After living with my restored/modded KLH model 17s for a week now...

[pabs911]

In my humble opinion, these speakers should have "legendary" status applied to them... but first, let me describe what I did to mine before you stone me for my insolence...

You may remember the thread I made about these speakers a week or so ago describing my work on the cabinets (I got the speakers from GW for $25 with the tweeters not functioning). First thing I did was go get a set of new caps from my local electronics store (see photo). They are Taiwanese mylar film 10% caps that look very much like the caps in my Dahlquist DQ-10s (probably the same type caps). I installed the caps in parallel (2x2.0MFD 50VDC and 4x4.0MFD 50VDC) just as specialidiot did in his thread http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=102176, however, I also replaced all the internal wiring with OFC 12 gauge speaker wire. I also soldered the leads to the speaker drivers to make sure of a good connection to the crossover. I reused all the original internal fiberglass and resealed the woofers with plumbers putty. The toggle switches were working fine, so I left them alone. Lastly, I redoped the woofer surrounds with Permatex that closely matched the color of the surrounds. As you can see in the photo, I've still only redone one of the cabinets (too busy these days). I'll probably tackle the remaining cabinet this weekend.

OK, now to how they sound...

Uhh...wow?! No, I mean... WOW!!!!! I am truly stunned! How in the world is it possible for small largely overlooked 44 year old bookshelf speakers to sound this damn GOOD! Further, they'll only be getting better as the caps are no doubt not fully broken in yet. I'm powering them with a Sansui 9090 receiver and a modded Onix XCD-88 CD player (see this review of the modded Music Hall CD-25... it and the Onix are exactly the same internally). I have to pump up the bass two clicks on the Sansui to get the bass where I want it, but brother do these little boxes make beautiful music. I've owned Sonus Faber Concertinos that these KLHs run rings around. It's really not close. The 17s have FAR better midrange depth/detail and a sharper yet sweeter high end. No roll off here! My DQ-10s image better and play louder with a larger soundstage, but as to shear tone quality, not much difference really. Maybe I just got lucky with the materials, I don't know, but these babies are easily my favorite vintage bookshelf speakers. Looking at them just sitting here, I really can't believe that they are capable of doing what they do. Best part is... no one seems to want them because prices on them are pathetically low. Well, enough gushing... here they are in all their surprising glory...

 

[Ohighway]

Very nice ! I remember specialidiots thread on his 17's. Reminds me I need to subject mine to the same "treatment". The cabinets on these things are really solid, and beautiful.

 

[DaveElton]

I feel the same way about the pair of re-furbed 17's that I have:thmbsp: Beautiful work on the cabs!

 

[poorman]

I listen to a pair of 17s almost all day every day...have them in my office system. They really do sound sweet, with excellent midrange tone. Will not part with mine that's for sure.

 

[oiseaux]

Legendary KLHs...

Hey pabs...
They actually do have legendary status, only a few of us know that however. Congrats on your find, restoration and enjoyment of same. I have been a fan of KLH speakers since I first bought a set of second hand Fives from an audio store salesman buddy back in '68 or 9. Recently I've been acquiring additional Fives / Sixs / Seventeens / ThirtyThrees and spare drivers. The pick of the litter goes to my home theater system, the others are for experimentation, second system and eventually for my grandkids.
It's still amazing to me that it costs so little time and money to completely restore them to sounding brand new!
btw, You may get more low end without EQ by placing them closer to a wall or corner. May your experimentation continue to produce more smiles!
Cheers!

Remember, only you can prevent polarity reversal.

 

[kermit z]

They are a surprising speaker that tends to get overlooked IMHO. I had a pair that I had refurbed, and really liked the way they sounded. I moved them out only because I had way to many speakers and they were sadly sitting unused. Yours look great

 

[pabs911]

Hey pabs...
They actually do have legendary status, only a few of us know that however. Congrats on your find, restoration and enjoyment of same. I have been a fan of KLH speakers since I first bought a set of second hand Fives from an audio store salesman buddy back in '68 or 9. Recently I've been acquiring additional Fives / Sixs / Seventeens / ThirtyThrees and spare drivers. The pick of the litter goes to my home theater system, the others are for experimentation, second system and eventually for my grandkids.
It's still amazing to me that it costs so little time and money to completely restore them to sounding brand new!
btw, You may get more low end without EQ by placing them closer to a wall or corner. May your experimentation continue to produce more smiles!
Cheers!

