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For what it's worth I tried different types of material inside my LS bass bin with negative results. You will lose the timbre & texture of the bass, it just dampens everything out & makes it sound like a one note bass effect. Hey, I can get that sound listening to a ghetto blaster!!

Have you thought of building in the backs? This would give you a lot more flexibility in placement. I"ve never heard a pair configured this way, although I'm sure others will chime in. From what I've read this should give you the same or possibly better bass performance with the ability to place the speakers at whatever angle you choose.

Thanks guys, Pretty much as I thought....I really like that direct bass sound that comes straight to you....it's one of the reasons I went for the LS over the KHorn in the first place. Rudy, your comparison would be very valid, as you have both & your comments are pretty much what I would expect for the sound. How come we are never satisfied & feel the need to always look for the holy grail......as always, it's a personal preference thing. I'm very satisfied with this setup after all the mods....I never thought I could get a set of LS to sound like this!!

So you've had the bass reflex mod on your LS. Do you think the bass was better on those than a Khorn? I'm thinking the mids & tops will be the same on both speakers...after all they both use exactly the same components & crossovers.

Hi all, Most of you will know that I've recently completed a LS build & added the bass reflex cabinet to the bottom of the bass horn. (along with many other mods). This is producing some of the most musical sound that I have ever had in my room & I'm more than happy with it. I'm just curious on the thoughts of others as to the difference in sound quality between this set up & the Klipschorn, primarily the difference in the sound of the bottom end. So if the mids, tops, & crossovers were left the same & I changed out the bass cabs, what sort of difference would I hear? I haven't heard a set of corner horns for about 20 years, so it's very difficult to compare, but my recollection is that the LS bass was tighter & cleaner, whereas the KHorn bass was rounder & fuller but with not as much slam. Appreciate any thoughts, John

Here's the plans & the dimensions for the ramps & the splitter are shown in the parts list LaScala11.pdf LaScala11.pdf

Do you mean the splitter & the ramps like this?

"I would prefer the tweeters be centered above the mid horn, but it's a compromise I'm willing to make to get the larger format horn and keep the Khorns stock looking." I agree with Greg that the best position sound wise is for the tweeters to be above the mid horn. I know everything is a compromise, but I prefer the sound with them above, rather than the stock look with a compromised sound. To each his own I guess....

think you also need to consider the other components in your system. Maybe the Mac doesn't really gel with your preamp? I've found that there can be synergies between various combinations of complete system components & you may be doing the Mac an injustice in this case....or maybe it's just not what you prefer to hear? I don't think you can make any assumptions in this game, as more often than not what you think won't work sometimes does sound better. You really do have to try equipment out on your own gear & in your own room before you make that final decision...difficult sometimes, I know. As to whether we should be able to produce a list of what sounds good with a KHorn, well, I know that what I think sounds good may be completely different from what someone else thinks sounds good. After years & years of different speakers, amps, preamps, sources, & listening to many other high end systems the one thing I've learned is that you need to put together a system that YOU like & not what someone else tells you sounds good. It's all great fun along the journey. Oh, yes & my wife can always hear the difference when something is changed!

Thanks Greg, Now they sound as good as they look.....hope all is going along well with your new ventures. John

Hi all, Just thought I'd jot down a few thoughts on my recent experiences with upgrading of system components. Over the last 12 months or so I've put together a LS 2 split system & upgraded nearly all the components & have been enjoying the sound. When I finally had these complete, I started to experiment with different source components & preamps. I tried many different sources & finally settled on a NAIM CD5i CD player. As soon as I heard this machine I knew it was the one. The sound was the most like vinyl that I've heard before & is a joy to listen to. I then ended up with a JAS Audio Bravo passive preamp & this would give any high end preamp a run for its money.Sound is now crystal clear with beautiful resolution across the whole audio band. Please note that I have no affiliation with either of these companies, but just want to convey the effect this has had on my listening experiences. It proved to me that unless you start with a good source you are never going to get the best from your speakers, regardless of what you do to them. I remember when I first started this journey way back when Linn were just coming onto the market & I was fortunate enough to get an LP12. It was the best source component you could get at the time & I suppose you just get used to having it & become familiar with that great natural sound. Along comes digital & all of a sudden you need to mortgage your house if you want the best source components....something I'm not in a position to do. So you get the best you can & you still enjoy it, but it's not quite the same as before. I suppose I'm saying be selective with your choice of source component, as it probably makes the biggest difference to your sound & whether you will get the enjoyment from it that you are looking for. I know that the changes that I have just made will do me for a long long time to come & certainly the LS are able to just keep on improving as the other links in the chain get better...just shows how good they really are. (Excuse the running writing as this site doesn't seem to preserve the paragraphing)

