klipsch longevity (k-2-k)

D

donberry

Super Member
I had always wanted a pair of klipsch speakers. When in Germany in the late 70's it was the Heresy - ever since then I just always equated klipsch with top of the line stuff. My chance finally came, and while not Heresy speakers, I got a pair of klipsch KG 3 from an elderly man I have known for a long time. He said he bought them new. Played them with a Pioneer SX-780 receiver. Never played loud (very, very low actually). His wife died and he moved, no longer having a need for these. I got them,
Looked brand new. Absolutely gorgeous speakers. Now remember, he always played them at very low volumes.
Brought them home, hooked them up and sat back to revel in my luck. Hmmm, what is that rattling sound. One of the woofers had a crack in the "plastic" cone. As he never played them loud , he never noticed.
Now I have some Pioneer speakers that I have had for decades. I have abused them over and over again. Cabinets are about as ragged as u can get, but the paper cones just keep on playing.
Is there a durability problem with the cones on the k-2-k ? Guy at Klipsch said basically"well they were from 1992".
Well, my pioneers are from 1980and they still work just fine.
I do not expect 45 years from every speaker, but just seemed a little flippant. I do know I am going to stick with paper cones . May be old school, but I am just an old school kind of guy I guess.
i also guess i just expected more from a Klipsch speaker.
He did have a k-2-k he would sell me, for $108.00.....think I will pass.
i will say it is an absolutely gorgeous speaker - walnut, looks like new. Too bad it can't play over 3 on the volume
 
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Without looking, I would say it was either a manufactoring defect (unlikely) or most likely damage caused at the store (could have been floor models) or at his house. Damage, I mean as physical damage, not caused by overdriving, or being old. I have never seen poly woofers or drivers age and crack, unless they were exposed to some type of chemical like auto brake cleaner/carb spray or the like-it's pretty durable stuff.
I wouldn;t advise putting paper/non stock woofers in it. Perhaps they could be repaired, or see if they will go a bit lower on the price of the new woofer.
In my experience Klipsch service is great, they repaired a friend of mines KG 5.5's whose cabinets had came unglued at no charge, and covered the shipping-now thats service IMHO!
 
thanks for info.As i was not the original purchaser of the speakers, Klipsch said there was nothing they could do except sell me a k-2-k for $108.00

I am getting rid of speakers.

there is no fixing this woofer anymore. i was not smart, but figured least it would need is a reconing, which if I kept them i would just keep looking for a k-2-k to come up somewhere, so I plastered the crack with some flexible adhesive. Ugly as heck, but figured it needed replaced anyway. Does enable me to listen to them at higher volumes then before, tho not window rattling high and I am sure it has changed the tone of the speaker.

If it was damage, it almost would have had to have been done in store, I will ask if they were floor models. he had them up on a shelf, apparently there since he bought them in 93 I believe he said.
Elderly guy even at time of purchase and bought way too much speaker for what he used them for (basically very low level muzak)
i was just disappointed as i had always wanted a pair of klipsch, did not knw if there was a durability problem with this type of cone.

thanks for info
 
I have a pair of KG 4's from the same time period that used the k-8-k 8" poly cones, and one of the four was inoperative. I certainly didn't want to spend $80 for a replacement, but finally located a pair for $50 used ebay.

I wonder how different the parameters are between the k-2-k and k-8-k?

I also believe a speaker driver should last longer than that, but even if it does fail, should still be repairable.

As a side note, I also have a pair of RF-3's from 2000 (?), that had the new gold "cerametallic" cones that dented easily, and poorly designed grills that had fragile pegs on them. I never hear of dented drivers or broken pegs on any other Klipsch, that still seem to do well after many years with velcro or magnet fasteners.

NP - AC/D - Donnington Live
 
To me anyway, $108 to have a nice set of one owner speakers seems like not too much. I'm not sure what your looking for, but if they are in as good of shape (except the one woofer) as you say they are, you should be able to recoup part if not all of your cost, or see if he/she will split the difference.
Thats the price you sometimes have to pay for buying used audio gear, speakers/amps, whatever-you sometimes have to repair them.
I wouldn't get discouraged, fix 'em up and have a good listen!!:music:
I can guarantee you will be able to pass that set of speakers on to your grandkids, they are well built like the rest of the KG line, so they had a damaged woofer-big deal, it has absolutley nothing to do with longevity-as you won't see any post here on 'poly woofer rot', or them wearing out, those rubber surrounds should last 20+ years or more, much longer than for example Large Advents (like a pair I have), I wasn't going to sell them just because they had surround rot.
But perhaps you are better off buying a new set of speakers, then you won't have to worry about that for awhile.
 
