BassmanBruce

I have had a pair of 1980LaScalas now for the best part of a year. Replaced the mid and tweet diaphragms and updated the caps in the AA crossovers. One of the amplifiers I am running is a pair of Dynaco Mark III's. I have upgraded the Mark III's to the Poseidon driver board and like the Janzen Superior coupling caps in them. Here is my question- What is the better sounding output tube to run in the Mark III's powering the LaScalas- The GE 6550a or the Tung Sol 6550 (USA). On my last pair of speakers, a 3 way transmission line speaker the GE 6550a won out in a listening test. I let one pair of my Tung Sol 6550's go so I don't have enough TS 6550's to do another listening test with the LaScalas without buying another pair of tubes. I know a lot of Klipsch users use the Dynaco Mark III, and an opinion on this would be very helpful. Thanks, Bruce in South Carolina

Hi Moray and thanks for your post. I have several dozen RCA 7025 tubes in my collection. Will sort out a high Mu pair and will try them. I was using a pair of GE black plate 3 mica 5751's, but found that I liked the Telefunken smooth plate 12ax7's better into the LaScalas. Into my previous speakers I perfered the 5751's. Thanks for your comments and best to you, Bruce

Hi Tony and thanks for your post. The Poseidon boards are from Triode,USA http://store.triodestore.com/diytubemk3.html Also look at www.DIYTube.com When I went to triode mode with my Mark III's is when they really started to shine. I have had a pair of Mark IV's and sold them after I bought the 8b. I still have a Stereo 70 in my collection. Thanks again, Bruce

I have had my pair of laScalas now 4 months and still love them. I started off with my Marantz 8b power amplifier that I tube and capacitor rolled till I got what I liked best. Mullard 60's xf2 and Russian K-40y coupling capacitors turned out to be the winners. I have a pair of Dynaco Mk III's that I have done some mods to and tried them with the laScalas but perfered the Marantz 8b. I put the Dynaco Mk III's on the bench and converted them to triode mode, and tried them again on the LaScalas. All I can say is wow, the Mark III's are now the winners!!! Dynaco Mark III mod description- Poseidon driver boards with Telefunken 12AX7 smooth plate first stage, RCA clear top 12AU7 second stage, GE 6550a outputs. Panasonic EF series coupling capacitors. Amps now in triode mode with output tube screens tied to plates through 100 ohm resistors. These Mark III amps sound fantastic on my LaScala's now, and the poor 8b is now on my "B" system. Very sad!!!! Hope you all have a marvelous Thanksgiving, Bruce

Hi Gorm, I am new to La Scala's (one month, 1980), and after replacing 3 of 4 diaphragms, and doing a capacitor upgrade to the AA crossovers, started listening to them. I drive them with a 1964 Marantz 8b tube amplifier, in triode mode, 20 watts per channel. I had to do a lot of output tube swap outs/trials (have 5 different brands) and several output tube coupling caps auditions. Finally settled on RFT/Telefunbken German EL34's and the Russian K-40Y capacitors, and this combonation will take your breath away on natural instrument smooth jazz. I had some of the same complaints you are having on some of the combinations I tried. Also, the speaker wire is also important. I tried "zip cord", boat cable 16/2, and by my ears my Luminous Audio cast ono copper Synchestra Signatures was the bomb. Good luck, and I agree with others, tubes rule with these speakers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bruce

I have a very nice condition Pioneer Spec 2 power amp, and with an inspection of its schematic I see that there is only one capacitor in the audio path. it is C1, right at the input, otherwise, it is all direct coupled. C1 is a 4.7 uf 35 volt electrolytic cpacitor. I believe this amplifier would sound much better with replacing C1 cap with one of the available film capacitors. I have been looking at the WIMA MKS 2 polyester, and the MKP10 polyhprops. Any input on this (not a pun) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bruce

Thank you for your nice comment. Previous "fronts" were home made,by me, 3 way transmission lines designed by Ralph Hellmer. Audax Aerogel woofer and midrange, 8" and 4", Dynaudio D21/2 dome tweeter. I built these in 1997 and they kept me "happy" for 15 years. The grills move up to the top, to guard the drivers when not in use. The "terminus" is on the bottom front, behind the grill pieces. These speakers are very fast, warm, and image really well. Decided to try the La Scalas, and like them. Thanks again, Bruce

