Model 19 Reviews

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Originally Posted by Altec Best

I found to me that they are very shouty,all Treble (Khorn)

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That was my impression of the very High Efficiency Khorns in the 70s and 80s, when High Power Solid State Amps were the rage. After I heard a Pair of Khorns with low powered SET amps, it totally changed my opinion. I run my Altec/Khorns with a 45 amp that has 1.8 watts per channel. - If you have not heard SET amps and Horns, I would try to get a demo.

As someone who owns both, I have to say that each have their strengths and weaknesses. First off, I have redone the 19's Crossover with Solens, FWIW. Some would say that makes them too bright, but not to my ears. The K-horns are untouched.

In a nutshell, I would say that the K-horns have better bass, but noticeably shouter mids and highs, even on tube power. Maybe it's the fault of the modded PP EL84 Maggie amp on the K-horns. However, I've also had my SE 45 amp on the K-horns with the same issue to my ears.

The 19's don't have as much bass, but what they have is just fine. They also will get slightly fatiguing to my ears after awhile, but it takes a lot more volume for a lot longer time, and varies with the amp used. I curently have the 45 amp on the 19's, and there is just something about Altecs and low powered SE tube amps.

I suppose that's why I'm rounding up the pieces for a 2A3 SE amp now.....YMMV

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Originally Posted by analog addict

As someone who owns both, I have to say that each have their strengths and weaknesses. First off, I have redone the 19's Crossover with Solens, FWIW. Some would say that makes them too bright, but not to my ears. The K-horns are untouched.

In a nutshell, I would say that the K-horns have better bass, but noticeably shouter mids and highs, even on tube power. Maybe it's the fault of the modded PP EL84 Maggie amp on the K-horns. However, I've also had my SE 45 amp on the K-horns with the same issue to my ears.

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I thought Khorns sounded 'constricted' in the Mid range, that's why I went to the Large Format Altec Horns and Drivers.

Let me ask you a question, what type of crossovers are you running in the Khorns? - I have found the Type "A" to be the best with the Low Powered SET amps. I have 45's, 2A3s and 300b's. I use a modified type "A" with my Khorn/Altec System.

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Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

Most people don't know how to set up Khorns, and they are pretty fussy as far as set up.

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I once went to hear some khorns that were not even set up in the corners of a room.....not going to work so well.
I also owned Cornwalls .... a little fussy with different types of amplification and music source. So I would agree, before evaluating a speaker, make sure it is functioning properly and set up properly. For me , a properly set up model 19, (for the money) can't be beat!

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Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

I know that I am in the minority on this, but the 19 never appealed to me. It had what I call the 'Club Sound' - More Bass than clarity. And a lot of folks prefer the 'Big' 'Club Sound'. Maybe it is the music that I prefer. The small Jazz trios, female vocals, guitar solos... etc -

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Same here! My personal complaint is that the sound of the horns are not as clear and I too found the bass dictates the presentation(using SET amps). My Orion + will run all over the 19's in terms of clarity and definition not to mention bass with the correct balance. But it is OB in design. Maybe my ears does not like box speakers anymore.

Abe

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Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

That was my impression of the very High Efficiency Khorns in the 70s and 80s, when High Power Solid State Amps were the rage. After I heard a Pair of Khorns with low powered SET amps, it totally changed my opinion. I run my Altec/Khorns with a 45 amp that has 1.8 watts per channel. - If you have not heard SET amps and Horns, I would try to get a demo.

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In my opinion, that should be True DHT SET amps. Not like a IDHT pentode strapped ones for example

regards,

Abe

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Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

I was only comparing the Klipschorn to the Model 19. I doubt any disco that you were in had Klipschorns, and if they did they would not have been properly placed into proper corners to develop the superb bass that they are capable of! Most people don't know how to set up Khorns, and they are pretty fussy as far as set up.

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And you'd be wrong.....MOST of the disco's where I grew up at were Klipsch....and installed by (at the time) the #1 Klipsch dealer/installer in the country (Superior Sound).

The first Klipsch speaker I really really liked was the Forte'.

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Originally Posted by MikeInNH

And you'd be wrong.....MOST of the disco's where I grew up at were Klipsch....and installed by (at the time) the #1 Klipsch dealer/installer in the country (Superior Sound).

The first Klipsch speaker I really really liked was the Forte'.

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Well, I am having a hard time believing that you actually saw Klipschorns at a Disco. If you did and they were set up properly, they would be about 20 feet apart in proper corners, which is a pretty small disco. Yes, the Discos probably had Klipsch Speakers, but I'd be shocked if they had Klipschorns, which were designed for the home and not used for the 'pro environment'

I am also guessing that if you heard Klipschorns at a Disco, they were powered by some massive solid state amps, and I would have agreed with you that they would have sounded terrible. Throw in some lousy disco room acoustics, and some terrible disco music and yes, you would have a recipe for disaster.

I just read the wiki on Dr. John K. Hilliard--what an interesting part of Altec's history he was (and history in general). At the risk of sounding ignorant, I don't get what he meant about Klipschorns when he said "You know - if you listen carefully, you'll find it not only doubles, it triples!"

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Originally Posted by MikeInNH

When I bought my model 15's about 30 years ago I too listened to the Klipschorn and LaScala's. And to say the Klipschorn and LaScala's had a weak midrange was an understatement. It was downright horrible. A few years later a guy I worked with had a pair of LaScala's and we did a side-by-side comparison. We played his favorite album. And one song when played through my 15's...he had to stop and play a certain section over and over again...back and forth between the 15's and LaScala's. There was a faint bell being played in the background only heard on the 15's...On the LaScala's you literally couldn't even hear it...it was that muffled. He was so impressed with the musicality of the 15's...he sold his LaScala's and bought a new pair of Model 19's....and never regretted it.

That era Klipsch speakers you never new who made their drivers. Their base...while plenty of punch and loud..always sounded muddy to me. This was the end of the disco era....and whenever I walked into a disco that had Klipsch speakers I knew it long before I ever saw them..The lack of good solid deep base along with the almost non-existent mid-range was a dead giveaway.

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I had a similar experience (not hearing it all) with my K-horns. I remember vividly listening to a Gordon Lightfoot CD track with which I was very familiar. I purchased a pair of Quad ESL-63s and listened to the same track and was astonished to hear, very clearly, backup singers singing at the song's end. They were completely inaudible over the K-horns.

Along with my Quads, I now have a pair of Altec Model 19s, and those backup singers are audible over the 19s too. I have had both Klipsch Cornwalls and K-horns. I vastly prefer the Model 19s. Much more accurate and listenable speakers than my Klipsches for those of us who don't mind big speakers and like the clarity and efficiency horns allow.

George