Klipschorn revisited ?

[Barniboy]

Hi everyone
I stumbled over an official Klipschorn promotion video and was supriced to see two new slots in the design. See pics.
"Normally" this part is without slots and just plane baffleboard.
It looks like the rear chamber is opened into the front of the horn !
Is that a kind of Tapped Horn approach ?
The video give no mention of this
Does anyone know what this is all about ?

 

[klipschorn]

I'd go along with your tapped horn approach but I can't be sure despite my 47 year interest in the venerable Klipschorn. This is interesting and curious as I've not seen or heard of this in a Klipschorn. I tried for well over an hour to find something related to this modification without success. That search included the link below, again, without success but that doesn't mean that info isn't there.


I've subscribed to this post in the hope that someone will chime in and shed some light on this. I built 3 pairs of Klipsch type folded horns, from scratch; theyb are not Klipschorn copies. the first was a two way, the second and third were three ways. the tthird uses three flare sections whereas the Klipschorn has two. this was to get the cutoff lower, to 34hz; the Klipschorn unloads at 47hz or 42hz, I'm not cartain of which. The Klipschorn has a bass horn length of about 40 inches (101cm) and the behemoths I built have a bass horn length of 84 inches (213cm). the midrange horn is made of wood, a very challenging task and used a modified Electro-Voice 1824M driver, years later replaced with a Klipsch K-55-V. The tweeter is an Electro-Voice T-350.


Anyway, check out that link below and even post your query there.

Robert


https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?forums/the-klipsch-korner.131/

 

[LineSource]

Your K-Horn diagrams show a tapped horn, probably developed to improve bass-mid blending with the new K-Horn midrange+tweeter horn.

A White Paper on Danley Sound Labs Tapped Horn

http://www.danleysoundlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/The-Tapped-Horn.pdf

====
For Klipsch-based home audio, the diy-BUZZzz favors using the large plastic K-402 horn with either a 2" Beryllium compression driver, or the 2" coaxial BMS 4592nd compression driver. The Jubliee(dual 12") and Jamboree(dual 15") bass horns measure and perform better than the original K-horn. This new K-horn seems like a technology investment to give classic-style cabinet customers a better product.

 

[Barniboy]

Klipsch and Associates replies

I made the question to the factory as well.
Mr. Jim Hunter, curator of the Klipsch hertage museum, very kindly replied (i have Jims permission to publish):

"I do not know what these “mystery slots” are, and I do not think they really exist. I have asked the chief engineer what he thinks. It may have been a “bad marketing” job !"

and (less than one hour later):

"The artwork was done in the Marketing Department without Engineering approval. The mystery slots do not exist."

IMHO I see now that the "inner front panel" is simply missing from the CAD model used for the marketing effort, made invisible or suppressed.
The square panel that IS visiblle must be the panel that the driver is mounted on and allways was, for some reason. Perhaps it is there in order to have an acoustic front cavity, perhaps just for ease of mounting of the driver on studs without tearing up the diaphragm in the process.

Anyway, the mystery is solved, and we can all breathe again.
For a short while, I was thinking "Tapped Klipschorn !?"
It would be real easy to make a tap from the mouth to the rear of the driver, or mount the driver(s) in the side panel(s).

Is anyone in for THAT crazy idea ?

 

[homebuilder]

Klipschorn

I'd go along with your tapped horn approach but I can't be sure despite my 47 year interest in the venerable Klipschorn. This is interesting and curious as I've not seen or heard of this in a Klipschorn. I tried for well over an hour to find something related to this modification without success. That search included the link below, again, without success but that doesn't mean that info isn't there.


I've subscribed to this post in the hope that someone will chime in and shed some light on this. I built 3 pairs of Klipsch type folded horns, from scratch; theyb are not Klipschorn copies. the first was a two way, the second and third were three ways. the tthird uses three flare sections whereas the Klipschorn has two. this was to get the cutoff lower, to 34hz; the Klipschorn unloads at 47hz or 42hz, I'm not cartain of which. The Klipschorn has a bass horn length of about 40 inches (101cm) and the behemoths I built have a bass horn length of 84 inches (213cm). the midrange horn is made of wood, a very challenging task and used a modified Electro-Voice 1824M driver, years later replaced with a Klipsch K-55-V. The tweeter is an Electro-Voice T-350.


Anyway, check out that link below and even post your query there.

Robert


https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?forums/the-klipsch-korner.131/

Robert: what is your opinion of the EV T-350 tweeters? I've heard great things about them, and have an opportunity to pick up a pair at a somewhat reasonable price. (Even so, a lot of money)

Also, just out of curiosity, when you were building your cabinets, did you delve into any of the variants that were licensed by Klipsch, but built by EV and other companies? I was not aware until I picked up an old pair of EV Marquis speakers about the relationship between those two companies. Now, I seem to run into them often. Klipsch used various EV drivers in many of their designs, for many years, as I'm sure you know.

For the longer folded cabinet, was that of your own design?

Thanks for any info you can share.

 

[homebuilder]

Slot?

I made the question to the factory as well.
Mr. Jim Hunter, curator of the Klipsch hertage museum, very kindly replied (i have Jims permission to publish):

"I do not know what these “mystery slots” are, and I do not think they really exist. I have asked the chief engineer what he thinks. It may have been a “bad marketing” job !"

and (less than one hour later):

"The artwork was done in the Marketing Department without Engineering approval. The mystery slots do not exist."

IMHO I see now that the "inner front panel" is simply missing from the CAD model used for the marketing effort, made invisible or suppressed.
The square panel that IS visiblle must be the panel that the driver is mounted on and allways was, for some reason. Perhaps it is there in order to have an acoustic front cavity, perhaps just for ease of mounting of the driver on studs without tearing up the diaphragm in the process.

Anyway, the mystery is solved, and we can all breathe again.
For a short while, I was thinking "Tapped Klipschorn !?"
It would be real easy to make a tap from the mouth to the rear of the driver, or mount the driver(s) in the side panel(s).

Is anyone in for THAT crazy idea ?

Barniboy:

I have no reason to doubt the comment from Klipsch, but just thought I'd mention that it is common practice for companies to alter images to frustrate would-be copiers who seek to steal designs. Especially those of a technical nature.

That being said, I think it is amazing how this particular design still is viable, and quite appealing to a lot of people. I enjoy seeing projects that make small, but noticeable improvements to keep the speaker "alive".

 

[myhrrhleine]

I considered a tapped horn design using the Klipsch. But I am concerned about the bandwidth. It seems like it would not be enough.