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Bubo

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Posts posted by Bubo

  1. This has probably been discussed many times, but I'll ask the question.

     

    There is clearly a performance curve in the LaScala woofer section that is more efficient at the hump that Claude plotted for us.

     

    The question then becomes, is the hump the result of the K-33 design, or the the Horn design, or both?

     

    IMHO trying to fix it after it occurs, is always a bad engineering solution and probably the reason some crossovers are not well received, like patching the outside of a tire.

     

    If the Hump is noticeable, and undesirable, I would think it would be better to attenuate it in an EQ before it reaches the Amplifier and Crossover.

     

    Without Klipsch's Engineer notes, if they exist, it's hard to know what his intentions were. The hump may have helped to sell speakers, or even been a compensation for the tube amplifiers of the day or the way sound travels in auditoriums, churches and theaters aka he did it for a reason.

     

    Like so many good things, Moray surfaced this article on a different thread.

     

    I doubt if Klipsch gave everything away in an industry paper, but enough to make it interesting, and help sales.

     

    I assume the Industry Theater Speaker he is comparing to is the Altec A-7 2-Way, drivers unknown at this minute.

     

    Does a 2 in driver in a 2-way speaker extend the highs in a flatter response than the A-7 high end did? Or the Altec 802- pick your letter D G etc.....

     

    There is also the question of which Altec Horn Klipsch was comparing to, 811, 511 or something else, but ringing is a common complaint with these two.

     

    Then there is the question of which horn sounds the most lifelike with female voice, the K-55V is so sweet it sets a high mark for comparison.

    LaScala AES Pre-print.pdf

  2. So, we're converting a room to a full bath.

     

    Been busy framing, drywall, plumbing, electrical....

     

    Today I put the Durrock down (fitted it) in hopes that tomorrow we can pull it up and put the adhesive down.

     

    I had this pesky electrical problem.

     

    Have an outlet next to the sink so the wife can use her hair dryer & curling iron.  Used a GFCI outlet so she's got two outlets....but she wanted more.  So, next to it I put a combination outlet/switch in so she'd gain another outlet and the switch controls the light in the closet.  The outlet is controlled by the GFCI so they're all protected.

     

    When you have an outlet, you have black/power going to the hot side and white/neutral going to the opposite side right?

     

    I got everything wired up.  (mind you I made 15 trips up/down two flights of stairs today to cut/place the Durrock)  I made another 6-8 trips up/down same stairs to turn breaker off/on for this darn outlet....I'm tuckered out having run a marathon in my own house!)

     

    Turn breaker on and it trips.  Reset......it trips.  Hmmm...reset....it trips again.  Something is wrong.

     

    Well....  an hour later of being utterly dumbfounded....

     

    I cross-wired the neutral.  On the lower half of this (on the outlet part) I had black/white going to their respective lugs....JUST LIKE I wired on the top except, for the top it was the switch part and it doesn't get wired that way!!!

     

    yanked the neutral, replaced it with the lead going to the fixture and all is well, in proper polarity.

     

    That pesky wire had me scratching my head until I turned the appliance over and saw it from the front, remembering that it was a switch and not an outlet.

     

    Bonehead

     

     

    I started having flashbacks from re-doing my upstairs bathroom 20 years ago........

  3. Horns I can't find on LaScalas

     

     

    Auto Tech makes these, don't know anything about them.

     

    Puola%20horn4.jpg

     

    DIY 'Sound Group sells these SEOS and IWATA and Auto Tech

     

    Waveguide_group.jpg

     

    Auto Tech Iwata Horn 2 variations, I have seen this mounted on A-7 Bins

     

    Link to A-7 Pic

     

     

     

     

    HT_PIC_02.jpg

  4.  

    I also plan on adding a panel above the k401 below the tweeters. I am curious to hear what effect it may have.

    I can't see the tops of the LS whhen sitting down, but tried carpet scraps and other materials to see if i could hear a difference, but ig didn't seem to matter.

    Bruce

     

    Do you have the top panel above your mid horn? I am curious to see if any of the high frequency program is lost behind the baffle when seated. How far from the front of the baffle is your tweeter?

