Connor

Ok, ya'll, I drove 1000 miles through the rain (both ways) and picked up the Belle from a hell of a nice guy in Virginia. Hooked it up last night and blew my own self away. I had to run out and get the movie, Fast and the Furious, it was (frankly) out-of-control. I am just too pleased with the combination of Horns/Belle/Fortes, and I am definitely going to be kicked out of the apartment where I live. Thanks for all the help and advice So So So worth the wait. Connor

Hello again all I have heard odds and ends about how to bring back the finish for some of the older models of Klipsch speakers. ALK is mentioned, again! Something about a magic turpentine mixture... I am no carpenter, and I don't want to take anything apart, but does anyone know of a way to "rub-out" stains or superficial scratches, then re-apply some sort of Minwax-type finish? Is it as simple as #000 steel wool and turp, then re-apply Walnut (let's say) stain to the veneer? Then finish with furniture oil periodically? I figure that many of you have done this before.... Thanks in advance. Connor

Chris I was able to find two towns with this name in Maryland; one a long way away, and one very close to Rockville (where I will be) Can you find out which one this guy lives in, and whether you definitely want the speaker? If you do and it is close, no worries and I will pick it up and work out the details with the guy. If you do and it is the far one, then maybe he and I can work out something where we meet half-way -- and I would still need his number to work out the details. We should be able to work this out, and still be better off than paying for shipping. Let me know. Connor

Hi all. I have been reading/hearing about all these aftermarket crossovers that are available to buy/build for the Belle/Khorn combination. ALK keeps being mentioned (in a good way) Does anyone know what exactly is being done, and if the mods sound better? Are they changing the crossover point and falloff rate? (if so, to what? -- I don't even know where the belle/khorns cross over, by default) Are they simply using higher-quality components? Are they replacing all the crossovers, or just for the center channel? (I could see this, especially if the setup is going to be used expressly for movies, and the goal is to optimize the speaker for midrange voices and such) The reason I am so interested is that I can adjust the crossover point at the Preamp, per speaker; and instead of just shooting in the dark, I was hoping to get pointed in the right direction. Thanks in advance Connor

Chris No worries. I will hang on to the Cornwall at my place in Boston, and you can come in and pick it up when you get back. One thing though; I spoke to the guy today, and he said he has no box for it. If you get in touch with him early this week, he said that he could prepare a crate/box for the Cornwall. (It does have to make the drive in the back of an open truck for 8 hours) Anyway, let him know soon, and tell me what you want to do, and I will take care of it for you. Connor

Chris No worries at all. Let me know what you work out with him, and I will gladly bring it back (let's both hope for no rain) but I will pack it up and tarp it nicely, regardless. I will actually be driving up in your neighborhood on Monday the 15th, around noon. I could meet you at the intersection or 290 and 190 (I think that there is a mall right there?) Anyway, let me know what you do, and I will call you to confirm, as late as Friday AM, on the 12th. And of course you are more than welcome to hear the get up over here. I am right in the South End, so pretty easy to get to from everywhere. Connor

Mike I did jump on that Walnut one on AudioWeb and it does look clean. I have a few remaining questions for him, but the big one will be answered next week when I finally find out what it sounds like in my place. It has been so long that I have wondered about this. The anticipation is killing me! Woo hoo! Someone remind me that K-horns and a center belle is goind to work out well? Think of it as a final gut-check. Room is 25x50, by the way. In anycase, I will let you guys know what I hear.

NEW INFO: I am driving from Boston to DC next weekend, so I have ample opportunity to pick this thing up, provided I find one in the metro NE. I am now calling around the second-hand audio dealers up and down the east coast. Anyone have any ideas, dealer-wise, about places I can try? I could hit Philly, NY, Baltimore (or their suburbs) Can you tell that I am getting antsy looking? Fun though. F

All I know is that when I was in college we had a couple of these; and I recall seeing three, hundred-pound women, dancing on top. So you should be all set. I don't think that we supported them at all (the tops of the Belles, that is)

Why don't they make them anymore??? You may as well ask, "Why don't they make the Pontiac GTO anymore?" or "Why, when I look at new houses, the trim doesn't quite fit just right, or the cabinets hang straight, or the doors latch snugly?" There is a humongous lack of pride in creation these days, and it makes me somewhat sad to see. Not that there are not plently of examples of quality craftsmanship around, I would just say that you would be safe in assuming that it was not the norm across the various large corporate entities out there. I know that if I find a one of these speakers that are 15-20 years old, I am going to be happy with them, looking at them, listening to them -- knowing that I have an investment there, not some knock-off piece of crap that could have been made in any 3rd rate copy shop. Further, who am I to say what corporate nickel and diming wrought the demise of the kind of master craftsmanship that results in products like this? I know that it is not a good trend, and I for one, will patronize companies and products that embody what I believe in. Thus endeth the history lesson 101, with Still no leads on this one speaker..... By the way, I will be placing it in the middle of a 25-ft wall, between the K-horns (there is a freight elevator in the building)

Mike Just as an aside, as I look at this pitiful Belle, so much in need of TLC, I find myself thinking about what I would do to a cat that I found ruining my speaker like this. All sorts of non-PC, non-approved-by-PETA, things come to mind. C

Mains are K-horns. Been thinking about a center belle for a long time, finally got an Amp to drive the whole business (the Aragon 8008) I hate to have a big missing hole in the system now. (Surrounds are Forte's.)

Hello all Is anyone else looking for one of these as a center channel, besides me? I would be wiling to fly/drive/deliver/whatever, if someone splits the cost of all this with me. Of course I would hope we could find some in Mint Condition. Let me know. C

Colin What do you suppose is the difference between the reversed 300 Ohm baluns and the Mondial Magic Box? (besides $97) I discovered the reversed balun scheme a few years back and I am very happy with it. C