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Volti Audio Over the years, we've received hundreds of emails and letters praising the Volti Audio Klipsch Upgrades products.
We'd be happy to put you in touch with one or more Klipsch Upgrades customers so you can speak with them directly
about their experience with Volti Audio and the improvement they've realized in their speakers. But we really don't think that's
necessary. Please take a few minutes and read what our customers have to say about it right here.
Dan's Story
By far the most prolific comments regarding the performance of the V-Trac horn
belong to Dan Kapeller. He wrote me a very nice essay that covers his
experiences with audio, Klipsch, other horn speakers, the V-Trac, and a whole lot
more. It's a very good read, and one that is a must for every Klipsch
Khorn owner out there. It takes about a half hour, so go grab a snack or
a beer and sit back and enjoy this great story. Click
HERE
John
Hi Greg, I'm dropping you a note to give you well-deserved accolades for what you have done in your design and implementation of the upgrades for the K-Horns. As you know, I have over the past couple of years, helped my good friend Dave upgrade his K-Horns with your full upgrade kit and I got an opportunity to hear them while visiting my sister Sally and Dave (my brother-in-law and good friend for over 50 years). After hearing just a few moments of music played through these magnificent speakers, I was mesmerized! I had heard these speakers prior to the upgrades and though they sounded good, they now sound wonderful! Unbelievable treble detail/accuracy, beautiful midrange presentation and good solid bass which for most music didn't really warrant any subwoofer! Female vocals float in the air and sound so real they're in the room with you singing. Micro-dynamics abound and I heard nuances of sounds in familiar music I had not heard before. I found myself saying "that's the best I've ever heard that song" many times through my 4-day visit with them. This all attests to the painstaking efforts and time you spent in design and testing, taking a classic, decent speaker a quantum leap into a state of the art sounding one. Anyone who wants a "keeper" speaker should seriously consider upgrading their Klipsch K-Horns or Belles with your terrific components. Your upgrades transformed what was a decent sounding speaker into a "last speaker you'll ever need" sounding speaker. I personally can't think of anything more that could be done to improve the sound. Dave and I will see you guys at the Tampa Audio-Expo Show in 2024! Sincerely,
Custom Belles
Eliad built his own pair of Belle Klipsch speakers from scratch, and then loaded the cabinets with Volti Audio parts. The results are quite impressive. If you have the capabilities, or know of someone who can do this for you, it's a great way to get a truly modern horn speaker of very high quality without breaking the bank. Here is my review. I apologize, I am not a great writer. Klipsch Belle upgrade kit by Volti. My 1 year journey started with my wife asking for a turntable for Christmas 2020. After getting the turntable I started looking at what can I do to improve the experience of listening to vinyl. I build an EAR 834 clone vacuum tubes phono stage and sounded much better, then I build a vacuum tube amplifier but they come with a low watts per channel and I started looking for a matching speaker. During the search I learned horn loaded speakers have a high efficiency and I decided to go with Klipsch. Vacuum tube aficionados like LaScala. I started looking for LaScala plans and found an YouTube video which had also the plans for the build. I started looking for the horns, drivers and cross overs and I run into Volti Audio. Greg did not have the components for LaScala but he encouraged me to go with Klipsch Belle. Found the plans and started building it. Greg provided great assistance and advice during the Belle build, we exchanged over 70 messages, always very prompt and extremely valuable. Exceptional customer support, bar none. Volti Klipsch Belle complete upgrade kit is of exceptional quality, he is using only very high quality parts, significant higher quality than the parts found in the original Klipsch speakers. The installation of the kit was straightforward. The crossovers have several option to choose from in order to fit your listening preferences. Now I am enjoying my Klipsch Belle, they sound great using vacuum tubes. The sensitivity of these Volti upgraded speakers is remarkable, the sound stage and the 3D effect is amazing, I had not idea what a good sound system sounds like and these speakers are arguably the most important component of the sound chain What can I say, these Volti upgraded speakers are amazing and Greg valuable advice and assistance was essential in achieving this goal. I highly recommend Volti Audio, Greg provides exceptional customer service and his Klipsch Belle upgrade kit is of exceptional quality. Eliad C.
