pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Now 45 I have been a Klipsch diehard since the day I accompanied my uncle to the hi-fi shops in my youth. I have since owned a series of contemporary towers (mostly in surround configurations). Over the past 5 years I have aquired a series of components that I feel do an admirable job of producing and retaining signal quality from stylus to speaker. In order to justify the cost of the backbone of my initial visiton, a Macintosh 275, I rebuilt a turntable, and I built a kit based phonostage and preamplifier. In doing so I learned alot about tube amps, interconnects, mechanical isolation, power conditioning, ... as well as the many low cost upgrades that one can make in the signal path that can add up to a significant improvment in sound. I feel that my signal and power are now intact. I am currenty on course to achive a savings goal of $2500.00 on my birthday March 11th, 2012 . I will invest this amount in a pair of Klipschorn speakers that will fullfill a lifelong dream for me! If I were a single man this investment would not be nearly as important to me and I would probably have done this 20 years ago. However, as a family man (and I love my family) I do my best to measure my investments in self against my responsibiles as a father. In that light there is no doubt that this will be the last speaker purchase of my life. I love music, I appreciate sonics, I love volume, and did I mention I love music. For the past couple years I have been reading the two channel forum on a regular basis. I have developed an immesurable fever as I cannot describe how great this forum is and how exciting it has been for me to ride along with others who possess similar passions as they strive to achieve a personal best listening experience. Now it is my turn! In the next couple months I am hoping to pose a series of specific statements and questions born from personal investigation and in response to many of the subjects discussed on this forum. The purpose of these questions is simple, I have $2,500.00 and I want to buy the very best Klipshorns, based on my "best" criteria that I can get my hands on. With one caviot, my excitement will probably not allow me to hold on to the cash for too long. The scope of this resource can only be appreciated by the few that would venture here and in time I hope that my experiences can contribute to this wonderful community. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Delayed gratification can have it's sweet rewards; that only the ones that realize what the journey required, can fully apperciate it. It intells a journey that is a reward in it's on right. I kown when you get your speaks, the top of the mountain will sound as sweet as the journey. Best Regards, derrickdj1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Pwcpwc, Welcome to the forum. While I do not own any Khorns, I have had the honor of listening to them on more than one occasion. I see(hear) why they would be the pinnacle of your life long dream. Good luck, Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Welome to the forum! It is my goal to own K-horns one day too. Right now I live in an upstairs apartment, and the Heresy IIIs are perfect for my room. Good luck, and be sure to post photos of them when you get them... [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Welcome to the Forum. You should, after much judicious searching and travel, find a very nice pair for $2500. You mention family, and thus you should become familiar with two acronyms as soon as possible. First is SWMBO (she whomust be obeyed), and WAF (wife acceptance factor). There is a WAF test device called a WAF-O-Meter' it is genetically installed in your brain, and can be easily activated.... you will need it.... often.... Case in point.... I have three pairs of the big boys.... Don't misunderstand, I'm not wealthy, I just managed to acquire the pairs over a 33 year period. My first pair is now in my son's room. Black lacquer, bought NIB when I was in the military, and carted them around for 33 years.... Key words here.... Black..... Most SWMBO's are not reall happy with Black.... Low reading on the WAF-O-Meter.... She never wanted them in the living room, but lived with them in the bedrooms, etc. I learned..... The second pair, Oiled cherry.... is the most expensive pair of speakers I ever bought. Not NIB, but still had to save up to get them. WAF-O-Meter score? Yessireee!!! They are not mine anymore. SWMBO refers to them as her Klipschorns. But she's happy and happy SWMBO's are a good thing. The third pair.... well, since I had obtained the cherry pair for SWMBO, I was home free.... Found the third pair for $500.... Lotta work, etc., and they are, of course, a manly-man Black Lacquer and in the "man cave" as the basis for the Wall of Voodoo. SWMBO does not care as the pair are not interfereing in the living room decor, etc. (see: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/109618.aspx ) That being said, and given the budget and whether or not you are "inclined" to do a re-veneer project, etc., one of the options is to target $1800 for the speakers, and target $700 for the veneer, crossover rebuild, maybe new tweets, etc. Moral of the story is make sure you find out what SWMBO expects in appearance before you plunk down anything..... Just a thought or so.... [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Welcome to the forum! Most people come here before they get the sickness, and we infect them. You showed up already infected. You will fit right in, my friend! Been a family man myself for almost 27 years. That is partly because most of my bigger equipment is in my shop. My parents, in their 70's, love to come to the shop and listen to old LP's. Normally, they come in for a second, and end up hanging out for an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 pwc, Where are you located? When the time comes I may be able to help you out with a set of K Horns, I have a few. I have a couple of sets in various stages of resurrection and possibly could do some veneer of your choice. Of course, again location is everything. Just wanted to give you some options, when you are ready to buy. W. C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I love music, I appreciate sonics, I love volume, and did I mention I love music...You're in the right place. Of all the things that I''ve invested in that could be called "elective", the one that I have never regretted has been my Klipsch corner-horn speakers. Besides seeing my family, listening to these wonderful speakers is something that I look forward to every day. Here's wishing you an early acquisition of a good pair of Khorns...and welcome to the forums! