T.H.E. Droid

This forum can be a good place to find used equipment. I bought my Scott LK48 a few years back from a forum member. It had been rebuilt by NOSValves and the price was very reasonable. I also had the opportunity to buy from a local dealer. What was important to me was the ability to be able to audition the amp with my equipment. Both the dealer and the Klipsch forum member were very willing to let me return the amp if I wasn't happy. I was, and I kept it. One thing I did notice about Craigs work-- It was top notch. The amp sounds good, and has clear instructions on how to adjust the bias levels for best perofrmance. No issues with worn controls, just a few minor cosmetic issues inevitable with vintage equipment, but it's like antique furniture, some blemishes just add to the charm. (along with that great hot tube smell.)

I remember a conversation I havd a few years ago with my nephew, who was a die hard mp3/ipod fanatic. His whole collection was on an Ipod and he listened on headphones and hooked up to his little stereo. I remember relating to him how bad mp3's sound to me and of course, being a young pup talking to an old f a r t, he disagreed. I challenged him to actually buy a CD of his favorite album and we racked it up on my Cornwalls. I can honestly say that I wanted to listen to it with my hands over my ears (it wasn't my brand of music for sure) but he was mesmerized. I helped him pick out a basic system with some decent small Klipsch speakers and he is very, very happy. He still loves the mp3's for their convenience, but was able to really experience the music on a better system. As they say, GIGO.

I don't think 5.1 has rear surrounds. You need 7.1 for that: LF, CF, RF, LS, RS, LRear, R rear, sub. That's 7+1. If you have a 5.1 with rear outputs, they will follow the side outputs.

Here are some: http://www.apogeekits.com/remote_volume_control_mk164.htm http://www.smarthome.com/81282/Xantech-Remote-Volume-Control-RGC11/p.aspx This one rings in at $1000 but is very high quality: http://www.placetteaudio.com/remote_control.htm

Most people don't know that analog amplifiers are DC devices. They can't directly amplifier AC signals. Those signals have to be combined with DC in the amplifier, and then separated from the amplifier DC after amplification and applied to your speakers. We actually used some Crown DC series amplifiers in an analog computer system in the lab because we could so precisely control the gain and they could actually be set up to amplify DC. The electronic devices in the amplifiers that create gain have a dirty little secret-- Their gain curves are not linear. That means that input voltages near the smallest level and the largest level that the amplifier can use are not amplified the same amount, so the output is distorted. So you need to have the right level of DC operating your amplifier and a signal that is not too large. That DC voltage is called bias voltage and a capacitor is used to separate the DC bias voltage from the AC output. Although capacitors are great at blocking DC and passing AC, they can sometimes leak a little bit of the DC current. This can cause the DC bias voltage to drop and can mean part of the signal is now being amplified outside the linear amplification area of the amplifier, which creates distortion, often distortion that you can hear. Leaky capacitors also tend to get hotter and depending on the design, can get so hot that they will actually drip (usually wax) or even blow up. Capacitors also have another cool property. Depending on the frequency of the AC current passing through them, they can offer resistance, so they can be used in crossover circuits to block AC of certain frequencies, or short out certain frequencies and keep them from getting to the speaker element. Electrically, an inductor (often called coils or chokes) is the opposite of a capacitor. Coils allow DC to go through and block (or choke) AC. As with capacitors, this ability to choke AC is dependent on the frequency of the AC. You can see how useful these features can be to build crossovers which route the appropriate frequency range of the signal to the correct speaker driver. Hope that makes a little bit of sense.

Thanks Mike. I've been a Klipsch users for close to 40 years now and have always wanted a pair of Khorns but never got around to getting them. I got a great deal on a pair of speakerlab K's last summer and thought they sounded good, but they were so ugly I passed them on to my uncle and held out for Khorns. I was happy to get a set of black lacquer fir finish that I have no qualms about redoing, just haven't decided how to finish them. I know I'm on the right track when my wife describes them as the black monoliths from 2001 and I've turned into a raging ape over them. One thing folks will learn about me is that I'm a rather pedestrian listener who is obsessed with getting bang for the buck. I've probably got no more invested than some people spend on one amplifier or turntable, but they sound great to me and I guess that's what counts.

