Quick and easy mod for Klipsch Heresy!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by action pact, Aug 30, 2008.

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  1. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    I have a 10wpc Voice of Music 1448 tube amp, and one of the most recommended speakers for low powered tube amps is the Klipsch Heresy. I won a pair of walnut Heresy II's for $341 on eBay from a local seller and picked them up yesterday.

    I love their punchiness, and they are considerably louder and more detailed than the Bose 501 Series 2's that I had been using. With my VM tube amp, the speakers put out a perfect amount of bass with the EQ knobs set at 12 o'clock on my amp. With other speakers, I've had to roll off the bass considerably.

    I have never had speakers with horns before, and like a lot of people, I found the Heresys to be overly forward and bright, and got ear fatigue within a short time. How disappointing! So, I turned to the SH Forum archives for advice.

    Back on 6/4/06, rjp posted:

    I didn't find any kleenex in the house, so I used some 2-ply toilet paper instead.

    Holy cow, what an improvement!!!!!! The shrillness is gone, there is no loss in detail, and there is just the right amount of top end! The lower frequencies seem better defined since they aren't getting blown out by the horns, and it's so much more musical.

    I am very pleased right now! :goodie:

    :edthumbs:
     
    Jcashfan likes this.
  2. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    Interestingly, paper towel lets more treble through than toilet paper. I got the best results with two sheets of 2-ply toilet paper.
     
  3. Gregory Earl

    Gregory Earl Senior Member

    Location:
    Kantucki
    That trick does work. I've done it with my Cornwalls. Also the room plays a big role in how up front your horns sound. A room of mine with the tallest ceiling sounded less in your face to me than the lower one.

    And of course, it varies from recording to recording. Some of my old vinyl Blue Note recordings sound down right perfect to my ears.
     
  4. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    That's a mighty crappy solution, IMO. :winkgrin:

    What might also work for you and possibly be better both sonically and aesthetically, is lining the horn lens with felt. You can use a double-sided tape so as to make for easy installation and removal. In fact, if it's only the direct beam that bothers you, you could soften it by using a dime sized piece of the thinnest felt that you can find. I imagine that they would give you a square the size of a half dollar for free at a fabric shop as long as they had some scrap. In any case, it blends in and is invisible. You can also attach it to the inside of the grill cloth or use your prefered TP method in that regard as well if that is hidden by the grill anyway as I imagine it is.

    The crossovers can usually use some work as well. Also a stubby speaker stand is in order unless you have them on top of furniture, etc. They definitely add some punch to an old tube amp. I like the Cornwalls best of all the Klipsch speakers. Way to big for many rooms though.
    -Bill
     
  5. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    But you forget the real advantage of "emergency supply" when using the TP solution. :agree:



    :biglaugh:

    Sorry... maybe I'd better delete this post before someone reports it.... :sigh:

    The back felt solution sounds like a good long term solution. The TP solution would just be for experimental purposes (i.e.: does it really work?)
     
  6. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    I would venture to guess that the felt might actually be better in a "pinch". :laugh:
    -Bill
     
  7. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    Where/what exactly is the "horn lens"? This sounds like an intriguing idea.
     
  8. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    I was referring to the horn itself. The curved or sloped surfaces in front of the actual diapragm.
    -Bill
     
  9. Tone

    Tone Senior Member

    As the Heresy are three way, I assume you're referring to the midrange horn and not the tweeter horn.

    I've had several pair over the years and love them. Some folks also use Modeling Clay to Dampen Speakers, as from this thread, to dampen ring. Especailly recommended on the Klispch.
     
  10. Orlan K

    Orlan K New Member

    Location:
    Overland Park, KS
    There was an article in the old Speaker Builder magazine on modifying the Heresy. As I recall it involved amongst other things damping one of the horns with plant potting clay.

    Most if not all Klipsch Klassic products used the EV T-35 tweeter. It was an inexpensive affair and many people felt that PWK, who was well into his fifties in the salad years of Klipsch speaker development, had a little bit of rolloff in his own hearing and liked the roughness.
     
  11. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I have been thinking about listening to my Heresy's again. I will have to experiment
    with some of these tips. Nice Rock 'n Roll speakers.
     
  12. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    I'd like to read that article!
     
