rob99 Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 WHAT ARE THE BEST YEARS SERIAL NOS FOR K HORNS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Rob I can honestly say I have never heard a Khorn I have NOT liked. I have close friends who have the really old ones '58-59 and newer ones '98. They do sound different. The older oned with the large fiberglass sqwakers sound awesome, but are VERY hard to find. My Khorns are from '83. I have dampened the big aluminum squawker and replaced the original AK network with the ALK. and I think they sound awesome now. FYI - They still sound great original, but better now. The newest ones ('93 and newer) use resign horns that do not need to be dampened, and the newer networks do not need to be upgraded IMHO. They sound great right out ot the box. The bigest debate over the newer horns - IMHO - are if the MDF they are built out of last as long at the old Plywood Khorns of the past. I know I will be able to give my grandkids my plywood khorns. Will MDF last 50 - 100 years? We will have to wait and see? JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 It is difficult for anyone to critique the various variations over the years in real time. Because of the size, and the necessity for a corner, tests along the lines of A versus B versus C are just about impossible. The only side by side test I've heard was during the tour of the Klipsch listening room where a bunch of us were able to hear K-Horns versus a pair of Jubilee (with what I think was a poor treble unit, not ready for prime time). They were very close, overall. I'd say the Jubilee was better in the bass and the K-Horn assembly was better in the treble. There are many variations of K-Horns (as an assembly) over the last half century. Yup, it is that long. Whether one is "better" may be a pointless question. For example, except for very early models, they've been three way systems. Maybe the change from the K-5 midrange to the K-400 was a small watershed. But some folks prefer the K-5. People have some opinions about the virture of the changes of crossovers. It is probably most accurate to say that K-Horns and their cousins are most striking in contrast to other designs; all of which are inferior. The cousins are the SpeakerLab kits, various home builts, the Electrovoice licensed variations, and the Klipsch LaScala and Belles. And the JBL Hartfields are in the same family too. Full range horn loading has a very distinctive sound which is quite apart from other designs. Within the class there may be variations. None the less, I believe the various variations are more similar than different. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 I have not heard the re-issue. I have owned '50s vintage Klipschorns and was a dealer for Klipsch in the '70s and 80's. I would choose a '78 through '82 vintage and do a few small modifications from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 NEW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 The best year K-horns to get are ones that are local or driving distance from you and the price is not too high. Ignore how they sound when you go for an audition. The guy who I bough mine from said "put them 5 feet out from the corner and 4" above the ground for the best sound. He had them hooked up to a cheap receiver and played some crappy 80's music for me to hear. No bass, no imaging and overall "average" sound. I handed oner the $$ and took them home (about 8 miles away - I got lucky) After I set them up and figured out that they go deep in the corner they came alive (I thought gee, why do they have a gasket along the back panel that would match up with the corner of the room, this was before I discovered this forum). If you find them and can get them home, just be happy with that, no matter what the year. Anyway, I have learned that any Klipsch speakers that you buy are "about 10 years old" when you ask. That is what 2 different sellers of heritage speakers have told me, both lieing. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Based on my personal preferences, 1980, after March to 1982, before the K-55-M. The important thing I'd be looking for is the solder terminal K-55-V. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_gto Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Are you saying Klipschorhs are made from particle board? That stuff cheap furniture is made from? I hat to think someone would pay $6,000 for particle board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 MDF is considered an Industry Standard for manufacturing speaker cabinets. There are manufacturers using the same materials for cabinets with costs that far exceed 10K. New Klipschorns can be considered a bargain, especially when one considers their price to performance vs. that of some boutique manufacturers. Just a matter of whether Khorns appeal to the buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 MDF is actually superior to plywood as a material for speaker construction as it is far less prone to resonances ( due to its high mass and lack of air spaces ie voids ) and resistance to flexing and warping. The only real disadvantages of MDF for speaker cabinet use are: 1.) Weight 2.) It is less capable of withstanding certain types of abuse than plywood - ie. It is a relatively brittle substance. 3.) Difficulty of repair to damaged areas. 4.) The perception that because it is inexpensive vs. other materials it therefore cheapens the end product. As pointed out above even the most expensive speakers made today are made of MDF not because it is cheaper than plywood but because it simply is a better fit for the task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 I wouldnt say sound through the years, but build quality could be an issue! Even thought the new K-horns are MDF, look at the bass bins, they arent, its just the top panels that looked to me as MDF! No issue there, none at all! My 1980s are Birch ply MY 1975s are solid core, thats solid birch, with walnut laminate! NOW I do not care for the mid horns, crossovers, and tweeters in the new line, VRS vintage, the new line, to me is now what i call Klipschorn 2s ? I have 1980 and 1975 in the same house! I do like the older Alinco, more than mud! I also like the type AA, of 1975 more than the Type AA of 1980! Well, i guess we had cornwall 2s, heresy 2s Now we have belle 2s, La Scala 2s, this makes them all even! Did the heresy 2s stay the same? Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horonzak Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 You like alnico over mud why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 I just did a long A-B between both tweeters, i like them the same, mud might slightly sound better! Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyp Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 Jim, Just for fun, what is it you like about your older Model AA crossovers and how do the components differ from your later ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 Well, the 1980 oil caps were bad to begin with, 1 was broken off its mount, the 1975s already had poly caps, stock, if not poly they look simular to them! Also the 1975s are roomy, as the 1980s were packed together! As far as A-B comparison, i caint say! Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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