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks you all for the welcome and the encouraging comments!!! Groom, it is funny how you mention that your third pair "cherry" was adopted by SWMBO. When I bought my first pair of Klipsch speakers after getting married (RF-5's in cherry) the only thing my ever takled about (other than how big they were) was how pretty the wood was. I now have a cherry TV stand, a Cherry Audio rack, a Cherry Velodyne sub, and cherry wood floors. It all started with a pair of cherry RF5's. All of this is in the surround room, and the horns will be in my new 2 channel room so cherry is not a die hard requirement. However, there is no doubt that cherry is a WAF-O-Meter heavywieght. I have noticed that cherry compes at a premium so I have plan a and a plan b. Plan a, find the best model and performance that I desire in Cherry for under $2500, Plan B, find the model and performance that I want for under $1700 and learn how to veneer. That brings up my first couple questions.See following post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Series of cosmetic questions. Since I am not at all worried about resale value (sound and look are top priorities) I do not care about keeping my horns original in any way (unless it improves sound or look). I am a DIY kinda guy but with plenty of other obligations I do not take on a project for the fun of it or the gratification of its completion. If I take on a DIY project I do it for one reason. End result at a lower cost. In this case the end result is Klipshhorns in my house and a happy wife and if doing my own cherry veneer job can help to achive this I will be all in. Now on to the questions Unless I stumble on a special circunstance I how much more (on average) should I expect to pay for Cherry on the open market compared to other finishes (assuming same year and config)? Veneer What finishes best lend themselves to a Veneer job? Does Veneer, the quality of the supplies, or the craftmanship have any effect on the sound? What are the main steps taken in a Veneer job? Can you veneer directly on top of other finishes or other Veneers. Are there certain configurations / years that are easier to Veneer than others If I decide to take on this veneer thing it will be a one off. In that light, if I take my time (assuming that I am a proficient DIY-er) can I expect high quality results on the first try ot is it something that requires practice and experience. In this case I would like to get feedback from folks that had good or bad results on thier first veneer experience. Are there web sites or books on Veneering that are recommended. Is Vennering a word? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 HI W.C., Located in Southern California but I have a work van and a good friend that shares my passion so we have already planned a weekend roadtrip if the need arises! Thanks for chiming in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxx Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Welcome to the forum.... Good Luck with your efforts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Welcome to the forum. Congratulations. Can't wait for the roadtrip pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 pwc, Now, THAT would make for a LONG weekend road trip. If there are any questions or information that I can help you with, please feel free to email or PM me. I'm sure that with your budget, you will be able to find an exceptional set of K Horns in your area. Keep a close lookout in the local papers (estate auctions), Craigslist, Audiogon, the Bay and an occasional trip to the local Goodwill. In some caaes, shipping can be arranged reasonably, also that weekend trip can also be a lot of fun. They also show up here (on the Forum) on occasions but most that list are pretty "proud" of their K Horns. The discounts offered to members for Heritage speakers can sometimes be hilarious.....! Believe me, you will be able to find a very nice set in your budget range. It is not unherd of for them to sell in the thousand dollar range but the stars must be aligned perfectly. W. C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 jwc, I will try to answer some of your questions: Now on to the questions 1. Unless I stumble on a special circunstance I how much more (on average) should I expect to pay for Cherry on the open market compared to other finishes (assuming same year and config)? You will be hard pressed to find a Cherry set Veneer What finishes best lend themselves to a Veneer job?Usually back to the basic birch they were built out of. Most veneers lend themselves to refinishing very nicely if it has not been attempted. remember, most veneers are very thin and you stand the chance of sanding through it if it has been attempted before. 