History of the Klipsch Cornwall

History of the Klipsch Cornwall, Cornwall II, Cornwall III

This is a timeline for the evolution of the Klipsch Cornwall speaker from inception in 1959 to the current date. Date Event Media

October 1959

The Cornwall is introduced as the world's second commercially produced center speaker. A speaker with higher output capability than the Heresy was needed when used in three speaker arrays between Klipschorns®. Component designations: Woofer EV 15WK, Midrange K-1000 Horn and University SAHF Driver, Tweeter K-77

Late 1959

Transition to the K-33-J Woofer (Jensen)

1959-1961

Sporadic transition to the K-55-V mid-range driver (Atlas).

January 1963

The K-1000 diffraction type midrange horn was replaced with the exponential K-600 horn with a lower (600 Hz) cutoff

September 1967

Transition to the K-33-M. The records are not clear as to the origin of this driver but it is believed to be an Eminence driver with an Alnico magnet.

January 1968

Transition to The K-33-P Woofer (CTS Paducah KY)

1974

• The horizontal version of the Cornwall is discontinued.
• K-56 mid-range driver (Electrovoice 1828) is used for a short period as a temporary replacement as the supply of K-55-V drivers was interrupted.

1975

Transition to The K-33-B Woofer (CTS Brownsville TX)

1975-1879

K-33-E (Eminence) and the K-33-B were used interchangeably. The records are not specific about the actual start date for the K-33-E but it is believed to be in the early to mid 1970's

1979

The Eminence K-33-E woofer is used exclusively

June 5th, 1981

The updated B2 network, with steeper crossover slopes is phased in with no changes to the K-33-E, K-55-V and K-77-M driver compliment.

October 19th, 1981 - March 1983

The transition between four different iterations of the midrange driver from revolving sources occurs during this period. The original K-55-V was changed to a K-51-V (10/19/81) This marked the first time in the Cornwall's history that it used a driver set that differed from that of the Klipschorn®. The K-51-V was then changed to the to the K-55-G (essentially a ceramic magnet version of the Atlas Alnico K-55-V). The K-55-G was then changed to the Hepner built K-52-H and finally the Klipsch built K-52-K.

March 14th, 1983

The B-3 network and the K-52 midrange driver starts to be used in this model. Component designations were: Woofer Eminence K-33-E, Midrange K-57-K (K- 600 Aluminum horn and K-52-K driver with snout), Tweeter K-77-M and B-3 network.

January 1986

The Cornwall II is introduced featuring front mounted drivers to reduce baffle induced diffraction effects. Component designations were: Woofer Eminence K- 34-E (K-33-E with a dressy pad ring), Midrange K-57-K (K-601 plastic horn and K-52-K driver), Tweeter K-79-K (K-75-K horn and K-79 driver) and CW II network.

1990

The Cornwall II is discontinued.

March 2006

The Cornwall III is introduced marking the end of the Cornwall's 15 year absence from the market. This version utilizes the Klipschorn® woofer, the horn and driver set from the Heresy III (featuring Titanium diaphragms and a ® tweeter horn) and bi-wire inputs. Component designations are: Tractrix Woofer K-33-E, Midrange K-53-Ti (K-701 horn and K-53-Ti driver), Tweeter K- 107-Ti (K-79-T horn and K-100-Ti driver). Information originally provided by Jim Hunter and Mark Kauffman of Klipsch Audio Technologies, LLC

Cornwalltimeline at klipschorner.com