Klipschorn or La Sacala or...

[Claude Emond]

Hi everyone

 

I am a newly registered member off the Klipsch community and I find lots of exciting informations. I am from Quebec, Canada, therefore my first language is french, so my writing might not always be perfect. Just tought I'd let you know.

 

I am the lucky owner of a pair of beautiful Cornwall, and I just love them. They are a perfect match for my sound system in the basement: Ariston RD lls turntable, NAD 3020 as a preamp, and an Airtight AM-201 for amp.

 

Recently, I bought a pair of B&W 604 to complete my main floor system: NAD turntable and a Rega Planar 2 vintage, Marantz 2240b as a preamp, and a Quad 405 power amp. Although the B&W are doing a fairly good job, it is not the sound that I'm looking for. I prefer the wideness, the clarity, the transparency, the warmth and the presence of my Klipch Cornwall loud speaker. So I'm looking for a replacement, and I'm debating between Klipschorn and La Scala. I've read quite a bit of comments, reviews, critics, but what I know is that in the end, my ears should be the last juge. The thing is: my hearing is badly impaired. I've got the best hearing aids that you can possibly find on the market which becomes the last link of my audio chain. Music is a passion, can't even think of living without it, so I'm trying to built a sound system that is best FOR ME. Where I lack mostly in frequencies are the midranges sound. From what I read, La Scala where built originaly for a PA system, so I guess the mids must be very strong, right? But thren again, KH might be even better. If I had the chance to listen to both of them, one after the other, it would make it lot easier for me to choose, but that won't happen, specially in Quebec where I've never seen a Pair of KH for sale. Not to mention that I can't afford 20 000$ for a brand new pair.

 

Bottom line, do you guys have any suggestions? Any of you out there have hearing problems and love music as much as I do? La Scala or Klipschorn?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Claude

[cincymat]

Hi Claude, welcome to the forum. I’m sure others will add their thoughts to mine. 

 

I have La Scalas and Khorns. If you’re used to the bass of Cornwalls, I think the Khorn would match that and have a better midrange than the Cornwall. The La Scalas sound beautiful too but just won’t play bass like a Khorn. Wish you were closer, I’d invite you over for a listen. 

 

You can can find Khorns for sale. Be ready for a road trip to go pick them up. They'll fit in a minivan. Barely.. 

 

Mark

[Peter P.]

If you're sincerely on a budget, get the LaScala's and a SEALED subwoofer, such as an SVS SB-1000.  I suggest a sealed subwoofer as you'll want a tighter bass attack which is a signature of a sealed sub.

 

You can often find LaScala's on the used market as well. I think you'll find the LaScala's a "fun" speaker to listen to, but you've been spoiled by the low end of your Cornwalls, so don't be surprised about the lighter bass of the LaScala. Just don't condemn them off the bat; pair them with a subwoofer, first.

 

I looked at the specs for the B+W 604 and find they spec their low frequency limit of 30Hz at -6dB. Since we don't know what the slope is, it's tough to compare it to the typical -3dB point of Klipsch speakers. I'm inclined to think they don't play very low at all.

[richieb]

What hasn't been mentioned, shame on you Cincy, is KHorn performance is highly room dependent. You must have proper, well braced corners and a good front wall spread between speakers, I'd guess a minimum of 12 feet and 15-20 being better. KHorns will not be at their best in a compromised room and should this be your case,  LS will be more forgiving. Mid range is much better than Cornwall, bass is lesser but much quicker. And that LS bass bin is just so nice to look at. Good luck -  

[cincymat]

52 minutes ago, richieb said:

What hasn't been mentioned, shame on you Cincy, is KHorn performance is highly room dependent. You must have proper, well braced corners and a good front wall spread between speakers, I'd guess a minimum of 12 feet and 15-20 being better. KHorns will not be at their best in a compromised room and should this be your case,  LS will be more forgiving. Mid range is much better than Cornwall, bass is lesser but much quicker. And that LS bass bin is just so nice to look at. Good luck -  

I didn’t want to steal your thunder. You’re getting old and might not have much left...

 

richieb, is of course correct. Khorns are highly room dependent. Good corners, at least 4 feet clear in both directions. High ceilings, over 9 feet. And a minimum of 12 feet of separation. I’ve not tried this but some people swear that in a rectangular room they will sound better on the long wall. 

 

La Scalas are not particular. I’ve had them in 24’ by 24’ rooms and 12’ by 10’ rooms. Sounded very good in both. However to get bass less than 50hz they need a subwoofer. And subwoofers need to be properly integrated. 

 

So, if you have the room for Khorns get them. If not, La Scalas are a great alternative. 

