Original 60's classic bookshelf design KLH Model 6s (new) for $99/pr

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These bookshelve speakers were designed in the 60s by Henry Kloss (famous audio pioneer) for KLH (good brand back then). While at Cambridge Soundworks, he revived the classic Model 6 design for current production. They have an 8" woofer for bass down to 50 Hz. They are a little bigger than most current "bookshelves" so check that you have a place for them. They are only $50 per speaker and I don't think you could find a better sounding full-range speaker anywhere near that low of a price. They are air suspension speakers, and Henery Kloss invented that design, so he really knew how to build them good. They were good back then and they are good today, Read the background at Cambridge Soundworks below:

http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com/store/category.cgi?category=speakerdeals&item=53CW0115AA000

 

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I forgot to add that the $99.99/pr sale pricing only lasts untill Februaru 26, 2010. This is such a good bargain and I don't know anyone that needs good low cost speakers right now, including me - so I posted it here so maybe someone here can get a good break.

 

[Matt34]

Just what I don't need but still want.

 

[Seth=L]

If you've never heard a Kloss sealed bookshelf with this design then you'll be floored by how they sound. They don't look it, but they are some sweet sounding speakers, with robust bass.

 

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Okay, I figured wtf for $89.99 shipped, I'll buy a pair of these Model 6 speakers now and figure out exactly how I am going to use them later. Either they will become my new mains or I'll set up a stereo music room in my bedroom. I used cupon code WELCOME10 for an additional 10% off the $99.99/pair sales price. By the time I receive them the sale will be over so I can't report how they sound to me in time to help anyone decide. If I use them as mains I have a SVS PB12+2 to fill in the bottom end. Next job is to find the right height speaker stands for a decent price. Ironically, it will probably cost more for speaker stands than the price of the speakers themselves.

 

[Matt34]

Dang-nabbit, ordered a pair as well. This forum is sooooo bad!

 

[j_garcia]

I owned these. I wasn't impressed.

 

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You found better $89/pair full range speakers?

 

[j_garcia]

LOL, no I can't say that I have, but I didn't feel they were the ultimate classic speaker like they are claiming. I bought a b-stock pair back when they had actual stores with high expectations and they didn't quite deliver what was promised.

 

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The KLH brand started out high quality in the 60's, but like most of the American brands was bought out by a company who proceeded to milk the KLH reputation for all it was worth while putting out cheap crap. So it depends on what time frame you heard KLH speakers (i.e. if they were early 60's KLH or not) whether they were good or poor. Cambridge is making the Model 6s from the early KLH days when Henry Kloss was working there and it had a good reputation.

 

[Seth=L]

One thing I can say by looking at the picture of the speaker is that the woofer material is not as damped as say the similarly designed Smaller Advent

The Model 6 reissue seems to have more in common with the Smaller Advent than the original KLH Model 6. Here's a picture of the original Model 6 speaker.

compared to...

The tweeter on the Smaller Advent is very different from the one on the Model 6 reissue, I can't say that it's better necessarily, but it's definitely different. Considering the Smaller Advent arrived on the scene after Kloss moved from KLH to Advent (both companies of which he founded) it would make sense that a modern reissue would closer resemble the more recent of the two speakers.

 

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It's cool you could dig up those photographs - interesting stuff. I agree it makes sense Henry would update the components to his better (best?) stuff in an update of the old Model 6. I guess he was going for the original sound and using better components, or else why use the Model 6 name?

I bought a pair of small Henry Kloss Advents as my first speakers when I was a teenager. The salesman sold it to me on the basis it could play really deep notes for such a small speaker. The bad thing was it wouldn't play loud deep notes without bottoming out the speaker cone - not one of Henry's better designs if you ask me. The bigger Advent was excellent though, but it was a little to much money for me then.

I am currently using one of Henry's designs in my HT. I have about a 25 year old $550 Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble speaker system I bought from Best Buy when they had listening rooms. In this design he put the 8" woofers in their own enclosures and the midrange and tweeter were in a separate small speaker package so you could locate them in the right stereo listening positions. You put the two bass modules wherever they sounded best through some instructions and trial and error. They worked great in my previous house, but the new living room seems too be too big to get the sound I used to get. I have to say the Cambridge Soundworks quality is very good and I have not had a problem in all those 25 years. I can't resist a gamble on a Henry Kloss design bookshelf speaker at $89/pair even though I really don't need them right now.

 

[riker1384]

Those are not a copy of the KLH Model 6. The KLH had a 12-inch woofer, the CSW has an eight.

I also ordered a pair and wasn't impressed, so I returned them. For $100 you're better off watching Craigslist.

 

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I Googled "Cambridge Soundworks Model 6" and read a lot of reviews and opinions. It looks like the only link to the original KLH Model 6 is that it shares the same design concept of a simple 2-way design, and they both are designed by Henry Kloss. Oh well. Most of the reviews seem positive and the overall characterization of the sound is generally neutral. Neutral is generally accepted as a desirable design goal, but maybe it doesn't leave much of an impression at first. People also say you have to play the Model 6s for a good amount of time before they really sound good. Some comment that imaging may be poor, but some think it is ok. Most agree the speakers are a bargain. If you are considering purchase, it is a good idea to search the internet to see what you think.