Belle Upgrades
Hi Greg, Happy holidays to you and your family. I wanted to send you a quick email describing some purchases I have made and how my Klipsch Belles (with your upgrade package) are doing. I have attached a photo of my system. Long story short, the speakers are incredible. I can not compliment you enough on your craftsmanship and how well all the frequencies smoothly blend. The sound is simply natural and comforting to listen to. It has been a long road for me. When I bought the Belles I connected them to a AVR that I paid $2000.00 for and I was amazed on how poor the speakers sounded. Changing to an older Marantz 2252 receiver was a big improvement. Still, not what I expected (not knowing about horn speakers). I did notice how easily the speakers filled the room with sound and that was nice. Some music sounded better than other music but in both cases the sound was fatiguing and after 10 minutes or so I would shut everything off. That's when I contacted you. After some back-and-forth communications I purchased the full Volti upgrade kit for my Belles. Once installed I noticed an improvement. The fatiguing sound was gone. I could now listen for any length of time. The kit install was easy thanks to your craftsmanship everything fit as you designed it to fit. Knowing the speakers were as good as they could be I focused on amplification. After much consideration I purchased a MC275 amplifier and MC2500 preamp. I love the Mclntosh equipment, but this is about the speakers. The vocals are just amazing. Guitar, piano all sound incredible. Equipment list,
That's probably more than you wanted to read but listening the other night I thought I owed you a positive report! I am grateful that you took the time to create these upgrade kits. Most heritage Klipsch owners do not realize how much better their speakers could sound. Happy New Year and the best for you in 2022.
Thank you,
Pat
Andy
Hi Greg, I purchased the "full Volti K Horn upgrade" 2 years ago.. wires woofers ,the works! The speakers were to go into a purpose built room in a preexisting attached garage . . all of this happened . . . eventually. Had the work done by a veteran technician who I think was even more excited than me. He couldn't get over the very obvious heft and quality of the components. Anyway I've just returned from 6 months out of the country and jetlagged all to hell have finally sat down properly with these things. I'm 76 and have been into hi fi since I was 20 or so and have owned a ton of speakers n amps and am just thrilled to be thrilled by my "new" system. Many many thanks. Andy
Mr. Haydon
Hi Greg, I immediately hear new levels of detail, richness and overall listening enjoyment that have greatly upped my daily listening time and without feeling like my ears need a break. I run a modest system - Decware SET amp, Rega Planar 6, a few different DACs for streaming, and now feel like my overall experience is much greater at a modest price. Along with the sound, the professional approach; communication; construction design/quality; and precise DIY retrofit are other immediate standout qualities in your work. Thanks again, and congrats on your success! Dan Haydon
Reese
Greg, Listening to the "new" Klipschorns for the first time right now. I am simply stunned. I can't thank you enough for putting together such a wonderful upgrade package. Volti has my eternal recommendation.Thank you Reese. Sent from my iPhone John from Maine
Hello Greg , Just dropping a line to thank you for the great khorn upgrade package. Fit and finish are top shelf. Every thing fit
perfectly. Sound quality is sptactular from top to bottom. I can't stop smiling. I've got somewhere around fifteen hundred
lps to listen to that I've been collecting for the last forty five years so i better get the old thorens fired up and get to it. This is going to be a
blast! Thanks again and keep up the good work ! John
Greg from Wisconsin
A few days ago I finally found time to complete the KHorn upgrade . . . your instructions were spot on, all the hardware was there and the parts fit exactly. So, when I had only one speaker completed, I could hear the difference compared to my original speaker. I then asked my daughter and SIL to see if they could tell the difference and they quickly identified the upgrade. Once I completed the second speaker, I reached for Supertramp and played the song "Rudy". The sound quality is amazing. I would use the words clearer, crisper, sharper, finer, more distinct, more defined and not muddy to describe the improvement. Thank you for your help, knowledge, craftsmanship and encouragement completing this task! I truly wish I could have done this sooner. Now to figure out what to do with the old Klipsch speakers and crossovers. Thanks again Greg.
Hannes, from Germany
Hannes had a pair of Khorns and bought a pair of 60th Anniversary hoping to replace his existing Khorns and improve the quality of sound. disappointed that he heard no improvement, he contacted me for help. Hello Greg, Wow, I must say I am speechless - The upgraded Khorns sound so much better than the standard Anniversary models that I listened to over the last 10 years!! The bass is much more intense, the mids and highs are so smooth and clean at the same time . . . no more harsh frequencies . . . simply amazing!! So I had no hard choice to sell the 60th anniversary Khorns!! If you know someone who is looking for those, let me know ;) Thanks for this unbelievable upgrade my friend!! Best,
Mark, from Cleves, OH
Hi Greg, I completed installation of the V-TracII horns and the results are simply amazing. I don't know if you remember, but I bought just the midrange horns and Beyma tweeters as a starting point for upgrading my old Khorns. I went through a period of A-B comparison where I invited my sons over to listen to a blind test of the Khorns after upgrading only one of them. It didn't take them long to tell the difference in the sound quality, and to identify the upgraded speaker as better sounding. Now with both upgraded, I am simply enjoying listening to some of my favorites again. The sound is so smooth and sweet! Gone is the harshness I had come to accept as a characteristic of horn speakers. I will start planning for the next upgrade - midrange drivers, crossovers and maybe woofers too. Meanwhile, one quick question: In moving the midrange drivers over, I noticed the old, internal gaskets have a center hole smaller than what appears to be needed based on the diameter of the protective screen on the driver. I left them out for now thinking the sound could be restricted. Thoughts? Thank you for building such a great product.