 

Mark

[jimjimbo]

1 hour ago, richieb said:

What hasn't been mentioned, shame on you Cincy, is KHorn performance is highly room dependent. You must have proper, well braced corners and a good front wall spread between speakers, I'd guess a minimum of 12 feet and 15-20 being better. KHorns will not be at their best in a compromised room and should this be your case,  LS will be more forgiving. Mid range is much better than Cornwall, bass is lesser but much quicker. And that LS bass bin is just so nice to look at. Good luck -  

 

23 minutes ago, cincymat said:

I didn’t want to steal your thunder. You’re getting old and might not have much left...

 

richieb, is of course correct. Khorns are highly room dependent. Good corners, at least 4 feet clear in both directions. High ceilings, over 9 feet. And a minimum of 12 feet of separation. I’ve not tried this but some people swear that in a rectangular room they will sound better on the long wall. 

 

La Scalas are not particular. I’ve had them in 24’ by 24’ rooms and 12’ by 10’ rooms. Sounded very good in both. However to get bass less than 50hz they need a subwoofer. And subwoofers need to be properly integrated. 

 

So, if you have the room for Khorns get them. If not, La Scalas are a great alternative. 

 

Mark

Believe what you want, come to my house.  So much is made of having a specific amount of corners, wall space, etc, etc, etc......c'mon people, get real.  If you are looking for that last 5hz, or whatever, damn, you are chasing what others tell you is "perfection", or, what you should be hearing.....and not what sounds good...TO YOU.

[cincymat]

14 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

 

Believe what you want, come to my house.  So much is made of having a specific amount of corners, wall space, etc, etc, etc......c'mon people, get real.  If you are looking for that last 5hz, or whatever, damn, you are chasing what others tell you is "perfection", or, what you should be hearing.....and not what sounds good...TO YOU.

Just repeating what I’ve read in Klipsch literature and from my own experiences. 

 

Glad you've had luck finding your own way. 

[dirtmudd]

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649417494-mint-klipschorns-1974-new-crites-crossovers/

[wvu80]

3 hours ago, Claude Emond said:

Hi everyone

Hi Claude!  Welcome to the Klipsch forums!   

 

There are a couple of issues you've raised, suggestions for speakers, and your hearing aid.

 

I don't know anything about wearing a hearing aid and listening to speakers.  I can assure you, with either Khorns or La Scalas, you won't need them. 

 

I've read all the comments above and as usual the Klipsch community has solid, to the point advice, I agree with everything ^^^.   If you get the LS a sub will complete the overall sound with solid bass.  If you get the Khorns they cost more and are spectacular to listen to.  I always suggest a sub with any speaker pair, but the Khorns have sub-woofer like power even without a sub.

 

 

[LarryC]

Be aware these Klipsch Heritage speakers are BIG.  Find the dimensions of the La'S and the Ks, and see how they'll fit in your room.  Then, add a sub, and you may find you're beyond what your space can handle.  Just a caution.

 

Larry

[Peter P.]

9 hours ago, LarryC said:

Be aware these Klipsch Heritage speakers are BIG.  Find the dimensions of the La'S and the Ks, and see how they'll fit in your room.  Then, add a sub, and you may find you're beyond what your space can handle.  Just a caution.

 

Larry

Very wise advice.

 

As an alternative to new speakers which may not match the performance of his Cornwalls, and due to his hearing concerns, I recommend he invest in an equalizer instead of new speakers. He can then "voice" the speakers to meet his tastes while keeping all the beloved qualities of the Cornwalls.

[Marvel]

^^^

Get some cardboard, stiff paper, etc., and cut out the shape of the speaker bases. Place on the floor and see how they fit.

 

The khorn tucks into the corners, the la scala sits out in the room more. The LS is a bit more flexible on placement.

 

Welcome home!

 

Bruce

[DizRotus]

On 3/3/2018 at 4:50 PM, Claude Emond said:

. . . so my writing might not always be perfect.

 

Welcome  Claude. Your English is way better than my French or Spanish.  No one’s writing is perfect.  Fortunately, many here do not let writing challenges stop them from sharing information on this great forum. A resident expert, @ClaudeJ1, is also a native of Quebec, and might be a valuable resource with no language nuance issues.  ClaudeJ1 has had multiples of each Klipsch Heritage speaker.  His expertise is extreme.

 

Personally, I echo what several have said above.  The first thing that strikes me is your familiarity with the bass of Cornwalls.  La Scalas will be a bigger contrast in that regard than Klipschorns.  The purists, including ClaudeJ1, will suggest a sub, or subs, even with Khorns.  I know ClaudeJ1 will suggest horn loaded subs, which take up space and budget.  Each person’s needs and tastes are unique.  The available space and budget are important.

