gardner0 Posted June 7, 2001 Share Posted June 7, 2001 Hey gang, I've just joined the Klipsch community, since I ordered a pair of ($2300/pair) La Scala's to fit in the wall where the previous home owner had his own pair of old Klipsch speakers. These massive alcoves sit on either side of a Mitsubishi widescreen, and I finally gave up on fitting the tall-and-skinny modern speakers. Yes, I bought stereo "furniture". :-) This long and relatively-narrow room is on a carpeted concrete slab with sheetrock 8' ceiling. I plan to use the existing built-ins for the center and (in-ceiling surrounds. I have no idea of the quality level of the built-in speakers. I also ordered an M&K 5000 THX powered subwoofer (back corner of room) and a Marantz SR-18EX THX receiver. The stuff probably won't arrive for awhile, but I'm trying to develop a strategy for how to configure it. Does anybody believe I can get a sound that is close to what Lucas intended with THX? Am I going to have trouble balancing the Kliphsch with the rest of this system? About all I'm certain of (not having ever heard any of this equipment), is that I should be able to blow out my eardrums. <g> It would be nice to get a real THX theater experience. Any advice would be appreciated. Signed, Stereo newbie with a $10K charge on his credit card... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted June 7, 2001 Share Posted June 7, 2001 Gardner - No constructive input here (a phrase I use often ), but it will be interesting to see how you end up handling the center channel. Klipsch in general, and La Scalas in particular (along with the K-horns and Belles) are incredible speakers, with a unique presentation and very high efficiency. You may find yourself frustrated trying to get another type of center speaker to mate well with these. You might want to start checking into Klipsch center channels of the appropriate style. Heck, what's another $500-1000 when you're already charged up to $10k? Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boa12 Posted June 7, 2001 Share Posted June 7, 2001 g, congrats on the nice new equipment. that marantz is a great silent unit - s/n ratios way up there. yea i think too that you'll soon be wanting a new center. hope something like at least a single heresy will fit in. u may want to check my thread under home theater - "Could direct mode..." for what i found to be the best sub hook-up & bass mgmt. ------------------ Klipsch KLF 30 (front), KLF C-7, Cornwall I (rear) Velodyne HGS-18 sub woofer Monsterbass 400 sub interconnects & Monster CX-2 biwire & Z-12 cable Marantz SR-8000 receiver Sony DVP-C650D cd/dvd player Sony Trinitron 27" stereo tv Toshiba hi-fi stereo vcr Technics dual cassette deck Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 digital cable box Boa's Listenin Lounge: Klipsch RF-3 (front), RC-3, cheap little Technics (rear) Monster MCX Biwires Sony STR-DE935 a/v receiver Kenwood KR-9600 AM/FM stereo receiver (vintage 1975) Russound AB-2 receiver switch to RF-3 Teac PD-D1200 5-disk cd changer Technics direct drive turntable Sega Genesis game player Sub: None yet rock on! This message has been edited by boa12 on 06-07-2001 at 03:29 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted June 7, 2001 Share Posted June 7, 2001 Gardner, welcome too! You may have seen my recent post ... just added a Belle as a center channel to my system. I know have two (2) possible center channels for sale: HWO style Heresy (I) WO style KT-LCR (THX rated) Both these WO-style (walnut oiled finish) are in great shape and would be happy to sell either for what I paid. Let me know if you have an interest ... otherwise I'll just float them out on Ebay ------------------ Denon AVR-3800 McIntosh MC-2105 (Fronts) Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Klipsch Cornwall I's (LF/RF) Klipsch KT-LCR © Klipsch Heresy (RR/LR) Klipsch KSW-12 sub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted June 7, 2001 Share Posted June 7, 2001 Nice purchase. I had wondered whether ceiling speakers would work for "surround". Certainly something worth experimenting with since they are already in situ. I'm a big fan of a center channel. A Heresy would certainly be one good choice. In the far distant past, the Heresy (then Model H) network was set up to match the K-Horn mid and tweeter. In a regular Heresy they must be padded down to match the lower efficency of the direct radiating woofer. But originally, the mid and tweeter were running full out, with the bass driver a few dB down and not matched in level. If you get the Heresy, you might want to investigate such an atavistic approach. Perhaps the factory will help. Others have used subs with LaScallas and report very good results. Your going to have a lot of fun. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgeorge Posted June 9, 2001 Share Posted June 9, 2001 Welcome, I don't know that you will have the speakers that THX is truly intended for. Many THX speaker systems have a specific driver "array", and have to be placed in certain positions. I don't believe ceiling speakers are even part of the THX equation. This is all true of couse, unless Lucas has changed some of his requirements. Another part of THX is the standard for elecronics and the standards for the film sound, and picture. These are things that you will be able to take advantage of, by having a THX certified receiver and by renting, or buying movies with the THX logo. All this aside... I have listened to "THX certified" home theater speaker systems and can honestly tell you that you will have an outstanding speaker system (??? center & surrounds). In most cases yours will sound as good, or better than anything at almost any price level... THX, or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomer9911 Posted June 9, 2001 Share Posted June 9, 2001 Hey Gardner0, Welcome to the HT world, you will truly enjoy your Marantz SR18EX as I'm very impressed with mine They don't call em the "Flag Ships" for nothing! I have yet to check out it's full capability, as I too am waiting on a pair of LaScala's I have ordered. I am currently bridging a pair of Marantz MA700 mono block amps through it, which in turn power a set of 93 Khorns(switched from 2 channel Adcom to 6 channel Marantz). I also have 2 KLF-C7's for centre and rear centre(6.1 & future 7.1 later). At present I'm learning about modifying the C7 and using it as a 3 way instead of 2 way(installing additional K-77-M tweeters with crossovers), if it works out(rookie at exploratory surgery here), if not, then a pair of Hersey II's for c and rc. I have been told by other members that the C7 is "ok"(it works) with the Heritage speakers, Hersey's "even better", and of course another LaScala as centre would be the "cats ***". You didn't mention what your other speakers are? I am not using a subwoofer yet, sometime in the future. I can't say much on the "THX" issue, it seems everybody, and then some, are getting the ole stamp of "THX" certification\approval on ALL their products. I personally don't buy the ole "Lucas THX" issue that much anymore as it's pretty much standard with everyone, just who paid Lucas more $$$$$ for his push! I guess my issue was when I got the SR18EX it would power my Khorns sufficently and with any other future speakers, but it's also not a A\V Receiver thats going to be extinct in 4 years(upgradeable) and it compete's with the other high end boys that are double the cost(Integra 9.1, etc). Good Luck, Klipschorns 93(front) LaScala's(rear)(August ) 2- KLF C7's(centre,rear centre) Subwoofer(Xmas present 2001) Adcom ACE-515 Enhancer(line conditioner\surge protect) Marantz SR18EX A\V Receiver 2- Marantz MA700 mono blocks(Khorns) Marantz DV3100 DVD Marantz VM5100 SVHS hifi Marantz DR4160 (3 disk carousel with single tray CDR) Marantz CD4050 cassette Toshiba 50HX70 HDTV DVDO Iscan V2 (line doubler) all Monster Cables speaker\audio\digital This message has been edited by boomer9911 on 06-09-2001 at 03:29 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest polymon Posted June 9, 2001 Share Posted June 9, 2001 Nice Choice of speakers, gardner0! Two of the issues that Lucas and Holman originally wanted to address when they established the THX standard were "voice matching" the fronts, ideally having the L/C/Rs identical matching models. The other was to use rears that were also matched (at least somewhat), and having a "Bi-pole" radiation pattern to create a greater sense of space in the rear channels. Since 5.1 surround, the Bi-pole issue has changed, since you can't easily localize sounds in a THX system w/ Bi pole