Tom Mobley

Any reason why this can't be done? I see some Klipsch bookshelf models going for approx $150 or so on ebay, I'm fixing to spend more than that on 6x9's. Any wisdom here? Anybody doing this? Warnings? One thing I can think of is package tray temps in Phoenix, pretty warm there in the summer. Up around 140F. Tom This message has been edited by Tom Mobley on 05-06-2002 at 10:15 PM

Yes, I exchanged a couple emails with him on that. I'm sort of afraid to buy one, might be trouble finding another single. Got any other bright ideas? Anyone? Tom

Well, I'm to the point in my LS project where I'm going to have to order the horns from Klipsch if I can't find any used. Anybody out there got any for sale? I don't know exactly what the difference is between the 400 and 401, is the 401 plastic with ribs going around it? The old K-Horns I looked at the other day had what looked like cast aluminum horns. Same story on the K-33, any out there? Bonus rolling in from work this week, already burning a hole in my pocket. Tom This message has been edited by Tom Mobley on 05-05-2002 at 07:26 PM

yeah, I got tired of being sniped too. Learned to fight back. open two browser windows, prepare a final last gasp bid and do everything but submit it. In the second window, go to the same auction and keep refreshing the window as the time winds down. If somebody hits, bling! hit your submit button in the first window. this will eliminate most of the problem. There are few highly skilled types around that can beat you at this, but not many. Of course, you can get outbid even doing this, but that's the chance you always take. Tom

hmmmm, a self publisher. must not be thinking they're going to be overwhelmed by demand. Tom

I understand thorazine is still out there.... might work for you.

Nope.

Thanks for clarifying that size issue. I don't see that anybody is volunteering hard info that there would be an improvement by making this change, guess I'll do the 33 thing. Anybody want to sell me a set of 400/401's cheap? Don't everybody volunteer at once now.... Tom

So, the inevitable question arises: does anybody have have hard information indicating that a KH-LS-Belle would actually, noticeably sound better if upgraded to Altec 515B or similar and the throat opened up to six inches? Or would it require new/different crossovers or something else out of scope of a woofer upgrade? I've acquired a set of LS cabs, and most of the components for the Al K. crossovers have rolled in. I'm about ready to buy woofers, go with the K-33-E's or move to something supposedly better? expiring minds want to know.... Tom

Update: just went over and looked at these. pretty much as described here. The owner has a cabinet maker buddy do the fronts. He cut 1/4" (looks like birch, could be maple) plywood to overlay the fronts. Looks pretty good. Consecutive serial numbers. inspected by Bradford, same inspector as my HDBR's. He had an old receiver hooked up to them in his garage, played a little FM radio. Sounded OK to me, no blown drivers. AA crossovers looked OK, no leaker caps or anything. Still had all the original wire. He told me his reserve, it's higher I think he'll get for them, says he'll re-list with lower reserve if they don't sell. Bought new by his godfather, owned the old wall-ball palace on Indian School Road here in Phx. I think they used to play indoor pro soccer there. They've been in this guys garage since 1980. Haven't decided whether or not to bid, knowing his reserve makes it a moot point, it's too high for me anyway. Tom

What I want (and am willing to pay for) is a decent Klipsch T-shirt with a BIG pie slice logo on it. The one they've got is wimpy. Or a nice polo with a smaller pie slice loge. Gold on white would be nice. Tom

Yeah, I saw that, what difference does that make? If all the drivers are facing out the front of the cabinet, how is it a cornerhorn? It's just a speaker with the back corners cut off at a funny angle, right? Am I missing something here? Tom

I don't see how that's a corner horn, you can see the front of the woofer through the grill cloth. Isn't it just a speaker? Tom

bigdnfay, Thanks for that brochure posting. Makes things a little easier to understand. ricktate I'm working 12hrs/day fri and Sat, won't be able to go look til Sunday morning. He says he'll be available Sunday morn. I'm going to try to get over there early, while there's still time left on the auction. I'll post something here about what I see. Tom

I have the plans fresh printed on 3' x 4' paper, for the cost of a mailing tube I'll send them to you. It sure is a lot easier to see how the pieces fit together. Tom tmoble@earthlink.net

Jeez, he wrote back, they're within a couple miles of me. I'm trying to make a deal to go by and see them, I drive right by there back and forth to work. Criminy, I could end up with these. Need to have a "leetle talk" with the wife, she has no idea how big these things are. As it is, I'd have to build at least one fake corner. somebody stop me before I buy again.... Tom

Update: got email back from the guy, he pretty much knew what they are, bottom end models. He thought they are more rare because of that. I've emailed back asking for more info. Tom

