Has anyone not liked their Klipschorns and replaced them?

[oscarsear]

I had 83 Khorns for over 10 years and got rid of them for space reasons.  I missed them immediately.  Then I got 2004 Khorns and found them not as deep as the 83 Khorns they replaced.  They were too bright despite ideal corners, etc...  I replaced the tweeter, mid-range and crossover in the 2004's and have the best units I've ever experienced.  Much as I appreciate Khorns the AK4 crossover did them a real dis-service (that turned out to be the greatest problem with mine as far as I'm concerned).

[ricktate]

The reason i replaced my tweets with Bobs was with just the tweeter hooked to the crossover all i heard was noise and hiss,,,but when i got Bobs they actually played the music.Then when i went to the 4500 crossover point they sounded even better.True my old tweeters could have had problems but i did replace the diaphrams...they were Alincos to...I just think Bobs tweets sounded better to me.Rick

[Oblio]

I was about ready to sell mine, or move them up to my parents house that had corners (700 mi away). I had two corners, one in the family room and another 20' away in the kitchen. The only good thing was they were on the same wall, The sweet spot was in the middle of the wall dividing the two rooms. That and lack of room to set up electronics along with new babies, I was about to give them up.

Then we bought a new house []

With a listening room [H]

Now I need to find that old Sansui 8080 in storage ...

[DTLongo]

I have mint 2003 Khorns and an 2004 Belle in a 16' by 20' room along the shorter wall with perfect corners. Nobody here has mentioned how amplifier-sensitive Khorns are. With anything less than solid, strong low-frequency amplification they sound thin. But with a right amplifier, my gawd do they sing, with the purist and most satisfying MUSICAL bass I have heard from any speaker.

Mine are happiest with an oldish vintage 1990 Pioneer VSX-5700S Pro-Logic receiver that I have, run in three-channel mode. With three newer Dolby Digital SS receivers I have tried them with, they sound crappy, tinny, no bass. It seems that the more "modern" multichannel receivers are designed to be subwoofer-dependent and will just not drive non-subbed right and left full-range speakers to the latter's full capability. The old Pioneer does not have a sub output and just pushes great sound through its main speaker outputs.

The difference with Khorns between the Pioneer and the other amps is night and day, seriously. Doubtless, the Khorns would perform well also with tube amps but I'll let others comment on that. Just be aware that with these speakers, the AMP is critical. Otherwise, you should forego Khorns and go with some subwoofer + mains configuration. With good speakers and a a sub you will get adequate sound. But it won't be with the dramatic, enveloping purity, punch and effortlessness you get from well set up and well amped Khorns.

[IB Slammin]

Most folks I know that have replaced their Khorns have done it with Cornwalls. They prefer that bass punch vs horn loaded. No point in replacing Khorns with Belles or Lascalas (unless for room purposes) since they are so similiar.

I still don't understand why so many are replacing their tweeters. To me it takes away from that great live, gritty sound that drew me to Klipsch in the first place.

Although I have my Khorns in a room that is way too small (only 12 feet apart), I still love them. I hope to have my room remodeled within a year so I can spread them out another 4 - 6 feet. I'm also glad to have Cornwalls upstairs and would probably keep the Corns if I had to choose. They're just way more versatile.

Here I go again. Oh my. This may be my last post on this forum.

I ran a system in the '70's that was waaay above my pay grade as a student. I had friends in key positions that worked in a little town in south AR.[]

It was the day of Quad and I ran two Khorns flank, two LaS center, and two LaS rear. Empire W/B&O cart, 7T pre, couple of DC300's, Dyna Quad adaptor (less was more in quad) and DBX.

I now run heavily braced Cornwall bass bins, with Altec 511b mid horns and 902-16A drivers, with JBL 2404 baby-cheek tweeters, and custom networks and tweeter attenuaters.

In my room, and with all due respect to my audio mentor, PWK, I would put them up to any Khorn. Granted, I have not listened to the 60 anv. Klipschorns in my room. But then in the USA, who has other than Klipsch? However, I think the Indy group will in a few weeks.

My chosen preference in PWK speakers is not about the kind of music that one listens to, but about the way that all music sounds. Musical "slam" does not just apply to AC/DC, Jimi, Audio Slave, or a synphony, but to everything at concert volumes. If we say that we want musical reperduction to sound live, then it must.