Congratulations on buying a pair of klipsch Belles!!!! Two weeks ago i bought a pair of 1980 La Scalas. I had to replace two diaphragms in one of them, and did a cap replacement on the two AA crossovers. I have a fairly big collection of tube amplifiers, and tubes. My favorite power amp,from my collection, is my Marantz 8B. I have seven different brands of EL34 tubes, and the one that is the winner for home audio, by far, is the Mullard EL-34 XF2 single or double halo version, made in England from the mid to late 60's. The midrange that comes from these tubes is just so much better than the present Russian and Chinese version of the EL34. The EL34 that comes in second place, by my ear, is the SED Winged C EL34. It seems to have a better, more extended top and bottom compared to the English Mullard EL34's, but, that all important midrange, especially heard with my new Klipsch La Scalas, is much more natural sounding with the 60's Mullards. I have a friend who has the Cary/AES Super amp 25, and he likes the JJ KT77. To be brutely honest with you, I think your Cary V12 might be a bit big for your Belles, as they cost a bundle to re-tube, and will be used at a small fraction of the power needed. I have my 8B set in "triode mode" which makes it a 20 wpc power amp. At 104 db sensitivity with my Scalas, the 8b doesn't even break a sweat at medium listening levels. Well, enough of my ranting! I know you will love your Belles, and best to you, Bruce

All I can say is WOW. Yours have mine beat for being the Ugliest Pair!! However, I must say, that I am most impressed with your results after sanding. That was a HUGH amount of work that you have done, and thanks for sharing pics and text with us all. I very much look forward to seeing the finished results with these Scalas. Best luck, Bruce

Bought a pair of 1980 La Scalas on July 14, 2012. Their finish is pretty bad, but this fall I will gut them and prep and paint them black with a marine epoxy paint. Will also do a molding and grill plate around the tweeter and squaker. I had to replace the tweeter and midrange diaphragms in one speaker. A new set of sonicaps in the "AA" crossovers as the original caps were off value. Had a time with speaker phasing as some genious had wired a replacement woofer in backwards, and the other midrange diaphragm had been installed backwards. MAN, these speakers sound really wonderful. I listen at low to medium levels, and I am just astounded at what they can do. They are improving as time goes by. 1964 Marantz 7c preamp Telefunken 12AX7A smooth plate (originals) 1964 Marantz 8b power amp with Mullard EL34 XF. Russian K-40Y 0.1 uf coupling caps bypassed with 0.01 polyprops 1971 Thorens TD125 AB MKII turntable with Denon DL 160 cartridge 1970 Dynaco FM-3, and 1964 Marantz 10b tuners Music Hall CD25.2 cd player Luminous Audio "Synchestra Signature" speaker cables

Yes, thanks, understood. I will use the Duracrest #17 black to cover tweet and squaker on my newly acquired 1980 La Scalas.I understand that is what Klipsch is using for the K-horns. Thanks again, Bruce

Does having the grill cloth piece, over the squaker and tweeter, on a La Scala, distract from their sound at all? On my home made, three way, transmission line speakers it makes a hugh difference, and I always remove them to listen. These speakers have Dynaudio dome tweets, and Audax Aerogel woofer, 8 inch, and Audax Aerogel midrange, 4 inch. I believe the Klipschorns have a non removable grill cloth, so wonder if a removable grill on the La Scala wwill distract from the sound? Thanks, Bruce

Good morning Dennie, The pair of La Scalas I bought are the raw birch, with no grill cloth. The logo badge was glued to the "motor board" just below the midrange opening. It may have not been there when I bought them, but now it definitely not there on one of the speakers. I got a good price on the pair, but there were lots of problems. I had to replace the tweeter and squaker diaphragms in one speaker, and went ahead and did the Sonicap change out on both "AA" crossovers. Also, on the other speaker, both the woofer and midrange were "out of phase", even though the wire color coding was hooked up correctly!?! I have a good ear, and caught that pretty quickly. Other than all that, I have them singing pretty nicely now. I am driving them with a 1964 Marantz 7c preamp and 8b power amp. Mostly vinyl here with a 1971 Thorens TD125 AB MKII turntable, with a Denon DL160 high output moving coil cartridge. I can't say for certain that the logo badge was there when I bought them, and I was pretty carefull loading and unloading them in my Dakota pick up truck. Bob Crites tells me that Klipsch no longer sells them, and that an Ebay would be the place to watch/buy them. Just thought that maybe someone here might have one. Thanks, and best to you, Bruce

I got my first pair of klipsch speakers last weekend. They are a 1980 pair of La Scala's. While transporting them, one of the Klipsch LOGO plates, on the front of the speaker, dissapeared and I can't find it. Anyone out there have one I might purchase? It drives me crazy seeing the glue where the plate used to be. Thanks, Bruce in South Carolina

THIS IS WHAT MY SWEET GAL DID. THANKS ALL FOR SHARING!!! MAY THIS BE YOUR BEST CHRISTMAS, AND HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!!!! BRUCE [8-|]