     

     

     

    A possible simple test is tape a piece of string halfway inside the horn lens, and pull it snug to see if it clears the baffle without bending.

     

    "The higher frequency sound waves have a shorter wavelength and thus don't spread out as rapidly. For this reason, the resulting directivity of these devices is far higher than physically possible with any loudspeaker system."

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_sound

     

    If we are going to be moving the tweeters way back to align with the mid drivers, should we get longer lenses to control the diffraction so we are not hitting the tops of the cabinets?? Lenses also have their own baggage and reflections may become and issue with other effects.

  5.  

    Any thoughts on the effectiveness of just using a surround receiver as the stereo preamp?

     

    If the receiver has pre-outs for the (5+).1 channels and the sound quality is good, I don't see any reason to not use one.  There also are Pre/Pros out there too that are refurbished for about half their sticker price that work extremely well.  It's an economic decision.

     

    The base version of Audyssey that ships with receivers and pre/pros isn't, IMO, good enough to do any customizing or to even see even what it is doing. I recommend another brand of automatic room EQ, or if you have the money, the "pro" version of Audyssey works for the few guys that have sprung for the additional $500+ for that firmware version over the base version.  That seems like a lot of money, though.

     

    Some support bi-amping on more than just the Center channel.

     

    That would be a good choice if the power amplifiers have good sound quality.  That can save a lot of money over separate EQ units, external amplifiers, and associated cables.

     

    Chris

     

     

     

    As an experiment, I set up a surround system that literally sits on top of my LaScalas (if I had a bigger room, or house, it would have been 5.2 with Heresys and LaScalas I have the gear) using the Synergy TOTL small B3 as fronts C3 and S3 speakers with 3  excellent Yamaha MX 800s fed by a Pioneer Elite THX Surround Pre Outs with the Center channel Bi Amped. It sounds surprisingly good. In this case the Amps outclass the speakers and probably pull them up a bit.

     

    My 1980 Mac Gear has been with me so long that it's hard to connect anything else to the LaScalas, though I did rotate 5 amps one time when the Mac was in the shop, all sounded good, the Yamaha was the best.

     

    If I ever get more room a third rack with a circuit switch or patch panel will be set up..........

     

    BTW does everyone OEM Audyessy or are there other vendors out there. Emotive uses something different in their new TOTL.

     

     

    Thanks,

     

    Mark

  6. Chris,

     

    Thanks, this brings me to the next question which is how do we adjust for the gear and the room, which is going active.

     

    The cheap and easy fix is using something like a Pioneer Elite MACC which EQs and does Phase Adjustments, the various high end Surround Receiver Manufactures all seem to have their own version. McIntosh has their own stand alone unit.

     

    So it's running correction over the existing gear and Butterworth Crossover. Unless you are set up for bi-amp.

     

    Any thoughts on the effectiveness of just using a surround receiver as the stereo preamp?

     

    Some support Bi amping on more than just the Center channel.

     

    As to a larger room, and or use with sub woofers, the surround unit does allow for 2.0 just LaScalas, 2.2 LaScalas with subs, and 3.2 LaScalas with subs and perhaps a Heresy in the middle if a blended channel can be derived much like using the Bell between two K-horns. I'm pretty sure I could configure my Pioneer THX Receiver into 3.2 run the MACC and adjust down the volume on the center channel, I would have to play with it.

  7.  

    Interesting LaScala hybrid build, I love all of the plots on the Bass Cabinet.

     

    It's interesting that he found no real improvement in measured lower frequencies from the vent box but felt that it tightened the bass up a bit, which was a subjective observation.

     

    Clearly the guy is a skilled wood worker, I would run out of fingers way before the completion of the project.

  8. http://www.rane.com/note160.html

     

    Interesting read, well most of it, and for me it had lots of pictures.

     

    http://sound.westhost.com/lr-passive.htm

     

    Interesting article from Australia DIY supplier, I'm not smart enough to score it.

     

    This is what I gleaned.

