Klipschorn Bass Bin, Back Deflector Panel; Modification?

[DrWho]

I just wanted to throw one idea out there, which is to put the normal mains on a delay circuit so that their time arrival lines up with the inner speakers that rely on the reflection.

It's also important to keep in mind that the sound doesn't travel in a straight line, but spreads out at wide angles. I think the khorn is a nominal 90 degree horizontal dispersion which means your picture will be much crazier. If you look at all the lines you'll quickly notice that there are many path-length differences to the listening position...a delay circuit is only going to compensate for one of them. The point being that there is no way to get around the complicated system of comb-filtering (unless you're somehow lucky and achieve something that works out in the end).

[Guest " "]

DrWho

The diagram submitted is a report of the apparent enhanced stereo listing area.

Not sure what the additional lines in red represents since we would have to have been there to report otherwise.

There might be curtains, plants, wall paintings, etc, that may be contributing to the center focussed sound stage.

[DrWho]

The Red lines are trying to indicate the spherical shape of the wave eminating from the speaker. It isn't an attempt to point out what exactly is happening in his hypothetical scenario.

[Groomlakearea51]

Diagram Explanation:

No curtains (36" hard plastic vertical blinds, recessed in window well on left side only);

No plants, etc.

Small solid wood antique desks with drawers on each side wall about 8' down; symetrically opposed and same shape, design, etc.

7'6" (almost to the ceiling) tall square enclosed cabinets in opposing rear corners.

Floors are hardwood, no rugs.

"Seating area" is a small bed on solid wood, enclosed frame (looks like a box with a matress and bedspread - room does double duty)

When I'm in there just listening to music or watching a movie, the door is shut. Otherwise when I'm doing work at my desk, it's open, but then the volume level on pair #1 or pair #2 is at a very low volume.

One reason it may not sound too bad (to my ears) is because the room is relatively small (20 x 20), and the waves are simply bouncing off everything, in every direction, at any appreciable volume, and I just can't tell the difference.

Below are some other configuration diagrams that I'm looking at. I've emailed them to a couple Forum members to take a look at and give me some opinions before I start cutting wood, etc.

[Groomlakearea51]

DIAGRAM IS TOO SMALL; HERES A LARGER VERSION (IF IT WILL POST)

[Groomlakearea51]

On the diagrams where the inner Khorn's are not in a "real corner", they would also have the "false corners" on the inboard and/or outboard sides.

Again this is just some "ideas" thrown out there. With respect to the Jubilee idea, I'm looking at possible modifications on the pair currently being refinished.

[mark1101]

Have you tried using a single Khorn with false corners as a mono-center channel driven off a PWK minibox? That would make a great 2 channel system with center (I.E. 3 Ch).

Alternately, you could add a sub and a different type of center channel (like a single corn or heresy) and go 5.1/HT.

I guess I don't understand trying to use 4 Khorns in a 2 ch. system. Do you get a blurred image?

[Groomlakearea51]

The "image" does not seem to be blurred (to my ears), but read the system description and see if it makes more sense.

Consider it as a "horizontal array" of Klipschorns on the outer corners, second pair of Klipschorns on false inner corners (the outer walls of the 50" wide component rack cabinet), and a pair of LaScalas as the "center channel". Put a pair of Heresy's on the Klipschorn pairs and adjust them/ aim them to compensate for standing waves, nulls, lobes, etc. Idea is to produce a "wall of sound", but at low to moderate volumes. Works well, but still "fiddling" with inner Klipschorns (thus the diagrams) and "toe in/out" Heresy angles.

Each pair of speakers is driven independently by it's own amp (A, B, or C). The exception are the Heresy's which are speaker system "b" on amps A & B (the Klipschorn's).The amps are 110 WPC/RMS, but they are very "clean", and distortion is very, very low (0.008 both THD and IMD). No bass, mid, or treble is used; all tone controls are off/defeated. Not necessary and I like "flat" as the audio version of WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get...).

The beauty of the system is that I can listen to one, two, or all three, or any combination. If I'm working in the room (doubles as the home office), I can simply listen to CNN on the LaScalas or a pair of Heresy's. If I get the urge, oh well, it can become the "Wall of Voodoo".... I can also customize the room acoustics for particular program source, as an example, by picking one pair of Klipschorns and one pair of Heresy's, etc. For movies, the inner pair of Klipschorns (because they are, in substance, reflecting off the outer walls of the room), with the outer Heresy's gives an almost a "surround" effect.

The system is, in subtsance, a single tier "cascade" that feeds up to four amps by an identical 250 mV signal from an AX-7 mixer; All audio input sources (DTV, CD, casette, turntable, DVD, etc.) go through an Esoteric Sound Super Connector; I simply pick which source I want to listen to and turn the switch. It's entirely passive, thus no signal degradation. The ESSC send this signal to the AX-7. It's active, and once I've set the volume levels I want on the amp(s), it allows master volume control for each, some, or all amps that are turned on. In substance, what I'm doing is also adjusting the room's acoustics by "amplitude". It's not as efficient as using, let's say, parametric equalizers on the amps, or the myriad other methods (and probably much better) but it works well (and since I'm married with children, and have never have any money, I might as well figure out how to configure the speakers...)

All equipment is protected and isolated from the "wall socket" by Fuhrman M-8D "rack rider" protectors; if the voltage is below 120 (which seems to be a problem in rural Florida...), we don't turn stuff on...

Spare pair of Klipschorns being redone but am looking at false corners or modifying them into a sort of Jubilee type and putting them in as pair K-2.

[mark1101]

Yeah...you've got a lot of options and it is fun running a system like that. I did the "wall of sound" thing for awhile too. It is pretty cool. Looks good, sounds powerful.

Whatever sounds the best....is the best.

[Groomlakearea51]

I can assure you that the "Wall of Voodoo" is downright illegal unless my wife is out of the house. If I even suspect she's coming through the front farm gate, we go back to SPL -10.... She does let me have fun with it on Friday evening and Saturday, unless the chores ain't done.....

As I mentioned to someone else on the Forum, in about 30 months, 1 week, 2 days, 14 minutes...., I'll be finally retired, kids will be gone, and we're moving back to Arkansas, and I'm "gonna build me" a serious dedicated room just to really explore positioning and experiment with drivers, crossovers, etc.. By that time I'll have some measuring equipment and really be able to play with it.

But for now, as my old rules of engagement from active duty say, "When in doubt, firepower is the answer...".