Klipschorn/La Scala level of performance from upcoming Premiere line?!?

[artto]

"Here today............

..............................here tommorrow" []

[artto]

It is funny that you guys mentioned JBL.

Take their most recent consumer statement product - K2 S9800SE. No comment needed.

Bring a trio (or pair) on over to my place, I dare ya!

No comment needed.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Long post, hopefully a good read.

First off Artto..LOL.. Funny when you know the truth isn't it.. I guess it is not bragging when you know the truth..Klipsch Rules!!! Your room and K horns I am sure just rule. I would love to see it and hear it. Your setup has been a dream trip of mine after all the hoopla for years too.

skrapid3 as for this line. I think I will chime in here some... "I think ANYONE can see that the Klipschorn (designed for large cinemas when we just had tubes with a few watts output) and La Scala (designed for Winthrop Rockefeller's election campaigns if I recall it right) in particular are not "right" for the market as it is. They never were intended to."

OK lets get your / the facts straight...

The K horn was never designed for a Movie theater.

From the website here.... (Audio pioneer and company founder Paul W. Klipsch launched the Klipschorn loudspeaker in 1946 to enable people, for the first time ever, to experience the power, detail and emotion of a live performance at home.

Commonly called a corner-horn speaker, the remarkably uncommon Klipschorn includes a highly efficient horn loaded tweeter and mid range compression driver. Its patented folded-horn 15" woofer delivers powerful low frequencies.

Considered a watershed industry event, the introduction of the Klipschorn set the standard for high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. These principles, which drive the creation of every single Klipsch loudspeaker, are what make the Klipschorn as sought after today as it was decades ago.

As the only speaker in the world to be in continuous production for 60 years, the Klipschorn has remained relatively unchanged since its inception. In 2005, the company made some minor cosmetic and functional revisions to this legendary speaker, including the elimination of the inset collar, or spacer, between the upper and lower cabinets for a cleaner aesthetic appearance. A horizontal wall seal was added to improve the low frequency horn's response accuracy.)

(No one really talks about the revisions in 2005 or what they entailed.. I assume the AK 4 Network did this with the driver x over changes) The top collar spacer is not a biggie change, and this wall "seal" I have no idea what that is...?? Myself, I did upgrade the the AK-4 network and love it. Any comments from someone will help me understand this too. )

Bottom line on the K horn, it was meant for home use, to give the listener the full range sound from the highest highs to the lowest lows and reproduce those for home enjoyment just like as if you had a live band in front of you.

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From the Klipsch website here .... (When the La Scala first launched in 1963, audio pioneer Paul W. Klipsch made it for Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Winthrop Rockefeller to use as a public address speaker. Because some considered it a portable and more affordable version of the revolutionary Klipschorn®, the La Scala found success beyond the campaign. )

Now this one I have seen pics in the book about Paul and other picks in the past. The La Scala as we know it and the one on the campaign trail were much different.. Think of a compact La Scala in the woofer area..maybe as much as 1/2 as tall... and the tweeter was vertical next to the squawker. More of like a trash compactor version of the La Scala as we know it, squished down. They were used on tops of trains thrown on stages for quick hook ups where 1- 6 pairs of them could fill any venue of the day of the human voice. Again compact smaller versions where I am sure space on trains and the fact one person could lift/ set them up in a jiffy was important. I think after the campaign Paul came home and refined it to the speaker as we know today. But in any pics I have seen the reported La Scalas of the past used on that campaign .. it looks like the one I mentioned.. Not the full sized La Scala we all see today.

BTW, the new ones that just came out are BEAUTIFUL with a capital B. They are not quite in my opinion a k horn for 2 channel. That said again.... Proper placement, what pre amp, amp used will make a huge difference. If a La Scala is to be used in a HT situation, with a good sub, I might go out on a limb here it is "as good as or better" .. hehehehe OK I said it as a K horn. You will just have to judge yourself.. (for those in doubt, I have 8 La scals.. and K horns.. I can comment on this matter thank you!! hahahahaah ) Many even like La Scalas better than K horns. The thing about audio speakers is it is about personal choice. There are days I enjoy the k horns more.. some the La Scalas.. I do not try to get too caught up on it why?? I just enjoy them! And Life!

Remember that newer "refined" La Scala (as I call it re designed) then used between the k horn for a center fill, was changed after his wife's badgering that it was too big and ugly. That speaker then became the Belle as we know it.. Also used in the middle were Cornwalls and Heresey's. These last 3 speakers were created as mono speakers between the K horns and later available in pairs. I do feel pretty confident reading the book about Paul Klipsch and other material, that Paul really did feel everything else other than a K Horn was a compromise to his original design. Now still good, but not quite a K horn in a good room. I think we all agree we love them all in various situations.

Hope this helps clear up some confusion. I loved reading and understanding the past about Klipsch. If I am wrong excuse me but I think my facts are pretty close. I wanted the new guy here to understand the development too thinking of the man, the myth and the legend we all know as Paul Wilbur Klipsch.

[Rudy81]

The performance of the "old" Klipsch are why I have my HT setup with Khorns for mains, center LaS, four Cornwalls (big boxes), and an SVS sub. I have yet to hear a system, that for my taste, beats the 20 year old stuff. Of course, I do have ALK crossovers in the Khorns and Bob's CT-125's in my Khorns. There are 3 more CT-125's enroute for the center and side effects speakers.

These improvements have made the system absolutely outstanding.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Go rudy go....

I wonder if JBL or whoever has tinkerers like us???

I wonder if they did would they allow... That xyz driver is junk, I love the new XYZ version 2 better...LOL.

My guess on many of these issues is those with 10- 20 -30 more years speakers would be to have your x overs checked out and you have not abused your drivers... you might just find you like what you have. BEC is good for that. (With the exception on k horns of the AK-2 x over.. I will vouch that sucked...LOL)

But hey think about it.. I knew mine was out of whack possibly AND that this AK 4 network and new drivers wwere and are unbelieveable too.. And it is..

Honestly, it is amazing!!!

[Rudy81]

My original Belles had AB crossovers. After many discussions with Al K. I decided to get his universal crossover. What a differance. I kept the ALK's when I sold the Belles in order to finance the Khorns. The Khorns came with the AK3 network. Man, I love the bass on the Khorns, just out of this world compared to any other speaker I have heard.

Crossovers and drivers are always being improved, but the basic PWK design is in my biased opinion timeless. Yes, they are big and heavy, but that is the only way to get the kind of "live" performance feel we have all come to love.

So, in my case, make a room large enough to house the 7.1 heritage system. The Klipsch and 120" screen make for an awesome movie experience. Two channel listening sessions are also amazing. Heck of a hobby.