Lowthers and LaScalas: a 'simul-play' experiment

[Erik Mandaville]

The idea: Lowthers in rear-loaded horns side-by-side with La Scalas. Lowthers driven by Moondog 2A3s, the La Scalas by a little tube SE stereo amp. Both amps driven by the same home-made preamp. My thought was to use both speakers simultaneously, using volume controls on the amps to blend the output.'

The result: A. total lack of integration between the speakers. Non-existent or very confused imaging, much like a poor double-exposure photograph. Location of various instruments was next to impossible to identify.

The plan: To not use both speakers at the same time! Simple enough solution!

The thing is, is that the Lowthers are perhaps a bit more transparent in the high frequency range, and sound particularly good with small ensemble strings and acoustic guitar. The La Scalas handle complex music with aplomb, with outstanding bass foundation. But I wonder that one of Al's networks might open up the top-end a bit over the stock AL network. I am absolutely lucky in that I've enough space at the speaker end of the room for both speakers to sit very closely, side-by-side, without one getting in the way of the other. Horns seem to beam a bit more than more conventional dome tweeters, and so diffraction of high frequencie don't seem to be a problem. But what a wall of speakers to look at!

I have built enough amplifiers and preamps to be able to actuallly have two separate systems in the same room, one of which could be devoted strictly to vinyl playback, the other to CD, FM, RR (once I get that up and running).

I wish had the means and knowledge to post and illustration along with this written text (I don't know how to do that yet -- maybe my computer wiz wife can show me how).

...just sharing a Saturday evening experiment,

Erik

[Colin]

nice idea, but it is very hard to mix the midrange without making a mash of it, in fact even using different cone speakers for the rears can be problematic, what did you think of the difference in the sound?

[BerndH]

When i bought my klipschorns 3 years ago, i compared these with my old fostex BK 202 horns. These are similar speaker than the lowthers. I remember, the fostex rated with 96 db/1W/1m weren't loud enough. The resolution in sound of the klipschorns were much better. My first impression about the klipschorn was "what a superb midrange" compared with the fostex. I was more impressed about the midrange as about the bass of the klipschorns.

I decided quick, not to use both speakers in a kind of 4-speaker-setup. The klipschorn, and i know the La Scalas, have enough performance, to fill the room with an adequate level of sound pressure.

A don't believe, a combination of these two speaker types will ever do very well. My advice is install the lowthers in another listening room.

Bernd

[Frode]

I use the Lowthers in an Oris horn together with a LaScala bassbin. This is a very nice combination.

Frode

[NOSValves]

I've tried something similar with my Lascalas and Heresy's and all I can say is YUCK !!!!

[Erik Mandaville]

Thanks for your responses to this post.

The Lowthers and La Scalas made quite a visual statement, and I thought at one point that I had gotten a good balance using both speakers at the same time. Using a total of 3 amps. (Moondogs on Lowthers and a stereo on the LS), I was able to use the volume control to match the Lowthers fairly closely.

I've since moved the Lowthers to another room, where they sound really very good. The bass the Lowthers are capable of in the rear-loaded Medallion loads the smaller space very well.

I've heard that the Oris horns and La Scala bins make for a really great combination!

Erik