JohnA

How about having Klipsch recone it? Others can also, such as Orange County Speakers in CA, or SimplySpeakers in Knoxville, TN, plus others. It wa made by Eminence. Call 1-800-KLIPSCH and see what new and reconing costs.

Actually, the problem is suX-P. It's as buggy as the first Win95, before 95a. Go back to 98SE.

http://www.ctaz.com/~moonlite/subvmp.html Try these kits. It's basically a screw it together for the complete kit. for the drivers and plans, you build and finish the box. If you do that, it could be any shape you want, if the internal volume is correct. None of these are powered. You will have to get an outboard amp. They do not need the equalization built into many subwoofer plate amps. You can use Harrison Labs F-Mods for a low pass crossover.

schalliol, All but one of your references are flat earthers. Even Paradigm provides no proof. Think logically. How many cycles are required for "break-in to occur? 100,000or 1M? How many times can a paper clip flex before it breaks? If it's 100k, how many seconds is that at 10k Hz? How many is that at 100 Hz? Even a million is just under 3 hours. Think. Why would a speaker manufacturer, other than Klipsch, want you to spend a week listening to their speakers before you listened critically and maybe returned them because you hated their sound? If you kept them a week and got use to the new sound you wouldn't be nearly so ready to return them and cancel the sale! Why *would* Paradigm want to keep from losing sales? If break-in were real and caused by movement loosening the driver's suspension, why hasn't someone become rich and famous documenting it and analyzing the optimum amount so speaker manufacturers can immediately delight their customers? "Where's the beef?"

Well, Mr. Hobbit, I liked one so much I bought another. One was just enough for movies and normal listening. Two will keep pace with my La Scalas to as loud as I can stand. They can easily be adjusted so that you cannot tell a subwoofer is in the system (until there is a deep pedal or synthesizer note). They blend well with the La Scala's horn-loaded bass. The distortion levels are quite low. The only powered sub I've heard that could compete was Klipsch's RSW-15, but I *think* it had higher distortion. Another plus is the cabinets have been redesigned and are lots more attractive now.

The type of surround you use is mostly preference. I use normal speakers for surrounds. A good line conditioner is not a gimmick. It may be over-priced, but not a gimmick. Have you ever heard a click or pop from your gear when the A/C or refrigerator turns on? A line conditioner should eliminate that and other noise from your AC line that may be barely audible, but affecting your gear just the same. I have a couple of expensive surge protectors that have heavy filtering for my system. I don't use line conditioning.

Wrong forum, dude. No ideas here.

Since Belles are so rare, I'll bet you'll have to get a Type AB-3 (if it exists, AB-2 if not) from Klipsch. I bought one custom built Type AA for $150, I think. It shouldn't be too expensive.

Speakers just don't "break-in". I've replaced drivers and cannot hear any difference between it and its twin. There has never been a test showing a change in performance or T-S parameters. It's voodoo. You will believe it or not, but you cannot prove "break-in" occurs. However, your ears-brain will become accustomed to the sound of new speaker systems after a short period of time. This is what "break-in" actually is.

I'd like to have a shot at any K-55-V drivers you have. Your K-horns were in fact upgraded. '79s did not have those components. The AK-3 is supposed to be a very good crossover, but I haven't heard it. You will want to get rid of the Belle's AB crossover. With a Type AB, I assume the Belle was upgraded to the black K-55-M squawker, too. There should be an analogous Belle crossover, probably AB-3. However, I'm sure there is an AB-2 that should readily complement your AK-2s. That might be a cheaper, yet equally suitable solution. For surrounds you will need them to be tall enough to "see" over your furniture (this was the problem I had with La Scala rears). The Heresies on shelves sound like the better proposition. The Heresies could be "upgraded" with a K-55-M squawker, but I doubt if it would be worth the cost.

Your La Scalas were made before 1980. If the tweeter has a rectangular magnet, they were made after 1977. I know no other way of narrowing the age. Those are among my favorite driver complements.

Q is correct. The new network corrects for the diminished output. I can't remember which speakers and drivers you have, so it's hard to say if the new ones would be better. If you have K-55-Vs and square magnet K-77-Ms, I'd bet the differences are way too small for the cost involved. Though not a fan of the K-55-M, I wouldn't change it either. Spend money on your crossover and damping the horns.

Dean, I'll add a prayer for your son. I'm sorry he's having such trouble.