I like Henry Kloss designs in general so it is good for me to try them out.

 

[Matt34]

I Googled "Cambridge Soundworks Model 6" and read a lot of reviews and opinions. It looks like the only link to the original KLH Model 6 is that it shares the same design concept of a simple 2-way design, and they both are designed by Henry Kloss. Oh well. Most of the reviews seem positive and the overall characterization of the sound is generally neutral. Neutral is generally accepted as a desirable design goal, but maybe it doesn't leave much of an impression at first. People also say you have to play the Model 6s for a good amount of time before they really sound good. Some comment that imaging may be poor, but some think it is ok. Most agree the speakers are a bargain. If you are considering purchase, it is a good idea to search the internet to see what you think.

I like Henry Kloss designs in general so it is good for me to try them out.

It's a $89 risk I'm willing to take. If they suck I'll put them out in the garage system and move my polks to the deck.

 

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Thats cool. Sorry to have mislead anyone about the 60's KLH Model 6 resurrection thing. I usually do my independent internet research before purchase, but I didn't this time, so I wasn't quite right with the facts.

After reading up, the Cambridge Soundworks Model Six looks to be an honest low-cost full-range speaker in its own right - some like it and some are not impressed.

It would be really cool if the speakers were still made in the USA, but they are probably made in another country like everything else. Does anyone know where they are made? I know my SVS sub was made in the USA, so that proves it can still be competitively done if a company still wants to.

 

[KEW]

My first real speakers were KLH 6V's (I saved some coin by going vinyl instead of hardwood, thus the V).
They had a 10" woofer (not 12"). I'm thinking the tweeter was 3.5", but not sure. Going from memory, the height was ~24" and footprint was 12-13" square (milk crates with a pad on top made a very good stand - no WAF back then!). Their FR had a little bit of a hump in the lower midrange, but I it wasn't bad and actually sounded very good on some music.
They were great speakers, but I graduated to AR 3a's and lost the 6's to a fire while my brother was using them.
Modern tweeters have improved over the vintage ones, but I'm not yet convinced the bass of today is better than those old, large, acoustic suspension speakers.
In any case, I've read that the CSW 6 is a good design, but the quality went down when they moved production to China. If you get a pair, I'd investigate them for mods - some added bracing and stuffing more dampening material inside may be very beneficial.

 

[j_garcia]

The low end wasn't the problem with these particular versions (though it isn't great), it was the highs IMO. The paper tweeter just doesn't quite give that "airy" sound. Some things sound OK, but very fine detail is almost lost. Vocals sounded good on these guys because they seem to do best in that range.

 

[Nomo]

I almost pulled the trigger on these guys. After thinking about it they started to remind me of the Advent Babies I use in the garage. Not a bad speaker, but nothing I could see for use in any critical listening scenario.

 

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I just looked at Cambridge Soundworks website today (Sunday 2/28/09) and the Model 6s are still on sale for $90/pair. I guess they counted the last day of the week as Sunday. Their site must still take orders on Sunday, or maybe the sale will go on longer.

It is not a big deal to catch the sale because if the Model 6s are worth $90 shipped, then they are also probably worth the regular $150 price too. It is only $50 difference and most of the Audioholics readers are probably looking for speakers well above this price point anyway, so what is $50 or $90 for that matter?

It seems there are a lot of choices of speakers in the under $100 per pair. Here are a few from Amazon (there are probably hundreds of under $100/pair speakers):

Some Home Interior Speakers $100 and under at Amazon.com

Sony SS-B1000 5 1/8-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) ($80.00) $49.00
80-50,000 Hz

Sony SS-B3000 3-way Bookshelf Speakers with 8" Woofer (Pair) - ($140.00) $89.97 + free shipping
45-50,000 Hz frequency response

Definitive Technology NCUB ProMonitor 100 Mk II Speaker w/ 5.25 woofer (Pair, Silver) ($360.00) $99.00 + free shipping

BIC America DV62si Bookshelf Speakers w/ 6” woofer (Pair, Black) ($275.95) $109.88 + free shipping
43-20,000 Hz Frequency Response

Polk Audio Monitor 30 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers w/5.25 Woofer (Pair, Black) ($229.95) $99.99 +$13.30 shipping

Sony SSF-5000 Floor Standing 3-way 8” woofer Speaker (Pair) - ($200.00) $99.99 +$32.29 shipping
45-50,000 Hz

It looks like the Sony SS-B3000 may be the closest equivalent to the Model 6 in this sample. I believe the Sonys and the others in this bunch are probably tuned-port designs while the Model 6 is air suspension. I just realized I have had nothing but air suspension speakers for the last 40 years, so I like their sound and I am a little biased. It would be interesting if there was an under $100 speaker comparison shootout with these speakers where you could read professional reviews. In most of the reader feedback comments for these speakers and the Model 6s, almost everyone thinks the speakers they bought are the greatest.

One professional review of the Model 6 speakers said they are average speakers and nothing that would make a high-end audiophile turn green with envy.

I will probably never buy high end audiophile speakers, so maybe average by high end standards is good for $90. It will be a few more days until I find out.