Klipschorns--Anyone have a pair?

I've got a friend that has a pair. I've spent a lot of time listening to them over the years. In fact, the first time I ever heard a cd it was on those speakers. "Revolver", it was. It absolutely blew my mind. It was the first time I had heard a real stereo system. Right now he's using a 50wpc solid state McIntosh to drive them. One of these days maybe I'll convince him to get himself a tube amp, which is what he should obviously be using with these. Talk about a speaker that rocks, those suckers really fill the house! The Klipschorn was also the first speaker I ever heard "Gimmie Shelter" being blasted on. Those were the days.

 

Klipschorns

I think I might have a pair hangin' around.

 

'scuse the question but why are those called horns? I could pull a Google search on it or something, but I'm sure you guys 'll be able to explain it in two lines.

Do they use traditional 'paper cone' drivers on the end of a horn, or are the drivers entirely different? What's the sonic signature of a horn speaker?

TIA,

Damián

 

Horns

Well, there are many different types of horns and, instead of trying to explain the whole thing here, there is a site dedicated to horns that should give you all the answers:

The Horn Speaker Home Page

 

I always wanted a pair of these but I didn't like the fact that they HAVE to be in a corner to sound good.

What would be the best Klipsch's that DON'T have to be corner-loaded?

 

Closest to the Klipschorn would be the LaScala model.

 

What would be the best Klipsch's that DON'T have to be corner-loaded?

The Klipsch corner horn or "KLIPSCHORN" is the only speaker made by Klipsch that requires placement in room corners.

The "BELLE" the "LA SCALA" and the "CORNWALL" all use the same driver compliment as the K-HORN.
The BELLE / LA SCALA uses a woofer loading design where the horn is "folded over" only twice, versus three times on the corner horn;.
In the corner horn the corner of the room becomes part of that third "fold".
The Cornwall has the same 15" woofer, only front firing, with no folds.
Some people think the Cornwall is the best sounding of the lot as a result, just not as much bass extension as the folded horn models.

The HERESY uses the same compression driver on mid and tweeter, but with a smaller horn "throat" on the midrange. Smaller woofer too, a 12" driver instead of the 15" on all the larger models.

 

I have owned two different pairs of K-horns. My first pair was the basic, almost "industrial" version: factory black painted plywood and NO TOPS.
My second pair was Walnut veneer with black cloth as in Steves picture.
They are, by far, the loudest (Spinal Tap Seal of Approval) and most dynamic speakers I have ever owned, loved those qualities but have since gone another way, to planars.
The walnut pair is now residing at a neighbors house where they sound just absolutely horrible. Being used with an inexpesive "consumer grade" transistor receiver, low grade front end components, the crappy inter-connects that come free with the cheap components, and plain old small guage (20ga.?) speaker wires.
They sound like ****: shrill, piercing, and "hornlike" revealing all too well the many shortcomings of the rest of his system. To make matters worse he just LOVES to crank it all up to painful-to-everyone-but-him listening levels. My ears hurt after too much time there, and I do not even want to listen to any music at home for a day or so afterward.
Again: they can sound very good indeed with good equipment and a good recording. They are painfully revealing on bad recordings and bad gear.

 

Ah!! Truer words were never spoken. These are Very source dependent speakers. I've uses everything from SET's to high power SS and combinations in between. It's the QUALITY of the source/electronics that counts in the case of Klipschorns.

In Paul Klipsch's words: "Better a high quality 50 watt amp than a mediocre 200 watt one."

 

Re: Klipschorns

Check around. You might have just stashed 'em somewhere in a corner a few years ago and forgotten about 'em...

 

Re: Re: Klipschorns

Damn it! you're right.....checked in the corners and lo & behold (whatever the hell that means) there they were!

 

I believe that the Cornwalls were aptly named because Paul Klipsch suggested that they could be used in either a corner, or along a wall.





Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

GADZOOKS!! I always thought they were named the Cornwalls after General Cornwallis 'cause he cried "Uncle" so loud it could be heard all across the colonies. Hmm..guess you learn somthin' new every day dagnabit.

 

This is one of my Cornwall's. The other one looks eerily similar. Seriously, I restored these about 2 years ago. New tweeter diaphragms, new wire inside, caulked squawkers and Cardas binding posts. Driven by Cary 300B's, they sound fabulous and loud. They sound they're best playing vinyl. BTW, they are 1978 "Designer" Cornwalls. No grill and unfinished is the way they came.

Chris

 

Chris,

My 1976 Cornwalls have the wood fronts like yours, but only in a natural finish; I always thought that Klipsch called these Cornwalls "Decorator" models??



Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

Ed,

You are probably correct. The fellows over on the Klipsch Forum (including one Klipsch ex-employee that was a "builder") have always called mine "Designer". BTW, mine were natural finish also. I refinished them due to the condition I received them in.

Chris

PS The Klipsch ex-employee mentioned more than once the consensus back then at Klipsch was that the "Decorator" Cornwall was a better speaker. This possibly due to the construction design invloved with a stain grade motor board in lieu of the standard board. Something about no mitered (sp?) corners.

 

50 watts??? I thought it was only 10...

 

Many moons ago I ordered a set of Paul Klipsch's writings appropriately named Dope From Hope - lotta great history in those pages, including driver changes and crossover mods done over the years. I wish I could find one of his Bulls**t pins (PK didn't cotton too much to a lotta the snake oil being peddled in audio)...

 

Tube City

Just Bought a pair of Khorns and LaScala's from Audio Classics

Cant wait to hear these babies.

But have to wait for a triode amp!$$$$

Any recomendations?

 

Hey Steve - you ever try some of PK's clever corner crunchers in yer pad???