Klipschorn driver repair.......help needed

[djk]

http://www.atlas-soundolier.com/techLib/SLSheets/SL2.1561.PDF

http://www.atlas-soundolier.com/techLib/SLSheets/SL2.1551.PDF

The PD5VH is smoother in the midrange.

As regards changing diaphragms, it is easier to do a K55V than a K77.

[condorflyer]

You guys are great! To complete the trio, who makes the current production woofer?

Now this one is a bit obscure, but for anyone who has taken the time to flush mount the tweeter and squaker to the front of the top cabinet, have you noticed such a difference that you felt it was well worth the effort or better to leave as is rear mounted?

[JohnA]

I flush mounted my tweeters; it's worth it. The squawker horn would require removing a lot of material. I lined the opening with heavy felt from Home Depot.

[LarryC]

You wrote (see my comments below):

"...his ONLY solution to me was to buy the upgrade kit @$900 per speaker. At first, I felt completely sick. I thought: I love my K-horns just the way they are. What am I supposed to do if I blow a driver? Where am I supposed to go? In fact, I remember asking him who he recommended I send my drivers to for repair. He didn't recommend or know of any company.

"I have to admit, when I got off the phone with him, I was really ticked off. Then I started doing some reading about the 2002 Klipschorn and thought: if I would even contemplate doing the upgrade, I would want to FIRST listen to what the new K-horn sounds like. Of course it's difficult to come to an intelligent decision when you factor in that their environment and equipment are different from your own, but what the hell can you do? I have plans to listen to the 2002 Klipschorns in the next few months and will consider the upgrade if I like what I hear."

Hi -- While I don't have a lot of driver, etc. experience, the following may be of interest: I've owned since perhaps 1980 a K-horn pair made in the 1960s. After poor results from "updating" drivers and crossover in the early 1980s, I sent the tops to Klipsch for analysis and re-working -- they re-set the tweeter position and I got somewhat better sound. NOW: I bought and installed the new $900-per updates a few months ago, and got MUCH better sound: more bass, a more even mid-range and upper bass, and smoother transition between the tweeter and midrange. I thought it was a great improvement. The principal differences seem to be a new, much more complicated one-piece crossover, and new Monster Cable wire that seems much superior to previous Klipsch wire (I've since re-wired them with Siltech, but was nearly satisfied, for a change, with the new Klipsch wire).

So, I'd second your interest in listening to the new Klipsch system to see whether you like it. Incidentally, my sound via Joule-Electra OTLs seems very realistic to me, after a 30+-year search for same. LarryC

[condorflyer]

Larry,

It seems pretty consistent from your experience and some others that have commented here in the forum and elsewhere that the "2002 Khorn" or newer is better all around. Since curiousity will get the better of me, I will definitely listen to the new Khorn.

How would you characterize the sound of your speakers after you changed the internal wiring to Siltech?

Ever listen to Atma-Sphere OTL's? Listening to tube gear with my Khorns ranks very high on the list of things to do. I have a Pass Aleph 30 amp and Pass Labs X2 pre-amp (both pure class a) with a Theta Miles on the way. Not sure how it will sound when everything is in place, but that's part of the fun. Wow....a 30+ year search for the holy grail....which Joule-Electra do you have? While were're on the subject, what other gear are you using with your OTL? Thanks.

Austin

[LarryC]

Austin, I copied your reply below so I can answer you point by point:

"Larry,

It seems pretty consistent from your experience and some others that have commented here in the forum and elsewhere that the "2002 Khorn" or newer is better all around. Since curiousity will get the better of me, I will definitely listen to the new Khorn.

How would you characterize the sound of your speakers after you changed the internal wiring to Siltech?

Ever listen to Atma-Sphere OTL's? Listening to tube gear with my Khorns ranks very high on the list of things to do. I have a Pass Aleph 30 amp and Pass Labs X2 pre-amp (both pure class a) with a Theta Miles on the way. Not sure how it will sound when everything is in place, but that's part of the fun. Wow....a 30+ year search for the holy grail....which Joule-Electra do you have? While were're on the subject, what other gear are you using with your OTL? Thanks.

Austin

Austin: I waited until the new Monster Cable wire was broken in (better bass and sound started really coming in at 20-30 hrs.), then alternated tweeter and midrange MC and Siltech to do the comparison. The difference was not a strong one, and might not even have shown up without the OTLs and all the accessories and tweaks that I've installed the last few years (see list below), but it was enough for me to decide on the Siltech sub. The difference is difficult to describe, but there was a noticeably greater crystalline (?) clarity and purity with the silver, which brought the music more into its own right as sound. I had to get new wire as the old lengths were not compatible because of different crossover locations, etc. That said, I thought the MC was really very good, and a great match for the drivers and overall balance and sound of the K-horn.

No, I didn't listen to Atma-Sphere -- many of these amps are not demo'd in this major metro area, and I was reluctant to start having manufacturers (and myself) ship a lot of stuff around. I did try out one better-known tube amp which was not a rewarding experience, and I couldn't even lift another volunteered for a demo which I declined.

I have the VZN-100s, actually a low-gain version. The clarity and you-are-thereness added by this amp is almost astonishing. My major other stuff is:

CAT Signature Mk III (with 2 pr. Tubesox)

Basis Ovation,w/debut bearing upgrade, Graham TA and Benz cartridge

Wadia CD

PS Audio P-300

ESP power cords

Siltech interconnects and speaker cable

I should re-emphasize that even things like the P-300 and the Tubesox, which I all got prior to the J-E and Klipsch update, seemed to add clarity to the system, so I don't know how to estimate what silver would do over the Monster Cable in a more standard system, it might not be that much.

Larry

[Super_BQ]

Interesting thread,

I just called the Klpsch parts dept. wanting to order spare parts for my speakers. Not surprisingly, they didn't have any of the new 2002 Klipschorn drivers and diaphrams in stock. For those who are interested, my website link below shows my new 2002 model Klpschorn

http://www.geocities.com/super_bq/Klipsch1.html

They also informed me on the $900 Klipschorn upgrade. For a company to offer a solution to existing old model Klipschorn owners was pretty good. I can't think of any company today that maintains support for speakers made 20 or 30 years ago. Having said this, the other concern is would you want to butcher your speakers by doing such an upgrade? The analogy is like putting in a new fuel-injected V8 motor into an old classic muscle car made in the 60s and 70s. Definitely wouldn't be original anymore and it would also affect the resale value.

For those that don't get to read my website, I can not comment on the sound of my Klpschorns as they are STILL in the original box. Awaiting contruction of a new house.

BQ

[Istari]

Actually, PWK was quite proud to be able to say that his speakers were upgradeable. He boasted of the fact that for a fraction of the cost of buying a new set of Klipschorns an owner of an existing set of horns could upgrade the older set to current standards. Not the analogy you presented. If you look at the midrange horn, the midrange just screws into the throat. The Woofer would stay the same, the X-over would be completely mounted in the woofer inside the woofer cabinet. I'll admit that the AK-4 X-over is newly redesigned. Did you get the breadboarded X-over or the one mounted on a circuit board?

There wouldn't be any butchering of all but the very earliest of K-horns, the ones that used wooden midranges. He said so in at least one set of the Dope from Hope newsletters.