dkbks Posted August 13, 2002 Share Posted August 13, 2002 Great Forums!! Can't believe I've missed this before. I purchased used Cornwalls in 1990: COD 32X021 & 22 (apparently 1982 from what I've learned here.) K33E Woofer, K51V Squawker, K77M Tweeter & B2 network. Beautiful golden oak finish cabinets. O=oak? D=?. Only modification was small casters added by first owner. I'd be interested in hearing of any possible modifications to improve the already great sound. Like many others, after years of 2-channel, I'm now looking at home theater & so am interested in possible surrounds & center that would fit with these. Music, however, would remain major interest (jazz, classical). Electronics currently Adcom & Mission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkinney Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 Welcome to the forum. You will find many Cornwall owners here. Do a search for mods and you will find many threads about horn damping and crossover mods to name a couple. As far as HT, many are using Heresy's for center and surrounds. You could also find some more Cornwalls for a matched set. HornEd in San Francisco is using all the same Legend series speakers in his HT and raves about it. Upgrades to LaScalas or K-horns are also an option. Good luck in your quest, it's addicting. Browse the board and you will find a lot of helpful people with the same interests and addictions. ------------------ Jim Family Room: 1979 La Scalas (mains), SF-2 Center (pair), RS-3 Surrounds, RC-3 Rear Center, KSW-10 Subs (pair) Yamaha RX-V1 Reciever, Yamaha CDC-655 CD Player, Toshiba SD-1200 DVD, Toshiba TN50X81 50" HDTV Living Room: Yamaha RX-V590, 1978 Klipschorns Mainsc>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted August 14, 2002 Share Posted August 14, 2002 Welcome to the BB dkbks! Your Cornwalls were made in '82 ("X" in the serial #) and the "O" is Oak quite probably. Do the speakers have grill cloth on the front of them? "D" could be for Decorator series that did not have grill cloth from the factory. The other possibility I can think of is the "D" is really an "O" for Oiled Oak which is was a popular option. jtkinney is right on for HT options. For 2 channel listening I prefer tubes! ------------------ 2 Channel System: '78 Khorns w/ALK networks Welborne Labs Moondog 2A3 amps *coming soon* Supratek Syrah preamp McIntosh MCD 7007 CDP Sony S9000ES SACD McIntosh MR-78 Tuner DIYCable Twisted Cross Connect Speaker Cable Silver Audio Hyacinth interconnects (preamp->amp) DIYCable Superlatives (CDP/SACD/->preamp) DH Labs Silver Pulse interconnects (Tuner->preamp) f> s> This message has been edited by edster00 on 08-17-2002 at 10:59 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket Posted August 17, 2002 Share Posted August 17, 2002 Big welcome neighbor. My corns are alternatly powered by solid state and tubes..No HT for me thanks..You will find info and advise generously shared here. The enthusiasm for these old speakers is truly captivating. I don' post very often, but I look in almost each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket Posted August 17, 2002 Share Posted August 17, 2002 dkbks An added note K-horns for sale in the Hartford area today on E-bay... go have a listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted August 17, 2002 Share Posted August 17, 2002 dkbks...Welcome! Good bet the COD=Cornwall Oak Decorator. Decorator Series built out of birch core cabinet grade birch, most were also butt jointed at the corners. Think no grill cloth on decorators. Seem to recall HDBRbuilder saying there may have been a limited number of special order variations (mitered joints), mostly for employees? ------------------ KLIPSCH IS MUSICf> My Systems f>s>c> This message has been edited by ShapeShifter on 08-17-2002 at 08:30 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 dkbks -- welcome to the board as well. I have Cornwalls in my HT and experimented with many centers, namely the KT-LCR (THX-rated and similar to the Academy and -C7). Sounded very nice. Then tried a lone Heresy to get some extended low end on the movie tracks. Finally I came across a lone Belle in Philly that was inexpensive ($600) and needed some love ... and that made the PERFECT center channel for me. I have Heresies on slanted risers for the rear surrounds. Basically, it is a Heritage Home Theatre and I think it sounds great for its limitation (SS-driven preamps and digital processing). Good luck. Email me if you'd like to see photos. Chris ------------------ "Bullsh*t!" -PWK- --------------------- TWO-CHANNEL SYSTEM Eico HF-81 Eico HFT-90 New Tube 4000 CD Player 1976 Klipschorns (KCBR's & ALK'ed) HOME THEATER Klipsch 