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DIY La Scala Driver Options - UK


Robbie010

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21 hours ago, Randyh said:

the K33 requires less power - 100 watts rating only  ----

 

I believe that the k33 has had a 150 watt rating for qite a number of years. It also doesn't mean the newer ones are less efficient.

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17 minutes ago, Randyh said:

Well ,  your usage of tube amps will  preclude the Kappa 15C , it is rated at 450 watts , about 4 times more than a K33 -there is no substitute for the K33 and the older the K33 , the better it will be compatible with the Tube gear - this will also mean that your cost will be much lower  as there are tons of old woofers out there and all you need is a good 15 inch musical woofer with the lesser power rating to be very  efficient  -

 

Uh, no. Wattage rating is a thermal rating only and has nothing to do with what kind of gear one can use.

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I think you guys have thoroughly confused the OP at this point. 

 

I suggest that whoever is interested go to Parts Express (they sell the Kappa) and also the Simply Speakers site (they sell the K-33) and look at the efficiency or sensitivity ratings for those two woofers. You will find the numbers (in dB) are roughly the same. 

 

The short answer is .... yes, if you think that a 1.5 watt amplifier is sufficient for the K-33 then it should also be adequate (in terms of supplying voltage) for the Kappa also.

 

The finer grain answer would include comments about whether a 1.5 watt amplifier is sufficient given your listening habits, room size, distance from the speaker etc

 

Good luck,

-Tom

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3 minutes ago, PrestonTom said:

I think you guys have thoroughly confused the OP at this point. 

 

I suggest that whoever is interested go to Parts Express (they sell the Kappa) and also the Simply Speakers site (they sell the K-33) and look at the efficiency or sensitivity ratings for those two woofers. You will find the numbers (in dB) are roughly the same. 

 

The short answer is .... yes, if you think that a 1.5 watt amplifier is sufficient for the K-33 then it should also be adequate (in terms of supplying voltage) for the Kappa also.

 

The finer grain answer would include comments about whether a 1.5 watt amplifier is sufficient given your listening habits, room size, distance from the speaker etc

 

Good luck,

-Tom

 

Agree.

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Thanks all for the feedback on this thread, its great to see so many opinions and get advice from those in the know. 
 

I have now committed to using original Klipsch K-55V mid drivers, as one came up on eBay at a reasonable price, so I just need a second K-55V to go with it and ill have a pair!!  😃
 

That just leaves the woofers. I would love to go with original K33 drivers if they turn up at a reasonable price but have a feeling that may be a long shot. 
 

As for the amplifiers, I have Transcendent SE OTL 300B’s, which are rated at only 1.5watts but don’t seem to struggle driving my old Wharfedale speakers that are around 95db sensitivity, so I was hoping that the La Scala, all be it a clone, would work well......

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19 hours ago, Robbie010 said:

Thanks all for the feedback on this thread, its great to see so many opinions and get advice from those in the know. 
 

I have now committed to using original Klipsch K-55V mid drivers, as one came up on eBay at a reasonable price, so I just need a second K-55V to go with it and ill have a pair!!  😃
 

That just leaves the woofers. I would love to go with original K33 drivers if they turn up at a reasonable price but have a feeling that may be a long shot. 
 

As for the amplifiers, I have Transcendent SE OTL 300B’s, which are rated at only 1.5watts but don’t seem to struggle driving my old Wharfedale speakers that are around 95db sensitivity, so I was hoping that the La Scala, all be it a clone, would work well......

 

Any way you go keep in mind most if not all cast frame woofers will not fit in the cabinet without modification, just a bit too wide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 11/30/2019 at 4:57 AM, Full Range said:

I have a set of pimped DIY La Scalas - originally built by another member and I finished the fine SQ details

You probably won’t go to the extreme that this build has gone to but when done right - the SQ is heaven on earth 
They live with me in Australia 

 

Drivers used as as follows 

Woofers - Crites - CW1526C 15 inch cast alloy 

Mid Range - Great Plains Audio - GPA 399 Compression driver ( These are made authentic to Altec Lansing specs  )

Fitted to a pair of Eliptrac 400 timber mid range horns 

Tweeters - JBL 2404H Baby Cheeks tweeters. 
 