These things get flagged off craigslist pretty quick because they are too commercial, but I copied the posting just in case: A partial list of the products to be sold at the estate sale is listed below. The products listed below will be available in the estate sale. There is a wide assortment of items that include appliances, furniture, home electronics and exercise equipment. ALL items are marked at tremendous savings. The sale will be held from 10am to 5pm on August 26, 27 and 28th at 771 Shepardbush Street, Birmingham, MI 48009. ANTHEM D2 PREAMP PROCESSOR AND ANTHEM ARC-1: ESOTERIC SURROUND PREAMP / PROCESSOR WITH ANTHEM ROOM CORRECTION SYSTEM, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $7,900.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $3,159.00 ANTHEM MCA20: ANTHEM POWER AMPLIFIER, 2 CHANNELS X 225 WATTS, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $559.00 ANTHEM P5 AMPLIFIER: ANTHEM 5 X 325 WATTS PER CHANNEL AMPLIFIER, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $7,200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $2,879.00 ANTHEM PVA2: ANTHEM POWER AMPLIFIER, 2 CHANNELS X 125 WATTS, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $900.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $359.00 ANTHEM PVA7: ANTHEM POWER AMPLIFIER, 7 CHANNELS X 125 WATTS, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $799.00 ANTHEM TLP1 BLK: ANTHEM STEREO PREAMP / TUNER, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $900.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $359.00 ARCAM AVP700: ARCAM 7.1 CHANNEL PRE-AMP PROCESSOR, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,299.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $689.00 ARCAM P1000: ARCAM POWER AMPLIFIER, 7 CHANNEL X 125 WATTS, HIGH CURRENT / HIGH EFFICIENCY DESIGN, BALANCED AND UNBALANCED INPUTS, MASSIVE TORIDIAL TRNSFORMER, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,699.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $809.00 ARCAM SOLO: A SUPERB MUSIC SYSTEM WITH A BUILT-IN CD PLAYER AND FM RADIO TUNER, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $659.00 BDI 8429 EQUIPMENT CABINET WITH NATURAL STAINED CHERRY FINISH: BDI 8429 TRIPLE WIDE ENCLOSED EQUIPMENT CABINET IN NATURAL STAINED CHERRY, GRAY TINTED GLASS DOORS TO CONCEAL EQUIPMENT AND 2-DRAWERS FOR ACCESSORY STORAGE, TINTED GLASS TOP INSERT, VENTILATED SHELVES AND HIDDEN WHEELS, 74" (W) X 23" (H) X 22" (D), GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,800.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $719.00 BDI CASSINI 8627 EQUIPMENT CABINET WITH NATURAL WALNUT FINISH : BDI CASSINI 8627 EQUIPMENT CABINET IN NATURAL WALNUT, ADJUSTABLE VENTILATED SHELVES ARE CONCEALED BEHIND RECESSED GRAY TINTED GLASS DOORS, CLEAN UNCLUTTERED APPEARANCE, 66" (W) X 18" (H) X 23" (D), GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,700.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $679.00 BDI NOVIA 8521 EQUIPMENT CABINET WITH COCOA STAINED CHERRY FINISH : BDI NOVIA 8521 CORNER EQUIPMENT CABINET IN COCOA STAINED CHERRY, FLIP-DOWN DOOR GIVES ACCESS TO A MULTI-FUNCTION COMPARTMENT, VENTILATED SHELVES AND BACK PANEL, VERSATILE SIDE COMPARTMENTS ARE GREAT FOR EQUIPMENT, A GAMING CONSOLE AND/OR MEDIA STORAGE, TI, RETAIL PRICE: $1,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $599.00 BDI REVO 9981 EQUIPMENT CABINET WITH NATURAL STAINED CHERRY FINISH: BDI 9981 REVO EQUIPMENT CABINET IN NATURAL STAINED CHERRY, ADJUSTABLE VENTILATED SHELVES ARE CONCEALED BEHIND CURVED GRAY TINTED GLASS DOORS, OPEN COMPARTMENT IN THE CENTER IS IDEAL FOR CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER, THE ENTIRE CABINET SWIVELS ON IT'S BASE, 54" (W) X 26" (H) X 24" (D), GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,700.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $679.00 DALITE 82302V 96" DIAGONAL SCREEN: DALITE 96" DIAGONAL FIXED SCREEN, 178:1 DA-SNAP HC CINEMA VISION SCREEN, RETAIL PRICE: $1,200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $480.00 DALITE 90255: DALITE 92" DIAGONAL FIXED SCREEN, 178:1 DA-SNAP HC CINEMA VISION SCREEN, RETAIL PRICE: $1,050.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $419.00 DELUXE FUJITSU STATIC WALL MOUNT (PDS5002): FUJITSU TV STATIC WALL MOUNT, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $750.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $149.00 DELUXE PIONEER STATIC WALL MOUNT (PRO111FD): PIONEER 50" TV STATIC WALL MOUNT, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 DELUXE PIONEER STATIC WALL MOUNT (PRO920HD): PIONEER 43" TV STATIC WALL MOUNT, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 DELUXE PIONEER STATIC WALL MOUNT (PRO950HD): PIONEER 42" TV STATIC WALL MOUNT, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 DENON DCM290: 5-DISC CD PLAYER, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 DENON TU1500: DENON AM/FM STEREO TUNER, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $375.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $125.00 DISPLAY DEVICES MOTORIZED PROJECTOR LIFT (FOR MDLP1M): DISPLAY DEVICES MOTORIZED PROJECTOR LIFT MOUNT FOR MCINTOSH (MDLP1M) PROJECTOR, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $4,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,499.00 EXCERCISE BENCH: PARABODY STEEL FREE WEIGHT BENCH, PERFECT CONDITION, STEEL FREE WEIGHT RACK PRICED AND SOLD SEPERATELY, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $150.00 KEF CI160.2QR: (47EA) KEF UNI-Q CEILING SPEAKERS, PRICED PER UNIT, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $350.