Gorm Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I just can't seem to get my newly redone La Scalas to sound just right. Currently here is my setup: 1979 La Scalas Crites CT125 Tweeters K-55-M Mid Tratrix Drop-In Wood Horns - These things rock! Crites A/4500 crossovers. Bins were cross braced and grilled over as part of the resoration. Woofers are factor Klipsch. The part number escapes me at the momnet, they were in very good condition when inspected during restoration. Current Amp Setup: (Not a big tube sound guy) Emotiva USP-1 EMotiva UPA-2 Logitech Squeezebox Duet Klipsch RSW-10D for below 60 HZ. (Soon to be RSW-12) I love the sound out of the speakers at lower volumes, however at higher volumes it seems to be blaring, and just harsh. I have a feeling this is due to the mid range. I have explored the possibility of going with ALK Universals instead of the A/4500. IDK...maybe I just shouldn't listen to my music too loud. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Try moving the mids and HF down a tap on the autoformer, you will need to add a couple of resistors to keep the crossover point the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 what is the room size & height and shape and where are the speakers positioned relative to the listening area in that room. Some rooms are just too small for LaScala's and some room shapes are too tunnel like and un fortunately alot of folks try to run LaScala's on one end or the other of the tunnel. If you want to determine if the problem is with your LaScala's, take them out side and place them 22 feet apart and stand 22 feet away from them..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennie Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I agree, what have you done to treat the room? Dennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 This room has no treatments to it. This is my living room. The rooms demensions are 12x28. Height is 8 feet. The La Scalas are currently pointed towards the longer part of the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tromprof Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I know Emotiva gear is highly regarded on this forum but I found that my La Scalas and K-horns could sound unbearably bright and harsh with certain SS amps. The best sounding SS gear I have is vintage late 1970s Yamaha. Sony and Adcom amps, which I have used and liked with other speakers did not work for me with these. This could be partly the issue, everyone has different ears and tastes. Tubes has been the right match for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 I will say that I did have them hooked up to a NAD 7240, and they sounded even brighter than with the emotiva. I was really surprised, because that receiver sounds sooooooo good with my dads Heresys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo33 Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I have tested my La Scalas and Klipshorns on my Panasonic, Pioneer and Yamaha receivers and they don't sound bright at all. Is it possible that the glaring came from the high frequencies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Possible, at this point I'm not sure. As I said, its only at the higher volumes, at lower volumes they sound excellent. Another thing I'm going to do when I get home is raise the speakers about 4 inches off the floor. The sound stage is just a little too low as the tweeter is just slightly below ear level when I sit down. I'm not sure what this will do to improve the sound, although I'm sure it will cut the bass back a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tromprof Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Another thing I'm going to do when I get home is raise the speakers about 4 inches off the floor. The sound stage is just a little too low as the tweeter is just slightly below ear level when I sit down. I'm not sure what this will do to improve the sound, although I'm sure it will cut the bass back a bit. I raised mine 6 inches (homemade 3/4 inch birch plywood box, open on the bottom) and it really improved imaging and overall sound. I expected to loose base but didn't, probably because they are tucked so nicely into the corner. I would post a pic but the forum server keeps timing out before the pic loads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 its only at the higher volumes, at lower volumes they sound excellent. This is a strong indication that the room is causing the problem. A room can only take so much acoustic power before it starts to sound congested. Treated rooms will sound better than untreated, really "live" ones. It is not necessary to use studio acoustic treatments as most rooms can be tamed sufficiently to reduce problems. Carpet or rugs on the floor, soft cloth covered furniture, pillows on furniture, drapes, etc. will help a great deal. When I had Lascalas they were in a 12 X 26 ft. room. I achieved the best results with the speakers spaced 12 feet apart on the long wall, toed in and aimed at the listening position, a board under the front to angle the horns up toward the listening chair which was near the back wall. Try moving the speakers around the room until you find the best spot. I feel that it is important to toe the speakers in and not aim them straight at the back wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 They are currently towed just slightly so that each tweeter is aimed to the other side of the listening position. I felt this was an improvement over the directly at the listening position. I'll have to grab some pictures tonight when I get home so you guys have a better idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennie Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 its only at the higher volumes, at lower volumes they sound excellent. This is a strong indication that the room is causing the problem. A room can only take so much acoustic power before it starts to sound congested. Treated rooms will sound better than untreated, really "live" ones. It is not necessary to use studio acoustic treatments as most rooms can be tamed sufficiently to reduce problems. Carpet or rugs on the floor, soft cloth covered furniture, pillows on furniture, drapes, etc. will help a great deal. When I had Lascalas they were in a 12 X 26 ft. room. I achieved the best results with the speakers spaced 12 feet apart on the long wall, toed in and aimed at the listening position, a board under the front to angle the horns up toward the listening chair which was near the back wall. Try moving the speakers around the room until you find the best spot. I feel that it is important to toe the speakers in and not aim them straight at the back wall. I use 1" 3-ring binders, tucked under the front of the La Scalas. It tilts it up just enough to sound better! ...and I didn't have to build anything!! [] Dennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Lifting the speakers on 2x4s made them sound far worse. I also couldn't tell much of a difference by lifting them slightly in the front...oh well. I think I will invest in an equalizer to take out the room, that seems to be the problem at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 earlier in the thread we gave a thumbs down to placing lascala's on one of the short walls so that they point down to the other short wall......the tunnel effect.....it sounds like thats what you are doing.....if so...that will never work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 earlier in the thread we gave a thumbs down to placing lascala's on one of the short walls so that they point down to the other short wall......the tunnel effect.....it sounds like thats what you are doing.....if so...that will never work out. Even if the room is not conducive to the speakers on the long wall, try it to rule that out. I think that's a bit part of the problem. How loud do you want it and what kind of music? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I think Dennis has made the better suggestion. I changed the settings on the autoformer, which tamed some harshness and balanced out the bass a great amount. My living room is about 13 x 21. Placed on the long wall just didn't work. Even when I put them on the shorter wall, I had mine closer together, about 4 to 4 1/2 feet apart, but a couple of feet from the back wall. Imaging was superb and presented a much wider sound stage than you would think. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Well I went ahead and swapped the original AA crossovers back into the La Scalas. The harshness is all but gone. The only real time I can detect harshness now is when I'm just playing them to loud to sustain. At Low-mid volumes they sound great. The AAs and the wood horns seem to be a pretty nice combo. There is a minor loss of clarity which is noticeable on vocals, probably due to the crossover ages. However they still sound very good. I also noticed that the bass became a bit louder and more pronounced than how it was with the Crites 4500...not sure whats going on there, I wouldn't think there would be a difference at all in that department. Maybe the A/4500 just aren't a good combo with the wood horns? I'm thinking of having a pair of ALK universals built for them now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I think recapping the old AA will bring back the brightness, currently lost in the old caps. [^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorm Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 I think recapping the old AA will bring back the brightness, currently lost in the old caps. Your probably right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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