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Klipsch SCALA Type AA


Atomicthunk

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New to Klipsch and need some advice.  I’ve obtained a pair of Klipsch La Scala type AA speakers.

They were given to me in a trade (zero investment for me).  The cabinets are black painted wood.

The tag with the serial numbers is faded and cannot see the serial numbers.  The tweeters mid horn drivers and crossovers seem to work fine. The woofers will need to be re-coned or replaced.  I did take the bottoms off to make sure the woofers are original Klipsch but both have cracked cones.  The questions I have are:

1.      How much would d it cost to have the woofers re-coned or replaced.

2.      Were these speakers made for home audio or for a PA system?

3.      Any way to tell when they were made without a serial number?

4.      How much power does it take to drive these speakers?

5.      Do these speaker have any value as is; to sell the tweeters, mid-horn and crossovers

 

I do have a man cave were I keep my old analog audio system and I think I may be able to make room for them, just don’t know if I have the power to drive them. My son has a band, so if they are better for PA use he could maybe use them for gigs where there is enough floor space on the stage.

Out of respect for the product I would like to keep them original, but if newer components would improve on the original sound, that might be an option.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice. I don’t have a real need for these speakers but I just hate to see them go to waste.

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Photos of all surface areas, including the rear and crossovers, will help immensely with your questions.  If you still have the woofers accessible, pics of those as well.

 

If they are pre 1983, the serial numbers will be stamped in a surface on the rear, around where the mid horn resides.  Even if the tag is faded, try to get photos of those too.

 

Woofers reconed around $100 each.  You can get new, excellent woofers from Parts Express that will integrate very well. Eminence Kappa 15C.  http://www.parts-express.com/eminence-kappa-15c-15-driver-4-ohm--290-459

 

Some La Scala were made for home, some for commercial use, depends on your model (photos will tell)

Without a serial number, only approximate age.

Very little power needed to drive them, they are very efficient.  Hook them up and you'll find out.

If you can use them, I would recommend you update and keep them.  Don't know what you are using now, but the La Scala is a wonderful speaker.

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The best advice I could give you is to run these with a good 2 channel receiver. I have a pair of belles (very similar to la scalas) and they didn't sound good with every receiver we hooked up. Then my buddy brings over an old Sony receiver and they sound amazing! With these older speakers, don't use a home theater receiver for 2 channel music. For me...lesson learned. Good find, clean them up, there is a ton of potential there.

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Some bondo, some elbow grease, and some paint and Duratex and those babies can look new. That is exactly what I would do, and exactly what I have done... See the link:

 

You need to kill the mold with some bleach. Remove the drivers and see how bad they are. You might get lucky but if not you can replace them with K-33's, Crites' CW1526x's  or Eminence Kappa 15C's.

 

Some people use less than a watt to listen to these. They are 104 db at 1 meter with 1 watt, so that is really not quiet!  If you crank them up, they can make your ears bleed.

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Thanks for all the input. If these did have water damage it was a very long time ago because I know where they have been the last 20 years at least and I know they were high and dry. Living in south Louisiana mold from humidity can be a problem on wood that is not protected. You guys have motivated me to want to put some work into these to put them back in action. I do have a nice early 70's Sansui Quad receiver that has plenty of power that I use now for my old Quad analog set up in my man cave.   I am leaning toward replacing the woofers rather than getting the original ones re-coned.  I'll take some pictures when the project is done. (not any time soon) Thank again.

P.S. Just got back from seeing Alice Cooper in New Orleans, he always puts on a good show!

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Those will need a lot of work but worth it. You can power them with a 24 watts or more receiver. Woofers are available from bob Crites or other places or get it re-coned.

 Crossover needs new caps.    The bottom of cab. will need a lot of repair.   The other drivers could be bad also from moisture. This project is going to be pretty high cost for what you get but worth it if you have  skill to do it all. Search the forum and you can see what others have done to fix ugly ones and made them beautiful.

  Not sure where you live but if you can go listen to some Klipsch speakers if you can.

 

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5 hours ago, ricktate said:

Those will need a lot of work but worth it. You can power them with a 24 watts or more receiver. Woofers are available from bob Crites or other places or get it re-coned.

 Crossover needs new caps.    The bottom of cab. will need a lot of repair.   The other drivers could be bad also from moisture. This project is going to be pretty high cost for what you get but worth it if you have  skill to do it all. Search the forum and you can see what others have done to fix ugly ones and made them beautiful.

  Not sure where you live but if you can go listen to some Klipsch speakers if you can.

 

If you know of somebody who recones the K33, please share it. I think I used the last 4ohm VC cone kits on the planet. 

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6 hours ago, ricktate said:

You can power them with a 24 watts or more receiver

 

I use 3.5 watt amps and they sound incredible. They are fully horn loaded speakers and low power can also sound great.

 

Obviously in a high humidity environment. They can still be fixed up and you will fall in love with them. They are great speakers!

 

And welcome to the forums... don't let the crazy guys intimidate you.

 

Bruce

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No worries, crazy guys don't intimidate me, I'm a little off myself. I am just glad all you guys aren't snobs that put people down when they are new to something. 

 

I found the stamped serial numbers, 11r281 and 11r282 . Hope that helps to identify when they were made and  if they were originally made for a PA or home audio use.  I would like to use these for PA speakers.  I think the wood is a little too beat up to remove all the back paint and refinish the wood. Thinking of just repainting them and and put metal or plastic corner pieces to make them road ready.  First job is to replace the woofers, I am looking into a couple of different shops that re-cone. Also looking for replacement woofers if the re-cone does work out.  I know the crossovers look bad, but they seem to work fine.  Is it still a good idea to replace the larger caps? Do they make replacement drivers for the mid-horn and replacement tweeters?

 

Thanks

 

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The LS used and uses Klipschorn parts, except for the box of course.  PWK must have had plenty of those parts when he first marketed them.  Therefore there were not PA versions or home versions.  According the literature they were used in nightclubs, recording studios, and homes.   True, they were first used in PA situations.

 

Later there were pro versions for touring and these used a more robust woofer as well as metal trim and the top hat with the mid and tweeter were detachable.  Maybe a different crossover. 

 

Now there is the LSII which still uses the K-Horn parts in a veneered box with thicker sidewalls.  Plus an updated crossover.  They got a great review.

 

I sort of cringe at what some people say about speakers in a related vein:  That some are good for vocals in movies and others are good for music.  How can that be?  Movies have music and music has vocals.

 

I don't know how reconing works. It seems to me the rebuilder puts in a voice coil which is unlikely to have the same characteristics as the factory unit.  Crites pays very close attention to recreating the specs of factory units.  OTOH, the factory will sell you new woofers, which is how I would go to keep them "stock."  IIUC.  The factory may ask you for serial numbers. 

 

Please don't part them out.  It would be a shame.  Like a '57 Chevy they need to be preserved and cherished.

 

WMcD

 

 

 

 

 

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La Scalas were originally PA speakers.  Most of us don't listen and use them in our homes.  There were a more affordable way to get 85% of a Klipschorn's performance at maybe half the cost.  I added 3/4 x 3/4" cherry to mine to cover the edge plys and make a border for the grille. 

 

fin_lascala_trim.jpg

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