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 KEF IQ8DS SURROUND CHANNEL SPEAKERS WITH DARK APPLE FINISH: (1PR) KEF IQ8DS SURROUND CHANNEL SPEAKERS, PRICED PER PAIR, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $600.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $239.00 KEF XQ ONE, L-C-R UNI-Q SPEAKERS: (3EA) SPEAKERS PRICED AS A SET, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $899.00 KEF XQ20, KHAYA "FIRE" MAHOGANY FINISH: KEF XQ20, KHAYA "FIRE" MAHOGANY FINISH, RETAIL PRICE: $2,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $900.00 KOHLER POWER SYSTEM: (1EA) GENERATOR AND (1EA) AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH: (1EA) KOHLER 22RY 20 KW GENERATOR, SINGLE PHASE, 6-CYCLE NATURAL GAS DRIVEN GENERATOR, AND (1EA) KOHLER G120 100 AMP AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH INCLUDING CRITICAL SILENCER, FLEX EXHAUST PIPE, STAINLESS STEEL MOUNTED WEATHER PROTECTED ENCLOSURE AND ALL ACCE, RETAIL PRICE: $8,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,499.00 LOEWE AVENTOS 30G HD READY TV: (3EA) LOEWE 30" TELEVISION, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, PRICED PER UNIT, RETAIL PRICE: $3,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $299.00 MARANTZ AV8003, MM8003, BD8002: MARANTZ AV PRE-AMP PROCESSOR, 8 X 140 WATT PER CHANNEL AMPLIFIER, BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $7,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $3,499.00 MARANTZ SR4023: MARANTZ STEREO RECEIVER, 2 CHANNELS X 80 WATTS, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $199.00 MARANTZ VP15S1 PROJECTOR: MARANTZ ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION 1080P DLP PROJECTOR WITH GENNUM VXP VIDEO PROCESSING, OPTICS BY KONICA-MINOLTA, 16:9 ASPECT RATIO, 1080/24P SUPPORT, 2-HDMI INPUTS, RETAIL PRICE: $9,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $4,499.00 MCINTOSH MDLP1M PROJECTOR: SINGLE CHIP 1080P DLP PROJECTOR, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $26,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $6,500.00 MCINTOSH XLS340 TOWER SPEAKERS: (1PR) MCINTOSH XLS340 TOWER SPEAKERS, EXTRUDED ALUMINUM ENCLOSURE, 2-WOOFERS, 2-MIDRANGE, 5-DOME TWEETERS IN BESSEL ARRAY, INCLUDES CK340 IN-WALL MOUNTING KIT (PAINTABLE FRAME AND METAL MESH GRILLS $1500 VALUE), PRICED BY THE PAIR, RETAIL PRICE: $9,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $3,700.00 MIDDLE ATLANTIC 44 SPACE EQUIPMENT CABINET: MID-ATLANTIC EQUIPMENT RACK WITH 88 EQUIPMENT SHELVES, LOCKING GLASS DOOR AND 4" COOLING FANS, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,561.26, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $999.00 MONSTER HDP1800 SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR: MONSTER HDP1800 HIGH DEFINITION POWER CENTER, 5526 JOULE RATING, AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT / RECONNECT SURGE PROTECTION CIRCUITRY, STAGE 2 CIRCUITRY REDUCES ELECTRONIC NOISE, 8-SURGE PROTECTED COLOR CODED OUTLETS, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $350.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $139.00 MONSTER HDP2400 SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR: MONSTER HDP1800 HIGH DEFINITION POWER CENTER, 6420 JOULE RATING, AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT / RECONNECT SURGE PROTECTION CIRCUITRY, STAGE 2 CIRCUITRY REDUCES ELECTRONIC NOISE, 8-SURGE PROTECTED COLOR CODED OUTLETS, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $159.00 MONSTER HTS 2600MKII SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR: The Monster HTS 2600 MKII PowerCenter delivers solid protection for your home theater system. It guards against voltage spikes and power surges, while quieting line noise that can compromise your system's performance. The HTS 2600 MKII offers three isolated banks of noise-filtered outlets, virtually eliminating interference that causes image streaking, video snow, and audio hum., RETAIL PRICE: $350.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $139.00 MONSTER HTUPS 2700 UPS / SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR: MONSTER HTUPS2700 HIGH DEFINITION POWER CENTER, 680 VA UPS BATTERY BACK-UP MAINTAINS POWER DURING BLACKOUTS FOR UP TO ONE HOUR, 7686 JOULE RATING, AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT / RECONNECT SURGE PROTECTION CIRCUITRY, STAGE 2 CIRCUITRY REDUCES ELECTRONIC NOISE, 6-SURGE PROTECTED OUTLETS, , RETAIL PRICE: $700.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $279.00 PANASONIC KXT7735: (4EA) PANASONIC DESK TOP TELEPHONE WITH LARGE LCD DISPLAY, INTERCON, SPEAKERPHON, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, PRICED PER UNIT, RETAIL PRICE: $340.