I just came upon a pair of original Model 5's. Does anyone know the best way to get a pair restored? They've been out of use for decades.
I reached out to KLH to ask whether spraying my grilles with water might flatten them out, and they were very quick and helpful with a response. Worth a shot to ask 'em directly. Contact KLH Audio | Best Home Theater Speakers
I can’t get my marantz above 4\10 volume wise with most listening done at about 3\10 so not sure if I’m barking up the wrong tree here. kids and neighbours being the reason but also I just don’t feel the need for high volume. Looking for great audio experience at reasonable volume.
I grew up with a Sansui 5000 with 55 watts and once you got past a 1/4 of the way up things got very loud quickly, some of those old amps have more punch than their rating would suggest. I can turn my Marantz up over halfway and it's not overwhelming, I expected a bit more given the 70 watt rating.
I brought the 5's downstairs (small room, Schiit Freya+ and Aegir monoblocks)... They sound great, but even I'm surprised that I reaaaallly like the Harbeth 30.2 XD's down here. It might be worth trying a pair of KLH 3's, as the size of the room is more appropriate. I think the 3's are probably about the size of the Harbeths. But what am I chasing? But there's no question the KLH 5's have earned a permanent place in the living room upstairs. Win-win.
My understanding and experience is that a more powerful amplifier isn't necessarily to play louder but to provide more available power for dynamics and low end grunt even at lower volumes. I live in an apartment and don't listen very loud but have had the experience that jumping up in power provides a significantly different listening experience even at low volumes. The speakers went from sounding like they were behind a curtain to sounding like the performer was in the room. Not subtle.
Just a little addendum to above. If you want to do a little experiment, buy a Crown XLS Drive Core amp from a place with a generous return policy like Guitar Center or Amazon. The least powerful 350 watt/channel will do. Hook it up to your system using whatever you have now as a preamp. See how your speakers sound with a ton of power. The Crown isn't the last word in clarity or looks, but it's a great test of if your speakers need more juice or how they'd respond. I did this with a relatively inefficient set of speakers that were 86db and 4 ohm and it was night and day from my prior integrated (a Rotel RA 1520).
It's got little to do with the point on the volume scale. Different volume controls work differently and also will depend on input load. I do prefer amps that get 'full' volume closer to 12 to 2 O'clock irrespective of speaker efficiency. The point about 'wanting more' has less to do with watts available but the amp design requiring more driving ability indicated by size of power transformer(s) and output capacitors. Amps that seem to work at comfortable volume only in the first quarter of the volume control generally have issues with digital sources (CD) with a high output (not helpful with loudness wars CD mastering).
Hello everyone. I have my KLH model five, I'm using it with a Lumin M1 (all in one) amp that a friend lent me, until I decide which amp to buy. very good klh
I like my Model 5's but they seem a bit bass shy in my great room. I'm a tube Guy from way back and curently use a Jolida JD-1000a integrated amp using El34 tubes to drive my "5's". I live in the mountains on battery/solar power! I need direction my friends What integrated amps and or receivers are you using and please if you recommend a device, make it make it sold on the net and "NEW". The Model 5's are outstanding speakers and i really don't know SS gear and search the internet drives me crazy!
I give a resounding recommendation for Yamaha's "A-S" series of integrated amps. There are several models to choose from ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Wonderful sound and incredible value.
Head on over to Audio karma’s web site. There have a number of threads on how to restore these and other vintage KLH speakers. In most cases they would only need to have their capacitors replaced and surrounds redoped. You can also browse this site for some good info on KLH’s. The Classic Speaker Pages Discussion Forums
It’s the A-S2200. I have an A-S801, a great amp in its own right, but it’s been in a box since the arrivals the 2200. I haven’t tried it with the KLH 5s. I think it would be great with them,though. Perhaps even better in some ways. Thank you. It is a comfortable space for us. I don’t have any wide-angle, whole room shots, but might be able to work something out. I’d have to pick up first. New pup.
Some people feel the Yamahas are a little bright with the Model 5s and a little lacking in bass. I haven't heard one myself. I will put in a plug for the Denon 1700 NE. Nice deep bass and detailed but not overly bright highs. Sounded better to me with 5's than more pricey competitors (Rotel 1592 mkii).
And I've not heard the KLH 5's w/ my Yamaha's. I will say that of the speakers I have had, the Yamaha's have never struck me as bright or bass-light. Two of my favorite traits of the Yamaha sound are; 1) I've found it completely non-fatiguing (even after hours of listening), and 2) the bass has incredible tonality and bloom to it (not to mention well defined impact). To each their own.
Nice. Would look great in the right room. That may have been why the walnut and mahogany were on sale last month?