La Scala AL5 What a Painful Experience

[babadono]

On 5/3/2020 at 2:02 AM, GlennyC said:

It’s all good. I’m just going to kick back and enjoy my new speakers. It would be nice if they were more affordable and more people could enjoy them. If you can’t enjoy them because of the price and you won’t blame Klipsch, you get what you deserve. 

How much did the bookcase/entertainment center cost? Beatiful woodworking skills but no acoustic/electrical R&D.

[babadono]

On 5/3/2020 at 7:33 AM, glens said:

a nicely-finished pair of LaScalas in 1979

Ya mean raw birch or back?

[babadono]

2 hours ago, seti said:

HANDMADE IN HOPE, AR USA

How many speaker manufacturers can say that in this day and age?

I think Klipsch is the only speaker manufacturer in Hope, AR

Oh you meant the USA part.

[Sancho Panza]

CSA 😉

[babadono]

So this new wizzbang Scalas have the 401 squawker and an Atlas driver? Are the mids attenuated by the crossover compared to the old Scala Is?

[babadono]

Curious @GlennyC did you come here BEFORE purchase to see if anybody had ideas of how to MAYBE get a better deal?

[GlennyC]

24 minutes ago, babadono said:

How much did the bookcase/entertainment center cost? Beatiful woodworking skills but no acoustic/electrical R&D.

I have had the entertainment unit for 15 years. I got it at Ethan Allen. They were phasing it out cause it can only accommodate a 50” tv. But that was fine by me. It was $5000 but I got it half off. Even at that it was pricey but I love it. The workmanship is excellent and it is super solid. I have an 8000 series Samsung 4K UHD TV and guests always rave about the picture. 

[GlennyC]

5 minutes ago, babadono said:

Curious @GlennyC did you come here BEFORE purchase to see if anybody had ideas of how to MAYBE get a better deal?

With universal pricing the only way I could find a better deal was with the level of cosmetic damage I was willing to accept. I wanted none so for A stock, I had to pay. 

[GlennyC]

If a dealer goes lower than list for A stock he loses that product. Caught twice he loses the whole line. 

[babadono]

25 minutes ago, GlennyC said:

If a dealer goes lower than list for A stock he loses that product. Caught twice he loses the whole line. 

I was not aware of that.

[MC39693]

I think this thread is about perceived value. Not SQ because the OP is pleased with the sound. Not build quality because the AL5 are beautiful. It’s about price per... insert attributes. Always subjective.

 

I bought new Heresy in 1980, all I could afford for many reasons. I opened them about 3 years ago. Other than a bit of dust... no issues whatsoever. I built an E Xover to learn a bit. Those speakers, otherwise original, sound just as they did in June 1980 nearly 40 years ago. I don’t think I own anything else of that vintage as the original owner.  Cost is about 5 cents Canuck bucks per day.

 

I could have bought cheaper speakers. I’m glad I didn’t.

 

I’m also the original owner of 1984 Heresy. I’ve modified this set quite a bit. Not because they needed it but because I wanted to. 

 

Combined I have nearly 76 years of original speaker ownership with these Heresy. I hope they will remain in my family for 100 years. I have no doubt they can and will, with only small amounts of maintenance.  Value.

 

Yes all high quality products are expensive, we each have to assign value and hopefully enjoy what we have! Enjoy your Klipsch.

[Sancho Panza]

^^^ Can’t explain the likes of me”...

[charking]

We recently purchased the LaSala AL5 speakers. We had to wait almost a month to get them which was fine.
We were looking for quality. Honestly I can't comment on the sound as its not yet hooked up but I will comment on the cabinet work.

Its awful. I would say inferior.  You barely touch it and it scratches.  I literally mean barely. Placed a lamp on cover on top, weight approx.

3 pounds.  Took off the cover and left imprint of bottom of lamp.  Dropped a DVD in standard movie cover and it hit the inside edge of the speaker

and it took the edge off the wood and scratched the inside where the flat portion hit.  I feel for the price, this is just not quality workmanship.
My husband is a retired journeyman painter for the government and he said its bad .. they should have put some kind of hardner  coating over the

paper thin veneer.  Watching a Youtube sound demo, with these speakers, customer was unboxing and said, ' they are scratched, coming out of the box so is this the type of workmanship that costs 12,000$  I am very unhappy, called Kilpsch, was told he would talk to manager and call me back that night.  That was more than  7 days ago. Nothing.  Very unhappy.  Will likely go to another brand in the  future.

[Coytee]

Look at that smiling mug of Roy!!

 

 

[GlennyC]

I am having two 24-3/8 x 25-3/8 x 1/8” plexiglass top protectors made. They should be ready tomorrow. I fear very much dunderheads will place cold drinks on top of my speakers when I’m not around. 

[JohnJ]

23 hours ago, GlennyC said:

I am so happy with the sound of these AL5s! For days I’ve been binge listening to all my SACDs and everything I can think of on Tidal with my MQA DAC. When I get fatigued, I pop in an Ultra BluRay for a rocking action movie then I’m back to bingeing music again. I have a slew of concert DVDs coming it too. I can see this is not going to get old!!! 😀👍😎

I comprehend now

Analog baby, Analog. Break out the wide spectrum vinyl !

