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Cornwall vs Cornwall

Natertots

Natertots

Well-Known Member
I just picked up a beat up but functioning, circa 1974, pair of Cornwall’s. I now have an opportunity to pick up an earlier set, 1968, also with rough cabinets.

It looks like the drivers are the same, that is, that Klipsch didn’t change manufactures, horns or drivers over this period. However, the driver configuration is different. The version I have has all the drivers centered, the other has them off center.

Is there a sonic difference between the two? Is one set more desirable? The 1968’s also have the older style badges.
 
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do the off center one's have tags on the back???...they sound like they could be Cornwall "ll" or vertical Cornwalls meant to be on their side or standing up for time alignment of the drivers...the "sweet spot" should sound different on your first pair laid on their side rather than placing those vertical Cornwalls on their side...back from the days that these may have been bought one at a time for monaural systems...many use them today as a Center channel (you could sell the other or use it as a rear Center)...

Bill
 
silversport said:
do the off center one's have tags on the back???...they sound like they could be Cornwall "ll" or vertical Cornwalls meant to be on their side or standing up for time alignment of the drivers...the "sweet spot" should sound different on your first pair laid on their side rather than placing those vertical Cornwalls on their side...back from the days that these may have been bought one at a time for monaural systems...many use them today as a Center channel (you could sell the other or use it as a rear Center)...

Bill
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Interesting, it had not occurred to me that mono were a thing back in the day but it makes sense.

I did some more digging and you are correct, the vertical drivers were to allow the speakers to lay on their side if desired. Apparently this was for a few reasons: 1) the Cornwall’s and Heresy’s were also intended to be a center speaker to be used in a 3 speaker stereo set up with K-horns, 2) WAF and placement issues were considered in design, the driver configuration allows them to lay on their side to fit under windows, tables, etc, 3) the driver configuration will allow them to sound good vertical or horizontal, 4) it is possible the horn design lends itself to being laid down.

Regardless, I now have two sets of Corn’s and didn’t have enough room for the first pair!
 
I wish they were II’s! But alas, I know they are 1968’s because they are from the family of the original owner, have the original brochure, and the labels say Cornwall. I do have one paper that says “Hooking Up Your Cornwall II”, but based on the color and type of paper I think it may have been acquired at a later date.
 
well curiously the vertical Cornwalls were called Cornwall lls, the regular Cornwalls and then Cornwall 2s are the newer Cornwalls and now the Cornwall llls

confusing, right???

Bill
 
having the horns off the centre axis is a bonus as you split up the driver to cabinet edge frequency. when all the drivers are along the centre line you then have the same driver centre to cabinet edge frequency on both sides of the cabinet which is not desirable but it is cheaper for the manufacturer all aligned on the centre line.
 
moray james said:
having the horns off the centre axis is a bonus as you split up the driver to cabinet edge frequency. when all the drivers are along the centre line you then have the same driver centre to cabinet edge frequency on both sides of the cabinet which is not desirable but it is cheaper for the manufacturer all aligned on the centre line.
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Interesting. As someone who will be an engineer one day (I have one term left in school) I find the science side of speakers fascinating, specifically the way sound waves behave and interact with each other, cabinets, rooms, etc. I am not going to be an electrical, sound, or other type of engineer who’s education/experience is really helpful in understanding these types of things but I do enjoy learning about it.

I got them hooked up yesterday and turns out one has a bad tweeter. Even with one driver not working they don’t sound bad. I didn’t have time to start troubleshooting the issue but as they are all original ‘68’s the problem could be anywhere. Still, I am pretty happy with my investment.
 
They were labeled as lls to differentiate them from regular Cornwall’s of the time but as you may be finding out many of Paul Klipsch’s speakers were constantly being changed for various reasons...enjoy!

Bill
 
Natertots said:
Interesting. As someone who will be an engineer one day (I have one term left in school) I find the science side of speakers fascinating, specifically the way sound waves behave and interact with each other, cabinets, rooms, etc. I am not going to be an electrical, sound, or other type of engineer who’s education/experience is really helpful in understanding these types of things but I do enjoy learning about it.

I got them hooked up yesterday and turns out one has a bad tweeter. Even with one driver not working they don’t sound bad. I didn’t have time to start troubleshooting the issue but as they are all original ‘68’s the problem could be anywhere. Still, I am pretty happy with my investment.
Click to expand...

Good to hear you have them running. First thing to check/do is to clean the connections at the screw terminal block on the crossover. Chances are the drivers are all fine they are tough and you have to try to blow them up. Take a picture with your phone or clean them one at a time so they don't get mixed up.
Read any of Harry Olson's papers or engineering text books on Acoustic engineering most are still considered reference. Harry was chief engineer at RCA back when they were world leaders. Engineers at WE (western electric) had loudspeakers and amplifiers figures out way back in the 20's and 30's, the 555-W compression drive was and is a SOTA design copied by many including Klipsch who copy it in their k55 mid driver and still replicated today by Line Magnetica. The industry was at it peak back then and the men who designed and researched are giants of the field. Read what Jim Long of EV fame has to say about the 555 driver in the attached article.

http://www.aes.org/aeshc/pdf/hilliard_a-brief-history-of-early-motion-picture-sound.pdf

http://proaudioencyclopedia.com/an-interview-with-jim-long-of-electro-voice/
 
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