tidmack Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Quick question for those who have heard LS2's. . .if you had to compare them to a particular "vintage" of LaScala, which do they most resemble? Or have the improvements made them in a league of their own? Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Quick question for those who have heard LS2's. . .if you had to compare them to a particular "vintage" of LaScala, which do they most resemble? Or have the improvements made them in a league of their own? Jeff They are in a league of there own. I hope you can find a pair to audition as the changes are remarkable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 If you've ever heard the traditional LaScala, then try to imagine two things: 1. The resonant vibration from the side panels eliminated 2. An octave lower bass response If you can do that, then you got the sound. I've owned LaScalas since '79 and could tell a distinct difference (for the better) in about 2 nanoseconds. MUCH improved bottom end on them. Nicer looking too! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tidmack Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Coytee, Hopefully you check back to read this! I too have a pair of '79s and "if" I purchase new, I'd be using them with the II's. In your opinion, ould they still blend well together? Thanks! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I'd say "probably" with this caveat: They'll match better if you can get rid of the resonance. While I was dazed by the sound, someone (perhaps Steve Phillips?) admitted, somewhat sheepishly that MY (and therefore your) LaScalas can and in fact, DO put out the same sound as this one. It's just that the sound of the older units is muddied up by the side cabinet resonance. I was told if I could tame the side resonance, mine too, would sound just like this one. Perhaps you've seen/read where people put the wedges between the doghouse and the side panels? That is the "fix" the factory never did because each wedge would have to be custom fitted and that would have been too much additional labor. I have a third LaScala box that I'll use as a center channel. It's already broken on the upper back side of the cabinet. I'm going to use that as my test bed and put some wedges in there. I don't want to screw up 'my' cabinets but this one is already a beater box. If I'm successful on this beater box, then I might consider doing the other two. I've also considered gluing & screwing an additional layer of plywood to the outside of the beater box to help thicken & deaden it. What they (Klipsch) told me was the old LaScala boxes put out the SAME sound as the new box, but the sound is masked by the sidewalls. Fix the sidewalls and you should have substantially similar sounding boxes. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 If you've ever heard the traditional LaScala, then try to imagine two things: 1. The resonant vibration from the side panels eliminated 2. An octave lower bass response If you can do that, then you got the sound. I've owned LaScalas since '79 and could tell a distinct difference (for the better) in about 2 nanoseconds. MUCH improved bottom end on them. Nicer looking too! [] Coytee, I believe that is actually 2 hz lower response rather than an octave. From 53 hz to 51 hz. I thought the LaScala II sounded very much like the original Lascala the times I heard them. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 You're probably right in that the specifications are "the same" (as was told to me). It's just that without all that resonating of the side panels, the II's sound SO much deeper and cleaner. Steve told me if I could tame my sidewalls, mine would essentially sound the same as the LS II's. For me, there is a night/day difference in the bottom end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tidmack Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Bob and Coytee, Thanks for the input. . .I have some thinking to do! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Well to me it makes perfect sense that the LAS II could not sound any different the the original unless you are pumping the SPL up. The reasonance issue is only at higher SPL with the original from what I understand. I thought they sounded great at Indy but they were cranking the SPL pretty good. I bet side by side at reasonable levels they sound about Identical if all things were equal. It seems to me modern fresh crossover & drivers would have more effect then the beefed up cabinet at normal levels. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I don't think some of you give PWK enough credit. If the resonance of the LaScala was a real problem, I think he would have fixed it. I have 6 LaScalas and have never found a resonance problem in any of them. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 My impression was that the bass bin sounded much more clean and clear to me. Another difference for me from other times I have heard the La Scala was the room and the gear. That was the best gear I have heard with a La Scala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I don't think some of you give PWK enough credit. If the resonance of the LaScala was a real problem, I think he would have fixed it. I have 6 LaScalas and have never found a resonance problem in any of them. Bob heh heh heh...I'll bet we don't have the same listening patterns (db's) [A] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I wonder how much of the improvement is the AL-4 xover and how much is the 1" MDF. Meaning, for those who were impressed with the LaScala II's, did any of you ever hear a LaScala with the AL-4 xover made with stndard birchply? Wonder how much of a differnence between the LaScala II's and say a 2004 laScala with the AL-4 xover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Fritzie, I can't answer those questions. I DID make some comments though, while in Hope. While I'm racking my brain, I'm 99% sure I was talking to Steve but it's possible it was Jim Hunter while in the museum. None the less, he said rather matter of factly, the output of the two boxes are the same with the biggest difference being the MDF taming the sidewalls of the older version. He said if I put the wedges in mine that the wedges alone, should clear up that "problem/issue" and any retrofitted LaScala bin should then sound the same as the new one (forgetting about crossovers) Although it might not be an octave per se', I still use that as a reference to convey how big a difference there was "to me". To paraphrase my understanding, Mike (Mikebse2a3) bought some LaScalas years ago and right after getting them home, realized something was "wrong". He called the factory and the guy was pretty impressed. Seems Mike diagnosed the resonating sidewalls right out of the box. Mike didn't like that too much and was wondering what he could do to fix it. As I recall, Klipsch said "we'll sell you an empty pair of Belles and swap them out for the incremental cost difference" He had to wait until they did a Belle run, but they held to their word. I think that was one of the sealing moments that locked him into Klipsch for life. Good stuff and great care/service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Coytee geee...thanks I finally got some nice laquered LaScala's and now you have me thinking I need 1" MDF splits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 or just investigate doing the wedgie thing (with the speakers, not the wife [] ) I don't have any pics of it being done, but I'm sure you've seen it before? Maybe someone can post a pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.