Help identifying a pair of Heresy speakers

[reyerbrandt]

Hi, I have a pair of Heresy speakers and I'm having trouble identifying them. There are no manufacturer stickers, just the word USA , and 17N159 and 171N169 engraved in the wood in back of each cabinet. Also, both the horn and woofer are etched with numbers and the name Craig ******, if that means anything. Please refer to photos. Thank you for the opportunity and I greatly appreciate any help.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by reyerbrandt

[82 Cornwalls]

 

The first thread at the top of this section has the info you seek.

"KLIPSCH HERITAGE SERIES HISTORICAL REFERENCE DATA"

[billybob]

Welcome @reyerbrandt...

Those numbers, letter are the serial number, of course. Historian and other will chime in. Thanks!

[JohnA]

@reyerbrandt Please delete the pics with the previous owners name and SS number.  Identity fraud is rampant.  Having been a victim, that is a horror to me. 

[Travis In Austin]

1 hour ago, JohnA said:

@reyerbrandt Please delete the pics with the previous owners name and SS number.  Identity fraud is rampant.  Having been a victim, that is a horror to me. 

I will take care of it thank you for pointing out.

 

So N is the year.

[Travis In Austin]

@reyerbrandt I removed the photos with the SSN/DL info. for you. 
 

The N in the stamps in the mood make them made in 1975. Sorry about the formatting.

 

YEAR OF MANUFACTURE (1955 THROUGH 1983 ONLY)

                    A = 1955-63*           F = 1968       L = 1973       S = 1978

                    B = 1963-64*           G = 1969      M = 1974      T = 1979

                    C = 1965                H = 1970      N = 1975      U = 1980

                    D = 1966                J = 1971       P = 1976       W = 1981

                    E = 1967                 K = 1972       R = 1977      X = 1982

[OO1]

16 hours ago, reyerbrandt said:

Hi, I have a pair of Heresy speakers and I'm having trouble identifying them. There are no manufacturer stickers, just the word USA , and 17N159 and 171N169 

your Heresy speakers were made in 1975 , with all  Alnico Drivers  for the tweeter , midrange , woofer  

 

1 particularity for 1975 was the temporary  use of   flat  capacitors in the crossovers instead of steel cans   +   the Orange surrounds for the woofers .

-the speakers are  original with 1 exception , the klipsch badges are from 1979  

[reyerbrandt]

Quote

Please delete the pics with the previous owners name and SS number.  Identity fraud is rampant.  Having been a victim, that is a horror to me. 

Sorry, didn't know what the name meant and was not aware there's a serial number.

Thank you for all the helpful info Cornwalls, BillyBob, Travis, and 001 ...obviously I have much to learn.

 

[reyerbrandt]

Quote

the klipsch badges are from 1979

 

Thanks again 001. If that's the case, I imagine that the speaker grills are probably from 1979 too.

 

Some last questions if I may...

 

After researching the reference data page that was kindly pointed out, I'm a bit confused for it reads that the "K-24 woofer was substituted for the K-22 in 1983-1984." As you you can see, these speakers do have K-24's. So could it be that the logo badges are correct for that time period, or am I interpreting that information wrong? 

 

Secondly, what do the etching "DR" & "LS" on the woofer refer to and is doing so a common practice. Third, are the serial numbers 17N159 and 171N169 considered sequential even though they're off by 10-digits? Lastly, does anybody have an idea what type of wood these cabinets are? My guess is that they're oil rubbed stained oak. However the front face, and please correct me if I'm wrong, resembles a mahogany veneer. 

 

Sorry for the questions, but without the manufacturer labels attached, there's little to go by, so please share your thoughts.

 

Klipsch Heresy-I

Year: 1975

Wood Type: ?
Tweeter Type: K-77
Mid-Range Type: K-55-V
Woofer Type: K-22

Crossover Type: E

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by reyerbrandt
corrections

[Travis In Austin]

1 hour ago, reyerbrandt said:

 

Thanks again 001. If that's the case, I imagine that the speaker covers are from 1979 too.

