Jump to content

Chorus ii upgrade suggestions.


nashvilletitans

Recommended Posts

Hi all. I have a pair of early '90s Chorus ii's. I've replaced the crossovers with a set of Bob Crites. I've been using a Van Alstine Super Pas preamp with a modified St-70 for several years and recently bought a 300b integrated amp I'm starting to break-in. Other than the new crossovers , what would you suggest I do to these Chorus ii's to show them some love? They are nearly mint in a beautiful walnut finish. Thanks for your time and Merry Christmas!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, billybob said:

Welcome to the forum!

Looks like you have what is needed already. Congrats!

Thanks, I was mainly asking if anyone thought they would benefit from new tweet or mid drivers or any other mods beside the new crossovers since they are pushing 30 years old. Thanks again.

Edited by nashvilletitans
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum. The mid driver in the Chorus is very hard to beat there are some better ones but you are not going to blow the stock one away and you will have to shell out considerable cash to do so. The tweeter can be improved upon again more cash. You can modify both the tweeter and the mid and obtain much improvement for a reasonable amount of cash, you will need some dynamat and some 1/8" F-11 Acoustical Felt to do so. I suggest you start with fresh caps for your speakers burn them in and go from there. Both horns used in the Chorus ll are very good within their ranges. The mid horn is very solid and does not need any damping the tweeter horn improves with a layer of dynamat The passive can be re tuned a little lower for a nice improvement in bass extension you only need add about 1.5 ounces of dead weight to the unit in the form of large steel flat washers, while the number of hertz it gains you is but a band full you will be pleased with the improvement. Hope this helps.

PS: I have included some interesting info on tweeter/mis allignment. see below.

Klipsch Chorus tweeter and mid alignment measurements.htm

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum!

My personal preference is to keep a vintage speaker in its original state. I have recapped my 1972 Heresies and oiled the veneer, and then treated them with beewax and that was it. I keep the old capacitors nearby the speakers, you never know. If it ain't broken, don't fix it...

Your question makes me think of the story of grandpa's hatchet: sometime after the war, someone broke the hatchet's handle, and it was replaced. Then, 30 years later, there was a crack in the head and it was replaced as well. Yet, in the family, it's still called grandpa's hatchet... 

Rheinland Hatchet

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There seems to be two camps when it comes to old heritage Klipsch. The "preservationists" and the "hot-rodders", much the same in the world of antique cars too. I am all for restoring a speaker back to original specs if it needs it and it preserves the original sound. Some people like to push the limits of the speaker and "improve" it if they can or even alter it so it becomes something different than what it was. That's all well and good for some, get your fun anyway you can but a lot of what is done is totally unnecessary.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, we still don't know what problem or inadequacy the OP is trying to solve. I am not sure where the recommendations are coming from.

  

IMHO, more good will come from carefully and systematically optimizing the room placement of the speakers (distance, distance from walls & corners, toe in , etc). This is a tedious task (not done in a hurry) but it can result in some serious improvements. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, PrestonTom said:

Guys, we still don't know what problem or inadequacy the OP is trying to solve. I am not sure where the recommendations are coming from.

  

IMHO, more good will come from carefully and systematically optimizing the room placement of the speakers (distance, distance from walls & corners, toe in , etc). This is a tedious task (not done in a hurry) but it can result in some serious improvements. 

I agree that speaker placement is the biggest key to unlocking the true potential of the Chorus 2’s. I also recommend you try a powerful amplifier that can throw some wattage to them. That was the second biggest improvement with mine. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

I agree with a lot of what has been said already.  What are you looking to improve? Refinish the cabinets for aesthetics? Change the sound?  I have done many of the common upgrades/modifications to many Klipsch speakers I have owned, Including the Forte II's. 

 

Here's what my experience has been:

 

The biggest changes (may or may not be an improvement, that's up to your ears to tell you)

-B&C DE 10 and ebay horn concoctions (see technical modifications link)

-Crites Titanium tweeter (google crtites Ti tweeter)

-New/upgraded crossover components (DeanG on here does great work)

-Room treatments( area rugs, curtains, etc)

-Positioning them to work with your room's acoustics.

 

Minimal changes (but fun to tinker with):

-Cabinet bracing (see pictures of material I added to a Forte II)

 

Waste of your time:

-Adding dampening to the back of the horns (The only difference this makes is the sound they make when you knock on them with your knuckle...solution, don't knock on them with your knuckle)

 

People will tell you they swear by certain modifications, but you have to remember, that some people spend thousands and thousands of dollars on pucks to keep their speaker wires off the ground, pricey cables with fancy wording to justify their product (But never want to accept a double blind audio challenge to test their fancy product against a regular, well made one) and many other ridiculous gimmicks that are meant to separate a lot of money from the owner.  My best advice is try some things that make sense to you, let your ears be the judge and have fun enjoying your speakers!

 

Picture: Forte II bracing - Front to back just below the woofer and a 1" by 1" brace attached between the woofer and the mid horn.

 

 

image16.jpeg

image15.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello @nashvilletitans,

 

I currently have my Chorus 2s in rotation in my livingroom. 

 

And I am loving them, again!

 

The Chorus 2 is one of the most balanced Klipsch speakers I have ever listened to.

 

The only mod (fully reversible, if I was so inadvisably inclined) so far are Ti tweeter diaphragms.

 

The K-48 is a tight, articulate and powerful woofer that digs deep in the Chorus 2 cabinet, now the highs shine too.

 

I have DE-120s in my LSI Splits and have no doubt they would sound even better on the LMAHL lens in the Chorus, or anything else for that matter, but I would expect it to need some attenuation in that application. They are more efficient than the stock tweeter the crossover was designed for. Maybe not if you like treble, I rarely listen flat...

 

Bang for the buck, I would be very surprised if you don’t like the Ti diaphragms. 

 

I have never even considered going back on anything I’ve put them in.

 

And congratulations on the 300b, too!

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...