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Review 2 of 4
Price Paid:
$375.00
from previous owner Summary:
I recently purchased a pair from a local private owner for $375. At the same time an eBay buyer paid $255 for a pair from Michigan. On the same classified section I bought my pair, was offered at $750/pr. These are the typical price ranges for this quality speaker today. Keep in mind that cabinets are only as quality as the craftsman who made them, so never make an offer on them without checking them out fully, first. Also these are 50 in. (H) X 32 in. (W) X 28 in. (D), so furniture movers are required means of shipping properly for you eBay buyers (usually 135 lbs. ea. 270 lbs.!!! per pair.), so local purchase is recommended.
As another reviewer pointed out there are a couple of versions as per drivers, the cabinet plans are all the same so variations incabinets are soley those of the builder. All true Sk's are comprised of either the EV T-35 horn tweeter, EV horn mids, and a EV 15 in. woofer, OR, the Speakerlab WA 4000 horn tweeter, HM 350 horn midrange (alnico magnet), and 15 in. W 1508S woofer driver compliments. Avoid any non-horn mid/tweeter variations as raw drivers could be purchased separately as were the $5 SK cabinet plans(83'). The SK X-overs are quality, as only hand made can be, and were designed and assembled by Speakerlab from 1973 to about 1983, with leftover stock available till about 1988 or so.
With the above driver compliments, X-overs, and a quality built cabinet they truly sound astonishing, and have everyone exclaiming about their quality in all music reproduction. The first driver variation is identical to klipschorns. The second, Speakerlab driver improves on the klipschorns with a wider dispersion tweeter, with 200W power handling and 20+khz range as opposed to the 17.5khz limit of the EV T-35/K 77 K tweeter. The range is not a huge audible difference, as no one has ever complained of the EV T-35/K 77 K having a limited range since these are still some of the best HF drivers still being widely enjoyed today. But, the Speakerlab WA 4000 driver with 90 degrees vertical and 120 degrees horizontal is quite possibly the widest dispersion horn-loaded tweeter, even today and does have improved presence/imaging over the EV T-35/ K 77 K, listen for yourself if you have the opportunity, plus the EV units would be a puddle of aluminum if driven with >100W for extended periods of time, which would rarely occur with the sensitivity rating of either driver compliment. Bass is solid. You really have to experience cornerhorns, the sound will move you unlike any conventionally placed non-horn loaded LF driver. If you have room for BIG speakers and find these, get them if at all possible, and with klipschorns currently going from $1500 used,to $5000 new, you will find that the Speakerlab SK's are quite possibly the best speaker for the price. Keep in mind that "Horn" speakers not only sound best, but are more expensive to build right so manufacturers today do not offer them in any capacity other than limited (klipsch, klipsch heritage series), or extreme high end (Avant Garde's). Strengths:
Identical to klipschorn cornerhorns. Bright, clean, as excellent a soundstage as the klipschorns. Best price-value ratio than any other audiophile quality loudspeakers. High sensitivity allows use of a wide variety of quality amps from tubes to solid state class A, without requiring high power outputs. Weaknesses:
Cabinets are only as good as the craftsman who constructed them, as SK's were available in kit form only, prices will vary accordingly. (raw speakers & X-overs alone are pricey.)Size and required corner placement may be viewed as a weakness if placed in smaller rooms. Similar Products Used:
Klipsch La Scala, Belle, klipschorn, Chorus, Forte, Cornwall's
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