Steve, from Dallas, TX
Hey Greg, Thanks for reaching out. I had to take a bit of a detour with my system beyond the speakers as my vintage amp and other vintage equipment needed some attention. Unfortunately the repair cycle and prioritization one can extract from the few technicians that work on such equipment has been disappointing (even factory shops) . . . it seems everything is in a perpetual "check back in two weeks" state of affairs. I stepped back and re-evaluated that strategy and opted to just start replacing gear (amp, pre-amp, DAC, phono-related) with more current units . . . so it's taken me a while. I'm almost there, just waiting on some phono equipment to arrive to complete the setup. That said, I now have digital music working and playing through the Volti speakers . . . although I still have some fidelity improvements yet to come. I wanted to take some time to really listen to the new speakers as I've put so many new pieces of equipment in place at the same time. The unfortunate thing about that scenario is that it's difficult to assess the sole improvement due to the speaker upgrades. Even so, I've been extremely diligent with my replacement gear choices to make sure I was setting the stage for the clarity and quality of sound I had experienced with the Khorns and Mac system . . . and fully expected to be enhanced with the Volti upgrades. I've been listening intently for a couple of weeks now and my initial assessment is that the speaker upgrades have proven themselves to be worthy of all the work and investment you've contributed from your lifetime of learning. I recall a quote from Paul McGowan, PS Audio's CEO, who subscribes to the mantra to "do no harm" to the music as it makes its way through the various pieces of equipment to bring it to life. In that regard, while I cannot tell you exactly what role each piece of equipment in my new setup has played in the sound I'm experiencing, I can without a doubt assure you that your upgrades and the performance of these reborn Khorns have proven themselves to be up to the high standard I had envisioned when I made the leap to undertake the upgrades. Speakers are obviously the last piece of equipment in the chain of processing audio signals from source to one's ear . . . so, despite all the research effort and investment that went into selecting other processing and amplification devices . . . if the speakers do not deliver the credentials of each element as well as their own, then the totality of the system becomes chaotic and disappoints. I'm happy to report that your improvements have "done no harm" to any of the elements in the chain . . . and most importantly, to the music as intended by the artisans that created the magic. For me, the primary artist voice or instrumental is more forward than before . . . more present in the room . . . without a loss of balance with any accompaniment. One can venture into an adjoining room and almost swear that a live performance is taking place next door. It's a bit startling when you first hear it. When listening to the myriad of digital music played through a variety of sources, its easy to become tired and only hear the primary tune a piece of music promotes . . . easily tuning-out the sound as background noise. When listening to music played through your upgrades combined with appropriate fidelity devices, one is reintroduced to the magic of the music. The subtle accompanying instrumentals and voices that are often masked in lesser sound system are presented in a manner that you imagine the artists had in mind when the recording took place . . . you literally hear passages that were hidden before . . . an outcome that makes the music more intricate and enjoyable. One feels like they are listening to an intimate chamber group rather than a brassy soloist . . . the distinction is not subtle. It's not an improvement of lesser sound systems . . . rather it's the delivery of a distinct media that can only be evaluated and enjoyed if the system (including the essential speakers) delivers the magic. While I have more listening adventures ahead . . . especially when my phono equipment is in place, I can attest that the my leap of faith regarding your upgrades has been aptly rewarded . . . so thank you for that. At the end of each listening session, I check in with my body to evaluate the overall impact. In each instance, I've walked away relaxed and full of delight. And isn't that what's it's all about? Have a great Christmas and holiday season. Best Regards,
Note: this next message came from a customer who initially upgraded his Khorns with the V-Trac horns, but did not do the midrange driver upgrade.
I'm often asked how much of an improvement comes from the big BMS mid drivers as compared to doing just the V-Trac horn upgrade (using adapters and the original
K55 Klipsch drivers). Here is some feedback regarding that question.