 

Some last questions if I may...

 

What do the letters DL mean exactly, and what is the purpose of etching the horn and woofer with your name and SSN? I mean is that a common practice. Also, anybody have an idea what type of wood is the cabinet?

Back in the day it was common practice to etch everything from of value with your DL, driver’s license number, so that if it was stolen you had a chance of it being recovered.

 

Police departments recommended this and would give talks at about it at different clubs and events.

 

Travis

[reyerbrandt]

Quote

I can't make any sense of the serial number either (xxx-xxxxxx). With that said, is posting the S/N strictly forbidden here?

Never would have thought, thanks for explaining that.

Now I better understand JohnA's concern about identity theft.

[jcn3]

19 hours ago, reyerbrandt said:

 

Thanks again 001. If that's the case, I imagine that the speaker grills are probably from 1979 too.

 

Some last questions if I may...

 

After researching the reference data page that was kindly pointed out, I'm a bit confused for it reads that the "K-24 woofer was substituted for the K-22 in 1983-1984." As you you can see, these speakers do have K-24's. So could it be that the logo badges are correct for that time period, or am I interpreting that information wrong? 

 

Secondly, what do the etching "DR" & "LS" on the woofer refer to and is doing so a common practice. Third, are the serial numbers 17N159 and 171N169 considered sequential even though they're off by 10-digits? Lastly, does anybody have an idea what type of wood these cabinets are? My guess is that they're oil rubbed stained oak. However the front face, and please correct me if I'm wrong, resembles a mahogany veneer. 

 

Sorry for the questions, but without the manufacturer labels attached, there's little to go by, so please share your thoughts.

 

Klipsch Heresy-I

Year: 1975

Wood Type: ?
Tweeter Type: K-77
Mid-Range Type: K-55-V
Woofer Type: K-22

Crossover Type: E

 

 

Those are not k-24 woofers, they are k-22 as shown in your picture. As 001 said, the woofers have alnico magnets - they're wonderful sounding woofers.

 

Your speakers are missing their labels from the back, but since the backs and motorboards are not painted black, they're most likely made from birch plywood (someone stained them at some point as they would have left the factory raw). The question is whether they are Decorator models or not. Some better pics of the tops and the front corner edges would help confirm.

 

 

 

 

[OO1]

On 11/6/2023 at 1:22 AM, reyerbrandt said:

 

Thanks again 001. If that's the case, I imagine that the speaker grills are probably from 1979 too.

 

yes  , through 1985 

[JohnA]

On 11/6/2023 at 7:48 AM, reyerbrandt said:

Never would have thought, thanks for explaining that.

Now I better understand JohnA's concern about identity theft.

 

Serial numbers are fine.  Names, SSNs and DL numbers are not, now that internet based ID fraud is rampant.  (I hope VISA and grubhub go broke; they don't even try to prosecute.)  Your serial number is 17N159, the 16,159th Heresy made.  The wood is birch and the butt joints say they left the factory raw. the "Type" was most like HD-BR and a previous owner stained them.  Walnut? 

 

[reyerbrandt]

Thank you jcn3 and JohnA for answering my questions, they really helped clearing things up.

 

Klipsch Heresy-I

Year: 1975

Wood Type: BR
Tweeter Type: K-77
Mid-Range Type: K-55-V
Woofer Type: K-22

Crossover Type: E

[OO1]

22 hours ago, reyerbrandt said:

 

 

Klipsch Heresy-I

 

Woofer Type: K-22

 

only drawback here , the woofer is a K-22  Alnico magnet , , if you want more oomph bass ,    swap in a set of K-22  woofers with Ferrite magnets 

[jcn3]

On 11/10/2023 at 1:16 PM, OO1 said:

only drawback here , the woofer is a K-22  Alnico magnet , , if you want more oomph bass ,    swap in a set of K-22  woofers with Ferrite magnets 

 

Personally, I love the k22 alnico sound - get the Heresys on the floor and up against the wall (as PWK intended) and you'll get some rather good bass.