Indy tour????

[IndyKlipschFan]

As I pass the new headquarters in Indianapolis, IN on the NW side of town I smile. My little company that I have known since I was in my youth is here. I wonder what goes on behind those walls??? Do they test speakers here? Do they give tours??

I guess I never really saw myself going to Hope, AK... But now that it is here... Do they have any plans to have a customer appreciation day? or tours?? Maybe if we ask politely they will have a Klipsch open house for us this spring or summer?? Would you go if they did??

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On me... (If you care to read further)

When I was 14 I heard my first pair of K horns. That was IT for me. You can argue specs your whole life on anything electronic... At the end of the day, for me especially, when it comes to speakers...Did it MOVE you in a way that you liked what you heard? Did the recording seem lifelike? Anyone listening to the great sound out of K horns HAS to know this experience!!!!!

I certainly do not need to explain this to Klipsch people, who are fans, we all somehow felt something that attracted us to this great company.

At 16 I bought a pair of Heresy's (I worked hard all summer earning $720. dollars..the Heresy's cost me $680. In college, I bought a pair of Cornwalls. I later eventually bought a house and finally bought a pair of Klipsch Horns. (Yes, before major furniture purchases too. LOL)

The Home Theater now is a KV3 center channel and the K horns as L+R main channels for dvd's video, and cable TV channels. I have a Yamaha DSPA2070 amp/Av unit.Yamaha EQ70, Yamaha Tuner, cassette, and a new Sony DVD player. I have 4 kg 1.5's to round out the surround speakers (Yamaha uses a 7 channel l+r front effects channel too.) I still have the Cornwalls in another room with the Heresy's. Needless to say, I love them all for different reasons. Like many others, I look at ebay for another dream pick of some birch raw Cornwalls in good condition for $500-800. Hey the "blue book" at my stereo store has these at $350- $425 a pair. (WE all know that is next to impossible to get.)

Well, enough for now... Reply if you like the idea of an open house or tour..Thanks

[PhilH]

IndyKlipschFan:

Right now all you'd see are our marvelous cubicles we toil in day in and out. Not much else here to look at. Once the building is finished I'm sure it will be a lot more exciting...stay tuned.

[Guest BobG]

The Klispch HQ, as Phil said, is not fully presentable to the public. Soon, Grasshopper, soon. Two anechoic chambers (one an exact replica of the one in Hope with the patented revolving door to test Khorns in a chamber), full engineering and product development facilities, on and on. It's going to be state of the art.

There will be a time when we would consider entertaining the faithful here. Till then, smile as you drive around 465. We're in here being dynamic.

BTW, where did you buy your Heritage speakers?

[Guest BobG]

In case you wondered...

[mwiener]

Bob,

Count me in on a tour when you arrange it. I can get there in 90 minutes, less if I have to.

You still want to trade K-Horns for stock options. Maybe the options will be worth something by the time you have the tour.

Mike.

[boa12]

hey that section w/ the klipsch emblem looks like a big cornwall w/ the port on the bottom & all maybe they should paint a grill on there

[IndyKlipschFan]

FYI, I use(...) as a way for you to pause when reading. Knowing this helps.

You asked what the history and where/when I purchased my Klipsch Speakers.

My first Heresy's were purchased at a defunct store in the Nora Plaza Shopping Center.(Crazy Larry's/ Stereo City ... or something like that??) I was sooo green. These, for some reason do not have consecutive numbers..As I have been told later... meaning they do NOT match somehow as Klipsch are supposed too. (99u342 and 99u337) Again, I worked all summer...$1.85-2 dollars per hour if you can appreciate this...At a gas station..(People were supposed to tip at a full service station...they never did, of course.)<When was the last time you, or anyone you know did?> But, the owner said people would. I worked in the rain a lot that summer getting soaked ... so people could stay dry inside their cars when I pumped their gas, checked their oil, replaced wiper blades, windshield fluid etc. At times, the job really sucked. People drove off and didn't pay, ( which I had to make up of course)> And being only 16-going on 17 it was about the only full time Job I could get besides cutting laws..., etc., etc., ( Good lesson... Go to College so you NEVER have to work at a gas station, or have to re live that experience again.) I had the picture of those Heresy's on the family refridgerator and that daily motivation of WHY I was working, helped.

