Which La Scala? 1986 AL or 1999 AL3 w/ new Crites tweeters

[GJM22]

Assuming they both sound good.... would you recommend buying 1986 La Scala's Raw Birch with AL crossover or 1999 AL3 with new Crites tweeters in Black. 86 has hand written tag/serial number, 99 has printed serial number. Same price. Haven't heard or seen in person yet. TIA

[Frzninvt]

I would take the 99's with the AL-3's.

 

[GJM22]

Thanks. I know very little about La Scala's

[billybob]

1 hour ago, GJM22 said:

Thanks. I know very little about La Scala's

What little I know say yes too.

Cool and enjoy choice, for sure I'm a teased owner, wanting LS utmost again.

 

 

[wvu80]

16 hours ago, GJM22 said:

1986 La Scala's Raw Birch with AL crossover or 1999 AL3

 

The Type AL crossover (XO) is probably the worst sounding XO Klipsch ever produced.  The Type AL-3 is a legitimate good one, a major improvement over previous XO's.

[jimjimbo]

Hopefully you aren't going to make a decision based solely on the crossover type.  Overall cosmetic condition, finish and functionality should be higher priorities.

[GJM22]

3 hours ago, billybob said:

What little I know say yes too.

Cool and enjoy choice, for sure I'm a teased owner, wanting LS utmost again.

 

Thank you! and thank's everyone. Sorry I haven't yet figured out how to click and "Like" each comment individually.... so Thanks.

 

[GJM22]

Thanks all. I suspected the AL3 were preferred. I saw on a "Klipsch Heritage Codes" page that AL3 was introduced to correct a deficiency. I appreciate all the advice. Originally, I wanted apples-to-apples advice so I implied all-else-equal with their conditions. In fact, the AL Raw Birch "Looks" great and have been sitting for sale 3.5 months at $2,700 ask. The AL3s look banged up and have been sitting 1 month at $2,000. I though I could fix up the "banged up" part.... but I don't love that "banged up" can indicate abuse.

 

Again.. I have't figured out how to click "like" so, thank you Frzninvt, BillyBob, wvu80, and jimjimbo.

[KT88]

On 5/15/2021 at 3:11 PM, jimjimbo said:

Hopefully you aren't going to make a decision based solely on the crossover type.  Overall cosmetic condition, finish and functionality should be higher priorities.

I totally agree with you on that. I would take the beautiful older models without a second thought. The crossover can be reconsidered or replaced at your leisure. I don't know which squaker driver was used in that vintage. To be honest, the Lascala look so good that I would invest the money for an AA replica but with polyester caps and, find K55V for which this AA xover was made. It's much easier to modify an xover, or invest in the right driver sometime later than to spruce up such a rundown black box....

[Budman]

birch raw all day every day

[OO1]

On 5/15/2021 at 11:05 AM, GJM22 said:

Thanks all. I suspected the AL3 were preferred. I saw on a "Klipsch Heritage Codes" page that AL3 was introduced to correct a deficiency. I appreciate all the advice. Originally, I wanted apples-to-apples advice so I implied all-else-equal with their conditions. In fact, the AL Raw Birch "Looks" great and have been sitting for sale 3.5 months at $2,700 ask. The AL3s look banged up and have been sitting 1 month at $2,000. I though I could fix up the "banged up" part.... but I don't love that "banged up" can indicate abuse.

 

Again.. I have't figured out how to click "like" so, thank you Frzninvt, BillyBob, wvu80, and jimjimbo.

 these speakers are in excellent  tcondition ------ the wood cabinets  look very well taken care of ---work on the price with the seller ----and consider that refurbishing cabs is expensive if  you're not handy -

[Islander]

I’d pass on both pairs.  The 1999 models are beat up and overpriced for their condition.  If the seller came down a bit in price and you don’t mind doing some restoration work on them, they could be a good deal.

 

the 1983 models are overpriced, IMHO.  The seller is asking too much, which is why nobody has bought them, even after they’ve been for sale for months.

[KT88]

I am not so sure, Islander. If you google Hifishark, the prices for vintage Lascala are seriously risimg.

[Coytee]

For me it's really only about the cabinet.  If you can live with a banged up cabinet or don't mind ponying up for a cleaner cabinet.....all the internals can be replaced quite easily.

 

I'd rather have a pristine dead speaker than a sonically flawless with all the perceived improvements and fancy internal wiring.....inside a banged  up cabinet.

[Islander]

16 minutes ago, KT88 said:

I am not so sure, Islander. If you google Hifishark, the prices for vintage Lascala are seriously risimg.

 

You may be right about trending prices, but “unsold after 3.5 months” tells me that prices that high haven’t arrived in that area yet.