speakers. Thusly, for the most THX-like results, you really want to consider getting a closely matched center (the above mentioned Heresys will work very well). I would not alter the crossover to get more efficiency out of the mid/tweet-you can balance these with the levels on the receiver. As for the rears, if you don't know what's there, you may want to find out-if they're not fairly rugged, you may wind up taking them out with all that newly aquired THX-certified juice! KLipsch DOES make some great ceiling speakers, and you may want to consider retro-fitting a pair of SCR-3 or RCR-5. Better yet-if your room will accomodate, get a set of the new RS-7. The M/K is a nice woofer. Klipsch has a new 15-inch Reference Sub coming out this late summer or early fall that will match the LaScalas better. It's not going to get the THX stamp, but I bet it'll have the performance. Lastly, any concerns about the LaScalas not being "official" THX: they have controlled directivity (it's the horns, baby!) and all the other qualities one looks for in a home cinema speaker. The fact they were designed for music is good, too, as many speakers designed specifically for cinema are a bit disappointing with music. By the way: have you performed seismic upgrades on your house? You're gonna need it!! ------------------ Polymon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boa12 Posted June 9, 2001 Share Posted June 9, 2001 well if you'll allow me to vent, a terrible thing lucas & his THX did was establish that too dam* high lfe/sub crossover at 80hz. because of that most receiver makers continue blindly putting out their receivers w/ that as their SET crossover point. my marantz is even way up there at 100hz. my guess is the sr-18 is too; check it out. this is designed for 5 or more tiny/sat. speaks & a sub. but indirectly because of lucas, some of us have to suffer by setting our big fronts to small & getting less bass than we could or should. (ok, i'll live ) receiver makers need to compensate for large front speakers. if you run them as large, like lascala & my klf-30 certainly should be, you're at the mercy of the receiver bass management sending low bass all the way from 80-100hz on down to your sub. at the same time, the fronts are getting full range so u get that fronts/sub bass overlap all the way back up to 80-100hz - standing waves, muddy bass, etc. well just set the sub's crossover to blend better u say. then when you switch to a movie w/ lfe the sub's crossover will cut the lfe where u have the cross set. & my marantz for one doesn't have an lfe control to send it also to the mains. so some of the upper freq lfe is just plain lost. sorry to rain on the parade but i did find a solution w/ my marantz (see "Could Direct Mode..." under this section) so that i don't have to continuously get off my hiney to adjust the sub when going from HT to music CD(no lfe). at the very least this shows some of the challenges of getting a good low bass blend between large fronts & a sub. we need another lucas type to come in & help we sorts w/ large speaks for HT. but really many of the receiver makers are really to blame for taking the easy way out & not offering their own adjustable sub/lfe crossover in their bass mgmt controls. ok, i feel better now. & my set-up still does sound pretty sweet. just w/ music i know i could get more bass w/ the klf-30 set to large. at least i have the big velodyne to make up for it. ------------------ Klipsch KLF 30 (front), KLF C-7, Cornwall I (rear) Velodyne HGS-18 sub woofer Monsterbass 400 sub interconnects & Monster CX-2 biwire & Z-12 cable Marantz SR-8000 receiver Sony DVP-C650D cd/dvd player Sony Trinitron 27" stereo tv Toshiba hi-fi stereo vcr Technics dual cassette deck Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 digital cable box Boa's Listenin Lounge: Klipsch RF-3 (front), RC-3, cheap little Technics (rear) Monster MCX Biwires Sony STR-DE935 a/v receiver Kenwood KR-9600 AM/FM stereo receiver (vintage 1975) Russound AB-2 receiver switch to RF-3 Teac PD-D1200 5-disk cd changer Technics direct drive turntable Sega Genesis game player Sub: None yet rock on! This message has been edited by boa12 on 06-09-2001 at 04:28 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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