Mike from Sparta, WI
Dear Santa, I received my package yesterday afternoon, and installed my new BMS drivers today. I must tell you how wonderful they sound. The larger diameter drivers really changed the speaker performance. They opened up the sound stage and increased the clarity of the entire music spectrum with a new, and apparent fullness that I didn't get from the Klipsch factory drivers. I actually heard background instruments on several recordings today that I don't ever recall hearing before. I'm very excited and impressed with the overall performance of the V-Ttrac horns with the BMS drivers, and I think Paul Klipsch would be extremely pleased with the combination of all of these components if he had been able to hear them. Thanks again for your ingenuity and experimentation in creating these fabulous upgrades. I'm extremely happy with my Christmas 2018! Mike
Tom, from Baltimore MD
Hello Greg So very sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you regarding the Klipschorn upgrade I purchased a while ago. Life just gets in the way sometimes. I have however had plenty of time to live with these speakers and thoroughly evaluate them. My initial impression was very positive and after extended listening, I am truly elated with the sound your upgrades have made. I have been listening to many recordings that I know very well, and these selections have never sounded better or more real or more "right". Bravo!!! The original components of my 1975 vintage Khorns certainly produced some high quality sound, but the Volti Audio upgraded horns and drivers leave the originals far behind. The low level detail is much greater now, the soundstage and imaging is improved, and vocals sound so real and "right". Overall I am very very pleased. You did one helluva job designing the system. I will continue to praise Volti Audio to anyone who is interested in high quality sound!!! Regards,
Lee, from Erie, PA
I've been listening to the Upgrades for two weeks, and everything sounds fantastic. Female voices are not harsh like they sounded with the old horns, and the new sound is so much more detailed, clear and present. My two original recordings I use for reference, really sing. One recording is the USAF concert band recorded live playing, Stars & Stripes. The piccolos are fantastic. The second is Gillian Weir, organist playing Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor on a Lawrence Phelps mechanical action pipe organ at a local church during a two week recording session. Thanks for making these Upgrades, they make my "toys" sound unbelievably good. Keep up, the good work.
Posted On The Klipsch Forum By "vindeville"
The past few months I have been upgrading my Khorns with Gregs products and wanted to share some thoughts on them. First off Greg is a down to earth guy who will spend time answering emails and talking on the phone to answer questions and share thoughts. Each Piece I have purchased from him to date is very well crafted and thought out. The V-tracs are very solidly built to begin with and fit was perfect into my K-horns. I actually hate to have these covered up by the grill cloth but even that was stretched and stapled to perfection. I bought the 120 adaptors for my stock k-55's to use on these as well. Those are also made well and mounted nicely onto the horns with everything lining up perfectly. The interesting process that Greg describes when making the adaptors seems to have worked in my opinion. I have had great results with this set up and I probably would not ever really need to buy a 2" exit driver. Of course I plan on doing that just the same cause I am so into knowing what the next thing will bring. The idea that you can do these upgrades in several steps and each time get that thrill and likely reward for going to the next tier is fun. Gregs offerings support this notion very well. When I recieved the VTK crossovers and opened them up I was floored by how they looked. Robust, clean looking and again well crafted pieces for sure. I dont know if I can ever bury them under the top hats or not, I have been very happy with the sound of these networks, and the amount of flexibility they provide while maintaining a simple approach is noteworthy in my opinion. Volti keeps an inventory of everything they sell in my experience and I recieved my order in a couple of days each time.
Not having to wait is a plus for an impatient fella like myself. Everything was expertly packaged as well.
Overall a great experience dealing with Greg and I feel I have a friend I can sometimes turn to for advice and opinions
as well. These upgrades are all improvments, sound fantastic and are worth every penny I have spent.
