Klipsch KG4's have been living a lie for 36 years!

[Charbs]

I purchased my KG4s in 1985 or 86. I was stationed at Rhein Main Air Force Base and we had a tech exchange on base that sold all the latest and greatest camera and hifi gear. They were cheaper than the Klipsch with nice wood finishes because they were painted black. I didn't care because I was a broke E2 Airman. As I mentioned in a previous post those speakers are all that I have left of the wonderful gear I collected over the 4 years I was stationed in Germany. Years later I stripped the black paint from the cabinets and discovered one walnut and one oak finish. So, they must have been painted to cover some sort of flaw in the finish. Or so I thought. 

 

I had recently purchased a beat up Pioneer SX-580 and was thoroughly enjoying those speakers again. But Friday I noticed a small tic or vibrating noise from the left speaker below 70 Hz at higher volumes. Closer inspection clearly pointed to the lower 8 inch woofer and I started researching online here to learn more about what my options would be for replacing the driver. I pulled the driver from the cabinet and discovered that it flatlined on my voltmeter. So no continuity meant a dead voice coil which meant I had no repair options and I would have to replace it. Then I first noticed what you see in the pictures. It's not a k-8-k! It's the 4 ohm k-9-k. Jeez, I wonder how long it's been dead. Why didn't I notice anything amiss before now. Back in the crazy days I drove those speakers hard with a Yamaha M60/C60 combo. I'm so confused. Was this speaker always wrong? Maybe someone snuck over my house somewhere and swapped the 8K out? But if they were that brave I doubt they would've been nice enough to drop a different Klipsch driver in its place. If it was a mistake at the factory how long should a 4 ohm driver last in that setup? I went back and pulled the other 3 speakers but they all are marked correctly and read close to 8 ohms on the multimeter. 

 

If anyone with more expertise, knowledge or stronger logic could offer some theories I would love to hear it! Anyone experience something similar? Anyone from Klipsch care to comment? 

 

In the meantime I have to locate a proper Klipsch k-8-K

Edited May 11, 2021 by Charbs
not MHz. Just Hz

[billybob]

Interesting story!

Welcome to the forum!

@Charbs

[AndreG.]

People make mistakes, even at Klipsch. Who would´ve thought You´d discover it after living with them all these years. Welcome to the forum!

 

These are copies on ebay: https://www.ebay.de/itm/150494161745?hash=item230a26ab51:g:T~oAAOSwoydWqBd~

 

 

[Bubo]

Check the crossovers to ensure they are identical, no extra, or different value,  resistor added to make it work.....

 

Crossovers may be time to re-cap...

[Charbs]

Yes AndreG. Thank you for your post.

 

Actually my not noticing anything amiss until it fried 35 years later may be the biggest mistake. Especially since I have no complaints about their performance. I may have called them bad names when I had to move them while traveling back to the U.S. and then from east coast (Connecticut) to the West (California) with many stops in between. They are heavy. My ex father in-law actually dropped one years ago. Thanks for the suggestion. I ordered that Midwest driver Saturday. ETA is Friday. But I still want to purchase the OEM. Hopefully one will turn up. I considered buying another pair but, prices have gone up for these sleeper, quasi-Heritage classics. And for that money, I think I would rather invest more and get some Heresy's. 

[Charbs]

Thanks for that suggestion Bubo.

 

I had recapped with Crites's kits and platinum diaphragms a few months back. The thing is, I had bought them new. So I would think it was an error that went unnoticed and they worked straight away. From what I can guess the SQ wouldn't/shouldn't be affected by a driver that was built for 4 ohms but otherwise identical?