Ki Choi Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Hi, My very first K-Horns have model number K. C. FR and serial number 3J513. They look and "smell" old... but do sound nice especially in dynamics. Can you tell me when they were made? Do they have the Alnico magnets? Probably asked and answered many times... how is it different from the latest K-Horns? I do see the crossover is model AA. Can it be upgraded and how much will the new crossovers cost? Sonic improvements from upgrades? Thanks, Ki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 You will be amazed at how many upgrages and modifications are out there. You could probably buy a new K-HORN for what all of them would cost you. Let me make you a suggestion. Listen to them for a year before you do anything. The important thing is your satisfaction. You might not need to "gild the lilly". Father Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I think those are 1971 and no i would leave crossovers alone...unless the oil caps are leaking... you could go with ALKs, i made my own ALKs fun to do.I think FR means finished raw,,,,is there a finish on them,,,,if you have a pic would help to,do you have them sealed to wall properly and if you have hard smooth floors seal them to floor with grippers or silicone,,,makes big difference,...rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Reed Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 FR... never heard of it. Maybe that is a BR for Birch Raw. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki Choi Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Very wise advice... Thanks. After trying out Quad ESL, Magnapans, B&Ws, JBL, Merlins, and countless others, I am just getting used to the K-Horn sound and having fun. But my tweaky side wants to explore options... in due time, I guess. So, what would be the major sonic differences in Circa 1971 K-Horns and 2003 new K-Horns? Thanks, Ki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki Choi Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 It is raw oak plywood with no final finish... Ki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki Choi Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Does the cabinet needs to be flush with the corner walls? At the moment, I have them toed out to point to my listening position directly, leaving some gap on one side of the wall on both speakers. Ki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Does the cabinet needs to be flush with the corner walls? At the moment, I have them toed out to point to my listening position directly, leaving some gap on one side of the wall on both speakers. Yes, the k-horns need to be sealed to the walls to get the best bass response out of them it makes a big difference.The back tail pieces need to be tight against the walls, I used some three eight inch pipe insulation and slide it over the tail pieces, you will need 4, 3 foot sections. Cost about 4 bucks, works good, and you need no glue at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuber Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Ki Choi I have a pair of 1975 Khorns and a pair of 2002 Khorns. The only way for me to compare them honestly is to drag one pair out of their corners and replace them with the other pair. By the time I accomplish that I can't tell the difference. The 75's may sound a crumb better but the 02's are prettier. Don't sweat the difference it's not worth it. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 "J" is 1971. Your should have AlNiCo squawkers (gray, K-55-V) and tweeters (round can). Those tweeters have a 2 watt continuous/20 watt program rating; don't abuse them, or you will get to install the newer, 10 watt diaphragms! I am not sure whether yours would have an AlNiCo woofer magnet. Upgrades: Wait 6 months to a year. The Type AA is a good crossover. It may be improved with premium caps and inductors for improved clarity. The squawker horn will benefit from a layer or 2 of "rope caulk" or Dynamat. It has a slight ring. If your woofer is not a K-33-E (in '71 they may not be), the -E will be a nice improvement for not much money, in the States, at least. The tweeters can be flush-bounted with the front of the cabinet using a Z-bracket Klipsch has been using for several years. The highs are less harsh, but it may be a lot of work removing the grille and enlarging the tweeter hole so it can be pushed to the front of the cabinet. Differences from 2002: The biggest is the crossover, the 2002+ has good caps, is very sophisticated and has no autoformer. The 2002 woofer is the K-33-E, the Squawker is a modern version of the K-55-V that is smoother, but not quite as efficient. The 2002 tweeter is nearly the same, but with a ceramic magnet. The 2002 diaphragms are supposed to fit into your drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn58 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 F R stands for Fir raw klipsch used to use fir plywood before switching to birch some time in the 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Just to add my own 2 cents like most on here. Your k horns are probably fine to excellent. You do, as A MUST here, need to have them in the corners OR build false walls/corners behind them (really the back sides of the K horn and mounted to the speaker snug to fit. Like a lot of people have already stated, this will make a HUGE improvement in the lower end. (Great story on ebay a few years ago, someone had them 3 feet from the wall sold em for 550 dollars because he thought they sucked... The next buyer smiled and got a great deal of a lifetime on some very nice walnut K horns.(picked them up accros town even, so not even an expense shipping ca-ching!!) In your case, if all drivers are working I also agree leave them alone for some time. Several months later if you absolutly HAVE to.. LOL Look into the ALK or the newer Klipsch upgrade kits I hear from many members on here that they are great. Also, be prepared to spend some major money that might, just might, be better spent some other gear or DVD's, CD's, LP's. I look at this analogy most people who buy high end sports cars like high end Klipsch audio speakers. Most, IMO, need to live with what they got first, and then after sometime after it is broken in, if they feel they must go for it, add the upgrades. Just cause you read about it in a magazine or heard it from someone else...does not mean it will drmatically change anything. You also do not want to drop an upgrade like a Chevy Cavalier engine into a Porsche. The car was designed to work with what was designed for it. Be careful what you change, you may not like the results! I own a Porsche Turbo, I loved it for 3 yrs before even considering a upgrade to stronger shocks, better tires and a new customised computer chip. Was the upgrade worth it? Very much so without a doubt, yes. It really is the red rocket everyday that I thought it was when I drove it the first time coming from a stock Trans AM. I questioned people that had done the upgrades much like your doing here and learned what to consider, why, and how it would improve what I had. Good luck in your audio journey. I wish you the best, and congrats on the K horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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