LaScala - To Refub or "Upgrade"

[Blvdre]

You should address those bare wire connections, as well. Make a J-hook With the bare wire end, and loop it around the screw before tightening. Even better, buy some appropriate gauge fork/spade terminals, and a crimper.

[DizRotus]

12 hours ago, RandyH000 said:

They look  excellent  , the  2nd crossover  shows a bit of masking  tape next to the AA logo--otherwise perfect

 

Good thing I just replaced the batteries in my sarcasm detector.

[M_Klipsches]

When I first bought my 1980 La Scalas. I replaced the whole crossover network with Crites AA replacements. Because I wanted to leave the originals unchanged. Just in case. To my ears, they sounded exactly the same as the originals. I’m sure the original capacitors were due for replacement, but I really didn’t hear a difference. I later replaced the tweeters with the Crites CT120s. I thought this was a huge improvement. It just sounded “smoother”. Horns always sound good on La Scalas, with the CT120s I think they sound better. I’ve heard great things about the MAHL by  DaveA. I learned about them after I’d bought the CT120s, I still might give them a try. 
I still need to open up the bass bin and clean them out. I’ve heard a lot of dust and debris can gather in there and can deaden the sound. I’ve also heard this is best done outside, and I just haven’t had the enthusiasm to haul them outside to do it. 

[DizRotus]

6 minutes ago, M_Klipsches said:

I’ve heard a lot of dust and debris can gather in there

 

If you open the doghouse to find dust and debris, I’d be very surprised.

[Tony Whitlow]

 
If you open the doghouse to find dust and debris, I’d be very surprised.

Do they sound good? If so leave them alone. My LaScalas are 1975 vintage and sound great. Don’t fix if it ain’t broke. Fight the urge to tinker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DizRotus]

1 hour ago, Tony Whitlow said:

Do they sound good? If so leave them alone. My LaScalas are 1975 vintage and sound great. Don’t fix if it ain’t broke. Fight the urge to tinker.

 

I agree, sort of.

 

I lost my La Scala virginity on a pair of beaters that had hung in an Ohio bar for decades.  When I pried off the bottoms, I found mismatched woofers with loose screws.  Before I installed the new Crites woofers (using eight screws), I sealed the insides of the doghouses with silicone caulk.

 

If they sound great, leave them alone, but do not be afraid to open them up.  You won’t encounter dust and debris in the doghouses; in the top and around and behind the doghouses, including in front of the woofers, but not IN the doghouses.

 

This

 

 Became this

 

These

 

Became these

 

Now in service in a high school band practice room, exposing generations of young musicians to the sound of Klipsch.

[jimjimbo]

1 hour ago, Tony Whitlow said:

Do they sound good? If so leave them alone. My LaScalas are 1975 vintage and sound great. Don’t fix if it ain’t broke. Fight the urge to tinker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m sure you don’t bother to change the oil in your car either.

[OO1]

11 hours ago, DizRotus said:

 

Good thing I just replaced the batteries in my sarcasm detector.

love it ,  more sarcasm  --------

[OO1]

1 hour ago, DizRotus said:

 

I agree, sort of.

 

I lost my La Scala virginity on a pair of beaters that had hung in an Ohio bar for decades.  When I pried off the bottoms, I found mismatched woofers with loose screws.  Before I installed the new Crites woofers (using eight screws), I sealed the insides of the doghouses with silicone caulk.

 

If they sound great, leave them alone, but do not be afraid to open them up.  You won’t encounter dust and debris in the doghouses; in the top and around and behind the doghouses, including in front of the woofers, but not IN the doghouses.

 

This

 

 Became this

 

These

 

 

Became thes

 

Now in service in a high school band practice room, exposing generations of young musicians to the sound of Klip

hey Neil , do you  recommend these GE cans --------

[DizRotus]

3 minutes ago, RandyH000 said:

hey Neil , do you  recommend these GE cans --------

 

Bob Crites sold me some of the last ones he had several years ago.  If readily available, I would use them again, but they’re harder to find.  So, that’s a qualified yes.

[Davedev07]

I have the AL crossover, which I have heard is not the best.  Does the same change out the capacitors recommendation apply?  Which caps do you all suggest?  Thanks!

[Honeybadger]

On 8/16/2020 at 4:49 PM, Davedev07 said:

I have the AL crossover, which I have heard is not the best.  Does the same change out the capacitors recommendation apply?  Which caps do you all suggest?  Thanks!

 

You can certainly upgrade the caps, however there are better options available.  I like the ALK CSW Universal, YMMV.

 

HB

[OO1]

some like the AL , some dont  ---------very hard to say , I dont fitnd them to be that  bad , regular Dayton caps do the job for me

[henry4841]

On 8/16/2020 at 6:49 PM, Davedev07 said:

I have the AL crossover, which I have heard is not the best.  Does the same change out the capacitors recommendation apply?  Which caps do you all suggest?  Thanks!

