Wrinkles

SETI, I picked up an extra 900M-T-1.6D/P tip which is the 1.6 mm /.06" chisel point tip and appears to be what comes on the pencil probe. I have used this tip 100% of the time so far for building 4 Bottlehead kits and various cables. I also picked up a 900M-T-I/P tip which is the 0.2 mm /.008" radius point tip for just if I needed sometihing really small or if soldering in a tight place (I haven't needed this one yet.) The 900M-T-1.6D/P chisel point was $4.99 in 2002. The 900M-T-I/P radius point tip was $5.69 inn 2002. The tip containers state that these tips fit the Hakko 936, 900M and 907 Hakko Models. My pencil iron is the 907 pencil. Hope this helps in some way. Wrinkles

I always tend to pull the Mannheim Steamroller cds. I read recently that they are the Number 1 selling Christmas albums sold in America of all time. Also, my old standby is on the Windham Hill Label, George Winston's "December" CD. They all sound so much better on Klipsch. I became a Klipsch convert in July 2007. I did not know of the Klipsch experience I was missing. Merry Christmas Wrinkles

Josh, If you have not purchased an iron yet....I ran across a Hakko 936 at http://www.kiesub.com/prostores/servlet/Detail?no=3. I am not affiliated with this company and I have never done business with them, but for $69.95 for this iron anyone that needs one may want to consider one at this price. Other irons are relatively inexpensive at that website as well. I paid $18.00 more for 936 2 years ago. Merry Christmas, Wrinkles

Hi, I have a pair of these that are in great shape. Can I use these and make a decent pair of subwoofers for my LaScalas? The specs I found at URL http://www.jblpro.com/pub/components/eseries.pdf fs 35 hz Vas 9.7 cubic feet Qts 0.25 Xmas 7.0 Thanks, Wrinkles

White_Hawk, I have a Hakko Model 936. There are also plenty of tip styles and accessories to choose from for this model. I recenty soldered 12 gauge wire with it while working on a speaker crossover with no problem. I do not know about much larger wire. But it gets plenty hot. Mostly, I am responding to say that whatever model you choose and there are many good ones to choose from as mentioned already, search on the internet under soldering skills to gain technique knowledge. There are many basic fundamentals and little tricks that are good to know to prevent component burning, good solder flow and how to unsolder. Maybe soldering skills could be its own thread. Don't inhale the fumes. Enjoy, Wrinkles

Hello, I have a dead JBL 2404H tweeter. Measures open on my DMM at the terminals at the diaphragm connection points. What are the better speaker repair establishments that can replace this diaphragm? Are some replacement diaphragms better than others? Can it get back to oriignal specs? Thanks, Wrinkles

AJ, Thanks for the thread. It helped alot making me feel that there is a good chance that it would be a good purchase. Still wondering though if $100 each is high. Anyone purchased any lately anywhere? Thanks, Wrinkles

I have a pair of 1990 LaScalas using AL3 crossovers with the Altec 511B horns. Available in the area are some University SM120A horns at $100. a piece. Cabinets are additional $50. Being inquisitive, I wonder if it would be worthwhile or a waste of time and money to buy and play with. I've downloaded the .pdf sheet on them and see that they could be a good fit. EV used these horns with success in their Sentry III speakers in the early 60s. So. I am asking, has anyone played with these and discovered weakness or strengths? Anyone compared them to the Altec horns, K400s or Cobreflex? Thanks, Wrinkles

Bruce, I look forward to hearing about your results. Take some pictures, please! I hope all your "irons in the fire" cool soon. I have no eq equipment available. Is a high pass circuit simple to make? I am using SET amps. Anyone built one out there that would pass along the circuit design? Thanks, Wrinkles

My recommendations would be gypsy fire on the Narada World label . I get lots of oohs and ahhhs when listening with friends and playing this CD. Shows off the system as well. This next one, I use to have in my alarm clock to wake up by. Also on the Narada label. Obsession: New Flamenco Romance Enjoy!

Hello Fellow Audiophiles, I have been reading with great interest your Forum comments about the Lascala Bass bin mod. Although, not too much has been mentioned in a while. So, I wanted to know if you are still happy with it, still have it installed, what kind of bass response did you get from it, any required crossover mods required, etc. I do NOT want to enclose the mid horn and tweeter area, even though I am not using them right now. For right now, I want this to be completely reversable. I want to add to the low end frequency range of the LaScalas. I do not want to add seperate subs and I really do not want to modify the crossover, if possible (I have the AL-3 crossovers). I also need the dimensions of it and what plywood/partical board thickness you used. I have the LaScala base plate length and width only. Thanks for your opinions, insights and information. Wrinkles I just reread my post. Although I sound demanding with my "wants" I do not mean to come across that way. I just am very interested in this mod.

