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KLH Model Six surrounds and such


Guest OldRelayer

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Guest OldRelayer

Not terrible familar with the KLH, other than they are kissing cousins to the Advent and AR line which I am a little more familar with. One of the things I found interesting is they use treated cloth for surrounds instead of foam. Not sure if this is better or just different. Foam surrounds are at least readily available if needed.

Any comments on the sound of this speaker when compared to lets say an AR5 or large advents?

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>Not terrible familar with the KLH, other than they are

>kissing cousins to the Advent and AR line which I am a little

>more familar with. One of the things I found interesting is

>they use treated cloth for surrounds instead of foam. Not

>sure if this is better or just different. Foam surrounds are

>at least readily available if needed.

>

>Any comments on the sound of this speaker when compared to

>lets say an AR5 or large advents?

>

>

Hi there;

The KLH SIX is a great classic speaker.

The clothe surround is similar to the earlier AR woofer surrounds before foam became cheap and popular and sure is desirable.

Some members use 2 coats Armorall on AR cloth surrounds to increase seal and softness.

The SIX compares with the AR-2 series, AR-5, AR-6, AR-4X, Dynaco A-25 & A-35, Larger Advent, Smaller Advent and many others in its size and price range.

As you say, they sound like brothers, if not cousins.

Similar but different sounding.

Still very popular after all these years.

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Guest OldRelayer

Thanks Vern for the reply. Not sure I understand how to use the armorall, but I guess if I get them I will learn. I have had AR-7s and AR-5s in the past, the 7's are a two way which sounded good but we only used them in the bedroom and not for serious listening. I know I have heard Advent 2 way speakers that sounded very good, so I guess it may be ok, maybe the physics has nothing to do with the number of elements. I am looking at some AR-5s that need both cosmetic and surround work and a pristine pair of AR3a's that I didn't know existed, ones that were made in the 90's for the Asian market, he thinks he has a deal on them, if he doesn't I will get them. Then appear these KLH sixes, that look like I could pickup for the same money as the AR-5s, both need cosmetic work, but the drivers and surrounds on the KLH are perfect, makes them look pretty good.

Thanks appreciate your help

Barry

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Guest OldRelayer

BTW, I see a lot of signature blocks with consider fusing your speakers. I must admit I have been doing this a long time and I never have and could have stopped some damage if I had.

So how do you do that. Is it an inline fuse within the speaker wire? What size fuse would you use, I suppose you would fuse the postive terminal?

Thanks

Barry

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>BTW, I see a lot of signature blocks with consider fusing

>your speakers. I must admit I have been doing this a long

>time and I never have and could have stopped some damage if I

>had.

>

>So how do you do that. Is it an inline fuse within the

>speaker wire? What size fuse would you use, I suppose you

>would fuse the postive terminal?

>

>Thanks

>Barry

>

Hi Barry;

I use the, "consider fusing", as a constant reminder that we aren't able to run right out and buy our replacement OEM drivers anymore.

Fuses are cheap, if you use the 1/4" x 1 1/4" glass fast blow type in an open style fuseholder.

The Armorall is brushed on the surround only, like paint and left to dry a day or so and another coat applied.

I read this in the AR forum and so I assume it is applicable to KLH as well.

You may want to wait a little while to see if there is going to be confirmation on this from other members.

A pair of NOS AR-7's just sold on ebay for $416.00 US + s&h.

Heavy bidding and a unusually high price, maybe?

I would have at least expected solid walnut cabinets, not walnut vinyl and gold plated drivers.

If there is a choice of a beat up pair of AR-5's or mint KLH SIXES I would choose the AR-5's, if, and only if, the drivers are fully functioning.

The 5's are scarce on ebay for just the 8 ohm drivers.

Woofer rot isn't serious but the 8 ohm mid ranges or tweeters are as scare as hens teeth.

Remember that the AR-5's use 8 ohm and not 4 ohm drivers.

On ebay every so often, I'll see a seller, saying all of the different model speakers that the drivers can be used for, just because they look alike.

Larger Advents are very good.

AR-3A's are greeeaaaat. (tony the tiger)

In the AR library there is fusing sheets and also in the Advent library.

Go to the Crownaudio.com site and read about speaker power handling and fusing.

I started a fusing topic in the, "other", forum recently and referenced the Dynaco ST-416 amp fusing information, it's worth a read too.

If at all possible, a 1 amp fast blow glass fuse, would probably be a safe starting size.

More advice as members see your questions.

Good luck.

