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Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this

173.162.51.109
Posted on January 24, 2011 at 07:58:47
krikor
Audiophile

Posts: 331
Location: SE Mich
Joined: April 8, 2002
 My brother recently purchased a late 50's era modern home which has a larger horn built into the back of the bookshelves in the living room. Luckily, there were a few photos left behind by the previous owner showing the innards of this horn. No idea if the driver still works, but we are going to try and put this thing to use.


This shows the back walls of the bookshelf which cover the horn before installation. The circle at the top of the right section fits over the box at the top. The driver mounts to this surface and fires into the horn. The section of the bookshelf containing the driver is then sealed with another panel.
Built-In Bookshelf Horn Speaker

This shows the full length of the horn.
Built-In Bookshelf Horn Speaker


The black area at the bottom is the mouth of the horn and you can see just a bit of the horn curve in the open shelf at the top. The sealed compartment next to this houses the driver, though we have not been able to open this yet. The two compartments directly above the mouth are sand filled and house the remnants of a crossover.
Bookshelf Horn Today

This is the way looked just after the house was built. If you look close, there is a tweeter horn lens mounted in the mouth of the bass horn at the bottom. The bass driver is located in the cloth covered compartment at the top right. Not sure what is in the left compartment at the top... could be another driver?
Bookshelf Horn 1959



Initiative comes to those who wait.
- Alex, "A Clockwork Orange"

twitter.com/audiosnoop

 

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RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 08:04:26
tubebuilder
 Wow ! What a house! not cause the horn. Just what a house. Yep load it up. Don't put your Granny's china on that shelf while you do it lol.

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 08:11:27
Iain42
Reviewer

Posts: 895
Location: Arcansaw
Joined: February 10, 2004
 That is so cool. It reminds me of what this guy did with a closet.
High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk

http://www.itishifi.com

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 08:22:34
Bruce Edgar
Manufacturer

Posts: 525
Joined: October 29, 2001
 AUDIO magazine carried articles about built in horns in the 50's. Unfortunately, many of these installations were demolished out by new owners.

My electronics friend, Cy Brenneman, was hired by the owner of a next door rental house to give it a new interior coat of paint. He noticed large rectangular patch job in the ceiling of the living room. He told me that he went up to the attic and found a University Classic horn box there. He just left it in place because the owner was not interested in the added removal expense.

Bruce

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 13:00:00
Bruce Edgar
Manufacturer

Posts: 525
Joined: October 29, 2001
 Check out Iain44's link in his post for the Klipsch Horn museum You Tube tour. It is very well done. Bruce

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 13:20:44
Iain42
Reviewer

Posts: 895
Location: Arcansaw
Joined: February 10, 2004

Bruce I finally got a chance to see PWK's office at Klipsch in Hope. The door has always been locked but on this visit it was open. It was interesting to see a letter from you on the desk. Which Western Electric horn did you donate?




High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk

http://www.itishifi.com

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 14:38:21
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001

I really love that 50's modern architecture! To get a horn with it really puts some nice icing on that cake! Here are the speakers you need.

Dave

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 24, 2011 at 22:20:32
Bruce Edgar
Manufacturer

Posts: 525
Joined: October 29, 2001
 Boy, that letter from me to PWK is a real hoot! I think I sent him a small WE pa horn (KS1????) for a 1" driver. I also donated a small paper mache folded horn made in the 20's and a Lowther PM-6 that Don Chave gave me.

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 25, 2011 at 07:20:59
Iain42
Reviewer

Posts: 895
Location: Arcansaw
Joined: February 10, 2004

The museum is really cool. I wish it was on the radar abit more as it is a wonderful collection and very important. Where else in America can you see Voigt corner horns a big tractrix horn and various other large horns. Thanks for your donations to the museum.


High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk

http://www.itishifi.com

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 25, 2011 at 08:59:32
Bruce Edgar
Manufacturer

Posts: 525
Joined: October 29, 2001
 Yep, that's the WE horn. I was surprised by the Voigt and Lowther corner horns all arrayed back to back. They said that the new Voigt/Lowther collection came from a former Klipsch dealer in the UK. I noticed in the museum video that they now have a 2' Voigt PA horn with an outdoor driver. Even the Lowther-Voigt museum in England doesn't have it. The 2' tractrix horn was Voigt's person favorite at home until he designed the corner horn. Thanks, Bruce

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 25, 2011 at 09:52:48
Iain42
Reviewer

Posts: 895
Location: Arcansaw
Joined: February 10, 2004
 I was wondering where that collection came from. They have done some cleanup and work on the museum recently. It is much nicer now. I would love to have a couple cloned Voigt tractrix horns based on the 2' in the museum. Voigt was/is amazing.

Thanks
High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk

http://www.itishifi.com

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 25, 2011 at 21:32:31
Steve Schell
Manufacturer

Posts: 1440
Location: So. California
Joined: December 16, 2001
 I stumbled across these very good YouTube videos of Jim Hunter giving a tour of the Klipsch museum over on the Retro Vintage Modern Hi Fi site. Don't know whose site this is but there is a lot of interesting stuff there.

 

Great Home, where is it?, posted on January 25, 2011 at 21:34:43
eso
Manufacturer

Posts: 7843
Location: Long Beach, CA, USA
Joined: March 15, 2001
 I love the architecture there, do you know the name of the architect?

eso
They were a carnival of American decay on parade, and they had no idea of the atrocity they had inflicted upon themselves." Henry Chinaski

 

RE: Great Home, where is it?, posted on January 26, 2011 at 06:25:58
krikor
Audiophile

Posts: 331
Location: SE Mich
Joined: April 8, 2002
 It was designed by Glen Paulsen and is located in Birmingham, MI. Check out the link below to the Michigan Modern website.

Our father is an architect of the same ilk and Glen was his mentor (he began working for Glen right out college in the 60's and just retired from the firm that still bears Paulsen's name... well at least the initial). My brother has the original designs for the home, though the horn is not speced in those drawings as it was a late add by the owner during construction.


Initiative comes to those who wait.
- Alex, "A Clockwork Orange"

twitter.com/audiosnoop

 

Such great stuff guys and thanks so much for sharing! (nt), posted on January 26, 2011 at 06:29:39
Pro Sound Guy


 
.

 

RE: Bookshelf w/ Big Built-In Horn - thought some of you might enjoy this, posted on January 26, 2011 at 08:36:09
Iain42
Reviewer

Posts: 895
Location: Arcansaw
Joined: February 10, 2004
 Thanks Steve. It is my site. I'm sure I've posted some of your documents from the RCA archives. Hope you don't mind.
High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk

http://www.itishifi.com

 

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