Letter From Rob in Vancouver
Hi Greg and Laurie, I completed the Klipschorn upgrade without any difficulty. Everything fit perfectly and the instructions were excellent. I've been listening to them for 10 days or so and I'm, or should I say we, are very happy. My wife is very attached to the old "horns" and was apprehensive about making such a drastic change. She's a believer now. We listen in a near field configuration. Maybe not the best for these speakers, but that's how it turned out in our little house. I found that dialing down the midrange -12db and setting the upper-bass to the middle position produced the most pleasing result. I may be able to take the mids back up a notch once everything breaks in and blends. My youngest son is a recording engineer with very acute hearing, and being a critical listener is his job. He grew up on the old horns and was very impressed with the transformation to say the least. He thought the balance was close to perfect. Perhaps a tiny bit hot in the top end. He figures that will sweeten with a bit more time. In my experience break in is a real thing, whether it's tubes or speakers or electronics. I am glad we went for the woofer upgrade. It's impossible for me to know what part of the improvement is due to the crossover, the mid range horn or the new woofers, but all I can say is that the bass is amazing. These days we tend to listen to a lot of "world" music and jazz and such. This material always sounded good, but my kids, who are musicians, always complained that the horns had a tendency to suck a bit of the life out of Rock. No longer the case!! The midrange sounds terrific no matter what we're playing. Many thanks for your efforts in providing new life for this venerable design. The kids are going to have to pull straws. Glad to provide a reference if it's a help. Warm regards to you both,
Letter From Adrian Lane
Hey Greg, just wanted to give you some feedback on the upgrades. "Oh, wow, listen to the detail" - That was my wife (the musician), about ten seconds into the first song. I've just finished upgrading my Klipschorns with your V-Trac mid horns, the BMS drivers, and the Beyma CP-25 tweeters. Now technically, 'my' Klipsch K-Horns are not really mine, but my wife's - Her father purchased them new in 1973, and they have been her favorite speakers for years. A couple of years ago I started diddling with them, and she has been a bit reticent about the whole process. But the upgrade to the ALK crossovers two years ago was a big improvement so she let me go forward with the Volti upgrades now. She was alarmed to see her speakers entirely disassembled and strewn around the room, but after about 4 hours of work, they were back together and it was time for cocktails and some music. After a couple hours of listening, a few things are 'clear'. Listening to the upgraded speakers provides MUCH more detail and clarity, and I don't mean must a little, but a LOT! Noticeable within the first minute, but wait 20 minutes and you realize that it's not just more detail, but that that each instrument is so freely delineated from all others, and just THERE. The second biggest impression is that the presentation is more relaxed, with less noise and is now a lot more fun to turn up loud. Third impression is less 'horn' effect. Most people complain that stock Khorns have that 'shouty' horn problem; that never has bothered me that much. While I know it's there, my brain seems to remove it from the music and make it less of a nuisance. What bothered me more than the shouting, was the slurring in the mid-range from the stock mid horns. Female vocals, notable around hard 'S's was bothersome, and that's almost totally gone. But where the midrange improvement really stands out for me is with percussive sounds like piano notes and guitar strings. They have more impact, are explosive into the room on the initial note, and resonate beautifully. Last bit that strikes me is the tone. Instruments sound a lot more like they should. To use a color analogy it's like going from an old yellowed headlight to a new, crisp white one. Instruments just sound closer to what they should sound like. And I should add that the comments on the user reviews you've posted on your website are accurate when it comes to build quality. I've never seen plywood made to look this nice, not even in a Bernard Maybeck home. And every piece you could need is there in the box. More importantly the instructions were very good, included ample pictures, when I could not quite grasp the text at first. The Volti upgrades are a huge WIN, and at a very affordable price. I have the old sound burned in my mind, so now, each time I turn them on it's a 'Wow!' moment. The resulting improvement in the quality of sound is very, very much worth the cost and effort to upgrade. More importantly - my wife is as happy with the upgrades as I am. Thanks!
Mike purchased a pair of the Fc260 horns,
which are the same horns used in the V-Trac horn kit, only without the grill frame, cloth, and
tweeter motorboards. He's using them with a custom built ported bass cabinet and
horn tweeters in a three-way setup.
"You did a very nice job on these horns.
The workmanship is excellent".
"There is a noticeable tonal difference between these and the Jabo horns I was
using. I would say it's a bit more smooth, and more life-like especially
on vocals and piano. It may be a psychological thing but, it seems more
"woody". It's kind of less bright even though I run them only from 600
to the natural rolloff of the BMS driver (about 6500 Hz). I am very pleased with
the sound".
"These horns are wonderful, I'm selling the Jabo's". Larry also purchased the Fc260 horns, and built his own grill frame to go in his Khorns. "I just
finished installing Greg's V-Trac horns this morning with BMS 4592ND-MID drivers,
Beyma CP25 tweeters and ALK Universal crossovers. After listening
for a few hours off and on this afternoon and tonight, I have to say that my
current configuration is a vast improvement over a stock Khorn".
"Gone is the
thin midrange with its unwanted HF overtones. The sound is much smoother,
mellower, and easier on the ears. The bass even seems stronger and
more clear".
"When I originally acquired my Khorns, they did not live up to my expectations
even after replacing all the drivers and refurbishing the networks. Now
they sound like the speakers I always thought Khorns should sound like.
Nice work Greg".
"Hello Greg,
Randy was the first person to listen to the V-Trac demo units in his home. He used them on his Khorn bass bins with some very nice McIntosh gear powering them. "These are really nice. I have put
them through several types of music from rock to blues to jazz, and they are really
an incredible upgrade. I can't quit listening! I'm getting
a much smoother presentation across every range of music I play".
