Jump to content

Mystery KLH floorstanding speakers


Goldjazz

Recommended Posts

Hi Goldjazz and welcome to the CSP!

Those certainly are speakers we'd be interested in. Take a look in the Library:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/klh/klh-1_series_klh-1_klh-2_kl/

I have no experience with the KLH "Computer Controlled" series but others here do and hopefully they will chime in.

-Kent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rather rare speakers, but not sure how they might perform without the ABC (analog bass computer). They could be a real treat to own. Take a look at this link if you can - - it is from a German website, and if it is not readable already, it should become readable when you use Google translate.

http://www.hifi-studio.de/hifi-klassiker/KLH/KLH1.htm

Also this:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/klh-1s-with-bass-computer.444762/

 

KLH-1 translate.jpg

KLH-1 ABC.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you own the speakers, there is an ABC on ebay now eBay item number: 331832517381

I'd grab it! (I have no connection with this sale)

-Kent

PS: Just noticed your question "are these worth getting?" I'd say YES IF the price seems fair to you AND you buy the ABC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The drivers are built like tanks - - - here's a pic of the small woofer (6-1/2", maybe?) found in the baby brother KLH-3 and KLH-4 - - - cast metal basket and massive magnet, poly cone, rubber surround.

Thx to JKent for posting that - - the pics in that listing are less than stellar, but it's the first time I've been able to peek inside an ABC. My little KLH-4's are the only model in this family that do not use the computer.

woofer pics.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all, Thanks so much for the replies

Well yep there sure are KLH 1's and I just picked them up today, heavy beasts. Thanks JKent for the heads up on the ABC I jumped on that straight away, even before I got the speakers as I now know how rare they are. So the Speakers are now in my living room and the ABC should be with me soon too. All the drivers appear to be in good condition as are the grills and cabinets. I've taken a gamble here as I haven't had a chance to fire them up and they were bought from an auction without a promise that they work so risky. Anyway very Excited. Such a rare and unusual pair of speakers, particularly to find them in here in Australia. Thanks for everyone's help. Will make a post when I get the ABC and hopefully fire them up successfully. Can't wait to hear them, nothing beats that moment when you get some new gear and hear it for the first time :)

 

Regards. 

l290598449.1.jpg

20160416_175202.jpg

20160416_175210.jpg

20160416_175231.jpg

20160416_175239.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Australia? Really? Wow, that's a long way from Westwood, MA.

Great snag on both the speakers and the matching computer. Yours will be is a rare set-up that you will not find very often, so I hope you get everything working together properly when you assemble the various components. I had never before noticed that these speakers have two ports, so I'd be interested in knowing if the cabinet interior has two separate chambers. Also, since there is little information available on this speaker model, it would be greatly appreciated if you could share some pics of the crossovers, drivers, and computer, as well as your impressions of the ensemble and the various settings.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you look in this recent thread, you will find a link to the owner's manual to ensure proper wiring of the computer, speakers, and amplifier. Also, FYI you can see a pic of the crossover from the tiny KLH-4 - - - I would assume your KLH-1's will have something similar but with a few more components.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thought I'd upload a few pics of the X over and drivers in the KLH-1 as well as explain the cabinet layout. 

So the Upper Woofer mid and tweeter are in a chamber separate to the lower woofer. This upper chamber is only about 5" deep where the upper woofer is but goes full depth where the mid and tweeter is. Padding sort of separates the upper woofer from the mid and tweeter section. Theres a odd carboard tube sitting directly behind the mid, which is also stuffed with padding. There's a port for this upper Chamber next to the mid.

The lower woofer chamber is full depth and has its own port. The X over lives here too. 

 

IMG-20160418-WA0004.jpg

 

IMG-20160418-WA0008.jpg

IMG-20160418-WA0009.jpg

IMG-20160418-WA0011.jpg

IMG-20160418-WA0016.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...Wondering if the cardboard tube is meant to encapsulate the back of the mid driver and came loose at some point? I found standing up  on the roof of the upper Woofer section sitting directly behind the the mid driver. Might check the other cabinet to see if it's tube is also just sitting behind the driver and not around the magnet. Let me know if you'd like me to check out anything else with them. The ABC was just sent today so probably won't have that for a week or too.w

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting the update and new pics. This speaker is even a bit more complex than I originally thought, and my comments here are simply conjecture rather than experienced knowledge. On that midrange, I suspect that the tube has come loose, and that originally it was attached directly behind the mid driver - - it almost appears that there is a glue line around the open end of the tube. I have seen this type of construction before with some popular three-way speakers from the 70's (Rectilinear Mini-III, sealed, and JBL L-100, ported) where the midrange driver is isolated so as not to be affected by the larger movements of the woofer within the same chamber.

Are both of the woofers identical? Does the lower woofer have a deeper magnet or different construction? On the woofer you've shown, I had expected to see a deeper magnet, so I am guessing that the shallow chamber depth behind the upper woofer is sized for the unique function it is intended to deliver. With separate chambers for the woofers and looking at that crossover (6 caps, 5 resistors, 3 coils), I would suspect the two large drivers each cover different frequency ranges.    