There are those that are satisfied with the AL crossovers. I listened to them in my LaScala's for over 20 years with no complaints. There are notch filters on all the drivers of the AL crossover  and that is the reason they are not held in high regard. Depending on money you want to spend you can leave them as is, recap them or buy new AA's. Most seem to think the AA's sound better. I do now have AA's in my speakers. 

[Peter P.]

On 8/1/2020 at 6:08 PM, RandyH000 said:

Your stock AA need new capacitors , that's it -----not new crossovers , and they will sound just as good as new capacitors ---1/2 an hour later , they're done ,    what's wrong with the tweeters -are the diaphragms shot , if  they are not ,   no need to touch them , just buy new tweeters CT 120------and listen to see which ones you like better -------

 

by the way , if you ever decide to replace your tweeters and crossovers -PM me , I'll take them -

"Your stock AA need new capacitors , that's it" -  and just how do you know that? Have you listened to them? Measured them?!

 

"what's wrong with the tweeters -are the diaphragms shot , if  they are not ,   no need to touch them" (Gee; it that holds true for the tweeters, then why not the capacitors?!)

 

"by the way , if you ever decide to replace your tweeters and crossovers -PM me , I'll take them " - Well then, if they would be good for resale, then they must be working fine, no?

 

Leave the LaScala's alone! Don't fix what ain't broken! Sure, if they need cosmetic repairs that's one thing but if you don't notice problems with the sound, then THERE'S NOTHING WRONG!

 

Now excuse me while I go around the house changing the capacitors in everything...😃

 

[scalawag]

On 8/11/2020 at 6:08 AM, M_Klipsches said:

I still need to open up the bass bin and clean them out. I’ve heard a lot of dust and debris can gather in there and can deaden the sound. I’ve also heard this is best done outside, and I just haven’t had the enthusiasm to haul them outside to do it. 

 

On 8/11/2020 at 6:15 AM, DizRotus said:

If you open the doghouse to find dust and debris, I’d be very surprised.

 

If your LS-s have lived primarily in a residential setting, then most likely there won't be much "dust or debris" to be found in the bass bins.  A few months ago I changed out the original K-33s for a set of Crites woofs and was surprised to see how clean the insides were - see pics.  But then, I've owned these from Day 1 which was back in '76, and my 'Scalas have always been inside the house.  If yours have been stored away in a shed or barn for any length of time, then the interior of your bass bins might look quite a bit different.

 

[OO1]

very clean indeed -

[Marvel]

On 9/1/2020 at 6:52 AM, henry4841 said:

On 8/16/2020 at 7:49 PM, Davedev07 said:

I have the AL crossover, which I have heard is not the best.  Does the same change out the capacitors recommendation apply?  Which caps do you all suggest?  Thanks!

There are those that are satisfied with the AL crossovers. I listened to them in my LaScala's for over 20 years with no complaints. There are notch filters on all the drivers of the AL crossover  and that is the reason they are not held in high regard. Depending on money you want to spend you can leave them as is, recap them or buy new AA's. Most seem to think the AA's sound better. I do now have AA's in my speakers. 

 

My '89 LS had AL crossovers in them. I didn't like the sound at all. @JohnA  John loaned me a pair of Al K's, which I used until I could build my own (a crossover John designed) They sound great! Still have them, as I sold the '89s without. I'm using John's DHA2 crossovers in the beaters I found sitting on a guys porch (wrong Eminence woofers, piezo tweeter and a smaller EV horn and driver for the midrange. I'm using the driver, but got everything else to put in the boxes).

 

 

[Panelhead]

  The options are all good. 

  Pull the motor run caps and save for your refrigerator and central air compressors. Replace with a quality cap, Parts Xpress has a good selection. Any film cap beats the originals. More on this. 

  Replace the K-77. Easily the weak link here. Whether a CT-120 or a DaveA horn with B&C DE-120. I think once the K-77 is banished the need for expensive caps in the crossover is gone.

  Also I think the reasons so many want to go two way is the K-77. When K-77 is replaced with a better driver the three way can sound really good. 

 And figure out how to implement a sub. Replaced a sealed 12 inch active sub with a 12 inch push pull sealed active sub last weekend. Added CRUNCH. The single driver went deep, but no crunch. 

  A three way La Scala with crunch sounds amazing. 

[OO1]

On 9/1/2020 at 7:24 AM, Peter P. said:

Now excuse me while I go around the house changing the capacitors in everything...😃

 

and hurry up  , before they damage permanently your tweeters and midrange diaphragms or woofers --old caps are the worst thing for the voice coils of the woofer-mids-tweeter  -