peterbwreal Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Thanks for all the help guesstimatng a price for a pair of Belles. I bought 8616979 & 8616980 in oiled oak for $1,800 - locally! Can someone give me an idea of the age? The original owner thinks he bought them in 1986-87. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vavoline Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 1986 I think. Others here can verify. Congratulations on your Belles. I assume they were in pretty good condition. I feel the Belle is PWK's most aesthetically pleasing design, with the Klipschorn a close second. Just my opinion. Please post some pics when you get a chance, and also let us know how you like the sound. Congrats again on getting "Fully Loaded". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripod Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 1986, 16th week (April, 1986) Speaker #'s 979 & 980 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbwreal Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 Here's a photo of the oiled oak Belles I picked up for $1,800. I was afraid that the Hafler DH500 (255w/channel) was too much for them, but they sound very clean. Now I'll have to buy a new house, though, as my wife can barely get to the piano... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 That is one gorgeous pair of Belles my friend ! You paid near top of range but they appear to be exceptionally nice. What kind of camera are you using BTW ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbwreal Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 The camera is a Nikon Coolpix 5000. This is a 5 megapixel camera (the photos are shot on "normal" resolution), but more importantly, the lens is the equivalent of a 28-85 in 35mmm. There is an accessory lens Nikon one which makes it a 19mm equivalent, though I rarely use it. You're right, the speakers are exceptional. There was a water stain on the right speaker, but I used some advice from this forum and took 0000 steel wool and linseed oil to it which took the stains right out! You'll also appreciate this: No sooner did I have an evening in Klipsch heaven, than this morning I awoke to having but one channel on my pre amp. Took it in to be fixed, but suffered from not being able to listen to my new Belles. Soooooo, I hooked the outputs on my Bose Wave Radio up to my Hafler DH500 power amp, and guess what? MUSIC! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Great buy Peter! Just $900 per speaker! Sounds like a steal to me, and they're easy on the eyes too. I'm interested in you're opinion of their sound. Congratulations to you! Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 You must be using that 19mm lens in that 2nd shot. The piano looks much smaller than in the first shot. Or, is it that the imaging of the Belles is so good, I'm "imagining" the piano in the room, without even hearing it? HELP!! fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbwreal Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 Both shots were taken at the 28mm setting. The piano became so intimidated by the Belles that it just sort of shriveled up and cowered on the shelf. The sound was wonderful the one night I got to enjoy the Belles before the Hafler pre-amp went out. Using the Bose Wave Radio for a pre-amp naturally doesn't do the speakers justice. I'm hoping the gremlins in the pre-amp are found soon. Meanwhile, the living room is much too small for the speakers, but I don't plan to live there forever, and these are speakers I've wanted most of my mature life. I think the next house will need a much larger living room to do them justice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Those look like the ones that were on eBay briefly and then pulled. Are you in Oregon? They look just like them. I saw them in the completed auctions section. I love my Belle's mine are Oak Clear (lacquer finish) with cane grills. The sound is awesome mine are a few years older though (1980) but they have the "AA" crossovers and the K-55V's with the soldered terminals. I am sure they will provide you enjoyment for years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbwreal Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 Yes, I am in Ashland Oregon, which is 15 miles south of Medford where these speakers were listed. I happened on eBay about an hour later and contacted the owner. One cabinet has a small chip near the bottom which is barely noticeable, and I got the waterstains out with the 0000 steel wool/linseed oil method mentioned above. I washed the cabinets down with mild soapy water and coated them with linseed oil. The cabinets now look almost new. Cleaning out the dust in the back I noted that the crossovers are AB - are these good or bad? Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I agree fini! And it looks like that piano would be harder for his wife to sit at than it was before too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I have a pair of Klipsch Belles also. I currently have one apart and am refinsihing them so that they are light Oak and Cane Colored Grill Cloth. I will post pictures when I'm done. What you really need for these Belles is a low - under 10 watt per channel tube amp. Then you'll see these babies sing! http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/download.asp?mode=download&fileID=26157&sessionID={ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorbertB Posted February 21, 2003 Share Posted February 21, 2003 CutThroat...what make of tube amp would you reccomend?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted February 21, 2003 Share Posted February 21, 2003 Hi, I would look for a SET amp ideally to go with these efficent speakers. I have a pair of 300b Biilies that I built from a kit for around $1K. There are excellent SET amps from Wright also. Here you can choose 2A3 or 300B or even 45. You don't need any more than 2-8 watts per channel. Read some reviews at Audio Asylum and research this subject for a few weeks. You'll have a good idea of what you should look into after that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Gee, they look great and your music room is quite beautiful. The local used hi-fi shop had a pair of black Belle's with a sticker price of $2000. Maybe someone dickered down the price. They did get sold quickly though. BTW, what brand / size of piano is that? Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Looks like a Steinway & Sons baby grand (?) The Belles compliment the piano completely! NorbertB, I lived near the Schloss Ludwigsburg (near Stuttgart) from '83 to '86...beautiful country! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbwreal Posted February 28, 2003 Author Share Posted February 28, 2003 Geez, I didn't realize this thread was still going, so I apologize for not responding soonder. The piano is a Chickering Grand built in 1919 - we're the third owners. Interestingly enough, you'll note that the front legs are doubles. That's because it was originally a "reproducing" piano, which was a fancy player piano. It still has the old wiring and a couple of bellows undernearth. Each key has a small hole underneath, and a puff of wind activated the key. My understanding form the piano tech is that the double legs were put on because of the additional weight of the player mechanism. The quality of the piano is the same as a normal Chickering Grand of the ear - which is excellent. Both sound and action are top quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 Beautyful speakers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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