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $125.00 PANASONIC VOICE MAIL MODULE FOR KXT824 : PANASONIC VOICE MAIL MODULE FOR THE ADVANCED HYBRID TELEPHONE SYSTEM, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $99.00 PARADIGM MONITOR 11: (2PR) PARADIGM MONITOR 11 FLOORSTANDING TOWER SPEAKERS, 2-CARBON INFUSED POLYPROPYLENE WOOFERS, 1-M-ICP CONE MIDRANGE AND DOME TWEETER, FINISH: BLACK ASH, 41.5" (W) X 7 7/8" (H) X 13.5" (D), PRICED PER PAIR, RETAIL PRICE: $1,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $749.00 PARADIGM PDR 10 SUBWOOFER: PARADIGM PDR 10 SUBWOOFER WITH 10" RE-INFORCED POLYMER-COMPOSITE CONE, BUILT-IN 120 WATT AMPLIFIER. NEW, PERFECT CONDITION, FINISH: BLACK, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $199.00 PARADIGM PDR 10 SUBWOOFER, DEMO: PARADIGM PDR 10 SUBWOOFER WITH 10" RE-INFORCED POLYMER-COMPOSITE CONE, BUILT-IN 120 WATT AMPLIFIER. DEMO MODEL, GOOD CONDITION, FINISH: BLACK, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $159.00 PARADIGM SIGNATURE SERIES S6 CHERRY PARADIGM SIGNATURE SERIES C3 CHERRY PARADIGM SIGNATURE SERIES ADP3 CHERRY PARADIGM SIGNATURE SERIES SUB 25 GLOSS BLACK PARADIGM PBK-1: ? (1PR) ESOTERIC FRONT CHANNEL SPEAKERS, PERFECT CONDITION,DISPLAY UNITS, ? (1EA) ESOTERIC CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER, PERFECT CONDITION, DISPLAY UNIT, ? (1PR) ESOTERIC REAR CHANNEL SPEAKERS, PERFECT CONDITION, DISPLAY UNITS, ALL SPEAKERS SOLD TOGETHER, MATCHED SURROUND SPEAKER SYSTEM, RETAIL PRICE: $14,100.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $5,999.00 PIONEER ELITE BD95FD: BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $299.00 PIONEER ELITE PRO920HD TV: 43" PLASMA HD TV, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $10,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $999.00 PIONEER IDK80 IPOD DOCK: PIONEER IDK80 IPOD DOCK FOR PIONEER RECEIVERS, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $100.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $29.00 PIONEER PRO730HD TV: 64" REAR PROJECTION HD TV, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $7,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $699.00 POOL TABLE: BRUNSWICK GOLD CROWN IV 9FT POOL TABLE, CUSTOM FINISH IN HIGH GLOSS BLACK LAQUEUR (PAINTED BY SMILEY PIANO COMPANY) WITH CAMEL COLORED WOOL CLOTH AND CHROME TRIM, PERFECT CONDITION (LIGHTING NOT INCLUDED), RETAIL PRICE: $13,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $5,000.00 POOL TABLE LIGHTS: (2EA) ARTEMIDE "TALO 120" SUSPENSION LIGHTS, DESIGNED BY NEIL POULTON, SUSPENDED EXTRUDED ALUMINUM IN A SILVER GRAY EPOXY POWDER FINISH, SUSPENSION MOUNTED LUMINARIES FOR DIRECT / INDIRECT ENERGY, HIGH EFFICIENCY FLORESCENT LIGHTING (PERFECT FOR POOL TABL, RETAIL PRICE: $1,700.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $850.00 PROJECT PHONO BOX II WITH USB, BLACK: HIFI PHONO PREAMP WITH USB OUTPUT, DELIVERS HIGH PERFORMANCE WITH MOVING MAGNET AND MOVING COIL CARTRIDGES, BLACK, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $79.00 PROJECT PHONO BOX II WITH USB, SILVER: HIFI PHONO PREAMP WITH USB OUTPUT, DELIVERS HIGH PERFORMANCE WITH MOVING MAGNET AND MOVING COIL CARTRIDGES, SILVER, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $79.00 PROJECT PHONO BOX II, SILVER: HIFI PHONO PREAMP WITH LINE LEVEL OUTPUTS, DELIVERS HIGH PERFORMANCE WITH MOVING MAGNET AND MOVING COIL CARTRIDGES, BLACK, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $160.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $64.00 REVEL PERFORMA M20: BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,500.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $999.00 RICHARD GRAY 1200C: (2EA) SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR, REMOVES NOISE WITHOUT LIMITING CURRENT, 12 OUTLETS, DEMO UNITS, PERFECT CONDITION, PRICED PER UNIT, RETAIL PRICE: $2,200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $879.00 RICHARD GRAY POWERHOUSE: ESOTERIC SURGE / SPIKE PROTECTOR, 6200 WATT CAPACITY TO SIMULTANEOUSLY HANDLE 21 COMPONENTS, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $9,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $2,999.00 RUNCO CL610 PROJECTOR AND DALITE CINEMA CONTOUR 103" DIAGONAL SCREEN WITH ELECTRONIC MASKING: RUNCO PROJECTOR WITH CINEWIDE ANAMORPHIC LENS, FEATURES SUPER ONYX TECNOLOGY FOR BRIGHT, PRISTINE HD IMAGES, CINEWIDE PROVIDES UNCOMPRIMISED WIDESCREEN REPRODUCTIONOF MOVIES ORIGINALLY FILMED IN THE CINEMASCOPE 2.35 : 1 FORMAT, INCLUDES MOUNTING BRACKET AND DA-LITE CONTOUR 103" SCREEN WITH PRO-TRIM FABRIC AND ELECTRONIC MASKING, RETAIL PRICE: $14,800.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $4,999.00 SALAMANDER EQUIPMENT RACK IN WALNUT FINISH: SALAMANDER EQUIPMENT RACK, LOWER CABINET INCLUDES A DOOR WITH PERFORATED STEEL INSERT TO CONCEAL EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDE VENTALATION, INCLUDES CASTERS, FINISH: WALNUT, 77" (H) X 24" (W) X 20" (D), GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,250.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $149.00 SALAMANDER EQUIPMENT RACK WITH MEDIA DRAWER IN WALNUT FINISH: SALAMANDER EQUIPMENT RACK, LOWER CABINET INCLUDES A DOOR WITH PERFORATED STEEL INSERT TO CONCEAL EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDE VENTALATION, INCLUDES CASTERS AND MEDIA STORAGE DRAWER, FINISH: WALNUT, 77" (H) X 24" (W) X 20" (D), GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $149.00 SALAMANDER TALIA DUAL LEATHER THEATER SEATS WITH POWERED RECLINE: SALAMANDER TALIA DUAL THEATER SEATS IN BLACK AGORA LEATHER WITH CUP HOLDERS AND POWERED RECLINE, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $4,600.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,999.00 SALAMANDER TALIA DUAL THEATER SEATS WITH POWERED RECLINE: SALAMANDER TALIA DUAL THEATER SEATS IN BLACK AGORA LEATHER WITH CUP HOLDERS AND POWERED RECLINE, RETAIL PRICE: $4,600.