Worth of Klipsch Loudspeaker System Type KB-BR Serial number 16 U8 75

[Linda]

I inherited a pair of Klipsch speakers.  Type KB-BR Serial 18 U8 75  How do I figure out their worth?

[Frzninvt]

Those are 1980 Klipschorn's (Cornerhorns) with the B-type cabinet (collar between the LF/HF sections) finished in Birch Raw.  Value depends on overall cabinet condition, original driver and crossovers, and last of all location.  Real world fair pricing is between $1500 - $2500.

[Racer X]

It's all about the location with these speakers.  Condition matters too, of course, but like the real estate, it's location, location, location.

[jimjimbo]

Don't know where this "real world pricing" comes from, but that's certainly not.....Yes, there are dependencies on condition and location, but if everything is in good shape, you should be looking at $3500 to $5000.

[PrestonTom]

The OP is going to be confused by the range of estimates, and rightly so.

 

Location and condition are important. Condition is tricky. Although the cabinets are 4 decades old, buyers can be very particular about any nicks, scratches etc. What to the seller may seem like a minor blemish can be viewed by the buyer as a major defect. 

 

The truth is that our knowledge base is limited. People who got a great deal will come on the forum and brag about the low price they paid, others may be closed mouthed about what they paid. This is confounded by our collective memory. Yes, I paid one grand for my K-Horns. What sticks in my mind is the price, but what I need to remind myself about is their "average" condition and the fact that the purchase was 25 years ago and things have changed. 

 

The other problem with our knowledge base is that we are very aware of the "asking price" for these different models, but we are generally quite unaware of what the actual "price paid" may have been. 

 

That said, unless there are some special issues about the cosmetics, the approximate average of the two above estimates is probably the right ballpark. The caveat is that you may have to wait for the right buyer to come along. I am old enough to have seen the market for big speakers continue to shrink over the years. Face it, how many homes have you been in where the occupants had speaker cabinets as large as a Klipschorn ? It is a sad reality. 

 

Good luck,

-Tom

[Oicu812]

@Linda

 

If you don't mind, would you take some pictures for us?  

 

 You can get them hosted online for free if you follow the 4 steps in the bottom of this post.  It's very easy to post pics this way.

 

This will indicate how much people will be throwing at you. 

 

[Frzninvt]

On 8/30/2022 at 8:54 AM, jimjimbo said:

Don't know where this "real world pricing" comes from, but that's certainly not.....Yes, there are dependencies on condition and location, but if everything is in good shape, you should be looking at $3500 to $5000.

I don't think so!   That is way off and unrealistic where is your benchmarking with prices like that eBay?  There is no way birch raw cabinets are going to bring that.  Hell there are Brazilian Rosewood versions selling for that price and that I can understand.  I have owned four pairs of Klipschorn's in various finishes and have never paid over $1500 for them but with today's inflation I would still only push that to $2000.

[billybob]

Yes Linda last visited Sunday.

 

[Linda]

Here are the pictures.  I have a pair of them.

[Yuper]

Serial numbers?

[Yuper]

Should have 2 separate #separate 1 ea speaker

[Islander]

They’re clean, which is a welcome change from all the really dusty speakers we see.  More pictures would be good.  Both speakers from both sides, a closeup look at the crossovers.  Those are the collections of electronic parts near the big horn.  Sorry if that’s mansplaining; I don’t know what you know.  Pictures of the labels are good, too.

 

As others have pointed out, location matters.  These big speakers are costly to shop anywhere, so they usually end up being sold locally, unless some determined/eager type will drive for hours to see them.  You might get lucky and find a buyer a few streets away, or they could sit for some time.  Are you sure you want to sell them, or are you just curious about their value?  Those are Klipschorns, an amazing speaker that was first sold in 1948, and is still for sale, although the 2022 models cost around $25,000 a pair.  After 75 years, the basic design is the same, but they have newer types of components and the sound is similar, but better, of course.

 

If you’re keeping your Khorns (their nickname), they need to be fitted tightly into the corners of your listening room, so that the walls act as extensions of the bass horns and give you their full performance.  Not all rooms have “Khorn corners”, but if yours do, you’re in for an amazing listening experience.

 

Linda, have you heard these speakers playing, since they are in your family?  If so, I don’t need to convince you that they could be worth more to you than to anyone else.

 

BTW, welcome to the Forum!