Just bought a pair of Heresies!

[GWK]

Howdy, ladies and gentlemen!

After much agonizing about assembling a DIY horn speaker project to try to find out whether this is my path to audio nirvana, I have instead fairly impulsively put down a low-ish but nonetheless victorious bid on ebay for a pair of Heresies. However, the seller doesn't know the model year and has already boxed them up so can't give me the serial numbers, and I'm left waiting at least a week before I can start messing with them.

My question is, what are the major milestones along the Heresy timeline? These are Heresy I's, so that draws one limit, and I don't think they're older than say mid-70's, so there's another one. So what were the driver and crossover changes that were made along the way? Up 'til when will I need a "P Trap"? When did the "E" crossovers get replaced by the "B" crossovers? You get the idea -- I'm trying to imagine tweaking them until I actually get them in hand to do it for real.

Finally, these have a bit of damage to one grille, from a cat. Are the current model replacement grilles compatible with older speakers?

Thanks for any info,

Grant W. Kahn

[edster00]

Hi Grant!

Welcome to Klipschville

I can't answer all those technical questions but I can tell you that I am pretty sure you can get replacement grills direct from Klipsch. Give them a call at 1-800-KLIPSCH.

Good luck, you are going to love those Heresys!!

[Klipschguy]

Hello Grant,

Congatualations!

Heresys are great speakers and some people like the way they sound, just the way they are. However, my 1980 pair (has a "U" in the serial number) were just too bright, especially compared to my Cornwalls. If you are happy with the sound, great! If you think they're too bright, read the thread in the updating older speakers section under "Bright Heresys? Dramatic fix, For Free."

I made this modification to mine (very easy and 100% reversible) and I cannot emphasize how much better my Heresys sound - a more balanced sound like the Cornwalls and other large Klipsch speakers.

Anyway, if you don't like it, you can change it back to the way it was in few minutes and proceed with the other stuff like P-traps, caps, damping, et cetera.

Keep us posted.

Klipschguy

[Malcolm]

You don't need a P-trap.

I don't think type B networks were used in the Heresy. My 1966 and 1972 models have type C. 1974 type E. Later type E2. All are similar. Differences are in taps used on the T2A autotransformer and capacitor values. E2 also added a 33uF cap. The differences in the networks are necessary due to the differences in the other components.

Two types of tweeters have been used, both variants of the Electro-Voice T35A--K77 with alnico magnet, K77M with ceramic magnet. Only difference is K77M has slightly better response above about 12KHz.

At least two types of squawkers have been used--K55V with alnico magnet variant of the Atlas PD5V for much of the run, and the K76K with ceramic magnet (Heppner?) in the last years.

There were many woofers. My 1966 models have variants of the Electro-Voice SP12B. 1972 have CTS with large magnet structure. 1974 CTS with smaller magnet structure. All are labelled K22. There were some woofers made by Eminence and others--K22E, K22K.

Usual first tweak is damping the midrange horn with dynamap, rope caulk or something else if the horn is metal. Some people also damp the tweeter horn. Next tweak is generally replacing the capacitors in the crossover with whatever your favorite is.

Those two will give you the biggest bang for the buck.