Klipsch Klipschorn

If the Denon DL-103 is the one well-known veteran of high-fidelity, it still is seveteen years younger than the Klipschorn. Had the Quad ESL57 production continued, it would still be eleven years younger than the Klipschorn.

One of the best loudspeakers of all time, the Klipschorn was prototyped in 1938 and finally produced in 1946. And in 1947. And in 1948. And in 1949. And in 1950. And in 1951. And it still is produced today.

65 years of production ! Yes, it's a record !
Sound-wise, too, it's a record but one has to have two free corners in a fairly large room to benefit from the dynamic, low distortion and width and deep bass of the Klischorn.

I for one can't : parisian apartments may have marble chinmneys, beautiful Hungarian point flooring and 1890s ceiling staff moldings, they are generally small in room size... At least smaller than typical new world modern buildings.

But if I had some more room, and less books, I'd take a pair of Klipschorns, a Luxman SQ-38D and be happy until my marble chimneys would fall apart.


Since a few years part of the "Heritage”" series and produced on order only, the Klipschorn was however slightly modified in 2005 with the elimination of the collar separating the top and bottom enclosures, to give it "a cleaner aesthetic appearance".

Bad idea as it's exactly the opposite which results : take the collar away from the Altec Model 19 and you gain a monoblock appearance but loose the elegance.
It is the same loudspeaker in the end but, stil...

The image here comes from an european 2002 general catalog and therefore shows the normal, elegant, Klipschorn which then was available in raw oak, mahogany lacquer, walnut lacquer or black lacquer finishes.



Plenty of pdf downloads at Klipsch's and a fair history section, too.