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When is a Klipsch no longer a Klipsch?


DizRotus

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1 hour ago, oscarsear said:

No doubt Paul Klipsch desired to bring a high quality speaker at a reasonable price point and would have no trouble with his concepts being modified at will and still carrying his signature in the essential spirit of a horn based speaker.

 

I wouldn't bet on it.....!!!

 

All horn based loudspeakers aren't equal and he even referred to some of his past designs as failures.

 

miketn 

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1 minute ago, mikebse2a3 said:

 

I wouldn't bet on it.....!!!

 

All horn based loudspeakers aren't equal and he even referred to some of his past designs as failures.

 

miketn 

 

---- And we know Roy's thoughts on OE Klipsch designs that have been modified with aftermarket horn assembly's. I've heard him say - 

"it's no longer a Klipsch speaker". 

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1 hour ago, richieb said:

 

---- And we know Roy's thoughts on OE Klipsch designs that have been modified with aftermarket horn assembly's. I've heard him say - 

"it's no longer a Klipsch speaker". 

I didn't say that.....paul did!!!  You can fool yourself and try to make yourself feel ok with messing up a klipsch speaker.....well good for you. But it's no longer a klipsch speaker. PERIOD.   Carry on. 

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12 minutes ago, Chief bonehead said:

I didn't say that.....paul did!!!  You can fool yourself and try to make yourself feel ok with messing up a klipsch speaker.....well good for you. But it's no longer a klipsch speaker. PERIOD.   Carry on. 

 

You sure you didn't say something like this in Hope? If not I imagine you might well think it --?

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29 minutes ago, Chief bonehead said:

I didn't say that.....paul did!!!  You can fool yourself and try to make yourself feel ok with messing up a klipsch speaker.....well good for you. But it's no longer a klipsch speaker. PERIOD.   Carry on. 

I am always appreciative of you coming on the Forums to offer your opinion, or to let us know what Paul said.  Most of us never had the opportunity to meet him, but thanks to you, I feel like I know him a little better.

 

Thank you.

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Minor tweaks to the crossover and updated parts that are from the Klipsch parts bin, IMO keep it a Klipsch speaker though not a Klipsch design.  There is a difference.

 

Swapping a crossover in k-horns from an AA to AK doesn't cause the k-horn to not be a k-horn anymore.   Just not original but people purchasing Klipsch originals would likely not care since many of the parts are the same that change just moves the k-horn up the ladder of time/vintage.

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Some very interesting replies.  I agree completely that when selling modified Klipsch it should be disclosed to the buyer. 

 

Referring to the, what I would describe as heavily modified, La Scalas  I did for the high school, my motivation to replace a missing badge was to introduce hundreds of students to the high efficiency low distortion dynamic sound of Klipsch.

 

Of course there is a modification continuum.  Where along that line the badge must be removed varies by individual.

 

Klipschorns used to be wired with 18awg  -- possibly 16awg -- zip cord.  Later Klipsch used Monster Cable.  If an owner replaces the zip with something must the badge be removed?  I think not.

 

 

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Recapping the crossovers can't mean it's not a klipsch anymore. If that's the case, klipsch speakers will all be dead in a matter of 15-40 years. Yes, people change cap values to modify them, but what's the big deal if we buy exact value replacement caps to keep these amazing speakers going for generations to come. One of the on going themes around here is that if you don't abuse the speakers and some maintenance (recapping the crossovers), the speakers will out last you. 

 

Electronic parts can die. I've picked up numerous speakers with bad tweeters, and thanks to Bob Crites, they work again (yes, modified and/or upgraded). I've sent out passive radiators to be rebuilt to original specs. Is that frowned upon? You can't buy them new anymore!

 

Most of us just want the best sound possible and to extend the life of these speakers because of the love we have for them and the respect we have for PWK who designed a lot of them. I agree, full disclosure when selling speakers. But recapping crossovers to original specs, still a klipsch, or we all should have HUGE paperweights around the house.

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14 hours ago, cincymat said:

If you have a chance watch a televised auto auction from Barrett Jackson, Mecum,  RM Sotheby's, or Auctions America. There you can learn what the classic car world looks like.  Better yet go to the Mecum auction in Indianapolis next May and I'll personally show you around.   It's really fun if you like old cars. 

 

Mark

I was amazed at some of the deals on cars there. Sure, there were the 200k top grade restored cars, but there were a lot of great deals on cars in the 10k-30k range.

