Who designed the Reference Series

[Heideana]

Does anyone know why Klipsch started designing two-way systems?

I think that I've been reading on the forum from time to time that PWK didn't have anything to do with designing the Reference series and probably wouldn't have approved of them (or something to that effect) because they are either: a) two-ways, or aren't fully horn-loaded. I didn't think too much about the conversation, however I just read in his biography that his life dream was to was to make a full-range, horn-loaded two-way loud speaker, i.e. the Jubilee. It made me wonder if anyone that had worked with him had a hand in moving Klipsch to start designing two-way systems. It would seem he must not have been too opposed to direct radiators as woofers or he wouldn't have used them in some of his designs and he was moving towards two-way systems. Could just be coincidence I suppose?

[JohnA]

The first Klipschorns were 2-ways. About the time they began selling, record technology allowed higher highs, so mr. Paul added a tweeter. Over the years he experimented with HF drivers that could replace the squawker and tweeter, but they were always more expensive, offered slightly poorer measured performance and had greater variability in that performance. That's why he stuck the the 3-way systems. He DID believe a 2-way would sound better.

The Reference series came too long after Mr. Paul sold the company and became Professor Emeritus. No doubt Jim Hunter had a hand in those designs, but some faceless nerd like most of us, toiling in the back of the cubicle farm, really designed them. We are not likely to know his name.

Would Mr. Paul approve? Maybe; probably. He was insistent on low distortion and high efficiency. The Reference Series seems to achieve that. They are sort of 2-way systems; he liked that. I'd say, based on the Cornwall and Heresy, he'd want the tweeter to roll in at a lower frequency.

[Heideana]

Thanks for your reply John. The vision of some faceless nerd carrying on Mr. Paul's vision of a two-way makes me smile a bit.

I take it lower the cross-over frequency is what the customizing of the RF-7's cross-overs is about that I've been reading about?

[cjgeraci]

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On 8/6/2005 4:00:34 PM Heideana wrote:

Thanks for your reply John. The vision of some faceless nerd carrying on Mr. Paul's vision of a two-way makes me smile a bit.

I take it lower the cross-over frequency is what the customizing of the RF-7's cross-overs is about that I've been reading about?

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Having had Dean's mod for RF-7s and a RC-7, I do not recall the mod involving changing the cross-over frequency (guys, please correct me if I am wrong). Instead, Dean uses higher quality parts in the rebuild, and the horn is brought down, db-wise, to give the speaker overall better balance. The result is a smoother speaker with a larger soundstage.

Carl.

[Deang]

Treble extension is NOT brought down, only the area of the horn's resonant peak.

[boomer9911]

thanks JA, nice piece of history to know....cheers....

[kenratboy]

Klipsch is not a big enough company to have faceless nerds

I'm sure Trey or Amy could shed some light.

For example, the JBL HLS series was designed by three audio engineers just out of college and hired into Harman.