  13. Orlan K

    Orlan K New Member

    Location:
    Overland Park, KS
    Heresy upon a Heresy. Updating a pair of 1950's vintage Klipsch Heresy speakers to convert them into monitors for a radio studio.
    SPEAKER BUILDER 2/1990 [Apr 1990] (v.11#2) pg. 28
     
  14. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    The midrange horn is the one that damping material is suggested for in order to limit the horn from ringing.
     
  15. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    Thank you!
     
  16. Gregory Earl

    Gregory Earl Senior Member

    Location:
    Kantucki
    The old metal horns are the the ones that had a ring to them. Later horns are made from a composite material. No ring. But some recordings can sound shrill and unbalanced while others sound just right. I put on an original copy of David Crosby and Gram Nash's first album last night. It's got to be one of the best sounding albums I own. Earlier I listened to Dave Mason & Cass Elliot. Great album but not a great recording.

    To the original poster Glenn, if I may make a suggestion, look into trying a different cartridge on your Technics table just to hear the difference. Maybe a Shure M97xE would be the place to start. :)
     
  17. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    Yes, my AT440MLa is known to be a "bright" cart. I have an old Grado G+ that I pulled off a garage sale turntable, and plan on putting a new Silver stylus on it.

    My Heresys have the composite horns.

    I've noticed this! I was listening to some late '60s soul LPs last night (Bobby Bland, Howard Tate, OV Wright) and they sounded warm and full. Ella Fitzgerald, on the other hand, sounded a bit harsh.

    Overall, I do like these speakers quite a bit.
     
  18. rcarlton

    rcarlton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    Before you get too carried away with mods, try refreshing the capacitors in the crossovers. I believe this might tame some of the midrange brightness.

    A second idea would be fuss with the placement some more. Perhaps toe them in some. If you remove the grills you should be able to look down the throat of the horns from your sitting position.

    A third idea would be to use slant risers.
     
    ddarch likes this.
  19. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    "...refreshing the capacitors in the crossovers." When should this be done,
    and is it something I can do myself? Thanks.
     
  20. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    If you can ue a soldering iron replacing caps is pretty easy. If you have a good multitester you can check the cpaacitance of the caps in the crossover and see if they're within spec.
     
  21. rcarlton

    rcarlton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    An ESR meter works best for testing capacitors. As a capacitor ages it becomes more and more resistive degrading the sound. Life span of a capacitor is 10-15 years, some longer, some shorter. The caps on the Heresy II were not the best.
     
  22. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore Thread Starter

    I have read elsewhere about the probable need for a cap job on older Heresys. Since I'm planning on sending my SL-1200 off to KAB for a 78 speed modification soon, that would be a good time for me to take the Heresys to a tech to do a check-up.

    Yes, I have played with the placement some already, and have improved the results.

    Fortunately, I have and am using the risers. :)

    Thanks for the excellent suggestions.

    Incidentally, my Heresy II's have an oak finish and cane grille cloth. Most Heresys I've seen on eBay are usually birch or black with black grilles. Is the oak/cane combination uncommon?
     
    Jcashfan likes this.
  23. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Doing a cap, or perhaps crossover replacement is something that you should really consider. I did this with my Klipsch Forte's, and the difference was startling.

    There's a guy named Bob Crites(http://www.critesspeakers.com )who is well known in the Klipsch community who specializes in modifying and repairing Klipsch speakers. He made my new crossovers. He is terrific to deal with, ask questions of, etc.

    You might also want to try the Klipsch Forums ( http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/ ), and there is also a forum specific to Klipsch on Audiokarma.org (http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=131 )Lots of help/opinions can be found on these sites.

    Good luck.
     
  24. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    I think PWK listened to mostly classical music and his speakers are voiced with similar sounding genre's in mind. At low background listening levels the Heresy's can very nice and quick/detailed. But, they will definitely shout at the listener at moderate-high + volumes (especially depending on amp driving them). I mucho prefer the AR4x over the Heresy for a small bookshelf speaker. YMMV.
     
    Jcashfan likes this.
  25. tyler8

    tyler8 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northern Cal
    Excellent advice for Klipsch Heritage speakers. Just put Titanium diaphragms and new crossovers into a set of Forte II's yesterday morning. Took me about an hour and a half and most of it was wishing I had an electric screwdriver.

    Results are impressive. Risers help as well. Spent most of last night listening to music I was long tired of. All of it has new life now depending on the quality of the recording. Thumbs up from this user. Mr. Crites has good stuff.



     
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