Sad to say there is an update on these drivers. Now the covid stuff has come and gone for some years now but the ripple effects are still here with B&C. For some time they could get away with the idea that production had been crippled by this thing. Covid however is way behind us now and so the letter I received this week really baffles me. I had my last delivery of DE-120’s two weeks ago and I am being told the next production of these will be in TWO MONTHS!.
So once the factory has them done, and then waits for the full shipping container before shipping and then shipping and I think it could easily be three months between available DE-120’s. This is hardly a way to support customers whose income depends on your product which mine does in part. I have responded that this is not the right answer and will be offering the Celestion CDX1-1412 as an alternative both here and on my EBay site to the DE-120.
I have not listened to the CDX1 in person but a number of people who have heard the DE-120 and the CDX1 from places like the AudioKarma forum state they are extremely close. Curves run on these two drivers say the same thing and most importantly the CDX1 will fit everywhere the DE-120 does. I have stock coming in on the CDX1 within a week to try out and see what customers will think. Based on what the AK forum members say these CDX1’s will be an admirable alternative and if you like one you will like the other.
For myself I have to admit to being more then a little disgusted that B&C would find that a three month delay in product is OK. Surely they can’t believe that! The other alternative is their supply of factory capacity or rare earth magnets is not up to the job. This same problem came up a year ago so it is not the first time and they normally run us out at least twice a year. A year ago I was told supply was not a problem any more and I quit placing larger orders since the $$$ pile up real fast with these. Judging by what was on hand at various times and who runs out I have a pretty good feel for answering the question “did they make enough or not”. NO they do not make enough for whatever reason and here we all sit once again.
I am not going down this path and so seek to make sure either the CDX1 or the DE-120 is on hand at all times from now on. B&C, if you do not want me to have stock perhaps Celestion will be happy to sell to me.
I wonder if this is part of China’s plan though. Rare earths are something that the EPA has eliminated production of in the USA just like they killed off the magnet production for speakers. So today our adversary has control of our rare earth magnets and mining and refining of the same. It could very well be that all these speaker companies get what they are allotted by China. They can hardly admit that since they foolishly allowed all our production to be hijacked by CPA MBA morons who sent it all over to China to save money and avoid onerous diktats in the EPA. The end result is horrible pollution because China does not care about the environment and never ending supply bottlenecks because MBA’s and CPA’s can’t see past the next quarters manipulated earnings report.
As you might be able to tell I am pretty frustrated by conditions that stymie my production. I am working on it though and hope between the two companies I can keep my valued customers supplied with SMAHL’s and LMAHL’s.
Sitting here and thinking about MBA brilliance. Like this gem. “Stock sitting on your shelf is not earning you money so don’t stock what you sell. Produce it when the demand is there.” Of course you can’t sell what you don’t have and since you had none your customers did not place an order. In MBA babble speak logic this means that next year for your projected needs based production you won’t need as many since the year earlier when you had none to sell you did not sell as many. Pretty cool huh?
Machined Audio Horn Lens 
Have you thought about these? https://bmsspeakers.com/index.php-172.html?id=5530nd_overview0 They would require a different machined back plate, but they are only 72mm in diameter. I moved from a SMAHL horn with a D&C-120 to the brother of these (the 5531nd – it uses a screw on mount). I modified/cut-down a mounting flange to make it work. It has a bit more volume than the D&C and sounds amazing with my LaScalas. I’ll see if I can find some pics.
Just finding out some of you have either not heard from me or not getting the emails or I have overlooked you. My wife died this year and I have kind of been out of sorts with keeping current on everything. Sending you a PM.
Have you thought about these? https://bmsspeakers.com/index.php-172.html?id=5530nd_overview0 They would require a different machined back plate, but they are only 72mm in diameter. I moved from a SMAHL horn with a D&C-120 to the brother of these (the 5531nd – it uses a screw on mount). I modified/cut-down a mounting flange to make it work. It has a bit more volume than the D&C and sounds amazing with my LaScalas. I’ll see if I can find some pics.
