Brief history of the Klipsch audio brand
Klipsch, founded in 1946 by Paul Klipsch, is a world-renowned speaker system manufacturer. The equipment of this brand has found application in both large cinemas and home theaters. We remember how the legendary brand began.
Photo by Jan Hammershaug / CC BY / Klipsch Heresy III speaker system (photo cropped)
Since childhood, Paul Klipsh to engineering. At fifteen, he collected his first column from the post horn and old headphones. This passion later developed into a love of electrical engineering. Klipsch enrolled at Stanford and became a master in this field.
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Around the 30s of the last century, Paul became interested in the idea of ​​an acoustic speaker, which would be installed in a corner of the room. This concept was unpopular at the time. However, Klipsh decided to use a non-standard approach. He calculated the angle of the room as part of the speaker system and calculated its parameters accordingly.
In 1940, Paul assembled the first prototype of his device with a horn loudspeaker, and in 1946 registered the trademark Klipsch & Associates. Then he began selling speakers, which were called Klipschorn. They accurately conveyed the idea of ​​the authors of musical works while listening at home and quickly captured the market. Horn "corner" speakers have become a kind of hallmark of the company.
Pictured: Klipsch Klipschorn
Today, Klipschorn is the only column in history that has been produced for more than 70 years . Collect acoustics still manually .
In 1957, when the company was ten years old, and the staff expanded considerably (for a long time Klipsch was collecting speakers alone), Paul introduced a new column. It was a conceptually different model that acted as a central channel.
One of Paul’s acquaintances noted that the design of the system was not similar to the horn acoustics, which the company was so famous for. He even called the new product "acoustic heresy." The head of Klipsch liked this idea so much that he called the new Klipsch Heresy column - “Klipsch Heresy”. This has its own irony, given that these columns are often bought for installation in US churches. For many years, the speaker system was sold almost unchanged. The second model - Heresy II - was released only in 1985. The third modification saw the light in another twenty years - exactly under the 60th anniversary of Klipsch.
In 1959, Klipsch released the Cornwall column. It was a universal alternative to Heresy, as it could act as an angular speaker. This model was modified - the author introduced new highly sensitive tweeters and mid-range dynamics to the design.
The next significant development by Klipsch was the La Scala column series, named after the Milan Opera Theater. These systems were smaller than their predecessors and assumed greater mobility. The target audience of the product was touring artists. However, there is a case when they were used by the governor of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller (Winthrop Rockefeller) for public speaking. La Scala columns began to be produced in 1963, and they are still produced.
Paul Klipsh died at the age of 98 in 2002, but his work continues to live. Today, Klipsch’s arsenal includes dozens of loudspeaker models that can work both at home and in large halls. The company equips its speakers with large cinemas, restaurants and rock clubs.
At one time, the company was the first on the market to introduce a home stereo for the iPod. In 2009, Klipsch developed the Image S4 headphones - it was one of the most successful product launches in the brand's history.
In 2011, the company was bought by a major electronics manufacturer Audiovox (now Voxx International). But despite this, the Paul Clipsch product line is still available today. And, probably, will continue to be issued for many years.
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Photo by Jan Hammershaug / CC BY / Klipsch Heresy III speaker system (photo cropped)
Start
Since childhood, Paul Klipsh to engineering. At fifteen, he collected his first column from the post horn and old headphones. This passion later developed into a love of electrical engineering. Klipsch enrolled at Stanford and became a master in this field.
')
Around the 30s of the last century, Paul became interested in the idea of ​​an acoustic speaker, which would be installed in a corner of the room. This concept was unpopular at the time. However, Klipsh decided to use a non-standard approach. He calculated the angle of the room as part of the speaker system and calculated its parameters accordingly.
In 1940, Paul assembled the first prototype of his device with a horn loudspeaker, and in 1946 registered the trademark Klipsch & Associates. Then he began selling speakers, which were called Klipschorn. They accurately conveyed the idea of ​​the authors of musical works while listening at home and quickly captured the market. Horn "corner" speakers have become a kind of hallmark of the company.
Pictured: Klipsch Klipschorn
Interestingly, the name of the column Klipsh did not come up with himself . In the early years of his work, he called a business proposal to one of the New York companies to talk about his speaker system. However, they said that they had already heard about his invention and called it Klipschorn.
Today, Klipschorn is the only column in history that has been produced for more than 70 years . Collect acoustics still manually .
Heresy Klipsha
In 1957, when the company was ten years old, and the staff expanded considerably (for a long time Klipsch was collecting speakers alone), Paul introduced a new column. It was a conceptually different model that acted as a central channel.
One of Paul’s acquaintances noted that the design of the system was not similar to the horn acoustics, which the company was so famous for. He even called the new product "acoustic heresy." The head of Klipsch liked this idea so much that he called the new Klipsch Heresy column - “Klipsch Heresy”. This has its own irony, given that these columns are often bought for installation in US churches. For many years, the speaker system was sold almost unchanged. The second model - Heresy II - was released only in 1985. The third modification saw the light in another twenty years - exactly under the 60th anniversary of Klipsch.
In 1959, Klipsch released the Cornwall column. It was a universal alternative to Heresy, as it could act as an angular speaker. This model was modified - the author introduced new highly sensitive tweeters and mid-range dynamics to the design.
The next significant development by Klipsch was the La Scala column series, named after the Milan Opera Theater. These systems were smaller than their predecessors and assumed greater mobility. The target audience of the product was touring artists. However, there is a case when they were used by the governor of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller (Winthrop Rockefeller) for public speaking. La Scala columns began to be produced in 1963, and they are still produced.
Nowadays
Paul Klipsh died at the age of 98 in 2002, but his work continues to live. Today, Klipsch’s arsenal includes dozens of loudspeaker models that can work both at home and in large halls. The company equips its speakers with large cinemas, restaurants and rock clubs.
Klipsch products are installed at the Cold Stone Creamery cafe in Times Square, as well as at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers in Manhattan.
At one time, the company was the first on the market to introduce a home stereo for the iPod. In 2009, Klipsch developed the Image S4 headphones - it was one of the most successful product launches in the brand's history.
In 2011, the company was bought by a major electronics manufacturer Audiovox (now Voxx International). But despite this, the Paul Clipsch product line is still available today. And, probably, will continue to be issued for many years.
What we write about in the “World Hi-Fi” and Telegram-channel:
The history of the brand Sennheiser: freedom and visionary Innovative Conservatism: The History of Bang & Olufsen The history of the Ortofon brand: from sound films to pickup heads "From Austria with love": Acquaintance with AKG Bjork has released nine studio albums on cassettes. Ionic Sound System: Czech sand columnsSource: https://habr.com/ru/post/445104/
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