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La Scala crossover networks


gonzp

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I have a pair of La Scalas with the AL networks and have been told by many that the AL is by far the worst one,I think the most bothersome thing for me is the sibilance on the vocals,the best bet is to replace the AL as they cannot be fixed,just ordered a pair for mine from Deang.good luck

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Is there any difference in crossover networks between Industrial La Scalas & Home La Scalas?

This past Friday I bought a pair of one owner 1989 Industrial La Scalas in raw Birch. They have black plastic handles on the sides. I like the black metal Klipsch badge, has the old PWK V horn emblem in white on the right side followed by Klipsch in white letters. The La Scalas are in excellent condition-cleaner than Kleenex. I am a picky anal retentive perfectionist and inspected them with a fine tooth comb. I can find flaws that most people don't notice & was very impressed with their condition. I want to stain them sometime in the future.

My 1977 pair of Birch Cornwalls with the most excellent Deang Auricap Type B crossovers are stained in a light cherry & look good to me. The crossovers are sealed inside of the Industrial La Scalas. When ever I decide to take a look at the crossovers. I will have to unscrew the rectangular back wood panel that the speaker binding posts are mounted. I defintely want to replace the stock crossovers with some Deang crossovers sometime in the future.

I have run the La Scalas with my Welborne Labs gear-Moondogs for 3 days. Liked the sonics. I switched

the La Scalas to my Lubbock, Texas

made amp-Llano Phoenix CAS 300/VA2

mosfet/tube hybrid amp-Class A, 2 gain stages, no feedback, separate

enclosures for the CAS current section-mosfet output & VA2 voltage section-uses 6SN7,6SL7 & 12SN7 triode tubes. Using a pair of RCA 12SX7GT in the VA2 now. The Llano is paired with my Mcintosh

C 38 SS preamp. The Llano Phoenix amp is 300 watts x 2 @8ohms & 600

wtts x 2 @4 ohms. This hybrid amp

sounds dadgum good to my ears on Klipsch Heritage speakers-both Cornwalls & La Scalas. The Llano amp is my bass monster-it makes speakers produce deep tuneful bass. I was playing some Al Dimeola-Kiss My Axe cd last night.

The La Scalas are not lacking in bass to my ears. I have them sitting in front of my 1977 Cornwalls for right now. Have not listened to the Cornwalls since I bought the La Scalas Friday afternoon. Will have to move the Lascalas from in front of the Cornwalls this weekend to give them a listen to compare the sonics. I will also have to hook up the La Scalas to my numero uno

amp/system-Dehavilland Aries amp-

Verve preamp this weekend. The Dehavilland Aries amps also possess & produce deep powerful musical bass out of speakers. The Llano produces deeper bass response & even deeper when I use my tone controls. I like to use the tone controls on my Mcintosh preamp. I am a music lover who likes good gear, not an audiophile purist who wants to burn people at the stake for even thinking about

using tone controls. Me mucho gusto the La Scalas-I like the La Scalas very much. Well enough rambing from this opinionated

Texan.

Regards, Mike

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Yep you sure can. Your AL's should be updated at a minimum or better yet replaced. Bob Crites (BEC) / Dean Wescott (DEANG)/ AL Klappenberger (http://www.alkeng.com/) would be you one stop shop for doing this. I replaced the AL's in my 84/86 La Scala's with ALK Kit Series A and they are fantastic. Much greater detail and a much smother sound.

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----------------

On 3/31/2005 7:40:01 PM gonzp wrote:

Hey Craig tell me more about your networks...
9.gif

Cheers, Patrick
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Not much to tell ! There stock value wise Klipsch Type A networks with 3 Auricaps run in Parallel to equal the 13uF and then I have a 2uF Hovland on the tweeter. The woofer inductor is replaced with one a equal value to the original but I don't know the manufacturer of it. Maybe Dean could get off his dead a$$ and chime in here2.gif

Craig

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Craig is using a pair of Type A's built with premium parts. He gets away with a first order network because he listens with 60 wpc, in a smallish area, and sits about 10 feet away. If his room was bigger, and he sat further away, he would be into Type AA, AL-3, or ALK territory. I think 30 watts continuous is about the upper limit for the Type A before the treble begins to pinch and harden up. I can't figure out if it's the squawker or tweeter -- and I sure as hell ain't puttin my ear up to them at those levels to find out.

As far as circuits go, there is no "best" network. Those that have done business with me know I ask a lot of questions. I ask about their speakers (drivers, networks), room, gear, music, typical listening levels, what they are hoping to gain, and what if anything, they are hoping to get "rid of". What I recommend for them is based on the information I get.

After all the math, of which less than half I understand -- there are the ears and brain, which simply interpret and evaluate the filter's performance and resultant sound by the tone, balance, dynamics, and perceived distortion. Naturally, people hear differently, listen in different rooms, with different gear, with different music, and at different volume levels. Circumstances and preferences, (as well as what can be afforded) -- should dictate the choice.

EDIT/NOTE:

I had this whole thing typed out and then was forced off my "dead ***" to take a phone call from Mr. dead *** himself.9.gif

I'm glad you're happy Larry. Case in point, some people plain just don't like the sound of the squawkers being driven at the output levels PK designed them to run at using the simple filters. Half of everyone I've built for wants them "tamed" or padded down a little. Sometimes efficiency has to take a back seat to suit individual listening taste/preference.

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Is it really possible to eliminate/reduce the sibilance with vocals by changing crossovers? I have relatively new LaScalas with AL-3 networks.

I have tried everything tame the sibilance - worst is male vocals. Even the tone controls on my pre-amp don't cut it that much.

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Can you describe the sonic difference to us please????

Mike, First to say when I got my Corn's I was happy with them. But the more I listend to them I found the high tones to be in your face. Turn the bass up and the spearkers seemed to work hard and sound flat.Always playing with the dials to get each song the way I thought it should sound.

Now,leave the dials alone and it sounds clear and you can feel the music. I can turn the bass up and go as much as one can stand with the volume.Still has a very clear sound. I talked to Dean on the phone,he wanted to make sure all went well and go through all the tech stuff. Super guy to deal with! Mike,Before' I'm thinking Wow!he's got 5 Corns in one system.At least I think that's what I read. Anyway,Dean did a great job!

Larry

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Ok I will fess up! I won the Lascalas that were on epay that were owned by John Henry Productions... Honestly I don't know who they are. I am going to go to Colorado tomorrow to pick them up. Just in reading the fourms I took it that the cross overs type AL were not the hottest. I guess I am looking to tweek already!!! I will get them home tomorrow afternoon and see how they sound in the room with my Almarro A318A and go from there. I hope to receive the two H H Scott 99D's that I also won and hook them up to the Lascalas. Minutes are turning into hours here having this equipment on the way and not yet here. Thanks for all the replies here to my questions.

Cheers, Patrick

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Patrick, I recommend doing the mods in steps. I just finished the rope caulk on my LSI's K400's and the difference is astounding! Will do the other and prob will do at least a BEC refurbish job on the AL xovers, but I enjoy hearing the fruits of my labors one at a time for maximum enjoyment.

Michael

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Gonzp, I hope all goes well with your speakers and new toys. I bought a Fisher amp that was refurbised on Ebay. Sounds good,but only later I found it only plays one channel on phono.

Mike, It's ALK's that Dean put together. The old crossovers look tiny.

Larry

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Thanks for all of the advice guys. I am listening and paying attention closely. I value the opinions and advice from all who offer. Thank you, I am now on my way to SW Colorado to pick up the new score!!!! Pics are sure to follow.

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