Details on my new Cornwalls, experimental or just lack of parts....

[BiggerIsBetter]

I am the very proud new owner of a pair of Cornwalls. Prior to purchasing, I researched a lot of the information on this site. Thanks to all for contributing to such a wealth of information.

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Seems there is a lot of interesting configurations and I would like to contribute the details on my pair as another data point.

They are 1982 (I think), ser numbers 29 W 787 & 29 W 788. Drivers are as follows:

K-33-E (of course)

K-51-V (that is not a typo, 51 not 55 confirmed via direct inspection)

K-77-M (of course)

Crossovers are original type B-2.

Speaker are in very good condition (here some pics form the ebay action (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5818202853&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1)

I have them a few inches from the side walls at around 13 apart and 2 (0ne side) and 6 from the back walls. Listening position is around 18.

Measured response (uncorrected via a RS meter, slow response C weighted) in room (80 degrees, 40% humidity and there was a black cat outside) at the listening position is as follows:

20 Not measurable
25 58
31.5 57
40 61
50 62
63 73
80 80
100 76
125 81
160 -79
200 80
250 79
315 76
400 77
500 77

630 76
800 78
1K 78
1.25 78
1.6 77
2 77
2.5 79
3.15 78
4 78
5 82
6.3 83
8 82
10 77
12.5 76
16 70
20 not measurable

Prior speakers owned for extensive periods of time include, Ohm Walsh FRS-15, Bohlender Greabener RD-75 home implemented with electronic crossover/notch filer and NHT 1259 drivers (2 per side), Platinum Audio (Solo, Trio, and Quatros), Acustate 3s, and magnepan MMGs. Many other speaker owned for short periods of time or auditioned.

The Cornwalls are far and away my favorites and sound like they measured, though I did not miss the bass given the music I listen to. For real world in room measurements, I have never had a more flat response from any speaker. I have found them to be linear, uncoulored, detailed, and overall real sweethearts. I dont have any issues with typical horn steroptypes. I expect that has a lot to do with the equipment and set up. For digital, I have a Pioneer elite reference PDS-95 transport into a Sonic frontiers SFD1 mkII DAC balanced out to a Carver Lightstar passive pre (passive mode as I am using balanced) to Audio Research VT-150 tube mono blocks (135WPC). Analog setup is a meager project 2.1 with grado gold cartridge, though it still sounds better than the digital setup with the right records.

My little brother is a rabid audiophile (I created the monster) and works in a high end audio store in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Chicago. I can only imagine his horror when I call him and boldly proclaimed that the cornwalls where the truth and the high end audio industry has been lying to us all these years, so I had a little tequila before I called.

Maybe the mysterious K-51-V drivers partially account for this magical sound. The only information I was able to find on these drivers is Isn't that a ferrite magnet version if the K-55-V, made by Atlas-Soundolier? If so, it is pretty rare, only used for a year or 2 around 1982. Any more insight/info?

At this point I am terribly torn between modifying (I am a tweakaholic) and leaving them alone. I am concerned about even swapping out the caps (theta being my original thought) with fear of changing the sonic characteristics which I deem to be perfect (or as perfect as I have ever heard). For now, I am thinking about adding some binding posts and calling it a day

[colterphoto1]

I don't know the exact years, and the Cornwall is a manufacturing fiasco, but you might have what we affectionately call the CW 1.5. Somewhere between the originals and when the II came out there were some oddball models that all sound quite fine. It seems that the 600 horn wasn't really picky which driver you put on it and only minor changes in the xover (taps on the autoformer) make the necessary volume adjustments for a variety of drivers.

Congrats on your Cornwall purchase. Should give you many years of listening enjoyment.

[Bill H.]

Congrats on your purchase....... I like your advice at the end.

For now, I am thinking about adding some binding posts and calling it a day

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Just enjoy them!.

[Dflip]

I would recommend replacing the caps, both 2.0 and 4.0 uFcaps with a good polypro. The Thetas are on the expensive end, but good caps. If you check some of Dean's posts you will find a variety of options at different price points that provide good value for the money. As for anything else, give them a listen and see how you like them. Changing the source and amplification also makes a difference, some options sound better than others, but all will sound different. Cheap SS is not a good combination unless you like ear wind. []

Enjoy, they can sound very good.

[BS Button]

You did very well with this purchase. The K51V could be the most expensive (elegant) of all the midrange drivers ever used in the Heritage line. Not saying anything on it's response, but it sure looks good. Maybe Bob C or Dean G. can comment as to the K51's origin? Again, you did well.

