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La Scala/doghouse: Was there a reason ...


Dave MacKay

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On 9/13/2021 at 11:52 PM, Rockets said:

Just for S&G's here is a link you may find interesting.  I don't know Carl, and I have not duplicated any of his work, so don't shoot the messenger.

 

Some of this thread should look quite familiar to many of you. 

 

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/la-seos.1458686/

 

Carl Huff's conclusion on page 5:

Note that the horn is now more controlled. The overall amplitude is flatter and that is something that I simply had not expected to happen. So the question that everybody wants to know the answer to is ...

"Does the ported version sound any better than the unported version?"
The answer is a qualified, "Yes" but the difference won't set your knickers on fire. the change is subtle. The bass sounds marginally fuller and the midbass sounds less 'crashy' for lack of better words.

And finally, "Is it worth the effort to add the ports? "
Again I say, "Yes", not because the bass is extended but because the midbass cleans up. Perhaps that is the improvement that people are hearing when they add volume and ports to the Klipsch La Scala. Both the ported and unported versions need to be supplemented by a subwoofer.

 

So which is the better idea to improve an existing pair of Klipsch La Scalas, adding volume and ports or reducing the cabinet volume and leaving it sealed?
I'd have to say reducing the volume as it is the easiest improvement and offers similar results. Adding volume and ports is major surgery with only a minor improvement over reducing the cab volume.

 

So there you have it...😁 

Thanks for the link to the AVS forum.  In the older AVS thread at the end is a link back to the Klipsch forum.
This link, it was a thread in the Klipsch forum from or with DJK can no longer open because the Klipsch forum has renamed.
I can find via google - with keywords - many old threads, because the new community.klipsch site has fortunately taken over all the years of old threads, but then it is not sure if it was really that particular thread in the link.
Is there any way to transfer parts of the old "forum" link to the new "community" url? I have not been able to do it yet.

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Some links/messages/pictures have been lost over the years, due to upgrades, issues, etc.

 

Over the past 20 years I have managed to save whole threads for a couple of things. I saved a lot of info from djk, but it even got spread out over a couple different drives. 

 

As Chris has said, the wealth of info and effort folks have put into this forum is enormous.

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Marvel, thanks for reply. This is the link I mentioned and of course it does not work any longer.

 

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/76770/757339.aspx#757339

 

I would guess that community.klipsch has taken over everything, no thread is lost...except probably old photos. The thread below e.g. I found quickly using google search:

site:community.klipsch.com DJK

 

site: means that google only looks at (in this case) community.klipsch.com

 

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On 9/13/2021 at 11:49 AM, DizRotus said:

 

IMO, La Scalas need a subwoofer, or more, in most situations, which makes the djk mod a lot of effort for a stopgap fix.  That said, there are situations where sub(s) are not practical or desired.

 

The La Scalas I refurbished for a high school band practice room benefitted from the djk mod done by closing in the tops.  There was no way a sub would be considered.  One of the attributes of the djk mod is the easy and total reversibility.  

 

I would encourage hobbyist tinkerers to try the djk mod.  To the impatient and/or unhandy, if La Scalas alone don’t have enough bass, then skip the djk mod and get a sub, or subs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the posts by Dave1291. He did it right and accommodating a JBL Commercial dual 18 sub (to 30 Hz) with a 1 Kilowatt Sum Amp designed by Bob Carver.

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On 9/13/2021 at 5:52 PM, Rockets said:

Just for S&G's here is a link you may find interesting.  I don't know Carl, and I have not duplicated any of his work, so don't shoot the messenger.

 

Some of this thread should look quite familiar to many of you. 

 

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/la-seos.1458686/

 

Carl Huff's conclusion on page 5:

Note that the horn is now more controlled. The overall amplitude is flatter and that is something that I simply had not expected to happen. So the question that everybody wants to know the answer to is ...

"Does the ported version sound any better than the unported version?"
The answer is a qualified, "Yes" but the difference won't set your knickers on fire. the change is subtle. The bass sounds marginally fuller and the midbass sounds less 'crashy' for lack of better words.

And finally, "Is it worth the effort to add the ports? "
Again I say, "Yes", not because the bass is extended but because the midbass cleans up. Perhaps that is the improvement that people are hearing when they add volume and ports to the Klipsch La Scala. Both the ported and unported versions need to be supplemented by a subwoofer.