"Let me tell you, I have had ALK Trachorns for about two years, and I thought
they were a big step up from the stock mid horns, but the V-Trac upgrade takes
the performance of the Khorn to even higher level for sure".
"I listened for about 6 hours mostly at high volume, which is the way
I like to listen (100 - 108 db), and whatever selections I chose, the
sound was incredible. I have never heard Khorns sound like
this. The sound was so smooth and clear and the V-Tracs seem
to bring out an upper mid bass that was missing most of the time before".
"I realize the BMS 4592 mid driver is a first class driver and is not cheap
in price, but mated with the V-Trac, it really puts the Khorn in another class".
After a few weeks: Jamming to Alman Brothers, live at the Filmore
east tonight through the V-Trac's and it is unreal incredible! This
setup just keeps getting better. Khorns with es networks, your V-Trac
horns, and Mcintosh 501 monoblocs is unreal.
Greg has really discovered something here with the two-inch format for the
Khorn. Its not a cheap upgrade but it is worth the cost.
Simply stunning. Randy Matt tried out the Demo Units on his Khorn bass bins. "The midrange was more present - less like coming from
a microphone and sound system and more like a live acoustic performance - very
intimate. It lacked the usual "horny" sound of the Klipsch heritage series speakers".
"There was a distinct absence of the 'ringing' overtones that I often hear from my Klipschorns".
"I compared the V-Trac horns directly against the stock Khorn components and there were
occassions when I found myself preferring one over the other. For example,
Steely Dan's 'Gaucho' instruments seemed to sound better to me with my standard Khorns,
but Norah Jones sounded much better with the V-Trac setup. The V-Tracs
are particularly good at taking the blaring harshness away from female voice, which is
what I was hoping they would do. To me though, the tradeoff seemed to be in middle
register string instruments like piano and guitar, which seem to benefit from the
'ring' of the stock K400 horn". Rich is using a pair of Fc260 horns in a "Cornscala" arrangement. I got a chuckle from what he said just after sending the demo units on to the next person: "The "withdrawal" factor has kicked in. I guess I had
actually gotten used to them because my 1" are almost unacceptable. I keep
going back re-checking all my connections thinking something is wrong now!
Yes, Greg, I have to have them". After receiving his Fc260 horns: "This set-up with my Cornscala's has a bigger, more
dynamic and "open" sound. I am comparing them directly to 1" tractrix horns,
which I was very happy with, but the V-Trac horns and BMS drivers are a substantial
improvement. To my ears, the differences are even more exaggerated at medium
to high volume levels.
"I did not find the Beyma "hot" in any way, SUPER smooth as was the midrange".
"It surprises me you don't have hundreds on your list for the demo units"???
"I am using Quicksilver SET 88 monos which I have just recently purchased along with
a VTL TL-5 pre, and Don Allen CD/ Denon 2910". Jay made these comments after listening to the demo units with his Khorns. "There was an imediate noticable difference, so
much clarity, detail, inner detail, and improvement in the mid bass area.
"The soundstage was much improved as was the imaging, you could actually
sit off axis and it sounded great".
"At first I thought these were going to overpower my room, but after some
tinkering. . . . there was the magic. My system never sounded so good,
and it was a lot more than I expected. OMG!!! what a really really
nice sound . . . . .Just an overwhelming experience.
"There is so much more I could say about my expirence with the demos, but it
would get a little over the top. The depth of the music was fantastic,
the realism of the music and the natural sound of the horns is more than I
ever expected. I could go on and on but you are just going to have
to hear them for yourselves. Take it from me, YOU WILL NOT BE
DISAPPOINTED. Get on the list and hear them if you want to take
your big Heritage Speakers to the ultimate level they can achieve.
"BTW the guys in my audio club were blown away to say the least!!!
To mention a couple of them - Richard Gray of the RGPC, and Nick Ferber a
friend of DR. Bruce Edgar, and a few other golden ears".
"My system as demoed: Sophia Electric 300B MKII amp, Rogue Audio 99 Magnum pre,
Ah Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CDP, VPI Scoutmater/JMW 9, Otari MX 5050 BII Reel 2 Reel,
Tape Project Tapes, RGPC power conditioner". I did a complete restoration on Mike's Khorns and included the V-Trac horns and BMS drivers along with many other upgrades. I also auditioned them in my living room prior to shipping them back, and they are probably the nicest sounding Khorns in the world. Even better than my own because of the closed-in backs on the bass bins. FLKhorns Restoration Page
"I've only had about 10 hours on mine,
but I can tell you they are the best sounding speakers I have ever heard
in my lifetime. The details are simply stunning, and the soundstage
is huge! The other nice thing I like about this combo is I don't
have to sit dead center anymore, it sounds just as good a couple feet left
or right. I'm not home for another week but I can't wait to fire
up the sound system as soon as I walk thru the door". Mike
"The details I am hearing are overwhelming! After living with this
combo I could never go back to the stock configuration. There is
no comparison beween the K55/K400 setup and the BMS/V-Trac! I agree
the cost is substantial but well worth it in my opinion. For those
of you on the fence with this upgrade I think you need to take a leap of
faith. This combo is all its advertised to be and more. I
think it's the best upgrade I have ever heard". Mike
In a round-about way, Chris ended up with the very first pair of Khorns that I restored.