The two screws holding the crossover board extend straight thru the cabinet back and become the wire terminals on the backside - - - if necessary, this board can be removed very easily with a little care once all the snap-on internal wiring is disconnected from the drivers. And aside from the insulation in the tube, it appears that the only dampening inside the cabinet is the soft foam lining the cabinet sides - - - is this correct? 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi ra.ra. So you're thinking perhaps these are actually a 4 way and the upper woofer is actually a mid bass? Just thinking about it, the upper driver did seem lighter than the lower from memory. I'll pop them out again and confirm. Interesting.  Yes there is other insulation stuffed in around the mid driver. Im certain now that the tube is meant to go around the mid to isolate it further. There is also black foam taped around the mid driver presumably to make it plug and seal to the tube, will reattach tube. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before you go too far with any step, particularly re-construction, it's always a good idea to evaluate the other cabinet for comparison. And yes, I agree that any loose insulation has probably worked free from the midrange tube, but again, peek inside the other cabinet to confirm.

Yes, please take a closer look at your two woofers and maybe take some pics side-by-side to show consistency or differences. Pic shown here is of my drivers from the little KLH-4, and I believe our tweeters are the same but my woofer falls between the size of your woofers and your mid. My woofer measures 7" outer diameter for the basket frame, and 6" outer diameter for the rubber surround. I am not at all sure of this, but if these stamp codes are anything like many other drivers from this period, my tweeter was manufactured in 7th week of 1981 (xxxx0781) and the woofer in the 9th week of same year. You can see my DC resistance measurements noted.

woof, tweet backs.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok so confirmed by looking inside the other speaker that the cardboard tube is meant to be glued to the cabinet with the mid slid inside it. Also the extra insulation stuffing is meant to go around the tweeter. Interestingly the stuffing is around the back and left side of the tweeter i.e not on the side where thw ports are. Also the inside walls of the cabinets are clad in about 1" thick foam. But once again except the right hand inner wall of the speaker nearest the ports has no foam on it, both cainets are like that. 

Also confirmed the two woofers are identical. Also my woofers and tweeter drivers appear to be made in '79 going by the serial no.

 

 

 

 

IMG-20160419-WA0008.jpg

IMG-20160419-WA0007.jpg

IMG-20160419-WA0001.jpg

IMG-20160419-WA0006.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for checking those things out. I think we are correct about the driver dating, as I believe this series was possibly introduced in 1980. I cannot explain the first four digits, but there does appear to be a pattern with all of them ending in "14". Your woofer (starting in "45") is clearly a different and larger driver than mine (starting in "65"); but our tweeters appear identical while yours starts in "55" and mine starts in "75". Maybe someone else understands this better and can help clarify.

Yep, your woofers do appear identical, so it seems the KLH-1 is basically a KLH-2 (see pic attached) with an additional second woofer and the separate, deeper cabinet chamber, which accounts for the extra LF extension (30Hz for the KLH-1 vs. 38Hz for the KLH-2). Insulation around the tweeter sounds a little odd, but the soft foam lining the cabinets is consistent with what I've found.

I just noticed that (only) the KLH-1 was originally furnished with floor mount stands, so you may want to eventually lift these off the floor a bit. Maybe this thread will become useful for some future owner, so perhaps you could also include a pic of the back of the mid-driver. Very interesting speakers - - I look forward to learning your impressions, keep us posted.

KLH 2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heres a shot from inside the upper woofer hole. The black area at the bottom is the shallow section of the cabinet directly behind the woofer. You can see the lack of foam padding on the right inner wall, which is also the case for the lower woofer chamber, this wall is the side the ports are on. You can see the cardboard tube housing the mid. The tweeter is above that tube, as you see the stuffing is focused to that left wall of the speakers only and not behind the tweeter itself. Its as though they are trying to encourage reflections to travel out the ports? IMG-20160419-WA0003.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's some shots of the mids. Note the mid has a detatchable bezel ring. The driver has mounting holes on its basket which are at a smaller diameter and not used in the mounting. Perhaps this driver is also used on other models. Actually the bezel ring kind of sandwhiches the driver  to the cardboard tube plugging tightly into the cabinet. 

20160420_065803.jpg

20160420_065845.jpg

20160420_065847.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, thx for the excellent documentation. Your mid-driver appears to have a similarly consistent rear stamp, and I would have to guess that the bezel ring might have something to do with the tube behind the driver, unless an adhesive failure has occurred between the bezel and the metal basket. It does look very similar to the "KLH" ring on my 6" woofer, except your mid-ring has an angled bevel along the inner opening.

Peeking inside my little KLH-4's, they do have 1/2" foam on five interior surfaces, but you can see in this pic where it has been briefly discontinued in order to fit the small port tube. (Also, the 4uF cap was replaced by me.) Just a wild thought, but I think the the fiberglass wad inside your cabinet might be serving more of a structural function than an acoustical one - - - it almost appears to be acting as a shim in order to try to keep that mid-tube from rattling around, which evidently did not work so well in the other cabinet where this tube made its way loose. 

KLH-4 cab int.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I've been having a lot of fun with these KLH-1's. Finally got the Analog Bass Computer working after sourcing a suitable power adapter. Just got it working tonight

Listening impressions: They are superb. Smooth, laid back, warm and detailed. Capable of pin point focus of vocals off in the distance in the center. The bottom end is really nice, not over emphasized and boomy but kind of balanced and full.

Take a look at the graph below of the low end with and without the A.B.C. The other graphs I've done of their full range look really flat, within 5db but start to roll of in the highs. I will be looking at recapping these, perhaps the just the mids and highs.  

 

   

 

 

ABC4.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...