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KLH 6 speakers?

gagelle

gagelle

Super Member
I have nostalgic memories of KLH 6 Speakers because they were my first. I've noticed that they have had quite a price increase. Is my nostalgia coloring my judgment? What is the general opinion? Can they compete with modern bookshelf speakers?
 
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There will be lots of opinions on this subject but I believe that the KLH model 6 was a game-changer in its day and still is a great speaker. There are better speakers today but the vintage KLH hold up very very well in comparison. My opinion.
 
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I have to agree with altec, still a great speaker, maybe a little rolled off on the high end compared to newer speakers. I have a pair in my workshop with really messed up cabs that I went ahead and recapped. They get a lot of playing time, and to me, they just have that sound that I never get tired of.
 
Great speakers! Your memories are in tact!
A nice set can be had for under 2 bills. I have mind hooked up to my Scott LK-72 tube amp, and it's sublime!
Do yourself a favor and get a pair.
 
Prices vary. I've seen people asking $300 for them on eBay (asking, not necessarily getting), and I just saw a real nice pair go for $45 on my local Craig's List just a week or two ago. (I would have nabbed them, but I'm out of speaker outputs on my amps.)
 
I agree with the positive sentiments. Great speaker, particularly when refreshed. If you get a later pair you'll need recap. Not a big deal. If you get a very early pair(serial number <30000)getting into the cabs will be nearly impossible, but chances are the caps are oil filled and still up to spec and not in need of a recap.

Bottom line if you can find a pair that's affordable for you, grab them and enjoy.
 
With early Sixs it can be done, but a bit of a PITA reaching in through the small hole in the back once the epoxy tub is broken up and removed.
 
I would not hesitate in getting a pair of Six's. With Glenn's valuable input, I refinished the cabinets, redoped the woofers, and recapped the crossovers. That was all these great speakers needed to live for another half century. They were the best $4.99/pr speakers I could have ever bought. Simply spectacular.
 
I am sitting here listening to a pair of 6's as front and 23's as rears powered by Sansui 3300 and a QS-800 for my living room system. I love the KLH 6 sound, its hard to say but I think the 23's sound better as much as want the 6's to be superior. I have not recapped the crossovers, and each time I start to think of the hassle I think how great the system sounds as it is. Love my KLH speakers! Craigslist finds, $75 for the 23's, $150 for the 6's. If you ever see them get them. Big soundstage, powerful bass, musical midrange.
 
Lewish said:
I am sitting here listening to a pair of 6's as front and 23's as rears powered by Sansui 3300 and a QS-800 for my living room system. I love the KLH 6 sound, its hard to say but I think the 23's sound better as much as want the 6's to be superior. I have not recapped the crossovers, and each time I start to think of the hassle I think how great the system sounds as it is. Love my KLH speakers! Craigslist finds, $75 for the 23's, $150 for the 6's. If you ever see them get them. Big soundstage, powerful bass, musical midrange.
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The consensus is that the Twenty Threes are a bit better, and can handle more power due to the larger woofer magnet. To me, it was very close, and I kept my Six's as I know their story and I'm the second owner.
 
Lewish said:
I am sitting here listening to a pair of 6's as front and 23's as rears powered by Sansui 3300 and a QS-800 for my living room system. I love the KLH 6 sound, its hard to say but I think the 23's sound better as much as want the 6's to be superior. I have not recapped the crossovers, and each time I start to think of the hassle I think how great the system sounds as it is. Love my KLH speakers! Craigslist finds, $75 for the 23's, $150 for the 6's. If you ever see them get them. Big soundstage, powerful bass, musical midrange.
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Got my Sixes for free as a curb find, but still looking for a set of 23's.
 
Last year while perusing some very old issues of several audio magazines, I was struck by one of the "System Of The Month" installations featuring KLH Sixes. One article, which pictured the owner posing in front of a custom-built wall of audio gear, listed the builder's electronic gear, followed by a statement which read something to the effect of, "Of course, a system of this quality must be accompanied by one of the best speakers available. And it is - the marvelous KLH Model Sixes!"

I bought mine at a flea market because I loved the veneered cabinet, the lovely grill design, and a price of only $25 for the pair. It wasn't until I got them home and listened to them that I realized what a remarkable speaker they were. Only then did I bother researching them and realizing what a landmark design they represented. Being able to resell them for $400 is the only thing that convinced me to part with them.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Damn. I recently sold my Sixes because I had too many speakers and listen mostly to my Fives, but feeling regret after browsing this thread. :dunno:
 
Tim D said:
Glenn! Sold your 23's? Sacrilege. lol

Here I am looking for a pair of 23's....
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Yeah I know, but my Sixs were my first re-veneer restoration project, and I know their history from the original owners wife.
 
Yep...KLH Sixes were among the very best sounding vintage two-way systems and still hold up well today. I have a pair of Fives that I just finished rehabbing and they are terrific as well. I local AKer who owns his own vintage repair/resell shop had 2 pairs of Six's and when a customer was demoing one set I mentioned to them that they should entertain the thought of purchasing both pairs and stacking them,,,which they did end up doing much to the delight of the shop owner. I'm still hunting for a pair of Six's and I've seen them listed for around $100 in various condition as well as for the higher amounts already mentioned for refurbed ones.
 
yesshows77 said:
Yep...KLH Sixes were among the very best sounding vintage two-way systems and still hold up well today. I have a pair of Fives that I just finished rehabbing and they are terrific as well. I local AKer who owns his own vintage repair/resell shop had 2 pairs of Six's and when a customer was demoing one set I mentioned to them that they should entertain the thought of purchasing both pairs and stacking them,,,which they did end up doing much to the delight of the shop owner. I'm still hunting for a pair of Six's and I've seen them listed for around $100 in various condition as well as for the higher amounts already mentioned for refurbed ones.
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Stacked Sixs is impressive. I did it a while back for a year or so.
 
I have a local friend who likes stacking sets of bookshelf speakers with surprisingly excellent results. He has tried 2 pairs of Large Advents, Polk Monitor 10's, Boston Acoustics A100's, ADS L810's, Dynaco XL40's and Boston Acoustics A70's (which were simply amazing). I'm intending to take my KLH Fives over to his place so we can stack them on his pair and try them out. Seems to me that the 2-way systems usually have better results when stacking. I at least want to find a decent pair of Six's to see how they compare to the Fives side by side. Maybe some KLH 23's as well. So many speakers...so little time.
 
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