Remember, only you can prevent polarity reversal.

Thanks for the advice about placement. I did try that but settled on having them slightly toed-in 27 inches from the back wall and 18 inches from the side walls at one end of my 16x10 foot studio (10 foot ceiling). I get a larger/deeper/more 3-d soundstage with this placement. Bass is still very good, but needs just a little enhancement from the amp to sound correct to me. Actually, I just have them sitting on top of my large advents at this point, but if I ever get another pair of good quality stands (I'm using my good Targets with my DQ-10s so the cats won't destroy them) the KLHs will sound even better. BTW, I've owned/own recapped/redone AR-2axs, AR-4xs, large advents, and Dynaco A-25s. These little KLHs beat them all. Simply wonderful little speakers!

 

[blhagstrom]

hmmm

I will also add that they are legendary, and not many people know it.

I "think" they suffered from their size. Back in the monster stereo days (late 70s) everyone sort of thought bigger was better. I know I saw the KLH and thought "jeez, what small little wanna-be speakers". Of course at the time I was young and stupid loud was the goal.

Now older and wiser and no longer trying to have the loudest parties on the planet. I "listen" to speakers. I am learning that those old "little" speakers have some true quality.

I was going to say that the ARs from back then are great too. I haven't heard the 17s but you say they beat the AR-4x. That surprises me. I thought the AR-4x are pretty darn good. My KLH are 20s (or was it 24s, darn they are stored just now). I thought they were darn good too.

I also have H.H.Scott S-15s. About the same time period and they are also wonderful. The Scotts needed to be recapped and after I got that done. WOW.

I just wanted to chime in on the thread to let anyone reading this know that the old little speakers from that time period are really surprisingly good. They may need some work, but darn well worth the effort.

Enjoy

 

[pabs911]

I will also add that they are legendary, and not many people know it.

I "think" they suffered from their size. Back in the monster stereo days (late 70s) everyone sort of thought bigger was better. I know I saw the KLH and thought "jeez, what small little wanna-be speakers". Of course at the time I was young and stupid loud was the goal.

Now older and wiser and no longer trying to have the loudest parties on the planet. I "listen" to speakers. I am learning that those old "little" speakers have some true quality.

I was going to say that the ARs from back then are great too. I haven't heard the 17s but you say they beat the AR-4x. That surprises me. I thought the AR-4x are pretty darn good. My KLH are 20s (or was it 24s, darn they are stored just now). I thought they were darn good too.

I also have H.H.Scott S-15s. About the same time period and they are also wonderful. The Scotts needed to be recapped and after I got that done. WOW.

I just wanted to chime in on the thread to let anyone reading this know that the old little speakers from that time period are really surprisingly good. They may need some work, but darn well worth the effort.

Enjoy

The AR-4xs I had were recently recapped/restored and the guy that did it knows what he's doing. What might have been the case was that the caps were not fully broken in because I was not terribly impressed with the tweeter in that speaker. Not bad mind you, but nowhere near as good as the tweeter in the KLH line. Even though I just recapped these 17s a week or so ago, they sound far far smoother, sweeter, and more detailed than the AR-4xs. My AR-2axs were also smooth, but were a bit dark and a little too laid back. The KLHs I've heard are very modern sounding once redone yet still have some of that vintage smooth warmth I love so much. Diana Krall through any of these KLHs is to die for.

 

[ssmith3046]

Beautiful speakers. Have you ever listened to the Model 5's? If you find a pair of those to work on get them too. Nice job on those 17's.

 

[pabs911]

Beautiful speakers. Have you ever listened to the Model 5's? If you find a pair of those to work on get them too. Nice job on those 17's.

Thanks, and yes, I have heard a nice redone pair of Model 5s. They are spectacular! I want a pair badly but they are hard to come by unlike the 17s.

