hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Hi Everyone! I'm new here as a member, but I've been lurking for a couple of years. I'm hoping I can get some advice from the Klipsch experts here, as I'm going to buy my first pair of Klipsch's. I've found a local person selling a MINT condition pair of La Scala's for $1500.00. They were built in 1990, and he is the original owner. They are natural birch finish. I've seen these sell on Ebay and Audiogon for less money, but shipping would be a factor there. My system consists of a SimAudio/Moon I-5 integrated, Woodside CD-2 w/ outboard 20 bit D/A, Rega P-3, and Dynaudio Contour 1.1 speakers. This is a great setup, but I miss the envelopment of large speakers. The only Klipsch I've ever heard in my house were borrowed RB-75's, and they were very nice! Do you folks think this is a fair price? I assume they will out-perform the little Dynaudio's? I will need to sell the Dyn's to finance this, and I'll be bummed if the La Scala's don't do it for me. Advice? Thank you, Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey, Welcome to the forum! That is slightly on the high side but like you pointed out the shipping cost has to be factored in. Have you tried offering $1300 or so all the seller can say is no. But one thing is for sure for them to be worth $1300 they would need to be in near perfect condition. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 If the condition is very good, then $1,500 is fair, albeit toward the high end. You're correct about the advantages (monetary and damage avoidance) of eliminating shipping. If they look and play great and you keep them for years, the fact that you might have saved a few hundred dollars will mean nothing. On the other hand, if you decide that they're not what you want, it could be difficult to quickly sell them for $1,500. It wouldn't hurt to offer $1,200 and see what happens. EDIT: Craig- You're a fast typer. Great minds think alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 Thanks for the reply NOS. I've only dealt with the person on the phone, and I asked if he was "flexible". He said not really, but we know how a pile of cash can be persuasive! I may go look at them this week and see if he'll take a little less. After all.....he has a bad back, and I have to move them from the third floor! How do you think they'll compare tonally to the little Dynaudio's? Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey- Have you ever listened to La Scalas? There will be no comparsion to the "little Dynaudios." If you've never listened to La Scalas, paying a premium price might be a mistake. I like them, Craig likes them, but they're not everyone's cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 How do you think they'll compare tonally to the little Dynaudio's? Uhhm. Different? WAY different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Well I know I wouldn't let mine go for less than $2K (stock), but that's just me. If they are really nice I think they are worth $1500. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Allan- Very clever. What's the secret for pasting photos directly into a post? My attempts have been unsuccessful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 "the third floor"... are you saying you have to haul them down 3 flights of stairs? If true.... OMG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey- Have you ever listened to La Scalas? There will be no comparsion to the "little Dynaudios." If you've never listened to La Scalas, paying a premium price might be a mistake. I like them, Craig likes them, but they're not everyone's cup of tea. Hi Diz! What would you say the main differences are, besides the La Scala's being "bigger" sounding? Are the La Scalas not as accurate or flat? Are they more or less musical than the Dyn's? I know this is tough because I haven't heard them myself yet. Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpm Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 I paid $4000 for mine new. I've found a local person selling a MINT condition pair of La Scala's for $1500.00. Do you folks think this is a fair price? Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjnif Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey,did you check how much a new pair of La scala's cost?? Why on earth everyone here (most) think 1500 is alot is beyond me. Would anyone on this board sell their speakers for less?? And how much would it cost to replace them? Stp nickel and diming..go have a listen and decide.....$1500 doesn't buy you much today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 tjnif - The new LaScala is a different beast. At least construction/visual wise. Yes, I would sell my LaScalas for less. Because no one would pay $1500 for them on the used market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 Yeah...I priced the new La Scala's! $5500.00 if I remember correctly. My uncle is a Klipsch dealer, so I could get a great deal, but even close to wholesale I don't think I can afford them. I have owned some Altec horn speakers in the past, and I just loved the bigness and forwardness(for a lack of better descriptions) of them. Klipsch's seem like they'll do what I want. Plus....I LOVE the look of the La Scala's! The Dynaudio's don't really do anything wrong. They're accurate, non-fatiguing, big-sounding for their size, not too bright, look great....etc. I just don't find myself getting "involved" with them. I don't come home from work lusting to hear them. My old Alon IV and Dahlquist DQ-10's on the other hand made me WANT to listen. Can I expect the same from La Scala's? Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey- Have you ever listened to La Scalas? There will be no comparsion to the "little Dynaudios." If you've never listened to La Scalas, paying a premium price might be a mistake. I like them, Craig likes them, but they're not everyone's cup of tea. Hi Diz! What would you say the main differences are, besides the La Scala's being "bigger" sounding? Are the La Scalas not as accurate or flat? Are they more or less musical than the Dyn's? I know this is tough because I haven't heard them myself yet. Corey Corey- It's difficult to verbally compare the two speakers. As Allan says, it's apples and oranges. Nevertheless, with quality amplification and source material the La Scalas (IMO) sound closer to live music than the Dynaudios ever will. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> As to why Craig and I consider $1,500 to be at the high end of the market, its because weve each purchased La Scalas for considerably less. Would you get $1,500 of enjoyment? Certainly, if you like the sound of La Scalas. As you initially pointed out, Las Scalas often sell for less, but that doesnt mean that these arent worth $1,500, or even more. I would never spend $1,500 for speakers that I didn't KNOW that I would enjoy listening to for years to come, unless I knew that I could unload them without taking a loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 Corey- Have you ever listened to La Scalas? There will be no comparsion to the "little Dynaudios." If you've never listened to La Scalas, paying a premium price might be a mistake. I like them, Craig likes them, but they're not everyone's cup of tea. Hi Diz! What would you say the main differences are, besides the La Scala's being "bigger" sounding? Are the La Scalas not as accurate or flat? Are they more or less musical than the Dyn's? I know this is tough because I haven't heard them myself yet. Corey Corey- It's difficult to verbally compare the two speakers. As Allan says, it's apples and oranges. Nevertheless, with quality amplification and source material the La Scalas (IMO) sound closer to live music than the Dynaudios ever will. As to why Craig and I consider $1,500 to be at the high end of the market, its because weve each purchased La Scalas for considerably less. Would you get $1,500 of enjoyment? Certainly, if you like the sound of La Scalas. As you initially pointed out, Las Scalas often sell for less, but that doesnt mean that these arent worth $1,500, or even more. I would never spend $1,500 for speakers that I didn't KNOW that I would enjoy listening to for years to come, unless I knew that I could unload them without taking a loss. I think you hit the nail on the head with the "LIVE" description! I think that's what my Dyn's are missing. They're just a little too polite I think. They do dynamics well, but not even close to the RB-75's I listened to. I'm really leaning toward the La Scala's because of their fowardness and live-like qualities. The $1500.00 price is a little steep I think, but I'm not buying them to re-sell. I've been looking for a pair locally for a couple of years, and this is the first pair to pop up. I think the Ebay prices are floating around $1000.00-$1200.00, but then Forward Air is another $150.00-$200.00. Then you have to get the seller to TAKE them to Forward Air. The other plus is that I can see and hear them before I hand over the cash. Well........thanks so much for all of your help here! It looks like I'll take a trip this week to see them. Now to convince my wife that they'll be "heirlooms" some day!!!!! Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 You're looking at the price from your viewpoint, naturally, as reasonable compared to what a typical pair sells for + shipping. But also you should consider it from the seller's viewpoint. He wouldn't get the shipping money himself, plus he would have a lot of trouble selling them to someone far away if he said the buyer had to be responsible for all packing and shipping. So he'd be lucky getting the $1000-$1200 range for the speakers (not counting shipping). I'd get him to come down from $1500. He wouldn't get $1500 on eBay plus shipping plus the buyer having to make all shipping arrangements. On the other hand if you've wanted them for years, you don't want to miss out over a couple hundred dollars. If you didn't want them so badly, you'd be in a better position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hififreq Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 I should know better than to be driven by emotion or desire to own them. After all, I own a guitar shop and buy used gear all the time. There's alot of times I need to have my "poker face" on to buy at the right price. If I show how excited I am about a particular piece, it puts me in a tough spot to bargain. Of course, some pieces still make me giggle like a schoolgirl with excitement! L.O.L.! Corey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 I just picked up my pair of '86 LaScalas just over a week ago. I drove six hundred miles one way to pick them up. Admittedly, I used the excuse of taking my son back to college and then a visit to my mom to justify the trip. I paid between $1k and $1.5K. As I mentioned here last week, my problem is that the speakers disappear and all I hear is music. To me they are worth every penny. I pretty much bought them sight unseen or at least unheard. Something would have to have be really wrong with them for me not to have left Illinois with them. But I have heard LS before and knew I wanted them Four years ago, you could find LS for sale between $400 and $1000. I was hoping the release of the LSII would cause the prices to drop again, but it hasn't happened yet. They weigh in at about 125 pounds each, so take someone to help you move them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Two points: You did not mention what type of music you like... If you like natural instruments and voice as in jazz, classical, others - that's in favor of the LaScalas - but you need to hear them to satisfy yourself thay will please you. If you like more modern music with very low bass and other artifacts of popular music culture today - you still need to hear them to estimate whether you think you'll need a sub to be happy. A lot of the less expensive LaScalas for sale out there have lead rough lives of service in frat houses, discoteques, moble DJ duty, and who knows what else. A pair of beautiful minty single owner LaScalas should carry a premium. Being close by to you for audition and local pickup is great. Maybe some here could coach you on specifically what to look for and listen for in terms of sonics and physical condition. Maybe post some pictures, too! You know you will do that anyway if you decide to buy them. Good Luck, Pauln Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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