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SOLD FS - Rare PAIR of Shorthorn T (s)


MMcCabe

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So I've been a Klipsch fan since a friend of mine played some Doobie Brothers on a pair of Cornwalls.  This was 1989 and I was a senior in high school.  Bought my first set of Klipsch in college, a mint pair of KG4 at a pawn shop in Junction City, KS.  My dad had given me money for golf lessons, but I couldn't resist buying the KG4s.  10years later I start a side business doing Audio/Video installs.  I was always doing it for other people so figured I could make some extra money doing it.  There were no Klipsch dealers in my area, so I contacted Klipsch about coming a dealer.  I had to place a larger first order, but I was doing my own home theater, so bought the Klipsch Ultra2 7.2 system.  Long intro, but just some background on how I came across these speakers and why I didn't trash them.  

 

I was hanging a TV and soundbar for a customer doing a living room remodel.  He had a vaulted ceiling room with 2 large speakers custom built and covered.  The speakers weren't being used and they were removing the grills and covering the openings.  Told me there were some old speakers and wanted to know if I wanted to look at them. I didn't know what I was looking at, but saw the label that said they were Klipsch.  No way of testing them, but I knew I had to get them out and at least try them out.  These were custom built into the house, so it took some cutting of studs and drywall to get them out of the attic.  You can see in the pictures below the grilled speaker, the exposed speaker, the original built in amps and what it looked like when I finally got one out (pictured on blue carpet).

 

Still had no idea what I had, except I knew i had a pair of unmatched (one stained, one not) vintage Klipsch speakers.  Took them home and set up in my garage and fired them up with a vintage Cybernet CA-700 integrated amp.  They came to life for the first time in who knows how many years and blew me away.  They sound amazing and you can crank them and make them scream with zero distortion like a Klipsch speaker does.   Great bass.

 

So I know I have a pair of vintage Klipsch that still sound great, but don't know what they are.  So research has taught me these are Shorthorn T speakers.  Originally sold as a mono speaker and designed to be a combo speaker/TV stand.  I've also read that they are rare (very rare) and finding a pair just doesn't happen.  The tags on the speakers indicate they are serial # 26 (stained speaker) and serial # 39 (raw speaker).  I read there were only 48 Shorhorn T speakers ever built. 

 

According to the tags, the components are:  Stephens Trusonic 103LX woofer, University SAHF Mid-Driver,  University 4401 Tweeter, and W2 network.  I haven't taken these apart, but the way there were custom built into the house I can't imagine they've been taken apart since originally installed.

 

If I had any room that these would fit into and I would just sit and listen to them, I would keep them.  Love the bass extension they have.  But I don't and I won't.  I also realize these don't come along very often especially as a pair and don't want to sell just so someone can tear apart and sell the woofers out of them which alone are worth something.  So I'm offering up to the Kipsch Community.  

 

If interested, please message me with an offer.  Nothing lower than $1500 for the pair.  I will also include a Klipsch Banner, Kipsch M40 Noise Cancelling Headphones, Klipsch XL windbreaker jacket and the used Cybernet CA-700 intergrated amplifier (all pictured below).  Selling as is.  I live in Central, KS.  For the right price I can deliver or meet in KC, Oklahoma City, Lincoln, or have them delivered to Boulder, CO (my brother lives in Boulder and will be here this weekend).  All items sold used, as is.  Cash only.  You are more than welcome to come demo them.  

 

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Edited by MMcCabe
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@JRH the Klipsch Historian could verify the 2 Shorthorn T  ,  Serial nos 26 -39 in the log books for the Years 1956-1957 or later .

 

Serial no 26, is a Shorthorn T Model T- M2-15 ,  K-ORTHO 15 drive system - 15 inch woofer -Satin finish natural mahogany .

Serial no 39  is a Shorthorn T Utility Model TU-15 ,  K-ORTHO 15 drive system - 15 inch woofer -Raw finish .

 

GLWTS -

 

 

 

 

 

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Wow. If shipping was not so expensive, I’d be all over those. I love saving Klipsch and other brands for historical purposes. I hope who ever gets them keeps them as is and enjoys them for many years. How many other speaker brands do you know of that can last this long and still sound great. It would be a fun project to run a REW test on them
GLWS

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3 hours ago, Westcoastdrums said:

Looks like a horny Cornwall

direct predecessor...you can definitely see the influence of the Shorthorn (S version particularly) in the long vertical rear port in the early Cornwalls...also shares the smaller woofer opening like the early cornwalls...

 

This "T" version is claimed to have more bass extension than the more common "S" version

 

Don't mean to hijack the for sale thread...these are some of the rarest Klipsch units out there...hopefully they find a good home (with someone that will provide post purchase follow up with setup pics!!)

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15 hours ago, Coytee said:

Maybe see if the Museum might be interested and take a tax write-off??

 

I agree....it would be a shame to alter their history.  Surely someone needs these!!

Yes, if for whatever reason a cash sale doesn't work out and you or your business can use a tax deduction, the the Klipsch Museum of Audio History is a 501(c)(3) corporation so equipment donations are tax deductable for the full market value.

 

I realize that every situation is different, and a donation doesn't always make the best fit @MMcCabe, but if it should turn out that a donation might be a better fit you can PM me here, or email to travis@klipschmuseum.org.

 

Regardless, wish you good luck.

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15 hours ago, jjptkd said:

Very cool, don't think I've ever seen this version of the shorthorn before GLWS!

 

They are very rare (from the thread I linked to):

 

"Yes, one of the rarest, as only 48 were recorded.  #12 shows it shipped on Nov. 9, 1956.  However, several other units reflect factory updates at later dates.  Not sure if #12 just didn't get an update in the logbook. "

 

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IMO, too often anything with dust on it is declared to be museum worthy, but not in this case.  Those really do deserve to reside in a museum.

 

In any case, best of luck.  I’m glad you found them rather than someone who would toss them in a dumpster.

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  • MMcCabe changed the title to SOLD FS - Rare PAIR of Shorthorn T (s)

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