KLH Model 17 Speakers

[NoBozo]

I have had these speakers since about 1967. They are now hooked up to the 40" Flat Screen Sony TV so we can listen to FREE Music that comes with DirecTV. (Attn FLL) The sound is run through a late model Tuner/Amp . Tonight I turned it WAY up to see if the OLD speakers would "Rattle". NO Rattle. Nice Base.

We have been through multiple speaker pairs since 1967 (@ around $700 a pair...and they all DIE.) The speaker Cones are mounted on FOAM. The foam disintegrates over time. The speaker will start to rattle...time to replace. Love my OLD KLHs. NB

PS: Anybody on hear old enough to remember KLH...??

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I have had these speakers since about 1967. They are now hooked up to the 40" Flat Screen Sony TV so we can listen to FREE Music that comes with DirecTV. (Attn FLL) The sound is run through a late model Tuner/Amp . Tonight I turned it WAY up to see if the OLD speakers would "Rattle". NO Rattle. Nice Base.

We have been through multiple speaker pairs since 1967 (@ around $700 a pair...and they all DIE.) The speaker Cones are mounted on FOAM. The foam disintegrates over time. The speaker will start to rattle...time to replace. Love my OLD KLHs. NB

PS: Anybody on hear old enough to remember KLH...??

KLH was originally an R&D company in Cambridge Mass founded by three guys named Kloss, Low, and Hofmann. A small company by today's standards they manufactured 30,000 speakers per year. I had several pairs in the early 70s but I don't think they were new.....

BT

[fatlazyless]

There used to be a small retail store on Main St, Laconia, in the downtown area called "Just Stuff", and about three years ago, I found a KLH fm radio in there for just ten bucks. It's in like-new condition with a small all-wood body and a big KLH dial on the front.......it receives only fm.....no am band included.....and from Meredith....it can receive three different public radio stations from Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont. Maine and Vermont seem to play more music while NH is mostly talk.

Do you ever listen to the Niel Young show, a local right-wing talkie, from Laconia on www.wezs.com/advocates.html which is sort of an old fashioned, local, live radio talk show? Well .... unfortunately....this KLH table radio does not get any am radio signal.

The small retail store "Just Stuff" is no longer there on Main St?

[TheProfessor]

"KLH is an audio company founded in 1957 as KLH Research and Development Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, by Henry Kloss, Malcolm S. Low, and J. Anton Hofmann originally to produce loudspeakers.[1] KLH had sales of $17 million, employed over 500 people and sold over 30,000 speakers a year before it was sold to Singer Corp in 1964.[2] Later it was bought by Electro Audio Dynamics Inc. and moved to California in 1980.[2]

KLH was then acquired by Kyocera Ltd, a Japanese conglomerate, and production was shifted overseas. Kyocera decided to stop manufacturing audio products in 1989, and sought a buyer for the KLH brand. The company is now known as KLH Audio Systems located in Santa Ynez, California. Formerly known as Wald Sound and Verit Industries."

LINK

[BroadHopper]

I have a Marantz 4240 and two Marantz Imperial 4G speakers from the '70s. I channel my music through them. When I play the same music (tape, CD etc.) through the Denon 5.1 theater system it is not the same. It is does not have a 'warm, mellow' touch to it. The new system is better off for movie sound track.

There is a guy in Lakeport that will repair all the vintage amplifiers. I had the 4240 repaired once because the old systems are sensitive to spikes on the electric wiring. He strongly suggest I put the system on a surge protector. His last name in Beadoin, I can't recall his first name.

The speakers do not have a foam core so they are still good. I had Babb foam speakers restored by a guy in Florida, but the repair only last a couple of years. Google speaker repairs and you will find a number of repair facilities.

BTW, I am pretty savvy. I can switch the tape deck, CD, DVD, TV between the Marantz system and the Denon system by flicking a switch. The difference is like night and day.

[salty dog]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I have had these speakers since about 1967. They are now hooked up to the 40" Flat Screen Sony TV so we can listen to FREE Music that comes with DirecTV. (Attn FLL) The sound is run through a late model Tuner/Amp . Tonight I turned it WAY up to see if the OLD speakers would "Rattle". NO Rattle. Nice Base.

We have been through multiple speaker pairs since 1967 (@ around $700 a pair...and they all DIE.) The speaker Cones are mounted on FOAM. The foam disintegrates over time. The speaker will start to rattle...time to replace. Love my OLD KLHs. NB

PS: Anybody on hear old enough to remember KLH...??

They were great speakers! We had family friends back in the 60's who had a pair (don't remember the model) but they sure sounded great. Really gave me speaker envy. I worked for Lechmere back in '72 in the stereo dept. and got "hooked on phonos" as it were. I made friends with the EPI factory rep who invited me to the their factory in Newburyport. I was like a kid in a candy shop. Because of those experiences, I've always appreciated good sound. Anyway, make a long story short, a few years ago I found Huw Powell/Human Speakers on line. I traveled back in time and purchased a totally refurbished pair of Epicure 201's (circa 1976) and just can't tell you how awesome they sound. I run them through an NAD amp of 300 watts, high current power and a 35 year old Dual CS-5000 table. Huw has a good sized, one-man facility over in Lee and can, for a reasonable price, replace drivers for just about any speaker and make them sound as good or better than new.

http://www.humanspeakers.com/contact.htm

[NoBozo]

I still have the Original KLH Model 11 Record Changer. (Wood..1966) It's in the closet. I think the "Other" model offered was in an aluminum brief case kind of thingy. Not sure. KLH used the then excellent Garrard Turntable. The speakers that came with the Model 11 were small so I replaced them with the Model 17s.

