LSI woofers - K43 or?

[jimjimbo]

Since we've had a little bit of decent weather, I decided to tear into the LSI pair that Jerry @TFR1 brought to me a few weeks ago from Georgia.  Removing the rear access panels on both revealed mismatched tweeters, one square magnet and one round. (both measured good) Mid drivers are fine, both K55V push. (both measured good)  Then, after a huge amount of effort which I detailed a couple of weeks ago, finally got the doghouse doors off.  Removed the woofers, and both are square magnet.  There are absolutely no markings on either unit.  Almost every photo I have seen of K43 woofers are round magnet.  Does anyone know if K43s were ever manufactured with square magnets?  Here are a couple of photos.

 

 

[JohnA]

Look for the part number in the back side of the cone (usually).  The vent in the dust cap would indicate K-43.  Best as i can remember, my square K-33s have 2 flange bolts, too. 

[jimjimbo]

1 hour ago, JohnA said:

Look for the part number in the back side of the cone (usually).  The vent in the dust cap would indicate K-43.  Best as i can remember, my square K-33s have 2 flange bolts, too. 

John, absolutely correct.  Thank you.  I did find it on both hidden back there.  the number is 1537-2.  Now to see if that actually equates to a square mag K43....

 

Edit:  Unfortunately I can find nothing that equals that part number.  

[JohnA]

OK, good!  That is an Eminence part number.  I think they would confirm for you which speaker it is.  Give them a call.  Since it is not 15141-?, you can be sure it is not a K-33-E. 

[Khornukopia]

Here are some pictures of a clearly labeled K-43. The frame looks different than all my K-33s.

 

[JohnA]

Khorn, can you find a part number on the back of the cone?

[Khornukopia]

16 hours ago, JohnA said:

Khorn, can you find a part number on the back of the cone?

 

I will have to remove the bottom panel to look again, that may not happen today. 

[jimjimbo]

I appreciate the efforts, but I am looking for info on square magnets, not round magnets.  At this point, I still don't know whether K43's were ever made with square magnets.

[Frzninvt]

I have seen those woofers with the little cap in the dust cover in Cornwall's and they are K-33's not K-43's.  That said the number of pleats in the surround look like those on a K-43.  I have never seen a K-43 with a square magnet though.  Most likely early K-33's.

[jimjimbo]

Bringing this back to the top, as I have exhausted all of the research avenues that I can think of right now, including reaching out to Eminence with photos and the only numbers I could find (which are on both) are close to the voice coil and are 1537-2.  The two separate people I spoke with and emailed at Eminence were no help at all.   They said they "looked like" Eminence drivers, but could not positively identify the models...... So, if anyone else here can help or suggest other avenues of research,  that would be great.

 

So, next question....is there any way electrically/technically to determine what these drivers are, other than installing them in a cabinet and somehow measuring output?  Not sure how to go about that, so perhaps the more deeper technically inclined folks here could help?

[Deang]

I’ve never seen a K-43 with a square magnet. I think those are K-33’s. 

[dwillie]

^^^^^^^^^

I agree with Deang.  Over the years I've had several La Scala's, pro and non-pro.  I have never seen a square mag K-43.  I recognize the little button dust caps, I have had speakers like this before.  I would say early K-33.  JMO   d.

[Max2]

May be some info here  on the early square CTS drivers Jimbo

 

 

 

 

 

[jimjimbo]

I'm beginning to believe that my one piece LSIs had a pair of square magnet K33 woofers installed originally when they were built.  I had thought that LSIs always had K43 installed.

[Coytee]

Maybe they had been replaced with the lessor cost 33's?

 

 

 

 

[ClaudeJ1]

On 2/28/2018 at 12:23 PM, jimjimbo said:

I appreciate the efforts, but I am looking for info on square magnets, not round magnets.  At this point, I still don't know whether K43's were ever made with square magnets.

Best K-33's I ever had were the "P" versions with Square Magnets. They were "CTS of Paducah" Those in Jim Jimbo's picturelook like K-33's to me and NOT K-43's.

 

[ClaudeJ1]

4 minutes ago, Coytee said:

 

My understanding is the K43 was an option.  I don't know if you could buy them that way or not.  I DO however, recall talking to someone at Klipsch in the early 80's and she let me know that I could (if I wanted) upgrade the driver in mine to the K43 "for more power handling".  

 

I thought about doing it but never did.  Concurrent with that, I never realized that higher power handling would perhaps give me other trade-off's.

 

Perhaps the K43 was standard on the industrials...  (have no clue but it wouldn't surprise me)

 

 

PWK's dope from talked about the trade offs.

 

[ClaudeJ1]

On 2/28/2018 at 12:28 PM, Frzninvt said:

I have seen those woofers with the little cap in the dust cover in Cornwall's and they are K-33's not K-43's.  That said the number of pleats in the surround look like those on a K-43.  I have never seen a K-43 with a square magnet though.  Most likely early K-33's.

I concur. They can be measured.

 

[ClaudeJ1]

On 2/27/2018 at 2:41 AM, Khornukopia said:

Here are some pictures of a clearly labeled K-43. The frame looks different than all my K-33s.

 

Had those very same K-43's in one of many pairs of LaScalas I owned. That's when I discovered the MUCH IMPROVED MIDRANGE and tighter bass of that woofer. The rest was done with Subwoofers, as it should be with LaScalas.

[jimjimbo]

19 minutes ago, Coytee said:

Maybe they had been replaced with the lessor cost 33's?

 

 

 

 

I think those that I found installed were original only because the doghouse door didn't seem to have ever been opened, and the entire woofer compartment was undisturbed, screw heads had no markings on them.....

 

I'd still like to install K-43's in them eventually when I complete rehabbing the cabinets.