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"So, are these still Klipsch speakers?"

usedto

usedto

Lunatic Member
Good question.

@Coytee asked this question (tongue-in-cheek) in the "SMAHL's" thread, and it got me to thinking.

I'm not a huge fan of mods as far as my speakers go, but have no problem with those who do. But at what point are they no longer Klipsch? Is it at one minor change? Are they still Klipsch as long as they still have ONE original part? What percent of original is required to still keep the name?

Your thoughts.:thumbsup:

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Also the cabinets, crossovers, their still Klipsch to me. Their just not original & could benefit from an upgrade.
 
I modified my 3 Cornwall pairs as well as my Belle Klipsch with SMAHL/A55G/Other Eminence "close aftermarket" woofers, top flight parted crossovers, and double-dynamatted horns and woofer baskets and in essence still have "Cornwalls" and "Belles" on a sonic level. If it had changed them THAT much I'm not sure I would have really wanted to do this. I liken it to a tailored suit - it fits better after tailoring, or a camera with that much more accurate and sharper of a lens. The base unit still is what it is.

All of these components are drop in replacements made specifically for this job. Therefore it doesn't change the essence of what is here, which is a Cornwall. It's still Paul Klipsch's geometry. So I still call them Klipsch, albeit I make no secret of the modifications, as they say "full disclosure". If I had a different cabinet, like a Crites CornScala, well then I would have a Crites CornScala. Or a hand built pair of Heresys modified to 1.5 status, etc.......

I think it's about the IDEA, rather than "that exact part" which is what made Paul Klipsch such a genius. HE used different parts. They weren't ALL exactly the same. We can still do this and they still sound as they should, just a smidge more improved from a little "tailoring" here and there because some chap decided to give every iota of effort to building a better "K55 type" and a better tweeter assembly.

And it wasn't modded using any "cutting" as if Ihad to cut the cabs I would assuredly screw it up. And I had to have the crossovers done by a real pro at that because mine wouldn't look or sound the part. I did everything else with a screwdriver and wire snips so they can't be THAT modded because it takes someone with actual skills to do that. More like a "parts change".

If people want to pick a bone with what I call them, can't really help them there other than to stay the hello off their forum :-)
 
My modified H700 Heresy speakers are still Klipsch, because the cabinets, squawkers and networks were made by Klipsch, even if the whole thing has been heavily modified by me. Ironically, I don't regard the Super Heresies that I'm currently building to be Klipsch, even if they use many of the same parts. I'm building the cabinets with significant deviations from stock, the motor boards are from Crites, Tweeters from @Daveintn, woofers are Eminence and only the Squawkers and Autoformers, Inductors and the Terminal Blocks are from Klipsch; the overall gestalt of the design owes a lot to Paul Wilbur Klipsch, but it's been altered so much from stock that it's also a @ClaudeJ1 design, too. They're certainly inspired by and derived from Klipsch, but they're not Klipsch speakers.
 
If you've ever had design-responsibility for anything (product or process), you understand a company's position (change anything--you own it). Strictly, that'd be my definition too. Say I bust my tail on something for months (or years) to wring-out a best compromise for a set of goals and then somebody helicopters-in, twiddles something and calls it mine? Uh-uh--they OWN it. OTOH, nothing is to stop one--it's yours, after all, but originality has value in the marketplace. There are shades/degrees/lines, though, and it takes time/familiarity to see what a market is doing if that's the thrust of the question. Changing to a better tweeter (as in the thread), well, I'm with Dave--that's more like a scheduled maintenance improvement :)

+1 to @Audible Nectar on the Idea bit, though. It's a big topic, but the way of thinking is the thing. Personally, I have come to think of Klipsch stuff as a gateway drug to commit to work harder on the basic framework of the things.
 
Let's say that you change the tweeters or crossovers in your speakers, and you have a friend come over for a listen. What brand of speakers do you tell him he's hearing when he asks?
 
