Klipsch - not very good?

[colterphoto1]

More than a couple of PA buddies have given me the advice that Klipsch Pro PA speakers have not been very highly regarded in the industry. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Basically they say that although they appear to be pro, that the smaller, lighter drivers will not take the normal punishment given to PA gear. I've had issues with the fuse values and find that using the suggested fuses leads to popped fuses constantly, but the fear of blowing up the 'smaller than industry standard' drivers keeps me from running them as hard as I would JBL or other pro line speakers.

I'm not bashing Klipsch, I started collecting this stuff before I knew much about PA gear. I need good solid reliable gear that is not laughed at in order to get gigs.

Thoughts?

[Bill H.]

Michael

,About the PA speakers. Since this is your livelyhood, I would look into may getting some JBL or Other Pro speakers that you Know will hold up for you............ I am sure you could sell what you have ..............Just an Idea. Your the Pro speaker Expert as far as I am concerned..........

P.S.

Tried emailing you though the Klipsch Server, and the msg bounced back as undeliverable.............

[Modified-Tractrix]

Just buy a few sets of Bose 802s and add the panaray sub system. You will get some good street cred with that type of system.

[mark1101]

Mike, agreed....and it's common sense. Now I am talking about the early MCM systems. They were just scaled up verisons of the home stuff..........easy to blow apart with the power of pro amps and torture of live sound situations.

I can remember as a college student one of my buddies with money purchased a whole MCM setup and had a big party. The thing was blowing fuses so often that ordinary folks were just changing them out when it would happen. He put a big box of fuses on the bass cabinets for when it would occur and lots of people got to take their turn. He never got things to operate properly that day.

I took all the fuses out of my MCM system so I don't have that problem. I'm the only one who runs them and I won't break them.

[SpyderAudio]

Hello; I have ben lurking for a while but decided to respond as to the reliability of Klipsch for live situations. I purchased a set of LBR speakers for my home system in 1982. I slowly started using them for pro gigs. My biggest concern was scratches and dents. I had covers made for them. As time went on, they were less pristine. Their final configuration was in a three way setup with Peavey FH2's for low end, the Klipsch 15" was my mid and the horns were the highs. At one point we were dubbed the loudest band on the San Antonio riverwalk, got complaints from the 8th floor! I ran this setup for around 10 years with the 15" powered with a QSC MX1500 until one detached from the voice coil. 375 watts into 8 ohms with 3db headroom. I'd say not bad for 3.75 times the rated woofer power. Never blew a horn using a similar amp. My MCM 1900 subs were powered by an MX3000 since the early 90's. The amp will blink now and then which makes me paranoid but they keep on trucking! Now that I am old, fat and lazy I have replaced the HEAVY QSC amps with Carver PT series. Same era but a hell of a lot lighter!

Cheers
Phil!

[DrWho]

I think it depends on which Klipsch speakers you're running...I dunno why this is, but I've never cared for any of the Klipsch monitors, but KP 3002/302/362/600 have always been good for smaller FOH systems. The dually 18" sub cabs are probably the only subs I'd run from Klipsch. Is it 382? I forget.

If you're looking for affordable more robust PA gear that sounds good, then I would look at specific models of the mid 80's EV gear...it's gonna be real heavy, but very durable. In the modern arena I'd say EAW is the way I'd go. I've never been a fan of the JBL sound, except I think they have the best sounding line array with the Vertec series. But then I'm not a fan of line arrays either, which puts me outta the street cred until the fad wears off... []

[twistedcrankcammer]

I think it depends on which Klipsch speakers you're running...I dunno why this is, but I've never cared for any of the Klipsch monitors, but KP 3002/302/362/600 have always been good for smaller FOH systems. The dually 18" sub cabs are probably the only subs I'd run from Klipsch. Is it 382? I forget.

If you're looking for affordable more robust PA gear that sounds good, then I would look at specific models of the mid 80's EV gear...it's gonna be real heavy, but very durable. In the modern arena I'd say EAW is the way I'd go. I've never been a fan of the JBL sound, except I think they have the best sounding line array with the Vertec series. But then I'm not a fan of line arrays either, which puts me outta the street cred until the fad wears off...

Who Dey!

Hi Mike!

The Klipsch Pro dual 18" sub is the KP-682, and it has 4 round ports like the Sub box for the KP-600.

The Klipsch Pro Theatre dual 18" sub is the KPT-684, and it has 2 triangle shaped ports. This is the model Kevin Harmon and I both own.

