Klipsch Speaker Modifications
Can a Klipsch speaker be made better than PWK designed it?
Paul W. Klipsch spent the better part of his life perfecting his speaker designs. He is known around the world for his accomplishments and his KLIPSCHORN loudspeaker is heralded by many as the finest speaker ever made. It is the only speaker in the world to be in continuous production for over 75 years. Paul received many awards throughout his lifetime and is enshrined in The Engineering and Science Hall of Fame, sharing an honor held only by the elite of the engineering and science world.
There are some in the audio community purporting to improve upon PWK's designs. It doesn't take long to find them on the internet and various audio forums offering all sorts of advice on how to improve your Klipsch Heritage speaker. You will find offers for better tweeters, better midrange horns and drivers and better crossovers. Some will tell you the midrange horns "ring" and that they need to be wrapped with asphalt, rope caulk, etc. Others even advocate complete horn replacement! One reverse engineers (copies) the horns designed by Paul Klipsch and sells them under their own brand. I guess Paul's horns aren't bad after all! These vendors want you to believe their theories, then sell you something they claim will improve your speaker. New technology, they claim, will make your speaker as good as it can be today, not as good as it was 50 years ago. Do you really think if Klipsch speakers weren't accurate sound reproducers they would have been used in such venues as Radio City Music Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, Record Plant Scoring, Inc. as well as many well known and respected recording studios?
Now you might be asking yourself this question - If the older speakers were so good, why has Klipsch modified them through the years? We are discussing the Heritage line here, the Klipschorn, LaScala, Belle*, Cornwall, and Heresy; Paul's original speakers.
Here is an explanation of some of the changes made when Paul owned the company:
From about late 1963 till 1985 these speakers stayed pretty much the same internally. There were some woofer and tweeter modifications due to manufacturing changes. Crossovers were tweaked for better tweeter protection and adjusted when required due to manufacturing modifications with the drivers. In early '83, a new midrange driver was necessary due to quality issues occurring at that time with the previous driver. This new driver had slightly different sensitivity and frequency response which required a new crossover network for peak performance. The Heresy also received a new midrange driver which necessitated a crossover modification. Changes like these continue today and are unavoidable. Anytime there is a manufacturing change with a driver or other component in the speaker system, modifications must occur to the product in order to maintain correct specification. The older models are wonderful speakers and are part of audio history. The Klipsch Heritage speakers through the decades still sound much the same, attesting to their accuracy. If maintained properly, they will continue to provide the sound of a live performance that only Klipsch can deliver.
*Belle first produced in 1971
Keep this in mind before purchasing products claiming to "update" your Klipsch speaker: You are buying something that was not used in the original design of your speaker and most likely is not used in the current production models. It will modify the specifications from the original design. The speaker will no longer perform like and will no longer be an authentic Klipsch product. Results claimed when using these products are based on someone's opinion. Caveat emptor, "let the buyer beware".
If you want all the latest engineering and technology available in a Klipsch Heritage speaker, you need to purchase the current model.
The service which I provide maintains the original operating characteristics and sound of the vintage Heritage speakers. Using factory and factory authorized parts, my service keeps your Klipsch Heritage speaker an authentic Klipsch product which maintains it's value; the genuine article, the real deal. While some vendors may be proud not to be affiliated with Klipsch, I am very proud to be a Klipsch retailer and extremely honored to be the person authorized by Klipsch to maintain the vintage speakers designed by A Legend In Sound, Paul W. Klipsch. Call us. We can offer repair advice on your speaker using correct factory approved components which will maintain product authenticity and factory specification.
If you still feel the need to modify a genuine Klipsch product, please don't disrespect Paul and possibly mislead a future owner; remove the Klipsch labeling from the cabinet!
A wiser choice - don't modify it. Keep it operating as originally manufactured and enjoy owning a true piece of audio history. An authentic speaker designed by Paul W. Klipsch, A Legend In Sound.
