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What Led Me To Klipsch.


Shiva

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Just watched a youtube vid stating that the music from Lord of The Rings, was the greatest soundtrack ever made and I might agree with that.   Which reminded me of why I have Klipsch speakers in house.  I was always very aware of the quality of music in movie theaters, but it wasn't until this movie and one particular scene, that really made me take notice of what speakers were on the walls and  also what may be behind the screen and wanted some of that in the house. Those speakers were Klipsch.   "The hope is kindled" score was so dynamic and soaring that the hairs on my arms stood up with the waves of energy moving through the theater,  I was impressed.   Got home and the search was on.

 

  

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I found Klipsch looking for horn speakers after watching movies in an old movie theater when I was a kid. I remembered that sound from when my Dad would take to the show, they had what looked like giant speaker to me on each side of the screen on the floor, I can remember seeing the sign "Altec lancing, voice of the theater". I had a bunch of other speakers over the years but none sounded live to me.

 

I looked up Altec almost 20 years later and and all I found was computer speakers, then searched for horn speakers and found Klipsch, it was over.

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I think I’ve told my story before, but here goes anyway.

 

I had a friend who’s dad died and left him some money. Not a lot of money, but when you’re 20, it doesn’t take much to seem like a lot.

 

He went right down to Flip’s Stereo in St. Louis and ordered a set of Klipschorns. I had never heard of them. It seemed like it took forever for them to arrive, but one day he invited me over to hear them.

 

He played Tricycle by Flim and the BB’s. I know that because it just knocked my head off. I remember that moment in time like it was earlier today. The album has a little tricycle on the cover and it stuck in my head. Anyway, I realized at that moment that I had been lied to my entire life. These speakers were DIFFERENT. I never forgot. Couldn’t afford them, but never forgot.

 

About a year later, a female friend (now my wife) and I went to an outdoor party given by the same friend. The music sounded fantastic, and I couldn’t identify the speaker model and didn’t ask. They had a V-shaped front and I never forgot that.

 

30 years later, I finally found a used set of Klipschorns near me, a negotiable price, and had the money to do something about it. There was one weird requirement, though. The couple that had them didn’t want anyone visiting, for fear of their own safety (I know you’re thinking St. Louis, but it isn’t that bad here) so they wanted references. The woman mentioned that she retired from a local sheriff’s office, and so I started naming law enforcement friends. She knew the second guy I mentioned, who is the local town Marshall and a guy I’ve known since I was a teenager. She said she’d call him.

 

I got a call a day or two later and they gave me the address and invited me over. When I arrived they told me they had checked me out and I thought they were just kidding. They were in great shape, original owners, etc. and we worked out a fair price. It took me three trips, but I got them home. They are stellar. I finally got my own pair of Klipschorns!

 

A while later, I was in a local supermarket, turned the corner and there was the Marshall. We talked for a bit and he said, “hey, how are the speakers?” Huh? Turns out they really did call him. He said it was the strangest call he’d ever taken, but vouched for me.

 

Maybe you’ve followed my “La Scala Splits Project” thread, but if you haven’t, I found a pair of beat up cabinets, converted them to splits, and built a THTLP sub to go with them. They are incredible. I finally got my La Scalas too!

 

I put GIANT Klipsch logos on the sides so that when someone at a party hears them and has their world changed, they will KNOW the brand and dream of owning a pair like I did. I didn’t want the same thing happening to someone else, I wanted them to have no doubt that it is Klipsch that changes lives.

 

 

 

 

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I heard and was somewhat familiar with Altecs and Electro-Voice speakers when I as young. Owned some fantastic EVs I wish I still had. Experienced a pair of Klipschorns in a century home and that was that. Always liked the sound. The Altecs and Electro-Voice home audio are long gone but Klipsch endures.

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2 minutes ago, billybob said:

There are still some around of course. Just listening to some EV here yet, get your point...

 

A real shame they abandoned home audio. Would like to see a modern relaunch of the Interface line.

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4 minutes ago, YK Thom said:

A real shame they abandoned home audio. Would like to see a modern relaunch of the Interface line.

I hear you... dang sure made inways with commercial.

Altec no slouch per Pink Floyd...

Still reverbing here... Just reminds me of conversation you and I had per that band... Deja... lol

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The movies did it for me, too, but quite indirectly, and long ago.

 

When I saw my first few movies in 70mm and 6 channel (magnetic, analog) stereophonic sound, I couldn't help but notice that the soundtrack orchestras sounded "just like" the high school orchestra and band I played in for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week.  Well, not "just like" because the soundtrack orchestras were much better, and different theaters sounded different.  But they were closer, by far, than anything I had ever heard.  Road shows in those days (and 70 mm showings were) almost always had "exit music," also on the film soundtracks.  I sat down close during this music, or walked up and down the aisles until the guys with the flashlights came for me. 

 

Upon doing some research, I found that most theater speakers were either Altec Lansing or James B. Lansing (this was before Klipsch started doing movie theaters), and my favorite 70 mm theater used JBL.  So I went to some Audio stores and sought out JBL.  Anything with a JBL 375 midrange driver sounded unbelievably clear, but they were far, far more than I could ever afford, so I bought a single D130, and waited it out.  I went to one store that had speakers along 3 of it's 4 walls, and in every corner.  I learned that what Altec and JBL had in common was that they tended to use horn speakers.  Hmmmm.  The owner played a variety of speakers, starting with a big Bozak ... sweet and clean ... then an Altec A7 VOTT ... a little airier and better attack, but a bit steely ... A JBL 3 way (S8, I think) ... more sparkle and clarity ... then ... Klipschorns, and my orchestra sonically appeared down at the end of the room!  Over about the next 20 years or so, I would drop into one of the 8 SF Bay Area stores that had Klipschorns on display, and were willing to demo them, and, while I flirted with others, the Khorns kept winning out.  By the time I could afford them, a funny thing happened; movie sound got a bit worse.  The early digital soundtraacks tended to be harsh, compared to the warm magnetic analog I had loved.  We built our Home Theater, with Klipschorns as the FL and FR, and saw almost all of our movies at home.  We did venture out for Phantom of the Opera in 2005(?).  It had dynamic, warm sound, "just like" what we had in our Home Theater.  I hung around after the showing to ask about the speakers.  After several blank looks from employees, I got the manager.  "What kind of speakers do you have in this theater?"  "Oh, Klipsch!"

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