Info/opinions sought: Klipsch KG4?

[Mark Hardy]

Hello:

A colleague of mine at work, knowing of my hi-fi collecting hobby (make that obsession), told me that he has a neighbor selling a pair of Klipsch KG4's (did I get the nomenclature right) for sale inexpensively ($100/pr or less). Now, as a Cornwall owner, I know the Heritage sound, but I know nothing of these (1980's-vintage?). Can anyone tell me anything about them? Sensitivity? Driver complement? How do they sound? Would they be a good investment (given that I don't need any more speakers and at some point I am going to go past the threshold of my wife's good graces)?

Thanks in advance!

[dougdrake]

Mark - I'm an enthusiastic owner of KG-4s. They will, in no way, compare/compete with your Cornwalls, but they are great smaller speakers nonetheless. For the price of $100, they are an absolute steal!! The bass in these is very strong and clean. They'd make a nice second/third/college system for someone!

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:

38Hz-20kHz±3dB

SENSITIVITY:

94dB @ 1watt/1meter

POWER HANDLING:

100 watts maximum continuous (500 watts peak)

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE:

6 ohms

ENCLOSURE TYPE:

Bass reflex via passive radiator

DRIVE COMPONENTS:

Two-way system using one 1" (2.54cm) phenolic dome compression driver tweeter with a 90°x40° Exponential horn, two 8" (20.32cm) front-firing, poly ICG cone woofers and one 12" (30.48cm) rear-firing, fiber-composite cone passive radiator

TWEETER:

K-74-K 1" (2.54cm) Phenolic dome compression driver

HIGH FREQUENCY HORN:

90°x40° Exponential Horn

HF CROSSOVER:

1800Hz

WOOFER:

Two K-8-K 8" (20.32cm) Poly ICG cone active / KD-12 12" (30.48cm) Fiber-composite cone passive

DIMENSIONS:

24.25" (61.6cm) x 15.75" (40cm) x 10.75" (27.3cm)

WEIGHT:

40 lbs. (18.2kg)

ENCLOSURE MATERIAL:

Medium density fiberboard construction (MDF)

FINISHES:

Walnut Oil, Oak Oil, Finished Black

YEARS BUILT:

1985 - 1992

[Ray Garrison]

If they are in good condition, I'd grab them if they're going that inexpensively. Even if you don't wind up keeping them, they go for more than that on EBay, and you could probably make a few $$$ flipping them.

I have a pair of KG4 (1985 vintage), and owned a pair of La Scalas for quite a while. The KG4 have a similar "house" sound in the upper midrange and treble, have very good, punchy bass for their size, and I like them a lot. They will sound less open than the Cornwalls in the midrange, but then again, so does just about everything else except La Scala, Belle of KHorn.

If you decide to check them out, pay careful attention to the condition of the surrounds on the two front midwoofers. There've been quite a few posts on this board about the KG series surrounds rotting and/or cracking with age. Mine are fine, and it seems that it's pretty binary - either they are from a batch that was prone to the rotting surrounds, and by this time they'd be going, or they're not, and they should be fine. Also, be sure to test them (uh, play something and listen) to make sure both tweeters are working and play at the same volume level. The tweeters can be damaged if you apply sufficient unrestrained enthusiasm.