Although I came of audio age after Mr. Kloss' influential heyday, I grew up in a house with the Advent table radio in the kitchen. I used to play it every night while I did my dishwashing duty, and believe me, I took as much time washing those dishes as I possibly could, since it was homework afterward. To this day, I think I can truthfully say that I have spent more time in my life listening to that amazing little radio than to any other one piece of audio gear. It's been over 15 years since I moved out, but I was just over to my Dad's last night, and listened to the 400 with pleasure - it's still there, still sitting where it always has for close to 30 years, still making music, acoustically suspended in time. |
Yes, I sold Advents as well in the early '70s. I think one of our most popular systems was a pair of Larger Advents (vinyl finish), Sansui 2000(A) or 4000 receiver, depending on your budget, and a Dual turntable, maybe a CS-1209, and make that a Shure M91E thrown in for free.
I also remember the Advent 200 but even better was the 201 cassette deck. I could play Advent's own real time produced Dolby B commercial cassette tapes. Wow and flutter, always the buggaboo with cassettes, was finally acceptable as it was the lowest available. I could astound people and even myself by playing the Solti Mahler 5th, licensed from London records and freak people out with the bass drum. The CD actually still sounds pretty decent. I have it mainly to remind me of those halcyon times.
Regarding warranty, I recall the Advents having a 5 year parts and labor warranty and they honored it, big time, no questions asked. Maybe that's why they came out with the powdered, err, powered Advents.
I bought my first KLH product in 1966 in New York City while on tour with an opera company and it kept me company through many a night on the road that year, a Model 21 table model FM only mono radio. It took up plenty of space in my Samsonite suitcase but I didn't mind even one pound. I still have it here on my desk and it plays like a dream, which, of course, it sort of is. I had to have the power cord replaced sometime in the '70s!. My dad owned a pair of KLH 6s I believe. I think I owned a pair of AR-4s, the smallest of the AR line, as used speakers, but by that time technology had moved on.
Henry Kloss was one of a kind. R.I.P. |
My kids' pediatrician has one of the original little KLH table radios in the waiting room. The nurse looks at me unusually when I turn up the volume and tune it to the local rock station, but I can never resist. There is a special feeling of quality I always get when I turn that tuning dial those table units have, as did the old turntable/FM combo I bought second hand (model 11 or 12?). I never thought about it before but I have purchased, enjoyed and still have more Henry Kloss audio products than any other.
Guess I want to say thanks,
George |
Memoboy, I believe your story has roots. While the store I was a part of sold Advents..there was never a question as to replacement drivers.
For speed and sonic merit, the Advent voicecoil wires were light and quick to move..but would not stand up to some of the head-bangers that used them. Advent would replace the drivers even when user damage was obvious.
Little know was Henry's (as well as many others at Advent) excellent taste in what were great demo recordings. Some of the early LP's that Advent suggested for demo's are still some of the best of recorded music. |
I remember a story that I am not quite old enough to confirm. When I bought my first pair of Large Advents, I was told that Advent, under Henry Kloss's leadership, had bought back one of its early products from every purchaser who wanted a refund after Advent discovered that it did not perform as well as Kloss thought it should perform. [I think this was an early cassette deck. model 200 perhaps?] Can anyone confirm this story?
Even if that story is not true, it is certainly true that when I sold Advent speakers in 1973, the company would send us woofers and tweeters and tell us to replace any blown driver. The customer did not have to produce a receipt or anything else. The speaker was to be fixed, and fixed for free. Talk about standing behind your products!
Henry Kloss was a hero. |
Great Man Outstsanding contribution to Audio May your soul rest in peace |
I got to meet Mr. Kloss A few years back in Boston, didn't look or act like a genius, but after talking to him for a few minutes, I knew I was in the prescence of one. I cannot begin to think what all of us owe Henry Kloss, I know that through his Model 6's I learned what music could and should sound like, and I will be forever greatful. I will miss knowing he's here. |
I am going to link you to the obituary on the first page of the Obituary section of today's New York Times. A very touching obituary for a man whose major contributions to this world were technical. Yet, the humanity of the man shows through. I almost feel like all Audiogoners should observe a moment of silence.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/05/obituaries/05KLOS.html |
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I sold Advent product in the early days..and remember many, many things about Mr. Kloss and his ground-breaking products.
At the audio store I worked we would compare large Advents to the Yamaha NS-1, Dahlquists and the ESS AMT-1 with the Heil driver....often to have customers like the Advents best!
Once, at the CES in the Drake Hotel in Chicago, I had the pleasure of seeing a videotape (1" Sony?) on the prototype of the Advent Videobeam at 1:00 AM with several of the people from Advent.
Mr. Kloss was truly one of the greatest in the audio/video world. For us audio lovers there is much we owe to the likes of Nelson Pass, Mr. Conrad and Mr. Johnson, Mr. Johnson at ARC...and (thank God) so many more,...but to none do we owe more thanks than Henry Kloss.
Without Mr. Kloss and his Large Advents...the high-end would not have evolved as it did. |
I still own a 1978 model 710 6ft projection tv he made. Still runs fine and has original tubes. I bought it new in 1978 for $2000. Built like a tank. |
My first truly decent speakers were KLH 6's, and I still recall how much I enjoyed how they made music. Just recently, I bought my wife a Tivoli AM/FM radio, and we both enjoy it. Henry has made his mark on my life just like he has many others. As Rayhall says, he will be missed. |
Sad to hear about Henry. He was one of the founders at Acoustic Research and he was the "K" in KLH, and was also the founder of Advent and Cambridge Audio. Along with the Original Advent and small Advent loudspeakers, Advent went on to make several other breakthrough products. One was the Advent Cassette Deck which introduced hi fidelity sound to the cassette medium. This deck paved the way for the Nakamichi's, which would come later. I also remember the Advent Videobeam TV projector, also a pioneering product in its day. At the age of 19, I bought a pair of large Advents in the summer of 1971, the first audiophile purchase I ever made, and kept those speakers a good 15 years. When I sold them, they played as well as the day that I bought them. Advent Corporation was one of the first companies that I ran across that gave value for the dollar. A true pioneer in the history of Audio, Henry Kloss will be missed. |
Another pioneer and giant of our hobby passes -- sad, very sad. Over the past 40+ years as an audiophile, I've owned a number of audio products that Kloss designed or co-designed. Hope he's enjoying the ORIGINAL high-end system. He certainly tried to bring heavenly music to us earthbound mortals... |
