Military Exchange Doesn't Carry Klipsch! For Moderator?

[G-Money]

Dear Klipsch,

I was just at the Military Exchange web site (which lists all vendors they do business with)and discovered Klipsch no longer does business with the Military Exchange (AAFES). I am stationed oversea's and am forced to do business with non-authorized dealers or buy used products...all of which, over the internet.

Would anyone have any insite as to why Klipsch and Military Exchanges don't do business together anymore...almost un-american. Might this have something to do with the new distributor restructuring?

Not only do Military Exchanges not sell any Klipsch products, you can't even special order products, this is totally unacceptable!!! There has been a long, long love affair between the military and Klipsch, I beleive Klipsch is where they are today because the military bought there products at oversea's locations and brought them to the US for the whole nation to see and enjoy. Is there anything that can be done?

I have contacted the Military Exchange (AAFES) to see if they have any history as to what happened to this wonderful relationship, I will update this thread as soon as I hear back.

V/R

G-Money

[Frzninvt]

After buying a pair of Cerwin Vega D-8's at the Audio/Photo club on Ramstein AB, GE I found they sounded good but the midrange and tweeter circuit breaker would kick out if I tried to push them hard. I sold them and bought a pair of Polk RTA-12C's at the same Audio/Photo club on the base. After a month or so, I did not care for their sound. Sadly, my special silver anniversary edition Bose 301 Series II's sounded better. So I sold the Polk Audio's but was unsure what to get. I went to the base exchange and looked around, there was some nice JBL's L-150's I believe, sounded nice but real inefficient. Then I noticed the Ramstein BX had some Klipsch Forte's on sale marked down from $870 to $780, I was reluctant at first since they were rated at 100W and I had a 300W per channel DBX power amplifier. I had owned Heresy's a few times in the past and had always loved Klipsch speakers so I bought the Forte's. Wow, they blew the previous speakers I had completely away in all aspects and would take all the power that the big DBX amplifier could throw at them. Bottom line is if it were not for Klipsch and AAFES doing business together I would have never had that opportunity. I also looked at the Chorus, but chose the Forte' since it reached further into the lower octaves of bass. They had La Scala's there too, but they were just to big for me at the time. AAFES had a huge tent sale every year and Klipsch would have their whole line available for sale, it was awesome! I can't tell you how many of my Air Force buddies bought Klipsch speakers. I know guys that would shoe horn La Scala's into their tiny dorm rooms. I think that it is really a shame that Klipsch speakers are no longer available through AAFES. Man I must have been in Germany during some of the golden years in audio, there was a ton of choices from 1986-1989. Each base had an Audio/Photo club and a BX stocked with gear and Ramstein and Vogelweh. I had heard that their is no longer any Audio/Photo clubs and the BX's don't offer squat anymore. I remember checking out all the Nakamichi, DBX, and many other high end components during that time. I wonder what happened to the Klipsch/AAFES relationship.

[jzoz01]

As far as I know, the KM series was the last designed to be distributed to millitary services over seas. (I used to have KM4s.) Anyway, those quit production in like 1997 i believe, I'm not sure how much longer after that klipsch was still distributed through them, but I know they didn't design certain models for overseas shipment anymore after that.

[dougdrake]

And we can't forget the location of the Klipsch plant in Hope is the testing ground at which Officer PWK spent many years serving our country...

[G-Money]

These days, AAFES will try to push the (overpriced and overrated) BOSE crap on us the second we walk in the store!!!

[Bruinsrme]

One of the main reasons the exhances like Bose is due to the Officer rank inputs. Across the services the officers are surveyed regarding the exchanges. The input is compiled and the Commanding Officer of the bases provide the results. Small compact systems that are moving friendly and do not take up a lot of room seem to top the list.

Also floor space in the exchanges is really at a premium. Less floor space taken up by audio/video is more room for the exchanges to push more low quality overpriced items that the enlisted will purchase on the exchange credit cards because they are under paid and can't afford to shop with out using credit.

OK my biter rant is over.

Scott

[PYRO]

I purchased my Klipsch through AAFES Special Order Program Sept 2002. Must have just made it.

I also remember the High End Audio days in Germany 1987-89, stationed in Stuttgart.

RP

[jt1stcav]

Same here. During '83 thru '86 I spent a large portion of my E-5's salary at the Post Exchange at Robbinson Barracks in Stuttgart. I drooled over the Nakamichi DRAGON and BX-1 cassette decks (and later bought one of each), also a harman/kardon CD-491 3-head deck; my first Carver components came from there (the M-400t amp, C-1 preamp, and TX-11 tuner), a dynamic range expander, noise reduction unit, and route selector from dbx, and I ordered both the Carver DTL-100 disc player and a Denon DP-62L direct-drive 'table with a Stanton MM through the AAFES catalog. I almost bought the Teac XR-1000 reel to reel and Pioneer's first LD player, but chickened out at the last minute.

