Model 5 $2000 pair

... if you want to hear all the detail present in a well-produced music, along with fulfilling performance across the full frequency range, you won't be disappointed.

      KLH was founded in 1957, before the stereo record, and in the 1960s was the largest speaker company in the world. It was called KLH Research and Development Corporation, created by Henry Kloss, ,Malcom S. Low and Josef Hofmann. The late Henry Kloss, (pronounced Close) did more and created more concepts not only the high fidelity industry, but the TV industry, too. He introduced the first giant screen TV after seeing the giant projectors at the Cheyenn Mountain. He convinced Ray Dolby, whose name is on the theater where the Academy Awards are held, to make a consumer version of Dolby Noise Reduction, called Dolby B.  KLH introduced a home use reel to reel tape recorder with Dolby B and later a cassette deck.  That transformed the lowly cassette into a high fidelity stereo recording com ponent. In 1957, KLH and Arthur JansZen introduced the KLH Model Nine, full range electrostatic speaker. Even today, this is considered one of the most musically accurate speakers ever made.

Acoustic Suspension

      Before KLH, Henry Kloss teamed up with Edgar Villchur. At the time, speakers were big. real big. Villchur of Acoustic Research developed and patented the Acoustic suspension loudspeaker technology. Acoustic suspension allows much smaller speaker boxes to reproduce accurate low frequencies. With stereo on the horizon, the vinyl stereo record was invented by CBS Labs in 1958, two speakers were needed. Small acoustic suspension pairs of speakers dominated the industry. KLH also introduced a compact stereo system with a turntable and stereo receiver in a box, with two separate speakers. They even made a version in a suitcase for portability. KLH introduced a high fidelity table top radio.
    These new products were all very reasonably priced, yet offered true high fidelity stereo sound. KLH grew and grew and in the late 1960s, KLH was the largest speaker company in the world. It got sold, so Henry Kloss could work on his new project, giant screen TVs for the home with his next company: Advent.
     KLH never went away, but became the step child of various large companies. A few years ago, all the patents, namesakes, design concepts were bought by long time industry veteran David Kelley. His plan, bring KLH back into the forefront of High Fidelity sound reproduction, with plans to even re-introduce the KLH Model Nine electrostatic speaker. While the Model Nine is still pending, the re-imagined KLH Model Five is now available. The new Model Five is receiving extensive critical acclaim. It is old school loudspeaker that is totally new. It sounds as good as it looks and is very reasonable priced, with a real wood African Mohogany cabinet, acoustic suspension 3 way design. Chief engineer is Kerry Geist from Louisiana Tech.
     
Today, almost all speakers use a ported, bass reflex design. Two scientists Thiel and Small mathamatically studied how speaker drvers perform in a box, especially with bass reflex designs, so a speaker could be designed with math, and later computers. Bass reflex speakers have a port, a hole, that captures the rear wave of a loudspeaker in a box, and sends it out the hole, or port.  So, even smaller boxes can be used to produce deep, powerful "sounding" bass. And people People like bass. But, the bass produced by ported designed, including those using passive radiators, have two resonant frequencies. They appear to have good bass, but they have problems with sounds "ruffing" as they come out the port, and more distortion. Bass is slower and has more boom. Bass response after the tuned response is quick and sudden... as if it was chopped off.
  
    But, the acoustic suspension design have distinct engineering and sonic benefits. There is only one resonant frequency, so the bass is tighter, quicker and more musical. Bass transient response is faster. The rolled off response is more gradual, so deep low frequencies are reproduced. The air in the box acts like a spring to control the bass. It does not rely on the stiffness of the cone for control. It uses the acoustic stiffness of the air in the box.

    The reviews are in, more are coming, but don't trust them. Come to Alterman Audio and listen with your own ears and see how wonderful the KLH Model Five repoduces the sound of real music. Admire the real Mohogany finish. So, few speakers, even very expensive ones have a real wood finish these days. They look great on their matching stands. They have a ten year waranty. Almost any good, reasonably powered amp or receiver will drive them loud and clean.