KLH-1 Score

[Goldjazz]

Hi All,

I managed to score a pair of rare KLH-1's today. They didn't come with the necessary Analog Bass Computer, but was kindly directed to one by the lads at classic speaker pages forum and snared that too. Drivers etc appear to be ok, so fingers crossed. Just waiting for the ABC to come and looking forward to firing them up, don't think I'll attempt to fire them up without it.

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/KLH/speaker/klh1.html

 

[tubed]

Nice.
These high quality speakers were built when Infinity took over KLH in 1980.
The pair I heard sounded remarkably good and recommended to be on stands.

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/...eries_brochure/klh-1_series_brochure_pg5.html

 

[drbiggles]

Aw, heck. Fire the suckers up! I've got a pair of the KLH-3's, stupendous little suckers. The computer may or may not need to be restored, the capacitors age. Don't wait!

Biggles

 

[gdmoore28]

First time I've seen those. The spec sheet looks impressive. Wish they had given more information on exactly how the ABC module works. Looks like much more than a simple bass boost eq. Anybody know?

Congrats on a great find. Looking forward to your impressions.

GeeDeeEmm

 

[drbiggles]

I've forgotten exactly what the "computer" does. It does give a serious bass boost, quite a bit more than a standard EQ can do. Without it, my little 3's just don't dig very deep at all. It may be very similar to what the box does for the Bose 901's.

Biggles

 

[drbiggles]

Here's a shot behind one of those woofers.

Biggles

 

[hunter00]

OP,your very lucky on that score!!Those KLH1's will delight.Ive enjoyed my KLH 2's and they are such a unique speaker they will never be sold.I still have the Bass EQ if you want me to post a pic.
On tube amps they will simply amaze at their deep ,controlled bass for the size cabinet and the top end and mids are amazeing as well.I think the 1's sold for around 1500.00 when new

hunter

 

[Goldjazz]

My limited understanding of the ABC Is its like a bass boost which also monitors what the woofers are doing to prevent damage from over excursion and thermal Overload.
A sort of closed loop control. By doing this you can have a speaker that plays down to 30hz with the bass performance of a much larger woofer in a cabinet 3 times the size.

I've forgotten exactly what the "computer" does. It does give a serious bass boost, quite a bit more than a standard EQ can do. Without it, my little 3's just don't dig very deep at all. It may be very similar to what the box does for the Bose 901's.

Biggles

 

[Goldjazz]

Nice those 2's look to be in great conditon. Looking forward to cleaning mine up a bit. Also the 1's came with stands which I dont have. Ive got some good pictures of what they lool like so im gonna make some. Cheers for the offer of pics of the ABC, its ok ive seem a few pics now and ill get it soon enough.

OP,your very lucky on that score!!Those KLH1's will delight.Ive enjoyed my KLH 2's and they are such a unique speaker they will never be sold.I still have the Bass EQ if you want me to post a pic.
On tube amps they will simply amaze at their deep ,controlled bass for the size cabinet and the top end and mids are amazeing as well.I think the 1's sold for around 1500.00 when new

hunter

 

[Goldjazz]

Ah dont tempt me man. Yeah good point the box might need work. I guess I wont know if its working properly unless I do a frequency sweep and compare it to the graph I linked to, or obviously if it sounds no different with and without it Judging by the graph it should sound pretty thin without the box or if the box wasnt working. Will see if I can wait

Aw, heck. Fire the suckers up! I've got a pair of the KLH-3's, stupendous little suckers. The computer may or may not need to be restored, the capacitors age. Don't wait!

Biggles

 

[drbiggles]

Pah, a watt or two won't hurt a thing. I know darned sure I couldn't wait, not with those.

Biggles

 

[ra.ra]

Goldjazz has the 1's; hunter has the 2's; biggles has the 3's; and I've got the itty-bitty 4's. Between Australia, British Columbia, California, and New England, we've got the family covered. Am just posting this here for reference information - - - I know even less about these models, but the 150 and 160 appear to be slightly similar but with mirror image baffle layout, no port, and foam surrounds.

 

[rjpz]

I had a pair of the KLH1 speakers I bought somewhere around 1984. Really excellent sound with any kind of music and never tiresome on the ear. Had them for almost 10 years. When the computer box gave up somewhere along the way I kept using them anyway. Did not seem to hurt them every driving them hard with a Phase Linear 400 Series II (200 Watts RMS per channel). I seem to remember one of the tweeters stopped working eventually. Left the pair of them in Europe, sold them at a flea market.

There is a pair of KLH1 on eBay right now for $500 starting, +$210 shipping.

 

[Goldjazz]

Cool that you enjoyed them for so long. All accounts I've read people are really fond of them. Will be posting my impressions of them when I get the ABC. I've pulled the drivers to check em out, everything looks good just need to re-glue an internal cardboard tube thingy that's supposed to house the mid driver.

I had a pair of the KLH1 speakers I bought somewhere around 1984. Really excellent sound with any kind of music and never tiresome on the ear. Had them for almost 10 years. When the computer box gave up somewhere along the way I kept using them anyway. Did not seem to hurt them every driving them hard with a Phase Linear 400 Series II (200 Watts RMS per channel). I seem to remember one of the tweeters stopped working eventually. Left the pair of them in Europe, sold them at a flea market.

There is a pair of KLH1 on eBay right now for $500 starting, +$210 shipping.

 

[analog addict]

AK'er Bakes has a set of the 1s and several sets of the 3s. Maybe he has an extra ABC for the 3s. I'll see if I can get him to chime in.....

 

[cartop]

Nice score.

 

[bakes]

Did I see the KLH batsignal?

I have a pristine set of 1s and, when set up correctly (stands are a must) are a wonderfully musical speaker with truly deep and impressively controlled bass. Bela Fleck's "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" title track will give you goosebumps.

The surrounds are rubber and quite durable; I am just now (after 35 years) putting new ones on my two pair of 3s. The drivers were made by Peerless, and the woofers and mids in the 2 and 1 are identical (and were also used in some Infinity models) with the 1 using two woofers in individual reflex chambers. The 3 and 4 are identical, the only difference being the analog bass computer. All speakers in the series use a Peerless LK10DT tweeter.

Technically, they respond very well to recapping (there is a 4uf electrolytic cap on the tweeter circuit of the 3 that is the weak spot on that speaker) and it really opens up the high end. Have yet to attack the crossover on the 1s. The ABCs are likely also in need of recapping.

They like power and like most KLH/Infinity of that era the impedance gets pretty low in some of the bass frequencies, so current is your friend.

I am in the process of a full restore of my 3s. I will never sell any of mine.

 

[drbiggles]

Hey Bakes,

Sheeyuh, they do enjoy the power. I ran my 3's with an ESS 500n (250 a channel) for a handful of years. Those little beasts would soak up every bit of 200 watts.

Biggles

 

[ra.ra]

Great summary from bakes on this very fine and somewhat rare series of speakers. BTW, where to get new rubber surrounds for these woofers?

Goldjazz has got himself a great-looking pair of 1's.

 

[Goldjazz]

Thanks for your commemts Bakes. Will definitely fire up that song. Heres a few photos of the inside of mine for your reference, should you wish to recap yours.
I think I will definetly recap these down thw track.
Yes I am going to make some stands for these, as true to the originals as possible.