From: button@italy.alc.com (Russ Button)
Subject: Re: awesome Klipschorns and speaker lifespan
Reply-To: button@italy.alc.com
Organization: Ascent Logic Corporation, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 11:26:59 GMT


In article 11185@ksr.com, kenyee@ksr.com (Ken Yee writes:
> What do you audiophiles think about the sound of humungous Klipschorns
> compared to the B&W Matrix 804's? 

I'm not familiar with the B&W's you refer to.  However I am familiar
with the K-horns.  I first fell in love with them in my college days
back in the early 70's.  I even went so far as to own a pair.  I was
in audio-nirvana!  That was until I met a home-brew speaker builder
in my area who was using Phillips components.  This was about 1976
when Phillips still used the mylar dome tweeters as their top-line
unit, and had just come out with their 2" mid-range domes.  His system,
which cost about $200/pair to build, sounded clearer, more natural,
with deeper bass, than my K-horns.  Needless to say, that was the
end of my K-horn days.

> I heard some classical and alternative
> music out of these 170lb/speaker monstrosities at <1Watt and it sounded
> REAL.  As in the piano sounded and felt like a piano and OMD and the
> Lightning Seeds sounded there in the room.

If your basic criteria is high efficiency and high sound levels, then
the K-horn is for you.  If you are concerned about voices and instruments
sounding like they do live, then the K-horn is a technology that is
30 years out of date.  

They were state-of-the-art in 1951 when a 10 watt amp was considered a big amp.  
You needed the high efficiency then to get any realistic levels.

> Are there any similiar sounding/cost speakers I should consider (especially
> ones that are not heavier than me :-)?

For $2500, you can buy any number of truly excellent systems.  I'd look
for a used pair of Celestion SL600's (~$700/pair), and match them with
a good sub-woofer or two.   You can build the sub-woofer(s) for about 
$200 or so apiece.  There are various schools of thought as to how to integrate 
sub-woofers.  Personally I prefer to multi-amp them.  Any good 100 wpc
solid state amp will do just fine for the subs.  You could probably be
happy with an old Hafler DH200/220 amp (~$200).  An active crossover 
will probably cost you about $400 or so.  The amp you use for the 
SL600's will be up to you, and should be a subject of careful study.
Hmmm... so what have we spent so far?

	SL600's		$700
	SL600 stands	 150
	sub-woofers	 400
	crossover	 400
	sub-woofer amp	 200
	---------------------
	total	       $1850

This would be your expense assuming you already are using a separate
pre-amp and power amp.  You did say you were an audiophile?!  :-)	

This system (which is only one possibility), would eat K-horns for
lunch in terms of musicality.  No, it wouldn't play as loud as K-horns,
nor would it blow out your ears on the opening of Tri-cycle (Flim and 
the BB's).  But it would play at least an octave deeper, and much more
cleanly.  If you want to hear what the Mozart horn concertos should 
really sound like when you play that Philharmonia Baroque (this is a 
shameless plug) CD on the Harmonia Mundi label, then don't play it on
K-horns.

> The other question is, what do you think the lifespan of speakers is?
> That is, before some newfangled-gotta-have-this speaker system comes
> out?  I don't want to upgrade after forking out such a huge sum (at least
> it's huge to me :-) for speakers...

With K-horns, the only thing to wear out might be the surround on the 
bass drivers.  If they are more than 10 years old, you might want to have
a look at them.  I'm sure they can be reconed if need be.  As for worrying
about the latest and greatest in audio... the K-horns are already 30 years
out of date, so why bother worrying?  If they are what you really like,
then buy 'em, and love 'em.  But don't begin to think that you can strut
around saying that you have "the best speakers ever made."  Just strut
around saying you have the best speakers ever made before 1954.

You did ask for opinions.  In audio, you can certainly find them.

Best wishes,

Russ Button
button@alc.com