twk123 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 (edited) Hey guys so I am going to have an opportunity to buy some 1978 LaScalas in Birch laquour finish with original type AA x-overs with new caps and Crites CT-125 tweeters. This is due in part because my wife saw them and is excited to have vintage looking wooden speakers instead of the giant black boxes that are my KG 5.5s. Anyway, is there anything I need to be aware of regarding these? I have a smaller room and will be about 8' from the speakers, will this be enough room to let them breath? Also, do they need to be put on risers to put the mid-horn at ear level? They will be run through my DAC and powered by a Denon 3801 receiver. I am going to run them at a 80hz crossover with a 15'' ported sub. Thanks in advance for all your advice. I will need to sell my beloved KG 5.5s for these so I want to make sure I am covering all my bases. I am excited to get into the heritage stuff! Edited September 14, 2015 by twk123 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Boz Scaggs performs it so much better https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=e7ccKMqgrxU 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 8 feet is fine, but make sure that you can spread them out a lot and aim them toward you. They work best at a 45 degree toe-in, like Klipschorns. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 14, 2015 Moderators Share Posted September 14, 2015 Just be careful, the edges can be pointy, I say this because you will probably want to hug them Also, great choice for a wife. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I don't think you need risers and it sounds like they are already to go for you. Just hook'em up blast them.....I think you will love them. Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 just get them... ask all questions later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbphoto Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 My first post. This topic inspired me to get an account and contribute something. Just picked up some like-new 10-month old La Scala 2's for the basement. I told my wife ahead of time they were "about 2X bigger" than the Heresy 3's in our family room. She knew something was fishy when the truck dropped off a 500lb pallet in my driveway. The LS2's come in four boxes - two for the tops and two for the dog houses. I was able to carry the tops downstairs easily, but I'm telling you, the dog houses are the heaviest densest two-foot cubed box I ever tried to maneuver with a dolly. It was a workout. So make sure your wife has actually seen them in person, not just a picture. Or don't - your call. After the initial surprise, my wife doesn't mind them because they are in a decent sized basement home theater. If she had to look at them every day like the H3's, it would be a different story. My room is about 17x17x8.5', carpet floors, loud walls and ceiling - no curtains. The LS2's are 10' apart on-center, slightly toed in (maybe 20 degrees) so they would come to an intersection about 5' behind me outside of my house - i.e. behind the couch against the opposite outside wall. My couch is about 14-15 feet away from the speakers. I've tried heavier toe-in's deeper into corners but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. (At 45 degrees, those sharp corners are really sticking out far.) I might be giving up some stereo imaging at my couch in favor of filling the entire room with sound better. Not sure - still playing. I've got a couple of subs but I cut them off at 60hz - the LS2's have better bass than expected in my room. Anything higher and the subs muddy-up the LS's bass IMHO. I do turn the bass tone control to 2-o'clock on my HT receiver and send all the bass and LF effects to both the LS's and subs. Movies sound great - had to enable a setting on the receiver to turn down the LS2's minus 10db when playing movies because they were so efficient. For two-channel, I disable all DSP effects and stream music through a Shiit Bifrost Uber. The LS's handle everything above 60hz and the subs take over below 60hz. Other than the bass tone control at 2 o'clock, I do some minor digital equalization: ~2db increase at 1-1.2 kHz and ~2db decrease from about 6.5-8 kHz. Sound is awesome. In your room at 8' away, think about it. Put both of your KG 5.5's side-by-side in one speaker location, and then slide them 8" further into the room, increase the toe-in, and you have one La Scala. I'm not saying it won't work. If it is a dedicated listening room and you can listen close to the same level as the squawker, you're good. I don't think there is a near field listening issue unless this puts you are a really sharp angle to the tweeters and squawkers. Are you able to listen to them? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Risers are not recommended, since having a space under the speakers compromises the bass response. It's one of Paul Klipsch's 8 Cardinal Points for good sound. As for the crossover point, 80 Hertz is too low. La Scalas start to roll off at about 100 Hertz. Your best bet is to buy or borrow a sound level meter and a test CD, and do some test runs from 200 Hz on down, with and without the sub operating. That will let you know what your speakers are doing in your room. I have my sub set to 150 Hz, since just like the speaker, the cut-off is not a hard line, but a gradual roll-off. You can also just listen to a variety of music and see what setting makes the music sound most realistic. Grab those speakers, and happy listening! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 My first post. This topic inspired me to get an account and contribute something. Just picked up some like-new 10-month old La Scala 2's for the basement. I told my wife ahead of time they were "about 2X bigger" than the Heresy 3's in our family room. She knew something was fishy when the truck dropped off a 500lb pallet in my driveway. The LS2's come in four boxes - two for the tops and two for the dog houses. I was able to carry the tops downstairs easily, but I'm telling you, the dog houses are the heaviest densest two-foot cubed box I ever tried to maneuver with a dolly. It was a workout. So make sure your wife has actually seen them in person, not just a picture. Or don't - your call. After the initial surprise, my wife doesn't mind them because they are in a decent sized basement home theater. If she had to look at them every day like the H3's, it would be a different story. My room is about 17x17x8.5', carpet floors, loud walls and ceiling - no curtains. The LS2's are 10' apart on-center, slightly toed in (maybe 20 degrees) so they would come to an intersection about 5' behind me outside of my house - i.e. behind the couch against the opposite outside wall. My couch is about 14-15 feet away from the speakers. I've tried heavier toe-in's deeper into corners but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. (At 45 degrees, those sharp corners are really sticking out far.) I might be giving up some stereo imaging at my couch in favor of filling the entire room with sound better. Not sure - still playing. I've got a couple of subs but I cut them off at 60hz - the LS2's have better bass than expected in my room. Anything higher and the subs muddy-up the LS's bass IMHO. I do turn the bass tone control to 2-o'clock on my HT receiver and send all the bass and LF effects to both the LS's