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Bad K33E, Lets Fix It


BEC

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Thought I might update this thread with results of the first recone attempt on a K-33E. You may have seen my other thread on building the driver test box. Testing a reconed K-33E was one of the primary reasons for building that.

Just as a quick check, I used a computer program to generate sine waves at specific frequencies and measured the output of the speaker at about one meter from the speaker. I first used a new fresh from Klipsch K-33E and recorded a set of SPL readings from 500 hz down to 28 hz. The last ones (32 to 28 hz) were done in 1 hz increments. I then replaced the woofer with the one that I had done the recone on and measured the same points again with that woofer in place. The measured values at all points were within 1 db of each other.

I might add also that I cannot detect any audible difference between the new K-33E and the reconed one from 1975. I guess now I need to do a 30 year listening test on the reconed woofer to make sure it lasts as long as the original.

Bob Crites

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Nice work Bob! both on the first successful recone and on your photos and posting. You might get quite a cottage business going. Just a few thoughts here from an old PA guy who has worked with local shops in repairing quite a few drivers. I've witnessed guys sending a test tone through mid drivers to 'center' the voice coil as they tighten the bolts down that hold the thing together. Would this process work with a woofer vs using the shims? How bout a sheet of aluminum to put over the mounting gasket to make sure the holddown clamps exert even pressure?

Lastly, the whole glue thing is critical. I remember reading an article in a PA journal some time ago about a guy who was an absolute artist at getting that spider and dust cap bead just perfect. Don't know if it's the glue, the applicator, or the method, but neatness does count. It's like caulking your bathtub, some guys can do it, some look like #e!!. I'll try to dig up the article if I can. Maybe he talks about the adhesive type.

Glad the test came out as it did and the enclosure idea sounds great! Best luck on the venture- WE NEED GUYS LIKE YOU!!!!

Michael

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  • 1 year later...

What's the difference between a K33-E and a K33-P which is in my La Scala?

And the K33-B in my '79 CWs?

Also, I'm surprised that it's difficult to post pictures with a Mac. I'm using Linux Ubuntu and Kubuntu without a problem, however I am using Mozilla's Firefox 1.5 on both my Linux PCs as well. But I was told that the Linux and Mac OS is very similar in many respects. [:^)]

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Oh man! I love to get to answer this question.

K-33E = Eminence, Kentucky

K-33P = Puducah, Kentucky

K-33B = Brownsville, Texas

Bob

Sort of like and 351 Windsor and 351 Cleveland?

So in all respects, the B, E and P are all pretty much the same driver, T/S specs and everything?

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I would expect all met PWK specs until around 1985 when things changed for some reason. His specs were, according to a person who heard him say this:

"a large magnet 15" woofer with an Fs less than 30Hz and

preferably less than 27Hz"

The current K-33E made since 1985 does not meet those specs.

Bob Crites

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So are the new K33's more efficient? Is that why my CWs are rated at 98.5dB @ 1W compared to the CW II and CW III being 101dB and 102dB @ 1 W?

I'm sure the horn improvements over the years have helped with this, but wouldn't they need to somehow get the newer K33's efficiency higher so it keeps up with the new horns? Does it have anything to do with the networks?

Sorry for all the questions. I just like learning about such things. [:)]

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Bob, Do you know if Eminence sells the k33e woofer under their own name in their own product line or is it specially built for Klipsch to Klipsch's specs?

Eminence does not sell the K33E under it's own name. It is built to spec under contract to Klipsch.

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Daddy Dee, Thanks for answering my question. This forum is just great! I should have signed up a long time ago. What a terrific source of information. Thanks to everybody for making my first several visits to the site so much fun and informative!

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So are the new K33's more efficient? Is that why my CWs are rated at 98.5dB @ 1W compared to the CW II and CW III being 101dB and 102dB @ 1 W?

I'm sure the horn improvements over the years have helped with this, but wouldn't they need to somehow get the newer K33's efficiency higher so it keeps up with the new horns? Does it have anything to do with the networks?

Sorry for all the questions. I just like learning about such things. [:)]

bump... Please. [;)]

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Really the way sensitivity works in Klipsch Heritage is that you take what you can get out of the woofer and its box you install it in and then attenuate the other drivers to match the woofer. The box or enclosure has a huge effect. The same woofer may be 98 db in a ported box (Cornwall) and 104 db in a bass horn (LaScala, Khorn, Belle).

Bob Crites

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Actually, I would think that they would test a closer to each other than that if you set all three of them up and tested them exactly the same way. That is just my opinion. You could probably look at the FR curves and depending on how you squint and tilt your head, read it to be any of those numbers.

Bob

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