2 ax introduction date-Kloss leaves AR ?

[Andy]

This is likely a question for Tom Tyson, and I'm sure its been discussed in previous posts but I couldn't find it. When in 1957 was the 2ax introduced ? I believe it was right at the time when Henry Kloss left AR. Also, how quickly did Kloss get the KLH Model One to market after departing AR.

Andy

[Steve F]

It was the AR-2 that was introduced just as Henry Kloss was leaving AR in 1957, not the 2ax.

The 2a followed the 2 (the 2a added the 1 3/8" "fried egg" dome tweeter that had just been introduced in the AR-3 in 1958).

The 2ax replaced the 2a's dual 5" midranges with a single 3 1/2" midrange and the 2ax replaced the 2a in 1964. The "new" 2ax--a completely re-worked version--came out in 1970.

Steve F.

[tysontom]

>This is likely a question for Tom Tyson, and I'm sure its

>been discussed in previous posts but I couldn't find it. When

>in 1957 was the 2ax introduced ? I believe it was right at the

>time when Henry Kloss left AR. Also, how quickly did Kloss get

>the KLH Model One to market after departing AR.

>

Andy,

The AR-2ax (first version) wasn't introduced until 1964; the later iteration came in 1970.

You are referring to the AR-2, AR's second speaker. Henry Kloss had been working on the production design of that speaker in late 1956 when a management crisis developed at AR between Henry Kloss and Edgar Villchur (Villchur later described it as "Henry was presidential material"). The issue was resolved in February, 1957, and Villchur and Kloss parted ways over what was termed, "irreconcible policy and personality issues." A new management team was put into place and the company was basically reorganized from top to bottom.

While Kloss was working on the AR-2, a problem developed with the AR-2's woofer, and the speaker could not be released for production. After Kloss left in February, Villchur corrected the problem which involved the voice coil abnormally "riding" outside the magnetic gap under certain circumstances, not necessarily heavy power. The woofer magnetic assembly had to be redesigned to correct this problem, and the speaker was released for production in late March, 1957.

KLH Research and Development Corporation was founded in 1957, and I believe the Model One, Two and Three were introduced either in late 1957 or early 1958. KLH had sales of less than $100K in 1957, so there would have been limited production that year. Incidentally, I think that the first KLH speakers, such as the KLH One, Two and Three did not use the epoxied-in frame design. I believe this innovation came somewhere in mid-1958 or early 1959, probably with the first Model Four.

--Tom Tyson

[Andy]

Thanks, My mistake, I meant the Model 2 not 2ax. I guess Henry was really ready to be in control of his own speaker company. Interesting note about the non epoxied drivers in KLH's very first examples, I'd like to find one of these early models. My Model Six's, #'s 0684 & 0711 have epoxied in drivers and these date to March-April 1958.

Andy

[tysontom]

>Thanks, My mistake, I meant the Model 2 not 2ax. I guess

>Henry was really ready to be in control of his own speaker

>company. Interesting note about the non epoxied drivers in

>KLH's very first examples, I'd like to find one of these early

>models. My Model Six's, #'s 0684 & 0711 have epoxied in

>drivers and these date to March-April 1958.

>

>Andy

Andy, I've only seen the early models in passing. I saw a pair of Model Threes (woofer-only system) utility finish go through eBay some time back, but I did not bid on them. They were probably quite rare. I don't know much about the design of the speaker other than it was a 1.5-cu.ft. sealed enclosure with an 11-inch, 16-ohm acoustic-suspension woofer. It would have been the equivalent to the KLH Four woofer in specs, I would think.

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/2118.jpg

KLH Model Three Woofer-Only System

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/2119.jpg

KLH Model Three Woofer-Only System (Rear View)

--Tom Tyson