"These demo units arrived 1-1/2 weeks ago but due to
some crazy business travel I have only opened the crate and set them up this morning.
I am now listening to track #3 of my demo disk and all I can say is
'Greg, you've hit a home run with this product!' The sound that is
coming from my Klipschorns is an order of magnitude better than what I had earlier today.
There is no way to compare the two, but I'll try ... First impression ... Bass!
It's really unbelievable how the addition of the 2" midrange horn
and flare has really beefed up the low-end. Stunning.
Secondly, the midrange is exactly like so many before have described ...
detailed, wide, unconstrained ... just wonderful.
This is easily the biggest upgrade to my system imaginable.
Mike Lindsay (FLKhorns owner) was exactly right ... best speakers I've ever heard.
I have so much music to listen to this afternoon and tomorrow ... want to try
some movie tracks ... Good Lord ... what a difference.
As soon as I can, my wallet will be a few grand lighter.
Great work, Greg. Absolutely a game-changing product."
Chris.
What
They Said These
are actual quotes from emails that people have sent to me. If you
read all of these, you might have a little too much time on your hands! LOL!
Packaging . . . .
. "Great
packing job. UPS was rough on the box but they arrived
perfectly." "Received the V-Tracs last
Monday. Amazingly well packed. I am very impressed with workmanship of
items." Upgrades . . . .
. "I'm finally ready to buy the V-Trac
horn upgrade for my K-Horns to replace the horns I bought from Al Klap. Funny that he's making a 2" horn now
when I read his words that he doesn't see any benefit in a 2" over a
1"..........2" reigns supreme!
I get amazing imaging from the mid and highs with great bass
response." "Been
listening to the new speakers now for a few months. Am driving them with a
Shindo Montille. Quite amazing improvement over the stock
Klipsch." "When
I installed the woofers and went to stand up one of the cabinets (they were
lying on their face)
I heard
something rolling around in the chamber.
I immediately recalled forgetting to take the flashlight out of the
woofer chamber, so I had to pry off the chamber door again and retrieve the
flashlight. Good thing I'm not a
surgeon!" "I think someone would have to be
stubborn or ignorant to not admit that there is a "problem" with most horn
speakers. Your V-Trac solved this problem. That's why the V-Trac'd
Khorn can be invited into the world of "super hi-end speakers" Simply
stated, it's tonally pure." "Greg, we played Neil Young's "Trans
Am" from the Sleeps With Angels CD. Unbelievable! Lynne and I just
stared at each other and laughed. Talk about DYMANIC!! You could
taste and touch the music." "I still wonder how you are making
any money at your prices. I know, volume. Still, I wouldn't touch
that job for $799. Bending wood, painting, grill cloth, etc.
I still claim my purchase was one of the best values in my
life. After a month with the V-Tracs, the thrill still hasn't worn
off. We are literally plowing through our music collection, just to hear
what we've been missing. Lyle Lovett last night, "creeps
like me". Amazing." "Brad in Lincoln called and he's
pretty wound up about his V-Trac's. He called me during the super bowl to
gloat. He was playing records rather than watching the game. I think
you have another endorsement." "Played Nickle Creek's first CD the
other day and it sounded like a different recording. Chris's mandolin
playing went from excellent (Stock driver) to Un-fricken-believable, other
worldly amazing (V-Tracs). We couldn't believe how much of that recording we had
missed." "Just
wanted to let you know that I posted my experience with the
horns/drivers/crossover upgrades today on the Klipsch forum. Bottom line:
the K-horns sound AMAZING now. I can't believe they are the same speakers.
