Minimum room size / listening distance for La Scalas?

[Wuchak]

I was offered some La Scala's for a good price but I turned them down because I don't think my room is big enough for them. My room is about 10' wide x 15' long x 6.5' high. Due to the way the room is setup I would about 7 feet from the front of them at my listening position. My Chorus I's sound great in here but I think they are as big as I can go in this room. Thoughts?

[Chris A]

I'm sure that many here will encourage you to invest in them for that room. If it were me - I'd invest in the La Scalas and an active crossover so that I could tri-amp them.

 

Why? There is something known as "minimum convergence distance" and it is on the order of 7-10 feet for the non-time-aligned La Scala.  In order to correct for the time misalignment of the La Scala drivers (tweeter needs to be delayed relative to the midrange, but with different delays to each other to time align with the bass bin). This would significantly reduce that minimum convergence distance.

 

What would it sound like? Extremely good, even with the low ceiling and the 7' listening distance. The clean horn-loaded bass will be a step up from the Chorus, IMHO.

 

Chris

[SSnyder]

How is your age and will you ever move

Also time alingment is stuff nonsense stuff >>>>>dont' wase time (pun with i

[Dennie]

La Scalas? Ha Ha Ha! .......just get them! []

We'll worry about making them work later!!! [:S]

A good Price? Care to share?

Here's an Idea. Put one to the left side of your "chair" and the other on the right. Just like head-phones!

Tube amps could be in your future. Keep us posted.

Dennie

[Wuchak]

Thanks for the responses. I think I can arrange things to make them fit but probably not in corners due to the room setup. Tube amps are soon to be part of my past. I don't have the patience to deal with chasing down tube problems (Which tube is causing a hiss now?) nor do I like having to drop $300 - $500 for new tubes every year and half. I work from home most days so my system is up and running at least 12 hours per day. I swapped out my Anthem Integrated 1 tube amp for an Aragon 4004 and Onkyo Integra P-304 preamp which is a nice clean and ever so slightly warm combination. The extra power of the Aragon really brought out the bass in my Chorus. Those big woofers might put out sound at 2 watts but they want more to really shine.

My other concern with the La Scala is the bass, or lack of it. The Chorus have acceptable bass but that is not their real strength. The La Scala seem to be downright lacking in bass going by the specs vs the Chorus. I'm also a bit worried about the increased sensitivity of the La Scala.

I'm leaning towards giving them a try but they are a beast to move with that size and weight so I want to be pretty confident that they will stay before I go through the trouble. If I didn't love the Chorus I so much I'd already have the La Scalas here but for the first time I like my current system so well that I'm hesitant to change anything other than doing full Crites upgrades to the Chorus to refresh them.

The ones I'm looking at are $600. They were repainted last year. I don't know if any other mods were done.The price is very fair but it's not so cheap that it's a just grab them and flip them if need be kind of deal.

I have a feeling I'm going to have to try them. That lack of bass is really putting me off though and I don't want to build bass bins or any other such stuff. I just want to listen to music. I have enough other projects.

I'll keep you posted as to what happens. Maybe what I need to do is go listen to them.I just emailed the seller to see if I can go check them out one night this week.

[Chris A]

I'm also a bit worried about the increased sensitivity of the La Scala.

What is your concern?

I like my current system so well that I'm hesitant to change anything other than doing full Crites upgrades to the Chorus to refresh them.

This is a cost-effective improvement and is probably going to tame any harshness that you've been experiencing.

The ones I'm looking at are $600.

Yes - that is a very low price.

I have a feeling I'm going to have to try them. That lack of bass is really putting me off though and I don't want to build bass bins or any other such stuff.

In the room that you've described, I'd consider adding a relatively small direct radiator subwoofer of some type. It won't take much to fill that room.

Chris

[Dennie]

Thanks for the responses. I think I can arrange things to make them fit but probably not in corners due to the room setup. Tube amps are soon to be part of my past. I don't have the patience to deal with chasing down tube problems (Which tube is causing a hiss now?) nor do I like having to drop $300 - $500 for new tubes every year and half. I work from home most days so my system is up and running at least 12 hours per day. I swapped out my Anthem Integrated 1 tube amp for an Aragon 4004 and Onkyo Integra P-304 preamp which is a nice clean and ever so slightly warm combination. The extra power of the Aragon really brought out the bass in my Chorus. Those big woofers might put out sound at 2 watts but they want more to really shine.

