KLH Model 35 replacement

Wow ... where to begin. The KLH turntable/ receiver compact and speakers that you have were the rage when I was entering high school 45 years ago. I do not know how long you have owned this equipment, but if you are the original owner, an old-timer, or have owned the KLH for any appreciable amount of time, you know that stereos today are not going to sound, look, or cost like your KLH compact did in its prime. The KLH compacts were some of the premier compacts back then and performed very well. I had a SONY compact which got me through high school and college until I could afford a separates system consisting of Pioneer receiver, Dual turntable, and EPI speakers.

What type of stereo do you want:

- receiver or amplifier?
- internet radio?
- cd player or turntable or both?
- digital file playback?
- tape deck?

Is new or used an issue for you? Realistically how much do you want to spend?

To equal what your KLH set-up did back in its prime, you are looking at least $600 new (assuming basic Onkyo receiver and cd player, and PSB speakers) and it may not sound as pleasing to you as the KLH did and it certainly will not last 20 years, let alone 45 years.

Let us know a bit more information and hopefully we can point you in the right direction.

Best,

Rich

You might find a decent KLH on Ebay.
A couple of years ago I bought both my kids Model 20 and I think a Model 17 on Ebay. They still work well and sound great. Only spent a bit over $100

Hi Rich,

Thanks for your response. So the situation is this:

My parents bought the system brand new when it was in its prime in stores. No one in our family is particularly savvy with this kind of equipment, and so the system has not been in use for many years. At least 10 years ago the turntable part became inoperable, although the radio and all other parts were working. My brother and I bought them a cheap replacement turntable from RadioShack and they hooked that up to the deck. As I said, over time and without extra care the connecting wires for the speakers and also the power cord for the deck itself became frayed. It became almost impossible to plug in the deck and not have sparks come out or keep the power going. So they put it away and did not use it for many years.

Realizing that the speakers themselves at least would still be usable if they did not require specialized cables to hook up to a new system (still not 100% clear on this, do they use anything different from any speaker I would buy today?) we brought the whole system to a repair shop. He claimed that the power supply, the turntable, and connections inside were shot and that for about $350 he could request the schematics from KLH and repair all the issues.

So all your questions now sprung up. How much? Used or new? Repair or replace? To start with we don't have enough experience or knowledge to be sure if this repair shop is trustworthy, if the damage is really that extensive, if the repairs should cost that much, etc. My parents essentially are equally open to the repair option as well as buying a new system. Considering the estimated cost of the repairs, IF even with the repairs the KLH is not guaranteed to keep working for decades on end, we would rather spend a little more, even the $600 or so you stated, to get a long-term replacement. Their needs are very simple. A radio receiver is really the only necessary thing. Over the years they added on peripherals to hook into the KLH, the turntable I mentioned, a CD player, DVR player for the TV. We basically just need that hub to hook everything into that will work as well and last as long.

The other lingering question is if the Model 6 speakers still work and are easily hooked up, what system would they work with and how would they compare to new ones?

I appreciate any advice you have.

So ... this comes down to a doozie of a task ... replacing a stereo for elderly parents with something that will perform the way they remember their 'made in the USA' stereo performed.

What will make this task difficult is finding a receiver that pulls in stations as clearly as their KLH compact did back in the day.

For a receiver, I would look at something like the Yamaha R-S300 at $280. This is a receiver that people go with when they are replacing older equipment from 20 years ago. The tuner seems to get high praise. Depending on where they live, you will probably need to get a pair of rabbit ears or some other external antenna to pull in the stations strongly. Also, if you want to get them a better turntable at some point, this receiver will handle turntables with magnetic cartridges. I would guess that the replacement turntable you got for them uses a ceramic cartridge and would connect using the AUX inputs.

I would not bother with the KLH speakers only because the foam surrounding the driver units has probably rotted out and they will need re-foaming.

I would take a look at the Pioneer BS41 speakers that Amazon has discounted for $110. Yes, you can spend a lot more, but these speakers have been so well reviewed and will keep you within your budget. If you want to go with something else, try something like the PSB Alpha at $300.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Rich

Cambridge Soundworks was founded by Henry Kloss, the K of KLH. Their model Six was Kloss's recreation of the KLH Model Six. I do not think they are made any more, but , you might be able to find them on eBay or,depending on where you live, on Criag's list locally. Just check the condition of the surrounds if they are old. In the Boston area they are usually less than $100. They have 8" woofers which are pretty much not used in modern designs at this price point. There are lots of decent speakers in this price range but the Model Six might be appropriate from a nostalgia perspective.

Just looked on eBay and there is new pair for $119. No affiliation.