The Cornwalls were purchased from a nightclub that the owner was replacing with other speakers in Bloomington, IN (Jakes). They were on top of the bar structure up 15 feet in the air turned sideways. They were really untouched except for perhaps years of smoke and dust. They are numbers 9p109 and 9p112. Who knows when they were made?? This is my only really great "used" purchase. I got the pair for $200.00. The tweeters were blown, and one woofer was shot. I needed black grills for the fronts to make them suitable and look like "home" speakers. The Cornwall speakers were birch raw. While old, with some very careful, very fine hand sanding, ...I got them to look fantastic... I was able to get them replaced to company specs getting my parts through an Authorized Klipsch dealer..(Sound Pro in Carmel, IN) They were dropped by you later in Indiana (After someone wanted to see Klipsch speakers at their store and was directed to another speaker line ...or someone said they thought Klipsch sucked...I never got the whole story. The gentleman that asked, I was told later, was a relative of, or worked for Klipsch, Woops..LOL, and got Sound Pro as a dealer fired in favor of Ovation Audio. I know Ovation is a better relationship for you too...Larger, more stores, etc.) But Sound Pro is where I ordered the parts.

The Klipsch Horns were purchased at Sound Pro just before you dropped them to go with Ovation Audio only in Indianapolis. They were brand new. My "BABIES" that I had always dreamed of my whole life. They have consecutive numbers in an oiled oak finish. (Fantastic even to this day) I have all the original packing materials, boxes, having saved everything, including literature in the fall of 1989. I bought them 1 day after I took possession of my house. LOL

The remaining 4 kg 1.5's and the KV3 Center channel ( oiled oak) as well as other Yamaha and Sony gear all bought at OVATION here in Indy through Greg Mays. He is a great guy, knowledgeable about Klipsch, and I am sure in the future will get more Klipsch purchases from me and others I have referred to him at Ovation.

I have a signed picture of Paul next to a k horn when he visited Indianapolis many years ago. I also have a pocket knife that has "Stolen from Paul W. Klipsch" on it.

And actually feel I started the dream before he knew (Fred who was a neighbor)what Great speakers Klipsch were. Imagine me, at 15, telling Fred Klipsch... Who I new had to be a relation...That this company from Arkansas in a tiny town called Hope, was just fantastic. I gave him ads, talked like Klipsch was the "Holy Grail" and to be honest at the time, he didn't know too much about Klipsch in 1977-1976. Hey, I was the neighborhood kid on a bicycle trying to ask questions about a company far far away from Indy. Fred is a distant relationship to Paul, yes.. but not close like a son of Paul that grew up knowing about everything about Klipsch for instance. ( If paul had such a son..I do not know if Paul had kids in the business.)

I know Klipsch made speakers later in Mexico.. Some of the quality in some lines..well..lets be honest..were not so good. In my opinion, they compromised the Name and sound... and looks wise had nothing in common with the original line.

I can say, now ... you have once again turned this company around. Those that have the Heritage line smile and LOVE to show off our babies... Especially when people say OMG look at how big that thing is...( K horns)LOL. But the newest line does sound great, looks great, and I feel for most people that do not want a huge box... These new lines are, in fact, the future for Klipsch. I hope this gives you what you wanted. I am, like I am sure a lot of people are on here... A walking, talking, beaming billboard for your fine company. I only wish you the best. If you know any info on the Heresy's or Cornwalls as far as when they were made, I would appreciate it too.

Thanks, and glad your here in Indy too.

[boa12]

indy, the Fred who bought the co. is the indianalopis businessman cousin of paul.

must be the same one eh?

anyway, here's the serial # letter key for the year of make for your klipsch in those years.

