KLH Model 17 with Philips AD7060/M4 Full Range Drivers

 Because I can. When these KLH Model 17 speakers re-arrived in my possession I kept getting the idea to experiment with changing the drivers out.

 

 

I had scored a set of Philips AD7060 4 ohm fullrange 6 inch drivers from a thrift store a few years back and was waiting to find a home for them. I had heard great things about the Philips full range drivers and sold a similar pair of alnico versions on Ebay for a great price a while ago.

I have hooked the AD7060 to the tube amp and was impressed by the clarity and efficiency of these little 6 inch wonders, I just knew they where shy on the bass without a super large cabinet, this is where the Model 17's come in.

The Model 17's have a great tight bass from an acoustic suspension cabinet along with a fairly efficient 10" woofer that goes well into 40hz.

I opted to gut the crossover and remover the Model 17 tweeters and enlarge the hole to accommodate the AD7060 fullrange driver. I also opted not to use a crossover between the drivers as the KLH has a natural roll off around 1500hz and is a bit less efficient that the Philips. The AD7060 does not really shine until around 150-200HZ and is pretty smooth to 15,000HZ, about where the original KLH tweeter ran out of steam.

I love matching fullrange speakers with single ended tube amps, this is audio nirvana to me, you get to hear all the music. 

The changing of the tweeter to a fullrange Philips has made these speakers shine, completely opened up the sound stage, words can not convey the difference this change has made.

I know this would seem unconventional to most but I love the sound from this set up. I have been running off the four watt tube amp and wow! the sound is all there and loud enough.

 

Innovative Speaker Designs ISD Spirit 0.25 Speakers

An interesting pair of mini speakers came my way, these Innovative Speaker Designs ISD Spirit 0.25, these see to be well made, locally in Kelowna BC. 

I do not have much information on them but once I saw that they were using Vifa drivers I knew they were of pretty good quality.

The real Rosewood veneer in great shape and the speakers seem really well built with Bennic polypropylene capacitors in the crossover. 

The Vifa woofer is 4.5 inches (C11SG-05) and a Vifa D19SD tweeter.

Not exceptionally low on bass of course, these would benefit with a sub woofer crossed at 150hz. The midrange and highs is where these speakers are at.

 

 

Pretty cool little speakers and a very nice little find locally.