And some measured performance data.....cheers La Scala BR Mod Specs.pdf La Scala BR Mod Specs.pdf La Scala BR Mod Specs.pdf

Here's some detail from previous posts Interesting reading....although way over my head! La Scala Bass Reflex Mod.pdf La Scala Bass Reflex Mod.pdf La Scala Bass Reflex Mod.pdf

I had mine built for me by a cabinet maker friend so they are basically brand new....I built the riser for the bottom. Yes, you will lose a little efficiency...not sure how much as I also cannot do any measurements. It can't be a lot though as I still have heaps of efficiency from mine, although I did back off the mids 1 notch to balance things out a bit. The recommended size for the riser is the same size as the width & depth of the LS & 10 inches high. The ports should be 4 inch diameter & 7 inches long. There's a thread in here somewhere about the results of using different port lengths & diameters. With the standard tuning you should get good response down to 30Hz. Good to hear you got your old babies back again & they are working well for you.

Yes, I've added the riser to my LS & am very pleased with the results. To my ears the LS had very little bottom end when just stock until I changed the woofers to Crites cast frame models. When I added the risers the bottom increased even more. I don't have any measurements either, but they go at least as low as my Altec 19's which comfortably go to 30 Hz. I couldn't go back to listening to them as standard. Strange about the vibration....is it the cabinet vibrating or the woofer? Maybe the amp is running out of steam?...not sure Here's a pic.

Nico, Contact Bob Crites from B& K Sound (His username is BEC on this forum) & he will be able to help you out.

I haven't heard a pair of Cornscala's but I have a set of Altec Model 19's for comparison to my LS with the added bass reflex enclosure. I would say that the bass is tighter & more defined....cleaner, if you will. The horn loading seems to give a tighter more punchy sound...I guess it depends what your preference is. The mids & tops should be pretty much the same from a LS to a Cornscala as they use the same components. I would recommend you use the Tractrix horns & the ALK universals if you're going to put something together from scratch, as they are a huge improvement from stock. Here's a pic of my bass reflex extension & yes, you can just put it back to stock if you ever want to. The cabinets just sit on top of each other with sealing tape to seal the two enclosures together. I haven't done any measurements but with this mod my LS easily keep up with the Altecs & they go down comfortably to 30Hz. Enjoy!!

And one more....think I'm done with all the mods now & these things sound fantastic....thanks to everyone here for all the advice & info. John

Used 1/2 inch ply & cut out to the shape of the tweeter flare & bolted to this...then screwed through the ply & into the timber oak block

Have also completed the stands for the "Baby Cheeks" tweeters.....these flares really make Bobs tweeters shine...it's like a whole other ocatve on the top end! A lot cleaner & easier to distinguish.

And another...have also added an oak strip underneath the mid horn cabinet instead of the rubber feet.

And with the grilles...

Finally got around to veneering the bass reflex cabinets. Here's a few photos. I've added a small oak feature strip on the bottom of the cabinet. Here's a photo without the grilles.

Awesome Josh...keep us posted. BTW...are you making Tractrix horns?

Brian, To post pics...click "options" tab....click "add/update" tab...navigate to your picture on your computer....click "save" (you may have to scroll to the right to be able to see the "save" button)...& then post. Not sure what the volume of that combo would be...I'm sure others here will be able to help you out. Both 2 & 3 way designs can be excellent....IMO it's not the fact that it's a 2 or 3 way, but the sume of the components used that will dictate the overall result. I have both 2 & 3 way design speakers & they both sound awesome. The usual arguements are that a 2 way will usually have a simpler crossover & therefore have gains in that department, whilst a 3 way will enable the drivers to operate over a much more limited frequency band & therefore give them better control over the particular frequencies they each cover. Some members here run the Jubilee as a 2 way & I'm sure they're very happy with the sound...others will insist that you need that tweeter on top. Have a listen to as many systems as you can & go for the overall flavour of sound you are after, rather than basing you're decision on technical parameters. Just my 2c worth. That 902 is an excellent driver & will perform beautifully. (I have a pair in my Altec 19's) Look forward to seeing your build. John