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Wow...Cornscalas for $20k and up?


prerich

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Ok, everyone has a right to price their gear for whatever they want to, however Ampsandsound has two speaker models that look very much like Cornscalas to me. They are using beryllium compression drivers (which are quite expensive indeed), but they are priced at $20k for one model and $30k for another.  I've seen what some of the people on this forum are capable of, and I just can't for my life see spending $20k + for cornscalas.  However it could drive the value of the Cornwall up ;) (the $30k got a bad mini review) !!!!

 

What do you guys think - it seems that a lot of people are attempting to revive/remix the Klipsch Heritage models in one form or another. I believe the Heritage models from the originator are pretty darn good!!!! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!!!  

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Interesting that those two pairs of speakers are the only items on the ampsandsound website that don't have any pricing on the web page....perhaps because they are new to the offerings?

Yep, they previewed this past weekend at T.H.E. Show in Newport California. 

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That looks like really nice furniture grade cabinetry, probably high quality components, all hand crafted.  That has some value and I don't blame the manufacturer for wanting to make a living.  There are people with that kind of disposable income who can and will pay top dollar for quality. 

 

This is America, nothing wrong with that.  :)

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Keep in mind the "cornscala" isn't a Klipsch product.  I wouldn't even consider those Cornscalas, the cornscala was the K77/K400 horn on top of a Cornwall bass bin.  Yes inspired by the design, but completely different horns and drivers.  He probably figures if Volti Audio can do it, so could he.  As far as the price goes, people pay a high dollar for all sorts of designs/products that aren't any better than Klipsch.  Another thing to keep in mind,  is some ask for the beryllium drivers.  If Klipsch wont deliver, someone will. 

 

The biggest reason I love Klipsch is the lower cost for a product as great if not better than most. 

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Keep in mind the "cornscala" isn't a Klipsch product.  . 

 

 

Before the forum conversion I had the original threads identified and bookmarked where Bob Crites was building a "test box" set up; and a parallel thread where he first "coined" the term "CornScala" in reference to the test box (that ultimately morphed into the various CornScala products on his site).  I haven't had a chance to "re-find" those threads since the old bookmark links no longer work.

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That looks like really nice furniture grade cabinetry, probably high quality components, all hand crafted.  That has some value and I don't blame the manufacturer for wanting to make a living.  There are people with that kind of disposable income who can and will pay top dollar for quality. 

 

This is America, nothing wrong with that.  :)

Agreed.  Whatever floats a potential customers boat!!!! :D 

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Ok, everyone has a right to price their gear for whatever they want to, however Ampsandsound has two speaker models that look very much like Cornscalas to me. They are using beryllium compression drivers (which are quite expensive indeed), but they are priced at $20k for one model and $30k for another.  I've seen what some of the people on this forum are capable of, and I just can't for my life see spending $20k + for cornscalas.  However it could drive the value of the Cornwall up ;) (the $30k got a bad mini review) !!!!

 

What do you guys think - it seems that a lot of people are attempting to revive/remix the Klipsch Heritage models in one form or another. I believe the Heritage models from the originator are pretty darn good!!!! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!!!  

 

 

Regarding pricing, it sure wouldn't be the first time that someone reporting on an event got the pricing wrong.  There would sure be some very interesting choices competing for those dollars in the $20,000 to $30,000 price range.

 

Regarding beryllium compression drivers, there are many less expensive options for compression drivers with beryllium diaphragms on the market now and I would be interested to learn what brand he is using.  Radian practically carries a full line now for each of its compression driver models and Eighteen Sound has expanded its product line to include beryllium diaphragms.  There are also other options available to those building speakers.

 

However, I have not explored these drivers mainly because other issues in life need to take priority right now; and, while being much less expensive than TADs, the initial investment (e.g., "cost to play") is much higher than the used JBLs and Altecs, since few of these new Beryllium compression drivers are available on the secondary audio parts markets.  In addition, I have not seen many response curves published yet and when I do, in general, it seems to me that this new generation of Beryllium compression drivers have not yet refined the phase plug to highlight the advantages of Beryllium and still tend to roll-off the higher frequencies rather than extend.  The old TAD compression drivers with beryllium diaphragms have an extra slit in the phase plug, which I suspect helps extend the high frequencies rather than roll-off.  

 

Radian Audio

 

http://www.radianaudio.com/beryllium/

 

US Speaker lists multiple Radian models with the beryllium diaphragms on its site and carries a 2" throat 651BePB Radian for $699.95 each. 

 

http://www.usspeaker.com/hfcompressiondrivers-1.htm

 

 

ND1480BE with a 3 inch premium Beryllium dome - polymer surround diaphragm

 

http://www.eighteensound.com/PRODUCTS456/Products123/ProdID/197/CatID/3#.V1mK2v_2ZD_

 

 

I currently use TAD TD-4001 in my Klipschorns and TAD TD-4002 in my Jubilees, but at some point if I feel the need for more DIY and I start to experiment with compression drivers again and see some published curves, I would like to try one of the Radian 1.4 " compression drivers with the beryllium diaphragms. I believe there may be a few benefits with the 1.4 " vs. 2 " when you have the flexibility of a higher crossover point using 500 Hz or 600 Hz vs. 400 Hz in the Khorns.

 

Although, they couldn't be used for a two-way design and needed to be three-way with a tweeter, one of my old non-TAD favorites was the JBL 2441 compression drivers with Alnico magnets and Aluminum diaphragms.

 

I'm not sure what a "Titanium Nitride Coated Dome" actually means and noting the curve has limited information on how and what horn when determined, but Eighteen Sound shows a curve for the compression driver that seems to do a decent job of making it through the top octave.

 

http://www.eighteensound.com/PRODUCTS456/Products123/ProdID/151/CatID/3#.V1mIj__2ZD9

Edited by Fjd
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Keep in mind the "cornscala" isn't a Klipsch product.  I wouldn't even consider those Cornscalas, the cornscala was the K77/K400 horn on top of a Cornwall bass bin.  Yes inspired by the design, but completely different horns and drivers.  He probably figures if Volti Audio can do it, so could he.  As far as the price goes, people pay a high dollar for all sorts of designs/products that aren't any better than Klipsch.  Another thing to keep in mind,  is some ask for the beryllium drivers.  If Klipsch wont deliver, someone will. 

 

The biggest reason I love Klipsch is the lower cost for a product as great if not better than most. 

Well, many people have changed the Cornscala image with different horns (such as the Fastracs and others) that others say outperform the K400 horn. I believe you're correct about the possible look at Volti's success. 

 

I'm basically looking at all the dogging of Klipsch that some in the hifi world do, not realizing that the La Scala was a one time a Class A product, as well as the Palladiums.  Many in the high-end look down on Klipsch, but yet and still, I see their influence all across the landscape.  Just goes to show how much PWK knew, and although technology changes - good speaker design is just good speaker design....even if it's old. 

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there's one born every minute --P.T. Barnum

+1

Totally uncalled for. Let's see you guys put as much research and development and handcrafted labor into something this large and beautiful, and then display it at a high-end audio show where there is a potential market. Absolutely no need for this type of comment regarding a well respected member of this forum.

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