KLIPSCH 71st Anniversary And Pilgrimage In HOPE, AR

This years pilgrimage was extra special. It started a day early in the Klipsch factory with the founding of the Klipsch Heritage Museum Association or KHMA and the donation of the old factory with all artifacts included from Voxx and Klipsch to KHMA. This was very generous and special as John Shalam founder of Voxx and Paul Jacobs current Klipsch CEO attended and gave speeches. I can honestly say Klipsch is in good hands with these men at the helm.  Klipsch is one of the few speaker companies with production facilities still up and running in America. It is a little more expensive to do this but they feel it is the right thing to do. Hi-Fi made in America.

 Curator and President of KHMA Jim Hunter and Travis hanging the updated sign for the Klipsch Museum.

A few items in the museum.

Voigt horn with original waterproof driver.

 

 Extremely rare RCA corner horn which takes a 15" field coil driver.

 The legendary plexiglass klipschorn is back in Hope, AR....

 

The pilgrimage started Friday and ended Saturday at Rodney Newtons 600+ acre farm. He has been kind enough to host the pilgrimage. In my opinion guys like Rodney are what makes me proud of Arkansas unlike our legislature but I won't go into that.

 

I had never heard Paul Jacobs speak before so that was a treat as he shared several stories and his passion for Klipsch was that of the ultimate Klipsch fanatic. He also answered unfiltered questions from all the die hard Klipsch fans. These were not slow pitch questions and fun to watch.

 It is no coincidence that he was flanked by Jubilee's and the new horn loaded sub prototype.

I got to hang out with my favorite beer maker Barrett Tillman and horn designer from Klipsch engineer Roy Delgado.

Roy and Barrett talking horns. 

 Here we have who PWK called "#1 Klipsch Fan" Kevin Harmon who is the only man I know who needs a skid loader to move his KP-600 speaker stacks. He brought four of these to the pilgrimage. Kevin Harmon is also a trustee of KHMA.

 

Rain had us move two KP-600 stacks inside but Rodney's barn can easily accommodate.

 I'd like to mention Rodney and his ingenuity. Rodney has turned 600 acres into the most beautiful grazing and wetlands around. He was told many years ago that his goals were unattainable and would never work. Rodney went on to prove them all wrong and has created a series of small lakes and big ponds that flow into each other. Amazing and beautiful land. Thanks again Rodney.