The very first set I cut for the SMAHL’s was one with the adapter plate machined with a threaded snout. The specs on the BMS are really good and the size is right. I have looked at these before but went no further though for the following reasons. The efficiency and output capabilities mean that virtually all of them would need attenuation for many listeners. I have a question for you. Did you find these a strident in your system? How would you rate your hearing?
The other thing is cost. I live in an audio world where some just think it is really OK to spend $50,000 on speaker cables alone. Others complain about how high these MAHL’s are and beat on me for price. So a big part of how I assess drivers IS cost and I fall on the somewhat frugal side of things. The BMS cost tips me over the edge on pricing for many.
One thing I am considering is what options I can make available for people. Like the threaded snout. I could easily make a set of adapter plates for those and sell it as an extra. The whole idea originally behind my style of adapter plates was to make it possible to experiment with different drivers. The SMAHL has three hole size sets and the LMAHL four so the MAHL’s are already unique in their ability to adapt to other drivers. There is no other aftermarket lens set I know of that does this besides mine.
The BMS has a three hole mounting setup and I only use the two hole style so this is another problem unless I did the threaded snout version which of course limits the buyer to only one driver mounting option.
I look pretty regularly for new possibilities and right now I am planning on offering the CDX1 and the DE-120 and figure the main problem of supply will be solved between the two.
I appreciate any tips or suggestions especially from those who actually do experiment and thanks for your time.
My hearing is excellent. I do have a large room (28âwide x 40âlong x 27âhigh at the peak). My LaScalas sounded great, but I felt like the top end got lost in that space. After changing tweeters, I feel my speakers are much more cohesive.
I tend to listen to jazz and light classical at low volume in the evenings when my family is asleep. The BMS tweeters function very well at low volume.
My La Scalas have stock woofers, Crites a-55g/ver1 mid-range drivers, your SMAHL horns and the BMS 5531nd drivers. I am using a Volti Audio VTK-400 crossover. The speakers were wired with Dueland 2×12 gauge tinned-copper wire with oil-impregnated cloth. covers.[image0.jpeg][image1.jpeg]
What one hears is a very subjective thing coupled with actual hearing ability. The reason I asked was to try and assess what you hear compared to what I hear. My hearing is not so good anymore with 71 years of wear and tear and occupational abuse. Plus if I were to be honest I used to listen to music way to loud. Along with that there is a process of educated hearing where some hear detail and subtle nuances and other people in the same room same time same music don’t hear those things at all. I have a friend who is a musician who stops in on occasion to listen. His comment one day was how can a half deaf dude make speakers that sound so good talking about my two way I will be selling soon.
I have PM’d you. If you are anywhere close to my travels I would like to stop in and hear those.
I will have to drive down my next trip to Nashville. Thinking early May. Saw your pile of DE-120’s once. You must have had 20 instock.
The added extension of the Celestion driver is a positive. Small things that that are audible even to my 70 year old ears.
I saw that Klipsch used Celestion brand CD in the updates. Is it this driver?
You are always welcome just let me know ahead of time.
I finally got a Klipsch test bed in house once again namely a KPT-250 2. Stuck the Celestions in there with a recap on the crossover and after a short break in period they sound pretty darned good, for a little speaker ;D. Used them in the LMAHL lens set and will try the DE-10’s also in the next week or so for comparison as they are what I normally use. I am thinking to try an L-Pad on these also and see where I am at as the HF side of things sounds very good but needs to be attenuated a bit. With the KP-250 being at 102db efficient and the CDX at 106db efficient the spread is not as large as for instance the Forte 1 at 97db efficient. I cant find the actual wattage of the Klipsch KP-792 tweeter to compare to the 35 watts of CDX1 power but I suspect the CDX1 has more output for the same wattage applied.
Nowadays I begin to worry with only 20 DE-120’s on hand. I found out recently that I am the single largest user of these in North America.