 

So which is the better idea to improve an existing pair of Klipsch La Scalas, adding volume and ports or reducing the cabinet volume and leaving it sealed?
I'd have to say reducing the volume as it is the easiest improvement and offers similar results. Adding volume and ports is major surgery with only a minor improvement over reducing the cab volume.

 

So there you have it...😁 

 

I have to disagree with Carl's comments. Apparently, Carl had flame-proof "knickers" on. I'm guessing he has a British background from the use of that word. The LaScala port modification is similar to Claude's Super Heresy port modification and just as audible. 

 

The final port length should be 7", not 11". 11" works, but 7" seems to be give the best overall bass. In addition, to get the "full effect" of the port modification, you should use a high pass filter with 6~ 8dB of boost @ 40Hz. Both the porting and high pass filter (EQ in other words) is what gives you the best bottom end out of the LaScala.

 

As far as a subwoofer is concerned, this is subjective and depends on personal taste. Will a subwoofer help? Yes. They  always do. However, depending on your room and how the LaScala's react in your listening environment, you may be happy without a subwoofer. Let's put it this way, the ported and EQed LaScala is easily listenable without a subwoofer. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/12/2021 at 10:03 PM, Dave A said:

I am with you guys and I can't figure out what he means either.

 

On 9/12/2021 at 10:09 PM, Marvel said:

He's talking about routing a lip to inset a panel so you could leave out the larger  bottom access cover.

 

this picture shows the current woofer access panel on the LS II -AL5  -the speaker no longer rests on the bottom access panel , but on the riser -there are 2 foam pieces that seem to be placed between the woofer and the walls of the dog house -

 

they even went 1 step further  - the cabinet and the woofer door are routed for a perfect plug with a double seal  all around the plug -

klipsch-la-scala-ii-speakers-review-10-klipsch-la-scala-dog-house-inside.jpg

 

 

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On 9/12/2021 at 7:43 PM, Dave MacKay said:

I'm sorry, but I'm not clear on what you mean. Is it to enlarge the access panel opening by 1/2" on all sides and then fit a 1/2" thick (not 3/4" thick) plug to fill the enlarged opening? If so, why would one need to make the opening larger before filling it?

a better view 

 

klipsch-la-scala-ii-speakers-review-10-klipsch-la-scala-dog-house-inside.jpg

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  That is good to know. Never opened up the bass bin. But never say never. 

  You can port, play with internal volumes, stiffen cabinet, or any mod. None will fill in the bottom like a well blended in sub. 

  Mine makes the bass appear to come only from the La Scala’s. Sounds anemic on some material when the sub is turned off.

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When I removed the access panel on my LSI's, They were gasketed and screwed. (bought from the original owner who claimed that they were completely original) I jumped to the conclusion that all LaScala's were constructed similarly.
 

The LaScalas that I owned had the access panel on top under the sqwawker.


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9 hours ago, RandyH said:

a better view 

 

klipsch-la-scala-ii-speakers-review-10-klipsch-la-scala-dog-house-inside.jpg

This is very interesting to me. It seems that the new La Scala has eliminated the small void above the access panel.

 

I may try something similar with the 1988 La Scalas I'm refurbishing.  I can always undo the "plug" if it turns out to be a bad idea.

 

I'm also interested in the risers for the new La Scalas. Are the risers made of 1" MDF? How high are the risers? How far is the riser inset from the sides, front, and back of the cabinet?

Edited by Dave MacKay
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1 hour ago, Dave MacKay said:

I won't need to route a lip since I'm adding a 3/8" baltic birch panel to the bottom and could simply attach the "plug" to it

 

I'm also interested in the risers for the new La Scalas. Are the risers made of 1" MDF? How high are the risers? How far is the riser inset from the sides, front, and back of the cabinet?

 

 Dave -

 

- the 3/4 inch  birch panel  opening is 1,5:" wider than the woofer opening  - 

- the plug is  1,5 inch thick with 2 seals , 1 on the speaker cabinet - the 2nd on the plug panel.

- 2 foam sections are placed on the sides of the dog house walls and they fold to the top  -

-the risers are  3 " high   x 1 "  ..  distancing ....1/2 inch from the sides and 1 inch rear / front - 

 

8AAEDBC1-D2C8-4BAF-9A15-41FAD9F357D2.jpeg

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