DillonW Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 We have all heard it time and time again. Don't skimp on the center channel, it carries 75% of the sound for movies. HornEd has said it, TheEars, Boa, Dougdrake.... the list would go on and on and on. Nobody doubts it, but sometimes its just plain hard to use a main speaker as your center channel. You have to deal with the expense, the space, and sometimes even have to do some driver rearranging. And then there is always the ever present WAF. On the flip side, WOW! As much as I knew there would be an improvement, I just never imagined the difference could be that monumental. I have been piecing my heritage system together for a few years now. Tonight, for the first time, I connected a La Scala as my center channel. They need some major cosmetic work, but I just couldn't resist the temptation to give it a try. Because it was sitting there, I stuck in the DTS version of Predator. My wife is at school tonight, so I cranked the volume. WOW! I'm still smiling! The voices were so crisp and clear, and the action had so much more impact. I know, I know, I'll be in trouble when she gets home. (But its worth it ) ------------------ Thanks, Bill Primary HTS Mains: Black La Scalas Rears: Walnut Belles (Restoring La Scalas for rears) Center: Black KLF C7 (Replaced with Belle soon) Rear Center: None Yet Front Effects: None Yet Sub: Velodyne CT-150 Extra: Black Chorus IIs Receiver: Yamaha RXV3000 TV: HD Toshiba 61" 61H70 DVD: Sony DVP-S560D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Dillon,Dillon,Dillon You have way too many loud and rather ugly beat up black LaScalas for your auditory and aesthetic health. I ordinarily would not make this offer but as I have recently been accepted as a saint in training - I will rescue you from your folly. Move the Belles to the front and after palletising and shrinkwrapping those ugly LS's ship them to me collect. Your ears and your wife will thank me. Saintly behaviour can be SO trying at times. ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) This message has been edited by lynnm on 09-09-2002 at 08:31 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DillonW Posted September 9, 2002 Author Share Posted September 9, 2002 lynnm- I appriciate your kind offer, I doubt I could ever hope to attain your lofty status as a Saint, even in training. But I am striving to earn my wings by creating a heritage halfway house for the homeless heritage. "Give me your lowly and downtroden, and I shall take them in, and treat them as my very own." I long to make a difference in this world, and create a happy heritage family much like my hero Q-man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Fine!! - Be That Way! ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkinney Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Bill, I am a lot closer than Lynnm, but probably not as worthy (haven't even started thinking about training). If you decide you need to break up the set in a hurry, I'm only 1 state away. A Belle or another LaScala would go great between the K'horns. ------------------ Jim Family Room: 1978 Klipschorns (mains), 1979 La Scalas (rear surrounds), 1978 Heresy's on the way Yamaha RX-V1 Reciever, Yamaha CDC-655 CD Player, Toshiba SD-1200 DVD, Toshiba TN50X81 50" HDTV Bedroom: Yamaha RX-V590, SF-1's Mainsc>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 DillonW Hope you can get the wife to agree with your new speaker location. You are absolutely correct, your best sound is having your center match your mains. Especailly when you talking Heritage.... An all Heritage HT is hard to beat. Enjoy. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 I have the academy center, and the RS-3-2 I have the KLF-C7 rear center, and the RS-3-2 2 centers, 2 rear centers! 1 amp for the other 2 speakers! Id like to get heresys, to replace all 4 speakers, down the road ill do this! The way i have this set up, keeps up with the Klipschorns pretty well! If some one is willing to make a trade, im always here! Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Are there any tricks to get the best imaging from the center channel? I've been adjusting the volume of the center to find my preference. Sometimes I feel the urge to look up at the big speaker on top of my 50" TV instead of at the speaker on the screen. Not only is there a lot of sound coming from the top of the screen but the big box draws the eyes upward. Maybe I just need a little mental focus, "the sound is coming from the screen, the sound is coming from the screen...ignore the big box above". Perhaps part of the problem is that I haven't purchased a Klipsch (and espcially Heritage) for my center yet. Cornwalls are main l/r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boa12 Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 kj, what are you using for center? another cornwall or other heritage would of course be best. mosy likely, the current center is more a distraction because of the timbre mismatch & not having that seamless blend w/ your mains/corns. a few tricks though are to make sure the center/horn/speaker is aimed/angled right at your ears. also, you may want to experiment w/ the receiver distance setting for the center. i set mine a few feet less than that distance setting for the mains. the closer you set a speaker in distance relative to the others, the more it delays the sound from that speak. i have my mains at 12 ft & the center at 8 ft, even though they're actually pretty much the same distance from the listening spot. this makes the sound from center fall more into the screen. ------------------ My Home Systems Page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DillonW Posted September 10, 2002 Author Share Posted September 10, 2002 I have some experimenting to do. I would personally prefer to keep the Belles at rear, and use one of the La Scalas as a center, but I don't think that plan will pass the WAF at all. With the location of the rears, the width of Bells make them too big. I bought the La Scalas to replace the Belles at rear, and move a Belle to center. This was the only compromise that my tolerant better half could live with, and still authorize placing a 5.1 heritage system in our living room. That, and I have to build an aesthetically pleasing cabinet/support system to place an inverted Belle over the TV. Boy do I have my work cut out for me! I also have to refinish one of the walnut Belles in Black to match everything else. I would like to keep the extra Belle, but there is absolutely no space to use it as a