Early Klipschorn Build

[John Warren]

I was looking at the Klipsch Museum FB page and happened across this photo of a very early build that shows the reinforcement tabs that stiffen the horn side wall opposite the woofer access.  What's interesting (to me) is that I was not aware that Klipsch ever made horns with the tabs.  I have plans here that show the tabs and I've built set with them (second photo).  Note that the tabs in the factory unit are formed with two vee-notches and with the plans I have, formed using three.  The notches are necessary to allow the rear chamber volume to be added to the volume within the two ski slopes at the top and bottom panels.    

 

I was told they're factory plans but I was never really sure about that.   This seems to suggest that they may actually be originals (they're D-sized blueprints, three sheets).  The plans also show the 6" wide woofer opening and use a woofer mounting panel.  In the builds I've done, I use the 3" wide opening and mount the woofer directly to the baffle board using tee-nuts.    

 

[John Warren]

[John Warren]

The addition of the tabs provides considerable stiffening to that side of the horn.  Too bad the factory decided to rev the design to eliminate them.  Seems almost silly not to do it.  But then again, the bulk of the horn today is MDF which is a real downgrade.  The build above is 1/2 and 3/4" Birch ply, the real stuff, not the Home Depot stuff.

 

I haven't built a pair of Klipsch clones in some time, the ones above were done two years ago.