I don't go to the Klipsch front web site very often so it seems I missed a major site update. Klipsch engineer Jim Hunter has spent years going through PWK's documents and preserving these historical documents in digital form. Fortunately Klipsch is dedicating a portion of the site to host these documents.
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You can access the some of the new sections of the site here.
Here are a few examples of the rarities posted.
Metal printing plates.
Early picture of Klipschorn construction.
It is very interesting that PWK was also interested in phonograph pickup design for many years from 1940 to late 40's.
This is my favorite section a collection of PDF documents with Klipschisms, quotes, and anecdotes.
Paul's original oscilloscope was a 1930s DuMont model, with similar amplifier for horizontal and vertical. His typical way of using it was to put the output of the audio oscillator into the horizontal input and the output of the item under test, through an attenuator, to the vertical input. Thus the relation of the two was the inclination of the line or ellipse and didn't require keeping the oscillator output constant as its frequency varied. He later (1950s) bought a Precision scope, allowing the DuMont to be used for production testing. -- Jim Haynes
In the mid-1950's, when Paul came to Boston for the HiFi shows, we would have our Klipschorns along with Marantz amplifiers and Grado cartridges in our demo room. With the usual Harvard and MIT fans around him, he sat down on a Marantz power amplifier. Soon we smelled a peculiar odor, and for a moment thought some competitor had put a stink bomb in the room. Just at that moment Paul gave out a Klipschorn-sized yell!! He turned around showing his bottom to the gathered group of admirers saying, "Look what that "adjective/noun" amplifier did to me." There were two clean burn holes from the output tubes clear through his wool trousers, boxer shorts, and his seared rear end. It wasn't long after that Mrs. Marantz came into the room. Paul went to her, bent over and said, "Look what your amplifier did to me!" He later spent a good deal of the show trying to get Marantz to pay for his trousers" -- Don Davis
Go to the redesigned Klipsch site and check out the new PWK historical information posted. I only posted a few examples. I understand Jim Hunter is going to keep adding information to the site which is great news. I'm still waiting for his book because he is the one to write the book on PWK.
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