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Duratex & Speakon; La Scala, Heresy & TH subs


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This Friday I collect the La Scalas I refurbished for Seaholm HS.  In addition to applying Duratex and retrofitting a Speakon, I'll re-do the bass bin braces.  Only one of the speakers has a badge.  If anyone has an extra copper badge, or knows where I could get one, I'd be interested.

 

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My son's Heresys will also receive Speakons and Duratex.  They were compiled from several sources and were never intended to be fine furniture.  The plan is to do round-overs all around and protect with Duratex for an "industrial" look.

 

I forgot how ratty the cedar decking was looking when I did the Heresys.  That was the second cedar deck.  Two years ago I replaced it with Azek decking.  Best decision ever.  No maintenance.

 

This photo reminds me to again thank @Budman for donating those badges to these speakers as a graduation present to my son, as well as in appreciation for his service in Afghanistan.

 

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6 hours ago, Budman said:

hey Neil, the badge that you are looking for is it the same ones on your sons heresys or is it one of the lasers from 76-77 or 78 .  i've moved recently and i can't find anything but i will look

 

My recollection is that it's like the Heresy, but I'll know for sure on Friday.  It's not that important that they match, but I would like the scores of students who enjoy them each year to know about Klipsch.

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On 6/14/2017 at 2:47 PM, Budman said:

hey Neil, the badge that you are looking for is it the same ones on your sons heresys or is it one of the lasers from 76-77 or 78 .  i've moved recently and i can't find anything but i will look

 

Appears to be the laser version.  I'm not so worried about matching, just so each one says Klipsch, so the kiddies know what they're listening to.

 

When I collected them today, the band director again thanked me profusely for preventing him from buying Bose cubes.  These reborn Ohio bar blasters  are enjoyed every day during the school year

 

After removing 10 years of dust, and adding Speakons and Duratex.  I'm adding handles to the sides.  Which would be better. vertical or horizontal?

 

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Too bad the students don't understand the significance of "La Scala (The Ladder)" on the wall to the left.  

 

My son is wrestling one of the La Scalas down form its perch atop an instrument locker.  I'm pretty certain the combined weight of him and the La Scala exceeded the posted maximum of the ladder.

 

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These dusty things will clean up nicely to provide loud and clear service for another decade. 

 

The bass reflex mod was done by enclosing the backs.  The Speakon will be mounted in the removable panel where the barrier strip is now.  The networks are attached "upside down" to the underside of the top.  That was necessary for one port tube to clear the network.  Next people will be telling me it's time to refresh the decade old motor runs I got from Bob Crites.

 

The newer Azek deck is visible in these photos (see photos of Heresy above).  After two cedar decks, replacing the rotting cedar with Azek was well worth the expense and effort.  No more yearly sealing, etc.

 

 

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21 hours ago, DizRotus said:

 

 

 

After removing 10 years of dust, and adding Speakons and Duratex.  I'm adding handles to the sides.  Which would be better. vertical or horizontal?

 

 

If you look at the photo I posted on my converted LSs, I used horizontal handles. They work great when moving them from point A to point B. When lifting them up, I would think the vertical would be better. When I lift mine into a pick up, I wish they were vertical, but when getting them to the pickup, the horizontal is nice. How's that for a non committal answer?

Your application looks like you have to manhandle them up to their perch, so vertical may be your best choice. Either way, the handles are nice to have.

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1 hour ago, MookieStl said:

If you look at the photo I posted on my converted LSs, I used horizontal handles. They work great when moving them from point A to point B. When lifting them up, I would think the vertical would be better. When I lift mine into a pick up, I wish they were vertical, but when getting them to the pickup, the horizontal is nice. How's that for a non committal answer?

Your application looks like you have to manhandle them up to their perch, so vertical may be your best choice. Either way, the handles are nice to have.

 

Thanks for your input.  I'm leaning toward horizontal, but my wife says I've been off kilter for years.

 

Yes, getting those monsters above head level is a challenge.   So far, in their decade of service to the HS, the only time they move is when I service them.  A few years ago I did the bass reflex mod -- I would do that to any La Scalas I were using without a sub.  

 

After the Speakon, Duratex and handles, I'll point out to the director how -- relatively -- easy it would be to use them somewhere other than the band room.  The handles and Speakons will make relocation and hookup much easier.

 

The director told me to invoice the school for the work.  I suggested a trade.  The work, Duratex and Speakons in exchange for allowing me to use them at my 50th HS reunion in July, to which he quickly agreed.

 

 

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When I volunteered to put together a playlist, which has now been whittled down to the best 218 songs from '64-'67, it was understood that the music would be "background" music to permit conversation.  Dancing is dangerous at our age.  The explosion hazard from colliding oxygen bottles is considerable.

 

I'll bring my DIY chip amp powered boombox, which uses Fostex FE103 or the Radio Shack 40-1197 variants, to provide the music.  I plan to leave the La Scalas in the van until someone expresses a regret that the boombox is not up to providing louder dancing music.  At that point, I'll bring out the La Scalas and use the TDA7297 or TPA3118  to play music loud enough to summon the police, and I don't mean Sting.

 

Pono and TDA7297 are in photo followed by photo of "Wiener" TPA3118, which will be in an aluminum case by the reunion.  The TDA 7297 will stay on a board to expose all its primitive simplicity. The sound that $5 eBay amp can wring out of efficient Klipsch Heritage speakers is amazing.  The Wiener is demonstrably better, but not 20 times better.  The Wiener's tube-like sound sent my modified Dynaco tube gear packing.  No more tube rolling for this AARP member.

 

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It occurred to me that, in the interest of full disclosure, I must point out that the $5 TDA7297 is into me for more than $5.  At the urging of @rhing, I replaced the stock power supply cap with a Panasonic 2200uF and replaced the polyester film input caps with polypropylene caps.  The new parts cost more than the original amp.

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After consultation with my son, we decided to mount the handles horizontally to make moving them laterally more  manageable. Though perhaps not as useful as vertical, the horizontal handles will make elevating them back to the top of the instrument lockers easier also.  It's remarkable how much easier the handles make it for two people to move these heavy and bulky speakers.  Thanks for your input @MookieStl.  To think, I moved 4 larger and heavier Speakerlab SKhorns alone, albeit with a hand-truck, in my mobile DJ biz 40 years ago.

 

The Speakons are in place.  The test was conducted with all battery power.  An ~18v battery wand powered the TDA7297 and the Pono has a rechargeable battery.  It's always amazing how much clean clear volume efficient Klipsch Heritage can produce on a few good watts from a totally off the grid system.

 

The Duratex must await another day.  Too much wind today and not enough time.

 

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After converting to Speakon and while preparing my son's Heresys for Duratex, I, for the first time, noticed the unusual serial number label.  

 

I'll ping @HDBRbuilder to see if he can shed any light on this.  The other speaker is consecutively numbered and bears the same signatures.

 

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Duratex is easy to apply, forgiving, covers a multitude of sins, looks good and is durable.  On the downside it's expensive, especially when you fail to heed the warning against freezing.  Most of a gallon was turned into a foam-like mess after a Michigan winter in the garage.

 

Duratexed Anarchy subs make excellent speaker stands.  The La Scalas are taped up and ready for Duratex as soon as they cool down in the shade.  The Heresys are not yet ready for paint.  Some would call it heretical to do to Heresys what I'm doing to these, but it's the look my son wants.  The handles on the Heresy are for the LaScalas.  The Heresys will get handles like the one on the DIY boom box earlier in the thread.

 

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