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The KLH Model Seven 7


Guest rubenz1967

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Guest rubenz1967

I'm finding it hard to search for information on these speakers (using the search feature) or there just isn't much on here about them. How do these rate in the KLH continuum? I see they are probably 1959 or so vintage and may be similar to the KLH 6, which I have been interested in acquiring, but have yet to run into them. I do have a lead on a pair of KLH 7s for very inexpensively ($20), not quite sure of their condition, I will find out tomorrow. Is it likely that all drivers will be operational? Will they be a good substitute for a pair of KLH 6s? I have a large number of vintage speakers including Dynaco A-25, A-40XL, Wharfedale Rosedale, Large Advent (Walnut), Smaller Advent. Only I can answer this question, but would it seem to make sense to add this one to my collection, or do I have a good representation of speakers of that era? I would be hooking to a Fisher 800C or a Scott 233 once I get them restored. I quite honestly have alot of speakers (at least 40 pair) and am not interested in "flipping", I'd either keep them or just not bother getting them all. Opinions?

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I'm finding it hard to search for information on these speakers (using the search feature) or there just isn't much on here about them. How do these rate in the KLH continuum? I see they are probably 1959 or so vintage and may be similar to the KLH 6, which I have been interested in acquiring, but have yet to run into them. I do have a lead on a pair of KLH 7s for very inexpensively ($20), not quite sure of their condition, I will find out tomorrow. Is it likely that all drivers will be operational? Will they be a good substitute for a pair of KLH 6s? I have a large number of vintage speakers including Dynaco A-25, A-40XL, Wharfedale Rosedale, Large Advent (Walnut), Smaller Advent. Only I can answer this question, but would it seem to make sense to add this one to my collection, or do I have a good representation of speakers of that era? I would be hooking to a Fisher 800C or a Scott 233 once I get them restored. I quite honestly have alot of speakers (at least 40 pair) and am not interested in "flipping", I'd either keep them or just not bother getting them all. Opinions?

I see a pair of Sevens on ebay now (Aug 9). Interesting looking--bigish floor-standing with epoxied-in woofers (could be a problem if you need to work on the xo). I don't recognize the 2 small tweeters. Not familiar with these at all. Guess they are rare. If they are $20--why not?

btw if you want some super nice, under-priced KLH classic speakers, look for a pair of Twelves.

Just my $.02

Kent

post-101828-1218311947.jpg

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Guest bottom_feeder
I'm finding it hard to search for information on these speakers (using the search feature) or there just isn't much on here about them. How do these rate in the KLH continuum? I see they are probably 1959 or so vintage and may be similar to the KLH 6, which I have been interested in acquiring, but have yet to run into them. I do have a lead on a pair of KLH 7s for very inexpensively ($20), not quite sure of their condition, I will find out tomorrow. Is it likely that all drivers will be operational? Will they be a good substitute for a pair of KLH 6s? I have a large number of vintage speakers including Dynaco A-25, A-40XL, Wharfedale Rosedale, Large Advent (Walnut), Smaller Advent. Only I can answer this question, but would it seem to make sense to add this one to my collection, or do I have a good representation of speakers of that era? I would be hooking to a Fisher 800C or a Scott 233 once I get them restored. I quite honestly have alot of speakers (at least 40 pair) and am not interested in "flipping", I'd either keep them or just not bother getting them all. Opinions?

The Sevens are pretty cool . . . same tweeter as the 6, only two per box . . . as all early KLH, the woofer and tweeters are epoxied in, so yes, you'll have issues just popping a speakers out and modifying the xover . . .

that being said, my pair (early - ser. ##'s 172 & 461 IIRC) work great. The larger baffle area, and dual tweeters give them a 'bigger' sound than the 6 IMO, but because the enclosure is larger, the woofer is more prone to bottoming out if you push them. When I listen to mine, I use a little 15 WPC magnavox tube amp.

For $20, ya can't go wrong ! Mine aren't the prettiest . .. chips, scratches, etc . . . BUT, they don't come up very often so I couldn't pass them up . . .

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I'm finding it hard to search for information on these speakers (using the search feature) or there just isn't much on here about them. How do these rate in the KLH continuum? I see they are probably 1959 or so vintage and may be similar to the KLH 6, which I have been interested in acquiring, but have yet to run into them. I do have a lead on a pair of KLH 7s for very inexpensively ($20), not quite sure of their condition, I will find out tomorrow. Is it likely that all drivers will be operational? Will they be a good substitute for a pair of KLH 6s? I have a large number of vintage speakers including Dynaco A-25, A-40XL, Wharfedale Rosedale, Large Advent (Walnut), Smaller Advent. Only I can answer this question, but would it seem to make sense to add this one to my collection, or do I have a good representation of speakers of that era? I would be hooking to a Fisher 800C or a Scott 233 once I get them restored. I quite honestly have alot of speakers (at least 40 pair) and am not interested in "flipping", I'd either keep them or just not bother getting them all. Opinions?

The KLH Model Seven was introduced around 1960, sometime after the KLH Six. It was considered to be an "improved" version of the Six, with enclosure volume of approximately twice that of the Six. This is curious, as both apparently used the same woofer, so Kloss must have done some serious tweaking to get the damping at resonance correct on this larger enclosure. Usually, increasing the volume causes a serious change in cabinet damping, all other things being equal; and while the resonance frequency was lowered for deeper-bass output, two other factors take place: (1) harmonic distortion goes up at higher output levels and (2) the woofer is more likely to bottom on subsonic frequencies. Distortion goes up because the air in the enclosure is less "springy," and hence the speaker is more akin to an "infinite baffle" than a true acoustic-suspension design, and the cone thus relies more on the mechanical suspensions to help with the restoring force, and nonlinearity creeps into the equation. The susceptibility to bottoming is due to the lowered system resonance frequency. Below resonance (approximately 52 Hz in the KLH Six), the response drops off at the rate of 12 dB/octave. Since the Model Seven has a system resonance of 43-45 Hz or so, then the attenuation below resonance will not protect the cone against large excursions as well as the higher resonance of the Six. Below the frequency of ultimate radiation impedance (around 800 Hz or so for this speaker), excursion quadruples for each lower octave down to resonance for a given input-power level, but then as the response crosses below resonance, the cone maintains a more or less constant excursion travel for the same amount of input power. Therefore, the lower the system resonance, the greater the excursion for a woofer in a sealed system.

Kloss' aim on the Model Seven was to have a compromise that would give better deep-bass performance at moderate levels, but as power went up, so did distortion. Since most people listen at moderate levels, the subject effect was one of improved bass performance over the Six, and this was largely the perception. But for the price of $203 for one in Walnut, one could go out and purchase a $225 AR-3 -- and then all bets were off -- as the AR-3 had greatly superior bass performance. The KLH Seven did use two small excellent cone tweeters, much like the KLH Model Four, and this gave very good high-frequency response and a wider spread of sound from the speaker, giving it a sense of spaciousness. Because of its price and size, not too many of the Model Sevens were sold.

--Tom Tyson

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