Overview of "new" '78 La Scalla's

[richieb]

First factory fresh LS I bought were in the late '70's, walnut stain, they were georgous but life happens and they left. Since then and starting in the early 2000's I have owned Hereseys (twice) Forte 1, Forte 2, CW 1 and Belles. All gone again but now being a reinessance man I am back to my horn roots with a vengence. Started with Quartets as they are of managable size and now the Real horns; LS arrived last Thursday and the speaker that has always alluded me for room/size consideration, the mighty KHorn's will arrive tomorrow. 

Both will reside in a semi-finished downstairs, half carpet, open beam ceilings, right at 20 feet back wall, set in perfect corners. Towed out a few degrees from triangulated center. By far the best for this space.

The LS are nothing short of phenominal in this spot. I certainly can't remeber the sound from 35 years ago and in nothing more than a large bedroom but I know they didn't sound like this. Sitting dead center about 12 feet back the soundstage in incredible. LS don't image?, BS as our famous PWK would have said. I am talking about an actual sound stage, it blows my mind. LS have no bass?, well I say BS to that. It may not have the bass I will hear from the new KHorns but they indeed produce bass. Tight, reasonably deep, accurate bass. (Can the modified KH sound better than this?)

A simple system of CD, integrated and speakers. Simple, solid core copper interconnects and copper speaker wire. I have run 3 different amps - Eastern Electric 6B8M 8 watts, a well built amp that sounded good on other speakers but way too thin for the LS. Next - Dennis Had (founder/designer of Cary Audio) Inspire KT66 single ended about 6-8 watts. Much nicer, actually very good. Much more meat on the bone and I could live with this set up BUT the best sound and IMO by a fair margin is the Audio Sector gain clone built by Peter Daniels. About 45 watts.

This is a sound that for This room and These ears is one to behold. Rich, deep tight bass, a mid almost creamy in texture, very pleasant upper end, smoother than either tube amp yet still with all the detail you want. An enveloping sound stage. The kind of presentation where you don't want the music to stop. For those wondering about "digital" and the many offshoots from that, if it is the Right amp it is truly spectacular. If the Khorns perform as well on this amp I will have Peter build me a no-holds bar integrated and be done with the front end. And did I mention Quiet? Huh, I can't hear you. I am talking not even a faint hiss from the tweets, Nothing.

Am I an expert, no but I have owned tens of thousands of $$ woth of amps/pre's over the years and this I know - I am done messing with seperates. I have proven that for me the hassle is not worth it. I have owned VRD's, VTL's, Cayin, Audio Mirror with the giant furnace hot 6H33 Russian power tube  (best tube amps I have owned but scarry hot) and more I can't recall the names. For SS - Threshold, Clayton (one of the best Class A amps you can buy), Forte by Threshold, Mac and others.

Needless to say this combo I speak of is incredible musical, live, accurate and just a joy to hear. 

Now to see if the K Horn is indeed Kind of the Hill.

Thanks

[mustang guy]

Nice review. I'm a fellow big Klipsch speaker lover. I don't mind my LaScalas without the accompanying sub, but I do find the addition of the horn loaded sub is seamless, and does improve the overall ambiance.

 

Some pictures would be nice. What kind of music do you listen to mostly?