three... but lying in wait to pounce on someone just because you haven't been down that road is, at best, a Boze-Oh attitude. Honest disagreements do not call for acerbic rhetoric any more than poor spelling skills indicate that the light is dim upstairs. Yeah, and probably salting an absurd bird's tale ought not to be done with out a webmaster's license... I guess I have to learn to turn the other cheek... but just now I am sitting on it. m00n, thanks for that exhaustive soap box appearance in search of "whirled peas" by turning your cyber hose on the "hot dogs" and giving us a chance to be Forum franks who respect each others right to disagree. It looks like beyond the old gumbies, Pepsi tide marks.... that your HT will be well seated... you're a credit to the Forum and so are all those with positive enthusiasm to cheer you on your HT way. =HornED

Bryan, I understand the Front Center Heresy is experimental... and I commend you on how you stacked the tweeter and mid-range and kept the woofers closer in for an enhanced center effect. You have shown the Forum one more time how an adequate custom center can bring a great deal more satisfaction to the ears of all who experience your rig. However, my understanding and complements on your rig as it stands would be less than honest if I did not encourage you to turn it up a notch with the closest equivalent to a Belle that your center innovativeness can create. I also understand about getting the last kid through college... mine went Ivy League... but he spent an extended time in Hawaii studying marine biology as part of a Gifted and Talented program out for High Schoolers out of Texas. Hawaii has been part of his psyche... just like Mahi Mahi has been part of his diet ever since. Mr. Paul (the Legendary Paul Wilber Klipsch) was very big on three channel stereo as invented at Bell Labs many decades ago. After putting Klipschorns in the corner, he struggled with creating the ideal center since the corner loaded horns were impractical... and failed to meet the WAF (Wife Approval Factor) test as a center speaker. The first attempt at creating a "horn-loaded center without needing a corner" was the LaScala (named after the Milan opera house). Mr. Paul's first wife Belle thought it butt ugly. Back to the drawing board until he manipulated the LaScala design into a center cabinet that would please his wife. At long last, his wife Belle smiled... and so he named the speaker after her. (Hmmm, maybe he named the speaker after her and she broke out in a grin. I'll have to ask Tony Reed for a refresher... or take another look at the autographed biography he sent me!) The quest for a smaller, easier to build center went on over the years resulting in the Cornwall, Chorus, Forte, Heresy... in fact the whole Heritage line beyond the mighty Klipschorn of '48 followed that same timbre notion. So, there is not doubt that the inventive Mr. Paul is looking down upon your experiment and smiling... But if his voice were to suddenly waft down from on high he would say, Bryan of California, don't stop until you have heard an equivalent center speaker to your left and right mains... the effect is heavenly indeed! In fact, the front array of my Heritage system is the Klipschorn-Belle-Klipschorn that Mr. Paul preferred... it was the pride and joy of his living room until the day he died. I realize the advantage of having a reverse projection, high-definition TVG in the center... particularly if it's 65" and fed by a full-fledged progressive scan DVD player, but anything less than your best speaker in the center for a 5.1 (or above) DVD is a giant step down in cinematic ecstasy. Again, try the phantom center test. Sit in the middle of your "sweet spot" and hear your Belles providing the center channel effect and know that a Belle equivalent in the center will sound even better! Someday manufacturers will figure out a way to give us "the rest of the story" by providing a center equal to the mains... and not force us to re-engineer and construct the audio solution. BTW, some innovative Klipschers have split a LaScala putting the bass bin on the floor and the tweeter and mid-range in a separate cabinet above the TV... like you have done with your modified center. Wouldn't it be neat if there were a bass bin built-in in the wasted space at the bottom of a reverse projection TV? Hmmm, what every happened to Fantasy Island... I think I've missed the plane... the plain! =HornED PS: I am not in Santa Cruz, the town, but twenty miles away on the eastern slope just below the summit on property that is pristine forest at the mouth of a natural beauty box canyon, except for an area that used to be a winery before prohibition.

Happy B-day from one old bull (Taurus) to a younger one... just how often do NOS valves need to be re-ground? My old '38 model could use some fine tuning. =HornED