LaScalas Opinions

[stormin]

How important are consecutive serial numbers?

What are your opinions of 1989's?

What are your opinions on stock AL xovers?

What are your opinions of black LaScalas?

Probably 8 out of 10 in appearance an idea on value?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[Budman]

to me consecutive serial numbers only really matter with veneer matching and not really on birch raw.

[Kevmosmith]

Stormin -

Just my opinion. I love them and think these are great speakers. I had a black pair of 1989s with the AL crossovers. I didn't like the sound that much until I switched to an AA crossover then I loved them. I think the consensus would be that there is a lot better crossover for that speaker than the AL . Being from 1989, those crossovers might need to be recapped anyway.

I think you wil get a difference of opinion on the color. I personally like the black ones - they can look great when they are cleaned up and waxed with furniture wax. The price depends on where you live and how often they come up - shipping these is tough and expensive. If they are local to you and you don't see many of them come up for sale, I would not hesitate to go after them with a strong bid. In that condition, i would think that they would bring $800 to $1000 easily. I don't know the importance of consecutive serial numbers, it might help on resale, but I will leave that to someone else to chime in.

Good luck!

Kevin

[stormin]

Thanks Russ and Kevin. I appreciate your comments and opinions.

[tk49]

Since they are black I don't see an issue with consecutive #'s, if they came at the end or a parts run then there could be and argument for consecutive #'s. Just make sure they have matching parts.

I have 1990 LaScala's, black with AL3's with a Sonicap kit rebuild, always struggled with tweeter and squawker blending. I just got Dean's Super AA Road Show crossovers last Friday. Let's just say that there will be a large sonic hole in my system when I have to ship them off to the next listener. More open, more detail, fuller sound, very coherent. That's where my $'s are going.

Local market always dictates price, if you can get it done for under $900 it's a deal where I live.

[Quiet_Hollow]

How important are consecutive serial numbers?

A definite bonus for 2-ch listening, but not mission critical....by mean nothing a minor tweak of the "balance" knob couldn't sort out.

What are your opinions of 1989's?

Good year IMHO. I'm partial to the K-55M's.

What are your opinions on stock AL xovers?

AL's are not the end of the world...they are still La Scala after all, but AL-3's are an audible improvment over them.

What are your opinions of black LaScalas?

In factory black lacquer? Sexy. Once again, I'm partial to that finish though.[Y][H]

Probably 8 out of 10 in appearance an idea on value?

That's all up to you. Finding these babies in good repair that haven't endured some sort of modification from their PO's is getting more difficult.

Below are two videos of my stock 90's with AL-3's to whet your whistle:

[stormin]

Thanks tk49 and QH.

Nice videos QH.

So you think the balance could be off with the stock xovers due to the serial numbers?

[Marvel]

I have '89s, walnut lacquer. Replaced the AL crossovers with some DHA2s. I don't listen loud, so those work well for me. Awesome speakers. Not even sure if mine are consecutive or not, I would have to look again.

Bruce

[Quiet_Hollow]

So you think the balance could be off with the stock xovers due to the serial numbers?

So long as they are both in good repair, most likely not.... and certainly not any more than any other premium speaker.

The trick is to give whatever you do end up getting a thorough acceptance inspection. Checking over the wiring, connectors, driver gaskets, cabinet gaskets, fasteners, measuring and noting driver DCR...etc. You know, the piddly inexpensive stuff that can intrude on good sound just as much as the big-ticket items like filter networks and upstream electronic gear. [H]

[kaiser SET say]

I love my black '89 Indys Stormin'[] Crites A/AA's in them[]

[Coytee]

Below are two videos of my stock 90's with AL-3's to whet your whistle:

Frank & Paul....good choices [Y]

[Islander]

I like La Scalas. Most of them are black, so if you don't like that colour, you could be looking a long time for Birch Raw or Birch Lacquered.

Black La Scalas look a bit smaller in the room than the brighter colours, but over time the other colours start looking smaller, too. When I first got my La Scalas back in 2006, they looked huge, but after a while, they blended in with the other items in the living room and became almost unnoticeable. This is not just in my mind. La Scalas (and Belles) don't look like typical speakers to most people, and they're often not even recognized as speakers until I point them out.

Consecutive numbers only matter to serious collectors. Any seller who has a pair with consecutive numbers will brag that it increases the value, but for most people, if the numbers are within ten or so, it's irrelevant. As another poster mentioned, what matters is that all the components are identical.

Last month I got lucky and found a pair of La Scala IIs in top condition and just a few hours away. They're walnut lacquer, so they're more visible than black Scalas, plus they actually are 4 inches taller. After a week in the living room, they stopped looking oversize, and after a month, they look perfect-sized.