and subs. Movies sound great - had to enable a setting on the receiver to turn down the LS2's minus 10db when playing movies because they were so efficient. For two-channel, I disable all DSP effects and stream music through a Shiit Bifrost Uber. The LS's handle everything above 60hz and the subs take over below 60hz. Other than the bass tone control at 2 o'clock, I do some minor digital equalization: ~2db increase at 1-1.2 kHz and ~2db decrease from about 6.5-8 kHz. Sound is awesome. In your room at 8' away, think about it. Put both of your KG 5.5's side-by-side in one speaker location, and then slide them 8" further into the room, increase the toe-in, and you have one La Scala. I'm not saying it won't work. If it is a dedicated listening room and you can listen close to the same level as the squawker, you're good. I don't think there is a near field listening issue unless this puts you are a really sharp angle to the tweeters and squawkers. Are you able to listen to them? Great first post and welcome to the forum! It is a dedicated listening room/HT so the size is not too much of an issue unless it blocks a door etc. I am waiting for my check to come and then I will go listen to them. I plan on bringing my laptop and DAC and will try to replicate the placement the best I can. They guy is selling two sets, one with the type AA crossovers and another with the Crites 4500 crossovers (both with crites tweeters) for about $150 more so I can decide if I want the upgrade (I do like the raw birch of the upgraded ones too). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbphoto Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Keep us posted. PS. Another reason my wife may like them is I'm in the basement now - out of her hair. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 Risers are not recommended, since having a space under the speakers compromises the bass response. It's one of Paul Klipsch's 8 Cardinal Points for good sound. As for the crossover point, 80 Hertz is too low. La Scalas start to roll off at about 100 Hertz. Your best bet is to buy or borrow a sound level meter and a test CD, and do some test runs from 200 Hz on down, with and without the sub operating. That will let you know what your speakers are doing in your room. I have my sub set to 150 Hz, since just like the speaker, the cut-off is not a hard line, but a gradual roll-off. You can also just listen to a variety of music and see what setting makes the music sound most realistic. Grab those speakers, and happy listening! I cannot set the crossover for the sub on my receiver, would it be best to run the mains through the sub high level filter and also have a LFE cable in for movies? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YK Thom Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 Congrats on the opportunity and your fine taste in wives. If I had the space (or a rec room), I would have a pair. They are visually magnificent and in my opinion along with the Palladiums series the most distinctive and beautiful looking speaker ever made by Klipsch or any one else for that matter ( with a notable mention to the new KEF Blade). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockhound Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 You are going to love them! Everyone's room and ears are different but I promise that when you hear them a smile will soon consume you that was my first experience with my La Scala's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 I cannot set the crossover for the sub on my receiver, w The powered sub itself will have a knob in the back to manually set the Xover. (assuming plate amp) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusaDude Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 (edited) Risers are not recommended, since having a space under the speakers compromises the bass response. It's one of Paul Klipsch's 8 Cardinal Points for good sound. As for the crossover point, 80 Hertz is too low. La Scalas start to roll off at about 100 Hertz. Your best bet is to buy or borrow a sound level meter and a test CD, and do some test runs from 200 Hz on down, with and without the sub operating. That will let you know what your speakers are doing in your room. I have my sub set to 150 Hz, since just like the speaker, the cut-off is not a hard line, but a gradual roll-off. You can also just listen to a variety of music and see what setting makes the music sound most realistic. Grab those speakers, and happy listening! I cannot set the crossover for the sub on my receiver, would it be best to run the mains through the sub high level filter and also have a LFE cable in for movies?I'm not sure why anyone would recommend crossing a LaScala that high... but I can assure you (I own 3 pair) they reproduce content down into the 50Hz-60Hz range very well. I also wouldn't recommend using the sub's crossover network either. When you get them home, just hook them up to the 3801 directly, set them as "Large" in the speaker setup and put the subwoofer to "off" (don't even hook up the subwoofer for your initial listening). Then spend a few days (or weeks) just listening to the LaScalas (full range) by themselves to see what they are capable of in your room... It will give you a good reference point going forward. At that point plug your sub into the LFE on the 3801 and then experiment (every room and pair of ears are different) with setting the LaScalas to either "Small" or "Large". Though the early Denon (I have a 4800) AVR's have a fixed 80Hz crossover, you can also experiment with the "LFE" or "LFE + Main" setting (see page 20 of your owner's manual) to see what sounds best to you. But mostly just enjoy your LaScalas... Edited September 15, 2015 by GPBusa 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Welcom to the fourm and congrats on some nice speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted September 27, 2015 Author Share Posted September 27, 2015 I just picked them up today! My God they are beautiful speakers! They are raw birch and have never been oiled so I am soaking them in mineral oil now and they glow in my living room. I will put up some photos soon. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 (edited) I just picked them up today! My God they are beautiful speakers! They are raw birch and have never been oiled so I am soaking them in mineral oil now and they glow in my living room. Congrats! So what is the plan, KG 5.5 is out, LS is in, simple as that? Your sig indicates you run a phantom center. Have you thought thought about using one of the 5.5's for a center, just to experiment? In my world the center is the most important speaker, as most of the dialog comes from there, and it anchors the sound to the TV. As a large 3-way TMM it looks like it would not make a good center if laid down horizontally, and if left vertical is would certainly draw attention to itself in the center of the room. Edited September 27, 2015 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Congrats on the LaScala's..... They were the 1st Klipsch speaker I got some 24 years ago.... my wife found them in the Sunday paper. We still have em and love em.... Again congrats....enjoy them... MKP :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Hooray! No risers and run them full range! Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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