what's good y'all
I've had the opportunity to pick up a pair of Klein & Hummel O96s for basically nothing a while back.
In the listing, it was apparent that the amp was missing from one speaker, and upon checking in on the pair, it seemed as if the other amp was broken too. While I do think there would be a rather high chance of fixing it, I didn't dive into it any further yet, as my confidence is quite low that I could manage to track down another singular amp board for the speaker that's missing the amp altogether (I say "another" because before testing the one amp I do have, I actually managed to find one but the seller stopped responding at some point lol).
So basically I'm looking at replacement options to replace these dated (if quite nicely designed) amp boards. With that, I'm looking at different options of SigmaDSP/freeDSP compatible boards but to be honest, I'm already lost in the sauce.
Do I have any reason not to go for these all-in-one 4 channel boards by Daytone Audio (one each), bridge two channels for the woofer, and call it a day? If I'm staying within the realm of budget, high efficiency amp boards that are easily sourceable online, am I gaining any considerable benefits by splitting it up into dedicated amp and DSP boards? Do I need to abandon the idea of these little 12V amp boards altogether and get "real" amps? Are there any obvious solutions to my problem that I'm skimping over? For instance, I just saw Thomann sells a 4 channel amp with USB-programmable DSP, would be worth looking into but they don't make a 6-channel version. Am I maybe better off with, say, a used DBX 3-way active crossover instead of DSP? Is it even worth it to go take the active crossover route in my budget category (<$250) anyway, or should I just use a 2-channel amp and build a passive crossover?
Sorry for the flood of questions but this is basically where I'm at in my research, kinda all over the place and not quite sure where to take it from here.
So on that note, please do let me know if you have any pointers. Even just random hints could help me find the right direction to take 🙂
Thanks for reading!
I've had the opportunity to pick up a pair of Klein & Hummel O96s for basically nothing a while back.
In the listing, it was apparent that the amp was missing from one speaker, and upon checking in on the pair, it seemed as if the other amp was broken too. While I do think there would be a rather high chance of fixing it, I didn't dive into it any further yet, as my confidence is quite low that I could manage to track down another singular amp board for the speaker that's missing the amp altogether (I say "another" because before testing the one amp I do have, I actually managed to find one but the seller stopped responding at some point lol).
So basically I'm looking at replacement options to replace these dated (if quite nicely designed) amp boards. With that, I'm looking at different options of SigmaDSP/freeDSP compatible boards but to be honest, I'm already lost in the sauce.
Do I have any reason not to go for these all-in-one 4 channel boards by Daytone Audio (one each), bridge two channels for the woofer, and call it a day? If I'm staying within the realm of budget, high efficiency amp boards that are easily sourceable online, am I gaining any considerable benefits by splitting it up into dedicated amp and DSP boards? Do I need to abandon the idea of these little 12V amp boards altogether and get "real" amps? Are there any obvious solutions to my problem that I'm skimping over? For instance, I just saw Thomann sells a 4 channel amp with USB-programmable DSP, would be worth looking into but they don't make a 6-channel version. Am I maybe better off with, say, a used DBX 3-way active crossover instead of DSP? Is it even worth it to go take the active crossover route in my budget category (<$250) anyway, or should I just use a 2-channel amp and build a passive crossover?
Sorry for the flood of questions but this is basically where I'm at in my research, kinda all over the place and not quite sure where to take it from here.
So on that note, please do let me know if you have any pointers. Even just random hints could help me find the right direction to take 🙂
Thanks for reading!
How much power can the drivers handle? What is used for crossover in the stock speakers, is it passive, active, digital? Are there published specs for the original speakers that might be useful in your endeavor? How about reviews of the original speakers with measurements?
The original amps were rated at 60 + 60 + 60 Watts, no word on the driver limits. The crossover is definitely active and I'm pretty sure it's analog. There used to be a service manual available online but it somehow vanished, I still have the schematics on my laptop somewhere though.
I guess the question I'm really asking is if someone has experience with retrofitting a modern DSP multichannel amp board into vintage active speakers. The reason I'm a little hesitant is that it somehow sounds a little too good to be true, under $150 for 8 DSP-controlled, independently configurable but cascadable 30 Watts channels that are wirelessly addressable just sounds like a really good deal.
I guess the question I'm really asking is if someone has experience with retrofitting a modern DSP multichannel amp board into vintage active speakers. The reason I'm a little hesitant is that it somehow sounds a little too good to be true, under $150 for 8 DSP-controlled, independently configurable but cascadable 30 Watts channels that are wirelessly addressable just sounds like a really good deal.
If you can take the truth like a man, read on.
I know there are many that never heard such a thing, but rave about it, because German state owned radio stations used it. Radio stations run by bureaucrats... so they had to buy something German.
The 096s is an very old, outdated design, with drivers you will find better alternatives in the low cost section today.
They are monitor speakers, made to check the mix productions made mostly for broadcasting. They had to be portable, robust, reduce wirering and, most important, all of them had to sound identical by a few dB. They where not made for audiophile music productions on CD.
Compared to a modern, well designed speaker of its class, they sound boring and dull. Just because the hardware the audience of that time had, was even worse, usually a mono speaker in a TV set. They were just a tool to check a recording to meet a certain standard of it´s time. High quality music recordings were made on other speakers.
