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Pecos Pueblo

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Kerry's Klipsch


My friend Kerry is an audiophile. He has one of the two best sounding audio systems I have ever heard, probably the best, to my ears. In this video he shows off his 1948 Klipsch speaker, the twentieth one off the production line and the earliest factory model known to exist.


He did a beautiful job restoring the corner horn and he says it sounds wonderful. He is going to put it for sale on ebay. Kerry sent me this note with the video:
This is the oldest factory-built K-horn known to still exist. The Klipsch factory in Hope Arkansas - now the Klipsch museum - was constructed sometime in 1948,  this 1948 Klipschorn was the 20th one that was built there. 
The first Klipschorn, number 101, the prototype, featured a Western Electric 555W compression driver. It was built by Paul Klipsch at his home in Hope Arkansas, along with 19 other K-horns, including the seven units he built for the Baldwin Organ company.
For what it’s worth I was told this early Klipsch speaker is a Style 6, but the tag identifies it as a “Type K-3-C”
The face and top were refinished with Khaya, a type of African Mahogany. I cut the pieces from a 4’X8’ panel of pre-finished veneered MDF. The light colored wood is iron-on maple veneer. The grill cloth was purchased from Amazon.
If you have never heard a Klipsch, there is really nothing like it. Incredibly powerful across the sound spectrum. Kudos to my friend for a wonderful restoration job. Maybe I will get a chance to listen to it one day before it sells!

Any audiophiles interested in purchasing the rare speaker, please let me know and I will put you in touch with him. But know, this baby needs a decent size room.

The interesting history of Paul W. Klipsch.

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