 

Personally, I have enjoyed the qualities of Klipschorn, La Scalas, Cornwalls, Heresys, and, now ClaudeJ1’s “Super Heresys.”   The small space now available for my dedicated music area precludes anything larger than Heresys as the primary speakers.  The “Supers” meet my needs in that space, even without subs.  That said, I’m an incurable DIYer, so I built four small DIY tapped horn subs, first brought to my attention on this forum by Carl, @CECAA850.  The subs, while not absolutely necessary to enjoy good music, enhance movies and TV, and music.  When listening to music with the subs, they are more noticeable in their absence.  By that, turning them off after listening a while is more noticeable than suddenly adding them.

 

Regading the pursuit of perfection, whether in writing or audio, I’m reminded of the words of that great Canadian philosopher, Michael J. Fox, “I pursue excellence.  Perfection I leave to God.”

 

Please keep us posted on your quest, and photos are always appreciated.

 

[ClaudeJ1]

13 hours ago, dirtmudd said:

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649417494-mint-klipschorns-1974-new-crites-crossovers/

Claude, the going price for used Khorns in the USA, from people in this community seems to be about $2,500. I sold my Walnut ones to a guy in Toronto for $2,000 about 10 years ago. Having replaced the capacitors in mine GREATLY enhanced the MIDRANGE. The (1975?) ones offered on CanuckAudioMart translate to about $3,000 US, which is about right., BUT they do have the Crites networks to justify the slightly higher price. I would offer the guy $3,500 CAN. If he accepts, it's well worth a road trip with a trailer or van rental. PM me for my phone number if you want to talk about this or other stuff. C'est un bonne chose a faire. Je me souvien........the other Claude.

 

Post Scriptum: The LaScalas, with a K43 woofer (Industrial version) or an Eminence Kappa 15C, either one with updated capacitors, have WAY better midrange than Khorn, about an extra 4 db or so at 400 Hz. which translates to more detail on vocals, guitars, saxes, etc.

[dirtmudd]

18 minutes ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

Claude, the going price for used Khorns in the USA, from people in this community seems to be about $2,500. I sold my Walnut ones to a guy in Toronto for $2,000 about 10 years ago. Having replaced the capacitors in mine GREATLY enhanced the MIDRANGE. The (1972?) ones offered on CanuckAudioMart translate to about $3,000 US, which is about right., BUT they do have the Crites networks to justify the slightly higher price. I would offer the guy $3,500 CAN. If he accepts, it's well worth a road trip with a trailer or van rental. PM me for my phone number if you want to talk about this or other stuff. C'est un bonne chose a faire. Je me souvien........the other Claude.

 

Post Scriptum: The LaScalas, with a K43 woofer (Industrial version) or an Eminence Kappa 15C, either one with updated capacitors, have WAY better midrange than Khorn, about an extra 4 db or so at 400 Hz. which translates to more detail on vocals, guitars, saxes, etc.

and those are a very nice pair

of klipschorns...

 

I enjoyed the description the owner

provided....

[ClaudeJ1]

4 minutes ago, dirtmudd said:

and those are a very nice pair

of klipschorns...

 

I enjoyed the description the owner

provided....

I agree. Even at full price, it's a good deal, but if the guy is moving, he could take a little less, since that would not qualify as "lowball," IMHO. the discount would pay for gas and vehicle rental.

 

 

[dirtmudd]

2 minutes ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

I agree. Even at full price, it's a good deal, but if the guy is moving, he could take a little less, since that would not qualify as "lowball," IMHO. the discount would pay for gas and vehicle rental.

 

 

the only thing that I can say....

 

to the op is have the vehicle ready

for transport...and all the necessities

moving blankets ect.

 

And cash in hand....and play let's make a deal...

 

a ready willing buyer.. has more power than a tire kicker...

[richieb]

16 hours ago, jimjimbo said:

 

Believe what you want, come to my house.  So much is made of having a specific amount of corners, wall space, etc, etc, etc......c'mon people, get real.  If you are looking for that last 5hz, or whatever, damn, you are chasing what others tell you is "perfection", or, what you should be hearing.....and not what sounds good...TO YOU.

 

We are real, you are wrong. KHorns are the most room dependent speaker in the line up. But I'm sure the dozens of posts to that fact are all wrong too. Must be nice to have all the answers. 

[jimjimbo]

17 minutes ago, richieb said:

 

We are real, you are wrong. KHorns are the most room dependent speaker in the line up. But I'm sure the dozens of posts to that fact are all wrong too. Must be nice to have all the answers. 

Did I say you were wrong?  No.  Did I contradict the "dozens of posts to that fact"?  No.  But as is your SOP, you've twisted my words to fit your agenda.    Nothing new.

[richieb]

1 minute ago, jimjimbo said:

Did I say you were wrong?  No.  Did I contradict the "dozens of posts to that fact"?  No.  But as is your SOP, you've twisted my words to fit your agenda.    Nothing new.

 

"Come on guys get real" tells me our comments didn't match your thinking, or is wrong. Interpret as you will. And of someone having a continuing agenda? Who would know better --- ^^