Renovation of my KLH 17's is complete (long)

Thanks, Brian, for the reply. Interesting that the cap of choice as replacements are 250V.

As I'm still trying to clarify my understanding of the recap requirements, I've attached before and after wiring diagrams of what I have as original and where I believe I can go with a recap.

I use a local, family owned electronics store that has been servicing the area for over 50 years, and I hope to continue to get what I need from them. I'll be asking if they have the cap values as listed, knowing that I can ask for them to max the voltage as available (they did not have what I need in 250V). I'm glad to hear that I can replace what I have with the existing values serving as a minimum.

Feedback anyone?

Ian
SF Bay Area

I am of the opinion that the jpg you posted here will also work in a model six. It looks like it matches that xo schematic. I am not very good yet at reading symbolic schematics, but the one posted by you makes perfect sense to me. Any reason you see not to follow that?
 

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For about twenty years I've been planning to pull my dad's old klh 17s out of the closet in tampa and bring them home with me to Baltimore for my Marantz setup. He passed last year and I finally got them home with me. After all that wait and anticipation you can imagine how bummed I was when they sounded like shit. I had no clue these things went bad over time. Googled around... Found this thread... Ordered all the mentioned parts and put it together today. Success! Man... What a great feeling to play his old albums on his old speakers. Thanks a bunch.
Christopher in Baltimore
 
For about twenty years I've been planning to pull my dad's old klh 17s out of the closet in tampa and bring them home with me to Baltimore for my Marantz setup. He passed last year and I finally got them home with me. After all that wait and anticipation you can imagine how bummed I was when they sounded like shit. I had no clue these things went bad over time. Googled around... Found this thread... Ordered all the mentioned parts and put it together today. Success! Man... What a great feeling to play his old albums on his old speakers. Thanks a bunch.
Christopher in Baltimore

Well I'm thrilled that this thread keeps on giving! Enjoy your 17's they are great speakers.
 
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Ok, you’ve convinced me to recap! I acquired these very nice 17’s yesterday, and brightened up the cabinets with the miracle that is Howard’s(the lighter cabinet is the “before” photo). Honestly, they sound very good in this condition, but I’m aware that the caps couldn’t still be in spec, so I can’t wait to hear the improvement. I’ll seal everything up while I’m at it to help the bass response. Thanks for the information that has been shared.
 
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One of the all time best reference threads for the Seventeens!
Cheers Geoff!
Glenn
I totally agree, great reference thread for these gems! I got the caps for mine, ordered the cloth surround sealer, and dove in to the recap project, only to find this...the cap was not attached to anything! The leads are soldered and capped, but there are no wires going to it at all. Maybe someone’s first day at the factory? Also, there were no disconnected wires that might have come loose. This makes things confusing (I’m pretty much a noob) for what should be a fairly simple recap, thanks to all the great information in this thread. I shall soldier on, and post an update when I get this figured out.
 
The schematic suggests the tweeter could still work, even without the double cap wired in.

17_SCHEMATIC copy.jpg
 
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Ok, you’ve convinced me to recap! I acquired these very nice 17’s yesterday, and brightened up the cabinets with the miracle that is Howard’s(the lighter cabinet is the “before” photo). Honestly, they sound very good in this condition, but I’m aware that the caps couldn’t still be in spec, so I can’t wait to hear the improvement. I’ll seal everything up while I’m at it to help the bass response. Thanks for the information that has been shared.
Those are one of the nicest set of Seventeens I've seen in a while. One of my favorite KLH cab designs as well.
 
Those are one of the nicest set of Seventeens I've seen in a while. One of my favorite KLH cab designs as well.
That means something coming from you. I drove almost three hours round-trip to get the 17’s, and they are in marvelous original condition. The seller couldn’t have been nicer, and showed me his Macintosh rig with some beautiful JBL and Altec speakers. I’ve just jumped into this hobby, and I’ve already bought and sold dozens of speakers, but these KLH babies are gonna stay around awhile. Love your contributions to this community Glenn, cheers! By the way, I managed to get one speaker recapped today, and it worked! I’ll finish it’s mate tomorrow, and post a few pictures. Thanks to RxDx for the schematic. That helped me wrap my head around the way the crossover works.
 
