Barnoah Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Hello, Can you guys help me identify these Klipschorns? This picture is all I really have. I am assuming they are vintage from early 70's maybe??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtr20 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 It's tough to identify with the serial tags or a picture of the crossovers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Paul W. Klipsch launched the Klipschorn loudspeaker in 1946. It (really) doesn't look much different today. Need a shot of the backside to guess the age. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YK Thom Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 On 2017-09-11 at 4:47 PM, djk said: Paul W. Klipsch launched the Klipschorn loudspeaker in 1946. It (really) doesn't look much different today. Need a shot of the backside to guess the age. Very neat old pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnoah Posted September 15, 2017 Author Share Posted September 15, 2017 On 9/11/2017 at 10:53 AM, Barnoah said: Hello, Can you guys help me identify these Klipschorns? This picture is all I really have. I am assuming they are vintage from early 70's maybe??? Turns out they are from 1963 and are type K-D-FR with type K-5-J horns....they sold at a local estate sale for $3500.00... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 Doesn't look like a Decorator model. I guess someone might have enclosed the tops, but I doubt that. Also doesn't look like Fir veneer, but that could have been altered too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 the label says everything KD-FR = Klipschorn Decorator - Fir Raw #1 - somebody added the spacer to make them from KD to KB #2 - somebody added the veneer and the grill cloth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Budman said: the label says everything KD-FR = Klipschorn Decorator - Fir Raw #1 - somebody added the spacer to make them from KD to KB #2 - somebody added the veneer and the grill cloth I agree. They did a nice job, but, IMO, not a $3,500 nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 2 hours ago, Budman said: the label says everything KD-FR = Klipschorn Decorator - Fir Raw #1 - somebody added the spacer to make them from KD to KB #2 - somebody added the veneer and the grill cloth Good eye. I missed the label photo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davecv41 Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 2 hours ago, DizRotus said: I agree. They did a nice job, but, IMO, not a $3,500 nice job. There may have been a bid war over them, we'll never know. Someone definitely wanted them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullzilla Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Actually, I bought these and just got them situated and hooked up last night. I got them for 2500 which was the reserve on them. And yes, I definitely wanted them. Now since I'm a complete newb to these speakers does anyone have advice on basic maintenance or upgrades that I should be looking at? I did enjoy the fact that the previous owners had them wired up with basic brown lamp wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullzilla Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 What I was told at the estate sale was that the previous owner had owned an audio store and had bought these new. From this thread and a bit more reading I can see that at the very least the cabinets were added post-purchase. At some point the back plywood was also spray-painted black. they left the labels unpainted, but there is considerable overspray on the labels that makes them a bit tough to read. Can one of you give me some pointers on exactly where to look for the stamped serial numbers? The labels on the bass cabinets give the serial numbers as 1722 and 1723, the squawkers are both K-5-J, serial numbers 1891 and 1894, and the tweeters are K 55V's serial numbers 2898 and 2909. Does all this seem consistent? if these are FrankenSpeakers I'd rather know up front. one thing that has me curious is the component on the crossover shown below - it has a test date of April 10, 1945. Does that make sense? I've also upped a shot of the side of the mid-range horn showing a lot of tiny holes that occur on both speakers. Any help with any of this would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 It is my understanding that Klipsch used war surplus capacitors in the early balancing networks (crossovers), so that "APR 10 45" test date is not surprising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 1 hour ago, nullzilla said: What I was told at the estate sale was that the previous owner had owned an audio store and had bought these new. From this thread and a bit more reading I can see that at the very least the cabinets were added post-purchase. At some point the back plywood was also spray-painted black. they left the labels unpainted, but there is considerable overspray on the labels that makes them a bit tough to read. Can one of you give me some pointers on exactly where to look for the stamped serial numbers? The labels on the bass cabinets give the serial numbers as 1722 and 1723, the squawkers are both K-5-J, serial numbers 1891 and 1894, and the tweeters are K 55V's serial numbers 2898 and 2909. Does all this seem consistent? if these are FrankenSpeakers I'd rather know up front. one thing that has me curious is the component on the crossover shown below - it has a test date of April 10, 1945. Does that make sense? I've also upped a shot of the side of the mid-range horn showing a lot of tiny holes that occur on both speakers. Any help with any of this would be greatly appreciated! the tweeters are not K-55V's as you say in your post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullzilla Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 1 hour ago, Budman said: the tweeters are not K-55V's as you say in your post One more demonstration of my cluelessness about these speakers and their inner workings. I realized after that I was looking at the actual mid-range or squawker. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 21 minutes ago, nullzilla said: One more demonstration of my cluelessness about these speakers and their inner workings. I realized after that I was looking at the actual mid-range or squawker. I noticed you had them hooked up, did you supply any power to them? Do they sound ok? Your impressions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullzilla Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 I replaced the lamp cord with Audioquest Rocket 33 cable - had to remove the blade connector supplied because it was too big to fit on the crossover screw. Just got them hooked up last night, and put on Genesis' Seconds Out. Listened through to the end and had to resist the urge to crank them way up as it was after midnight. The sound was very clean and revealing - I could hear minute bits I'd missed before and the soundstage is very good, although I suspect it will get better as I learn to work with these behemoths. The speakers were as good as I'd hoped they would be. I wanted to test them with Seconds Out because the bass at the end of their live show is amazing. When I closed my eyes I could pinpoint the location of each musician and hear everything exactly as I recalled them. I'm looking forward to putting on some acoustic jazz as well as a couple of favorite classical pieces tonight and will update tomorrow. I'm using a Philips FA-80 integrated amp in Class A mode with a Yamaha CD player. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 1 hour ago, nullzilla said: One more demonstration of my cluelessness about these speakers and their inner workings. I realized after that I was looking at the actual mid-range or squawker. What tweeter does it have? In those days it might have been a T35 from Electrovoice, or a T35 specially selected for good performance, designated as a Klipsch K77, perhaps with a PWK written on it. I think this tweeter started to be used in 1957. Both this tweeter and the midrange driver are very similar to the ones used in the Klipschorn today. The biggest difference is the crossover network and the K-5-J midrange horn. I would listen to them as they are now for a month or two, then change the capacitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 My K-5-J, number 1272 is dated Dec 1956. From a Document also located in 2-channel, "July 29, 1955 was the last day for the four digit serials (i.e. 1811). After that the "number- letter-serial" system went into effect (2 August 1955). The first "number-letter-serial" speaker was produced on the 2nd of August 1955; that serial number was 1A812." So, they are pre-1955. I'm gonna guess 1954. Jim Hunter has access to the original log books. Find him in the Ask The Historian section. I'm also going to say they were upgraded with the "newer" K-5-J without the "boats" or directional vanes near the throat the earliest K-5's had. Which woofer do they have? What a pair of gems you have!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullzilla Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 18 hours ago, garyrc said: What tweeter does it have? In those days it might have been a T35 from Electrovoice, or a T35 specially selected for good performance, designated as a Klipsch K77, perhaps with a PWK written on it. I think this tweeter started to be used in 1957. Both this tweeter and the midrange driver are very similar to the ones used in the Klipschorn today. The biggest difference is the crossover network and the K-5-J midrange horn. After much reading and then some fiddling with a screwdriver to remove the top hat, it turns out to be a K77 with the PWK logo on it. I can't get a clear pic of the back for posting but the S/N appears to be 1882. The midrange horn appears to be made of plywood sides and a molded composite like fiberglass (?), and there are a couple of ripples back near the driver. The ripples appear to be a part of the design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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