BTW, if anyone is wondering whether La Scala IIs are worth the extra cost over original La Scalas, I'll tell you that the improvements in sound and appearance are worth every penny. The La Scala IIs sound much better, especially off-axis. Right now, I'm in the computer room, three rooms away from the speakers and down a hallway, and the vocals are way clearer than with the originals. I can make out every word when listening to a talk radio show from the computer room. That was not the case with the original Scalas.

Looks are a matter of taste, of course, but to most people's eyes, the LS2s look better than original LSes, especially old ones with the utility finishes. Later first-generation La Scalas do look better than the older (say, 1970s) models, so the biggest difference in looks is when you go from a 60s-70s model to an LS2.

[Mike Lindsey]

When I had my 86's I lived with the AL crossovers for about 6 months before I pulled the trigger on some ALK Universals. What a huge difference those crossovers made! Everything about the speakers characteristics changed after installing them. Clarity and detail, attack, imaging, better bass, etc. It was like a veil was lifted off the speakers. They are a world class speaker with the right crossover imho.

I know Carl's enjoying them as I write this. []

Mike

[tk49]

Couldn't agree with you more Mike. The clarity, detail, attack, imaging and better bass are all great descriptors for what I experienced with the Super AA. Dean's building my ALK Universals this weekend.

Tom

[Quiet_Hollow]

Frank & Paul....good choices

Cheers!

[Coytee]

but after a while, they blended in with the other items in the living room and became almost unnoticeable. This is not just in my mind. La Scalas (and Belles) don't look like typical speakers to most people, and they're often not even recognized as speakers until I point them out.

I'm here to tell you....after owning them for 34 years, they positvely disappear!

Here's a true story... when I moved into this dinky place, I had the Jubilee's set up along the far wall (I'll attach a picture)

I called the satellite guys to get things installed. During the process, they were on the left wall where the wire comes out. One was looking over the shoulder of the other. I had something playing, I don't recall what but, it was down low.

There was one dude standing right next to the left speaker....stopped....looked around.... stared right at the 402.... ultimately stuck his head almost inside the horn. Tapped other dude on shoulder "George.... that sound is coming from in there!"

So it can be said that black speakers definately disappear into the background.

They didn't even notice the (empty) LaScala sitting between the two. (disregard the appearance of a K402 atop the LaScala...someone wanted me to take a picture of a 402 and put it on the TV so it would look like three of them across)

[stormin]

I have '89s, walnut lacquer. Replaced the AL crossovers with some DHA2s. I don't listen loud, so those work well for me. Awesome speakers. Not even sure if mine are consecutive or not, I would have to look again.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce. I proabably listen a little louder than you do lol.

[stormin]

I love my black '89 Indys Stormin' Crites A/AA's in them

Those look sexy Kaiser. [Y]

[stormin]

I like La Scalas. Most of them are black, so if you don't like that colour, you could be looking a long time for Birch Raw or Birch Lacquered.

Black La Scalas look a bit smaller in the room than the brighter colours, but over time the other colours start looking smaller, too. When I first got my La Scalas back in 2006, they looked huge, but after a while, they blended in with the other items in the living room and became almost unnoticeable. This is not just in my mind. La Scalas (and Belles) don't look like typical speakers to most people, and they're often not even recognized as speakers until I point them out.

Consecutive numbers only matter to serious collectors. Any seller who has a pair with consecutive numbers will brag that it increases the value, but for most people, if the numbers are within ten or so, it's irrelevant. As another poster mentioned, what matters is that all the components are identical.

Last month I got lucky and found a pair of La Scala IIs in top condition and just a few hours away. They're walnut lacquer, so they're more visible than black Scalas, plus they actually are 4 inches taller. After a week in the living room, they stopped looking oversize, and after a month, they look perfect-sized.

BTW, if anyone is wondering whether La Scala IIs are worth the extra cost over original La Scalas, I'll tell you that the improvements in sound and appearance are worth every penny. The La Scala IIs sound much better, especially off-axis. Right now, I'm in the computer room, three rooms away from the speakers and down a hallway, and the vocals are way clearer than with the originals. I can make out every word when listening to a talk radio show from the computer room. That was not the case with the original Scalas.

Looks are a matter of taste, of course, but to most people's eyes, the LS2s look better than original LSes, especially old ones with the utility finishes. Later first-generation La Scalas do look better than the older (say, 1970s) models, so the biggest difference in looks is when you go from a 60s-70s model to an LS2.

Thanks Islander. I am thinking the LS2's might actually be more up my alley. But then to purchase new one might consider Jubes.[^o)]

[stormin]

When I had my 86's I lived with the AL crossovers for about 6 months before I pulled the trigger on some ALK Universals. What a huge difference those crossovers made! Everything about the speakers characteristics changed after installing them. Clarity and detail, attack, imaging, better bass, etc. It was like a veil was lifted off the speakers. They are a world class speaker with the right crossover imho.

I know Carl's enjoying them as I write this.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I know you have personal experience with Chorus 2's which is what I use. I am such a headbanger though our music tastes proabably differ somewhat.