They take active analog electronics to compensate for the shortcoming of the speaker chassis, which , even at their time where not even close to high end. Take out a woofer and try not to cry.
The electronics where reliable, but very conservative design.
So if you take even the best DSP and amps you can get, you will not get a result as good as a DIYS speaker kit from today's "Cheap Trick" design line.
Did I say that non original K&H speaker are worth nothing? Any modification reduces their collectors value to nothing.
So, if your speaker chassis are still in working condition (which is quite different to perfect condition) and the cabinet is near mint, there are two possible options.
1. You do not care about sound and must have such a speaker, maybe for bragging rights:
Repair what you have and buy and install what is missing. Keep in mind you will not be able to adjust the electronics to factory specs, because the drivers are worn out and you do not have the tools to do it anyway. So you will end up with something most of us do not even want to listen to in the garage, but you can call it a "K&H monitor". You can tell anyone "If you don't like the sound, your ears are not working correctly".
Maybe, if they look like new, some stupid collector will pay you a good price, but the "ask price" you may find on the net is something else than what you get in the end. Stupid collectors with money in their hands are very rare, most interested only look for a fast buck.
So you will spend a lot of time and even more money to rebuild a mediocre, old speaker that sounds much worse than new. Go for it if you want.
2. The best option I see for you (No tools, no practice, no money) is to check each part of these speakers, chasis and electronics, clean them, make pictures from all sides and sell them on eBay international with a reasonable, fixed price. You will sure get more money than you have paid for them and help someone who only needs a single part to make his pair work.
2b. If you, for some reason, like the cabinet style, take the money you got for the parts and look for a good DIYS 3-way kit that will fit. You sure get help on this forum to find a fine solution in your price range. The cabinets are well build, basicaly the best part of the whole speaker.
That way you can have a "real" K&H that truly sounds as fantastic as people think it did in the past... Do not try to make it active by your self with some chassis you may like, you will be very, very disapointed.
Let me give you a last good advice, do not only look for a kit with a large dome mid chassis. There are reasons they are not used any more today. Good ones are much too expensive. Go for a cone mid and keep the cloth on the cabinet.
Anyway, who really knows what chassis were used by K&H half a century ago?
Good luck!
I know there are many that never heard such a thing, but rave about it, because German state owned radio stations used it. Radio stations run by bureaucrats... so they had to buy something German.
The 096s is an very old, outdated design, with drivers you will find better alternatives in the low cost section today.
They are monitor speakers, made to check the mix productions made mostly for broadcasting. They had to be portable, robust, reduce wirering and, most important, all of them had to sound identical by a few dB. They where not made for audiophile music productions on CD.
Compared to a modern, well designed speaker of its class, they sound boring and dull. Just because the hardware the audience of that time had, was even worse, usually a mono speaker in a TV set. They were just a tool to check a recording to meet a certain standard of it´s time. High quality music recordings were made on other speakers.
They take active analog electronics to compensate for the shortcoming of the speaker chassis, which , even at their time where not even close to high end. Take out a woofer and try not to cry.
The electronics where reliable, but very conservative design.
So if you take even the best DSP and amps you can get, you will not get a result as good as a DIYS speaker kit from today's "Cheap Trick" design line.
Did I say that non original K&H speaker are worth nothing? Any modification reduces their collectors value to nothing.
So, if your speaker chassis are still in working condition (which is quite different to perfect condition) and the cabinet is near mint, there are two possible options.
1. You do not care about sound and must have such a speaker, maybe for bragging rights:
Repair what you have and buy and install what is missing. Keep in mind you will not be able to adjust the electronics to factory specs, because the drivers are worn out and you do not have the tools to do it anyway. So you will end up with something most of us do not even want to listen to in the garage, but you can call it a "K&H monitor". You can tell anyone "If you don't like the sound, your ears are not working correctly".
Maybe, if they look like new, some stupid collector will pay you a good price, but the "ask price" you may find on the net is something else than what you get in the end. Stupid collectors with money in their hands are very rare, most interested only look for a fast buck.
So you will spend a lot of time and even more money to rebuild a mediocre, old speaker that sounds much worse than new. Go for it if you want.
2. The best option I see for you (No tools, no practice, no money) is to check each part of these speakers, chasis and electronics, clean them, make pictures from all sides and sell them on eBay international with a reasonable, fixed price. You will sure get more money than you have paid for them and help someone who only needs a single part to make his pair work.
2b. If you, for some reason, like the cabinet style, take the money you got for the parts and look for a good DIYS 3-way kit that will fit. You sure get help on this forum to find a fine solution in your price range. The cabinets are well build, basicaly the best part of the whole speaker.
That way you can have a "real" K&H that truly sounds as fantastic as people think it did in the past... Do not try to make it active by your self with some chassis you may like, you will be very, very disapointed.
Let me give you a last good advice, do not only look for a kit with a large dome mid chassis. There are reasons they are not used any more today. Good ones are much too expensive. Go for a cone mid and keep the cloth on the cabinet.
Anyway, who really knows what chassis were used by K&H half a century ago?
Good luck!
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