VINTAGE TECHNOLOGY ARCHIVE / AUDIO / KLIPSCH

Klipsch

Paul Klipsch built horn speakers in an Arkansas tin shed and changed everything

History

The genesis of something extraordinary occurred in a tiny tin shed in Hope, Arkansas in 1946. Paul Wilbur Klipsch—genius, madman, and maverick—designed and hand-built the legendary Klipschorn speaker with the goal of bringing live music into the home. His revolutionary speaker design was granted a patent and virtually kickstarted the hi-fi era.

Paul W. Klipsch (1904-2002) was an engineer, inventor, and pilot who held patents in acoustics, ballistics, and geophysics. His approach to speaker design was based on four principles that remain company doctrine today:

  1. High efficiency
  2. Low distortion
  3. Controlled directivity
  4. Flat frequency response

The Klipschorn, patented in 1946, uses a folded horn design that amplifies sound acoustically, allowing a small driver to fill a room with concert-level dynamics. It remains the world's longest continuously produced loudspeaker, still handcrafted in Hope, Arkansas.

Throughout the decades, Klipsch expanded its lineup while maintaining its commitment to horn-loaded technology. The Heresy (1957), La Scala (1963), and Cornwall (1959) became legendary speakers in their own right. The company also pioneered professional cinema speakers, with Klipsch systems installed in thousands of theaters worldwide.

Legendary Products

Klipschorn (1946-Present)

The one that started it all. Using a fully horn-loaded, three-way design, the Klipschorn delivers extraordinary dynamics and efficiency (105 dB @ 1W/1m). The folded bass horn uses the corner walls of a room to extend bass response down to 33Hz.

Klipsch Heresy (1957)

Originally designed as a center channel for Klipschorn owners, the Heresy became a beloved stand-alone speaker. Named by Paul Klipsch himself when he called it a "heresy" to not use a corner horn, it remains in production as the Heresy IV.

Klipsch La Scala (1963)

Originally developed for professional use (the "La Scala" refers to the Milan opera house), this half-Klipschorn design became a favorite for its smaller footprint while maintaining the legendary Klipsch dynamics.

Klipsch Cornwall (1959)

Named for being the first Klipsch speaker that could work against a wall rather than in a corner, the Cornwall offered greater placement flexibility while retaining the classic horn-loaded sound.

Sound Signature

Klipsch speakers sound alive in a way that most loudspeakers simply do not. The horn-loaded design amplifies sound acoustically rather than electrically, and the result is a dynamic range and transient speed that makes music feel physically present in the room. A snare drum crack through a Klipschorn doesn't just sound loud — it startles you, the way a live drum does. The efficiency (105 dB sensitivity for the Klipschorn) means that even a modest tube amplifier putting out 8 or 10 watts can drive these speakers to concert levels with headroom to spare.

The tonal character leans forward and immediate. Vocals are right there in front of you, brass instruments have a bite and authority that is almost startling, and the overall presentation favors energy and engagement over laid-back smoothness. This is not a speaker for people who want to relax in the background — Klipsch demands your attention and rewards it with an experience that feels closer to a live performance than almost anything else in audio. The controlled directivity of the horn means that imaging is precise and focused, with less room interaction than wide-dispersion designs.

Paired with a quality single-ended tube amplifier, Klipsch Heritage speakers achieve something special. The combination of tube warmth and horn immediacy creates a sound that is simultaneously detailed and musical, dynamic and refined. It is no accident that the Klipsch-plus-tubes combination has been a cornerstone of audiophile systems for over seven decades.

Collecting Klipsch

The Klipschorn is the centerpiece of any serious Klipsch collection — the world's longest continuously produced loudspeaker and a genuine piece of audio history. Vintage pairs from the 1970s and 1980s in walnut or oak cabinets typically trade between $3,000 and $6,000, with early birch examples and rare finishes commanding more. The La Scala offers much of the Klipschorn's dynamic character in a more manageable (and placement-flexible) package, usually available for $2,000 to $4,000 per pair. The Cornwall is the most practical Heritage speaker for real-world rooms, trading between $1,500 and $3,000.

The Heresy is the entry point to the Heritage line and one of the best values in vintage audio — a pair in good condition runs $600 to $1,200 and delivers a taste of the Klipsch magic in a bookshelf-friendly form factor. All Heritage models benefit enormously from a crossover capacitor upgrade, which tightens the treble and improves overall coherence. When evaluating vintage Klipsch, examine the cabinet corners and veneer carefully (these are large, heavy speakers that accumulate handling marks), and check the horn driver diaphragms for cracks by gently pushing the dome with a finger. Structurally, Klipsch speakers are built like furniture and will outlast most of us with proper care.

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VINTAGE TECHNOLOGY ARCHIVE / 03-16-2026 / FEEDBACK