KanedaK

My squawker horns are EV SM120A... the "sharpness" is coming from the tweeters.

In my experience, the vibrations create an annoying "buzz" at some frequencies and it doesn't require a very loud level. i can honestly say I never use more than 1 watt in my 40 square meters room, and that is already LOUD. 10watts is for parties (VERY LOUD). I'm afraid i'd blow the windows with 25watts! There's one song from Radiohead where the "buzz" is there no matter the level (OK maybe not bakground-talkover level but close). I don't use any bass boost or such, they're useless on a LaScala IMHO. They just add distortion.

Here they are! After years of lusting for them, and thanks to a fellow board member, I managed to get myself a pair of universal networks. God I was so excited to put them in!!... they replace old, rusty, dusty AA networks. they are a kit version with the Fastcaps, and Hovland and Sonicaps where it matters most. So how do they sound? They sound great for sure. I didn't have so much time to listen to them yet -installed them prior to go to work, played a few tunes (arrived late at work...). To be honest the first minutes I was a bit disappointed... they sounded so damn BRIGHT! Not harsh: clean and detailed, but just too BRIGHT. My tweeters are Beyma CP25, and in my setup with the old AAs I already had to pad them down a little. I thought I could leave the same setting with the new networks, but what sounded balanced with the AA sounded too hot in the high treble with the ALK. Now I'm back home with the ALKs. I padded down the tweeters a little bit more -there's no graduation for a reading but i'd say it's just 1dB, maybe 2 dBs less output- and now it sounds great. Clean, balanced, midrange is not all over the place like it used to, classical music doesn't sound harsh anymore, while still sounding "fresh" and detailed. Music sounds the way it' supposed to... with the AAs there was some kind of "warmth", like a "tubey" sound that was an artifact of the networks but sounded "nice" to the ear; with the ALKs, recordings sound the way they are... and the "crap in >> crap out" rule is more true than ever. This is sometimes annoying. Thank god I have more good recordings than bad ones. I listen mainly to CDs, trough a (good) solid state preamp, feeding a powerful SS power amp. That might explain why I had to pad the tweeters a bit more down. I might consider getting a good valve preamp to get that "warmth" back a little bit. Not that it sounds cold or harsh or anything, but I think I liked that "added sugar" quite a bit. I need to listen more, but overall I'm very impressed with those networks. One thing very impressive is drums: in very busy rock songs like Muse, I can now hear every kick on the drums, where before it all sounded like a big mess. Something I didn't expect is the bass can be felt in the chest at lower levels than before... and that's very very nice indeed! more punch down there too! I would recommend those networks, but I must say I'm a little bit skeptical about their use with entry-level AV receivers for example. I have the feeling they let you know about anything that's not optimally matched in your system... old AAs "round things off" more than a bit! More comments to follow... now just wanna sit back and listen Jamiroquai is making the whole room groove

Lime Twig wrote the following post at Thu, Aug 19 2010 3:39 AM: Very cool project, kg4guy! I've been asking people for advice on another thread about how to design a sub to match my La Scalas. Looking at your design has got me thinking. What would happen if you took a LS bass bin and faced in into the corner of a room, then built a triangular top and bottom to create a large horn for it to sit in? Would it be possible to find the right position for it to create a corner horn out of it? A quick Sketchup pic: Looks interesting. Any thoughts? Lime Twig, ever had the opportunity to experiment with it? wish I had two real corners...

I second that. Wide range midrange horns like a 811b are a compromise, like everything is. HF reproduction is probably not their strongest point. if you wanna go 3 way, go for a real tweeter designed for the task.

I'm curious to know what's the most used setting. use of an upgraded midrange horn might ask for an increase/decrease in K55 output. Please, ALK users, let us know: wich tap setting are you using, in wich Heritage speaker, with wich driver/horn combination? (My ALKs are to be delivered in the next 48hours. I'll post my own settings and comments on the sound then... )

I love those 511B horns. You might wanna put your tweeters more backwards, aligned wit the midrange drivers, on some pedestal about 8inch from your top panel. They will integrate much better and u won't feel like they're "too loud" anymore. Stereo image should improve as well. It's very easy to try: put your tweeters on a pile of books and see if you like it...

