Getting my first pair of K-Horns...

[twistedcrankcammer]

Thanks for all the advice, what a great forum! In no particular order:

I don't have room for something as large as a LaScala or a Belle in my center position. The customary "long skinny box"" that most centers seem to come in is what I originally envisioned as the center. It will have to be laid on top of a custom built cabinet and under the Panasonic 65" plasma. Since sensitivity isn't an issue for me (see next reply) won't any of the traditional newer Klipsch centers do? I do want something as "bullet-proof" (meaning it can crank waaay up there with no signs of stress as I expect the K-Horns to do).

Differences in sensitivity between fronts, rears, and center won't be an issue. I actually have three separate power amps being fed by three pre-amps all in the same cabinet. A Nakamichi PA-7 (200 wpc) w/ CA-7A for the K-Horns, a PA-5 (100 wpc) w/ CA-5 for the rears, and a Nakamichi 420 (50 WPC) w/ CA-5 dedicated as a mono center. So I can adjust all three to match at the beginning of the movie and not worry about sensitivity differences. I've had most of this Nak gear for decades and I really want to keep using it in my old fashioned way!

Finally I do have a Yamaha YST-SW800 as my subwoofer. I am currently looking for a second one to "stereo" them out but it does a great job now as a stand alone. It is self powered (1000 watts) and has a volume and slope cuttoff.

The 107's will go over to the house where they used to be. I am a bit of a KEF collector I'm afraid and have several pair of them. My faves are the 104/2's I bought new in '86. They are still perfect.

fan4fan14,

Even if your center channel had the same sensitivity rating, you are talking 4 times the power to your front right and front left channels each compared to your center, that makes your center speaker down 6 db without attenuation for a differance in sensitivity!

As a previous poster stated, they made factory split pro La Scalas where the mid horn and tweeter are in one box and the woofer bin is sepperate. Since Bass is more omni-directional, you could put a split La Scal bass binn off center and place the top hat where you planned on using a traditional center. Otherwise, you could buy a standard La Scala and build your own box for the midrange and tweeter horns and modify the stock La Scala cabinet. Somebody has a single La Scala with sale pending in the Garage Sale section that they are selling for $250 right now.

I own 7 Pro Klipschorns and four Nakamichi PA-7s for power presently.

Roger

[Youthman]

I own 7 Pro Klipschorns and four Nakamichi PA-7s for power presently.

And that really isn't enough. []

[fan4fan14]

Now that's an idea...the concensus seems to be that nothing supports a large scale K-Horn pair like....another K-Horn. Or a Belle, etc. So is it possible to find a "truncated" K-Horn on the used market? Or is there anyone around that might have a partial speaker for sale (or the individual components)? I could easily fit the top "wedge" holding the two horns under my plasma and on top of my cabinet. And with the full K-Horns on each side and a sub to boot I think that would make a dandy center channel. Something to think about....

John

[tragusa3]

John, that's where the suggestion of a split LaScala comes into play. You can find singles of those for sale far more than a single Khorn. The top half is identical. You can find a split one, or do it yourself.

[psg]

John, that's where the suggestion of a split LaScala comes into play. You can find singles of those for sale far more than a single Khorn. The top half is identical. You can find a split one, or do it yourself.

Exactly!

[dtel]

Edit; You beat me to it, I was trying to get the pic working.

You can find a split one, or do it yourself.

There's your cheaper way out !

Make yourself a split LaScala top !

These are a LITTLE DUSTY [] but there in a workshop and were made to carry out into the yard or in the back of a truck to haul somewhere else. There NOT pretty on purpose, they have Bob Crites tweeters a K-400 horn from Klipsch and used drivers from forum members. A set of AA crossovers which you could just not connect the bass driver, or build yourself just a crossover for the top two horns. It would be best to make some kind of bass cabinet for the center.

Also it does not have to be quite as big as these, I also put a little foam inside them to stop any vibrations.

[dtel]

Hope we didn't scare him off. []

[fan4fan14]

Nope, just Christmas time and I've been busy. Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions. The K-Horns are in place and sound amazing.

On the center question - I think the route I will go is to have built basically a top half (or two-thirds) of a K-Horn for my center. If I can buy all the components excluding the woofer and bass bin and just set that on top of my already built cabinet I think I'm good.

Which leads me to my next question: Do members here often sell drivers, x-overs, etc. on the forum? I would think with so much upgrading of say.. mid drivers and horns that there would be a good used market for the replaced components. Can I put a WTB (Want To Buy) ad in the Garage Sale side? Specifically I will need:

K-77 tweeter

K-55M mid driver

K-401 mid horn

AL-3 crossover

My friend who started me down the road to Klipschdom can fashion a "box" to hold the four pieces that will fit on my cabinet. Then I think I will be both "bullet-proof" and have perfectly matching sound for the center channel. What do you guys think?

John

[psg]

No bass bin at all? You probably won't like it at all. Unconnect the bass bin from one of your Klipschorn crossovers and feed it a center channel channel signal as a test.

[edwinr]

I really like HT, but I'm still enjoying watching movies in 2 channel. If I upgrade my 2005 Belles to a new pair of Klipschorns, I would be tempted to maintain a 2 channel system. With the way the Klipschorns load the room, I would surprised if they didn't do movie sound even better than Belles.

The options offered here are very good. I like the idea of Heresys. How about two pairs? One pair for surround and another pair to act as the centers. This would be less imposing than a single Belle.