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Guest OldRelayer

I know I would really like a pair of AR-3as. It sounds like I should buy both a nice pair of KLH 6s to listen to and a pair of AR5's for investment, just joking my wife would really think I was off the deep end. In the back of my mind I still have this feeling that as nice of a speaker as the KLH might be they are still a 2 way speaker, I have never really understood how a 2 way speaker could ever be as good as a properly designed 3 way speaker. But this is just a gut feeling, I have never lived with a 2 way speaker for serious listening. It does seem like the KLH 6's are a bit of a sleeper, I have read that people have found nice working ones at the dump and they can be picked up for very reasonable money. I guess the AR-5s would be a little kinder to your amp being an 8 ohm speaker as opposed to the 3a(although damn the amp if I could find a nice pair). I can't wait to get something from that era again, my AR-5s were the best speakers I ever owned and frankly I have heard very little that compares in the modern speakers by any manufacturer at anywhere near the price range. The price range in todays dollars, I would think would be $600 - $800. In 1971 a pair of finished AR-5s were $175 and if you didn't mind them unfinished they were $156, a real bargain then and if they produced them today, they would still be a bargain.

Today I will be bring back to Best Buy a pair of Klipsh F2's, trust me these speakers are not in the same league as the speakers we are talking about. The whole ordeal of listening to modern speakers has sent me back to the 1970's, which is probably appropriate since a lot of the music I listen to is from the 1970's.

Thanks again Vern and I will fuse my speakers for sure, it makes so much sense.

Barry

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>I know I would really like a pair of AR-3as. It sounds like

>I should buy both a nice pair of KLH 6s to listen to and a

>pair of AR5's for investment, just joking my wife would really

>think I was off the deep end. In the back of my mind I still

>have this feeling that as nice of a speaker as the KLH might

>be they are still a 2 way speaker, I have never really

>understood how a 2 way speaker could ever be as good as a

>properly designed 3 way speaker. But this is just a gut

>feeling, I have never lived with a 2 way speaker for serious

>listening. It does seem like the KLH 6's are a bit of a

>sleeper, I have read that people have found nice working ones

>at the dump and they can be picked up for very reasonable

>money. I guess the AR-5s would be a little kinder to your amp

>being an 8 ohm speaker as opposed to the 3a(although damn the

>amp if I could find a nice pair). I can't wait to get

>something from that era again, my AR-5s were the best speakers

>I ever owned and frankly I have heard very little that

>compares in the modern speakers by any manufacturer at

>anywhere near the price range. The price range in todays

>dollars, I would think would be $600 - $800. In 1971 a pair

>of finished AR-5s were $175 and if you didn't mind them

>unfinished they were $156, a real bargain then and if they

>produced them today, they would still be a bargain.

>

>Today I will be bring back to Best Buy a pair of Klipsh F2's,

>trust me these speakers are not in the same league as the

>speakers we are talking about. The whole ordeal of listening

>to modern speakers has sent me back to the 1970's, which is

>probably appropriate since a lot of the music I listen to is

>from the 1970's.

>

>Thanks again Vern and I will fuse my speakers for sure, it

>makes so much sense.

>

>Barry

>

>

Hi Barry;

I will go back to 1965, when I was just starting to work, as an apprentice, at $1.02 per hour.

I had read Consumers Report about, "the widest range loudspeaker CU had ever tested", the AR-4X.

I didn't have but a Seabreeze portable record player, as a reference.

With Consumer Reports in hand, my Big Bros and I went to a stereo store to give a listen only (big mistake).

I asked to hear these well regarded speakers, and the salesman turned on a system in a small contained room.

Before, "pop goes the weasle", was over he switched to another pair of speakers, which were much more efficient, and he activated the loudness button as well.

After a minute or so he switched back to the 4X's and wow, no bass or highs.

A few of these back and forth and I signed the finance papers right now for the other, "better", speakers.

A week later we returned to another hi fi store (another big mistake) and we heard this very large speaker system against a wall, among a wall of speakers.

The speakers were the AR-4X's and I was hooked.

They are the best bang for the buck in my opinion.

Much later, the AR-2AX's, AR-5's and AR-3A's became an interest but I eventually made the jump directly to the AR-3A's.

My Big Bros had the 2AX's and 5's and then finally the 3A's.

He then much later had the LST's also for a while.

He always seemed to remember the 2AX's as the better speaker for the dollar, not the AR-5.

My memory of the AR family was the AR-4X and working your way up to the 3A's, each was a little better than the previous one.

When I had the 4X's I saw that the 3A was superior to all of the lower models partcularly, the power of the bass.

One only has to go to an ice capades and watch as the skaters come out, and do their thing, and they appear better, and more precise at skating.

If one had only ever heard the AR-4X's, then they probably would have enjoyed them, for their decent sound reproduction, at a really affordable price back then.

The mistake is listening afterwards to bigger and better speakers and getting the bug and persuing the imaginery perfection.

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