JohnA

There are tweaks on the BBS if you're interested, but there is nothing you need to do but play them some more, unless there is something wrong woth them. John

There could also be something in the chamber between the woofer cone and the slot that opens into the bass horn. Sometimes I will hear a chestyness or extra bassiness to male vocals (listen to either od Seal's CDs). That is a resonance in the bass horn. You can feel the sides vibrating at that same frequency. Other than that, I get no unusual sounds from my La Scalas. John

What's up with the trip? John

It won't cause any damage, try it! John

The Klipschorn, Belle and La Scala are currently out of production. Klipsch is looking for new squawker drivers and maybe new tweeters. You might find a new pair in a warehouse somewhere or by dealer transfer. Ebay is also a pretty good place to look for used ones. I'd drive to where ever to pick them up if I bought a used pair. They're too valuable to risk in shipping. Now that Tweeter has opened in Hamilton Place, you could try to see if they can find you a new set. They are pretty big Klipsch customers. I want to get over there myself. If I bought used, I'd be looking for the late 70s/early 80s models. They have the solder terminal K-55-V squawker and the ceramic magnet tweeter. This is my favorite configuration. The latest models with the K-55-M MAY be smoother in the midrange, and my La Scalas with those squawkers don't sound much different from the ones with the -Vs, but for some reason I prefer the -Vs. If you buy a set with Type AK networks in them, plan on replacing the Type AK. The Type AK/AB/AL network was the first one used with the K-55-M begining in 1982. It is essentially the same as the Type AL and should sound just as awful. ALK networks or Klipsch Type AK-3 would be a good upgrade. I have a pair of the ALKs and love them. When was the last time you heard the Klipsch Heritage series? John

He's not asking about a computer monitor. He's asking about audio gear. I don't know the answer to his question. I'd think the best place to ask is a McIntosh dealer. John

The BBS is full of discussions about tweaks. Search the Updating and Odds & Mods sections for damping and tweaks. John

I think the Type AL-3 is a pretty good design. It has a pair of wires that must be cut for bi-wiring. I have a schematic of it, but it is too big for the Forum. I'll try e-mailing you a copy. John

Which Network do you have? The Type AL-3 was designed to make bi-wiring easy. The rest will be harder but not impossible. John

That sounds a lot like a bad, or misaligned diaphragm. John

The K-43 woofer is what you want. It is designed to be used with the back air chamber volume and the slot size in the throat of the horn. It is sometimes said to have 2 or 3 dB more output than the K-33. John This message has been edited by John Albright on 12-07-2001 at 01:34 PM

Start off by using the original crossover slopes. I don't know which squawker you have, but for the K-55-V and Type AA network, the bass is rolled off at 6 dB/octave above 400 Hz, the squawker is rolled in at 6 dB/octave above 400, has no upper roll off and the tweeter is rolled in at about 18 dB/octave above 6000 Hz. I say about because the high pass filter on the tweeter is not an ideal Butterworth. It has a "bump" in the response of a dB or so at 6k. I believe this is an attemp to EQ the system and make up for the K-55-V's falling response at 6K. The K-55-M doesn't fall off at 6k like the -V does so I believe the networks for that driver roll off at 12 dB/octave above 6k. John

In some models, especially the Belle and K-horn and maybe the Heresy, consecutive serial numbers ensure the wood's grain is "matched". I believe matched in this sense means opposite-hand (mirror image). John

There are a few DIY things you can do for the speakers. Search the BBS for horn damping and cap. There have been many discussions about the Heresy. John

I don't understand all I know about Tratrix curves, but in general, a good quality compression driver should be able to cover 700 to 17k+. It and the horn might not fit into the cabinet, though. John This message has been edited by John Albright on 12-02-2001 at 06:20 PM

You'll get better answers in the ProMedia Forums. This is Home Audio. I think you'll have to listen for yourself. John

http://www.classifieds2000.com/cgi-cls/ad.exe?P1+C40+A0+R100008739+Q259467110

The Type AL crossover started in 1982 or perhaps late 1981. John

Karen, you could search the BBs for ALK Crossovers and look here: http://www.alkeng.com/xocomnt.html John

The power ratings are maximums (and without significant distortion at that). You should never use that as a guide to your amplifier size. A Quintet probably should not see more than 25 watts continously or if will fry. John

One pair of my La Scalas is 20 years old and did not "need" any updates. I have modified them slightly, but many would say it wasn't needed. The speakers hold up VERY well for dozens of years. John

I use a KLF-C7 as my center channel with La Scalas as mains and surrounds. The C7 is a pretty good match, if not perfect. A Heresy from the same year would probably be better. I was looking for Heresy surrounds when I found the rear La Scalas cheaper. I use a pair of VMPS Larger Subs driven by a power amp that supplies about 400 watts to each one. When in the corners, they can keep up with the La Scalas. At sane volumes and below their distortion is low enough that they blend well with my La Scalas. Your biggest problem is going to be finding a sub(s) with enough low distortion output to keep up with La Scalas. John

The reason DD is the dominant audio in theaters is advertizing. It's the same reason Bloze sells the most speakers. John This message has been edited by John Albright on 11-28-2001 at 01:23 PM

What are you doing in Morocco?! I love the food and hope to go there myself someday. What about traveling to France to buy Klipsch? Or Spain? John

A small amount of difference is often the voice coil rubbing, probably due to excessive heat. For a really large difference in output I'd look at the crossover for bad solder joints or bad components. first swap the K-55-V from one speaker to the other. If the low output moves it's the driver. You should be able to get it overhauled for about $75. John