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Klipsch Factory Employees


CLUBSTA

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Does anyone know which Heritage speaker the Klipsch factory employees purchase the most for themselves and why?  I've been reading that most buy La Scala's but I would think Klipschorns would be the speaker of choice especially with an employee discount.  

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24 minutes ago, CLUBSTA said:

Does anyone know which Heritage speaker the Klipsch factory employees purchase the most for themselves and why?  I've been reading that most buy La Scala's but I would think Klipschorns would be the speaker of choice especially with an employee discount.  

Factory employees?  I doubt they could afford them but if so, I'd say Heresys as they're the cheapest.  I'd love to be wrong though.  Where did you read that factory employees purchase Lascalas?

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45 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

Factory employees?  I doubt they could afford them but if so, I'd say Heresys as they're the cheapest.  I'd love to be wrong though.  Where did you read that factory employees purchase Lascalas?

I remember a time when someone had mentioned that no one from the Hope factory owned any Klipsch.  I thought there was even a donation to purchase a pair of Heresies for their break room or something along those lines. 

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3 hours ago, CLUBSTA said:

Does anyone know which Heritage speaker the Klipsch factory employees purchase the most for themselves and why?  I've been reading that most buy La Scala's but I would think Klipschorns would be the speaker of choice especially with an employee discount.  

I'm pretty sure Klipsch factory employees purchase used klipsch speakers  , and Heresy are the cheapest - so ditto with @CECAA850

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32 minutes ago, CLUBSTA said:

I’m pretty sure I read that La Scalas were the speakers purchased after upgrading from Heresys on this forum a while back.  I could be wrong but was curious why not the Khorns.

I still think this: 

3 hours ago, Zen Traveler said:

if what you're reading is true, my guess is that the La Scala is more versatile and you don't need exact corner placement. 

 

3 hours ago, CECAA850 said:

Factory employees?  I doubt they could afford them but if so, I'd say Heresys as they're the cheapest.  I'd love to be wrong though.  Where did you read that factory employees purchase Lascalas?

Yeah, I bet you are correct...

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2 hours ago, CLUBSTA said:

I’m pretty sure I read that La Scalas were the speakers purchased after upgrading from Heresys on this forum a while back.  I could be wrong but was curious why not the Khorns.

This was something that happened in the 80s(?). I remember @HDBRbuilder talking about this.

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4 hours ago, jimjimbo said:

 

Why and how would they purchase "used" speakers, and where do you get this information?  It doesn't make sense.

 

2 hours ago, dtr20 said:

This was something that happened in the 80s(?). I remember @HDBRbuilder talking about this.

Ha! Because even with the Employee Discount they couldn't afford them but understand/appreciated the value in the used market where the could afford it. Brilliant!

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  • 4 weeks later...

OK...so here is the whole crap-show AGAIN of how many employees in the 1970's (and even earlier than that!)...thru the Early 1980's woiuld do their own personal "upgrading" routine for their speakers.

 

Back in those days Klipsch employees were allowed to purchase one pair of speakers per year at approximately 40% of MSRP.  The employee was required to keep those speakers for at least one year before re-selling them.

 

So...best case scenario for upgrading would be to start out with dropping around 250 bucks (@ 40% in 1978) for a pair of birch Heresys...or for a bit more, get walnut ones instead.

Keep them for a year...then sell them to somebody at MSRP, which tended to be pretty easy to do...more on WHY later.

 

So now you have about 635+ bucks to put towards either a pair of Cornwalls in walnut, OR a par of Lascalas...you decide which ones.  Which whenyou buy them, srtill leaves you with enough money remaining for a few cases of beer.   So you keep them for a year...then sell them, again at MSRP of even more...again...easy to do, and Why is coming up at the end.

 

So you take the money you got for the Cornwalls OR the LaScalas...which would be more than enough to pick up either a pair of Belles, OR a pair of K-horns at 40% of MSRP...so  after three purchases over a period of just TWO years, your original 250 bucks out of pocket expense investment has bought you a pair of K-horns or Belles.

 

So...Just WHY was it so easy to sell them at OR ABOVE MSRP when you decided to do so?   The answer is pretty simple:  You got preferential treatment of what you purchased as an employee all the way thru the plant!...unless everybody hated you!  For example:

 

1.  You got to specially slect the panels used for the box bodies or in the case of the K-horn its finely veneered panels sets.  SO, the employee generally chose some very unique panels.

 

2. If you did not build them yourself, then you got to CHOOSE who did!

 

3.  If you did not sand them yourself, then you got to choose who did.

 

4.  You were taken care of very well by the folks in the finishing department...who ensured your speaker appearance was a masterpiece of their abilities.

 

5.  Even in final assembly for all internal components they were PERFECTLY matched!  If you wanted serial numbers ending in "00" and "01"  then you got them.  If you wanted your name stamped into the rear of the speakers, you got that too!

 

So that is WHY it was so easy to sell them at or above actual MSRP!  They were as customized of a job as possible!

 

Today we see the Museum editions and other special editions...but back in THOSE days the "oooos and aaaahs" available were MOSTLY for the "employee specials"!

 

Does it all make sense now??

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