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,999.00 SALAMANDER TRIPLE 20 EQUIPMENT CABINET IN WALNUT FINISH-FAIR CONDITION: (1EA) SALAMANDER TRIPLE 20 EQUIPMENT CABINET IN WALNUT FINISH, WITH COLOR MATCHED WALNUT SIDE PANELS, REMOVABLE REAR PANELS, PERFORATED STEEL DOORS WITH WALNUT FINISH, STILETTO FEET, 66.75" (W) X 19.75" (H) X 18: (D), DEMO UNIT, FAIR CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,600.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $425.00 SALAMANDER TRIPLE 20 EQUIPMENT CABINET IN WALNUT FINISH-GOOD CONDITION: (1EA) SALAMANDER TRIPLE 20 EQUIPMENT CABINET IN WALNUT FINISH, WITH COLOR MATCHED WALNUT SIDE PANELS, REMOVABLE REAR PANELS, PERFORATED STEEL DOORS WITH WALNUT FINISH, STILETTO FEET, 66.75" (W) X 19.75" (H) X 18: (D), DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $1,600.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $639.00 SHUPTRINE THEATER SECTIONAL: SCOTT SHUPTRINE BLACK LEATHER 11FT X 8FT L-SHAPED THEATER SECTIONAL INCLUDING (2) THEATER RECLINING SECTIONS, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $10,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,500.00 SONY G90: SONY CRT PROJECTOR WITH (3EA) 9" GUNS, DIRECT PROJECTION, SCREEN SIZE OF 90" TO 300", DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $47,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $3,999.00 SPEAKERCRAFT BB1235 AMPLIFIER: (4EA) SPEAKERCRAFT 35 WATT X 12 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, PRICED PER UNIT, RETAIL PRICE: $1,280.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $519.00 SPEAKERCRAFT BB865 AMPLIFIER: (2EA) SPEAKERCRAFT 65 WATT X 12 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER, DEMO UINIT, PERFECT CONDITION, PRICED PER UNIT, RETAIL PRICE: $2,150.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $879.00 STEWART CC140CST13WX: 140" DIAGONAL CINECURVE SCREEN, STUDIOTEK 130G3, 2.4:1 ASPECT RATIO, MOTORIZED MASKING SYSTEM, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $22,316.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $9,999.00 STEWART CC140CST13WX: 140" DIAGONAL CINECURVE SCREEN, STUDIOTEK 130G3, 2.4:1 ASPECT RATIO, MOTORIZED MASKING SYSTEM, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $22,316.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $9,999.00 STEWART EM-120-168: MOTORIZED SCREEN WITH ELECTRONIC MASKING, 96" WIDE, RETAIL PRICE: $6,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $2,399.00 STEWART SNDQ100HFHG: STEWART FILMSCREEN 100" DIAGONAL HDTV FORMAT LUXUS DELUXE SCREEN WALL, FIREHAWK G3 SURFACE, RETAIL PRICE: $2,350.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $939.00 UNIVERSAL MX350 OSIRUS REMOTE CONTROL: REMOTE CONTROL, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $50.00 UNIVERSAL MX350 REMOTE CONTROL: REMOTE CONTROL, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $200.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $50.00 UNIVERSAL MX500 REMOTE CONTROL: REMOTE CONTROL, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $50.00 UNIVERSAL MX810 REMOTE CONTROL: THE MX810 REMOTE CONTROL HAS A 2" ACTIVE MATRIX COLOR LCD DISPLAY, DISPLAYS 6 BUTTONS WITH EASY TO READ COLOR LABLES OR ICONS, LITHIUM RECHARGEABLE BATTERY INCLUDED, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $199.00 UNIVERSAL MX810 REMOTE CONTROL: THE MX810 REMOTE CONTROL HAS A 2" ACTIVE MATRIX COLOR LCD DISPLAY, DISPLAYS 6 BUTTONS WITH EASY TO READ COLOR LABLES OR ICONS, LITHIUM RECHARGEABLE BATTERY INCLUDED, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $199.00 UNIVERSAL MX900 REMOTE CONTROL: THE MX900 REMOTE CONTROL HAS A 2.38" MONCHROME LCD DISPLAY, 4-"AAA" BATTERIES INCLUDED, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $450.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $225.00 UNIVERSAL MX980 / MRF260: REMOTE WITH RF BASE, DEMO UNIT, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $850.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $339.00 VELODYNE DD10 SUBWOOFER: DIGITAL DRIVE 1250 WATT WITH KEVLAR RE-INFORCED WOOFER, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $799.00 VELODYNE DD10 SUBWOOFER: DIGITAL DRIVE 1250 WATT WITH KEVLAR RE-INFORCED WOOFER, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $2,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $799.00 VELODYNE DD12: VELODYNE BEST ! DIRECT DRIVE 12" SUBWOOFER WITH KEVLAR RE-INFORCED DRIVER AND 1250 WATT AMPLIFIER, HIGH GLOSS BLACK FINISH, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $3,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,199.00 VELODYNE DD15: VELODYNE BEST ! DIRECT DRIVE 15" SUBWOOFER WITH KEVLAR RE-INFORCED DRIVER AND 1250 WATT AMPLIFIER, HIGH GLOSS BLACK FINISH, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $4,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,599.00 VELODYNE DD18: VELODYNE BEST ! DIRECT DRIVE 18" SUBWOOFER WITH KEVLAR RE-INFORCED DRIVER AND 1250 WATT AMPLIFIER, HIGH GLOSS BLACK FINISH, DEMO UNIT, GOOD CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $5,000.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $1,999.00 VIKING GAS GRILL WITH SIDE BURNERS-ROTISERY: VIKING STAINLESS STEEL 53" WIDE BARBEQUE GRILL WITH (2EA) NATURAL GAS SIDE BURNERS, ROTISERY AND SIDE WORK STATION, INCLUDES COVER, USED ONCE, PERFECT CONDITION, RETAIL PRICE: $8,265.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $3,900.00 WEIGHT RACK : PARABODY STEEL FREE WEIGHT RACK, PERFECT CONDITION, STEEL FREE WEIGHT BENCH PRICED AND SOLD SEPERATELY, RETAIL PRICE: $400.00, ESTATE SALE PRICE: $150.00 · Location: BIRMINGHAM, MI · it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

