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Happy/Sad introduction to the Klipschorn family


AHall

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Hello everyone. I have been enjoying my RF-82ii, RC-52, RB-51, SW-115 system for nearly 5 years now. This system sounded better than anything I had ever heard so I have been very pleased with it. I especially enjoy women's vocals and a brighter sound. 

 

I got a wild hair from boredom 1 1/2 months ago and looked on the local Craigslist for "klipsch". To my great surprise an ad for some vintage klipschorns popped up. They looked to be in gorgeous condition with a cane grille set. I live in a rural area and was very surprised to see it. I couldn't believe the price of $1800 or the fact they were still posted available after 17days. 

 

After talking to the owner i was disheartened to find out I couldn't listen to them or pick them up for a week due to him being out of town. I went into a frenzy once I learned they were available. Immediately started hitting this forum and learning more knowledge of the legendary PWK history. 

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A few days later the seller sends me a picture of a speaker. I said that isn't a klipschorn. He seemed to have forgotten to tell me that the photo in the ad wasn't the actual speaker. The speakers were at a friends house being stored and he didn't have a picture of them. So for the add he pulled a google image. And couldn't find a klipschorn that looked identical to the ones he had. 

 

At this point I was rather heart broken and disgusted. I went to the Facebook klipsch owners page with pictures of the speakers and in no time some of the more knowledgeable members told me they were a 1968 klipschorn black fur decorator series that had been "finished". And they weren't worth much like that. 

 

Well i I went to check them out and they didn't look bad from 10ft away, but whoever closed in the tops did not due a factory or professional job. At this point I was ready to not even give them a listen. 

 

Shortly after the guy hooked them up to a audiomat arpege tube amp. WOW I was completely blown away. I had never heard music like this before. It was a life changing event. 

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So anyway I had amped myself up so high  at this point I couldn't NOT own them. I managed to get him to reduce the price to $1700 and bought his like new Yamaha rx-a1030 receiver($1200 new) for $400. I think I got a fair deal, but not the excellent deal I thought I was getting. Anywho I've been enjoying the speakers very much. 

 

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B63AFA77-EB00-4349-9B9E-8D2B8246EFEA_zpsThey sounded a little flat in my house hooked to the Yamaha. So I ordered some bob crites ct120 tweeters, a55g mid drivers, and new type A crossovers. I also sealed them to the wall with pipe insulation. I still didn't get the desired sound I was looking for so I just ordered a bob Latino st70 tube amp kit. I'm sure that will help fulfill the missing sound from the demo. I'll likely pull the Crites mids and tweeters back out and listen to them the way PWK intended me to for a while. 

 

I intend on converting my new Frankenstein decorators to a "B" cabinet with a riser. Also putting an exotic veneer on them. And more than likely closing in the backs like a 60th and 70th anniversary model. Luckily the finish job was done poorly enough that I think everything they added will peel right off. It currently is fitting quite loose. Which is a good thing to not have the original cabinet damaged by removal. 

 

Ill add more pictures later. I'm still getting used to this format and am in a limit cell service area to upload to Photobucket. 

 

All in all I'm very proud to have these speakers in my protection and intend to make them all they can be. I'm still a little upset about not recieving the beauties in the first picture though. 

Edited by AHall
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Im still getting everything situated. I had to rearrange my living room to utilize my corners. And of course I'm in the middle of a remodel. I removed some walls. Which in hindsight didn't help my new listening room. 

 

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Welcome to the forum Mr. Hall.  May I call you "A?"   I'm Dave.  B)

 

Your speakers are from 1968 and you got a reasonable price on them.  We don't see many Khorns from the 60's, the only other pair I have on record were from 1964 and sold for $1900.

 

I like the pictures and the Khorns look placed very well.  The only thing I see with the pics of your couches is there is no main listening position (MLP).  It would be nice if you could get a couch right in the center.  I have a weird angular living room and I don't have a MLP either.  Sometimes you don't have many options.

 

 

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15 minutes ago, ssh said:

Congrats, AHall, & Great post!

SSH

 

Thank you sir! 

 

25 minutes ago, 1HOHDude said:

Are you by chance in the Lone Star state?

 

I'm in west Colorado 

 

21 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

Welcome to the forum Mr. Hall.  May I call you "A?"   I'm Dave.  B)

 

Your speakers are from 1968 and you got a reasonable price on them.  We don't see many Khorns from the 60's, the only other pair I have on record were from 1964 and sold for $1900.

 

I like the pictures and the Khorns look placed very well.  The only thing I see with the pics of your couches is there is no main listening position (MLP).  It would be nice if you could get a couch right in the center.  I have a weird angular living room and I don't have a MLP either.  Sometimes you don't have many options.

 

 

Nice to meet you Dave. You may call me what you please. If "A" doesn't tickle your fancy feel free to call me Adam. 

 

Now that ive rearranged the living room I am planning on getting rid on my 3 person couch(left), move my 2 person couch(right ) into the center, and get 2 recliners for either side of it. When I do my listening I usually kneel in between the two couches. Hard on my knees, but love hurts right? 

 

18 minutes ago, derrickdj1 said:

Congrats and welcome to the forum.  You went straight to the top of the food chain in speakers.  Enjoy!

 

I feel I made the correct choice. Could have been another decade before I found a set 10miles away! I'm kind of looking forward to redoing them anyway. 

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I also might add that I had a small world moment with these. The seller received them from his girlfriends grandfather, which he took care of for the last year before he passed away. The old man had 3 identical sets of these. And all "finished" in this manner I believe. He was a wealthy physicist that did a lot of inventing on older military communications. He also played a large part in setting the spacing on fm radio dials. I'm not sure what that means, but it is what I'm told. 

 

So the small world moment is my coworker is married to the daughter of this man(original owner). He has one of the 3 sets in his garage. Their daughter was dating the guy I bought them from. And I now learned the third set has been sold to a man in Texas. 

 

As you can tell I've really taken an interest in the history of these speakers. Learned a new respect for vintage items, as they tell such a fantastic story of their travels through time. 

 

Im 29 years old and my new beloved khorns are 20 years older. And sound much better might I add. 

 

Its been a great month learning of Paul's history. I think one of my favorite parts is the story of why the "Belle" was created. 

 

Normal everyday man without the vast technology we have today just hit a homerun! Totally amazing to me. 

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The word is to "enjoy".    Also do the experiments.    Audio is amazingly frustrating at times but just keep experimenting.    In my case I have spent over a year on a new theater and it is just now coming together.    In my case the thing that made the most significant improvement was my hanging pictures all over the walls.    The next most significant was the addition of a second throw rug on top of the existing carpet immediately in front of the speakers.     

 

TSCM's on a 9.1 Marantz.    Usually listen to music in stereo. 

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I don't have the patience to wait forever on a speaker.  I look at it  as if it took four or five months to find to save $100 bucks, how much enjoyment I missed out on.  Sometimes we can get everything at rock bottom pricing, just win more battles than you loose and things will work out.  To much delayed gratification and you will miss out on some things.

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Welcome, and good story.

If I had to guess I would think it didn't sound the way you expected  because of the Yamaha, I like Yamaha but some can sound kind of flat, or lifeless. Imo

 

I like the idea of closing in the backs like you said, this will allow you to point them a little better in your room which should help.

 

You  now have new crossovers so I would say don't change anything else on the speakers except for cosmetics, you should be ready to go.

 

Have fun

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I had house shoes just like yours but a dog chewed up the right shoe. I noticed in your picture that the one house shoe looked like a left. Is the right one available and in new condition? What size are they?

 

Oh, great find. Hope you enjoy them. And welcome here.

 

Keith

 

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