Floorstanding loudspeakers — Klipsch Klipschorn AK7 2025 model

The Klipschorn AK7 is the 2025 version of the Klipschorn, the fully horn-loaded floorstanding speaker that Klipsch founder Paul W. Klipsch introduced in 1946. It keeps the original three-way horn layout, with upgraded midrange and treble sections, and for the first time an active crossover is offered as an option. Klipsch builds every pair by hand, to order, in Hope, Arkansas, at a price of around USD 18,000 to 19,000.

Key specs that matter

The AK7 is a passive three-way speaker with every driver horn-loaded. Treble comes from a K-771 1-inch phenolic compression driver fitted with an extended phase plug. The midrange uses a K-1133-HP 3-inch phenolic compression driver on a K-406M Tractrix horn, and the bass comes from a K-33-E 15-inch woofer with a fibre-composite cone in a horn-loaded vented system. The crossover points sit at 380Hz and 2,900Hz. Frequency response is 34Hz to 19kHz (+/-4dB), sensitivity is 103dB and maximum SPL is 120dB. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms, falling to a 4-ohm minimum. Each cabinet measures 135.25 x 80 x 71.5cm and weighs about 118kg.

Engineering and use context

The diaphragm of the new 3-inch midrange compression driver is a full inch larger than on the AK6, which raises pressure at the horn throat so the driver works less hard at a given level. The K-406M horn follows the Tractrix profile, a mathematically derived flare that controls how the wavefront expands and limits internal reflections, and its throat has been shortened to 2 inches. MUMPS contouring adds small shapes along the outer edge of the horn to reduce diffraction and hold the response at wider listening angles. The K-771 tweeter gets a new patented extended phase plug that targets a basic high-frequency limitation of conventional compression drivers. The redesigned 15-inch woofer works in a horn-loaded vented enclosure that, unlike the original corner-horn Klipschorn, does not rely on being pushed tightly into a room corner. Finishes are book-matched American Walnut, Black Ash and dark cherry veneers, and the speaker carries a 10-year Klipsch warranty.

Pairing

Because the efficiency is so high, a few watts drive it to loud levels, which makes it a natural match for low-power single-ended valve amplifiers such as 300B and 2A3 designs. The optional Klipsch Heritage Active Crossover, voiced by acoustician Roy Delgado, swaps the passive network for a DSP crossover that aligns time and phase across the three horns, with a separate amplifier for each section.

Alternatives

The Klipsch La Scala AL6 follows the same horn-loaded concept in a smaller cabinet for rooms where the Klipschorn is too big.