KLH Model Eight speaker question

[simons007]

I've got two Model Eight radios. My first is an early version with black knobs and a solid walnut case. I bought it without a speaker and the previous owner told me to use a 16 ohm speaker with it, which makes sense given what I've read. I just bought a second radio that is a later model with white knobs and the plywood case. This is also without a speaker. From what I've discovered Googling, KLH switched from double 3" drivers at 16 ohms total to a single 4" 8 ohm driver around the same time they switched to the plywood cases (all in cost savings).

So the question is should I use an 8 ohm speaker or a 16 ohm speaker with this radio? Anybody know about what serial number they made the switch?

Thanks

Simon

[JKent]

Hi Simon

I'm in Europe now and the internet is inconsistent. Will try to give more info when I get home (after I clean up the mess from Sandy) but here i some info: Use an 8 ohm speaker. The perfect thing would be a KLH Model 21 extension speaker or a similar speaker from early KLH compact systems such as the Eleven and some others. They all used the same 4" driver. You could also use something like a Minimus 7. In any case you will have to rig up a speaker cabl with 2 banana jacks.

There was no switch. After KLH introduced the white knob version to match the Model Thirteen they still continued to make the black knob radios as well. There was also no clear switch from dual driver to single driver or from solid walnut to veneer. It all seemed to depend on using up what was in stock.

Hope this helps.

Kent

[simons007]

Thanks Kent... Very helpful. Hope Sandy didn't hit you too hard.

Simon

[JKent]

Sandy caused some damage to the house but others were hit much worse so we were lucky.

Regarding the Eights: I've restored about 50 of them. The earliest white knob I've seen was SN 3461: White knobs, solid walnut cabinets, dual 3" drivers. The veneer cabinets came in around SN 7000 to 8000. I think the single 4" drivers started in the 6000s. Those are just rough estimates and there was a lot of overlap.

Hope that helps.

Kent