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is $950 a good price for mint 1995 La Scalas?


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got them home!! been having a little fun with them. The sticker on them actually says 1985. does that matter? Appreciatte anything you can tell me. heres some pics:

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they are not "perfect", but ive seen 3 year old speakers with more marks on them. They sound INCREDIBLE!!

the speakers they are replacing are Aperion Intimus 6T's which are great sounding speakers. These La Scalas on the other hand, put you right there! music sounds LIVE, not just great.

im using a phantom center right now. there is no way that Aperion 5C center will sound right with the La Salas. i didnt even try. i am still using the Aperion surrounds for now though and they sound pretty good.

i listened in Pure Direct mode at first. it sounded very good. bass was more powerful than the 6T's for sure, and they are rated down to 35Hz. Then i ran Audyssey to get my PB13-ultra mixed in. Glad i busted out the spl meter! Audyssey set the LS's at 80Hz, which is fine, but it had the level pegged at NEGATIVE 12. well, thats not going to work. So i leveled everything at 80. Had to boost the little Aperion surrounds of course. Im really surprised how well they still work as surrounds.

Anyway, i then popped in some of my favorite concert blu rays. Lee Ritenour, Santana, Chris Botti, Metallica. ALl of them made it fell like i was in the first couple rows. AWESOME.

Then movies. I just so happen to be renting Wrath of the Titans!! i was blown away again. The dynamics and detail of these things are so incredible to me. Why do people buy other speakers again?

i cant wait to get all this downstairs this fall. Ill find 3 Heresy's for center and side surround duty.

And you guys say thereare UPGRADES to these? i cant imagine then being better. Now i just have to get those Aperions sold......

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You did solid on your buy . . . Looks like someone lacquered them . . . They were walnut (stained birch) and oiled at the factory. Some people lacquer them later for that shiny look. You got a good looking pair. They are sounding good because it looks like someone has already replaced the caps. Maybe somebody can help with those serials . . . Hard to read in one of the pics . . . Are they consecutive? Maybe yOu can write out both serials.

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That's interesting. He said they were bare wood when he bought them and he stained them. He also said they are completely stock.

The "WO" on the sticker is supposed to mean "walnut (veneer) oiled" from the factory. Yoursmlook like birch stained walnut and then,Laquered. One pair of my own La Scalas is "LS BLS W/S" which means "La Scalas Birch Laquered Stained Walnut" from the factory with nice factory grills. Normally, "WO" means "oiled walnut veneer." I have K-horns, Belles, and Heresys all "WO" and each is walnut veneer that was oiled at the factory. But your "WO"s have definitely been Laquered at sometime . . . The shine on them. Normally "WO" means walnut veneer, but yours look like birch that has been stained walnut, which was common on La Scalas. Walnut veneer from the factory is very rare . . . From your pics though, your "WO"s look, IMHO, as birch stained to look like walnut, and then oiled . . . later being laquered by somebody, not an uncommon practice. Others, with more experience of finishes and zklipsch sticker history (and some mistakes) will helpfully chime in and certainly correct my guesses. If theynwerembare wood when he bought them from the factory, the the sticker n the back is wrong. I have some raw birch La Scalas too and the sticker on the back reads "LS BR", not "WO" like yours do. Whatever else, yourmLa Scalas look really pretty and the finish was well done. And super that they sound great for you . . . Usually you need to replace the caps in 20+ year old speakers . . . I have had a couple of pair I lucked out on. But I generally usually just automatically replace old caps. You have a beautiful pair of La Scalas you got at a solid price. And it has already turned out to be a great deal since you are already loving them! Congrats!

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how would I know if the caps need to be replaced?

Use a calendar. They should be replaced

and do you mean the capacitors on the cross over . . . ?

Yes. Contact Bob Crites, BEC on this forum.

They look good, but just enjoy them for a few months before "improving" them. You'll better appreciate the change that fresh capacitors in the crossovers will bring.

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On the other hand, spend $950 on speakers that look and sound great, but save $100 by not replacing the aged capacitors. The old capacitors might be good . . . for another week or so.

Enjoy them as they are. Enjoy them more with new capacitors.

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thanks I appreciate the wisdom. how would I know if the caps need to be replaced? and do you mean the capacitors on the cross over or something else?

From your pics, looks like someone already recapped them. Do they sound like a blanket is of them? No. Do they sound great to you? Yes. Then you are good to go for now . . . Just enjoy!

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