     

    If you need even distribution of sound at all frequencies over a wide and tall area, you are probably talking active crossover, and the Linkwitz Riley is popular for this application. The goal of this crossover, in addition to uniform sound over a broad area is to be perfectly in phase at the crossover point.

     

    If you have a favorite chair, the mid drivers at ear level and speakers angled towards your chair, you are in the sweet spot and passive (affordable and reliable) Butterworth crossovers will work just fine. If you move around the room, there are going to be areas that are not the sweet spot, your guests can sit there.

     

    The differences between the two approaches is managing the phase alignment of multiple drivers over the desired area. In phase on the same frequency should have an additive effect aka louder and inverse signals on the same frequency should cancel. The effects in between could be observed with two identical drivers and a test tone and something that would allow you variable time delay on one of the drivers. When one is at zero and the other is at 180 there should be silence.

     

    The speed with which one driver rolls off and the other turns on would also have it's own set of effects, and there is the issue of not slamming the next driver with full power all at once.

     

    With all designs, there are the objectives which may or may not be realistic, then there is what can be done and the trade offs begin. A lot of the trade offs are explored on the bench aka "how does this sound"?

     

    My two cents.....

  9. Interesting discussions on Klipsch K-33 Woofer with specs

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/subwoofers/176729-klipsch-horn-woofer-designs.html

     

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/148475-k-33-e-vs-k-33-b-specs-anybody-have-factory-measured-ts-data/page-2

     

    http://forum.poisonnuke.de/index.php?action=ViewThread&TID=2343

     

    Links to DIY Plans for LaScala and some bass talk

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/1344-lascala-plans.html

     

    http://www.audiofanatic.it/Piani_costruttivi/pic_piani/LaScala/LaScala.html

     

    Scroll down to Marvel's post and his Drawing of the LaScala plans  A+

     

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/151099-scala-bass-bin-with-curved-sides/

     

    UPDATE: I forgot to mention upgrading to the Klipsch K-43 Woofer, which apparently specs out better than the stock K-33

     

    Actually just google Klipsch LaScala Plans and all kinds of good stuff pops up

     

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/156919-la-scala-build/

     

    Scroll down for bass port to Frodi post links

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/41648-more-bass-lascalas-2.html

     

    Volti Opinion on Crites K-33 replacement

    http://www.klipschupgrades.com/criteswoofers.shtml

     

    Not exactly stock but interesting from above la scala build thread on klipsch community above.

     

    The HornResp program is where things like probably take life

     

    LaScala with a real brace.jpg

     

     

    Thread on building the Mod below

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/108425-la-scala-bass-reflex-mod/

     

    bass_ext.jpg

     

    LS_qtmahogany_1024_sm.jpg

    • Like 1
  10. Thanks Chris A for this link, discussion on the LaScala Bass Horn Geometry and effect.

     

    Can extrapolate into time alignment, someone smarter than me can......... anyway.

     

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/94238-la-scala-bass-horn-length/

     

    "

    The La Scala and Belle bass bins are about 36 inches (EDITED) path length from compression slot to the front face of the cabinet, effectively. 

     

    Also note that any passive or active crossover will insert from 90-360 degrees of phase lag of the lower frequency driver relative to the higher frequency driver (90 degrees per "order" of the filter used: for a fourth order filter, that's 360 degrees lag of the LF driver relative to the HF driver). 

     

    My working rule of thumb is that the time alignment needs to be within 1/10th of a wavelength (i.e., 36 degrees) of perfectly aligned at the center crossover frequency.  For 400 Hz crossover (bass bin to midrange), that's about 3.4 inches maximum misalignment--including crossover phase shift error.  For the tweeter-midrange crossover, nominally at 5 kHz, that's about a quarter of an inch, max misalignment, including crossover filter phase shifts.

     

    Chris"

  11. What is the efficiency of the LaScala Bass Section (for that matter what is it's Ohm spec).

     

    2-Way Crossover 500 Hz, 8 Ohm

     

    Woofer 8ohm + 8 ohm Compression Driver and L-pad connected to Crossover = 8ohm speaker

     

    If I recall correctly, Eminence sells a very affordable 2 way Crossover and the L-Pad attenuator.

