Klipsch T-400 upgrades

[zippty2001]

hello i just got a set of T-400 speakers. I was thinking about upgrading the xover and the tweets and mids with bob crites parts. what do you think about carpet padding fully on the inside ?? the cabinets are what i don't know what to do with can i make the ones i have good or should i just build new ones???

thanks i know the parts are heresy II

[Daddy Dee]

I think the Tangent 400's are quite underrated. You are definitely on the right track refreshing the caps in the crossovers. As far as changing the sound, I'd suggest doing that first and settle in for a season of enjoying the sound of your speakers before considering changing out the tweets. With fresh xovers you will have them sounding the close to factory spec as possible, which will be impressive in and of itself.

Carpet padding? It's an interesting question. There is some sort of material lining the old cornwalls. OTOH, if PWK thought it would make a nickel's worth of difference, he would have put it in to start with. However, no harm at all in trying out the sound. Mod one cab then compare the sound with the unmodded cab. You may well hear a difference. Then decide whether the "difference" is an improvement or no. Let your ears tell you whether you prefer the padding in the cabs or not.

What sort of shape are the cabs in? Rebuilding is a huge project, but if you are a woodworker, it can be a fulfilling project.

have fun. post pics if you can.

[Groomlakearea51]

I agree with Dee.

What's in the cabinets now? It probably can be removed and replaced, but whatever is in there (likely pink insulation fiber fill) needs to be replaced with the same type of material; otherwise it could alter the sound.... and maybe not in a good way.

[H]

[Marvel]

The worst part of the tangent 400 is the cabinet. The components are fine, other than refreshing the caps.

[HarryO]

I picked up the T-400s up for Tom from a friend.

I played them out and had to replace one tweeter diaphram in them.

The cabinets only have one small piece of sound material in each one. I recommended carpet pad to eleminate the reflections in the cabinets and also to brace the rear board (1/2" mdf).t

The cabinets are resonating, ports are huffing a little on them, but amazingly the caps still have a good bit of detail left in them.

I told Tom to throw some fibrefill in them to help with the port issues and keep the cabinet noise to a minimum. It should help with the bass in the taller T-400 cabinets.

[zippty2001]

sorry it took so long. i will get some pictures up after a bit. but thanks for all the info Harry tells it right teh backs resonat so bad

[Groomlakearea51]

A friend of mine in the military bought a pair; he liked the "super-sized" Heresy concept. He eventually canned the old cabinets and made a pair of out of birch plywood which pretty much took care of the problem.

The T-400 is actually a neat "box". For a DIY'r a box like the T-400 would be very easy to make and transfer their old H-II parts as opposed to trying to "resurrect" an old pair of H-II cabinets. I'm surprised really, in retrospect, that Klipsch did not simply make the cabinet with plywood with walnut, oak, etc veneer, give it a "heritage" type of name etc. It would have sold well.

[H]

[zippty2001]

pic

[zippty2001]

pic2

[Daddy Dee]

the cabs look good in the pics!

wish I had a pair of those.