I'm not sure where the "Vinyl" records we had/have are..stored. Maybe in a cardboard box... or something...somewhere.... NB

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I have a Marantz 4240 and two Marantz Imperial 4G speakers from the '70s. I channel my music through them. When I play the same music (tape, CD etc.) through the Denon 5.1 theater system it is not the same. It is does not have a 'warm, mellow' touch to it. The new system is better off for movie sound track.

I remember Marantz. I had Marantz. ..I don't remember if it was speakers or Amps/Tape players.

I bought a SONY 5.1 Home Theater System in 2007. ($350-450) I thought it would be the next generation SOUND. I only wanted to listen to FREE music from DirecTV. (We don't do movies) I only set up the two front mini speakers and the (UN-POWERED) Sub Woofer. It Sucked. NO BASE. I like BASE. That's why I am back to the 1967 KLHs. The Sony Home Theater system is in the closet. Anybody want it..?? FREE. Just come down to RI and get it. NB

PS: My Computer Sound... (BASE.. etc)... is Far Superior to the Sony Home Theater. My computer Sub Woofer is "Powered". Powered= It's directly plugged into 120 volts in the wall.

[salty dog]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I still have the Original KLH Model 11 Record Changer. (Wood..1966) It's in the closet. I think the "Other" model offered was in an aluminum brief case kind of thingy. Not sure. KLH used the then excellent Garrard Turntable. The speakers that came with the Model 11 were small so I replaced them with the Model 17s.

I'm not sure where the "Vinyl" records we had/have are..stored. Maybe in a cardboard box... or something...somewhere.... NB

Don't know how long it's been since you've played vinyl. I know they're not as convenient as cd's or iCloud, iPod or iPhone but they sure sound great; smooth and warm. I try to increase my collection as I'm able from Amazon (lots of good used vinyl) or from sites like Music Stack or Tosca. Maybe a couple of times got "burned" but for the most part, these sellers want to keep their good reputation. I understand it really depends how much you're into it. That's awesome you still have the old KLH "record player" as Dad called them. Here's an old Garrard exactly like the one I grew up with (see attached pic). It's an old mono. That thing was built like a tank. They want $350 for it on eBay. Anyway, here's a link to something you might find interesting.
SD

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=102176

[BroadHopper]

My daughter bought one and she had me set it up to her Smart TV. For $199 (Sam's) it has very impressive sound! We were blown away. A note on setting up for DTS sound. You need to setup the audio output on the TV to bitstream. If you have a DVD player, the player's audio output should also be bitstream. The sound should be pure digital sound right to the soundbar. Turn on the DTS sound processor on the soundbar and enjoy!

The Vizio is so compact with a wireless subwoofer, I'm thinking off getting rid of the almost $1,000 Denon system for the Vizio.

As for music on the Vizio, turn off the theater sound processor and it will have a stereo image. It is pretty good but not as mellow as the Marantz.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by salty dog

Don't know how long it's been since you've played vinyl. I know they're not as convenient as cd's or iCloud, iPod or iPhone but they sure sound great; smooth and warm. I try to increase my collection as I'm able from Amazon (lots of good used vinyl) or from sites like Music Stack or Tosca. Maybe a couple of times got "burned" but for the most part, these sellers want to keep their good reputation. I understand it really depends how much you're into it. That's awesome you still have the old KLH "record player" as Dad called them. Here's an old Garrard exactly like the one I grew up with (see attached pic). It's an old mono. That thing was built like a tank. They want $350 for it on eBay. Anyway, here's a link to something you might find interesting.
SD

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=102176

Thanks SD for that link. Interesting how a good product will survive long after the product has passed on....and collect a Following. NB

[Winnisquamguy]

I am still trying to find out how these speakers have anything to do with the Lake? Were they in a boat you owned? Or maybe a house you lived in? And you wonder why threads get closed...

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Winnisquamguy

I am still trying to find out how these speakers have anything to do with the Lake? Were they in a boat you owned? Or maybe a house you lived in? And you wonder why threads get closed...

many of us have TVs in our lake houses and many of us have stereo in our lake house /boats, so I think this is an appropriate thread. The beauty of a lake house is that you can crank up the sound to the oldies without repercussions! I will have a scotch on the rocks while I am at it!

[Tagdot]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I have had these speakers since about 1967. They are now hooked up to the 40" Flat Screen Sony TV so we can listen to FREE Music that comes with DirecTV. (Attn FLL) The sound is run through a late model Tuner/Amp . Tonight I turned it WAY up to see if the OLD speakers would "Rattle". NO Rattle. Nice Base.

We have been through multiple speaker pairs since 1967 (@ around $700 a pair...and they all DIE.) The speaker Cones are mounted on FOAM. The foam disintegrates over time. The speaker will start to rattle...time to replace. Love my OLD KLHs. NB

PS: Anybody on hear old enough to remember KLH...??

I have re-foamed several of my old Boston Acoustic speakers and 2 Alpine speakers, they came out very nice.
http://www.simplyspeakers.com/klh-sp...kit-fsk-9.html

[dayvsea]

I too have added new surrounds, to two set of speaks.. Cam out swell. You too can do this.. I remember those KLH's have dense, rough textured cones..