That means something coming from you. I drove almost three hours round-trip to get the 17’s, and they are in marvelous original condition. The seller couldn’t have been nicer, and showed me his Macintosh rig with some beautiful JBL and Altec speakers. I’ve just jumped into this hobby, and I’ve already bought and sold dozens of speakers, but these KLH babies are gonna stay around awhile. Love your contributions to this community Glenn, cheers! By the way, I managed to get one speaker recapped today, and it worked! I’ll finish it’s mate tomorrow, and post a few pictures. Thanks to RxDx for the schematic. That helped me wrap my head around the way the crossover works.
Thanks Air! Appreciate the kudos! Just giving a little back as so much help has come to me!
My daughter has my Seventeens and said she will keep them forever!
Cheers, Glenn
 
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Thanks Air! Appreciate the kudos! Just giving a little back as so much help has come to me!
My daughter has my Seventeens and said she will keep them forever!
Cheers, Glenn
I finished the recap of both 17’s, thanks to specialidiot and RxDx for the assistance. If I can add to the discussion, it helped immensely to have all the required tools and supplies at the ready before tackling this project. Everything I used is shown in the photos. The surround sealer shipped this morning, so I’ll apply it when it arrives to finish the work. I’m fortunate to have found a very nice pair of these great little speakers, and now they’ll sound as good as new! Bonus picture of the LF cap that was not wired to anything in both speakers! They were manufactured within one day of each other (Jan 11, 1965), so maybe a new or inexperienced employee might have forgotten to connect it. The speakers had definitely not been opened before, so it remains a mystery...
 
Wow, just read thread from the start. Its great to see you, specialidiot, still responding to this. I will be recaping my friends 20’s from a complete restored Model 20 Plus set.
 
This is slightly off topic, but, after finishing the recap of the 17's,(thank you, specialidiot. Would not have tried it without this thread.) I was putting one of the woofers back in place. Got to the last of the seemingly endless screws, and the screw would not tighten. Removed the woofer again, and found a couple small chunks of mdf. Anyone use anything specific to fill the hole? Have seen a few things that might work, but hoped someone here would have a definitive answer. Obviously, it needs to be something that will hold a screw. A bit leery of just putting a larger screw in place of the old one. Thanks in advance!
 
Various options- use some kind of epoxy or wood filler to strengthen the MDF...
Might be easier to rotate the woofer 45° and drill new pilot holes. That way
you're working with solid material.
 
Thanks, Ken. So many screws, I was a little unsure if new holes was a good option. If I do that, then I can fill the old holes with just about any wood filler, I suppose. Or, just cover them with gasket material. New holes sounds like it might be the best option. Thanks again!
 
I’ve had good success with epoxy mixed with sawdust, shoved in the hole, then I put the screw in loosely, and when it cures, I tighten it off. It seems to hold well, and I think the sponginess of the sawdust helps prevent cracking that occurs if you use only glue or epoxy.
 
Is just a hole that is too large for the screw? or is the press board missing? If missing then as BilboBaggins suggest, you'll have to remove the woofer. If just enlarged then wood glue on tooth picks (about 3) in the hole let dry slightly then screw woofer in. This can be done with the woofer already in place. brake tooth picks off after glue dries
 
Thanks, Ken. So many screws, I was a little unsure if new holes was a good option. If I do that, then I can fill the old holes with just about any wood filler, I suppose. Or, just cover them with gasket material. New holes sounds like it might be the best option. Thanks again!

I've had great success with the following to re-create the original material in which to drill a new hole:

  1. Buy some wood golf tees, sand off any paint or sealer on the outside so you have the raw, unfinished wood of the tee
  2. Drill out the original hole a little
  3. Line the inside ID of that new hole with wood glue
  4. Tap the tee into the hole
  5. Wait 24 hours
  6. Using a wood chisel, cut the protruding head of the tee off to leave the remaining tee body flush with the original wood
  7. Carefully drill a pilot hole for the original screw into the new material provided by the tee
  8. Screw in the original screw as you like

Worked great on the wood plinth for my Sansui SR-4050C turntable and 3-4 door ways since then that had loose hinges.

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IMG_4766.JPG
 
Is just a hole that is too large for the screw? or is the press board missing? If missing then as BilboBaggins suggest, you'll have to remove the woofer. If just enlarged then wood glue on tooth picks (about 3) in the hole let dry slightly then screw woofer in. This can be done with the woofer already in place. brake tooth picks off after glue dries
There is some pressboard missing, so I think I will rotate the woofer and make some new holes. Gonna fill the old ones, and try to repair, or at least not further damage, the pressboard. Thanks.
 
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