• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Cheap kg-4 tweeter modification.

Carbsandcaps

Carbsandcaps

Super Member
Looking around online for some kg-4 modifications (I don’t call the mods because I’m an adult). that wouldn’t break the bank I came across 2 modifications for around $100 that would help with those high klipsch highs. The first were the crites tintanium tweeter diagrams for about $90. The next was an odd one. To this day I still can’t find the original comment but it’s was just a comment down in a thread…. Wrap the tweeter with rope caulk to deaden some of the highs. So I ordered the titanium domes and while I was waiting I took a trip to Home Depot. Rope caulk is $9 for a box which is more than enough.

So the domes show up and I figured I’d do a comparison. First I replaced one dome and there was definitely a quality difference. The. I wrapped one of the tweeters with the rope caulk. This is actually a very calming process, like what I assume knitters feel like! Got the whole thing caulked up and did an A and B comparison and, yes there is a noticeable lower “harshness” to it.

I can’t say that this modification is for everyone but for $9 it’s may be worth a shot and it’s easily reversible. You won’t be winning any “best looking tweeter horn” competitions though that’s for sure. IMG_1823.jpegIMG_1825.jpegIMG_1826.jpeg
 
Register to hide this ad
Sounds good to me. No pun intended. I had KG-4's in my car, 40 years ago. Road noise overwhelmed any nuanced changes you could do. LOL.
This looks like inexpensive fun, though.
 
Last edited:
Very creative solution. I also am in the middle of a KG4 restoration project...well actually I restored them about six months ago but was unhappy with the results so I took everything apart again and started over, so I guess KG4 RestoMod Mark II These I am hoping will be much improved. For the horns and the passive basket I used door and window flashing, basically like ice and water shield, three layers thick (not done with the passive yet). I don't have perfect pitch but you can audibly hear that this treatment brings down the resonance point and reduces ringing. I measured before and after with an audio spectrum analyzer and found the passive has a large amount of basket ringing from 800Hx all the way up to 8kHz, waveform is basically square wave in shape determined by multiple (30-40) spikes every 200-300Hz, I mean it basically rings like a bell: damping the basket results in steep 45% drop-off in the waveform above 2kHz, and basically gone by 4kHz. The tweeter treatment similar results: untreated spectrum 1kHz to 6kHz. Treated spectrum slopes off quickly in a similar manner, gone by 4kHz. I'm just guessing but I think your method might have even more better results due to just the large mass of stuff on there. I may even add your treatment on top of mine and see what happens!


thumbnail_IMG_1885.jpg
 
Carbsandcaps said:
Looking around online for some kg-4 modifications (I don’t call the mods because I’m an adult). that wouldn’t break the bank I came across 2 modifications for around $100 that would help with those high klipsch highs. The first were the crites tintanium tweeter diagrams for about $90. The next was an odd one. To this day I still can’t find the original comment but it’s was just a comment down in a thread…. Wrap the tweeter with rope caulk to deaden some of the highs. So I ordered the titanium domes and while I was waiting I took a trip to Home Depot. Rope caulk is $9 for a box which is more than enough.

So the domes show up and I figured I’d do a comparison. First I replaced one dome and there was definitely a quality difference. The. I wrapped one of the tweeters with the rope caulk. This is actually a very calming process, like what I assume knitters feel like! Got the whole thing caulked up and did an A and B comparison and, yes there is a noticeable lower “harshness” to it.

I can’t say that this modification is for everyone but for $9 it’s may be worth a shot and it’s easily reversible. You won’t be winning any “best looking tweeter horn” competitions though that’s for sure. View attachment 3144675View attachment 3144676View attachment 3144677
Click to expand...
FWIW, the rope caulk mod dams the horn resonances, which may seem like "deadening the highs," but isn't entirely the same thing.
 
Hi,
I'm fixing to install the Crites Tweeters and using some Dynamat Clone...

For the Horns, on my KG4's

Caps are next, and then refinish the Black Cabinets.

Looking for good things after that!
 
Call them whatever you want (mods or modifications), but with the vast variety of speakers we have available to us, I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system. In the instances where I've listened to modified speakers in someone else's system, I've either heard little to no differences or definitely worse results. Regardless of how cheap the mod was, it always seemed to be a waste of time to me. And at 65, I'm an adult, even though my wife sometimes thinks differently.
 
jayvis said:
Call them whatever you want (mods or modifications), but with the vast variety of speakers we have available to us, I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system. In the instances where I've listened to modified speakers in someone else's system, I've either heard little to no differences or definitely worse results. Regardless of how cheap the mod was, it always seemed to be a waste of time to me. And at 65, I'm an adult, even though my wife sometimes thinks differently.
Click to expand...
Yes you’re correct some of us are in fact poor and we apologize for that, we’ll try harder. However if $9 worth of caulk fixed the only inherent problem with the kg4’s than I think it makes a lot more sense than spending hundreds or thousands on the next step up. Some of us also like to tinker with this stuff, it’s a hobby and a passion. If it wasn’t for people trying different things along the way, you wouldn’t have those better speakers. We’d still be listening to dynamic speakers from the 1920’s.
 
jayvis said:
Call them whatever you want (mods or modifications), but with the vast variety of speakers we have available to us, I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system.
Click to expand...
I've been modding and tweaking speakers for years and I can afford pretty much any speaker I want. It's called a hobby.
 
This has nothing to do with sensitivity.

" I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system. "

I can't see how you could interpret that comment any other way.
 
cecaa850 said:
This has nothing to do with sensitivity.

" I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system. "

I can't see how you could interpret that comment any other way.
Click to expand...
Not being able to afford something more expensive does not automatically mean "poor" and I did not automatically go there when I read that. But it is obvious others had a nerve tweaked.

All good.

To the thread, I did the Crites tweeters on a pair I bought new and liked the mod/upgrade :thumbsup:
 
jayvis said:
Call them whatever you want (mods or modifications), but with the vast variety of speakers we have available to us, I consider any DIY modification to an original design to be a last resort for people who just can't afford to try any other speakers that might sound better in their system. In the instances where I've listened to modified speakers in someone else's system, I've either heard little to no differences or definitely worse results. Regardless of how cheap the mod was, it always seemed to be a waste of time to me. And at 65, I'm an adult, even though my wife sometimes thinks differently.
Click to expand...
"I've heard." Is not factual criteria to spend one's time and money on different speakers of "mods." Everyone without DATA is entitled to their own ridiculous opinion.
Including me in this instance.
 
GChief said:
Not being able to afford something more expensive does not automatically mean "poor" and I did not automatically go there when I read that. But it is obvious others had a nerve tweaked.

All good.

To the thread, I did the Crites tweeters on a pair I bought new and liked the mod/upgrade :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Tweaking everything is what we all do. The basis of DIY, including nerves to/for some people.
 
cecaa850 said:
cecaa850 said:
That's the way it read.
Click to expand...
You're reading too much into it. It was not meant to be a knock on anyone, and I apologize to anyone who feels offended. As a retired mechanical design engineer, I can always find things that I think could be improved on many new things that I buy. But after a long career doing that, I no longer have the time or ambition to do it at home, especially on audio components that have so much subjectivity baked into them. Just stating my opinion.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,
Well, we are Human, we like to think we can improve something, and...

Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, however...

If I dynamat the KG4 Horns, install Ti Tweeters, and recap a 36 year old Crossover...

I'll consider that an improvement in my Vintage Stereo Hobby...

YMMV!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom