Klipsch KG4 - Legend continues

[Krosya]

I have been a big fan of Klipsch speakers for a while. I prefer older models/Heritage line. Absolutely adore my Heresy III. speakers. But also own a couple more - KG 4.5 and KG4.
KG4 has always been one of the favorite speakers. They were , actually, ones that got me started with the whole Klipsch affair. I think it's a very good design, - horns make for nice and clean highs and passive radiator gives out amazing bass. Mids are pretty sweet as well. They seem to be the kind of speakers that dof everything well. I used them just for music at first. Later - in 2 channel HT. No faults at all.
But lately, they started to sound a bit muddy. So , i thought I would recap them. They were all original, so given their age, I figured - its time.
Looking at the crossovers, the only thing that was suspect to me - was the 33uf capacitor. All others seem to be of a good quality. So, after a trip to Parts Express, I got some Audyn Q4 caps, Set me back $30 or so. Have them installed - and WOW! Mids and highs are super clear again. Low end is AMAZING! Simple fix like that made these superb speakers even better. Nothing fancy, nothing difficult. There is a reason these are legendary among not only Klipsch line , but speakers overall.
And those Audyn caps are superb! just a couple of bucks more than Daytons and sound a huge deal better! Highly recommended!

 

[reardonp6]

Thanks for the tip, I have had a pair for several years, and after changing to new Cretes tweeters I was not impressed, and moved them to the garage., Having read your post however I think I might open the suckers up and gaive them a Audyn Q4 cap infussion. I hope it works I, I was ready to move them on just to get them out of the garage. Even take a loss.
But let's see what happens!

 

[absolve2525]

I always enjoy KG4 too! I have a couple pairs in the garage. Always fun bringing them in for rotation. Like you, I replaced the big cap and left the mylar alone. I bypassed the poly switch also, which I'm not worried about for protection. I installed Crites Ti diaphragms as well. They were my first forray into Klipsch also, and I think they offer a lot for their size. Often underrated, compared to the larger models.

I have been a big fan of Klipsch speakers for a while. I prefer older models/Heritage line. Absolutely adore my Heresy III. speakers. But also own a couple more - KG 4.5 and KG4.
KG4 has always been one of the favorite speakers. They were , actually, ones that got me started with the whole Klipsch affair. I think it's a very good design, - horns make for nice and clean highs and passive radiator gives out amazing bass. Mids are pretty sweet as well. They seem to be the kind of speakers that dof everything well. I used them just for music at first. Later - in 2 channel HT. No faults at all.
But lately, they started to sound a bit muddy. So , i thought I would recap them. They were all original, so given their age, I figured - its time.
Looking at the crossovers, the only thing that was suspect to me - was the 33uf capacitor. All others seem to be of a good quality. So, after a trip to Parts Express, I got some Audyn Q4 caps, Set me back $30 or so. Have them installed - and WOW! Mids and highs are super clear again. Low end is AMAZING! Simple fix like that made these superb speakers even better. Nothing fancy, nothing difficult. There is a reason these are legendary among not only Klipsch line , but speakers overall.
And those Audyn caps are superb! just a couple of bucks more than Daytons and sound a huge deal better! Highly recommended!

 

[Guido57]

Considering you have both the KG4 and 4.5 may I ask how they compare?

 

[Krosya]

Considering you have both the KG4 and 4.5 may I ask how they compare?

KLIPSCH KG4 VS KG4.5.
Let me try to answer this.
First thing I will tell you is this - I have never used KG4.5 for just music. From the moment I got them, they immediately went into my bedroom's HT setup. While I use them often as a two channel HT, its still to watch movies and they are connected to a more modern receiver. I do play some videos of musical concerts in this setting, but never truly used KG4.5 with a vintage receiver or amp and never to play tapes or vinyl records.
On the other hand, KG4 were used 50/50 in a HT setting as well as in a music setting only, and have been connected to both modern and vintage receivers, and used to listed to tapes and records.
Ok , now thats out of the way, I can try to answer your question.
I presume you are familiar with both speakers. But if someone is not, I will remind you.
Kg4 is older design. I suppose one would call it a two and a half way speaker as it has 2 mid/low drivers, one horn for highs and rear larger passive radiator. They are a bit wide and not very tall or deep.
Kg4.5 on the other hand- a somewhat newer design, tall , narrow and and about as deep Tower design, that's Front ported two way speaker - larger horn and 10inch woofer.
So , they are very different designs.
Based on my experience, KG4.5 are better for HT. They have a somewhat better or faster response to change in sound as scene changes. Both speakers have very good and deep bass, but KG4.5 seems faster, for the lack of better word. Also, larger horn in KG4.5 works well for movies, while KG4 is slightly less so. However, I feel that kg4 is more universal- does more things well, while KG4.5 could be too punchy for some music. However, its not as overwhelming as kg5.5, which has 2 woofers, unlike KG4.5. I don't have kg5.5, but have heard it and much prefer KG4.5 as its more balanced.
Back to kg4 and KG4.5.
Both have good Soundstage, but KG4.5 seem easier to position. To get the best of kg4, you have to play with the toe-in . Not a huge deal, but not "set it and forget it " either.
Since neither is rear ported, you don't have to drag them in the middle of the room to get best results with the bass. Both can be pretty close to the wall and sound good.
For me, each speaker works great where its located. KG4.5 is better in the bedroom, since both horn and woofer are in a top portion of the speaker and speaker is pretty tall, so when laying in bed and watching TV, they are sort of on the ear level and not blocked by things, like other speakers would have been. Kg4 speakers are in the living room or music room, depending on where I want them and as those are more open and my listening position is lower, they work better there.
So, if you like klipsch - either one is a good choice. Comes down to preference. Whether you like more modern or vintage, towers or not.
Hope I was able to shed some light on this, but if you have specific questions, let me know.

 

[atomvinter]

hope its ok to necro this post. i wanted to ask here rather than pm for any future searchers; were the caps you used to replace the 33uF electrolytics a different type or were they also electrolytics? i only see poly audyn q4s. thanks!

 

[F1nut]

hope its ok to necro this post. i wanted to ask here rather than pm for any future searchers; were the caps you used to replace the 33uF electrolytics a different type or were they also electrolytics? i only see poly audyn q4s. thanks!

He stated that he used 33uF Audyn caps.

FYI, there are plenty of other brands that offer 33uF caps. Take a look at Sonic Craft or Parts Connexion.

 

[atomvinter]

He stated that he used 33uF Audyn caps.

FYI, there are plenty of other brands that offer 33uF caps. Take a look at Sonic Craft or Parts Connexion.

right, i caught what he used...i repeated it in my post

atomvinter said:
...a different type or were they also electrolytics? i only see poly audyn q4s...

figured it was implied that i was asking if there exists an electrolytic version that im not seeing of this particular cap, sorry if that wasnt clear!

 

[Blowed Fuse]

Absolutely love my KG4’s. They were upgraded when purchased so I’ve never listened to a stock set. Mine have Crites tweeter upgrade and Mundorf caps. Onkyo TX 6500 MK 2 with dual 12” subs.

 

[Magfinity]

I actually upgraded mine a bit different, I have 3 sets of tweeters for the horn you can actually get the titanium domes. Through China at alot lower cost than crites offers them ($16 set inc shipping) and they are identical.

The best thing I've done, I the Amazon branded dynamat and lined both speakers internally with them and put the original foam pads back. It killed the cabinet resonances significantly.

The crossovers are really not that upgrade needy. As it consists mostly of polycaps, I might do what you did tho replace that one cap.

But I am in no rush, sanded the cabs down and gave them a nice polyurethane coating. Mine are stored currently so might even consider selling mine. They seem to ask a lot for them so it seems these days.

 

[atomvinter]

i love mine too. i have crites tweeters on the way for them and am trying to plan out how exactly i will go about the crossover upgrades, which is why i was asking about the electrolytic. looks like whoever upgraded yours eschewed the electrolytic entirely in that position @Blowed Fuse. ive read quite a few threads that talk about doing this (assuming that is what OP has done as well since i do not believe there is an electrolytic version of the cap they used). i am as of yet undecided. may just wait and do the full crites treatment, just cant believe how expensive sonicaps are now.

 

[Blowed Fuse]

The Mundorf caps are huge and make it hard to get the crossover in and out. Whoever installed mine should have left the wire longer so they wouldn’t hang over the edge of the board.

 

[F1nut]

The Mundorf caps are huge and make it hard to get the crossover in and out. Whoever installed mine should have left the wire longer so they wouldn’t hang over the edge of the board.

Yep, that is a seriously crappy job.

 

[Blowed Fuse]

I agree F1 not long after I got them one started cutting in and out. They had left some nuts loose. I had to replace one the caps about a year later. It wasn’t glued down. I guess all the vibration got to it. I run em pretty hard. Im sure wrestling it in and out didn’t help either.

 

[Guido57]

To run physically large caps on a crossover like that it is often preferable to use wires to mount the caps off the board. IIRC when I did a pair of 4.5's I cut a piece of masonite to mount the new caps and the original crossover board onto. I am however failing to visualize how the crossover would be large enough to be difficult to remove even with the jury rigged mounting.

 

[F1nut]

I upgraded a pair of KG4 using Sonicaps and Mills. I did a P2P board remote mounted to the bottom of the cabinet by removing the bottom driver.

 

[Carbsandcaps]

Here’s my kg4 story to anyone who will listen. When I was a kid my dad had a set but I didn’t know anything about them except that I could poke the passive woofer on the back, whatever that was. Moving on in life and my dad no longer listens to music as much as he used to so he’s looking to sell his kg4’s. First he offered them to me, me being a teenager with all the knowledge I said “I don’t want your old stupid speakers! So when he was ready to sell them he set them up to audition them. He started playing something (couldn’t tell you which song) through them and I just came downstairs and kicked myself! They sounded so good and I knew nothing about audio.

Fast forward many many moons and I started to get heavy into audio went from goodwill speakers to goodwill speakers always keeping an eye out for some kg4’s that were reasonably priced. One day a set showed up online for $100. I was at work and I told my boss I had to leave. I’ll come back and work till midnight if I have to but I have to go. He’s a good boss and away I went about 40 mins away and I had a pair of kg4’s in my possession!

I’ve had multiple amplifiers and receivers in rotation but I never found a suitable replacement for the kg4’s. That’s not to say there isn’t one but nothing in its price range. So there they sit my kg4’s with titanium tweeters wrapped in rope caulk and L pads to keep them tame and audion caps in the crossovers.

One day I saw an ad that all it said was “speakers” for $80. I can tell a kg4 from a mile away blindfolded so you better believe I went and got me a second set just in case.

 

[absolve2525]

Awesome! Haha I have two pairs also, with Crites Ti and new electrolytics.

Here’s my kg4 story to anyone who will listen. When I was a kid my dad had a set but I didn’t know anything about them except that I could poke the passive woofer on the back, whatever that was. Moving on in life and my dad no longer listens to music as much as he used to so he’s looking to sell his kg4’s. First he offered them to me, me being a teenager with all the knowledge I said “I don’t want your old stupid speakers! So when he was ready to sell them he set them up to audition them. He started playing something (couldn’t tell you which song) through them and I just came downstairs and kicked myself! They sounded so good and I knew nothing about audio.

Fast forward many many moons and I started to get heavy into audio went from goodwill speakers to goodwill speakers always keeping an eye out for some kg4’s that were reasonably priced. One day a set showed up online for $100. I was at work and I told my boss I had to leave. I’ll come back and work till midnight if I have to but I have to go. He’s a good boss and away I went about 40 mins away and I had a pair of kg4’s in my possession!

I’ve had multiple amplifiers and receivers in rotation but I never found a suitable replacement for the kg4’s. That’s not to say there isn’t one but nothing in its price range. So there they sit my kg4’s with titanium tweeters wrapped in rope caulk and L pads to keep them tame and audion caps in the crossovers.

One day I saw an ad that all it said was “speakers” for $80. I can tell a kg4 from a mile away blindfolded so you better believe I went and got me a second set just in case.