     

     

    2) With the LaScala bass bin, as we experiment with horns, can we move the crossover point up to 500 or even 800 without noticeable degradation of the Bass performance and can the woofer handle the added frequencies gracefully aka the voice still sounds like a voice.

     

    Nov-3

    Updated above after a tutorial on Crossovers.

     

    http://www.parts-express.com/eminence-pxb2-500-2-way-speaker-crossover-board-500-hz--290-630

     

    http://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/px-series-crossover-specification-sheet-specifications-44571.pdf

     

    http://www.parts-express.com/eminence-px-lpad-crossover-l-pad-attenuator--290-660

  12. Thanks Bubo for finding and posting all those links, Freddy Ireson would be proud of you. I expect if Freddy felt better these days he would have beat you to posting those. More is always better than less. Best regards Moray James.

     

    When you mentioned a new type of wave guide/horn, it was like the meat truck passing a hungry dog.......I had to chase it......

  13. Interesting Discussion on Different Horns that can be use with the LaScala Bass Bin

     

    https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/160049-diy-la-scala-mid-upgrade-options/?p=1939593

     

     

    Who can forget the Jube-Scala

     

    2jubscala.jpg

     

    Volti's 2in wooden horn for the LaScala and a Beyma CP-25 tweeter on top

     

    LSIIFc2604.jpg

     

    Oris Horn by BD Design?

     

     

     

    last_roll_-_4.jpg

     

     

     

    This one comes with it's own video

     

    western electric 15A "small" SATO-Horn JBL 2420

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqhS3BA0BYQ

     

    hqdefault.jpg

     

    la scala with Bass reflex , bms4590 and jabo72 horn

     

    474546366_d3bbeb6619.jpg

     

    With Electro Voice Horn

     

     

     

    Klipsch LaScala qith EV horn two way yes!.jpg

     

     

    Below is the Eliptrack by Fastlane Audio

     

    image.jpg

     

     

    Altec 511 Horns have some appeal, but lots of complaints about "ringing" this fellow took a novel approach and build boxes around the unit and filled them with sand, according to the author it had very good effect.

     

    Cut Sheet

     

    Others have tried all kinds of damping materials inc automotive undercoating.

     

    Link is to sandbox pic

    http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=11430

     

    Below is 511b in LaScala

     

    Lasca511.jpg

    Altec 811 & 511 Horns.pdf

  14.  

     

    I would first try a baffle for the current two horns and also have the tweeter with the long dimenton vertical

     

    I would not have thought that the baffle would make that big of a difference. With a hand on the outer flare of the horn during offending passages there is little to no vibration and no movement, however it would not be difficult to route a few panels to experiment with this.

     

    Look at the bottom of page 3: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=8074

     

    Also, try moving the K-77 tweeter back to the K-55 midrange compression driver plane and listen again: the soundstage should expand rather dramatically.

     

    Coyote, should be here any minute to recommend the K-510 [or] K-402. :P

     

    I recommend either of the two JubScala configurations. There's no comparison using either horn in a two-way with a good 2" compression driver-they will eclipse the stock La Scala 3-way configuration.  You'll need EQ for either controlled directivity horn (K-402 or K-510).

     

    Chris

     

     

    Chris,

     

    On Horn Alignment of the Drivers, given the folded LaScalas Bass horn, should the K-55 and the K-77 Mid point on the Magnets both be moved approximately 12in behind the enclosure. I'm estimating a 4in gap between the doghouse and the rear of the cabinet; plus the distance from the Dog house rear wall to the mid-point on the Woofer magnet?

     

    In other words, if the LaScala Bass Bin were unfolded, how long would it be? I'm guessing 12 in. longer than folded.

     

    These are measurements I am also interested in. I think this is one of the things JBL got right on their best speakers and on some of the Altecs like the 820 (and VOTT) which IMHO is in the running for the best speaker ever made.