2. Does Veneer, the quality of the supplies, or the craftmanship have any effect on the sound? None what so ever....... 3. What are the main steps taken in a Veneer job? There are several great sites that offer instructions and detailed explinations, I will list them at the end 4. Can you veneer directly on top of other finishes or other Veneers. Yes, as long as you do the prep work to make the finish ready to accept the veneer 5. Are there certain configurations / years that are easier to Veneer than others No, not really, usually the unfinished "Raw" birch are easier to work with but the prep is usually the same, all of the base, lacquer, oil or whatever they were finished with must be neutralized to get a good bond with the veneer glue 6. If I decide to take on this veneer thing it will be a one off. In that light, if I take my time (assuming that I am a proficient DIY-er) can I expect high quality results on the first try ot is it something that requires practice and experience. In this case I would like to get feedback from folks that had good or bad results on thier first veneer experience. I doubt that anyone had true great experience on their first attempt at veneering. It is something that takes time, precision and most people get in a hurry and get disappointed with the results. If you have patience, the ability to learn and listen to others, you should not have any trouble with veneering your speakers. Don't get me wrong, K Horns are a massive projects and it takes a great amoint of tiime in choosing what you want to use, laying out the grain patterns and cutting the pieces. You will learn to do a LOT of test samples. Just d not try to rush it and you should be fine. it can also get very expensive as some of the Exotic woods are pretty pricey 7. Are there web sites or books on Veneering that are recommended. Here is a list of sites, no particular order...Have Fun Reading: http://www.veneeronline.com/folio.aspx http://www.veneersupplies.com/default.php?cPath=51 http://www.oakwoodveneer.com/ http://www.marwoodveneer.com/index.html http://www.certainlywood.com/ http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/hardwoods/exotic_hardwoods/exotic_wood/snakewood_lumber/snakewood.html 8. Is Vennering a word? I have NO clue I hope the above information will set you on your journey. There are litterly thousands of combination that you can choose and a couple of the above sites lets you "play" with what the particular patterns will look like. Have fun......!!!!!! W. C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 WC!!!!!! What a great response!!! Thanks a ton! I thought that I might end up doing some vineer work and I must say that the resources presented and the knowledge base available has me far less intimidated that I was!!! My father-in-law does woodworking as a hobby (he is retired) and is very good at it. I think I can count on him to help me with accurate cutting of the Veneer. We get along pretty good and he likes beer so it should be an enjoyable joint venture. Question #1 Answered: If I do not find a Cherry set with a preferred sonic configuration for under $2500.00 I am now prepared to purchase korns with an "other than preferred" finish for upgrade.That really broadens the market quite a bit. I will explore all of the data you provided as well as that from other post and move on to question #2 in about a week (I still about 2 months before I can start looking) Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandoyen Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 pwc, Regarding veneering, Greg can be a great resource (forum name greg928gts), he's very knowledgeable in that area. He can tweak a khorn to no end (see pic below). He's done some beautiful work IMO. Great info by WC as well. Regarding cherry Khorns...funny thing. I see that you're not far from me. I'm up in Lancaster, and bought a brand new set of cherry khorns earlier in the year that will be going to my father for his xmas/58th-60th bday present []. He has no idea, this is gonna be an AWESOME holiday season. He's wanted these for decades. As of now, however, they're sitting unopened, NIB in my living room. I have nothing to drive them with currently that would do them justice. I moved right before deploying and am still unpacking the house. My entire component setup is at my fathers home in TX. While deployed I had stuff stored/shipped to his home for guarenteed safe-keeping. Bottom line, I'm going to TX for leave throughout december and will be hauling these down to TX. I'll definitely be passing through that way. If you're interested, we can hook them up to what you've got and give you a taste of what you can expect with the most modern xovers/finish etc...and you can see what cherry khorns will look like in your home. Offer's open. Happy to help a fellow music-lover, and welcome to the forum! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwcpwc Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Dan, I would love to take you up on your offer!!! Since the speakers will be located in my front room which happens to feed into my dining room we could listen while chowing down on some serious steaks or seafood. This would also let my wife see how good my finished product could look which in turn might help get her past the initial scare that might show up with some old beat up birch horns. Assuming you are AirForce living in lancaster??? I was in the Navy back in the day. I'll email you with contact info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Welcome to the forum. I know what it's like to want something like that. I was smitten with desire for a pair of Khorns back in 1979. I finally slapped myself in approximately 2004/2005 and bought a pair off a forum member (drove 12 hours one way to Chicago to bring them home) You sound like you'll fit right in. Thanks for your Service [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandoyen Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Dan, I would love to take you up on your offer!!! Sorry for the delayed response, job got really hectic last couple of days. Yes you are correct in assuming I'm Air Force. I'm a flight test engineer up at Edwards. Steaks/seafood is awesome. Giant fan of both. Will send you more info via PM and we can get this thing rolling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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