OldGuy Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 I bought my Khorns in 1976. I still think they are the greatest but am curious as to what updates have been done by Klipsch and or dedicated users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 From another old guy, welcome to the forum. If you bought the Khorns new in 1976, you have type AA crossovers in them. The capacitors in those crossovers will have degraded some during that time and should be replaced to put the Khorns back to the way they were when they left the factory. If all the drivers are still working and sounding good, rebulding the crossovers is all I would suggest. Others will likely have different opinions. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 Welcome to the forum. I'd put the crossover rebuild on the top of your list. With fresh caps in your crossovers, and you'll think you've got brand new Khorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 I agree completly with Bob. Rebuilding your AAs is THE place to start. Another inexpensive thing to do is to add some rope caulk to the K-400. As you learn again how good the Khorns can sound, other more radical mods can be tried: ALK Type A Xovers or the even better Extreme Slope Networks designed by Al K. Different horn combo's (I'm not a big fan here but others swear by it). Improved tweeters like the JBL 2404H or less expensive Beyma. The most important thing? Have some fun and enjoy the music! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 I updated the crossovers in my '76 Khorns when I got them a couple years ago and it made a significant difference. It would be first on my list. Bob Crites, DeanG, and a few others here on the forum can help you out if you decide to go ahead with it. They all do a great job for a reasonable price. Definitely the best bang for the buck upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 1976 was a GREAT vintage. I've owned a pair but sold them to a good Klipsch buddy in Montreal. There are many '76'ers' here on the board and it is quite a special year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 Please know there is also a factory update package. This will bring yours up to the design of the current product. The new factory crossovers are very complex. Now that we're discussing it, it is a bit odd that this is not well advertised on the home page. You can call 1-800-KLIPSCH to investigate further. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 it´s a money thing. the quickest, cheapest upgrade that will make a noticable difference is swapping caps out of the existing x-over. if you have the scratch, william´s suggestion gets you a current spec klipschorn (I forget the price). regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Disregard................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Another difference (and I am not sure when it was introduced) is the use of rubber "flanges and gaskets" to help seal the K-Horns into the corners. There are a number of posts describing some fairly simple homemade versions using pipe foam. I tried this on my 1982's and the result was noticeable and pleasing. Good luck, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted July 4, 2005 Author Share Posted July 4, 2005 Thanks for the info about new crossovers. I will contact Klipsch on Tuesday. Norm ---------------- On 7/3/2005 8:14:20 PM William F. Gil McDermott wrote: Please know there is also a factory update package. This will bring yours up to the design of the current product. The new factory crossovers are very complex. Now that we're discussing it, it is a bit odd that this is not well advertised on the home page. You can call 1-800-KLIPSCH to investigate further. Gil ---------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Another difference (and I am not sure when it was introduced) is the use of rubber "flanges and gaskets" to help seal the K-Horns into the corners. There are a number of posts describing some fairly simple homemade versions using pipe foam. I tried this on my 1982's and the result was noticeable and pleasing. Good luck, -Tom I would think that a seal is needed along the top, between the bass and top bins, since you don't have air pressure to drop through that gap. So placement of horizontal pipe foam. I'm seen pictures of vertical pieces of foam, but I can't see the logic in sealing the back to the wall. Am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Yes you do need to seal the tailboard and the top of the bass bin to the wall.If you dont seal the tail board the presure will go around it and up the corner of the room.If you dont seal the horz. top part of the bass bin presure can go up the wall instead of out the flare of the wall.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 The update was $1800 but you get new crossovers (completely in the Bass Bin Door), new tweeters and new mid Drivers (alnico)...I enjoy my AK-4s but I made the changes out of necessity. Give Bob Crites (BEC) or DeanG or AlK a jingle for updates or mods. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 ---------------- On 7/4/2005 4:38:35 PM ricktate wrote: Yes you do need to seal the tailboard and the top of the bass bin to the wall.If you dont seal the tail board the presure will go around it and up the corner of the room.If you dont seal the horz. top part of the bass bin presure can go up the wall instead of out the flare of the wall.Rick ---------------- Hmmm. I'll have to look at how it's built behind there, but I was assuming that you could horizontally seal the top of the bass bin right into the corner, and therefore the vertical seal at the tailboard would not be required. In any case, mine aren't sealed yet so I can expect even better bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Hey Peter Do one side with Tailboard seals and horz. seals so you can A-B them and let us know what you find out.When i put Grippers on my Scalas..per Andy...i didnt A-B them cause i was in a hurry and forgot i wish i would have thought about it more but i do think it helped.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Unfortunately, my two corners are not the same. One is real and the other is made with a table on its side. Plus, bass is omnidirectional so it would be hard to tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 I have come to the conclusion that bass is NOT omni-directional when used in stereo even at low frequencies. Of course stereo allows for directionality and depth queues to be discerned even for low frequencies. Now how do we determine the point at which bass directionality in stereo use cannot be discerned... The audio industry has come to the conclusion that low frequencies below 80 Hz is "non-directional" and therefore having 2 woofers in stereo is rather pointless. Or this approach allows them (being primarily commerce-driven) to sell more cheaply made speakers with a single subwoofer to handle the bass portion of the response. It also allows for a single output amplifier, etc. to be in the multi-channel receivers used in home HT applications. This again is a cost-driven configuration, rather than the "best" audio solution, IMO. Personally, I find that 2 capable woofers (i.e., Khorns)in stereo are better than a single subwoofer in creating a "soundstage", including the lowest portions of the bass frequencies. After all, 2 large woofers working with less excursion can easily out-perform a single subwoofer driven with larger excursions for the same relative SPL. At the risk of being too picky about semantics, when there is a single (mono) subwoofer used for low frequency response the bass is closer to being "non-directional" rather than being "omni-directional". DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 ---------------- On 7/4/2005 4:38:35 PM ricktate wrote: Yes you do need to seal the tailboard and the top of the bass bin to the wall.If you dont seal the tail board the presure will go around it and up the corner of the room.If you dont seal the horz. top part of the bass bin presure can go up the wall instead of out the flare of the wall.Rick ---------------- If this were the case, why wouldn't Klipsch provide a gasket for the top of the bass bin, as they do for the tailboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Peter, You are on the right track. Sealing the horizontal portions to the walls/corners probably has the more noticeable impact on the bass. The effect of sealing the tailpiece was less noticeable. Unfortunately at these lower frequencies, the room acoustics will dominate so trying to modify one cabinet and comparing it against the other will not give an adequate comparison (I will assume the room, furniture, carpets, drapes, doorways etc are not perfectly symmetric). Good luck, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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