I have owned, and still could run six PWK horn loaded bass bins as I did in the past. Why would I opt to go with the PWK designed reflex bins today? It's the live 'slam factor"girls. Be it as inaccurate as it is, PWK's reflex is a "boot in the chest like no other", IMHO.

So I answered your question, ........ you got it in spades.....

PWK's bass horn does not have the slam that his reflex designs have....JMHO

All that said........the Jub's .....I have not heard them all, but the Jub is the best bass horn I ever heard........OK, its the best speaker I ever listened to......very accurate, huge SPL's, and a slite "bloom" that equates to that reflex "in your chest Slam" of the above referenced Cornwall bass bin sound.

tc

[wpines]

Preston Tom,

I'm sorry I missed hearing your Khorns too but I'd rather hear your Jubilees anyway [] I'd accept an invitation for anyday anytime. I'll drop what I'm doing. email me, pmail me or call me. I'll send you my phone # .

[garymd]

Most folks I know that have replaced their Khorns have done it with Cornwalls. They prefer that bass punch vs horn loaded. No point in replacing Khorns with Belles or Lascalas (unless for room purposes) since they are so similiar.

I still don't understand why so many are replacing their tweeters. To me it takes away from that great live, gritty sound that drew me to Klipsch in the first place.

Although I have my Khorns in a room that is way too small (only 12 feet apart), I still love them. I hope to have my room remodeled within a year so I can spread them out another 4 - 6 feet. I'm also glad to have Cornwalls upstairs and would probably keep the Corns if I had to choose. They're just way more versatile.

Here I go again. Oh my. This may be my last post on this forum.

I ran a system in the '70's that was waaay above my pay grade as a student. I had friends in key positions that worked in a little town in south AR.[]

It was the day of Quad and I ran two Khorns flank, two LaS center, and two LaS rear. Empire W/B&O cart, 7T pre, couple of DC300's, Dyna Quad adaptor (less was more in quad) and DBX.

I now run heavily braced Cornwall bass bins, with Altec 511b mid horns and 902-16A drivers, with JBL 2404 baby-cheek tweeters, and custom networks and tweeter attenuaters.

In my room, and with all due respect to my audio mentor, PWK, I would put them up to any Khorn. Granted, I have not listened to the 60 anv. Klipschorns in my room. But then in the USA, who has other than Klipsch? However, I think the Indy group will in a few weeks.

My chosen preference in PWK speakers is not about the kind of music that one listens to, but about the way that all music sounds. Musical "slam" does not just apply to AC/DC, Jimi, Audio Slave, or a synphony, but to everything at concert volumes. If we say that we want musical reperduction to sound live, then it must.

I have owned, and still could run six PWK horn loaded bass bins as I did in the past. Why would I opt to go with the PWK designed reflex bins today? It's the live 'slam factor"girls. Be it as inaccurate as it is, PWK's reflex is a "boot in the chest like no other", IMHO.

So I answered your question, ........ you got it in spades.....

PWK's bass horn does not have the slam that his reflex designs have....JMHO

All that said........the Jub's .....I have not heard them all, but the Jub is the best bass horn I ever heard........OK, its the best speaker I ever listened to......very accurate, huge SPL's, and a slite "bloom" that equates to that reflex "in your chest Slam" of the above referenced Cornwall bass bin sound.

tc

tc,

I think you are agreeing with me but I'm not sure.

[PrestonTom]

Preston Tom,

I'm sorry I missed hearing your Khorns too but I'd rather hear your Jubilees anyway [] I'd accept an invitation for anyday anytime. I'll drop what I'm doing. email me, pmail me or call me. I'll send you my phone # .

I would rather hear the Jubilees also. I have the drivers for the bass bins, but I am still working on the drawings. Some day they will get done. In time, in time ...

Good Luck,

-Tom

[NOSValves]

I bought new Klipschorns in 2004, and though I loved the big soundstage and enaging dynamics, I thought they were lacking in clarity.

Lacking in clarity? My Khorn system has clarity coming out the "you-know-what."

You just needed a nice vinyl rig Dean!! ; )

and some audiophile grade hearing aids []

[Gilbert]

Khorns lacking in clarity.. OMG... that is a good one.

[Deang]

I love you guys that think the K-55 and K-77 are "high-end" drivers. The K-55 is a paging driver, and the 50 year old K-77 is barely a tweeter by modern standards. Do we want to get into a discussion about the deficiencies of the K-400? So, the Klipschorn has clarity -- relative to what?

