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KHORN Height and how it affects the sound


jbsl

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Bear with me my question is coming. My first Klipsch speakers were some 1985 Heresys that I brought back from Saudi Arabia. I put each speaker on top of 2 wooden crates that put the horns about ear level. Which gave them a much better sound than just angling them up towards me. Then I got my KLF 20s and the horns were just a little higher and they have a great sound also. When I got my 2004 La Scalas they are around 7-8 inches lower than my KLF 20s so the midrange horn was at my chest level and the tweeter horn was just below my chin, very bright sounding and was wondering if I had made a mistake. So I did 2 thing, bought a Cayin TA 30 tube amp( it is a integrated amp but I'm using it as a amp with my 2004 Luxman preamp) which helped tame the brightness and I made 2 risers 7 inch high and 2 feet by 2 feet. So now the La Scalas are 41 1/2 inches high with the midrange horn at 35 inches and the tweeter horn at 38 1/2. I also have 2 70 pound bags of sand on each speaker. To be honest I did that before the speakers had burned in and I have my current system so I don't know if the sand bags helped with the sound or not. I am going to raise the LS another 2-4 inches and see how it sounds.

Now I have not heard a pair of KHorns since I was 14-15, which was the late 70s, and almost 10 inches shorter. I was standing so that would have put the horns around my ear level and I was in audio nirvana!!

Now I'm almost 40 and that is why I bought the new La Scalas since I plan not to ever replace them. Now I know what all you KHorn owners are saying

"He has not heard KHorns in 24 years and once he does the upgrade bug will bite him!!" With my LS raised up to 41 1/2 inches and I'm sitting on my couch the vocals and instraments sound as if the band is sitting on some stools in front of me which is how I like the music to sound.

My question is with the horns on the KHorn ( I'm guessing on this) around 7-10 inches higher than my set up how do the vocals and instraments sound. Since it has been over 20 years since I heard them and I was standing I don't really know how they sound when sitting on my couch with the horns that much higher up. I know 7 or 8 inches does not sound like it could change the sound of the music but after raising my LS almost 7 inches I know it can change the sound. I also realize room size and other factors can affect the sound of speakers. The only reason this question came up is I was looking at a picture of someone's new KHorns and it made me think about it.

I live in Austin, Texas and if anyone on the forum lives in my area that owns KHorns I would love to hear them and they are welcome to come on over and hear their KHorns little brothers. I don't know if there has been a Texas Klipsch gathering anytime in the recent past but that sounds like a fun party to me!

Xman

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Some people like to sit at the center axis of the speaker. I dont. Klipsch LLC never published Poler axis response curves on the mid horn (K401) Both verticle & horizontal. This would give you an idea what to expect. I have poler plots on the tweeter. And the K77 is pretty wide. Remember if sitting in the corner 90 degree is all you can expect.

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You are certainly on the right track.

First, let me preference my remarks by noting my experience, so you know the exact location upon which I place my comments.

Second, some of my comments I got from other helpful posters here on the forum, so if the words look familiar, maybe I have posted them before or I am aping some other gorilla.

That being said, I have heard the Chorus IIs, Cornwalls Is, LaScalas and AK-2 Khorns on the same equipment and the same music selections in the same living room in the last few years.

In general however, bigger is better with Paul Klipsch's big old horns. (Thank goodness, there isnt a Khorn II, with even larger mid-range and bass drivers, or many of us would have to get that one.) Although the tone and depth of the bass response changes with progression up the Heritage line, four things remain constant:

- Frequency response in a variety of rooms becomes wider and/or flatter

- Already realistic sounding mid-range gets smoother and easier to listen to

- Greater dynamics improve quickness, attack and realism

- Increased efficiency reveals more defects of the recording and the front-end components big ole horns are as revealing as a courtesans peignoir

While the classic Klipsch corner Khorn has two horns and a large horn-loaded woofer bin, giving the huge triangular beast a 30-Hz depth most low price full range loudspeakers cannot reach. The LaScala has the same horns as the Khorn, but a smaller, simpler bass bin, which also gives it awesome efficiency, but the bass depth of a bookshelf speaker. "The LaScala," poster Ray Garrison says, "is plus/minus 5dB from 100Hz to 10kHz. (The similar Belle has a fairly smooth curve, but it has a smoothly falling output from 150Hz to 6 kHz, totaling a drop of almost 10dB from bass to treble.)"

The Khorn depth and smoother frequency response is an important component to the wide and precise soundstage the Khorn creates. Yet the classic Khorns has to fit snugly into equidistant corners, making them problematic for all but the most perfectly rectangular rooms.

The LaScala however, can be positioned three to four feet away from the front and sidewalls, creating NOT only a wide, but also a deep and realistic soundstage. The classic Klipsch corner Khorns has a wide soundstage, but it is NOT deep. Although incredibly realistic sounding, players are spread across a wide stage. LaScala can be just as wide, positioned away from walls, theyir soundstage can be deeper and with powerful subwoofers, they can have great bass.

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PWK specifically made the Khorn height what it is to achieve what he considered the optimum sound quality from the midrange. He {unfortunately} also had it in his head that a fixed 45 degrees was also the best toe-in available for the upper frequencies in any listening area.

What would you guys say to a full Khorn soundstage as you would expect WITH all the depth in the world? Turn the top cabinet! I wouldn't listen to a "flat" soundstage. Are you kidding me?

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