  15. while you are considering your options you might investigate experimenting with a Karlson K-Tube. I uses a double cutaway looks rather like a Bishop's cap. You can make a paper one for a cent piece of paper and some tape. I know that I won't be switching back to horns again. All that is required is to rol a paper tube with an O.D. the same as your driver exit opening I.D. a thin wire like the wire in a twist tie to make a hoop to keep the tube in a round shape after you make the necessary cutouts.. I set mine up parallel to th eflpoor at my seated ear level looking straight down each tube solid uncut sections of the K-Tube are in the horizontal plane. .I do plan to experiment with 25 PPI open cell foam plug for my tubes but they sound so good as simple paper tubes I have so little incentive to change what is working so well. What have you got to lose? Best regards Moray James.

     

     

    1)  Videos on Youtube

     

    PVC implementation

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27teQsB4bSU

     

    Very Nice inc 1in measurements

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlf8NwIlQVA

     

    Interview with Karlson on Radio

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGSqs9zmNO4

     

    2) Patents

     

    Karlson open end waveguide

     

    Karlson Patents

     

    2816619

     

    http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=02816619&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2816619.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2816619%2526RS%3DPN%2F2816619&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

     

    2896736

     

    http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=02896736&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2896736.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2896736%2526RS%3DPN%2F2896736&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

     

    3540544

     

    http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=03540544&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D3540544.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F3540544%2526RS%3DPN%2F3540544&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

     

    This guy is interesting, has a different tapered slot and lists all the patents like his, but not the same inc Karlson

    Be sure to use the images button on top.

     

    http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=4&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PALL&s1=3,540,544&OS=3,540,544&RS=3,540,544

     

    3) Waveguide Patent Dimensional drawing

     

    For some reason the forum won't let me link to images in other forums or on the web WTF????

     

    4) DIY Forum Complete Discussion with Links to source data

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/256176-what-real-inspiration-behind-karlson-coupler.html

     

    http://www.talkbass.com/threads/karlson-speakers.52071/page-2

     

    IG81 Did some build and took some measurements

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/3995-karlson-enclosure-12.html

     

    freddi Huge Karlson Fan who owns K-Horns interesting write up like Tubes with PVC

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/3995-karlson-enclosure-11.html

     

    "Transylvania Power Company's "The Tube" slotted waveguide (an adaptation of John Karlson's X15 internal waveguide from the 60's) is probably the best sounding waveguide in its range that I own and that includes DDS Pro90. The Tube can be approximated with a dime's worth of 1" schedule 40 pvc pipe using a Dremel cut wheel and a half ellipse slot. Drivers from B&C, Eminence and Selenium sound fine with this size 1 inch format Karlson waveguide. (BTW, Karlson patented the open end waveguide for microwave application)"

     

    Slotted pipe discussion on DIY

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/273667-karlsons-slotted-pipe-tweeter.html

     

    5. Website devoted to Karlson

     

    http://home.planet.nl/~ulfman/

    • Like 1
  16. Cross Braces are one possible solution for managing vibration.

     

    I'm hoping to keep this Thread as something of a "list of ideas and links" to other treads so we don't glaze over with the sheer number of posts.

     

    Can someone open a Thread on La Scala Bass Box Vibration Management and Modifications: Cross Bracing approaches and Layering the cabinet, and link to it here?

     

    Something like Full Range in Brisbane has done with his robust  DIY crossover discussion thread.

    • Like 1
  17.  

     

    I went with felt for the second time in 25 years, the clear and rubber ones will bleed into your wood and stain it.

     

     

     

    Crossbraces lots of examples, and volti sells them.

     

     

    I have been considering building a brace that uses felt tabs so they are not permanent. Currently I have a cam shaped tool to assist the installation.

     

    http://www.fastlaneaudio.com/ez-brace-instructions..html

     

     

    I just installed a set of Dave's braces and used his prototype cam tool. Both worked perfectly. Really makes the bass sound more accurate to my ears. 

     

    HTH,

     

    Mark

     

     

    If you put your hand on the side of the woofer section is the vibration gone?

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