Advice for Beginners - consider this test from an audio club

[jason str]

The weight difference between MDF & Baltic Birch is minimal.

[Tizman]

Using sub par materials is using sub par materials.  Better materials are preferable.  Always.  Also, these sub par materials necessitate different construction techniques that are not required when using better quality materials.  If 1” Baltic birch was an option, that is what I, and I think most people, would buy.  OSD123: If you had a choice when you were purchasing your speakers between 1” MDF and 1” Baltic birch, which one would you have picked?  Honestly.  Your choice of amp and watch appears to hint what the answer is.

[ODS123]

1 hour ago, jason str said:

The weight difference between MDF & Baltic Birch is minimal.

 

https://www.inchcalculator.com/how-much-does-plywood-weigh/

 

Really?  99.5 lbs vs. 71.5 lbs for a 3/4" 4 x 8' sheet.  ..hardly minimal.  That's 28lbs = 39% heavier.  

 

With this in mind, I think it's probably cheaper to build with Birch considering the significant increase in shipping costs for MDF.    So why did Klipsch change??  Could well be that MDF's density and consistency from sheet to sheet simply makes it a better choice for precision speakers..  ..Nothing to get so exercised over.  Would love to hear details on how Klipsch felt the MDF La Scala sounded better than the Birch.

 

You guys seem to be attaching some sort of pride-of-ownership badge to Plywood that defies all reason.

[ODS123]

59 minutes ago, Tizman said:

Using sub par materials is using sub par materials.  Better materials are preferable.  Always.  Also, these sub par materials necessitate different construction techniques that are not required when using better quality materials.  If 1” Baltic birch was an option, that is what I, and I think most people, would buy.  OSD123: If you had a choice when you were purchasing your speakers between 1” MDF and 1” Baltic birch, which one would you have picked?  Honestly.  Your choice of amp and watch appears to hint what the answer is.

 

Would be fine with either.  But considering that EVERY one of my last speakers - Paradigm, Vandersteen, PSB, Spica, Polk - was made from MDF and not ONE of them ever suffered some sort of calamitous implosion, I'd be very curious WHY Klipsch wouldn't also use MDF unless it was b/c of a commercial application requiring additional anchor points.  

 

Again, you guys want something to snub your noses at others over b/c they don't have something you do.  I find that to be unfortunate and strange.  

 

I'll say it again: it's seems rather ungracious to hang out at Klipsch's user forum and trash every speaker they make but the series you happen to own.

[Dave A]

I was going to comment but it's just not worth it.

[Tizman]

 

Part of what I like about Klipsch is that their speakers aren’t like everyone else’s.  They are singular, and were predominantly the product of one opinionated and willful individual: PWK.  I see Klipsch’s involvement in pro sound reinforcement to be a positive things as well.  I would be very happy to own any of the newer model Klipsch speakers made of MDF, but I would have preferred if they were all built in a manner that would make them useable in PA work like they used to be.  It’s just a better way to build, and I am a Klipsch traditionalist.  

[Deang]

MDF is cheap and reduces labor time when applying veneer. Consumer lines have close to 400% markup - tough to get if you price yourself out of the market by using the most expensive materials and parts. 

[Tizman]

Two of my sets of Klipsch speakers are made of MDF by the way.  One is a pair of bookshelf speakers and a centre channel from early in the HT days.  These are in good shape.  The other set is a Klipsch Tangent T-500.  They required a full reglueing and reinforcement when I got them.  There were not dropped, they were just put together poorly out of crappy materials that didn’t stand the test of time.  Great drivers though.

[Marvel]

1 hour ago, ODS123 said:

You guys seem to be attaching some sort of pride-of-ownership badge to Plywood that defies all reason.

 

A lot of members here move their speakers around frequently, leave them out in the rain, haul them to parties.  They have to be tough. 😬

[Deang]

The internals of the Klipshorn are still built with void free Baltic birch. 

[Marvel]

Tangents were built cheaply to start with at a lower price point to sell in military base exchanges.

[ODS123]

25 minutes ago, Deang said:

MDF is cheap and reduces labor time when applying veneer. Consumer lines have close to 400% markup - tough to get if you price yourself out of the market by using the most expensive materials and parts. 

 

what exactly do you mean by 400% mark up?  Are you suggesting that some fat Mr. Potter is pocketing $4 for every $1 of production cost?  If so, you don't understand the cost of running a business.  

 

Yes, Klipsch's retail price is probably more than 4x their cost of production.  But there's a crapload of expenses that come out of that.  Firstly, the dealer has to pay overhead, employee expenses, carrying costs, and make a well deserved profit or else the dealer would pursue some other line of work.  And Klipsch has to pay the same, plus a portion to fund development of new product lines.  

 

If you think MDF is allowing them to gouge the consumer, then go build your own speakers and see how far that goes.  ..Let's see what you can do with $4200 (what I paid for Cornwall III's).  And I don't mean knock-offs of their current design!  No, you can't simply copy what they've already spent a ton of $ developing.  Your $4200 has to fund designing your own cabinets, your own horn compression drivers, your own cone speakers, your own cross-over, your own tooling, and so on and so on.  ...You'll blow through the $4200 without ever having a working prototype.

 

 

 

[Deang]

I know how it works. 

 

You’re so busy being full of yourself that you missed the point completely. 

[jimjimbo]

39 minutes ago, Marvel said:

A lot of members here move their speakers around frequently, leave them out in the rain, haul them to parties

I leave mine out year round.  No tarps, no nothin'......adds character and that special "patina".....

[Wolfbane]

47 minutes ago, Marvel said:

 

A lot of members here move their speakers around frequently, leave them out in the rain, haul them to parties.  They have to be tough. 😬

 

Not to mention the significant number of women in the world that think Klipsch built these to hold their plants to be admired at eye-level.

 

Wb

[ClaudeJ1]

4 hours ago, ODS123 said:

Well if it's correct that the prototype MDF La Scala's were found to sound better (mentioned earlier in thread) AND MDF reduced production costs, then I'd say that is a double win.  Heck, it's still a win if they only cost less but sound the same. 

They also radically changed the styling of the LaScall, sort of combining and eliminating the Belle Klipsch, since it was designed as a Center channel, which I had for over 30 years with my Birch Khorns and single center LaScala on the long walls of my domiciles. It was a good move on their part.

[Dave A]

10 minutes ago, Wolfbane said:

Not to mention the significant number of women in the world that think Klipsch built these to hold their plants to be admired at eye-level.

 

Don't forget they make great coasters to for all those you know with sweaty cold drinks at parties also.

 

20 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

I leave mine out year round.  No tarps, no nothin'......adds character and that special "patina".....

I painted a set of La Scalas black one time and put them outside next to the deck. It sounded good and the top hat was a great solar warmer for buns and cooked burgers.

[Deang]

Over 5500 views on this thread. Lmao. 

[MEH Synergy]

6 minutes ago, Deang said:

Over 5500 views on this thread. Lmao. 

Don't be a bully. I'm learning.  

[Deang]

Lol.