1962 A

1963 B

1964 C

1965 D

1966 E

1967 F

1968 G

1969 H

1970 I

1971 J

1972 K

1973 L

1974 M

1975 N

1976 P

1977 R

1978 S

1979 T

1980 U

1981 W

1982 X

1983 Y

so your heresy's are 1980s, etc.

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RF-3 (front), RC-3, Cornwall I (rear)

Velodyne HGS-18 sub

Monsterbass 400 sub interconnects & Monster Z-12 cable

Sony de935 a/v receiver

Sony DVP-C650D dvdp

Sony Trinitron 27" tv

Technics dual cassette deck

Technics direct drive turntable

Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 digital cable box

rock on!

[PhilH]

IndyKlipschFan:

Thanks for the history. I'm going to go nuts trying to think about that stereo store in Nora Plaza though. I've lived here forever and grew up a mile north of there and can't ever remember a stereo store there..it's the little things that drive us nuts.

[Guest JimG]

I have to side with Phil on this one. I've lived here all of my life and I never remember a stereo shop in Nora Plaza. I do however remember when the post office was a movie theater and a disgruntled employee set fire to the place and burned it up!

I have to ask you, who was your salesman at SoundPro? I worked there for 4 years. I was the manager there before I left to come work for Klipsch. I may even know you - if I knew your name. My biggest customer at SoundPro lives three doors down from Fred Klipsch. It was pretty odd standing in his kitchen breaking the news that I was leaving SoundPro to go work for Klipsch when he says "You mean Fred Klipsch?" He pointed out the window across the water and said "He lives right there!". You have the story about SP losing the line about right BTW. I have no idea who the salesman was that put his foot in his mouth though - that was before my time there.

Jim

[IndyKlipschFan]

Well, if you remember the Sunoco Gas station in Nora...( Now a Burger King) It had three self-service bays for car washing... two gas islands, with two pumps each, and of course 1 person to run the whole thing. The job was not impossible.. just a little hectic and totally unfair for a HS kid to be open at 6 am and close at 10PM... Those were long a** days. But hey, I had a Dream...to own some Klipsch speakers and worked towards it.

I am now, after your doubts, fuzzy and re thinking my thoughts to where the store was. I still believe it was in Nora Plaza and still see in my mind Crazy Larry's or Stereo City, Stereo Advantage? It may have been Crazy Larry's cause they also had a sister store next to Lafayette SQ. where I took them to be tested by the test equipment on a "Klipsch Day" They put a white noise/sound wave through the speaker and printed out the results. The idea was to see if what you paid for was what your speaker was putting out too. ( A pretty good marketing ploy... You see where your speakers suck...and then go in and buy some good ones..LOL.) This is where I learned I had speakers out of consecutive serial numbers off a few.

I also got to meet Paul W. Klipsch and get the literature on the whole line and get him to sign it. ( He said you want me to sign this 8x10 product brochure of a K-Horn? I said sure I had his Heresy brochure on my kitchen refrigerator until I saved enough for them.. Why not keep my mind on the real dream with the K horns? He said as I was leaving ... looking at me... This kid so proud to meet his hero of the speaker audio world. (Think the "mean" Joe Green Coke commercial here) ...reaching into his pocket.. "Here," he said, "This is for you" And handed me a pocket knife kinda nail thing...It was chrome plated with a small knife and a nail file too that had a flat screw driver head at the end of the file. It said, "Stolen from Paul Klipsch." LOL I used that thing for years splitting speaker wire, turning the screws to lock down my + - Connections on the back of my speakers. I was in horror someone would see the writing on it and actually find out maybe I had something stolen. It wasn't until later I found they made these probably by the boatload as giveaways... To me it was priceless.LOL

It may have been, now as I type this... the original Hi Fi Buys at 37 and 62nd street... but my mind still says it was in Nora.. ( at 39 the mind, I guess, starts to slip..LOL)

As a funny story on Hi Fi Buys, I once found the doors not locked and open with no alarm set on a Saturday night when Victor was going with the whole store staff to an employee wedding in Louisville, KY. In the haste of closing just a little early and in a rush. They had left the store open. I walked in... and had that eerie feeling that something was wrong... I went next door to the Pharmacy and called the police and waited outside for them to come. They pulled their guns on me...Scared me to death as I was saying, "Hey, I called you..." I was cuffed, read my rights, till after pleading with them to ask the pharmacist who verified my story and I got the "Well, we apologize" routine. I was just doing the right thing... With all that Nakamichi, Yamaha, Infinity, the "expensive" stuff of the day right there...