It's a Pioneer! Nothing else must be said. Look for a Yamaha CR-1000.

AKs are ALs in K-horn clothing. Trash 'em.

I'm in Chattanooga, but there are several members in Florida. Q-man is near the Cape, for instance.

Fading in and out and scratchy sound more like problems with the electronics. Check all of that before pulling off the backs of the speakers. You can do most any tweaking needed yourself. Normally nothing is needed, though. Without turning them up too loud, get close and listen to each driver. You should not hear anything odd. A damaged woofer voice coil will cause a static-like sound and can be heard and felt by pushing gently on he cone when the amp is off. The woofer can be reconed or replaced if it's damaged. A squawker with a rubbing voice coil will have a ringing sound and will be quieter than a good one. The squawker diaphragm can be replaced for about $75 + labor. Generally, a tweeter works or it doesn't. They have a continous rating of 2 watts, so if anything happens to it, it usually burns out. A new tweeter diaphragm costs $24. You should also check the crossover network for leaking capacitors. They are oil-filled, so it will be obvious. Finally, you could remove and clean/sand the connections to the crossover. This has never been a problem with my '81 La Scalas, but it can't hurt. A good pro audio tech can replace the diaphragms or Klipsch will. A recone will require an outfit that specializes in reconing or Klipsch will do it. The woofer was made by Eminence just for Klipsch.

You're not missing anything. Because it's cheap, the Pioneer is only rated down to 40 Hz. It will go deeper, but cannot produce full power below that or the distortion goes above the chosen rating, or both. The sub will have output below 25 Hz, too. It won't be loud and is likely to have higher distortion, but it's there. Running the speaker wires to the sub first is an acceptable way of putting it into the circuit.

I've had Type AAs, Type ALs and ALKs. The ALs are real stinkers, suitable for parting out. The ALKs are great crossovers. I've been told by Q-man that the ALK and AK-3 (essentially the same as the AL-3) sound much alike. You should be able to get the AL-3 from Klipsch. The choice is down to $$ and your preference. Where are you? We might be able to hook you up with a listening session. I'll have to pry my ALKs away from my brother.

Don't know. Last I heard Atlas was making the K-55-X for Klipsch. Some years ago a "friend" of Klipsch bought the T-35/K-77-M tooling and was producing the tweeters. I don't know who is making the K-77-F. Klipsch is sensitive about that stuff, so I don't ask anymore when talking to employee-friends.

Production of all Heritage models were halted for a while because the K-55-M was no longer made by ElectroVoice and the K-77-M had become either hard to get or expensive. K-horn production restarted in late 2002. La Scalas may have been made in 2002. I'm sure there are 2003 La Scalas. I have not seen a hard price for La Scalas, but Klipsch has said it will be higher than the previous price of $US2798. BTW, what does testaretta (if I spelled it right) mean? I know testarossa means "redhead", so it must mean some sort of "head". It is used to describe the new Ducati 999.

Normally, it's cheaper to buy a used pair than to build your own. New drivers and new squawker horn usually exceed the price of a used pair. Add a pair of braces to the bass horn like the model 525 on hps4000.com.

The -X squawker is the K-55-V squawker modified to be smoother. It lost about 1.5 db in efficiency in the process. The -F is the K-77-M. The new manufacturer could not achieve the older 104 dB rating, either. I could not determine why. It is also about 1.5 dB less efficient. IMO, these would be the prefered drivers. I have always liked the K-55-V over the -M and now it is improved. None of us has seen the AL/AK-4 network, so i can't comment. The AL/AK-3 was a respected network. I doubt Klipsch would have screwed up the -4.

You might try a pair of ASL Wave AV-8s, $99 ea. + S&H. I was not satisfied with them powering my La Scalas, but they had plenty of power. I don't like "Tube sound". Many people in several places on the internet and supposedly in the printed press RAVE about them and their sound.

EVERYONE knows you have to flush out the bad electrons that sound muddy (they have too many top quarks) and push in new, freshly made electrons from the coal-fired power plants (new fangled nuclear made electrons sound harsh and screechy) to get better sound. If you are so lucky as to get new hydroelectric electrons, your music will take on the most wonderful liquid, musical sound, but that's usually a crap shoot. The most ethereal sound comes from electrons made by wind-powered generators; so open and airy it defies description. It's a life-altering experience!