I take your point, but I'd tell them it's my hack at improving <namebrand>. Disclosure is the thing. Yeah, it's still (say) a "Camaro" in your 8-word clasified ad, but dropping a new drivetrain in or messing with nutmeg and cinnamon in someone's baseline recipe makes it your recipe. That doesn't mean your recipe isn't an improvement in some way, just that your goals & constraints were different.
 
Before I bought my tractor (International 1066, used of course) I was looking around. I got to wondering, why is "this" (whichever brand fits this description) tractor a John Deere, Massey or other brand, if they have an engine made by some other company.

For my way of thinking, the engine is the heart of the tractor. So, if I get a Massey that has a Perkins diesel in it, am I not really driving a Perkins tractor that simply has a Massey label on it?

This is so confusing..... I'm going to go crank up some Marie.... :yikes:
 
Coytee said:
Before I bought my tractor (International 1066, used of course) I was looking around. I got to wondering, why is "this" (whichever brand fits this description) tractor a John Deere, Massey or other brand, if they have an engine made by some other company.

For my way of thinking, the engine is the heart of the tractor. So, if I get a Massey that has a Perkins diesel in it, am I not really driving a Perkins tractor that simply has a Massey label on it?

This is so confusing..... I'm going to go crank up some Marie.... :yikes:
Click to expand...

I'm a John Deere owner (x739 with associated attachments) and there's accessory, replacement, and attachment aftermarket for all kinds of items related to my machine - some even sold by John Deere themselves. Some of these outfits started as "Deere after marketers" where Deere just bought 'em up and said "You're so good at this you're working for US now"....or are selling them as "Deere Authorized Aftermarket replacements" where they have an agreement with Deere that these parts meet/exceed spec and are worthy of use in your machine.

Most tractor owners/"modifiers" aren't modifying the engine (they just buy the tractor that has the necessary powertrain in the first place) but the ATTACHMENTS come from all over and some really good and ingenious solutions to go along with that.

.....and those machines are still John Deere.
 
So, instead of listening to Marie singing Paper Roses, we need to change that song to "Diesel Tractors"...

I'm ok with that.
 
Life isn't real until you've greased your first 100 u-joints career.....something about that and vacuum tube audio stuff that gives one a different perspective.....
 
joecoulson said:
I have a John Deere and SS amplification, HA!
Click to expand...

There's something to be said for low maintenance. It's one of the reasons I did such a thorough job refurbishing my Cornwalls and Belles, because I like them, and once done they will need not much else (other than good gear to drive them) for another 25-50 years. But I DID buy one extra driver set (SMAHL, A55G, and Crites woofer all in pairs) as a just in case as I will have in stock service for the four pairs of speakers if anything goes wrong. They didn't need much maintenance up until now besides the finish primarily and I don't expect that will change. The Cornwalls all see solid state in the form of an MC255 so there's something to be said too for known solutions that work in that area too. Maintaining tube gear on a 5.1 system is a bit too much:crazy:
 
Today’s John Deere is more technologically advanced and digitally integrated than most luxury and high performance cars. They still have the same basic motors and pneumatic suspension, though, which makes them analogous to crossover creep in the heritage lines over the years, as well as the self powered and wireless models Klipsch puts out today.
 
Gigantic said:
Today’s John Deere is more technologically advanced and digitally integrated than most luxury and high performance cars. They still have the same basic motors and pneumatic suspension, though, which makes them analogous to crossover creep in the heritage lines over the years, as well as the self powered and wireless models Klipsch puts out today.
Click to expand...

I would say that my x739 is more akin a Cornwall IV than a I, I will also say that I'm more comfortable modding/altering a Ci and buying the Deere all set up to go and offering the best in modern approaches. I might regret that later (proprietary service bills/computerized/etc) but buying it new and making sure of proper use and all maintanances will hopefully lessen those occurrences, whereas I feel more comfortable doing "overhauls" if it comes to it on Klipsch. Putting all that stuff on chips/computer "brains" is more like a Cornwall IV crossover I suppose and no longer having the "crossover and driver parts" from other earlier versions now.

I have to pick my battles, I suppose :-) Hopefully both last 25+ years. I care for them all so they should :-)
 
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