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LaScalas Plus Klipsch Ultras/Amp. . .


tidmack

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Hey everyone-

A while back, I posted in the sub section regarding the possibility of adding a pair of Klipsch Ultras/sub into the mix with my LaScalas to cover the lower octaves I'm missing without a sub. I'm finally able to make a purchase, but have a question that I thought may be best answered in the 2 channel section: Are those of you with 'Scalas and a sub finding that the two bass technologies mesh well together? I'm not able to hear a pair of ultras before purchasing, but I'm trying to make as educated of a purchase as possible. In other words, will I be able to distinguish which frequencies are coming from where? I understand that placement has a lot to do with this, but I'd like to hear from those who have heard this setup. I've heard K horns several times. Will LaScalas plus the subs be on par with or possibly outperform K horns?

Lastly, I want to make sure I've covered my bases with being able to hook up the subs. I have a Mac 2105 and 113 preamp. I don't want to go into how to hook everything up right now, but will I be able to run a pair of ultras and a sub with my LaScalas using my 2105 and 113? Thanks to everyone in advance for you input.

On a more definite note, I did put an order in for a pair of Cornwall III's!! Those of you in the Milwaukee area are welcome to swing by once I get them home.

PS: I love electronic Tax Return filing!

Jeff

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This is going to be interesting...

I have no experience with that particular sub, but I used an REL Storm

with my La Scalas and I had no trouble integrating them. At

really loud levels the balance started to come apart - sub was either

too boomy or not up to the sound level of the La Scala - but at normal

listening levels I was very happy. I had the low pass filter on

the sub set to between 35 and 40. Be prepared to start off very

unhappy until you've had a chance to try a lot of different placement

options. Phase relationships between mains and sub will play a

role, and positioning of mains relative to walls will have a big impact

on how smoothly the La Scala low end roll off and sub low end, uh, roll

up (?) blend.

And now, with an opposing position...

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IMO the Ultra II AMP/Sub mated to a La Scala rig sounds pretty impressive. Klipsch demo'd that as an HT set up for us at Indy at last years Pilgrimage. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the integration was exceptional. At the mixer we mated the THX Ultra II AMP/Sub combo to a BB Extreme and a set of VRD's and it did not make me go wow. That being said the room was an acoustical nightmare. If I were to lay down the funds to purchase a sub for my LS/HII HT I would most certainly put the THX Ultra II Amp/Sub combo near or at the top of my list.

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IMO the Ultra II AMP/Sub mated to a La Scala rig sounds pretty impressive. Klipsch demo'd that as an HT set up for us at Indy at last years Pilgrimage. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the integration was exceptional. At the mixer we mated the THX Ultra II AMP/Sub combo to a BB Extreme and a set of VRD's and it did not make me go wow. That being said the room was an acoustical nightmare. If I were to lay down the funds to purchase a sub for my LS/HII HT I would most certainly put the THX Ultra II Amp/Sub combo near or at the top of my list.

I agree completely and 99% of that was the Klipsch guys refusing to leave the volume control on the subs at a reasonable level. I personally thought the system sound leaps and bounds better without the subs playing and the Lascala's pushed back in the corners. Like mentioned above tuning subs in a major job and can not be done in a few hours in a strange room with numorous people playing with the controls. That being said I think the ultra subs can be made to mate very well with Lascala's just takes some tuning. The key is to not hear the subs!

Craog

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I love having a sub with my LS. At high volumes the sub is almost not needed. I tend to use it more for low to moderate volume which is my listening level 95% of the time. Every disc is mixed so differently these days, I find it hard to say one combination works well for everything.

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Craig,

Right on! What I don't want someone to do is walk in and say "you added subs, hey?" The other responses are enough to convince me that I'm doing the right thing. Can anyone quickly confirm that I'll be able to use the subs with my Mac 2105 and 113 combo. I'm sure there's a term for this, but I just want the sub voume to increase and decrease with my music volume. Thanks again for all the input.

Jeff

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Ah, good question. I don't have the answer... sorry. When I used to run Cornwalls, I ran a Klipsch sub from the main set of speaker terminals on the amp and then ran the speakers from the terminals on the sub. I always thought that was a weird setup.

Surely someone here can properly direct you, and if not, give your local stereo shop a call tomorrow and get the straight skinny.

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Ok guys, I did some reading and here's where I'm at: on my MX-113, I have a main out (stereo), a tape out (stereo) and a L+R out (single mono plug). I'm guessing I have 3 options: i could split my main out signal and plug one end in to my 2105 and the other into the sub amp. OR, I could use the tape outputs and run those directly to the sub amp. OR, I could split the mono output into two female ends and run those to the amp. Is any one of these more correct than another? My first logical guess would be to use the tape outputs, no?

Jeff

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Ok guys, I did some reading and here's where

I'm at: on my MX-113, I have a main out (stereo), a tape out

(stereo) and a L+R out (single mono plug). I'm guessing I

have 3 options: i could split my main out signal and plug one end

in to my 2105 and the other into the sub amp. OR, I could use the

tape outputs and run those directly to the sub amp. OR, I could

split the mono output into two female ends and run those to the

amp. Is any one of these more correct than another? My

first logical guess would be to use the tape outputs, no?

Jeff

Use the main outs as they will definetly be controlled by the volume

knob. Sometimes tape outs are controlled by the volume, sometimes

they're not. And I would recommend against using the single mono

plug...especially considering that you can go with a stereo subwoofer

setup. (btw, stereo subwoofage does make a difference - all sorts of

psychoacoustical reasons as well as the fact that we don't just use our

ears for hearing the lower frequencies).

I also find that the lascalas+ultra subs blow the khorns outta the water.

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KHorns only play about 3 notes lower than the LS - you are not missing lower octaves with the LS... I've never used a sub, but the advice here about setting them so you don't hear them is good. You don't want to hear bass, you want to hear the instruments that play bass. As far as matching the exchange from speaker to sub response, from comments here it looks like it can be done for moderate volumes, but at high volume all bets are off...

Some day I'll get a sub and know what I'm talking about.

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Who & Paul,

Thanks for the input. I put the order in earlier today on thinking that at the very least, I could split the mains like I've done when I've added another stereo amp into the mix (in a sense that's all I'm doing in this case too). I'm glad to hear that I'll be ok.

I'll report back when I get everything set up. Although they're for another system, I'll chime in with my thoughts about the Cornwall III's with the subs too. Man, I sure hope these Ultras are what they're said to be.

Jeff

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As far as matching the exchange from speaker to sub response, from comments here it looks like it can be done for moderate volumes, but at high volume all bets are off...

Some day I'll get a sub and know what I'm talking about.

I guess that would depend entirely on what you call "high volume"? I read about folks here who assert they listen at 100 + db average levels at their respective listening position and I have a had time fathoming that. That would put peaks at levels certain to cause hearing damage not to mention the damage caused by a sustained 100+ db pounding. If it is true so be it but I personally cannot imagine that kind of sustained beating on my ears. To me loud is in the 80 + plus range, that alone puts programmatic peaks at or over 110db. I have for brief periods pushed my average level to 90 + but I have to knock it back down within a fairly short time frame, typically not more than a few minutes. Matching a sub an average 75 to 85 db range is very doable IMO.

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