Bass bin extension also fitted 

Crossovers used are custom Built - as per my build thread - https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/149952-a-crossover-design-on-single-exposed-board/

 

 

Please note that some components you see on the video have changed 

 

 

 

 

Klipschorn up to 90Hz, La Scala up to 320Hz, Sato-Horn up to 2000Hz, Renkus beginns at 2000Hz.........

 

 

 

 

Woofer: Klipsch LA Scala with original K-33 woofer, cabinet-sides filled with sand (20hz-280Hz)

mid: Small copy of a Wesern Electric 15A 70cm x 70cm with JBL 2420 (280Hz-3,2KHz)

tweeter: FOSTEX FT65H (3,2KHz-20HKz)

 

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On 11/30/2019 at 1:57 AM, Full Range said:

I have a set of pimped DIY La Scalas - originally built by another member and I finished the fine SQ details

You probably won’t go to the extreme that this build has gone to but when done right - the SQ is heaven on earth 
They live with me in Australia 

 

Drivers used as as follows 

Woofers - Crites - CW1526C 15 inch cast alloy 

Mid Range - Great Plains Audio - GPA 399 Compression driver ( These are made authentic to Altec Lansing specs  )

Fitted to a pair of Eliptrac 400 timber mid range horns 

Tweeters - JBL 2404H Baby Cheeks tweeters. 
 

Bass bin extension also fitted 

Crossovers used are custom Built - as per my build thread - https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/149952-a-crossover-design-on-single-exposed-board/

 

 

Please note that some components you see on the video have changed 

 

Oh man, those are the most gorgeous LS's I've seen so far! I love tall speakers and you made a short stocky speaker long and elegant. And the crossovers built through the board is fantastic. I bet those ported risers get you a few more Hz's. Do you get reflection/dispersion/diffraction issues with the tweeter? 

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2 hours ago, MechEngVic said:

Oh man, those are the most gorgeous LS's I've seen so far! I love tall speakers and you made a short stocky speaker long and elegant. And the crossovers built through the board is fantastic.


Thank you for the comment 

 

2 hours ago, MechEngVic said:

I bet those ported risers get you a few more Hz's. Do you get reflection/dispersion/diffraction issues with the tweeter?


At first some trial and error was needed with countless listening tests until I got it just right for my listening room 
I haven’t actually measured the bass itself but have a graph of general (non scientific measurements) - but to my ears the bass would be  in the mid to low 30 Htz range 

Blue line in the graph is bass 



post-106429-0-92963600-1431693226_thumb.

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21 hours ago, MechEngVic said:

Do you get reflection/dispersion/diffraction issues with the tweeter? 


Sorry for not answering this question earlier 

I have a fully adjustable db settings for the tweeter and midrange on the crossover 

And the baby cheeks horn on the tweeter is beautiful 

 

Having said that I do swap over the tweeter to a Fostex FT50H super tweeter at times when the music is demanding and the adjustable db is good for fine adjustment 

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Quick thread revival with an update..... and further questions.

 

Amazingly, I have just managed to pick up a pair of Eminence Kappa 15C drivers for a bargain £60 and the bonus is that they are only 10 miles away from me! 😎

 

So, that means this project is now going ahead using the Eminence Kappa 15C Woofers, Klipsch K-77M Tweeters & Klipsch K-55V Mid drivers. 
 

Following guidance from various posters, I will be buying or possibly making the Type AA Crossovers. However, will there be any changes required to the stock AA network when using these drivers?

 

Finally, that just leaves the horns. I can see on the crites site that there are two flavours, a 600hz and a 700hz..... why are there two different types and how do I go about selecting the correct one?

 

As with everything else in this project, I would ideally like to purchase the horns locally to save on international shipping and import charges, so an alternative to the crites horn would be good. 
 

Thanks in advance!

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The stock AA crossover is fine.

 

Those Kappa 15 C should have spacer installed under the gasket, if you look at the stock K-33 or the Crites replacement drivers they have double thick paper gaskets witch the Kappa 15 C does not. Router a spacer (1/4" or a bit thicker is fine if you have it laying around) as wide as the gasket.

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