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KLH's Little Speakers - Overview


Andy

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Thought I'd provide a overview on KLH's smaller speaker models since they often get overshadowed by the larger 2-way or 3-way models.

If you have any kind of physical limitations, or no more room for large KLH loudspeakers, the small models are worth a look.

Models and basic info-

Model Eight; 1960-62, Acoustic suspension, 11x6x6 inches, solid walnut cabinet, two 3"drivers, Sold with the Model Eight receiver, 7,500 units produced (units)

Model Eight; 1963-64, Acoustic suspension, 11x6x6 inches, walunt veneer over plywood, 0ne 3" driver, Sold with late versions on the model Eight receiver, 4000 produced (units

Model Thirteen; 1963, Acoustic suspension, 11x6x6, walnut veneer over plywood, one 3" driver, sold with the Model Thirteen stereo adapter, fewer then 2,000 produced (units).

Model Eleven; 1963-70, acoustic suspension, 14x8x3.5 inches, walnut veneer over plywood & mfd, one 3" driver, came with the Model Eleven phono system.

Model Fourteen; 1963, Ported type, 14x18x3.5 inches, walnut veneer over plywood, two 3" drivers, about 8,000 produced (units).

Model Fourteen B; 1963, ported type, 14x8x8 inches, walnut veneer over plywood, two 3" drivers, 5,000 produced (units).

Model Fifteen; 1964-65, ported design, 14x8x8 inches, walnut veneer over plywood, two 3" drivers, came with Model fifteen phono system.

Model Nineteen; 1964-65, ported design, 14x8x8 inches, walnu veneer over plywood, two 3" drivers, came with Model Nineteen phono system.

Model Twenty One; 1965-70, acoustic suspension, 14x8x3.5, walnut veneer over plywood & mfd, one 3" driver, offered with Model Twenty One radio.

Model Fifty' 1972, acoustic suspension, 14x8x3.5 inches, vinyl over mfd. one 3" driver, sold with Model Fifty receiver, 5,000 produced (pairs)

Note; Production figures are listed on the models which are considered harder to find, and only lower serial numbers have been seen in the 15 years I've been buying KLH. The numbers I give are estimates until a higher serial number is found.

All of these "Little" KLH loudspekers are much more of a speaker then their size would indicate, they make exellent sound, just lack the deeper bass and loud volumes possible with the bigger 2-way models.

Andy

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Thanks Andy for the useful info. You're the resident KLH historian!

One addition: I've seen the Model Twenty-One extension speaker with vinyl grille to match the Twenty-one radio. More commonly I've seen it with beige cloth, and I "think" that version was called the M105.

Keep up the good work!

Kent

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Guest bottom_feeder

very cool Andy : ) !

these little 4.5 inch fullrange drivers are some of my favorite bar none.

I currently use 16 of them in a pair of open baffle line arrays (8 per side) . . . For the sub-100 Hz sound, I have a pair of Kalrsons stuffed with Altec 15's - this Altec / Karlson combo is the first I've found that comes close to the efficiency of my line arrays.

Rest assured, all the original cabinets are safely stored downstairs for eventual 'return to stock' for posterity : ))

I remember seeing at one of the last NEARC meets a 8.5 X 11 promo add for the drivers themselves (as opposed to the model 14 / 19 etc . . )

anyone have a scan of that doc ? it had some impressive specifications (xmax / Fs / etc . . . )

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A little while back we discussed what seems to have been a driver change of the model eight driver in mid production. An ad from 1963 shows the newer driver which looks to be the same as the other small units in the models 14,15,19 etc. The features mentioned in the ad note a 3/8 inch cone travel with precise control for distortion free sound and the highest magnet power to cone weight ratio of any speaker in production. If you think about it, the magnet size is what you might find in a 6 or 8 inch speaker!

I just found a pair of model fourteens that have an internal compensation network to increase lower freqencies. They're really nice sounding speakers. Made in 1963, I think these were the first "thin" speakers by a speaker maker - only 3.5 inches in depth. By 1970 they were much more common with many companies producing this type.....but I don't think any sounded as good as the KLH.

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A little while back we discussed what seems to have been a driver change of the model eight driver in mid production. An ad from 1963 shows the newer driver which looks to be the same as the other small units in the models 14,15,19 etc. The features mentioned in the ad note a 3/8 inch cone travel with precise control for distortion free sound and the highest magnet power to cone weight ratio of any speaker in production. If you think about it, the magnet size is what you might find in a 6 or 8 inch speaker!

I just found a pair of model fourteens that have an internal compensation network to increase lower freqencies. They're really nice sounding speakers. Made in 1963, I think these were the first "thin" speakers by a speaker maker - only 3.5 inches in depth. By 1970 they were much more common with many companies producing this type.....but I don't think any sounded as good as the KLH.

yup . . . I have a pair of those early 'thin' 14's . . . I wondered what that circuit was for, as I was 99% sure both drivers were running fullrange . . .

3/8 of an inch. . . thats RIDUCULOUS for a speaker of that size :rolleyes:

Henry Kloss had one helluva brain . . .

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  • 7 months later...

More on Little KLH speakers:
I just bought a pair of Model 708 "Extension Acoustic Suspension Loudspeakers". These are essentially identical to the Model Eleven-W speakers and the Model Twenty-One extension speaker, except that they had screw terminals on back instead of RCA jacks. They also had a unique grille: It has a 3-dimensional effect that I hope shows in the pics. It appears they are vacuum-formed perforated plastic like the infamously fragile grilles on Allison Series One speakers. Over this is stretched a fabric that seems like wool (??).

On this pair, that fabric is pretty beat and ragged around the edges. Tried with just the plastic, but that's a bit too transparent. I may attempt to glue some linen to the plastic, to mimic the original. The original seems beyond salvaging for this project. I'm sure if I wash it, it will shrink. and the edges are pretty frayed.

Comments and suggestions welcome!
Kent

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Kent, Thanks for the photos I've not seen the 708 before. Odd number for a KLH speaker from the early 70's. KLH #'s ran consecutively - 20,21,22 etc.

Never seen a grill like that either. One method to try on grill cloth replacement which a friend did on a curved antique radio grill restoration - mix warm water & starch - soak grill cloth - apply to grill frame - let dry. The cloth ended up formed and stayed in it's shape.

An update on my original list of small speakers...the model fifty dates to 1974, not 1972. I saw a 1974 ad for the Model Fifty system and it read "the new Model Fifty". This speaker has screw terminal connectors like the 708, but they are covered in vinyl not walnut veneer.

KLH sure got a lot of mileage out of the little acoustic suspension loudspeaker with close to 15 years of production. No other company got such nice sound out of something so small!

Andy

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