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Some of us just can't leave things well enough alone, I just gutted the tweeters and crossovers out of my RF-5's and replaced them with RC-7 parts, are they still Klipsch speakers? They have all Klipsch parts unmodified just a little switcheroo. I love the change and will never sell them anyways so call them what you want I'll just be enjoying the music!

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19 hours ago, cincymat said:

If you have a chance watch a televised auto auction from Barrett Jackson, Mecum,  RM Sotheby's, or Auctions America. There you can learn what the classic car world looks like.  Better yet go to the Mecum auction in Indianapolis next May and I'll personally show you around.   It's really fun if you like old cars. 

 

Mark

Mecum is in Louisville this weekend.

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6 hours ago, Ceptorman said:

I was amazed at some of the deals on cars there. Sure, there were the 200k top grade restored cars, but there were a lot of great deals on cars in the 10k-30k range.

I like going early in the week and see what deals there are. Haven't pulled the trigger but I do register as a bidder. 

 

Didn't know Mecum did a Louisville auction this late in the year. My wife got me hooked on the Barret Jackson auction from Scottsdale. We've went twice. It's fun but a little out of our league. We saw seven cars in a row sell for over a million bucks each one Friday evening. It's was a total we're in the wrong place moment. 

 

Mark

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5 hours ago, cincymat said:

I like going early in the week and see what deals there are. Haven't pulled the trigger but I do register as a bidder. 

 

Didn't know Mecum did a Louisville auction this late in the year. My wife got me hooked on the Barret Jackson auction from Scottsdale. We've went twice. It's fun but a little out of our league. We saw seven cars in a row sell for over a million bucks each one Friday evening. It's was a total we're in the wrong place moment. 

 

Mark

The Indy Mecum auction is the only one I've been to. It seems like a very relaxed atmosphere. 

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I like the car analogy here, if you have a Chevy and god forbid you removed the engine and replaced it with a ford motor what would you have? You'd have a CHEVY with some ford parts. If you took a old '60's Camaro and installed a Z06 Corvette motor in it would it still be a Chevy? Of course it would be, it would be a pretty bad a$$ one too. 

 

 

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23 minutes ago, jjptkd said:

I like the car analogy here, if you have a Chevy and god forbid you removed the engine and replaced it with a ford motor what would you have? You'd have a CHEVY with some ford parts. If you took a old '60's Camaro and installed a Z06 Corvette motor in it would it still be a Chevy? Of course it would be, it would be a pretty bad a$$ one too. 

 

 

I saw a Ford monster truck years ago. It had a Chevy engine in it. It had a decal on the side..."Ford tough, Chevy stuff"

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On September 23, 2017 at 5:23 AM, DizRotus said:

Some very interesting replies.  I agree completely that when selling modified Klipsch it should be disclosed to the buyer. 

 

Referring to the, what I would describe as heavily modified, La Scalas  I did for the high school, my motivation to replace a missing badge was to introduce hundreds of students to the high efficiency low distortion dynamic sound of Klipsch.

 

Of course there is a modification continuum.  Where along that line the badge must be removed varies by individual.

 

Klipschorns used to be wired with 18awg  -- possibly 16awg -- zip cord.  Later Klipsch used Monster Cable.  If an owner replaces the zip with something must the badge be removed?  I think not.

 

 

 

Totally agree. A change of connection wire or installing fresh caps to an aging crossover does not unmake it a Klipsch speaker for the basic structure remains as intended. But with all due respect when a horn cabinet is changed or horns are substituted with those of an "upgrade" design then it crosses the line to become non - Klipsch. It seems simple to me in that when the sonic signature from the fundamental design is changed it is no longer a Klipsch. Has nothing to do that is "sounds better" to the modifier but that it does sound as the original deign intended. That, and that the base line components have been removed, can no longer be looked at as anything more than a modified version of a Klipsch design. A version of a Klipsch speaker, not the real McCoy.

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On 9/22/2017 at 9:50 PM, Chief bonehead said:

didn't say that.....paul did!!!  You can fool yourself and try to make yourself feel ok with messing up a klipsch speaker.....well good for you. But it's no longer a klipsch speaker. PERIOD.   Carry on. 

 

Somewhat of a rhetorical question...somewhat of a smart-azz question...

 

So, if someone buys a Jubilee which comes with the (then) K69 mounted to the K402...and buys a TAD-4002 driver to replace it....and plugs in the Roy provided PEQ's...  I'm guessing it's no longer a Klipsch....so would I be able to sue Klipsch for selling me a false product?

 

:emotion-14:

 

 

(you can just tell me to shut up if you want, I can take it)

 

:emotion-21:

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