kenratboy Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 As my title suggests, what is the difference between the LaScala and Belle? I know the Klipschorns are the "best" and the Hersey are the bottom of the Heritage line. What is the place of the other two? ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 Technically: Both have the all same drivers and, for many years, the same crossover. The Belle uses a K-500 squawker horn. It must be crossed at 500 Hz. The La Scala uses the K-400 from the K-horn and must be crossed at 400 Hz. The K-500 is shorter so it will fit into the shallower Belle cabinet. Shorter horns can't go as deep. The Belle's bass horn is shallower and wider, but otherwise similar in design. The La Scala's bass horn was designed to be as compact as possible. That makes the bends "tight". The more gentle bending of the Belle's bass horn *may* allow it to reach higher frequencies. Aesthetically: The Belle is pretty. The La Scala is not; it is a PA speaker that can be finished and dolled up a bit, but it will always have visible plys at the joints. Sonically: Little difference. Some, like Tony, that have heard them side by side say you can tell them apart. Price: We all know that. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 9, 2002 Author Share Posted May 9, 2002 quote: Price: We all know that. John I don't... What is the difference? Are the LaScala's ~$3000/pr. and the Belle's ~$4,500/pr. Thanks! ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpgwagon Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I feel the La Scala is one of the best looking speakers ever designed. When they are stained with an oak stain they are beautiful. ------------------ http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/MYSTUFF.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 PWK took the LaScala, re-configured it so that it had a shallower and slightly lower, although wider cabinet design that was more conducive to building with finely veneered panels so that it would look nicer between two finely veneered K-horns as a CENTER CHANNEL speaker in a home. Some changes are evident, but the basic performance is the same. The extreme price difference is due to two factors: The very much higher cost of the materials involved, and the fact that the cabinet shop labor to build one Belle is the same as the cabinet shop labor to build SEVEN or MORE lascalas! It is pretty much that simple! ------------------ If you want to send a private message, or have already done so, be aware I have not as yet been able to retrieve them. Send e-maill instead, please...just note Klipsch forum in the heading so it doesn't get deleted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 9, 2002 Author Share Posted May 9, 2002 Yes, but what is the difference in price, was I right? I think the LaScala's look better for ME (not to most) than the Belle's. Is the sound ABOUT the same between the two? ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 once again, the performance is almost identical, the Belle is just a dolled-up version of the LaScala...plain and simple! ------------------ If you want to send a private message, or have already done so, be aware I have not as yet been able to retrieve them. Send e-maill instead, please...just note Klipsch forum in the heading so it doesn't get deleted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 9, 2002 Author Share Posted May 9, 2002 La Scala it is. HOW MUCH $$$ FOR A NEW PAIR? ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregorius Posted May 10, 2002 Share Posted May 10, 2002 Kenratboy, Last year I called my local Klipsch dealer to inquire about a set of LaScala's and they were $2,800 pr in raw birch and $500 more per pair for black. I am sure they will go up in the new production run. About two weeks later I found a set of 76 LaScala's LS-BB Birch Black here locally that were a 9 of 10 condition, one still had the mesh over they logo, why I don't know. The guy wanted $950 for them and I got them for $800 a pair. Unless you have a lot of disposable income, look around and you can get good used ones for a decent price. Greg ------------------ HK AVR20 II Toshiba DVD 32" Toshiba TV Odyssey Stratos 1976 LaScala's Front L&R KV-1 Center KG 1.5 Rear L&R KSW-12 Sub This message has been edited by Gregorius on 05-10-2002 at 07:45 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 10, 2002 Author Share Posted May 10, 2002 Used sounds good. I will talk to my friend who has some in the Bay Area. Is the woofer surround on the La Scala foam, rubber, or cloth? ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted May 10, 2002 Share Posted May 10, 2002 Yea, got a pair of Walnut Belle's in that price range last year. With a bit of patience, some wonderful opportunities can surface. Well maybe they were blessings! ------------------ KLIPSCH IS MUSICf> My Systems f>s>c> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shock-Late Posted May 11, 2002 Share Posted May 11, 2002 Huh... if you buy Scalas, you should change your amp too.... heritage speakers are the most sensitive about "cheap" sounding amps... as I found by myself. And they are able to sound AWFUL...with the wrong amp! Frans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 11, 2002 Author Share Posted May 11, 2002 How true. I know it would be a crime to run a Heritage speaker with a cheap, Sony amp. I would still want to get a SS amp, but somthing good. Also, a SS preamp. ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted May 11, 2002 Share Posted May 11, 2002 Lascalas more than likely have cloth surrounds. If you are going to go SS with a pair of 'Scala's, Your gonna need some moderate quality units. I have Chorus II's with a Yamaha MX-1 amp and CX-1 pre. And these amps barely cut it with the Chorus's. I have also listened to a mono EL-84 tube amp at around 14 watts on one side with the Yamaha MX-1 one the other side. And the wore out little 40 year mono Tube amp sounded just as good at moderate levels and a little better at lower levels, IMO. Weird, EH? Of course the Yamaha can flat out crank the 14 watt Tube amp,(440 watts for both sides) but with speakers that are so damn sensitive, the horns are screaming in your face as soon as you push any substantial power to them. And by then the Chorus's are revealing the SS amp going into AB mode and you can hear the distortion. (That infamous grainy broken glass sound.) So pretty much the first 3 watts is really what counts, anything after that is kinda pointless, especially with La scalas. So when you figure that it's going to take some high buck Solid State to get the good sound at around 3 watts. And by then the Tube amp options seem pretty reasonable. And don't forget that Klipsch are pretty source dependent as well. I'm suprised you haven't picked up those 'Scalas from your friend yet, you know they'll be a excellent match-up with your JBL woofer cab. THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted May 11, 2002 Author Share Posted May 11, 2002 Hmmm, thinking... I guess tubes are the way to go, now, lets name names of tube amps, and preamps for <$2000 for both. ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted May 11, 2002 Share Posted May 11, 2002 $2K will get you a very nice setup, especially if your willing to buy used equipment. Here's a few in no special order. Plus a link to Upscale Audio to look at their used or new equipment. Also check out Audiogon's web site as well. http://www.upscaleaudio.com/ http://www.audiogon.com/ AE-3 Preamp Wright Sound - WLA12A Line Pre-Amplifier Sonic Frontiers has a range of Amps & Intergrated Amps Wright Sound - WPA3.5 Power Amp @ 3.5 watts Audio Electronic Supply AE-25 Super Amp (15 triode watts per channel) Welborne Labs Moondog 2A3 Mono Blocks @ 3.5 watts Welborne Labs Laurel Mono Blocks @ 8 watts ------------------ KLIPSCH IS MUSICf> My Systems f>s>c> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted May 11, 2002 Share Posted May 11, 2002 While I love my tube gear, I also very much like my Monarchy SM-70 (25wpc class A SS amp) driving my Khorns. I have used this amp in stereo mode and I have also monoblocked 2 of them with great success. I have used both SS and tube linestage/preamps, the tube pre being preferable over the SS pre. I also used this amp to drive my Belles. These amps are quite reasonably priced and perform extremely well with Klipsch Heritage speakers. You may recall mobile's review of this amp (I assume it can be found doing a search in the 2 channel forum). This message has been edited by edster00 on 05-11-2002 at 08:22 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted May 11, 2002 Share Posted May 11, 2002 Mike Stehr, Geez, I guess those tweeters WOULD be screamin on LaScalas, with that Yamaha pushin them with that much power!!...since they were probably peakin well above their max...since the nominal input max for heritage speakers is only 105 watts RMS per channel at 8 ohms!!! Kenratboy, For tube or ss, it may be advisable to go with some good used older tube equipment...for example...alot of people swear by old Dynaco tube amps...and my personal favorite SS amp of all time is the Dynaco Stereo 400 M/A...it has 200 watts per channel into two channels at 8 ohms, but also has a power limiter switch on it for settings at 40, 80, and 120 watts, and full power...hard to beat a set-up like that...and you can pick up excellent used ones on eBay for under 500 bucks! You just won't find anything like it today...extremely clean power!! Back in the days when it and many others were designed, the goal was to emulate the performance of tubes, but to have more power available...alot different than the goals of SS amps today!! ------------------ If you want to send a private message, or have already done so, be aware I have not as yet been able to retrieve them. Send e-maill instead, please...just note Klipsch forum in the heading so it doesn't get deleted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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