hoggy Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I have read many posts and have browsed ebay a lot about heritage speakers. It seems every pair of speakers have consecative numbers. It's really starting to bother me that my Belles don't have consecative numbers. I'm a bit po'd at Magnolia Hi-Fi now because of them selling me a non consecative pair. BK-WO 1P392 and BK-WO 1P395. I know this is really silly to get upset over something that happened 28yrs ago. But if I ever go to sell them this may decrease their value. One thing I can say is that when both speakers are side by side the wood grain and pattern do match pretty well and it would be hard to tell they aren't a match pair. Any input would be appriciated. hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale A B Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 My stab at this is that the grain matched better on 392 & 395 than the other ones. I don't see how Magnolia could be to blame as they didn't pick them off the assembly line (or did they?) The difference in the numbers or the value would be insignificant to 99% of the population, and certainly not to me. Anybody out there have the missing # 393 & 394 Belles so we can compare? NP - FAITH NO MORE - Album Of The Year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 12, 2004 Author Share Posted January 12, 2004 I didn't mean to sound as if I was actually "angry" at Magnolia but I think Klipsch would ship speakers in consec numbers to dealers say 390 thru 396 (for example 3 pairs of Belles) and am thinking Magnolia just crabbed any 2 out of stock when they delivered not paying attention to consec numbers. Just my thoughts. However you may be correct in that maybe Magnolia had just one pair which Klipsch shipped and 392 and 395 looked better together. Maybe HDBRbuilder can shed some light into this subject. hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 HOGGY ..... Only MONK would fret over some thing like this. If the veneer is a good match who cares about consect numbers. Did you check numbers on woofers & drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 Maron, Actually I never really gave it much thought until I noticed everyone on their ebay adds and also when some people posted on here they seemed to make a deal(or maybe just mentioned) about their speakers being consec numbered. I'm just going to forget about it as I've had these for 28yrs now and will probably die or go to an old folk home before I get rid of them. I didn't go so far as to check ser numbers on the drivers etc. Although when I wrapped my squawkers with Dora Mat (which I didn't care for so removed after listening to for a week). I did take note of the date stamped in the K500 horns. 395 had a'74 date and 392 had '75 date so that told me Klipsch just grabbed the horns from stock which who cares anyway. I was curious however because so many did get consecative numbered speakers. Thanks for you time in your responces. hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Matching serial numbers are only an issue with pairs with matching exotic veneer, like rosewood, zebrawood, etc where the veneer comes from the same flitch. Otherwise, it is pretty meaningless. I bought two Heresys in 1972. The numbers weren't even close. And they were special ordered from Klipsch by the dealer. OTOH I have other Heresys with numbers that do match. But their veneer doesn't match that well. The difference in numbers should have not effect on the resale value of your speakers. And as far as sound goes, as long as the internal components are the same, they should sound the same. In any case, there is nothing you can do about it now. So why fret? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I think Andy has said before sometimes if speakers on the line matched better they would send those two speakers even if numbers were different...i dont think it would matter to me,,,i would want matching grain more than numbers....rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I remember when I bought my heresy's in 77, we just went into the stock room with a two-wheeler and loaded up the first couple we came to. Sure enough, in 2002, 25 years later I notice that the serial numbers are three apart. Back then, it didn't matter and guess what: today it still doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Reed Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Every pair of Heritage speakers I've bought has a label on the box that gives the serial number of that speaker and the "matching" serial number to that pair. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 When I worked at Klipsch...NORMALLY, pairs that were matched had consecutive serial numbers. This was NOT always the case though. After the speakers had passed final assembly (where the labels where put on them)and testing, they went to shipping. If the shipping folks found, for instance, six laquered black walnut Belles, each with nearly identical matching of the veneers on them...then they would match them up as closely as possible in pairs before boxing them up for shipping. It didn't matter whether they had consecutive serial numbers or not, as long as their wood had the best possible match in grain pattern and color. The boxes would be marked to designate the matched pairs and then shipped out to the dealers who had orders in for them. Consecutively serial-numbered pairs are not necessarily the best matches from a batch of veneered-wood panels. Now, let's get to the point of the dealers and their warehousing techniques. Even though many matched pairs DID have consecutive serial numbers, it was the markings on the boxes of the speakers that actually provided the designated match for pairs, whether the serial numbers were consecutive or not. It was up to the dealer to sell them as matched pairs by noting the markings on the boxes as they retrieved them from their warehouse. This did NOT always happen! Now, let's get to even finer detail in YOUR particular situation. Since Belles were never a consistently high-volume-selling speaker for ANY dealer, they were normally NOT kept in overstock, but most often special-ordered for a customer. Not only that, but IF a dealer DID have Belles in overstock, it was likely never more than one or two pairs of them, often in different veneers/finishes. Therefore, your particular Belles were MOST LIKELY selected as a matching pair in shipping at the plant, whether the serial numbers were consecutive or not, then shipped out to your dealer as a matched pair, whereupon they were sold to a customer as such! Pretty simple! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 Thanks to all who have replied. Very enlightening HD. I knew if anyone here would know it would be you. Thx, hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch Employees Trey Cannon Posted January 13, 2004 Klipsch Employees Share Posted January 13, 2004 Remember all our speakers are mathched to a Standard. We have a production std. and an engineering std. They are matched to eachother. All the other speakers are built to meet that std. speaker. as andy stated. most matching was done for the wood only. after about 1984 or so the wood became so standard in grain that we stopped matching wood as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 It seems that people are focusing on consecutive serial numbers as an indication that they come from the same run at the Klipsch factory. Certainly, if Klipsch says they are all within their tolerances, who are we to question. A deeper question would be to question how the drivers are picked out of box of units from a manufacturer supplying the folks in Hope. It is improbable that a given tweeter, midrange driver, or woofer, even in a matched set of completed speakers, are close cousins from EV, Atlas, or Eminence. We can throw in network components too. We must trust the QC of electrical testing at Hope. Wood matching tells us little about what we're interested in regarding sonic performance. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Robin Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Ok i had to go look at my 20 year old Heresy`s and they do match 621 and 622. Never gave it much thought; but have always been impressed with the wood grain match and love to show them off. I was always under the impression the PWK meant for the Belle to be a center channel for the Khorns. I know i have seen many advertising photo`s this way. Just my impression though. I will one day have a set of Belle`s for my front mains if i can find a set within driving distance of Little Rock. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhornKerry Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 In my opinion matching wood veneer patterns is important especially with the Khorn and the Belle where the wood grain is most visible it adds extra resell value and shows attention to detail by the manufacture. I have a pair of Walnut Khorns that did not match and it bothered me. I had the chance to purchase a matched pair of Rosewood Khorns and jumped on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 BK-WO 1P395 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 BK-WO 1P392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Close Finish match. hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhornKerry Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Hoggy <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> I looked at both of you Belles and they look very nice to me. As you said the wood grain is close and most people don't care about being matched . You could buy a matched set on Ebay and then sell your speakers if you wanted a matched pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggy Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Khorn, I hear you but I bought them new in '76 and will keep them. They have just very minor scratches on tops due to putting things on them but one has to look very closely to see them. They made it through my wild drinking days playing them extremely loud plus I raised my two daughters who didn't destroy them and still they look/sound great. According to HDBRbuilder they were probably matched at the factory that way. I only posted pics to show that non matching numbers can match in finish. hoggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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