Klipsch 3-way bookshelf speakers?

[whaaat]

I saw a pair of these at a local pawn shop. Thing was, they had a tweeter and mid cone on the front, and a woofer on the back, facing the rear wall.
This seemed like a really clever design (space efficiency wise) but does that particular design cause problems with imaging?
Does anybody have any experience with these speakers, and can comment? I know that the Klipsch Horn and Citations are pretty well regarded around here.
Thanks in advance.

[-=Rudy=-]

Slightly off topic--does anyone know at what point Paul Klipsch stopped designing speakers?

[James RD]

Originally posted by whaaat
I saw a pair of these at a local pawn shop. Thing was, they had a tweeter and mid cone on the front, and a woofer on the back, facing the rear wall.
This seemed like a really clever design (space efficiency wise) but does that particular design cause problems with imaging?
Does anybody have any experience with these speakers, and can comment? I know that the Klipsch Horn and Citations are pretty well regarded around here.
Thanks in advance.

Are you sure that wasn't a two-way speaker with a passive radiator in the back?

[Clay]

I just picked up a pair of Klipsch 4's (?) with the horn and woofer and a big passive radiator on the back. they go for over $200 on ebay yet I have not listened to them yet. Likely the rear is a passive radiator - yet looks like a speaker.

[whaaat]

Originally posted by James RD


Are you sure that wasn't a two-way speaker with a passive radiator in the back?
Yeah, that must be what it was. Forgive my ignorance, but what purpose does the passive radiator serve. If we had an embarassed smilie, I'd post it. :laugh:
Thanks to both of you for the info.

[Taurus]

I no Klipsch expert but I'm 99.999% sure that speaker was one I almost bought back in the 80s. It used an 8" woofer, a 1" yellowish dome tweeter with a small round horn (about 4" across & 2" deep) and a passive radiator mounted on the back panel (Klipsch used to use this configuration a lot).

Unfortunately my college books & tuition cost more than I planned & I had to go with some Baby Advents instead. Yea I know, a totally different sonic personality but I guess I like the extremes of whatever hobby I'm into!

[T]

[Taurus]

Read about passive radiators here. (http://www.humanspeakers.com/whatis/PR.htm)

The rest of the website is very informative. And he makes replacement speakers for EPI and Genesis speakers and DIY kits (nope I don't know this guy).

[T]

[Clay]

Passive radiators provide low frequencies.
IMO they work better than ports on many speakers since they eliminate the whoosh sound of a port.
IMO
They are tuned to pick up and radiate at harmonic frequencies of the woofer. They can get boomy at louder volumes and definitely not as accurate as a subwoofer.
I have a great system set up in the living room that uses passive radiators and they sound great at low and medium volume. possibly up to 90dB or so. I need to get out my trusty Radio shack analog Sound pressure level meter to see.

The same speaker (in a different cabinet) in my den sounds much better at loud volumes since it has a 1/4 wave transmission line instead of a passive radiator for the low notes. These babies sound great at 105dB ouch!!!

[whaaat]

Thanks again! :)