1968 ALK Cornwall "II"s (LF/RF) ALK Belle Klipsch (Center) Klipsch Heresy (RR/LR) Klipsch KSW-12 sub Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Cornwalls) Sonic Frontiers Anthem AMP1 (driving Heresy's) Denon AVR-4800 Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredT Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 We have something in common. Last week I bought a pair of 1982 vintage Cornwalls with the B2 crossover. Previously I have been listening to Magnepans driven by a high power (700 w/ch dual mono) SS amp, so the Cornwalls driven by an 8 watt/ch 300B SET sound very different, mostly in the treble: there just isn't much of it, and the midrange is a bit distorted too. Then I started tweaking the crossover, replacing the original caps with Solens. To my ears this has made quite a difference - the midrange has cleared up and the treble is suddenly there, and it's crystal clear. I suspect the 20 year old original caps had deteriorated over time. This upgrade was well worth the few dollars for the Solens. If you do this upgrade, take a careful look at how the crossover is wired before you start. I got hopelessly confused doing the first speaker. Luckily I still has the second one in its original condition for reference. It seems the ground bus runs from the negative input lug to the negative woofer output lug, then to the positive sides of the horns' output lugs. That's how they get the out of phase wiring for the horns. I've ordered the parts for the ALK crossover. Some are on backorder and it'll be about a month before they arrive. I'll post my impressions of the ALK when it's installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Welcome to the forum...you speakers are COO...not COD...Cornwalls, Oak(veneered), Oiled (finish). There is no such thing as a COD...and decorator models were never made of oak plywood back then, anyway. If you find a letter "A", or two letters with the first one being an "A" stamped into the upper left side rear edge (as you face the rear of the speaker cabinets), then I built them...should be two letters side by side there...may be barely legible, though...gals in sanding room often sanded them off. Decorator models would be labelled either CBR or CDBR...for unfinished birch...OR they will be labelled CDBL or CBL for clear laquered birch...or CDB or CDBB for black painted birch. ------------------ I can now receive private messages This message has been edited by HDBRbuilder on 09-10-2002 at 09:55 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 I would suggest looking at a total Heritage lineup too for your home theatre. Heresy Center (Not Heresy II) would be great and match with what you have too. Good luck, welcome, and enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkbks Posted September 12, 2002 Author Share Posted September 12, 2002 Hey! that's great. Thnaks for all the replies. Sprocket - I'm in Hamden, work in Trumbull. 2 channel almost all the time (jazz, mainly) but DVD has sucked me in to suround. FredT - thanks for the info about the caps. Maybe eventually but right now I don't hear the issues you had. Cymbals are sharp & clear & "right there" on my jazz CDs & LPs. HDBR - Sorry, no A It would have been really something to match up with the actual builder of the pair. There is on the upper left hand corner a "T" followed by a couple of inches down an "O". Mean anything to you? Also the type is definitely not COO. I probably misread the handwriting, it looks more like COL. The veneer is definitely oak, the corners are mitered. Anything large is pretty much a no-go for center or surrounds. Although the room is fairly large (33' long), furniture, fireplace, doorways, etc. prevent use of the bigger speakers. (I doubt that the wife would go along either.) I hope eventually to use Heresy's for center & surrounds Is anyone familiar with the article from Speaker Builder of 3/89 by Roger Floth called "Equalizing the Klipsch Cornwall"? It describes cabinet modications and I was wondering if anyone has tried them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkbks Posted September 27, 2002 Author Share Posted September 27, 2002 Sprocket, HDBR, etc. any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted September 27, 2002 Share Posted September 27, 2002 DKBKS, I have not personally seen that article, but I would like to. Heresys will go just fine with those Cornwalls for surrounds....keep it Heritage!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted September 28, 2002 Share Posted September 28, 2002 I think COL means Cornwall, Oak, Lacquered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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