KLH 5 Grille Cloth

plbeard

Active Member
Just a tip for those looking for decent, acoustically transparent, fairly historically-accurate-looking grille cloth for KLH 5s, esp., but potentially for others, too: this is 18ct thread, like the originals. It is polyester and is currently less than seven dollars per bolt yard--more than enough for two speakers (56" x 36"). Search for
"VLN326 Khaki Polyester Linen." ("Real" linen may go at six times that price.)

These are KLH 5s with all correct components and rebuilt crossovers that I cobbled together from parts.

Note this same cloth comes in other shades too. This cloth also is visually non-translucent so it doesn't show cavity shadows as some fabrics thin enough to be acoustically transparent do.

You can find real acoustic research on thread counts--and while this is a great service, I would qualify that research to note that each type of fabric is idiosyncratic. 18 thread count/ inch is generally a good bet. Research may claim that 14ct thread is Ok, and I have used 14 ct Aida embroidery cloth on some Dynaco 25s to good effect, too, but a recent experiment with a different brand of 14ct cloth showed that that brand was not acoustically transparent because of the thickness of that brand cloth's thread. I recommend doing your own tests with white and pink noise--it will be pretty obvious if the cloth attenuates high frequencies or not. I have found some great looking cloth at 28ct or slightly above and at those thread counts--even though the cloth looks visually transparent when held up to light--the linen occludes high frequencies too much.
 

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Thanks for sharing that information with us. It's always good to have a source for decent fabric at a good price. Your model 5's turned out nice, how do you like them?
 
They look great! Can you post a closeup detail pic of the fabric when you get a chance?

Cheers, Glenn
 
Here are some close-ups:

1) is an 18ct aida that I also made grilles for the 5s with (masonite is cheap; I was in an experimentin' mood).
The fabric looks very nice close up but it looks a bit like a bed sheet in actual use. It is acoustically transparent,
and is cotton.
2) shows the 18ct Khaki Polyester linen close up against one good, intact KLH 5 grille from a 1968 model.
3) shows the drivers in the cabinets. These were not a matched pair and I think one was built in 1969 (the other in '68).
The cabinet interiors are slightly different in minor finishing touches, like incidental paint color, etc.
One sealed the midrange box with tiny corks. The other just used small holes that the wire itself effectively seals, etc.

They sound great. The midrange speakers give a lot of presence to vocals and other things in the 1k-5k range.
The woofers are great. If the music calls it out of them, they can produce a deep, resonant bass.
I also have EV4s that really beg for older (60s) rocknroll, and that also have great bass, but are flatter in the mids and highs than the KLH 5s.
But recent, well-recorded stuff sounds great on the KLH 5s--(like Donald Fagen's "Sunken Condos")
almost like they have been waiting for it--and they are no slouch for vintage music either.

18ct Aida Rustica.jpg Khaki Poly Weave.jpg KLH 5 - c-1.JPG
 
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Your speakers look fantastic, and the information you posted is invaluable. I was wondering just exactly what standards apply to good grill cloth.

Does that cloth flop around much on bass-heavy music? That's the biggest problem I've run into when using inappropriate grill material. That's a sure sign that the cloth is trying to contain the air pressure rather than pass it through.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Your speakers look fantastic, and the information you posted is invaluable. I was wondering just exactly what standards apply to good grill cloth.

Does that cloth flop around much on bass-heavy music? That's the biggest problem I've run into when using inappropriate grill material. That's a sure sign that the cloth is trying to contain the air pressure rather than pass it through.

GeeDeeEmm
I don't notice any movement, and those KLH woofers dance around quite a bit by design. 18ct cloth is typically pretty transparent. I also have some really swank-looking, nice, olive-brown Irish linen that I bought without knowing the thread count. I am sure that (32ct?) linen would move about if I had used it, but I could tell by holding it in my hands that it was too dense to work, and it duly failed my pink/ white noise test, too. I'll either have pants made out of that stuff (!) or return it.
 
Good thread reference.

Good cow! 32-count linen resulted in a 3dB attenuation from 2k all the way up! Remarkable.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Yeh, I would really like to see the 28-count cloth that was used in that test. It is remarkable that a 15% difference in thread count (28 vs. 32) results in the sudden increase (1db vs. 3db) in attenuation of frequencies between 2k and 15k. I bet not every fabric of 28ct. thread density is so transparent acoustically-- I would likely like the look of it, but I would be skeptical buying any 28-ct. linen without hands-on experience of it.

These testers and commenters in the 2011 thread also point out
that straight-up real jute burlap is a) not acoustically transparent and b) a fire hazard (oily, natural fabric). But I'd swear original Dynaco fabric was a species of jute burlap--
maybe it was synthetic.
 