rear center. It just won't fit under the couch or hang from the ceiling. However the setup ends up, I will have an extra Belle, or La Scala. My preference would be to hang on to it, but selling it would allow me to get two more KLF-C7s for front effects. I can use my existing C7 for a rear center. BTW, I gave the wife a demo when she got home from school. She does have a good ear, and really liked how it sounds. The main thing for her was the clarity of the voices, much more distinct. Anyone out there have preferences for Belles or La Scalas at center or rears? Please let me know what and why. ------------------ Thanks, Bill Primary HTS Mains: Black La Scalas Rears: Belles or La Scalas Center: Belle or La Scala? Rear Center: Recycle KLF C7? Front Effects: None Yet Sub: Velodyne CT-150 Extra: Black Chorus IIs Receiver: Yamaha RXV3000 TV: HD Toshiba 61" 61H70 DVD: Sony DVP-S560D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DillonW Posted September 10, 2002 Author Share Posted September 10, 2002 kjohnsonhp- yes large speakers above a set do catch your eye and can be a bit distracting. But as Boa mentioned, the sound should be natural if the speaker is angled down toward the listening area. Provided there is no major timbre differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkinney Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Bill, If you do decide to sell a Belle or LaScala, keep me in mind. I could move the Heresy's to the rear since they don't match exactly anyway. I can't put a Belle or LaScala in the rear center either. ------------------ Jim Family Room: 1978 Klipschorns (mains), 1979 La Scalas (rear surrounds), 1978 Heresy's on the way Yamaha RX-V1 Reciever, Yamaha CDC-655 CD Player, Toshiba SD-1200 DVD, Toshiba TN50X81 50" HDTV Bedroom: Yamaha RX-V590, SF-1's Mainsc>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boa12 Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 bill, i definitely would pick up another matching las to go w/ the las fronts. belles to rear & the C7 should be fine for rear center duty. either way should be good though - realize the belles would look better in front/cosmetics to consider. then you could get a belle center. hard to go wrong here whichever way. even las mixed w/ belles across the front. key is get something in there for the center. congrats on the find. ------------------ My Home Systems Page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 kj - If you don't have a center speaker that matches your Cornwall mains, and you typically sit on-axis to the center, try running in "phantom" mode -- say No center speaker in your pre-amp speaker configuration. The Cornwalls will create a center channel that will be a perfect match! Then, you can remove the big distraction over the teevee. DD ------------------ My System This message has been edited by dougdrake on 09-10-2002 at 06:27 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DillonW Posted September 11, 2002 Author Share Posted September 11, 2002 Boa- Looks like its going to be a Belle at Center. Which will put La Scalas at front mains and rears. I'll part with the extra Belle when my cabinet refinishing is done, then pick up a couple C7s to fill out rear center and front effects duty. That will leave only the sub to be addressed. ------------------ Thanks, Bill Primary HTS Mains: Black La Scalas Rears: Belles (Until La Scalas are refinished) Center: La Scala (Until Belle is refinished) Rear Center: Recycle KLF C7 Front Effects: None Yet Sub: Velodyne CT-150 Extra: Black Chorus IIs Receiver: Yamaha RXV3000 TV: HD Toshiba 61" 61H70 DVD: Sony DVP-S560D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystery Guest Posted September 15, 2002 Share Posted September 15, 2002 I just thought I would add to this. Since the addition of our '77 Klipschorns, Steve has wanted a La Scala center. He located the LF section of one a few weeks ago and had to build a top for it. The tweeter is mounted vertical next to the squawker, like the the picture of the "Runt". Don't get excited, you can NOT buy one, only 28 ever built back in the early 60's.It had a 12" woofer and rolled off above 100hz. Anyway, our "new" center is now on top of our 52" RCA RPTV. It weighed in at 99 lbs and was a pain to get up there. The RCA is built very well and should not sag. It has 3/4 mdf construction through out. Nothing is better than having the right center channel He will post a pic as soon as he finishes the cabinet, a bit rough. I always knew he was right about the center match. By the way, it is sitting upside down,thought that was important to mention. ------------------ The token female for the Klipsch Fan Club Tour 2001 This message has been edited by Mystery Guest on 09-15-2002 at 01:15 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted September 15, 2002 Share Posted September 15, 2002 Mystery Guest. Congrats on Steve's and your find... Looks like the bass bin is only 15-16" tall. Very interested in the dimentions if you or somebody has them. It is too bad Klipsh does not make a smaller HT center for the Heritage line that is fully horn loaded. JM ------------------ HT / Listening Environment: Mains: '83 Khorns All Heritage Center: K77, K400 above screen, Dual K22 in Heresy cabinets under screen. Sides: Forte 1 Subs: Dual SVS Ultra + Screen: 65"x120" DaLite Grey Projector: Sharp PG-M20X Processor: Lexicon MC-1 2 Ch Preamp: McIntosh C-36 Many NAD mono amps (for now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted September 15, 2002 Share Posted September 15, 2002 Hello Miss Bec... er Mystery Guest, It sounds like you have gotten settled in. How are you liking Indy? I'm sure Steve has plenty to do, but tell him to come by and visit more often. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Phillips Posted September 15, 2002 Share Posted September 15, 2002 JM, I hope you aren't thinking the short LS in the picture is what we are using or found. The LF of the Runt is about 12" tall. I have the normal LF section from a La Scala, but the whole thing 32 1/2 inches tall instead of 35 1/2. Mystery Guest used it as a referece to show how the K77 and K-401 were mounted. Hi John, here alot, just don't have time to post much. Settling in fine, I will post pics of the "new" HT soon, the Horns are a bit sad. They don't have coners yet and we are in a rental house.I added "sides"to them as the pro K-Horn used back some time ago. They naturaly don't go down as low, the subs help.Nothing like Heritage HT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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