BS

[johnyholiday]

some manufactures have come full circle on binding post an are using

barrier strip calling them the optimum cable to speaker interface for

optimum gas tight interface~debatable of course~ ,Vandersteen recently

being one ,see barrier strips lower left in box , at hand-wound air

core inductor station, that are headed for the $10k flagship

Vandersteen model 5,enjoy your Cornwalls ,perhaps some nice spade lugs on the connects

[lwhaples]

Welcome to the Forum! I'm not surprised in the fact you

like your Corn's. Congrats! They are really sweet,maybe cause that's

what I listen to. Enjoy!!

Larry

[BEC]

The K-51V is a good driver as far as I can tell. Just not many of them around. It was made by Atlas in the early 80s and is, I guess, a ceramic magnet driver. The diaphagm and diaphragm housing are exactly the same as the K-55V. It has the two piece phase plug of the later model K-55Vs with the solder terminals. Just speculation, but I suspect it was dropped in favor of the K-52H for the cornwall because of cost.

Bob Crites

[BEC]

This is a picture of the inside of the housing with the diaphragm removed showing the phase plug.

Bob Crites

[Gilbert]

Nice picture Bob, doesn't look like there much to changing the diaphragms out.

But on the subject of the Mid Drivers, are the solder type terminals better than the pinch type commonly found on the K-55V.

Thanks, and I'll be seeing ya on Saturday. I'll try and make by before noon, and give you a call tomorrow, thanks.

[Klipschguy]

Welcome to the Klipsch forum BiggerIsBetter!

Your Cornwalls, IMHO, have the most desirable driver complement. Magnetically stable ferrite magnets in ALL of the drivers (no risk of out of spec overdriven AlNiCo's) including the K33-E, the upgraded K77-M and the rather elegant dual phase plug K51-V.

No matter how much you mod your Cornwalls, Cornwalls sound like Cornwalls. If you are happy with the way they sound, I would tend to NOT go down the tweak road because once you do, one can never stop. Tweaking can also lead to getting rid of the speaker - one day you look at your "over jury rigged" speakers and they have one foot out the door.

If I were to make one major mod, it would be to consider replacing the B-2 crossover with a B-1 crossover. I personally like the sound of the gentle slope crossovers that PWK originally intended for these lovely speakers. My understanding is PWK went with steeper slope crossovers to increase power handling (maybe he got sick of replacing tweeters under warantee from clip happy numbskulls?). Then again the B-2 is probably just fine.

I have had my 1977 Cornwalls for almost 15 years and I have no desire to upgrade or modify. Only one back has ever even been off and that was to measure the internal dimensions for a fellow Klipsch Forum member who wanted to build a pair. I will recap my B-1's eventually (I need to get my meter out to see how much resistance they have and how close they are to original spec - if close, they'll stay).

Of all the Klipsch designs, the Cornwall may have the highest long term owner satisfaction rate. Nobody complains about their Cornwalls - a true well rounded "Jack of all Trades".

Warm regards,

Andy

[BEC]

Gilbert,

I would not say that either type terminal is better. The solder terminal on the K-55V indicates that there is a dual phase plug inside and some at least think that is better.

Diaphragm replacement is a bit easier on the ones that have the solder terminals because on the others, you have to solder the diaphragm leads to a screw head.

Bob

[Hardhead]

Swap out the old capacitors in the crossovers for new polypropylenes of the same values. You'll be glad you did, and you can thank me later.

[BiggerIsBetter]

Thanks for all the info and input.

I was hoping to try out some newer caps on the cheap, but as luck would have it my "junk bin" has just about every value cap, except 2, 3, or 20.

I am still reluctant to mess with them as long as the stock caps are within spec. Can I measure the resistance with a standard digital voltmeter to get an idea of where they are in their lifecycle? If so, do I need to unsolder (I would guess not) and what values would I be looking for?

[Klipschguy]

My meter accurately measure resistance AND capacitance. Both figures are needed.

[BEC]

Picture shows a 2 uF cap from a set of Klipsh Type AA crossovers that is in tolerance for capacitance but very bad on resistance (ESR).

Bob Crites

[BEC]

From the other crossover of the same pair, a cap that reads bad on capacitance and fairly good on ESR. Might have been a mismarked cap from the factory.

Bob Crites