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Vintage La Scala - modifications and general updating


Scottsman

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I have a set from the 80's.  Bought them for a song...someone needed new warehouse space for their stadium equipment and asked for $400 for the pair.  :) 

 

I noticed that the new ones seem to have a spacer between top and bottom cabinets.   Does this help?   Should I be looking at this and what the heck are the made of?   

 

Also I see stands that people make on eBay...projecting them up and getting the older ones off the floor.   Any mods I should be thinking of.   BTW - they sound great for what I listen to - I love the jazz club vibe.

 

Anything I should do to upgrade - but not going nuts here.   Musician but only casual audiophile...living on budget.

 

 

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1 hour ago, OO1 said:

upgrading capacitors is roughly 100$ for a kit  , you're on a budget so that can wait .if you're handy you can chop the tops  off,  with a track saw , 2 piece LS are pretty , 1 piece  cabs not so much 

You won't change anything but looks...

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1 hour ago, OO1 said:

 post 1980  LSI  speakers  were made with marine plywood regardless of fibreglass , trim  , 1 piece  cabs or  splits ,

You are veering off the subject. It's not the plywood bass bins without the tops that have tighter, deeper sounding bass. It's the new ones that have one inch MDF. BINGO

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/19/2023 at 3:41 PM, Scottsman said:

I have a set from the 80's.  Bought them for a song...someone needed new warehouse space for their stadium equipment and asked for $400 for the pair.  :) 

 

I noticed that the new ones seem to have a spacer between top and bottom cabinets.   Does this help?   Should I be looking at this and what the heck are the made of?   

 

Also I see stands that people make on eBay...projecting them up and getting the older ones off the floor.   Any mods I should be thinking of.   BTW - they sound great for what I listen to - I love the jazz club vibe.

 

Anything I should do to upgrade - but not going nuts here.   Musician but only casual audiophile...living on budget.

 

 

 

The spacer is only for looks, like a Klipschorn Type B.  Since the new ones are MUCH heavier, 2 pieces makes moving them easier.

 

Do not raise the bass horn off the floor (2 or 3 inches is insignificant), consider pushing them into corners.  The low bass is limited and the distance off the floor could raise the bottom limit even higher.  I have mine setting on subwoofers, but .... subwoofers. 

 

There are a few worthwhile mods (PM me), but first, which crossover do you have?  What are your serial numbers? 

 

If the sound is forward and out in the room, you do not need a cap upgrade.  If its laid back and "calm" you should consider it. 

 

Here's a hint. 

 

msg-43-0-95880000-1424364411_thumb.jpg

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2 hours ago, JohnA said:

Here's a hint. 

 

msg-43-0-95880000-1424364411_thumb.jpg

I notice the horizontal braces in the mouth of the bass horn, to shore up the side panels. Almost 40 years ago, when I built clones of the LaScala bass cabs for use in a PA system, I noticed right away that these were needed. Adding them made a tremendous difference, and I think those in the picture are twice as thick as the ones I added.

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