om13934 Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I was chatting with a friend of mine this weekend who used to work for an authorized repair center. I was bragging about my new klipsch system, when he mentioned that he had seen more klipsch speakers blown than any other company. He said that the coils tend to over heat and melt together. I quote "They're decent speakers, just don't crank 'em too much becuase they're known in the industry to be a little touchy." Now, being a big Klipsch fan, I automatically defended my purchase, and the Klipsch name. I have never heard of anyone ever having problems of this nature.(and I've cranked mine let me tell you! ) He also said that he prefered Boston Acoustics and that the Klipsch speakers seem rough and harsh sounding to him. Are these claims about Klipsch justified or are these his bias tendancies talking ? Anyone have any experience with this. I'm not sure whether he was refering to klipsch home or professional speakers or both. Shed some light on this dark subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I can see where he might be coming from in regards to a harsh sound, but the vast amount of blown speakers doesn't seem normal. perhaps it's just some fluke that a lot of customers like to blow klipsch in that area? never heard of it anywhere else. perhaps he was working for a repair center that worked mainly on klipsch? as far as klipsch pro, that stuff is built like tanks. i use klipsch pro speakers for a million and one situations and have trashed them beyond belief: clipped amps, heavy distortion, and even dropping them down stairs and out of vans (none of these things were my fault of course) I've also worked a lot with EV and JBL speakers and they are the ones that tend to break more often ok, story time. i had a pair of old EV monitors once that the woofer surrounds got ripped off while i was away from the board and a kind singer put their mic down so that we got a nice low pitched feedback that resonated the crap out of everything. only the klipsch speakers survived (and these EV were rated higher too). wow, what a wonderful story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I think you need to clerify your question to which family of Klipsch speakers your friend is refering too. You really can't lump all Klipsch speakers into a group and make a claim like this since each family uses different designs of drivers. I use all Heritage and I can tell you that most of us remove all the built in protection to get a better sound, then drive them with a very clean signal to avoid damage. Hook up my speakers to a high distortion, high powered modern SS receiver and I gaurentee a blown tweeter is in my future but I would not hold that against the Klipsch company at all. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwoods Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Add another biased opinion to your list. I'm not in the industry, but there are some unknown factors to consider, as to why he has seen more Klipsch in for repair. Maybe the ratio is the same or better, if MORE sold. The AMPLIFIER and/or the "hand on it" is usaully what causes speaker failure. So in a case like this, it is only proper to shoot the messenger. Maybe they need to put "idiot lights" on their speakers. I did fry a tweeter diaphram on a '86 Heresy once, and have no clue as to why it happened. So that's 1 in 18 years. Give your friend the benefit of doubt, and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 The t-35 tweeters built by EV back in the earlier days are known to blow with high powered SS amps. I did it twice when I bought my cornwalls back in 1980. I learned my lesson though and don't try to wake up the entire state of MD during late night parties anymore. Other than that, I never heard of any problems with klipsch in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgourlie Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 If the worker was in a situation where he sold the promedia 5.1 systems before 2003, then he has seen A LOT of broken systems. Not the voice coils melting ...... which I highly doubt...... but amplifier problems. Or if he sold a lot of the LF series subwoofers. As you recall they also had a problem. I believe it was mainly the seals and the cabinet and around the woofer that just gave out. Anyways, those were some instances where klipsch had faults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easylistener Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I blow a tweeter in my RF3II's but that was because I put 400 watts to each speaker. One held up(for now). That is becasue I put to much power into it and that is expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
om13934 Posted February 2, 2004 Author Share Posted February 2, 2004 He didn't specify which line of klipsch speakers he was referring to about the problems. When I asked, he said that he would see all lines, from herritage all the way up to modern reference. I said that I had a hard time believing that with a 400 watt peak (on my RF15's even) that I would be able to blow them that easily. His response was (and I quote again) "Wow, 400 watts on the RF15's, what's the max continuous wattage?" I replied 100. "That doesn't sound right! Your continuos should be at least 65% of your max. Either they're (klipsch) under rating the continuos, or they're way over rating the peak wattage." My question is if klipsch is completely accurate on their rateings. Anyone else ever tested the speakers ratings to prove the accuracy? Is this 65% rule a real mark to follow, or is Klipsch just different? Any more thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy1857 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I have only been a Klipsch fan since I bought 2 pairs of Forte speakers back a "few" years ago. The only trouble I have ever had with ANY Klipsch product was about 8-9 years after I bought them. I was getting a lot of buzzing noises at considerable volume levels. I took the offending speakers to a local dealer, who called Klipsch, and they were told to take the speakers apart and check for glue separation inside the cabinet. This was the case, that the glue had in fact separated!! I was given WHOLESALE value for the 8+yr old Forte's in trade on a pair of KG 5.5's and a pair of KG 2.5's, with $$$ to spare!!! These were OLD speakers and I tried like crazy to blow them out...or my neighbors out...and only the glue came apart!! As was mentioned above...it could be that your friend saw a lot of Klipsch's in the shop, was cuz a LOT of people buy them!! There is always the "loose nut on the volume knob" option as well. Believe it, I tried to BE that loose nut.....to mixed reviews!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Heritage Series??? I've had mine (La Scala's) for 20 years and they still sound like the day I first brought them home. I have a number of friends who own them as well and no problems there either. Personally I think your freind is biased but that's probably because I am biased opposite his aparent opinion. As for a harsh sound ??????????. I suppose the pro-media series may have turned a few problems but melting voice coils I am not sure I buy that. Anyway your pride in your Klipsch is justified. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
om13934 Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 I know what you mean about the herritage series J.4knee. I used to have a couple of cornwalls and never had any trouble, still a comment like that coming from someone supposedly in the know made me shutter a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killerbee_vr6 Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 I beat my Choruses like a rented mule with a Crown K1 amp in a massive room (over 50' x 70' with a 20-35' ceiling and they don't even break a sweat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 (edited) I've been blowing out the Klipsch AW650 speakers seems every 6 months Edited May 20, 2019 by matthew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 35 minutes ago, matthew said: I've been blowing out the Klipsch AW650 speakers seems every 6 months Welcome to the forum? How many watts are you running to them? I believe that they're rated for 85 watts. If they can't satisfy your needs for volume outdoors without destroying them then it may be time to look at something larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 only 55W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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