My other concern with the La Scala is the bass, or lack of it. The Chorus have acceptable bass but that is not their real strength. The La Scala seem to be downright lacking in bass going by the specs vs the Chorus. I'm also a bit worried about the increased sensitivity of the La Scala.

I'm leaning towards giving them a try but they are a beast to move with that size and weight so I want to be pretty confident that they will stay before I go through the trouble. If I didn't love the Chorus I so much I'd already have the La Scalas here but for the first time I like my current system so well that I'm hesitant to change anything other than doing full Crites upgrades to the Chorus to refresh them.

The ones I'm looking at are $600. They were repainted last year. I don't know if any other mods were done.The price is very fair but it's not so cheap that it's a just grab them and flip them if need be kind of deal.

I have a feeling I'm going to have to try them. That lack of bass is really putting me off though and I don't want to build bass bins or any other such stuff. I just want to listen to music. I have enough other projects.

I'll keep you posted as to what happens. Maybe what I need to do is go listen to them.I just emailed the seller to see if I can go check them out one night this week.

The same reason I am not (at this time) interested in getting into tubes!

Lack of Bass? I've heard this over and over again. But, I often have to look over at my Subwoofer to see if it is on and it is usually not, although I would have bet money that it was on. The Bass that comes out of my La Scalas is AMAZING. I've never heard bass like this. That wasn't the case when I bought my almost 30 year old La Scalas.

I replaced the original crossovers with Bob Crites crossovers and WOW! Not only did the bass amaze me, but so did the Mids and Highs now and I thought they sounded good with the old crossovers. NOT!

If your running old speakers with old crossovers....well, you can't expect them to sound great! Heck, I guess you don't even know what your Chorus speakers sound like if you've got the original crossovers still in them. [^o)]

$600 is a good price, if they aren't trashed. I paid $1100 for mine and another $300 into the crossovers. The Best $1400 speakers I have ever heard and I think they do fine without a Subwoofer for music.

Keep us posted and get some help moving them, at 129lbs each you don't want to move them by yourself. I am speaking from experience. I picked mine up at 7:00am and had to wake my neighbor up to help me get them into the house. I tried to lift one out of my truck, but a little wisdom kicked in and fear of dropping it or seriously damaging my back made the decision easy. Once he heard them, he was not MAD any more! [A]

Dennie

[tromprof]

I have a pair of La Scalas in a room 30x15. I have to have them on the short wall and with a door on one side and a bookcase on the other they are not exactly in the corners. They replaced a pair of Fortes and couldn't be happier with them. I did build them a horn loaded sub-woofer (tuba table). They are basically little K-horns but don't have the placement issues that K-horns have. The trade off for the smaller cabinet if loss of low bass, but with the sub I built the bass is now even lower than the K-horns.

[kg4guy]

Go get the La scalas you will love them.

[Dennie]

I have a pair of La Scalas in a room 30x15. I have to have them on the short wall and with a door on one side and a bookcase on the other they are not exactly in the corners. They replaced a pair of Fortes and couldn't be happier with them. I did build them a horn loaded sub-woofer (tuba table). They are basically little K-horns but don't have the placement issues that K-horns have. The trade off for the smaller cabinet if loss of low bass, but with the sub I built the bass is now even lower than the K-horns.

I love the "Grills" did you build them yourself?

Dennie

[tromprof]

[i love the "Grills" did you build them yourself?

Dennie

No, they came that way. I am the third owner, the first claimed be bought them that way new in Louisville, KY. The grills greatly improve the WAF. []

[Dennie]

You know, getting old is not a pretty thing. I think I remember the thread now! [:S]

They sure are Beautiful and I am sure the WAF is uped quite a bit with the grills!

Hey look like huge Cornwalls!

Thanks,

Dennie , who's dog usually lays in front of my La Scalas also! [&]