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Help identifying what is going on in this khorn bass cabinet


naaac

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Greetings,

I recently have been gifted with an old mismatched pair of Klipschorns. One of the cabinets has a really funky ordeal going on inside.

There is a Pioneer Dual Voice Coil 6 Ohm woofer in the bass cabinet that is wired in parallel, with each set of leads going to a separate LC filter, and then each of the filters is attached to 1/4" input jacks???? Also there's a bunch of styrofoam sound treatment glued in. Also they cut a circle in the other side of the cabinet and closed it with an identical door. What even is this? Why did anyone do this?

Also - how do I even connect an amp to test this monstrosity out? Any help / insight would be appreciated. Do I just rip everything out without listening to it and put a Crites in there?

Thanks!

 

khorn1.jpg

khorn2.jpg

khorn3.jpg

khorn4.jpg

khorn5.jpg

Edited by naaac
forgot pics
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Yes, I for sure have 2 Klipschorns, but they are a real grab bag of parts.

I have 2 of the K-5-J mid range horns from 1958, and two k77 tweeters - one with the square magnet, one with the circular.
Oh, and I also have 2 K400 horns. The only drivers for the midrange that I have are the University Drivers (K55) for the K5Js. As far as crossovers go - I have one AA and one K-500-5000.

What's the best strategy going forward - can the University drivers handle the 6k crossovers if I make another AA?

khornlabel.jpg.dd2d75dad29e16e1f1c91d6d62dfdf41.jpghornandtweeter1.jpg.cb22b860fd1125b09e9e795f4804c3fa.jpg

horn2.jpg

crossover2.jpg

horns3.jpg

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10 hours ago, codewritinfool said:

What a complete cluster.  Tell us more about the REST of the Klipschorn.  Do you have a Klipsch Crossover "Balancing Network"?  Post photos.  What does the squawker and tweeter look like?

 

 


I posted pics. Not sure if I replied right. :)

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Greetings,

I recently have been gifted with an old mismatched pair of Klipschorns. One of the cabinets has a really funky ordeal going on inside.

There is a Pioneer Dual Voice Coil 6 Ohm woofer in the bass cabinet that is wired in parallel, with each set of leads going to a separate LC filter, and then each of the filters is attached to 1/4" input jacks???? Also there's a bunch of styrofoam sound treatment glued in. Also they cut a circle in the other side of the cabinet and closed it with an identical door. What even is this? Why did anyone do this?

Also - how do I even connect an amp to test this monstrosity out? Any help / insight would be appreciated. Do I just rip everything out without listening to it and put a Crites in there?

Thanks!

 
khorn1.thumb.jpg.e18f4b2376545275bcd1a5234d35616b.jpg
khorn2.thumb.jpg.e6a9debf88f553a602d016c16ecd7eff.jpg
khorn3.jpg.48ee28ab54c77934baf8dcd7dd053e85.jpg
khorn4.jpg.86de9dd19bee12e7c2f8b524ba302fc6.jpg
khorn5.jpg.6d5da628d0131dc71ee52be44b0be331.jpg

What kind of idiot would put insulation inside a horn? The horn should have as much reflect ability as possible.


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That's definitely a hot mess.  

 

If  I read everything right, here is what I would do, personally.  

  • Pull the Pioneer woofers and sell them.  Buy some new K-33 woofers or a pair of the Crites woofers which gives you a woofer that is better suited for that cabinet.
  • Find a pair of newer used K-55 mids that will mount to the K-400 horns.  You'll see used K-55's come up in Garage Sale once in awhile, check for them on e b a y, or maybe get a new pair of the A-55 mids from Crites.
  • Buy a pair of Type A or AA crossovers, either new or used, and work with those.  There are other types that will work but I believe that's your best starting point.
  • If you have a working pair of K-77 tweeters, you might check them both with a DMM just to make sure they read the same.There are newer options if needed.
  • Do you have both top sections that can hold the K-400 and K-77?

Bottom line is it's going to depends on how much you want to spend to get them in working order.  Also, do you have corners to put them into?   You could always build the backs on like newer versions that make them less restrictive to having to be in perfect corners and room that most people don't really have in a house.

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1 hour ago, Tony Whitlow said:

What kind of idiot would put insulation inside a horn? The horn should have as much reflect ability as possible.

 

That's in the back chamber, probably just trying to make the volume smaller for that woofer.

 

I agree with avguytx... although the K-5-J horns would also work, since you have the K55s for those horns. It would be a start, anyway. Getting both bass cabs the same would be the forst thing to do.

 

Bruce

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17 minutes ago, Marvel said:

 

That's in the back chamber, probably just trying to make the volume smaller for that woofer.

 

I agree with avguytx... although the K-5-J horns would also work, since you have the K55s for those horns. It would be a start, anyway. Getting both bass cabs the same would be the forst thing to do.

 

Bruce


Agreed - which crossovers should I use for the K55 / K5J / K77 combination while I'm investigating further upgrades?

Also, I opened up the other khorn last night and to complicate things even further It has the EV - 15WK woofer...So now I need to decide if I want to try to snag another one of those on ebay.....

 

Edited by naaac
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1 hour ago, avguytx said:

That's definitely a hot mess.  

 

If  I read everything right, here is what I would do, personally.  