One place I lived I put my small H2's diagonally across the room and it worked well. Understand that LS work well when fortified by corners. Understand the symmetrical layout but maybe play with the layout some more with those beauties! If not you've got the 60 day deal!

[Panelhead]

3 hours ago, charking said:

We recently purchased the LaSala AL5 speakers. We had to wait almost a month to get them which was fine.
We were looking for quality. Honestly I can't comment on the sound as its not yet hooked up but I will comment on the cabinet work.

Its awful. I would say inferior.  You barely touch it and it scratches.  I literally mean barely. Placed a lamp on cover on top, weight approx.

3 pounds.  Took off the cover and left imprint of bottom of lamp.  Dropped a DVD in standard movie cover and it hit the inside edge of the speaker

and it took the edge off the wood and scratched the inside where the flat portion hit.  I feel for the price, this is just not quality workmanship.
My husband is a retired journeyman painter for the government and he said its bad .. they should have put some kind of hardner  coating over the

paper thin veneer.  Watching a Youtube sound demo, with these speakers, customer was unboxing and said, ' they are scratched, coming out of the box so is this the type of workmanship that costs 12,000$  I am very unhappy, called Kilpsch, was told he would talk to manager and call me back that night.  That was more than  7 days ago. Nothing.  Very unhappy.  Will likely go to another brand in the  future.

  Never seen an AL5. But this is surprising. 

  The walnut veneer on my LS II seems to be very tough. But time may be a factor. Think mine sat in warehouse boxed up for three years prior to purchase. There may be adhesives still curing on yours. 

  Mine have been banged around with no damage. Couple were cringe worthy.

  

[Sancho Panza]

3 hours ago, charking said:

We recently purchased the LaSala AL5 speakers. We had to wait almost a month to get them which was fine.
We were looking for quality. Honestly I can't comment on the sound as its not yet hooked up but I will comment on the cabinet work.

Its awful. I would say inferior.  You barely touch it and it scratches.  I literally mean barely. Placed a lamp on cover on top, weight approx.

3 pounds.  Took off the cover and left imprint of bottom of lamp.  Dropped a DVD in standard movie cover and it hit the inside edge of the speaker

and it took the edge off the wood and scratched the inside where the flat portion hit.  I feel for the price, this is just not quality workmanship.
My husband is a retired journeyman painter for the government and he said its bad .. they should have put some kind of hardner  coating over the

paper thin veneer.  Watching a Youtube sound demo, with these speakers, customer was unboxing and said, ' they are scratched, coming out of the box so is this the type of workmanship that costs 12,000$  I am very unhappy, called Kilpsch, was told he would talk to manager and call me back that night.  That was more than  7 days ago. Nothing.  Very unhappy.  Will likely go to another brand in the  future.

Welcome to the Forums, all the same!

[Islander]

3 hours ago, charking said:

We recently purchased the LaSala AL5 speakers. We had to wait almost a month to get them which was fine.
We were looking for quality. Honestly I can't comment on the sound as its not yet hooked up but I will comment on the cabinet work.

Its awful. I would say inferior.  You barely touch it and it scratches.  I literally mean barely. Placed a lamp on cover on top, weight approx.

3 pounds.  Took off the cover and left imprint of bottom of lamp.  Dropped a DVD in standard movie cover and it hit the inside edge of the speaker

and it took the edge off the wood and scratched the inside where the flat portion hit.  I feel for the price, this is just not quality workmanship.
My husband is a retired journeyman painter for the government and he said its bad .. they should have put some kind of hardner  coating over the

paper thin veneer.  

 

That’s not workmanship, it’s finishing material.  When I accidentally scratched the top of one of my mint, one-careful-owner-before-me La Scala IIs with the stainless steel bracelet of my watch, I called Klipsch Customer Service for advice.  I was told that the finish is lacquered veneer.  It looks great, but lacquer never truly hardens, so yes, things can leave dents on the tops.  Scratches can be fixed with a sparing use of something to temporarily further soften the lacquer, and then the scratch may be very carefully smoothed over.

 

The rep suggested practicing on something else, or on a part of the cabinet that doesn’t show, before attempting anything on the top.  I was a little dubious, so I haven’t attempted that yet.  As it is, the Styrofoam bases for my K-402/K-691 tweeters are the full size of the speaker tops, so they’re safe from any further damage.  The bases are also sitting on cardboard, which lets me safely swivel the tweeters to easily experiment with them pointing various directions.  As well, I give every visitor Two Rules:  1, don’t touch the speakers, and 2:  don’t put anything on the speakers.

 

Almost forgot, when anyone vacuums the carpet in front of the speakers, they often bump the speakers with the vacuum, even after being told Rule Number 3:  don’t hit the speakers.  The inch of carpet in front of them does not need to be attacked from various angles, or indeed vacuumed at all.  I’m seriously thinking of making cardboard speaker protectors to place in front of them when the room gets vacuumed.

[DJEditor]

I received a new pair of Heresy speakers yesterday.  My watch scratched the walnut surface in several places while placing the speakers in my room.  I was a bit surprised by the  ease the surface scratched. I thought I was being gentle with them.