[Allan Songer]

I love you guys that think the K-55 and K-77 are "high-end" drivers. The K-55 is a paging driver, and the 50 year old K-77 is barely a tweeter by modern standards. Do we want to get into a discussion about the deficiencies of the K-400? So, the Klipschorn has clarity -- relative to what?

Hey, I never said ANYTHING about those drivers being "high end." They're mid-fi ALL THE WAY, but that doesn't mean they aren't perfect for my Cornwalls. Plus, I never listen at high volume and listen to acoustic jazz about 95% of the time. They're plenty clear for what I'm using them for. And to my ears they sound better than any other speaker I have owned--including Tannoys, Quads, KEFs, B&Ws, etc. They may not be as accurate or clear or have as much extension, but they SOUND accurate--they make records SOUND like live jazz . . .

[Guy Landau]

Never really like the quality of bass of my Khorns. It seemed a little lightweight and lacked definition to my ears. I think that LaScala's bass reproduction is much more fast and accurate although it doesn't go as low.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

B&W's.

[JJkizak]

Ib Slammin:

You have got to be pulling my leg. I get more base out of one K-horn than you can get out of three Cornwalls.

JJK

[RFP]

I'm considering buying a pair this weekend and the forum here is ripe with praise for the Klipschorn, but I'm sure they're not for everyone and I'm curious to hear some of the reasons people have quit the Khorn. Thanks.

The first pair of Klipschorns I owned was purchased used about twenty years ago. I paid $2,500 for them (they were local). They were unfinished C models, but I managed to veneer them with Honduras Mahogany and, in the process, converted them to B style. I loved them. So did my friends. Then, while poking around at the snooty stereo shop in Dallas, one of the employees thought that I really should get rid of the K-horns and buy something more modern. Looking back, that was really bad advice at least for me, it was. Even so, I did sell my K-horns to one of my friends, and then set off to find something more modern that would be better than my now-departed Klipschorns. I listened to everything I could find, and not one single thing sounded nearly as good as my K-horns did. So, I did what any reasonable person would do I bought another pair of Klipschorns havent been without them since! Buy em, and dont look back!

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Rob

[tigerwoodKhorns]

B&W's.

I need to add that I loved my K Horns and never regret buying them. I have the parts to build super K Horns and will eventually put them together.

[IB Slammin]

Ib Slammin:

You have got to be pulling my leg. I get more base out of one K-horn than you can get out of three Cornwalls.

JJK

Pull this.......[]14' at back wall

tc

[garyrc]

I've always liked my Khorns, but there have been a few in stores I haven't liked --- they were not tucked into corners for a nearly air tight seal, and one must have them pressed into corners, or artificial corners, and Klipsch agrees that they sound best with a ceiling 8.5 feet high or higher.

For Classical --- Khorns sound the most like the orchestra I played in

For Jazz -- superb

For Movies -- some speakers have more bass for special effects .... add a sub, if necessary ... I did, primarily for movies

For Rock -- I'm no expert, but some have pointed out that the Cornwall has more bass punch --- not the ones I have heard, though.

Bass Punch? I LIKE tone controls, and if one desires more bass punch, a few dB of boost on a Khorn will be effective and clean!

I have an old cassette tape, recorded concurrently with a Crystal Clear direct to disk Lp, that contains the best version of Fanfare For The Common Man I've ever heard -- played through the Khorns, with the bass turned up a little, the timpani, bass drum, and tam - tam send pulses of air through the room that make everyone's pant legs violently flap in the breeze, and momentarily push the tables and chairs (occupied) out of square. Really! And it is as clean as can be! The peak energy is about 64 watts into each Khorn (according to the supposedly peak reading meter on a former amp of mine), and it used to rattle windows in my former neighbor's house. His house was about 20 feet away. O.K., it took a little bass boost, but I can't imagine a Cornwall doing all that.

Caution: be careful with bass and volume boosts, keep your eye on a meter, and don't have long sessions during which your ears/brain may adapt, or you may blow something. I wouldn't try the above with the Reference Recordings version of Fanfare For The Common Man, because the dynamic range on their version is so great that it is harder to select a peak for absolute max.

[Audio Flynn]

Khorns lacking in clarity.. OMG... that is a good one.

maybe when overdriving a small room or bad front end