KLH Model Twelve
The KLH Model Twelve is a full-range, acoustic-suspension loudspeaker that KLH aimed at perfectionists. The company's own advertising, reprinted in several periodicals, called it "the finest moving-coil loudspeaker we have ever made" - not by a spectacular margin, they admitted, but by some important degrees, with subtle adjustments allowing the listener to tailor the musical balance to the room, the associated equipment, and the program material (HiFI-Stereo, November 1966, p.127). It was a serious, no-compromise statement from a company better known for budget classics like the Model Six.
The driver complement is where the Twelve gets interesting. It's a four-way design (some listings describe it as "5-driver, 4-way," though the driver list adds up to four): a 10-inch woofer, a 5-inch midrange, a 2-inch upper-midrange driver, and a 1-inch phenolic-dome tweeter, arranged in a vertical array. The crossover splits the band at 600 Hz, 1.5 kHz, and 4.5 kHz. Rated frequency response is 35 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB with sensitivity of 87 dB/W/m. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms (one source gives a 4-ohm minimum), and power handling is rated at 60W RMS / 90W peak. The cabinets are sealed, measuring 24" H x 15" W x 12" D and weighing 42.5 lbs each.
Enthusiast accounts are mostly positive. They describe a big, warm, dynamic sound with excellent imaging and a strong midrange. The highs can be rolled off, the treble can get harsh at high volumes, and the speakers want real power. The Twelve sat above the Model Six but below the Model Twenty-Four in KLH's lineup. One collector source calls it a "poor man's Quad," a reference to the electrostatic Quad speaker it was seen as an affordable alternative to. A period KLH catalog lists the price at about $200 each.
Buying one today comes with caveats. The tweeter and midrange drivers are prone to failure. The phenolic domes are fired ceramic and replacements are very hard to find. Some units left the factory with mismatched drivers. Most surviving examples will need new surrounds and capacitors, and recapping with modern film caps is recommended. In good condition, they typically trade in the $400-$700 range.
- Type: Full-range, acoustic suspension (sealed)
- Drivers: 10" woofer, 5" midrange, 2" upper-mid, 1" phenolic dome tweeter
- Crossover: 600 Hz / 1.5 kHz / 4.5 kHz
- Frequency response: 35 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB
- Sensitivity: 87 dB/W/m
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Power handling: 60W RMS / 90W peak
- Dimensions: 24" H x 15" W x 12" D; 42.5 lbs
- Original price: ~$200 each
Production years aren't firmly documented. The $200 catalog price appears in listings dated 1968-1972, but that's the catalog period, not a confirmed production run.
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