Or as has been suggested, the idea of a completely separate HT system in the same room had merit. This would leave the Klipschorns for 2 channel. There would be no need to compromise either the 2 channel or the HT system. My dealer is a BIG fan of this option. He sells premium 2 channel with no compromise, and often partners these systems with a competent smaller 5.1 speaker system with a generic receiver. You could wall mount the HT system so you'd hardly notice.

I've been thinking of this option myself - One of the upmarket Synergy systems with an inexpensive receiver (Denon? Yamaha?) I've already got an SW-450 sub. Then I wouldn't have to worry about matching stuff with my Belle/tube amp combination.

[fan4fan14]

They do movie sound VERY VERY well. And other stuff too. My best possible solution would be to score another pair of K-Horns for the rears. That and the "C-Horn" (that's what I'm calling a knock-off of a K-Horn "top" with K-55M mid, K-401 Horn and K-77 tweeter - AL-3 x-over) my bud is putting together for me - would be the way to go, wouldn't it?

But for financial and spousal considerations I think a pair of Cornwalls would be just dandy back there. As to the concerns from another poster about not having a bass bin on the "C-Horn", this is a going to be a dedicated HT set-up. When I use the K-Horns for music I wouldn't be turning on the other three amps/pre-amps. Then it would be all about two channel sound. And later, when we're watching a movie and using the new speaker for center channel output (which is primarily vocals and some background music) I think it will be fine. I do have my Yamaha powered sub in the center of the room so it will be "kinda" ghosting for the C-Horn.

Keep the critiques and suggestions coming! This is fun. BTW, I have some pics of my HT set-up, but I'm not smart enough to post them here. Any suggestions?

John

[edwinr]

I guess If you're going for a dedicated Klipschorn based HT, and conserving a dedicated 2 channel system isn't a consideration, then the absolute BEST way to do it, is to go for Klipschorns - front and rear. I guess a Belle for the center channel. One of the great things about Klipschorns, is their ability to disappear in the room.

Had you considered trying the system just the surrounds first, and using the phantom center channel option on your receiver? This may work really well, and completely bypass the problems relating to center/ mains speaker mismatching. If the sound isn't to your taste, you could then look for a suitable center speaker.

Relating to the surrounds, other than the Klipschorn surround option, I agree with all the other suggestions. They're all good options. It just depends whether you can find a good deal.

Whatever you decide, a subwoofer is essential. I know the Klipschorns go low, but the addition of a sub to really bring out the low, lows, is a must. Obviously you can't place your sub in the corner, but you can get really good lows from placing your sub on the same wall as your mains, about a third of the way along the wall.

[tragusa3]

I don't understand the need for two systems in the same room. Use the Khorns for both uses.

I've also not done it myself, but you might be the only one I've ever heard of running without a bass bin for the center. There's got to be a reason, or it would be an extremely popular option. I think the reason we don't see it more often is because it won't be satisfying. If you're intent on giving it a try, I bet picking up a used LaScala and building from there will be cheaper and easier than finding the individual drivers and crossover.

[fan4fan1]

There aren't two systems. Just a pair of K-Horns in the front and a planned future "C-Horn" in the middle. As I mentioned before I have separate amplification for the center and the mains. So if I'm using the system as a stereo system (2 speakers) I just won't turn on the center channel amp / pre (or the rear channel amp / pre for that matter). In a 5.1 system the center channel is primarily for vocals, right? Seems like a lot of speaker (La Scalla, Belle) in the center to reproduce voices to me.

As to having a center for regular music listening, I don't understand the appeal of having a third full-range speaker in the middle of a stereo pair when your playing back 2-channel music. Seems like it would muddy up the live left and right stereo signal and work against the recording engineers purpose. But - my buddy in Michigan has a Belle between his Klipschorn's and thinks it's great. Maybe I should try it.

In any event the AL-3 crossover Crites is building me will allow for future use of a bass cabinet. So if I'm wrong (won't be the first time) I can add the bass cab underneath and make it a mini Belle / La Scala "wannabe".

John

[twistedcrankcammer]

Nope, just Christmas time and I've been busy. Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions. The K-Horns are in place and sound amazing.

On the center question - I think the route I will go is to have built basically a top half (or two-thirds) of a K-Horn for my center. If I can buy all the components excluding the woofer and bass bin and just set that on top of my already built cabinet I think I'm good.

Which leads me to my next question: Do members here often sell drivers, x-overs, etc. on the forum? I would think with so much upgrading of say.. mid drivers and horns that there would be a good used market for the replaced components. Can I put a WTB (Want To Buy) ad in the Garage Sale side? Specifically I will need:

K-77 tweeter

K-55M mid driver

K-401 mid horn

AL-3 crossover

My friend who started me down the road to Klipschdom can fashion a "box" to hold the four pieces that will fit on my cabinet. Then I think I will be both "bullet-proof" and have perfectly matching sound for the center channel. What do you guys think?

John

John,

Just got back too your thread myself.

You will need a seperate Bass Bin for your center. Please try to play only one Klipschorn, the left or the right, then disconnect the wires for the bass bin. This is exactly what you are building will sound like without a seperate Bass bin. As I stated before, Bass is more omni directional in nature, so you can get by if you still use a seperate bass bin and place it seperately, off center from the high frequency section, either to the right, left, or up in the air above. []

Roger