jdm56 Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Many la scalas show up on ebay that are twenty - thirty years old, some in very good condition and fully functional. But really, how long before those drivers and crossovers should be replaced for "sound" reasons? And assuming a total rebuild of a pair of la scalas or belles, what is a ballpark figure for new drivers and rebuilt or new crossovers? Reason for asking is I'm trying to justify $4500 for new la scala II's compared to buying used and possibly having to do a total rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Speaking only for myself, my LaScalas were bought new by me in 1979 so they're roughly 28 years old. I only recently put a new crossover in them as I wanted to use Al's extreme slope networks in them. It replaced the 28 year old AA's that were in them and for my ears, still sounded pretty decent. I've since given those to another forum member who was trying to piece a pair together. Drivers (all of them) are 100% original, not even a blown voice coil over the years and I had these during college so they got hit HARD for several years (about 5). Contrast to that my ElectroVoice Interface "D" (bought in 1978) speakers which have the ST-350 tweeters in them. I've blown the voice coils in those probably 5/6 times (just a guess). I've had the foam surround replaced on their woofers twice now, about every 10 years. they need refoamed now but I'm not doing anything to them yet. They seem to rot out after 10 years though. So in my experience, even if the LaScalas were played HARD the drivers are probably going to live a long life if YOU are responsible with them. I almost think someone has to be malicious with them to blow one. Hard to think anyone pushing them harder than I was during college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 In general, the 20 to 30 year old Lascalas would need a crossover rebuild and perhaps tweeter diaphragms. But let's assume the worst case or that you just want to make "new" ones out of them. That would be a rebuild on the crossovers, the tweeters, the midranges and replace the woofers. About $500.00 would do all of that. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 New ones would probably last your lifetime.........Put your own scratches and dings on them.....If you can swing NEW, why not? Check them out at .... www.vanns.com .....Cherry, Walnut, or Black.....Free Shipping.......No Sales Taxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 New ones definitely would last my lifetime. I'm the big Five-0 now, so these might be the last expensive speakers I buy. At least, I'd probably have to promise my wife that they would be! Especially since I seem to vaguely remember saying something similar about the klipschorns I bought in '98.[^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 In general, the 20 to 30 year old Lascalas would need a crossover rebuild and perhaps tweeter diaphragms. But let's assume the worst case or that you just want to make "new" ones out of them. That would be a rebuild on the crossovers, the tweeters, the midranges and replace the woofers. About $500.00 would do all of that. Bob Crites Thanks, Bob, for the info. Pardon me but I'm gonna have to ask a dumb question: Is that $500 per speaker? I'm assuming it is. That sounds fair for new drivers and a rebuilt x/o. The biggest hurdle is finding something you want within a reasonable driving distance. What with the price of gas and all. Case in point: Beautiful, mint '84 belles on ebay now. They're in CA right? So I figure the distance and how much gas the minivan would use and it comes out to around $400! Plus three nights lodging and food. Yikes! And I really am uncomfortable with freighting them. So that leaves me playing the waiting game, which I never was very good at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Keep in mind that La Scala IIs are not just new, they're an improvement over the originals and they're prettier. I really like my '74s, but if money was not an issue, I'd have a pair of IIs. Actually, I'd probably have five of them and a pair of Jubilees for mains! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 In general, the 20 to 30 year old Lascalas would need a crossover rebuild and perhaps tweeter diaphragms. But let's assume the worst case or that you just want to make "new" ones out of them. That would be a rebuild on the crossovers, the tweeters, the midranges and replace the woofers. About $500.00 would do all of that. Bob Crites Thanks, Bob, for the info. Pardon me but I'm gonna have to ask a dumb question: Is that $500 per speaker? I'm assuming it is. That sounds fair for new drivers and a rebuilt x/o. The biggest hurdle is finding something you want within a reasonable driving distance. What with the price of gas and all. Case in point: Beautiful, mint '84 belles on ebay now. They're in CA right? So I figure the distance and how much gas the minivan would use and it comes out to around $400! Plus three nights lodging and food. Yikes! And I really am uncomfortable with freighting them. So that leaves me playing the waiting game, which I never was very good at. The $500.00 mentioned would cover both speakers. That is rebuilding the crossovers, tweeters and midrange drivers and also replacing both woofers. Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 Wow, that's more than fair! I was thinking completely new mid and tweeter drivers, but you said just new diaphragms. Excellent. I will definitely keep that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 Keep in mind that La Scala IIs are not just new, they're an improvement over the originals and they're prettier. I really like my '74s, but if money was not an issue, I'd have a pair of IIs. Actually, I'd probably have five of them and a pair of Jubilees for mains! The La Scala II is what I want, BUT my better half is tighter than bark on a tree. She cannot comprehend loudspeakers that list for $5500/pair. Of course, a $30,000 minivan that depreciates down to $3000 in seven or eight years, she has no trouble with that! [:S] I'll just keep looking for good, clean belles and la scala's within 500 miles or so of SW MO, plus I'll keep nagging the nearest klipsch heritage dealers to have mercy on me and sell me a lovely pair of LSII's for under four grand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 JDM, I'll keep a look out for you in central AR. Last year, I just sold a pair of oak LaScalas that were beauties. Actually, had a hard time selling them, too. Would have loved to keep them in the forum family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted June 7, 2007 Author Share Posted June 7, 2007 Thanks Dee, I appreciate that. Yeah, I know there's been a lot of good heritage buys I've missed since I sold all mine in '04. ( A nice pair of la scala's sold in St. Louis on Audiogon just a couple of weeks ago.) But it's taken me this long to basically come back around to the knowledge that I still want some big ol' klipsch, even if the klipschorns didn't work out for me in my house. At the time I sold them (at least partly for financial reasons), I was just thoroughly disgusted that I could not coax decent bass out of those big horns. So I didn't even want to think about la scala's or belles. But in the past 2 1/2 years, I've gone through B&W 703's and now have my little a/d/s/ 5.1 rig (which I intend to keep for HT). And I've been doing nothing but thinking speakers and shopping speakers. And I'm back to about where started --wanting some big klipsch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Yeh, one bit of encouraging reality, IMO, is that if the drivers are working at all, they are probably fine and don't need new diaphragms. The only expense would be minimal with new crossover caps. If you did find a pair with blown tweeter diaphragms, something which occurs often enough to not be surprised, of course new diaphragms are an option. Sometimes the older alinco round magnet K77's have gotten faint in their output. In either case, the CT 125 tweeter is a drop in replacement and is bullet proof in Heritage. Hope you find some nice scalas. The sound is sweet indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzysb Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 ok, i'm new to the forum so please be patient with a question that has,no doubt, been answered countless times...let's say i have an old pair of la scalas (i do) and i have almost $500. where and how do i get the aforementioned rebuild parts and how do i do it?? i know i have the AA x over and i can see how to remove the mid and tweet from the cabinet. the bass driver seems i bit more difficul to get to. what rebuild parts do i ask for? for instance, do i just upgrade the resistors and caps or do i replace the iron core with air? i am driving them with a stasis pa-7 which seems to have a warm enough quality that the AA style isn't too harsh on voices (well i do have a bit of long fibre wool in the throats) so let's say i stick with the AA style. on to the mid's. seems like while i have the horn out of the box i will wrap it with caulk or dynamat. how is the diaphragm replaced? as for the tweet. i have eyed with suspicion that sharp edge of the box it tweets thru and more than once have reached for a radiusing router bit to smooth the cabinet but have not. this seem slike a good time to remount or whatever but i am afraid of screwing up the time alignment if i move it. i mean after all i grew up in audio when the dalquist dq 10 first hit!! finally in this rebuild and i buying new woofers or reconing the old. i have talked to more than one person who warned me about the aftermarket cones not being up to the ariginal quality. i guess what i'm asking here and i know it's a burden, is what is a reasonable level of refurbishing for my old la scalas?? i know i have not given sufficient info on my system or listening habits for a complete answer but i would like to hear a learned opinion about wat would give me the most listening improvement per dollar and effort thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Keep in mind that La Scala IIs are not just new, they're an improvement over the originals and they're prettier. I really like my '74s, but if money was not an issue, I'd have a pair of IIs. Actually, I'd probably have five of them and a pair of Jubilees for mains! Not only prettier, but they sound much much better. I've heard no Lascala that comes close to the Lascala II. But why only 2 Jubes when you could have 7? [] 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.