I thought I'd pass this along. Mostly high end HT including furniture as well as some 2-channel. Quite a long list. This is in Birmingham, Michigan, just north of Detroit. I'm not sure what "estate" sale means unless the person who passed away owned a HT store. (which is certainly possible.) http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/ele/2562224511.html

Both speakers are now as properly tight in the corners as I can get them, and the better one has had the Klipsch low pass filter reinstalled and the woofer hatch gasket upgraded.

My adcom equipment is of more recent vintage (as adcom goes) and there is nothing wrong with it. I've tried a number of amps, low mid and high powered, including my tube amp, which is a scott LK48 that has been reconditioned by NOS valves. Same results, with the exception of the different powered amps ability to drive the speakers. At this point, I've gone through one of the speakers and finished it, and will have the second one finished this week. (all mechanical/electrical issues checked) Then I'll start working with room to deal with modal issues. I can report that the bass now has that familiar Klipsch chest thump and is lower and tighter, but the high bass distortion is still there. (but lessened.) At the very least, at the end of this process I'll have a pair of Khorns that are operating at their peak.

So you managed to screw an old widow out of a couple of hundred bucks? The audio version of "American Pickers" has a good candidate for host. Honest, just pulling your leg. I ran into a garage sale where a gentleman was trying to get rid of a "pile of crap" left by a former employee who owed him money. For $350 I loaded up a pair of Cornwalls, Adcom 5500 amp and preamp, pair of Klipsch KG 4.5's and a bose surround system. Everybody left happy.

No bass, hole in the middle and bad soundstage are classic results of the speaker phases being reversed. You can disconnect each driver from the barrier strip and check them for continuity. Get a volt-ohm meter (Harbor Freight has a very good one for only $20) and check the resistance reading across each driver. If the voice coils on your woofers are blown, they will read a very high value of resistance (should max out the meter). Typically, voice coils will read a few ohms less than their rated impedance, so an 8-ohm rated driver should read around 5 or 6 ohms with an ohm meter. Nothing in the Khorn should be rated higher than 16 ohm, so even if you don't know the rated impedance of each drivers on the model, you can check for continuity. I've also had the experience of bass drivers being overheated, which can cause the formers that support the voice coils to warp and actually become "stuck" in the voice coil gap. They still read a normal amount of resistance but could only move a fraction of their normal distance so the driver could produce some sound, but very little. You can check for this problem by very gently pushing on the dust cap in the center of the driver. Put finger and thumb on opposite sides of the dust cap in the groove where the cap hits the cone, and try to press evenly on both sides. You should be able to move the cone a fair distance (depends on the driver) with no scraping, or sticking. Good luck. I'm having problems getting my used khorns to work properly too, and I've gotten some good troubleshooting suggestions here. (Along with some rediculous "church of audiophile" advice such as running out to buy a $3000 tube amplifier or the $2000 speakers won't sound good.)