Dale A B said:
I have a pair of KG 4's from the same time period that used the k-8-k 8" poly cones, and one of the four was inoperative. I certainly didn't want to spend $80 for a replacement, but finally located a pair for $50 used ebay.


I also believe a speaker driver should last longer than that, but even if it does fail, should still be repairable.



NP - AC/D - Donnington Live
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If I remember right, the KG 4 uses a passive in each speaker, not 2 active woofers. If you overdrive any speaker, especially a bass reflex, you will blow them. Given how most people buy Klipsch to crank the volume, that shouldn't seem to unusual.
I have played my KG 5.5 at volumes that would make your ears bleed, and never had a problem.
Usually a blown woofer is junk, and torn poly cones, any brand mind you, a very difficult to repair without affecting the sound.
 
gee automojo - I do not think that is exactly where I was coming from. So let's see, because I question the quality of a 1992 Klipsch as opposed to a 1979 Pineer - I should get new speakers and not worry about it?
Ok, let's ask it this way - should i buy Klipsch speakers with a poly cone or will they crack in 10 years, so every 10 years i have to replace the woofer?
My question was the durability of the Klipsch. Let's see, at the moment I own and have in my house a pair of Pioneer HPM-150, a pair of pioneer hpm-100, a pair of PSB 500(1992 speaker, poly with no problems), a pair of JBL L166, a pair of Infinity Reference Three bookshelf, a pair of Sansui SP-3005(my pieces of furniture), a today purchase of rectilinear Xi speakers and last and probably least, a pair of Bose 301 series 2 speakers , and oh yea, a pair of Klipsch that I know have been babied since owned.
Now ask me how many have a blown cone ? The JBl L166 and HPM-150 need new foam - did I ever question their quality? nope

Did i ever question the heresy with the paper cones - nope.
I believe my question was , and i quote "Is there a durability problem with the cones on the k-2-k "
Then i mentioned how the guy at Klipsch told me they were "old" speakers from 1992 so I should expect that.

Sorry, i do not expect that from a speaker that has been taken care of.

I do apologize to the others that are reading this, but a pretty flippant attitude if u ask me.
Because I dare question the durability of the Klipsch poly cones i should just go get new speakers.....
yea, right.....
I'll keep collecting vintage as i love them -sorry if I offended thee by questioing Klipsch
 
? Well in a nutshell I wasn't offended, speakers are speakers, equipment is equipment, I don't base my personal self worth on what I have, or like.
To me it seemed like a worthwile investment to replace the woofer, even if you aren't interested in keeping them. Much easier to sell then a glued woofer set of speakers.
Just a suggestion, take or leave it my friend.:smoke:
 
Don, most speaker companies that were arround in 1992 are now closed, so reliability is pretty poor. As far as poly woofers fracturing like yours, I never have seen one that failed catastrophically unless it was left in frigid weather.

As far as flippant customer service, they still offered a replacement woofer for a 16 year old speaker. That is pretty darn good...call Pioneer and ask how much a supertweeter is for your HPMs and you'll get laughed out of the building.

If you want quality vintage speakers, you need to search and be paticular. It sounds like you got these for free, so why try to stir the pot? **** happens.
 
I have a pair of KG4 from the same period that have never had a driver issue...I have a pair of 1980 Cornwall that have never had an issue...I have a pair of Heresy from the early 60's that have never had an issue. If I bought another Klipsch and it had an issue, I certainly couldn't, with my experience, blame it on the vintage of the speaker or damn the product line. Even the best quality control fails on occasion. Look at NASA for instance. I also have a Pontiac Grand-Am from 1999 that has had a new 700+ dollar ignition system and a 2000+ dollar transmission rebuild. I don't get near the satisfaction out of my car as I do my speakers.
 
I acquired a set of 1976 LaScalas. The first thing I had to was replace the voice coils in both tweeters. For an audio purchase, that was the best $90.00 I have ever spent.
 
I know anything that moves can and will wear out over time but. . . that said I am of the opinion that with reasonable care loudspeakers (drivers not electronics) should last forever. Meaning 20 plus years.
 
the kg4's do have 2 active 8" woofers AND one passive 12" woofer.

automojo said:
If I remember right, the KG 4 uses a passive in each speaker, not 2 active woofers. If you overdrive any speaker, especially a bass reflex, you will blow them. Given how most people buy Klipsch to crank the volume, that shouldn't seem to unusual.
I have played my KG 5.5 at volumes that would make your ears bleed, and never had a problem.
Usually a blown woofer is junk, and torn poly cones, any brand mind you, a very difficult to repair without affecting the sound.
Click to expand...
 
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