I was just being honest, and trying to protect the store. After all, these "guys" (salesmen) were my "friends." We traded stereo stories, memorizing specs, which of course, made you a "constipated intellectual" LOL, about hi fi gear... They were willing to put up with a 15 -16 yr. old kid coming in and 90% of the time "just looking."

I know my 1.85-2.00 per hour and the $680.00 on the Heresy's purchase price was correct. At $680.00, even rounding it to $1.93 an hour..LOL, that's 352.33 hours! OK, That is silly, but again true. In other words, yes! I dreamed about, worked for, ate, and slept Klipsch.

At SoundPro the salesman was Jim Swearagin. He now works custom installation for Escient/Tom Doherty doing custom installs in Home theaters. He is a very class act guy. I had fun working with Jim, designing my parents dedicated home theater room at their house several years ago.

I also went to movies in Nora...The kids father that owned them lived just off of Dean Road. Although he was a child friend, he was bored with movies growing up with Mom and Dad having the theater. I, however, loved to watch movies... it didn't matter what they were, so I got to see the projectionist office, and how they spliced the films, and get fresh popcorn and a large drink... for free..LOL . In the late 60's early 70's the Disney, Jerry Lewis type stuff, was great on Sat afternoons.

Fred Klipsch used to live down the street from me. I lived just north of 65th and Sherman, on Sherman Circle. I am sure if you were at Sound Pro you would recognize me too. I was always one of those kids that attended the private good customer nights...( freebies on CD's, Stereo discounts) I can remember when "The big guy" had his little snotty nose kid getting into everything...and the little snotty nose kid grew up and became an "all right guy" and took over for dad, and is running the store on 96th street for Sound Pro. I wish someone else carried Klipsch in this market in Indy just to have someplace else to compare prices, and or get a second opinion listening to different models, etc., etc., too.

[PhilH]

Indy:

We have had to run into each other at some point in our parallel lives. My Dad used to fill his prized 61' Chrysler 300 up with high octane at that Sunoco before many trips to the original Burger Chef down the road. If you ever were in a Highland or HHGregg you'd recognize me as one of the stressed-out managers.

PhilH

[IndyKlipschFan]

I did have a few great days at the gas station though. Working 8 hrs either 6 am to 2 pm or 2 pm to 10 pm. Women would come in with very low cut blouses or bikini tops just to tease me.(Or it sure seemed that way..LOL) Once a woman even drove up to the full service bay with a very short skirt on and no panties...LOL. Another time in the car wash, these seniors at North Cental High School, had a water fight in the car wash area and got totally soaked too. You can imagine what a wet T shirt on a 18 yr old woman with no bra in HS, in some tight daisy duke shorts, does to a Jr in HS boy ... especially on a hot day..LOL...

While these are NOT "Dear Penthouse" letters stuff...They did make the days seem not quite so long. Again, the goal was to work hard to get the Heresy's. Thanks for your comments I am curious what everyone else did to get their first pair of Klipsch speakers and what sacrifices you did too???

We "Klipsch Fanatics", would make a great Psychological study. I know my 352 hrs @1.93 an hour has to seem today, like a crazy fool. But the key is, I still have them, as well as a pair of Cornwalls and a pair of Klipschorns too. You do not need to throw away Great speakers if you buy quality the first time around. I think ...well, I know..I made the right choice with Klipsch.

[IndyKlipschFan]

I have no idea where this audio journey will go.

It is great to meet you online, and hopefully someday I can build a Home Theater with Klipsch speakers to share with everyone.

I really have a passion for all things Klipsch!

Roger