All, ebay item #1348016598 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1348016598 Check these out, sticker looks real, but I don't see any way to separate the top and bottom, for instance. Also a few pieces missing, it seems. I've emailed the seller but haven't heard back from him yet. If this is all he has of them, do they have much value? Couls turn into a labor of love to rebuild the missing pieces, I guess. Check it out, what do you think? Tom

I've been checking into this also, new ones from Klipsch are about US $200 pair, plus shipping. A nice set of older ones sold on ebay the other day for US $355, plus shipping. Yikes. Tom

Thanks, I'll try that Hi-Fi sales deal. I just missed a pair on ebay, they went for 735, the winner may have had a higher max than that. They were in Mo. Tom

Doug, funny the stuff that happens. I would have bought them in a second and fiddled with the wood later. the ad must have come out Sunday, I didn't see it til Tues, so I probably wasn't that close. maybe next time. It looks to me like Klipsch wasn't that popular here in the Phx area, I called virtually the high end shops this week looking for parts, none of them would admit to ever having had anything to do with Klipsch at all. Do you know who a local dealer might have been? I'd like to talk to that guy, see what he knows about the local activity. I think I'll look up his number again, offer to take him out to lunch or something. Tom

So, I've been advised to check around locally for parts and speakers for LS upgrade. So, hit the online classifieds for the local bird cage liner, searched on Klipsch. WOW a hit! "Klipschorn cornerhorn loudspeakers, exc condition, $1000" And the phone number is close to me! I'm all over it: me: Hi, I'm calling about those speakers you've got for sale. elderly woman: Well, I'm sorry, they're already gone. me: Oh really, how long did it it take to sell them? her: Just one day. People keep calling about them, though. me: Yeah, well, they're real nice. How long did you have them? her: Oh, my husband bought them back in the 70's, but he never used them much. me: did the first person that showed up buy them? her: why yes. He seemed to be very anxious about it. me: yeah, I'll bet. long silence.... her: several people have mentioned that the price was very good, do you think I could have gotten more? long silence.... let somebody else tell her. me: well, probably. did you ask around about a selling price at all? her: no, maybe I should have. me: well, maybe next time. say, you don't have any more of those, do you? her: no, my husband sold the other ones several years ago, when he sold that MacIntyre radio. loooonngg silence while thinking this one over.... me: well, thanks anyway. bye. her: thanks for calling. Jeez. I can't stand it.

HDBRbuilder, Somebody named MS built my 78 HDBR's. Who was that? On the wood deal, I worked in plywood mills in Oregon for many years, in fact I was making solid core Douglas Fir 9-ply birch faced stuff when I bought my Heresy's at the Music Shop in Grants Pass, Or. That stuff is a real PITA to lay up, the plugs in the core are always popping out as the core feeds through the glue rollers, it's like chasing around after wet bars of soap to get them back in right. I'm having trouble locating what I would call decent plywood here in Phoenix, Az now. I don't think anybody makes good plywood anymore. Particle board is a lower form of life to plywood guys, wouldn't touch it with the proverbial ten foot pole. Yuo know, that is some really nice plywood my HDBR are made from, but it's a funny thickness, not exactly 5/8". Nobody seems to have it, I'm going to end up using 7 ply 3/4" for the LS's, not nearly as nice. I can't find marine grade solid core either. Guys at the specialty wood places here told me to drive over to San Diego to look for it. Like there's time for that. One thing is funny about my HDBR's, they're not veneered on the front edges like all the others I've seen, rather, there's a piece of molding that's sort of like 1/4 round but a little flatter on the front. Is this normal? I haven't seen this on others, but I guess there's no veneering an unfinished speaker. They had to put something on there to surround the grilles. Thanks for chipping in here. Tom

HDBRbuilder, Thanks for taking the time to look through your stuff and clear up these details. The reason I'm building LS's is that they were what I wanted and couldn't afford back in 78 when I bought my HD BR's that you probably built. Nice job, great speakers, BTW. This is getting more involved, I need to change out the horns on the squawkers. Bummer. I'll price them at Klipsch Monday or Tuesday, anybody got any for sale? I see some on ebay, but they've got the drivers attached and too much money. Anybody got any of those little stands for the back of the squawkers? Thanks, Tom

So, apparently, the LS used a 15" woofer as reported earlier. Is there consensus on this? Now on the squawker, does this all boil down to: I have the right driver but the Heresy used a shorter horn to fit in the cabinet? Is the longer horn available? Is this what I see referred to as the K-400 in other posts on this board? Would I be able to hear any difference between the two horns on the same driver in my soon-to-be-homebuilt LS's? Is it difficult to change out the horns if I can find the right ones? Full of questions, huh? Tom This message has been edited by Tom Mobley on 04-14-2002 at 01:15 PM