Would an external layer of Corian, all around the LaScala bass bin, with some "green glue" inbetween, be a good way of dampening the vibrations? It would sure look cool...

I'd say you made the right choice. Not that the RF are less good (it's more a matter of taste) but it's nice to own a classic. Especially if there's room for some upgrades

Hi Gil, I'm from Belgium and as far as I can say you're already lucky to find TWO pairs for sale at the same time in France... haven't seen a pair for sale in a long time (but I'm not really looking, quite happy with my modded LaScalas :-)) I'd say go for the walnut k-horns if your budget allows. Not only do they look better, but tey have the good alnico midrange and new crossovers. Only thing you might like to change is the tweeters... those round alnico K77 sound weak IMO and they're prone to failure if you like to crank it up. But changing the tweeters doesnt cost much and they'll probably be very enjoyable as is.

Don't know about the exact rating, but the Industrial version uses a different woofer (K43?) with more power handling, but it is also said to reach a little bit less deep in the lows than a K33 (don't know if it is true).

I can't remember if Bill ever did sell these or not but kind of makes me think of a dark Georgia O'Keefe painting. Some of the Rosewood and other veneers are also stunning but this is one of my favorites. Wow... amazing veneer... I just checked Georgia O'Keefe's paintings out of curiosity and there's indeed something very reminiscent of it. You have a good eye

Geez, we never had the end of the story!!!!!

I may be wrong, but I don't think this is true for the ALK universal network; it's always advertized as "plug and play" settings, also in the manual...

Great... 13 days stranded at the customs, and my networks are finally back in the mail delivery circuit... it's gonna cost me 130$ import taxes! I really don't get how they calculate it. Last year I bought a plate amp for my subwoofer in the US, it went through the customs TWICE since the first one was defect and got returned, and I only paid around 15$! And it was a new, more expensive device, and more heavy! and they ask me 130$ for a pair of used, second-hand universals.... my guess is there's absolutely NO logic behind the amount they ask you to pay, and it's just pure luck... anyways, I should get them in the next 48hours; I'll be finally able to listen to them and put some comments...

I don't have experience with the M3 and it has a good reputation for sure but I've read a Hifi+ review saying it sounds great AS LONG AS YOU ASK SOME VOLUME from it, otherwise it sounds thin. That would be a serious problem with Klipsch Heritage speakers, if true: provided you're no headbanger and like to listen your music sometimes at a normal domestic level (with a cornwall it means around 0,01watt average) you need an amp that sounds good at low power too. Otherwise you end up listening always louder to get a full sound. Now the review might be wrong -it's just a magazine- and the best thing would be to try it yourself. It's more a general warning about big power on Heritage speakers: some of them, while great, don't match.

Thanks folks for all the input... as I understand it in case of DC only the woofers go "smoke", but in the case of the universal network the fuse is in the woofer section... maybe for that reason? anyways, my networks didn't arrive yet... they are stranded at the customs, for some reason (I live in Belgium). Twenty times a day I check on the USPS website with the trcking number, but nothing seems to move since monday. GRRRRR!!!! I just hope it's the normal delay, I'm probably just too impatient. I've been dreaming about those networks for YEARS, without being able to afford them. And now they're stuck because some custom officers don't do their job efficiently enough, or are being paranoid about what's in the box. At least it didn't get lost by the postal service like my power amp was, last summer (two months to travel from centre of France to Brussels), or as I recall ten years ago this Technics preamp that, coming from a city in the north of Belgium, went all the way to Toulouse (south of France) and finally back to me (Brussels). fingers crossed. I'll post a full listening test when (if) they arrive.

Technics SE-A5 vintage. Sounds clean, articulate, and full bodied from 0.001watt up. Beautiful looks. Affordable high-end. 120W/8ohms; 40lb, some of the biggest vu-meters in power amp history I use mine on a pair of LaScalas and it's a delight to listen to. Who said SS gear sounds sterile, dry and harsh? certainly not me. Needs a GOOD preamp, tho. I heard mine connected to the pre-amp section of a NAD C320bee and it sounded very bad, thin and harsh. Your McIntosh preamp should be fine.