Then there is a single 18" version of the KPT-684 named the KPT-484 which also has the dual triangle Ports.

Have a great one Grass Hopper [Y].... Roger

[DrWho]

Thanks Roger...I've always had a horrible memory for numbers. The 884 is pretty ballsy too, but I wouldn't use them for PA duty

[BLSamuel]

I think Michael has a pair of KP-682s. He can correct me if I'm wrong. Pretty big beasts but with built in handles and wheels they're not too hard to wheel around.

[colterphoto1]

Current 'bar' system is KP682 subs (early version of KPT684 dualie 18 but in street clothes with handles, wheels, NL4) for subs Crown K2 per each

topped with dual tight packed KP362's (3 way trap cabinet K604 60x40 Tractrix Mid horn) for tops, half K2 per side.

So that's single sub cabinet with dual tops per side for 110 degree coverage. I worry a lot about blowing the smaller horn drivers.

I've finally got all wiring complete with 11x4 cable w/ NL4 connectors.

[colterphoto1]

I've recently spent some time with the new SRX700 series by JBL which sound very good and are pretty lightweight due to neo magnets on all drivers (I think).

One guy had twin dual 18"s (horizontal cabs- stacked) with twin dual 15"+horn tight-packed on those, whole thing run by Crown 2000/4000/8000 per side of the stage - just unbelievable sound.

Another local bar sound dude has a smaller SRX700 system with a single 18" woofer bin, a foot high spacer, then dual12+horn on top of that run bi-amped with QSC power. It's pretty ripping for it's size and I think will blow my system away. I'd like to get them together in a room.

[BLSamuel]

I've recently spent some time with the new SRX700 series by JBL which sound very good and are pretty lightweight due to neo magnets on all drivers (I think).

One guy had twin dual 18"s (horizontal cabs- stacked) with twin dual 15"+horn tight-packed on those, whole thing run by Crown 2000/4000/8000 per side of the stage - just unbelievable sound.

Another local bar sound dude has a smaller SRX700 system with a single 18" woofer bin, a foot high spacer, then dual12+horn on top of that run bi-amped with QSC power. It's pretty ripping for it's size and I think will blow my system away. I'd like to get them together in a room.

That's be an interesting comparsion. But your bar system with one KI362 on top sounds very good and should be even better with 2.

2000/4000/8000 per side of stage is that in watts for subs, bass, hids/highs? Headroom!

So did Klipsch stop making pro PA gear before the kilowatt and multiple kilowatt amplifiers became common? I don't really remember the history.

Now their pro gear seems to be more movie theater and business movie systems - neither of which probably have the power requirements of blow the roof off the house live music?

Of course the KP600's can play very loud can't they? Maybe not quite the obscene power handling of today's designs but didn't somebody say they'd not known of anybody to blow up a set of the quad manifolded mid drivers? That said I'd think the format of the KP600s would space the drivers too far apart for smaller bar type settings. Too bad Klipsch didn't continue in the PA sound business. It'd be cool if they'd get back in it but may not be a big enough market?

[Joey B KP600]

Hin Guys;

Anybody that tells you that Klipsch Pro speakers are not up to the task is talking BULLSH** !!!! I have been using Klipsch Industrial and Pro Speakers since 1978. I also recone many EAW-JBL-EV-Cerwin Vega-QSC and many others for many of the Pro Sound Co. in the New England area. The drivers are TRASHED when I see them.

If you need more output you need more amps and speakers. Any speaker system driven beyond its limit will fail and fail HARD. I use a 24 box KP 600 system and can do 15000 to 20000 people outdoors Heavy Rock and Roll. I would need 36 boxes of EAW 850 series to do the same gig. The EAW 850 Series was the best selling arena box bar none. Forget Line Arrays I am not a fan at all. To much money for not alot of quality output. Sorry 2X10 in. bass drivers in a small cab is not a 2X15 in horn loaded KP 600 LF.

I just used this same rig to do Egiye Castrillo and His 16 piece Latin Jazz Big Band ( very powerfull ) and Arlo Guthrie at the same event in a football stadium in Framingham Ma. On OcT. 10, 2010. The complements on the sound of the system doing the two totally different types of music were fantastic.

These 20 (yes 20) year old speakers will hurt you, even at 400 feet. There are some great systems out there but to write off KLIPSCH Pro they made the best sounding horn loaded boxes on the planet. BAR NONE !!!!!! Thanks for reading my ramble Joey B KP 600