They sound SO much better in EVERY way." "I did get the
V-Trac horns and they arrived perfectly. I just installed them a couple
days back and am now enjoying true audio bliss. They are just so freaking
clear/neutral. There is no "honky-ness" to them at all." "The
Belles with the V-Trac horns are sounding great. I am really enjoying
them." "Thanks for designing and selling the
V-Tracs. They have made a world of difference in my audio system. I
have all the advantages of the classic Klipschorn look and better horns and
drivers to boot!" "The horns are wonderful. I'm selling the
Jabo's." "Everything is sounding
great with the speakers, best investment I've made. Fantastic
dynamics!!" "I definitely feel
it has been money well spent and would not hesitate to recommend the
upgrade to anyone else." "They
sound great, and I'm really glad I took the chance and went with the
upgrades!!!" "I am very impressed with your
"V-TRAC" demo system, it is a remarkable approach." Workmanship . . . .
. "I
got the V-Tracs in the top hats last night, tweeters mounted to
brackets. Your workmanship exceeds even my own high
standards." "Greg,
Your work is excellent, and I had no issues installing the horns. I did
loosen the screws holding the tophat top, allowing more space as I slid the
horns in. After securing them, I retightened them. I used a clamp to
hold the horns to and fro as I drove the sheetrock screws into the
horns. The only variations from perfect liner tops and bottoms were from
different layerings of grill cloth. I used a 4 foot level across the top
and bottom and sighted where the felts needed to go. We're really
splitting hairs here. I'd say your quality control exceeds the
Klipsch factory. Everything is square and exactly the right size.
Your grill cloth is stretched tighter than the originals." "Greg, darn-it...............this new LAVERA HORN of
yours!!!!!!!!! What is your trade-in/trade-up policy going to be when I
can't stand it any longer?
That is one really nice looking corner-piece. I'm saving up already!!" "Very
nice workmanship on your part."
"The quality
and craftsmanship of your horns is superb...........so much so that it prodded
me into really doing some upgrading on my Khorn cabinets while I was
retrofitting your horns into the tophat section." "Have received
your two boxes.
Unpacked and checked for damage. Everything is in excellent shape.
The quality surpasses all my expectations. " "The horns look great, I can appreciate your
craftsmanship and attention to detail, great packing job!" "Everything in
the first box looks great! What a
fantastic job you did!" "The Lavera Horn is a work of art. I think i would sell all 20 of my other
Klipsch speakers to have them...lol.
Hands down the best looking horns I have ever seen. Keep up the great
work." "PS- your craftsmanship on your
rebuilds is outstanding. NICE
WORK!" "Greg,
I'm impressed and then some!! Beautiful work!" "I truly believe Paul Klipsch
himself would be very proud and honored by your work." "I am deeply
impressed with the quailty of your work, and I wish you all the best in your new
venture: I have no doubts that you shall flourish!" "Just wanted to tell you that
your work is top of the heap." "I want to
congratulate you about your fantastic work on the Klipschorn speakers. You give them a second life better than
their first one." Newsletter . . . .
. "Very cool newsletter. Love the
pictures and the updates!" "Greg,
great read in this letter. Very interesting test you did on the
tweeters." "Incredible
newsletter!" Website . . . .
. "Congratulations to your great
website!!" "Greg, nice work on the web site. Looking forward to more of your
'listening' updates.
Thanks." 'Great site
your pictures are A++++++++!!!!!!!!!" Restorations . . . .
. "My
God, what a wonderful job you've done on that pair of KHorns. You're truly
an "When I view your pages, I can just
smell the wood!" "I
enjoy looking at these works of "Just stunning restoration and visual improvement all
around, keep up the good work!" "Amazingly beautiful job! That
is an incredible veneer, and you've really made it work to the best
advantage." "Nice job, excellent
finish and a very nice restoration." "I
still check your web pages once and a while to see what your latest project is
and I am never disappointed. The project you recently completed for the customer
in Florida was another good example of the oh so excellent work that you do on
your restorations of Klipsch speakers. If you were not so far away I’d love to
visit, get a chance to say hi and see one of your projects in
person." "was
checking out your restoration work...incredibly beautiful..thanks for
sharing" "These
are so awesome! I have Speakerlab "K"s and am very envious! You ought to be very proud of the work
you did here." "Awesome
project!!!!!" "I'm speechless in
admiration, envious of the new owners, most of all, astounded at your high
quality work and dedication. That's it, for now. I need to catch my breath.
Great job is an understatement." "Stunning!!!" "Thank
you very very much for the effort put into your web pages. The pages speak
volumes of thought and effort that you have put into these restoration
projects." "HI greg, i
came across your page and have been looking at your work, a true craftsman, its
good to see some one with the skill and passion that you
have" "I just
visited your website. I am amazed at the quality of work you
produce! Beautiful! A true craftsman." "I
stumbled onto your web site and felt compelled to write and commend you for the
extensive effort and superb craftsmanship you employ in your restoration
work. Congratulations on your work
ethic and skill level...your work is fabulous."
Greg |
