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KLH Model 28 Speakers

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PeteOtter

New Member
Hello All,

I'm off to look at a pair of KLH Model 28 speakers today/tomorrow. Anyone have any insight on the efficiency of these? Each speaker has three tweeters and three 10" drivers. A rare pair so I'd really like to give them a try, and maybe long term usage. I was planning to use with my Fisher X-100-B amplifier which is only rated at 25 wpc, so I don't want to be taxing the amp just to get some decent volume.

Thanks, Pete
 
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I have a pair and like them very much. When I first got them, I ran them with a 2230 (30wpc) and liked them just fine. I then drove them with a 60 wpc Marantz 1120 and they sounded even better. Next to a Sansui AU 7900 at 75 wpc and they sounded even better. I am now using a Pioneer sx 1250 at something like 165 wpc and they are even better. They do like power, it seems. I wish I had made a schematic of the crossovers when I rebuilt them. I think they separate crossovers for the front and rear.
They are hard to find. Buy them if you can if the price is ok. Do they have the original stands?
 
I was told all the drivers work, but the tweeters don’t have the aluminum grills. The owner purchased them 25 years ago so he doesn’t know if they are original. Any opinions from the pictures?
 

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It looks like someone PAINTED the woofers, I would check into that. Otherwise, I've coveted the 28s for a long time, I'd be running to check them out.
 
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Here is a picture of my drivers. I agree, the woofers have been painted and the tweeters look different. I think they use the same drivers as the model 17
 
bluestime said:
View attachment 1487864

Here is a picture of my drivers. I agree, the woofers have been painted and the tweeters look different. I think they use the same drivers as the model 17
Click to expand...
Those sure don't look like Seventeen woofers, at least not like mine. They have that hot-cross bun criss cross pattern that KLH used in some of their smaller speakers like the Thirty Two I believe, which was an 8" woofer.
 
alteclipsch said:
those sure don't look like Seventeen woofers, at least not like mine. They have that hot-cross bun criss cross pattern that KLH used in some of their smaller speakers like the Thurty Two I believe, which was an 8" woofer.
Click to expand...
The cabinets look so well taken care, plus the original stands...what a dilemma.
 
I love these rare threads for KLH Twenty-eights, but like others have stated, I'm very skeptical about both woofers and tweeters. Woofers might very well be original drivers, but that black paint would make me extremely cautious to proceed. Also, tweeters are not original - - they look like the phenolic ring tweeters that were common in many brands. :(
 
PeteOtter said:
Another picture with different lighting. Now I’m on the fence if none of the tweeters are original.
Click to expand...

I think the woofers are probably original but painted. The tweeters could be original but it's hard to say without the screens. What I noticed in your first picture with a tweeter in it, the corners seemed to be radiused and mine are not.
 
They do look nice, physically.
Ask questions.
Did the seller paint the woofers, and if so, why?
Did the seller replace the tweeters, if so, why?
Any paperwork, user manual etc...
Often with vintage KLH speakers, the tweeters go silent due to out of spec caps. Many owners think the tweeters are dead and replace them, unaware of the cap issues.
Being these have altered woofers, and non original tweeters, you have bargaining room with these. You're looking at the cost of six correct tweeters, figure 30 a pop, and most likely a recap at a minimum.
They are pretty rare, and well worth restoring.
There's a thread from a few years ago of a set of these being completely restored. It was well documented, with lots of pics. I don't remember the AKers handle, but do a search. Once he finished the project, he's been MIA since.
They may sound very good, but be firm when negotiating. They are not original, and will require several hundred to get back to correct original state.
Good luck, Glenn
 
GD70 said:
Those are phenolic ring tweeters, commonly used as replacements on KLH, AR and other brand speakers.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all your great support and info. The current owner bought them 25 years ago and said they were that way when he purchased them.
 
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