I use a variety of test disks. Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" has it all-- very wide range of frequencies, wide dynamic range, a variety of instruments, solo and choral human voices, and some good percussion. I have two versions--- RCA Red Seal, Ozawa conducting Boston Symphony. This version has an interesting defect that is interesting-- some very low, almost subsonic bass noise that makes evaluating the lower end more interesting. The other version is Duetsche Grammaphone, James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony. As with typical Duetsche Grammaphone recordings, it is more clinical in the sound and has less extreme low bass, but is a very clean recording. It makes a good comparison counterpoint to the Ozawa version. A wonderful recording to illustrate the sonic advantages of horn systems is the soundtrack recording of Emelie' by Jan Tiersen. This recording has many layers of interesting acoustic intstruments and many of the more subtle details simply can't be heard with non-horn systems. Even my wife can tell the difference. Fourplay is great for jazz because they make very clean recordings and have a good mix of electric and acoustic sounds. "Best of Fourplay" is a good choice if you haven't heard them. I'm a longtime fan of Enigma. Their music tends to be quite processed and layered. "Platinum" is a good choice because the three-disc album has a greatest hits CD, one of remixes, and a third disc or unreleased tracks.

So let me get this straight. I'f I'm having problems with my speakers and some of the people here tell me that I must do things that have nothing to do with the speakers (other than looking into interactions with the room environment) and I ask for technical explanations to support what they suggest, then that makes me a troll? I guess my reaction would be that there are some very gullible people who love to mumble mumbo jumbo and spend loads of money on stuff they don't need, who desperately need to get other people do buy into their delusion. I have gotten some excellent suggestions on how to troubleshoot this problem and ideas on what to look for, and I've been able to make some headway, and for those folks, I say thanks. I believe if Paul Klipsch was alive, he'd have some very good suggestions on things to check to see where the problem was occuring, and they certainly wouldn't include using only certain types of amps. (or super expensive cables or magic rocks.) And despite the troll spray and rhetoric, still not one single technical explanation as to why Klipschorns need a low power tube amp to sound good.

Amplifiers can't "sound good". We're discussing the speakers here, which produce the sound. I've eperienced religion myself, but I'm not going to try to peddle that to anyone as fact. There's a difference between belief and fact. I still haven't had a single person tell me why, from a technical standpoint, that a good quality speaker like the Khorn shouldn't work well with any good amplifier . There are folks who spend thousands on the latest audiophile fad like magic rocks or cryotreated toilet paper because they "believe". Let me hear your facts and science, please, not religion. I reiterate. If Klipsch speakers will only produce clear, undistorted audio with "certain" amplifiers, they are technical failures. I don't know about you, but I don't think the Klipschorn has been around that long because they are virtually impossible to set up and use successfully. I'll keep investigating until I find the problem, and I guarantee that it isn't going to be the amplifier. I have already tried them with several different amps with IDENTICAL results.

The whole point for anyone buying in quantity would be to recondition and resell by pairs to private buyers. That's way too much for mint Heresy's, let alone black painted ones that are saturated with tobacco tar and dust and have holes in them. It's pretty easy to find good condition Walnut Heresys for around $250 a pair. I got my oiled Walnut Heresy's in their boxes for $100. Given the amount of effort needed to make these speakers presentable and resell them, let along transport them from Vegas, I can't see anything higher than $70 a pair being reasonable. Maybe Rick over at Pawn Stars will buy them out?

The room will definitely need some setup but at this point, I know it's not a modal issue. It's pretty easy to find out if there is a mode issue by moving the speakers and moving the listening position, all of which can have a big effect. I've done that and what I'm getting (especially the woody resonance in the high bass) is in the speakers, not the coupling to the room. That said, I will certainly be doing some things to improve the room once I solve the speaker issues and get them producing clean sound.

Thanks for the offer to consult, once I complete my troubleshooting it may get to that. I did set up one speaker with the factory bass low pass filter and was able to compare it with the Crites low pass filter. It definitely rolls off faster and has less high bass content hearable through the woofer section. The woody resonance is still there, so the next step seems to be to get into the bass bins and check the drivers and make sure there aren't any leaks. I'll probably replace the caps on the OEM low pass filters and put them back in when going through the bass bins. That's going to take a few days to get the parts and go through everything, so I'll shut up until that gets done.

The problem is that I'm not hearing any technical explanations as to why khorns should not perform well with any good quality amplifier. I'm not considering the option of spending a lot of money on another amp to get the speakers to sound acceptible. It's easier to simply sell them and shove my Summits into the hole. The Khorns are going to have to improve radically to beat the Summits. I don't subscribe to all the audio mumbo-jumbo which leads people to spend $5000 on speaker cables, put "special" rocks on their speakers or buy a $100 magic marker and paint the edges of their CD's. Loudspeakers are electromechanical machines, pure and simple, and an amplifier that sounds fine on my JBL Summits/Klipsch Cornwalls/Klipsch Heresys and even Bose 901's should sound just fine with Khorns, especially at moderate listening levels. As to reverting them to stock, that can be done as part of the troubleshooting process except I only have one original working tweeter. I suppose I should get a replacement diaphragm for the bad one since it's worth more than the cost of the diaphragm if it's working. I do have a properly rebuilt tube amp that I will try once I eliminate any potential mechanical/electrical issues with the speakers. I was not satisfied with the performance of the amp with my Cornwalls, which simply could not supply enough bass energy at some of the higher listening levels. Perhaps the Khorn's more efficient bass section will make a difference. That would be great, because there's just something about the smell of dust being heated up on tube equipment that jogs memories of my youth. Other than running out of bass steam, I had no argument with the amp's performance, it sounded great. I really do appreciate all the comments and suggestions but I do want to hold the mumbo jumbo to a minimum and want to hear real world technical arguments when you take radical positions. So far, nobody has given me a single technical argument as to why Khorns should souind better with tube equipment. Traditionally what I've heard is the argument that Khorns are so efficient they can perform very well on lower-powered tube equipment, but that's not the same argument.