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Here are some close-ups:

1) is an 18ct aida that I also made grilles for the 5s with (masonite is cheap; I was in an experimentin' mood).
The fabric looks very nice close up but it looks a bit like a bed sheet in actual use. It is acoustically transparent,
and is cotton.
2) shows the 18ct Khaki Polyester linen close up against one good, intact KLH 5 grille from a 1968 model.
3) shows the drivers in the cabinets. These were not a matched pair and I think one was built in 1969 (the other in '68).
The cabinet interiors are slightly different in minor finishing touches, like incidental paint color, etc.
One sealed the midrange box with tiny corks. The other just used small holes that the wire itself effectively seals, etc.

They sound great. The midrange speakers give a lot of presence to vocals and other things in the 1k-5k range.
The woofers are great. If the music calls it out of them, they can produce a deep, resonant bass.
I also have EV4s that really beg for older (60s) rocknroll, and that also have great bass, but are flatter in the mids and highs than the KLH 5s.
But recent, well-recorded stuff sounds great on the KLH 5s--(like Donald Fagen's "Sunken Condos")
almost like they have been waiting for it--and they are no slouch for vintage music either.

View attachment 935534 View attachment 935535 View attachment 935536
This pic makes me want to sand and refinish my fives!
 
This pic makes me want to sand and refinish my fives!
I was lucky that the veneer on these was in very good shape. There are some marks of distress (still in the "distinguished-ly grey" category), but they don't harm the veneer,
there are no significant defects or stains, so I am not tempted to rehab them any more. They weren't used as unprotected plant stands (?!),
which is the bane of many large vintage speakers. All I did was buff them lightly with light steel wool and medium stain
to even them out a bit, take off the "out of service" look about them, and brighten them up a bit. They are dry in the photo; they look waxed, but they aren't, yet.
I have marveled at Glenn's patient, Lazarus-like re-veneering jobs--I thought one of those was a KLH 5 pair--were they some other model?
 
I was lucky that the veneer on these was in very good shape. There are some marks of distress (still in the "distinguished-ly grey" category), but they don't harm the veneer,
there are no significant defects or stains, so I am not tempted to rehab them any more. They weren't used as unprotected plant stands (?!),
which is the bane of many large vintage speakers. All I did was buff them lightly with light steel wool and medium stain
to even them out a bit, take off the "out of service" look about them, and brighten them up a bit. They are dry in the photo; they look waxed, but they aren't, yet.
I have marveled at Glenn's patient, Lazarus-like re-veneering jobs--I thought one of those was a KLH 5 pair--were they some other model?
The two reveneer projects were my KLH Six's, and AR LST-2's. My fives are pretty nice, but your description is
perfect, in service original finish.
Glenn
 
Hmmn now ya got me thinking about switching out the cloth on my 5's. I redid my cabs and crossovers. Cabs came out about like yours. The grill cloth was not good so I switched out to the off white AR linen look and they look really good but.......Love the 5's. The wife was out on a trip for about a week recently. I was able to let the 5's do their thing. We live on an acreage so no worries of the cops at the door. Can't believe I'd do such a thing at 63 years of age!
 
Hmmn now ya got me thinking about switching out the cloth on my 5's. I redid my cabs and crossovers. Cabs came out about like yours. The grill cloth was not good so I switched out to the off white AR linen look and they look really good but.......Love the 5's. The wife was out on a trip for about a week recently. I was able to let the 5's do their thing. We live on an acreage so no worries of the cops at the door. Can't believe I'd do such a thing at 63 years of age!
Oh I can! We must stay young in mind!
When the wifey is away, the hubby's will play, it loud!
 
... The wife was out on a trip for about a week recently. I was able to let the 5's do their thing. We live on an acreage so no worries of the cops at the door. Can't believe I'd do such a thing at 63 years of age!

I say crank it up when you have the opportunity. I have 5's, and 23's, but they are not in rotation now. Enjoy what you have every minute you can because it could be gone tomorrow. My better half likes music also, but not like I do. I am scolded constantly for turning the volume up and I just grin at her a tell her how much I love her for putting up with me. Enjoy what makes you happy, always! :rockon:

Sorry, off topic.
 
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I've cranked one of my big BGW's right to the edge of clipping into Fives (in a big room) and they handled it just fine, and as long as the signal is clean and dynamic, they sound great with no ear pain.
 
I've cranked one of my big BGW's right to the edge of clipping into Fives (in a big room) and they handled it just fine, and as long as the signal is clean and dynamic, they sound great with no ear pain.
Based on your experience, what is the minimum power needed for the Fives to really shine. I've been using a 20wpc NAD 3020 and they sound good. Have a new to me 100w amp en route and hoping to hear a difference!
 
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