Klipsch loudspeaker corner

ALK Engineering Universal upgrade (The original "ALK") for the Klipsch balancing networks found in the Klipschorn, La Scala and Belle Klipsch including A, AA, AK-#, AL-# and AB-#.

 
   Pricing (set of two): Complete $540.00, In kit form $290.00 
   Weight: 13 Lbs. 
   Shipping box: 
     Finished: 15 x 12 x 10 Inch 
          Kit: 13 x 11 x 5 Inch
    Estimate shipping cost

This single network design can replace the stock Klipsch networks for the Klipschorn, LaScala and Belle Klipsch because it uses a very gentle slope filter to transition between the woofer horn and squawker horn. The horns themselves establish the true acoustic crossover. It does this in the same way as the Klipsch "AA" network which was used in all three speakers in the early 1970s. It can be considered a modern redesign inspired by the "AA" but far superior in every way.

Kimber Kap Polypropylene Capacitors in the critical squawker / tweeter crossover and Sonicaps metalized Polypropylene capactors in the tweeter filter output position. All capacitors are matched sets. These capacitors have virtually no dissipation. (Hovland Musicaps are no longer available). The kit version is supplied with Solen FastCaps in place of the white Sonicaps used in the finished version.
Available in matched sets of 2 or 3 networks.
Inductors are high "Q" Solen "Perfect lay" #14 AWG Litz wire for the squawker / tweeter crossover and Solen solid #12 AWG for the woofer inductor. All air-core. The quality factors (losses) of these inductors is about three times that used by Klipsch.
A specially designed autotransformer having low DC resistance and tight coupling provides taps to allow squawker level setting changes by the customer. The choices will be approximately 4.6, 6.2, 6.7, 7.4, 9.5, 10.4 and 12.5 dB attenuation selected without soldering by push-on terminals. The normal setting will be 6.2 dB. This adjustment will also allow the use of 8 Ohm squawker drivers without modification.
Easy installation via a screw-terminal barrier block exactly like that used by Klipsch. All driver connections will be in the same order and location. Only a screwdriver will be needed unless you have the "AK" series network in a Klipschorn. This network requires a little more work to replace. Contact ALK Engineering for details.
Bi-Wire capable (use separate cables to carry high and low frequencies).
Crossover rates are 6 dB / Octave on the woofer. 12 dB / Octave on the squawker and 18 dB / octave on the tweeter.
The network is a true multiplexer providing constant load impedance to the amplifier. The amplifier sees the speaker drivers, not the network! With the woofer and tweeter outputs terminated in 8 Ohms and the squawker output terminated by 13 Ohms, the input polar impedance to the network is approximately 8 Ohms +-1 Ohm at +-10 degrees from 20 Hz to 20 KHz.
Easily replaceable fast-blow 1.5 Amp fuse in a socket protects the woofer.
Each network pair comes with measured proof of performance data.

Don't turn the clock on your Klipsch back to 1975 with a newly built A or AA "Clone", when you can turn it forward with a modern design!

View the Universal upgrade network installation guide (pdf format, Size: 400K)

Universal upgrade network parts kits

We are now making parts kits available for the Universal upgrade network. The kit includes all the parts except wire and solder. This includes the pre-drilled base board, matched sets of capacitors and a 12 page step-by-step instruction book with over 40 illustrations. The price is a considerable savings compared to the fully built and tested networks.

Here's what comes with the kit

But what can I expect them to sound like? Here's what some users think of the Universal upgrade network.

A technical comparison of the ALK Universal upgrade to the Klipsch "AA"

For the technical types, here are transfer function plots comparing the ALK Universal with the Klipsch type "AA" networks. Notice how the Klipsch squawker filter has NO UPPER CROSSOVER AT ALL! It depends entirely on the squawker driver's natural rolloff above 6000 Hz. The squawker and tweeter are actually operating together above about 5000 Hz. The early K55V squawker drivers (with push-pin connections) have a return response at 9 KHz that clashes with the tweeter. The stock Klipsch networks do not attenuate it at all.

Look at the loss in the Klipsch tweeter filter at 17 KHz. Half the energy to the tweeter (3 dB) is lost in the network itself! This loss, combined with the 9 KHz "glitch", cause the speaker to sound somewhat harsh and not as "crisp" as it could.

An equally important factor is the impedance load your speaker provides to your amplifier. The Klipsch network, even with perfectly resistive loads connected to the network in place of the drivers, looks reactive (capacitive or inductive as can be seen on the top +-180 plot) and varies from less than 8 Ohms to nearly 30 Ohms over the audio range. The ALK Universal upgrade has a nearly perfect resistive 8 Ohms over the same range! This is just what a vacuum tube amplifier in particular likes to see to perform at its best.

The design for this network is available for the do-it-yourself entheusiast from the Downloads section

The Universal replacement network can also be used in combination with one of the Extreme-slope woofer / squawker networks to handle the squawker / tweeter crossover by connecting to the "Bi-amp" input of the Universal network

This is a good way to upgrade to an Extreme-slope network set slowly, one step at a time if you already own the Universal network.

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