BTW, I have a second pair of 17s that I am working on now. I wonder what they'd sound like stacked. lol

 

[michiganpat]

The AR-4xs I had were recently recapped/restored and the guy that did it knows what he's doing. What might have been the case was that the caps were not fully broken in because I was not terribly impressed with the tweeter in that speaker. Not bad mind you, but nowhere near as good as the tweeter in the KLH line. Even though I just recapped these 17s a week or so ago, they sound far far smoother, sweeter, and more detailed than the AR-4xs. My AR-2axs were also smooth, but were a bit dark and a little too laid back. The KLHs I've heard are very modern sounding once redone yet still have some of that vintage smooth warmth I love so much. Diana Krall through any of these KLHs is to die for.

the tweeter in the 4x is somewhat lacking, and fragile....

try find some AR17's or 18's, which are the sucessors to the 4x/6 and the 7. they have a much improved tweeter, and my little 18's sound 3 times their size being run by my marantz 2265.

 

[RoyC]

I am a big AR fan, but prefer the KLH 17 over the AR-4x as well.
Very nice restoration, pabs...

Roy

 

[pabs911]

I am a big AR fan, but prefer the KLH 17 over the AR-4x as well.
Very nice restoration, pabs...

Roy

Thanks. I'll post more pics once I do the other speaker.

 

[bigaltx24]

Very nice job on the 17s. I have a pair of Model 32s that I picked up along with a Model 50 receiver for $30. I really wanted the receiver, the speakers were just a bonus I figured I'd sell or give away. The speakers needed the surrounds redoped, and I knew they would need new caps, but after sitting around for a couple of weeks, I hooked them up for an audition. I was floored, these little suckers needed work, but they sounded great.

I redoped the surrounds, recapped using Dayton 1% film caps, then hooked them up for a listen. After listening for about fifteen minutes I was hooked. To me they have a very natural/organic sound. The bass is well articulated, the midrange is gorgeous, and the high end shines without being too bright or harsh. There is a smoothness and richness to their sound that I rarely hear in speakers, especially ones I paid $30 for.

My Model 32s now sit on top of my Polk SDA-1Bs in my main system, while speakers by Boston Acoustics, B&W, Paradigm, and Infinity sit in a closet. I tend to listen to them a lot when I'm listening to vinyl and later in the evening when the Polks are just a little too loud. I need more speakers like I need a hole in my head, but if I run across any vintage KLH, I snag them in a heartbeat.

 

[beatcomber]

I recently picked up four sets of KLH speakers for $75 - pairs of 6, 17, 24 and 32 - and initially recapped/redoped/refinished the Sixes. When done, I was stunned by how spectacular they sound with my Fisher 400.

Tonight I finished restoring the Seventeens. During the testing phase, I had one 17 and one 6 hooked up the Fisher, put on a mono recording and flipped the balance back and forth. I was kind of surprised that the tonal balance was essentially identical, except the Six was louder and had more bass extension. But the mids especially were exactly the same.

Right now the Seventeens are in the living room, hooked up to a '62 Voice of Music 1448 20wpc integrated tube amp with a restored c.1963 AR-TX (early AR-XA) turntable. I'm also cheating and using a powered sub as well. The KLHs are down on the floor (I tried them on short stands and didn't like it as much) and have the toggle set to "Normal."

By golly, this combination sounds lovely, even in fairly large room. These speakers have surprisingly good resolution and they image like crazy, even without especially careful positioning. Color me impressed!

These speakers (and turntable) were made within 25 miles of where I now sit!

 

[gbroot]

I was very surprised at the quality of sound of my 17's when I first got them. Bass doesn't go quite as low as the 6's or 23's but because they excel in the mids they are an exceptional speaker for vocals. I just gifted the 17's and a Marantz 2235B to a friend. Kinda sorry to see them go.

 

[beatcomber]

That's one heckuva swell gift, gbroot. :thmbsp:

 

[cfinchrist]

Real nice gift. I gave mine to a friend along with a Philips Laboratories receiver. He loved them. Now I have to suffer with my 23's stacked...oh the agony.

 

[gbroot]

Real nice gift. I gave mine to a friend along with a Philips Laboratories receiver. He loved them. Now I have to suffer with my 23's stacked...oh the agony.

I'll better you one. My 23's are stacked on 5's. Ouch! My Onkyo A-10 barely breaks a sweat.