Description
Paul W. Klipsch built the first pair of Klipschorns in a small tin shed in Hope, Arkansas. The year was 1946, and the design was two-way—because you simply don’t need more if each lane is loaded with a horn and done right. Over the course of eight decades, the Klipschorn has evolved into the three-way AK6 design that has become the standard. And now, for its 80th anniversary, Klipsch has taken an unexpected step: returning to the original two-way architecture. This isn’t a step back—it’s a return to the basics. Limited edition—only 280 pairs worldwide.
At the heart of the new design is the new K-5-K tweeter paired with a 4-inch compression driver inherited from the Klipsch Jubilee. An active crossover separates the signal between the tweeter and the 15-inch K-33-E woofer—the same one found in the Cornwall IV. The active separation scheme, instead of a passive crossover, means a cleaner signal at the input of each driver, less phase distortion, and more controlled dynamics at any volume. The result is the high sensitivity, ultra-efficiency, and explosive dynamics that have defined Klipschorn since day one.
As always, Klipschorn uses the corner of the room as a natural extension of the bass horn. The all-horn loading combined with corner-to-corner low-frequency amplification delivers something no bass reflex can achieve: deep, physically felt bass with minimal distortion and maximum efficiency. The fully enclosed woofer enclosure allows the AK6 architecture to be installed right up against a corner—without being rigidly fixed to walls.
The enclosure is finished in Tigerwood veneer with a distinctive figured pattern and brass inlays that follow the contours of the folded bass horn. The K-5-K horn is made of sand-cast aluminum, the veneers are matched in pairs from a single piece of wood—each pair is unique in its grain pattern. Each speaker is hand-assembled in Hope, Arkansas. The package includes a special pressing of 180-gram vinyl featuring KlipschTape recordings from the 1950s—some of which have never been released to the public before.
The Klipschorn 80th Anniversary Limited Edition is available exclusively through authorized Heritage dealers—and with a limited run of 280 pairs, the line is forming faster than you think.