  • Pull the Pioneer woofers and sell them.  Buy some new K-33 woofers or a pair of the Crites woofers which gives you a woofer that is better suited for that cabinet.
  • Find a pair of newer used K-55 mids that will mount to the K-400 horns.  You'll see used K-55's come up in Garage Sale once in awhile, check for them on e b a y, or maybe get a new pair of the A-55 mids from Crites.
  • Buy a pair of Type A or AA crossovers, either new or used, and work with those.  There are other types that will work but I believe that's your best starting point.
  • If you have a working pair of K-77 tweeters, you might check them both with a DMM just to make sure they read the same.There are newer options if needed.
  • Do you have both top sections that can hold the K-400 and K-77?

Bottom line is it's going to depends on how much you want to spend to get them in working order.  Also, do you have corners to put them into?   You could always build the backs on like newer versions that make them less restrictive to having to be in perfect corners and room that most people don't really have in a house.

Thanks for the feedback!

1.  I have one Pioneer woofer and 1 EV 15WK woofer. Need to figure out if I can find another EV 15 WK or if I should get a pair of K33s
2.  Will look for used K-55s, but would like to get them up and running with what I currently have
3. Can I still use A or AA with University Drivers and K5J horns? Should be crossed over at 4,000Hz to 4500Hz vs. 6000Hz?
4. Will verify the tweeters - also have DATS and UMIK1 and will run some sweeps
5. I have 1 top section for the K5Js and one top section for the K400s....thinking of rebuilding a matching pair. They are different heights and sizes. 
 

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2 hours ago, avguytx said:

That's definitely a hot mess.  

 

If  I read everything right, here is what I would do, personally.  

  • Pull the Pioneer woofers and sell them.  Buy some new K-33 woofers or a pair of the Crites woofers which gives you a woofer that is better suited for that cabinet.
  • Find a pair of newer used K-55 mids that will mount to the K-400 horns.  You'll see used K-55's come up in Garage Sale once in awhile, check for them on e b a y, or maybe get a new pair of the A-55 mids from Crites.
  • Buy a pair of Type A or AA crossovers, either new or used, and work with those.  There are other types that will work but I believe that's your best starting point.
  • If you have a working pair of K-77 tweeters, you might check them both with a DMM just to make sure they read the same.There are newer options if needed.
  • Do you have both top sections that can hold the K-400 and K-77?

Bottom line is it's going to depends on how much you want to spend to get them in working order.  Also, do you have corners to put them into?   You could always build the backs on like newer versions that make them less restrictive to having to be in perfect corners and room that most people don't really have in a house.



Also, I really want to do the closed backs mod - but I can't find any good threads about it - a lot of the photos and links are now dead. I can only find the insane 120 hour Volti Audio versions. 

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54 minutes ago, naaac said:

Thanks for the feedback!

1.  I have one Pioneer woofer and 1 EV 15WK woofer. Need to figure out if I can find another EV 15 WK or if I should get a pair of K33s
2.  Will look for used K-55s, but would like to get them up and running with what I currently have
3. Can I still use A or AA with University Drivers and K5J horns? Should be crossed over at 4,000Hz to 4500Hz vs. 6000Hz?
4. Will verify the tweeters - also have DATS and UMIK1 and will run some sweeps
5. I have 1 top section for the K5Js and one top section for the K400s....thinking of rebuilding a matching pair. They are different heights and sizes. 
 

 

The EV 15WK is definitely a great woofer but finding another that's its equal might be a challenge and a mildly rare occasion when they do come up.  Sell both and order new woofers would be one way to go.  I don't personally know if those mids will bolt onto the K-400 so maybe someone else here can chime in on that and if the A and/or AA crossover networks will, too.  Most of the time, they let the mid roll out "naturally" and then the tweeter took over from there.  Similar happenings on the woofer crossover.  And I agree on the top sections; building a complete new pair would be the best way to go and you could even do it in the "decorator" style to start (although I personally think those look awful).  At least you have one as a kind of pattern.

 

You've got what hopefully is a solid and sound set of bass bins which is the toughest part of all to build.  I'm contemplating building a set of Khorns maybe first of next year because I have all of the other parts from building my Belle clones that I could move over to them if I were so inclined.  I'd have to come up with a pair of K-400 horns or another alternate but that's neither here nor there.

 

Should be a fun project.  Are you good with veneer work? Pretty those things up! ;)  

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WOW!!!!!!!  That 15WK will pay for 2 K-33s and maybe a K-55-V! 

 

Check the slot size in throat of the bass horn (remove the woofers).  there were at least 2, 3" x 13" has greater output at 400 Hz.  6" x 13"(?) was the earlier design.  I can't remember it's advantage. 

 

The best sound will probably come with K-33-Es, 3 x 13 slots, K-55-Vs, Type AA xovers and square magnet K-77s.  But I could not resist building tops with K-5-Js and SA-HFs to see how they sound. 

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those are beautiful - valuable and will sound wonderful once the toy "woofer" is replaced with a K33 spec.  That network with new caps should be Ok although a lower DCR woofer choke may help (due to vintage value - it might be  good to keep that choke - what is its DC resistance?  )  I wish I knew more about University's drivers - my ancient SAHF are about as good as K55V.  It will be interesting to know which throat slot is behind the "woofer"  (that has to have tragic qes for horn use)

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