Klipschorn update, 511b grill cover

[edwardre]

Jim, the driver you see is not Altec but rather the University SAHF. Recall that this was the stock offering throughout the 50's for the Khorn. Just my humble opinion of course, but I believe that it is better suited for a wider dispersion horn like the Klipsch wood/fiberglass horn these were originally mounted to. The 511b is virtually the same size as the original horn, but is a much sturdier, solid unit. I believe that Klipsch went to the K55 series drivers as an option better suited for the straight horns they replaced the wood/fiberglass curved type that they used the SAHF with. I have tried K55's with the 511's many, many times and have come to the conclusion that for my particular taste, the SAHF simply sounds better. Increased clarity, less distortion at louder volumes, and an overall better integration with the other components.

Here's a picture of one of my Khorns next to the finished Belle and next to the unfinished picture screen, per your request.

I like the 'sports-bra' idea in your picture covering the mouth of the 511, but also like the exposed horn look. If my camera isn't acting up this evening, I'll take a shot or two of the Cornwalls with Cobreflex's atop. Would be interested in folks letting me know what they think visually.

[Jim Cornell]

Whoops?

The drivers look like the altecs in the picture LOL!

Now that you mentioned it, the Altec 511s do resemble the original wooded horns hhhmmmm!

Maybe all our altec mods arent such a bad idea!

Thats one sweet set of Klipschorns you have there, were you able to get exact matching, i know they were only sold as 1, due to the mono era!

Do you have the clear Klipschorn emblems, i think i see one there?

I wonder if Paul would of used the altec horn design for his heritage if Altec didnt already have the pattened!

Well anyway, enough of that!

Very nice Klipschorns, a very rare, and well taken care of set!

Regards Jim

[edwardre]

Thanks for the kind words! 'Yes', an exact match was achieved, both component and cabinet-wise. In fact, it is for this reason that I will never stray from the Klipsch product line. About 1960, when my dad had just the single "54", he called Klipsch and talked to PWK about getting a match. According to dad, PWK bent over backwards to ferret up the matching components from obsolete inventory and supervised the custom cabinet build personally. Even to this day, my father gushes about how accomodating and people-oriented the company and especially The Man was.

The attached picture, as well as the next post is of my surround CW's with the Cobreflex atop. Sound improvement is tremendous, on par with the sound improvement the 511's made to the Khorns and Belles.

[edwardre]

Due to the room constraints, one CW is horizontal, the other is vertical.

[Jim Cornell]

WOW

Cobreflex horns look like ears LOL

I noticed the riser bases, did you make them?

They looked taller, than stock!

Nice cornwalls, But man i sure do like those Klipschorns, you know, in the picture, they didnt even look corner cut!

Just straight up!

Your Father was one lucky man to meet Paul Klipsch, and acually have him build a speaker! Id bet those Klipsch are worth more to you than anything in the world, your lucky to have the nicest set of vintage Klipschorns ive seen yet!

Well, ill keep posted on the cosmetics im trying to do on my Klipschorns, its when i have the money, i pick up supplies kinda thing!

Regards Jim

[edwardre]

Yup, made the risers myself. 3/4" oak ply. They're about 4" in front and about 3 and a smidge in the rear giving the CW a 'kicked upwards' stance.

The Khorns are indeed 'corner units'. Regrettably, as you can see by the room, corner placement is out. I've sealed the bass bins with 3/4 ply, but really should extend the ply 'fake walls' out the obligatory 39". I haven't yet because despite the lack of false walls, the speakers output a tremendous amount of solid deep base. Yes, they are lookers, but I have to say that their real beauty lies in their unrivaled sound quality. The combination of components from that era is very special.

[Jim Cornell]

Hey Ed

If you watch not yet another teenage movie, there are a set of red cobreflex horns mounted to a house, if you stop the movie, youll see there not even hooked up, no drivers or wires ETC!

Its a gross movie,,LOL watched it twice!

All your speakers are very, very nice,

Jim

[Randy Bey]

Ed,

thanks for sharing those pictures.

You clearly are a handyman.

With the 511 and the khorn did you increase the size of the horn opening in the front baffle? Otherwise you have this huge horn facing a k400 sized hole....

[edwardre]

Hey Randy. I installed a 511 in my Belle and documented the event for reference. I think that the attached picture illustrates the aperture modification. In short, the whole fron grille assembly was replaced. I constructed a thin frame out of strips of plywood, a testament to 'L' brackets and glue. Then, after spraying this frame semi-flat black, I stretched fresh 'Klipsch-cloth' over. I'm not one for shameless self-promotion, but I have to say that I impressed even myself. The result is that visually it is identical to a 'fresh off the production floor' looking Belle, but is completely open both frontally as well as extending back along the sides as far as the grille cloth extends.

WRT the Khorns, these were factory custom units initially equipped with the wood/fiberglass mid-horn assembly and as such, were received by my father with the whole front area - that is to say where you see grillecloth - wide open. Therefore, swapping out the wood for the 511 horn required no additional enlarging.