1979 Cornwall purchase

[GMHIS]

New hear so thanks in advance. 

Heading to look at a pair of 1979 Cornwall’s from a second owner, consecutive serial numbers CWO, 20t130

they look really good but would love some advice (as a novice) what I should look for. 

Thanks again in advance!

[JRH]

First make sure all the drivers work by lending a localized ear to each component.  It's not likely the seller will want to take off the back for a peek at the components, but that would be optimum.  Take a couple of pics if allowed.  I can look up the serial numbers in the morning. 

[Endo]

For the purpose of checking higher frequency compression drivers, I have found that it helps to have a rag of some kind (t-shirt?) that you can stuff into the horns (especially the tweeter horn). In my experience, this makes confirming the tweeters easier, more apparent. (This may be something that applies only to geriatrics, like me)

[GMHIS]

1 hour ago, JRH said:

First make sure all the drivers work by lending a localized ear to each component.  It's not likely the seller will want to take off the back for a peek at the components, but that would be optimum.  Take a couple of pics if allowed.  I can look up the serial numbers in the morning. 

Thank you!  SN ; 20T130 & 131

[JRH]

These were shipped to Likis Audio 4/19/79.

[GMHIS]

That’s awesome info. Thank you very much. One more personal question...without considering $$ and that these 1979’s are in good condition, would you prefer these over new Cornwall III’s or vice versa from a sound / performance stand point??

[Mostec]

I prefere vintage.

[HDBRbuilder]

On 6/14/2019 at 10:33 AM, GMHIS said:

Thank you!  SN ; 20T130 & 131

I probably built these Cornwalls, also.  Face the rear of each speaker. Now look at the rear edge of the side panel to your left on each speaker...up about 1 inch or less from the top/side miter joint.  You should see two sets of pairs of stamped in initials.  If the letter "A" is one of those ,initials, then I built them.

[GMHIS]

That’s pretty cool!  I’ll definitely look for that. Sound /performance, do you think vintage or new is better or does it depend on ones ear??

[Mostec]

I hope HDBRbuilder will answer your question.

 

[HDBRbuilder]

NEVER ask a speaker builder the New or Vintage preference question.  Why?  Simply because MOST builders can build the new or the vintage versions to begin with.  It is just a matter of knowing dimensions and using same materials or even better materials than are used in production versions of either era.  Then it is just a matter of aquisition of what goes inside of them.  PLUS, good builders can make the slightest modifications to the "production" build in order to improve the performance!...IF THEY KNOW what was sacrificed in production versions to ensure maximum profitability.  My attitude is:  If I want it, I can build it myself...generally saving a huge amount of money in the process.

 

As for the Cornwall speakers, they were the SECOND speaker PWK designed as a SUPPLEMENTARY speaker to the Klipschorn, and in as much as that was the original design parameter for the original Cornwall version, it was not under consideration as a stand-alone speaker...therefore it did not have a need to be built as a stand-alone speaker...because it could depend upon the K-horn to supply what it was missing.  As time went on, the Cornwall was modified numerous times to make it BETTER as a stand-alone speaker....so the question for the Cornwall SHOULD BE...when did it finally BECOME a stand-alone speaker??  IMHO!  I would venture to say that before the end of the 1960's the Cornwall had achieved its "Stand-alone" speaker status quite well.  The current Cornwall design has further benefitted from even more refinement, IMHO!  So, the difference in price between "vintage" and "new" would be the determining factor...along with whether or not the latest refinements are more to one's liking and justify the additional expense involved.

 

For plant employees making speaker purchases in the mid 1970's thru the early 1980's, and with the birch LaScala and finely-veneered Cornwall pretty much similarly priced at the time, the toss-up question was La Scala or Cornwall??  With the La Scala of that time, you had a fully-horn-loaded speaker voiced identically to the Klipschorn, but which had its bass bottom-end drastically begin rolling off around 60Hz....but it only came in birch plywood with no guarantee that it would be a matched pair of cabinets.  With the Cornwall, you did not have a speaker identically-voiced to the K-horn, and it was also not fully horn-loaded...but its bass bottom-end rolled off considerably lower than that of the La Scala, PLUS the Cornwall had a high WAF! in its fine-veneered matched-pairs cabinets.  With the La Scala...you had a great outside patio party speaker...much more-so than risking cabinet damage to pretty Cornwalls to take them outside!  Plus the LaScala would out-perform the Cornwall outside!  Decisions, decisions! 😉

[polizzio]

I can attest I purchased a pair of new rosewood veneer CW3s end of April and I have no regrets. They are just superb with any music genre, and they don't need a sub. I use my sub with them for DTS movies to really rattle the room, but in 2 channel (no sub) for music. They look and sound absolutely gorgeous. I was listening to this guy from Italy playing piano only covers and melodies this morning,  Constantino Carrara. This guy is "drop your jaw" talented on a piano, and so are my Cornwalls.

[Mr. Slate]

I have a pair of '79 Cornwall's, just checked, HDBRbuilder  made um back in the day!  Thanks dude, these things have been with me since 1986 and in use daily, definitely had an impact on my life!