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Cornwall Question


thewolf

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Looking for comments regarding 1986 Cornwall's.

How are the cross over networks, will they need to be replaced to

improve the sound? I had a pair of '84 AL Lascala's that sounded like

crap until I replaced the network.

What is a fair price for a set of speakers in excellent condition?

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"How are the cross over networks, will they need to be replaced to improve the sound?"

Cornwall's and Hersey xover are usally in better condition than LaScala's. Most old LaScala xovers are rusted over. You should listen to them and make a determination of any needed next steps.

"What is a fair price for a set of speakers in excellent condition? "

Cornwalls seem to run between 600 and 800 bucks. Most sellers have an expectation of the later.

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The 1986 Cornwall would be a Cornwall II. The crossover is quite a mess and often has problems with broken speaker lead wires or poor connections where the speaker leads are soldered on the crossover. The original capacitors are very inexpensive ones and should be replaced. That is also a good time to rewire the crossover and put a terminal strip in there to connect the driver leads to.

Bob Crites

post-9312-13819307371306_thumb.jpg

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I've bought most of my CW's for about $500 per pair but those have chips and scratches in the veneer. Usually CWO's are the most prevalent, also CW BR's. Very good condition or other woods like Oak or other might bring more.

As stated before, the CW and H have the xover in a more protected environment, so many feel that they don't age quite as badly as LS or K. I haven't done a thing to any of mine, might swap caps one day. I do not believe many aftermarket specialty xovers are made for them. Dean just discontinued his model.

Get em, you'll love em. If I could keep only one pair, it would be CW's.

Michael

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The 1986 Cornwall would be a Cornwall II. The crossover is quite a mess and often has problems with broken speaker lead wires or poor connections where the speaker leads are soldered on the crossover. The original capacitors are very inexpensive ones and should be replaced. That is also a good time to rewire the crossover and put a terminal strip in there to connect the driver leads to.

Bob Crites

Geesh Bob, where'd you find that one? I've never seen a CW crossover that looked like that and I've had four pairs open recently.

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Plan on spending $250 for decent shipping, like Craters & Freighters. Insist on it, in fact, because most storefront pack & ships can't package something so big, heavy, and yet fragile as this.

First Cornwalls (all 86s) $99 storefront shipping + Fedex Ground = crushed corners and deep scratches

Second Cornwalls $250 Craters & Freighters packaging on a skid by motor frieight=pristinecondition.

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Yes, you're correct Bob, mine are all the CW original style.

aha, that looks horrible, like some kid's science fair experiment. Are those types of caps better or worse than the old cans? ie, do they all change in value in time?

Perhaps there was a cost saving measure in eliminating the terminal strip, extra wires and crimp connectors. Klipsch was always pinching pennies. Maybe there were loose terminal connections so the reason was to make it more rugged?

M

post-10755-13819307371956_thumb.jpg

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Michael,

Those 10 cent caps were not very good when Mrs. Beasley's kindergarten arts and crafts class assembled them. Also note the soldering iron burn on the edge of the scrap plywood block.

Bob

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There's three chokes there Bob, is that xover an entirely different design than the CW? I mean in addition to being slightly different values for the different drivers?

12 db vs 6 db slopes at some points?

Low pass for woofer and squawker?

stuff like that?

I wonder if I'd want to change any of that in my CW's or just swap caps and be done with it? I spent an evening with Trey at Klipsch trying to design something, I was amazed at how much change could take place by changing a choke, cap value or even the tap on an autoformer! It's like a bizarre form of witchcraft or something.....

Michael

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Michael, Those 10 cent caps were not very good when Mrs. Beasley's kindergarten arts and crafts class assembled them. Also note the soldering iron burn on the edge of the scrap plywood block. Bob

Soldering iron or cigarette? That was '86.smoke.gif

CP1, Do you have any like the top one?

post-12829-13819307387276_thumb.jpg

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Michael,

The Cornwall IIs crossover (they didn't bother to give it an individual crossover designation) is set up for the drivers in a Cornwall II and would not be right for a Cornwall I.

Bob

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Bob...Thanks for the comments regarding the crossovers. Is the Cornwall II slightly inferior as compared to the Cornwall? Did Klipsch reduce their focus on this version of the Cornwall and would it be considered 2nd rate again compared to the original Cornwall?

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Bob...Thanks for the comments regarding the crossovers. Is the Cornwall II slightly inferior as compared to the Cornwall? Did Klipsch reduce their focus on this version of the Cornwall and would it be considered 2nd rate again compared to the original Cornwall?

By almost all accounts the Cornwall IIs sound great. I prefer the way the older Cornwall Is were built, but that does not mean the older ones sound better. Just different ways of building the two speakers. The C2s went to MDF cabinets instead of plywood and which is better is a source of many forum arguments.

Bob

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Bob;

I have a pair of '86 CW OO and I guess after looking at the picture of the xovers in this thread, I really should upgrade them as even the grills have never been off! Aside from higher quality components and the terminal strip, is there a different schematic I should follow in re-doing them?

If anyone has the schematic that shows what is in there now, I would be thankfull.

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Michael, Those 10 cent caps were not very good when Mrs. Beasley's kindergarten arts and crafts class assembled them. Also note the soldering iron burn on the edge of the scrap plywood block. Bob

Soldering iron or cigarette? That was '86.smoke.gif

CP1, Do you have any like the top one?

 

Rick,

That is possible and I considered that. But, notice (bit hard to tell this from the picture) the rounded burned area on the edge. In my experience, the cigarette burn would be a bit narrower and longer and a have a bit of "tarry" substance on top. The fact that the heat was concentrated in one spot and that the oval depression was formed, leads me to think it was done by the ceramic heat element of an old Ungar soldering iron.

Bob

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Bob;

I have a pair of '86 CW OO and I guess after looking at the picture of the xovers in this thread, I really should upgrade them as even the grills have never been off!  Aside from higher quality components and the terminal strip, is there a different schematic I should follow in re-doing them?

If anyone has the schematic that shows what is in there now, I would be thankfull.

Yes, here it is.

Bob Crites

post-9312-13819307402466_thumb.jpg

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