Hello,
I am about to acquire a set of Chorus IIs. I just stumbled across your products from a Klipsch forum reference. What do the lenses cost without drivers (Intention of using existing DE10s)?
This is a thing I probably can’t spring for right away and never knew I needed but though I love the Klipsch horn sound overall, I’m very sensitive to harsh high-end and would love to try these at some point!
Cheers!
Check your PM for pricing. I have thought about posting that info here but decided against it. I am surprised at how many ten year old posts still get red and people contact me about them. So rather then explain those prices are “X” years old I simply reach out to commenters.
To anyone who is interested in the product or in pricing you can initiate a contact here and I will follow up with a PM.
Sorry. I’m new to this platform. I have looked everywhere and don’t see any messages.
Just finding out some of you have either not heard from me or not getting the emails. My wife died this year and I have kind of been out of sorts with keeping current on everything. If you are still interested machinedaudio@protonmail.com is my email where I do business.
Hello,
I’m interested in pricing and availability for a pair of Drop-In tweeters (complete) for 1976 LaScalla Speakers.
Thank you,
Keith
Just finding out some of you have either not heard from me or not getting the emails. My wife died this year and I have kind of been out of sorts with keeping current on everything. If you are still interested machinedaudio@protonmail.com is my email where I do business. I have those in wood and aluminum.
Dave, just a quick question…..it says the CELESTION CDX1-1412 above is a good replacement for the DE120 – I just recapped my Klipsch type AA crossovers and wondered if the CELESTION’s are fine with the type AA crossovers? Thanks!…………Steve
Anywhere the DE-120’s will work the CDX1’s will too. AA’s are my favorite vintage Klipsch crossover and work well with DE-120’s, DE-10’s and CDX1’s.
Thanks Dave, I will order a pair now……..Steve
Hi Dave, I just discovered your website while searching to learn more about the Klipsch K402. I am trying to find a constant directivity horn compatible with my sealed 15” midwoofers, but obviously the K402 is too big physically to sit atop my midwoofers. https://josephcrowe.com/blogs/news/altec-416-8b-in-100l-sealed
I acquired these Altecs from an abandoned project at a steal price but lack the DIY skills to build any kind of speaker, so I need to rely
on Troy Crowe to do so. I thought about using this horn https://www.ebay.com/itm/233808725468 , and maybe asking Troy to build something similar to https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/klipsch-modifications.1008584/page-11#post-17875949
But don’t know for sure if Troy is willing and able to add the mumps. Can you recommend someone to do this if I have the horns shipped to them? Thanks.
Sorry for the delay in replying. My wife of 39 years died this month and I have had a hard time getting things done. Anyway the horn you reference from EBay has been used with great success and you will have to add mumps yourself as Klipsch does not make those and will not sell you just a lens set. That EBay horn, which tested identical to the K-510 horn which by the way with the B&C DE-750 was the HF side of the first KPT-904’s.
Howdy Dave!
Finishing up a Super Heresy build with some of your DE-120 SMAHLs and was curious if your testing has found any differences in the wire terminals you have used over the years? Or would any copper-based (likely tin coated) spade/quick terminal be just fine?
I had some nice 16 gauge insulated wire left over and was going to finish things up with a new set of internal cables for each speaker!
Thought you likely had plenty of experience over the years with different connections before I place an order with Mouser.
I just order copper connectors which always come tinned. Correct size for your wire and using your crimpers correctly in crimping are the only real concerns. https://youtu.be/U9ZQ96hbmIY will take you to a good how to. Do this if you never want5 problems down the road and you would be amased how many bad crimp jobs I have seen over the years from this.
Hello Dave: Please contact me regarding the purchase of your LMAHL tweeters.
Thank you!
Hi Dave. I’d be interested to buy a pair of SMAHL in walnut. I would be happy to hear from you.
Thank yyou and best regards,
Dirk
Check your PM for info.
Thought I would mention email sent and if you don’t see it check your spam folder. I just found two replies where they can’t see my reply and I wonder if they got dumped in spam.