What I really wanted was a new pair of Klipsch Cornwall II loudspeakers, but because I lived in a little 2-man room in my barracks back in Ludwigsburg (at Krabbenloch Kassern), I had no way of bringing these mammoth speakers back to my room, plus they just wouldn't fit. So my next choice was a recently discontinued pair of JBL L112 Century II monitors (which blew away the Bose 901's I auditioned against the JBL's)...to this day I still have those (and they're still like new)! I would've bought a pair of Heresys, but they were sold out at the time, and if memory serves, they didn't carry any other Klipsch models (I never saw anything but the birch Cornwalls).

It's a national tradgety if our proud men and women in uniform, especially those stationed overseas, are not offered the same priveledge as we once were, to have the opportunity to purchase Klipsch products from AAFES...Glad I was in when I was.

[mike stehr]

No Dought, I had plans on buying(Or someone who is Military) a pair of Synergy type Bookshelf speakers at the Commissary at the AFB I work at.

(They were a good price.)

But when I went back to check into it again, they were all gone.

Replaced by cheesy Boomboxes, and weeny shelf systems.

So much for that option.

[skonopa]

Just for S&G's, I'll have to go into the base exchange here at the Navel base where I work and see if they have any Klipsch. Somehow I doubt it, but will be interesting none-the-less. Of course, the Navy and Marines have thier own exchange (NEX) and don't go through the AAFES. Unfortunatly, thier website does not seem to have a vendor list and it won't let me search the catalog (wants an SSN and B-day - not in the military anymore).

[Frzninvt]

Mike, the commissary is where you get your groceries not your audio gear or other home items. The most awesome place for purchasing gear when I was in Germany was Mainz-Kastel, I think it was an Army Post. They had a 3 or 4 floor building filled with gear, each manufacturer had their own room. They had a closeout item room as well, and a CD store as well. I do recall it being quite a drive for me from Kaiserslautern but well worth the trip. I bought my JBL B-380 monster sub there. I got it for like $350 (floor model) and they threw in a new set of grills that they had sent to my local Ramstein BX. The sub retailed for $900 and sold for around $750, what a deal I got. I ran my DBX BX-3 amp in 3 channel mode and used my DBX 120X as the crossover for it, and used my Forte's as the mains. It was awesome! My roomate asked why my system sounded so different? I showed him the sub, he loved the difference it made so much he went out and purchased a sub for his system. We had a nice apartment off the base so we had room for the gear we had. I forget the name of the little town our apartment was in. Man those were certainly the years for awesome audio overthere, it is a shame that they don't have the selection that they once did for all the current troops. That was one of the best thing about being overseas being able to get the awesome gear or be able to order it through the AAFES catalog. The good ole' days are gone now for sure!

[G-Money]

Still no reply from AAFES, has customer service taken a back seat as well?

It would still be nice to have a Klipsch employee chime in on this subject...how do I get their attention?

[gtDark]

I didn't know the BX used to sell Klipsch! damn, no tax would have been nice.

Oh by the way, I was born in K-Town, Ger.

[Craig6519]

I remember La Scala's and Heresey's even saw a pair of Khorns at the Lakenheath BX in the U.K. I was stationed there for 17 years not Lakenheath but the U.K. The Lakenheath still had Klipsch in 2000 at Lakenheath. I remember buying the DBX 3BX DBX 400 route selector, Nackamichi tape deck, not the dragon,but it flipped the tape for you can't remember the model #, I had a Yamaha MX-1000 Power Amp, CX-1000 Pre-amp, and Bose 901's!! Sorry shame on me. All has been replaced 4 times over but after trading in the Bose on Klipsch I realized what I had been missing all those years.

Craig

[Jalen01]

A SAD DAY INDEED!!!!

That was weird to look thru the latest copy of the AAFES catalog (Spring/Summer) and not see any Klipsch Speakers (WTF).

I too was turned on to Klipsch for the first time at one of those Electronics sales (Guam's Andersen Air Force Base) in 1995. Where a new Buddy at the time asked if I would help him set-up and sale some items. He ended up being the Klipsch Rep. for the Island and We sold a Truck load of Klipsch speakers that Weekend (Mostly Tangent(?) series and the last pair of La Scalas he had in stock) <---SWEET Speakers Those La Scalas BTW!!!!

I Finally bought My Klipsch RF-3II's + RC-3II via the AAFES program a little over a year ago. The Family and I are now stationed in Keflivik, Iceland. Where I had hopes on completing My Home Theater via The Exchange here on base(maybe there will be some remaining klipsch speakers here). A Big No Go There!!!!! I walk into the Exchange and there is no other speakers here but Bose. Bose On top of Bose, Yuk LOL. They do have the last remaining floor model "Pro Media" hooked-up to one of their Computer systems (which is still getting most the attention in the store). Now what is a Guy to do? We're Out in "B.F.E" and no Klipsch to be had. I guess I'll have to weight the alternatives. There's the Internet & Possible Unauthorized Dealers and The Used markets. Or should I Just wait to get back State Side and Buy From Best Buy (We're talking 3+ years here)? AAGGGHHHH, Klipsch Why Yall Do This To Us?

Jalen