I'm in Northern Oakland County, north of Detroit. Once I eliminate any mechanical/electrical problems with the speakers, having an experienced Khorn owner drop by would be great.

My next step in zeroing in on this problem is to re-insert the original Klipsh bass low pass filters into the bass driver circuit. To do this, I'll bypass the Crites crossover and tie them into the audio source in parallel with the HF crossover, as is done in the original configuration. I'll just do this on one speaker so I can compare the difference. If I that doesn't resolve it I'll have to tear into the bass cabinets and check the individual drivers. The only thing that bothers me about this conversation is the speculation that I simply might not like the "sound" of Khorns, or my amplifier is the "wrong type" or things like that. What I'm hearing is distortion, pure and simple, and a tremendous amount of it. Given the reputation of Khorns, that alone tells me there is something wrong. I also have to reject the tube amplifier argument. Any speaker that needs a tube amplifier to sound acceptible is, in my opinion, a failure and a fraud. I know the khorns are neither, so the problem has to lie elsewhere. Besides, nobody has advanced any technical arguments that discuss real world amplifier coupling issues that would explain what I'm hearing anyway. I'm experienced with horn designs. Remember, my first Klipsch speakers were LaScalas, which as also a fully horn loaded design like the Khorn, and shares the same components except the bass design. I can also compare these with a pair of Speakerlab K's, which are mechanically identical for all practical purposes. I'll keep investigating until I find the culprit, and let you know what I find out.

one thing I noticed when testing individual drivers was that I was hearing a lot of the vocal range through the woofer section. This seems far too high a crossover point and I was wondering if the slope in the B&K Sound A/4500 crossovers is too shallow and perhaps set too high. I believe all that was on the crossover board was a single choke for a low pass filter, which means a first-order filter. I still need to open up the bass cabs and make sure the woofers are 100% OK, and while I'm doing that I might just reconnect one of the klipsch bass filters and compare it with the Crites setup in the other speakers. Given that the bass filters are low pass filters in either case, I can reuse the Klipsch low pass sections with the crites crossovers if that solves the problem. Also, a previous post recommends using the CT125 tweeters with the A/4500 crossover. The poster must have just skimmed my post because of course that is my setup. I believe if you read what Bob has to say about the original K77m tweeters, trying to use them with his A/4500 crossover would damage them. I do like these tweeters and I agree with Bob Crite's ideas about crossing over the midrange horn at a lower frequency to keep it in it's optimum frequency range, so I hope to find some workaround that allows me to keep the crossovers and tweeters.

I didn't notice that anyone had asked the question about the operating class of these ampliers. A high pitched screeching sound implies some kind of oscillation which is heard only when in bridged mode. Is it possible that the amp stages are Class D or Class T units that produce audio frequencies as they power up and before their circuits stabilize? Because bridging increases the total available gain, this may be something you only hear when bridged. There might also be a bit of interaction between the speakers and amp that might change if speakers of different impedences where used. A lot of the modern electronic devices use these digital amps because they can produce large outputs with only moderate distortion and without large, heavy components. However, it's a good design practice to decouple the speakers when powering up or down (or switching modes) because these amps can produce some severe noise when unstable. My Pioneer A/V receivers have this feature, and you can hear the relay that protects the speakers clicking on and off. I suspect that Audiosource left out this protection mechanism to help keep the cost low on their amps. My Adcom 5500 power amp also lacks this feature, even though it was their most costly 2-channel amp when it was produced. I'm sure the also didn't add relay protection to help keep the cost down. I have an Adcom speaker selector switch that I can disengage when turning the system on and off to keep transients from reaching any of the speakers. Cheap and effective, you might try simply adding a 3 pole, single thow switch into your speaker connects to disconnect the speakers when powering up or down. You can also buy time-delay relays that will do the same job automatically.

In one of his papers, Loudspeakers and Acoustics, IIRC, Floyd OToole states that EQing a boundary reinforcement issue may be preferable to room treatments because you are lowering the amplifier output to the speaker, thus lowering distortion. That effectively compresses the sound, reduces the dynamics by cutting both the attack and decay of the original sound and substituting slow rising energy from resonance in the room reinforcing only the decay not the attack. I can see needing to do it in a commercial venue where other options aren't practical, but audiophile sound is all about not limiting ourselves to the practical. Can you explain that concept further to me? You seem to be describing dynamic compression, which is reducing the difference between loud passages and quiet passages. Unless your amp is clipping, simply changing volume doesn't change the relationship between loud and quiet, it changes both equally. Because our ears are non-linear transducers, the effect of changing volume (especially up) might seem like compression, but it only seems that way.

But you've learned an important fact about good audio systems: They are crap ampifiers. Good stuff sounds really, really good, and bad stuff sounds excrutiatingly awful.