JEM Performance Audio is proud and honored to be authorized to maintain the vintage Klipsch Heritage speakers. Working with Klipsch Chief Engineer Roy Delgado, I provide the correct high quality crossover network capacitors to keep your vintage Klipsch speakers performing to factory specifications. It is very unlikely that any other network components need servicing other than the capacitors.
To keep your speakers operating at peak performance, it is advisable after 30 years or so to replace the capacitors. Does this mean that all old capacitors are bad and should be replaced? No, it doesn't. Many old capacitors test good and are still working fine. The question is, and no one really knows the answer to this, is how much longer are these 30+ year old capacitors going to operate within their manufactured specifications? Will they last another 5 years, 10 years? Remember, there are multiple capacitors in a crossover network and the odds are high that they all won't go bad at the same time. Do you want to test your old capacitors once a year to make sure all is well? I wouldn't think so.
I have discovered leaking oil filled capacitors as well as higher than normal Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) when testing these old capacitors. Leaking caps are no good and higher than normal ESR will un-balance the speaker system. Tweeters can play softer causing the midrange to sound bloated. The speaker balance will be off causing clarity and imaging problems. A 30 year old capacitor is an old electronic part. Is it still useable? Maybe. Is it wise to replace it? Absolutely. Why wait for the inevitable slow degradation of your speaker's sound and eventual failure of the capacitors when a service kit is available that will keep your speakers operating at peak performance?
It is not a large expense to replace the capacitors. Take an average kit cost of $55.00 and divide that cost over a 50 year average life expectancy of modern day capacitors. That's only $1.10 per year to be sure your pair of speakers are performing like they should. Very affordable insurance if you are serious about your speaker system!
The capacitor kits come complete with required capacitors, mounting blocks and zip ties if required, installation instructions and a schematic for your particular network. Soldering skill is necessary to complete the installation of the kit. If you do not feel comfortable installing the kit yourself, see below regarding the installation service.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING OUR CAPACITOR KITS AND REPLACEMANT PARTS
I am not a general electronics parts supplier. Therefore you won't find any modification parts for Klipsch speakers here or any parts for other brands of speakers. Every part I offer is either from Klipsch factory inventory or is Klipsch factory-approved for use in the vintage Heritage speakers. This service is for the vintage Klipsch Heritage owner that understands what they own - a true piece of audio history - and want to keep it operating as designed by Paul W. Klipsch, A Legend in Sound. If your Klipsch speaker is modified from factory design, it's no longer a genuine Klipsch product!
The capacitor kits offered by my company are approved and authorized by Klipsch as the correct replacement capacitors for vintage Klipsch Heritage speakers. These kits will not alter the sound or alter the factory specifications of the crossover networks as designed by Klipsch. The capacitors in these kits are manufactured by the same factory to the same tolerances and high quality standards as the capacitors used in the current Klipsch Heritage products.
Buyer beware: If a knock-off company tells you that their parts are equal to or better than Klipsch factory and factory approved parts, remember that the parts I offer are backed up by Klipsch engineering. Can the ersatz parts company make that claim? Absolutely not!
"There is hardly anything in this world some man cannot make a little worse --- and sell a little cheaper --- and the people who consider price only --- are this man's lawful prey."
John Ruskin
Your money spent on the genuine replacement part guarantees your Klipsch Heritage speaker will operate the way Paul W. Klipsch designed it. After all, isn't that the reason you own a vintage Klipsch Heritage speaker?
Available Capacitor Kits
The following is a two column list of the capacitor kits that are currently available. Kits marked with a * are high frequency only kits. The woofer capacitors, which are not in the signal path, rarely need replacing. Please call 412-401-6915 for kit pricing information or email me at theaudioroom@verizon.net.
A B
AA B-2
AB B-3*
AB-2* E
AK* E-2
AK-2* Heresy II
AK-3* Forte
AL Forte II
AL-2 Cornwall II
AL-3 Chorus
KG-2 Chorus II
KG-4
Quartet
Capacitor Kit Installations
If you do not feel comfortable installing the capacitor kit yourself, I offer installation of the following kits:
A - AA - AB - AB2* - AK* - AK2* - AK3* - AL - AL2 - AL3 - B - B2 - B3* - E - E2 - Heresy II Cornwall II
*indicates high frequency kit installation only - NO woofer capacitors. These networks contained high quality foil capacitors that are not in the signal path and rarely need servicing. On the Klipschorn, removal of the woofer door where these capacitors are located is not recommended, as you will need to re-seal the door and check for leaks after re-installation to insure the woofer horn is air tight.
If you are interested in having a kit installed, please contact me at theaudioroom@verizon.net for pricing and turn-around time.