Dr. Who, Thankyou. You understood exactly what I was looking for in your explanation. Theory, that is not over my head in super technical terms. Thanks again. I do have the Altec 511b horns presently and plan on installing the K55M drivers on them once the adapters come in. I'll see how it sounds and go from there. Wrinkles

Thankyou Lee, Did changing the 511B out to the Trachorn remove the rest of the "horn" sound? Thankyou, Wrinkles

Thankyou to DrWho, SpeakerFritz and PrestonTom for your responses. I understand that from the above description of horn design that an Fc of 500 hertz, like the Altec 511B when mated to any driver, will produce very little usable below Fc. The chart shows that the 511 horn goes below Fc and while not a vertical drop, the frequency falls off gradually. It looks like around 310 hertz the response is pretty much garbage. Similarly, garbage above 7000 Hz. Garbage is not the right term, but to me means that the produced frequencies are pretty much unusable due to the lower db. With the chart showing all three horns (K400, 511B and Trachorn) reproducing down to approximately 310 hertz using the same K-55-V driver , then with an unmodified LaScala crossover (my AL-3 network) designed for the 400 hertz horn, it does not seem that there would be any problem utilizing the 511B and the K-55-M Klipsch driver and the crossover at the 400 hertz crossover point together. It would not seem the K-55-M driver would be taxed to anywhere near the damaging point. The "loading" of the driver is somewhat unclear to me. Is it that when a driver, rated to a lower frequency than the horn, is attempting to develop frequencies below Fc that the driver requires a feedback wave from the horn to develop the "load" for the driver to prevent diaphragm damage from overcurrent or perhaps the waffling or deformation of the diaphragm material? Is my thinking / explanation above basically newbie BS based on my misunderstandings or is it somewhere close to what is really happening. Would I be heading towards driver damage in my LaScalas if I proceed with the K400/K401 to 511B swapout without crossover network changes and using my K55M drivers? I am presently driving the 511B with Altec drivers (808-8A and 802D) with what appears to be no problems. Thanks, Wrinkles

Is the ability of a horn to reach low frequencies based on the horn itself (length-horn opening-throat size-etc) or is it the driver behind it or both? Does horn length determine how high the horn will go? Or is it the driver what gives the upper range limitation? I understand the 511B horn which is rated down to 500 hz is often being substituted for the K400/K401 horn in the LaScala. If I put the the K55M driver will the frequency go down to 400 hertz? I do have the 511B now and am wondering about the 100 hertz difference that by specifications is missing from 400 to 500 hz. I know these are newbie questions and I am trying to learn. Is there good reading material on the web that discusses horn design? Or book recommendations? Thanks, Wrinkles

Update: I placed the newly acquired 511Bs in service with the Altec drivers listed above and WOW. What an improvement. The voices really sound great which is where I was noticing problems before. Thankfully, I did not hear any response differences between the two different Altec drivers. Once I get the K55M to 511B adapters, I'll install them and hear what happens. If it sounds better than this, then I will be floored. Wrinkles

Hello Daddy Dee, The LaScala are 1990-1992 vintage per Klipsch. It uses an AL-3 crossover. I can handle capacitor changes once I figure out how to remove the crossover. It looks like about 3-4 screws. The 13 uF cap is the white AEROVOX polypropylene perhaps, definitely not a motor starting cap? There are also 2 electrolytics ( 68 or 6.8 uF) in each crossover. Is that normal for this era crossover? Wrinkles

Newbie Question: I have had the LaScalas for 2 weeks now and after about 20 hours of listening I find the mid range, well not like I would like it. I love the way the speakers deliver so much detail and fill the room using so litle power. I am using 2 Bottlehead Straight 8 speakers as subwoofers with a crossover frequency at 64 hertz with an 18 db rolloff. Seems to work real well. The tweeter is fine for now. Although, I have some ideas for it also. Reading the forum, I find many recommendations for using Altec 511B horns. I found two 511B horns with drivers for sale. But, they have 2 different drivers. The individual I am buying them writes this about the drivers.... "One Cabinet has a 511B with driver 802D (diaphram 34726) making it 8 ohms. One Cabinet has a 511B with driver 808-8A (diaphram 34726) making it 8 ohms. They were rebuilt 8 years ago and have been used maybe 7 times since rebuild. I measured each driver and they both measure 6.8ohms." I mainly wanted the 511Bs to put the Klipsch K55M drivers on, but with these drivers I will probably listen to them first. Are those two Altec drivers even compatible in a 2 Channel setup together? What can I expect? Also, to take off the K55M drivers from their horns, do they just spin off or is there a "proper way" so as not to destroy anything? I have read much discussion as to adapters from the K55M to the 511B. But I was unable to determine exactly which adapter I need and from where I should get them? Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Wrinkles

Thanks everyone for your input. I picked them up last night. Now I get to play. They were in great shape with no corners chipped. Paid the sellers asking price. Wrinkles

Thankyou for the welcome, I think almost everyone has heard of the mighty Klipschorns and possibly some of the other models. I have heard the Klipschorns in a showroom. Other than nice, it is kinda hard to know what they will sound like in my home. I haven't purchased them yet. I am reading all I can about them now. This forum looks like it will be a great place for help with any Klipsch questions. Wrinkles

Thankyou for the welcome. The seller wants around $1000. I'm hoping the LaScalas will sound good with my Foreplay II and Paramour 2A3 amps. Are there any issues with the LaScalas of this vintage that you know of? Wrinkles

Hello, My first post as a member. I want to obtain a pair of Klipsch speakers so I can hear what the wonderf world of Klipsch audio reproduction is all about. There is an individual in the area who has a 1994 pair of black LaScalas for sale. They have never been abused and have only minor scratchs that can e easily laquered over or touched up. I want to offer him a fair price, but obviously not to overpay. What has this audience seen as the market price of a used pair in very good condition. And what was the real retail price of these back in 1994. These would be for home use with my Bottlehead audio equipment. Thanks for any information. Wrinkles