I've finally bought a second-hand set of ALK universal networks to replace the old AAs in my LS. They're on their way, and I'm very excited to hook them up! I've been wondering if the fuse in those networks would protect my beloved speakers in the event of a sudden DC burst at the amplifier output? Both my preamp and power amp are direct coupled designs, and tho the sound is great I'm always a little bit worried. The preamp is a DIY kaneda, and the power amp is technics SE-A5, wich supposedly has sofisticated protection in case of DC output, but it's 30years old and I don't wanna check if that protection still works... now I didn't buy the ALK networks for that particular reason, but it would be a welcome side benefit and would bring me a certain peace of mind! regards, François

Of course one shouldn't "jump" in the upgrades before first spending time with his speakers. I spent 2 years changing my LaScalas position in the room, trying to find the right balance between smoothness and detail, between punch and a flat response, between speech intelligibility and a wide "image"... it was driving me nuts. I eventually ended up firing them at me for rock music and firing them parallel into the room for classical. Those K400 horns are just too beamy IMO. Especially if your living room is not the size of Texas. LaScalas are fantastic speakers, and it's totally possible to enjoy them as is, but you can turn them into something really, really WOW with a little bit care, and no need to spend big bucks for it. It also depends on your musical taste, room size, electronics, etc... that's why a system is called... a "system". Now it's very easy and reversible to just sit a different midrange horn on top of your LS and see what you like the most. As far as crossover upgrades go... Klipsch changed their crossover designs themselves so many times, I feel it's not disrespect to klipsch to upgrade for an aftermarket crossover. Just choose carefully what might be the best option for you... As I said earlier, I'm hoping my new ALK crossovers will sound fantastic, and I'm almost sure they will. But there's a (very slight) possibility that the old AA will sound better in MY room with MY electronics, so i'm still a little bit anxious. I will keep you (and everybody on this forum, most likely) posted about myfeelings 'bout them. I think what Tom says makes sense, in the way that not all upgrades are "better", and you need to know exactly what you're trying to "fix". But still, there's more to do than just putting new caps IMHO.

I own an old pair of LaScalas. I love them. Mine came with split bass / top bins (no, it's not the factory industrial version, just the previous owner who did it). That allowed me to build new top bins around EV SM120A midrange horns and Beyma CP25 tweeters. Both were a HUGE improvement. i haven't heard the various "aftermarket" horns on offer and i'm sure they're good, but you can find the EV SM120 horns for much cheaper and they're very, very good. Problem is, they're actually wider than the rest, so the WAF sucks. The K55 driver screws into it without needing any adaptor. The Beyma CP25 tweeter is fantastic, and mirrors the dispersion pattern of the midrange horn, wich is great. It's not expensive and well worth the money. I'm still using my original AA networks but those have seen better days and i'm waiting for a pair of ALK universal networks I just bought second hand. They're on their way and I can't wait to install them. My LaScalas sound already so damn good with the old networks, I feel like I'm gonna have a seriously good pair of loudspeakers very soon. I'm listening to all kinds of music and always felt with classical (especially big, loud chorus) they were really too harsh. I hope the new network is gonna fix this totally; it's already much better with the new horns and tweeters. Now if you have to choose only one mod... i'll answer you after I hear what the ALK crossovers do! I hope this helps. François

Great design. But I'm wondering: I've heard many times that SQUASH balls were the ones to use, because they DON'T have any jump factor. Super balls are very, very jumpy... did you try both / hear any difference?

This is true for most Klipsch designs (and other horn designs too) putting the tweeter on top, and at the rear, helps a lot. Especially true if your listening room isn't the size of a concert hall.

I've been tempted by this ported base for the Lascala. but I always feel like in my listening room (not so big) it would be a problem to have the tweeters located some 15inch higher than ear level. I love what I hear now in the mid/treble. There's always the option to reverse the bass bin, and put the reflex ports in the top bin, but I prefer to keep those sections separated (I plan to put some isolation feet in between and isolate the treble from the bass bin) or I could put the bass bin sideways, but then the "reflex" box needs to be fixed to the existing bass horn, and the footprint would just be too huge. I 'm just gonna stick with a sub at the moment...

Nice combo! I never had a chance to hear CJ but their stuff always looks so cool. I think it's the first time I see a Naim CDplayer as the source of a horn system (why?), can you comment about the way it sounds? I've always been drooling for the long time discontinued CD3.5...[] how does the ported LS sound, by the way?