klipschorns, they kick ass for sure


hello folks.   for those out there that think the big klipschorn's are not good enough to be a high end quality speaker, guess what??   your wrong!!   I have been in audio for over 40 years. I have heard many speaker systems over the years. I have very good speakers now in my home. I have good equipment running them.  I picked up a pair of k-horns last week.  1986 model year.  replaced the crossovers with crites xovers.  one tweeter blown.  replaced both with ct120 tweeters from crites. hooked them up to my parasound  3500 amp ( yes, way overkill  )  but I wasent in the mood to move it.  speakers placed where they are supposed to be in the corners of the room.  well let me tell you all it took was 2 minutes to decide these things are the bomb.  I dident hear any of the stuff I been reading about over the last 30 years how these speakers are harsh, no good bass and everything else everybody says about them.  as far as im concerned they are clean, clear, crisp, and loud. did I say loud.  volume starts a 7 o'clock,  at 9 o'clock  your ears start to bleed.  I guess the 350 watts into a speaker that only needs 20 will do that.  and all the stuff I hear about  ss amps these speakers don't like.  only 30 watt tube amps will do or you will hear all kinds of noise.  well, all I can say is bull crap to that.  what I here is a speaker sounding better then just about anything else I ever heard.  I played rock,jazz,classical,  all passed with flying color's. all I can say is you guys out there that think they suck. have your ears cleaned out and go listen again.  yes, the 350 watt power house is going to go before I blow everything up. 
tomtab

Having worked in the high end audio industry for over 20 years, I can say that Klipschorns are some of the best and worst speakers that I ever heard. As willland said, it's all about using the right equipment with them.


Back in the late 1970's early 1980's I worked at dealers which sold Klipsch speakers, I actually met Paul at an audio show in DC on year, very interesting guy!

I sold a lot of this generation of Klipsch speakers, not so many Klipschorns (people needed rooms where they could install them in the corners), but loads of Corwall's and Heresy's.  I would characterize a lot of my customers as being discriminating listeners, many of them took their time and compared the speakers to other fine manufacturers of the day.  I can't remember a single pair coming back for service, surprising, as they are "killer" rock and roll speakers.

Enjoy your Klipschorns!  All that matters is that they put a smile on your face!
 Curb your enthusiasm,..yes khorns sounded good back in the day...having said that last time I checked they are worth $3500-4500 basically on the used market assuming original and in nice shape and there are tons of speakers on the used market that smoke them in all areas IMO
really now???    smoke them???.   i dont think so.  thats funny,  i have heard many a speaker in my time and although i have heard better never one that smoked them.  i guess you have $100,000 speakers that are better then anything out there.  i never said they were the best i heard, just darn good when set up properly and good equipment used. 
I am another K-Horn fan, but the right room and amp are critical to their enjoyment. I've owned three different pairs starting in the early seventies.  Only one pair was successful in providing great sound, and that was because I built a house/room around them.  I also found, as Paul himself taught, you needed a Belle unit to get the balance right.  Filling the center makes all the difference in the world.  I also owned a single unit in the late fifties, yes the mono days. The mono unit was married to a Mac amp.  It made me a life long audio fan. Today my speakers are ProAc, all amps tubes.  Great sound, great value, especially in the used market. Would I ever buy another pair of K-horns?  Of course.  I have been looking for the last ten years for a pair in Brazilian Rosewood, few were made and now the wood is banned from the US.  I still have the Belles, in rosewood.  They sound close to the K's.  Enjoy the music, that never changes.