Klipsch Audio Technologies, a manufacturer of loudspeakers and other audio related entertainment products, earlier this week announced that in celebration of their 60th anniversary in 2006, they were re-launching their Heritage Series loudspeakers which were originally developed by the company in the early days of Hi-Fi. The speakers, said Klipsch, are available in cherry, walnut and black ash wood veneer finishes and can be purchased for a price of $3,750 for each Klipschorn, $2,750 for each La Scala II and $750 for each Heresy III.
The Klipschorn, first patented in 1945, has been in continuous production for 60 years. It has a restructured high-frequency cabinet that eliminates the inset collar, or spacer, between upper and lower cabinets for a cleaner aesthetic appearance. A horizontal wall seal has also been added to improve the low frequency horn’s connection to the wall.
The La Scala II, first launched in 1963, has a raw, unfinished look. It has a grille to cover the mid and high frequency horns. The bass horn cabinet walls are now constructed of 1-inch thick MDF rather than ¾-inch plywood to offer more support, resulting in decreased resonance and cleaner bass response.
The Hersey III, whose predecessor first appeared in 1957, started out as a compact center channel speaker to accompany the Klipschorn in three-speaker stereo arrays. Today, Klipsch has given the Heresy a bi-wire network, titanium diaphragm tweeter and larger magnet assembly. The midrange has moved from a phenolic to a titanium diaphragm. All of these changes result in improved tonal balance and increased output. It ships with a slant riser that can be removed for cabinet installations.
“The Klipschorn, La Scala and Heresy are among the most revered and highly acclaimed loudspeakers in the history of high fidelity audio,” said Paul Jacobs, president of Klipsch Audio Technologies. “These three classic speakers are a big part of what has made our company the success story it is today.”
