Tweak or Replace? The Costs and Benefits of DIY Speaker Mods
My primary speakers are a pair of 1980s-era Belle Klipsch horns in lacquered walnut – which I acquired off Craigslist from the original owner some 30 years ago. For what I paid, I can only assume someone wanted them gone. Badly. They're a bit too large for my listening space, but my modest budget has led me to conclude I wouldn’t likely replace them anytime soon with something markedly better. They’re also completely stock – save for a pair of Crites AB-2 crossovers and a separate powered sub-woofer. I currently have them sitting on Townshend seismic bars - and they sound (IMO) pretty good with my 15wpc SET. Like all speakers, the quality varies by recording and artist; a few of my favorite female vocalists can sound a bit shrill.
With about 5-6 years until retirement, I’m executing a plan to have the best system I can afford when I cease paid employment – selectively purchasing a piece or two each year. In the past several years, I’ve updated my DAC (Denafrips Pontus II), headphone amp (Quicksilver), and headphones (Sennheiser HD800s).
Speakers are on my list of upgrades, but they’re not a super high priority. At some point, my plan is to replace them with a pair of Klipsch Forte IVs or Cornwall IVs (probably the former, due to size). These later versions appear to have quelled or softened some of the previous issues associated with the ubiquitous “horn sound.”
I’ve seen various mods for Klipsch horn speakers – including dampening the horns with Dynamat, upgrading the tweeter, internal wiring, etc. My questions are thus: (1) Sound-wise, are these mods worth the effort and/or expense - versus, say, just being patient and replacing the speakers entirely? and (2) Do such mods significantly impact the admittedly modest (relatively speaking) resale value?
What I want to avoid is spending time and money in futile pursuit of improving what I have – only to replace the entire kit-and-kaboodle in several years (perhaps at an exaggerated depreciation). Let me also say: I’m happy to keep these IF I can get them sounding closer to what the newer versions are now offering.
I’d welcome any thoughts. While I’m not dead set on the Klipsch Heritage line, I’ve grown accustomed (in a good way) to the sound of high sensitivity speakers played at lower volumes via tube amplification.
Terry
@jtcf - Good suggestion. I hadn't considered doing an actual A/B comparison. Paducah Home Theater is within driving distance - maybe I'll ring up Corey and see if he offers something similar. @sns - Thanks for the input. I realize K-Horns are unique creatures, but may I ask which mods resulted in the most "bang for the buck"? |
I'd have to say the Volti horns, but then my KH had the metal mid horns, rang like a bell, hopeless for natural timbre.
So, more applicable to you would be crossover mods, I started with the Crites and then further modded with combo of Audyn True Copper Max and Jupiter VT bypassed with Duelund Silver Foil bypass caps. This allied with John Allen A55G mid driver would be tops, being most of the music lives in mids. While the stock SonicCaps in Crites crossovers improvement over stock, one can make nice gains with better caps. This in combo with A-55G makes for much more natural timbre. Timbre, or what some call tone is commonly considered the weakest part of Klipsch Heritage or most horns for that matter. Putting all the inherent goodness of Klipsch Heritage together with natural timbre makes for unbeatable combo for me.
While I've not heard latest Klipsch Heritage, it seems Klipsch has gradual improvements in area of timbre/tonality. Question is would Forte IV's be preferable to further modding your Belles? My money would be on the Belles. Put some better caps on that board and get the A-55G, those would be very nice Belles! The Belles even in stock form are one the very best Heritage models. |
If you wanted to really go all out with the Belles and willing to make cosmetic alterations, tractrix horns are the way to go. I do have one extra Volti mid horn I'd be willing to let go of if you decided to go that route. Some of the tractrix horns kits can retain more of stock Belles look, my Volti's won't allow that. |
@sns - Greg (Roberts) at Volti just came out with the new Tractrix V-TracII mid horns, but at $1500 a pair - plus the cost of the drivers (either $535 for the Crites A-55G/2 or $1300 for Volti's BMS 4592ND) - I'd be getting precariously close to the resale value of these speakers. I'd love to try Greg's complete Belle upgrade package, but it's north of $4,500. As you suggest, perhaps new Crites drivers and upgraded caps for the crossovers would be the optimal investment. I can also try damping the existing horns with Dynamat. Other scenarios, while enticing, have me quickly approaching the cost of a gently-used pair of Cornwall IVs (for example). Maybe if my Belles held sentimental value (they don't), I'd be more willing to take a deeper dive. |
