What can I expect from these 2 different drivers?

[Wrinkles]

Newbie Question:

I have had the LaScalas for 2 weeks now and after about 20 hours of listening I find the mid range, well not like I would like it. I love the way the speakers deliver so much detail and fill the room using so litle power. I am using 2 Bottlehead Straight 8 speakers as subwoofers with a crossover frequency at 64 hertz with an 18 db rolloff. Seems to work real well. The tweeter is fine for now. Although, I have some ideas for it also.

Reading the forum, I find many recommendations for using Altec 511B horns. I found two 511B horns with drivers for sale. But, they have 2 different drivers. The individual I am buying them writes this about the drivers....

"One Cabinet has a 511B with driver 802D (diaphram 34726) making it 8 ohms.

One Cabinet has a 511B with driver 808-8A (diaphram 34726) making it 8 ohms.

They were rebuilt 8 years ago and have been used maybe 7 times since rebuild.

I measured each driver and they both measure 6.8ohms."

I mainly wanted the 511Bs to put the Klipsch K55M drivers on, but with these drivers I will probably listen to them first. Are those two Altec drivers even compatible in a 2 Channel setup together? What can I expect?

Also, to take off the K55M drivers from their horns, do they just spin off or is there a "proper way" so as not to destroy anything? I have read much discussion as to adapters from the K55M to the 511B. But I was unable to determine exactly which adapter I need and from where I should get them?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Wrinkles

[Guest " "]

The k-55-M's spin off.

The 8 ohm's of the altec drivers is going to require some compensation. It depends on which Klipsch crossover you have to determine how and if they can be done. Some k-55-m's came with xovers that had not tap options on the autoformer. There will be a label that says what type of xover it is. If it says AL, that might be the problem....so before going crazy investing cash in new horns...do an eval to see what would be the logical next step....the new horns may not be too appealing on AL xovers...AL xovers are great for PA use. If you have AA or AL-3 xovers, then it becomes less of a design issue. But AA xovers usally require some maint, unless it was already done.

Where are you located.

[djk]

An 802 and an 808 have different response.

[Daddy Dee]

Wrinkles,

Could you say more about your LaScalas. If they are vintage 15-20 or more years old, the crossover caps will need replacing. If this issue is in play, it has a huge impact on sound. It's an easy and inexpensive fix, if needed. If your Scalas are new, I'm not sure how much happier you'd be with different drivers. Could be room issues, too.

[Wrinkles]

Wrinkles,

Could you say more about your LaScalas. If they are vintage 15-20 or more years old, the crossover caps will need replacing. If this issue is in play, it has a huge impact on sound. It's an easy and inexpensive fix, if needed. If your Scalas are new, I'm not sure how much happier you'd be with different drivers. Could be room issues, too.

Hello Daddy Dee,

The LaScala are 1990-1992 vintage per Klipsch. It uses an AL-3 crossover. I can handle capacitor changes once I figure out how to remove the crossover. It looks like about 3-4 screws. The 13 uF cap is the white AEROVOX polypropylene perhaps, definitely not a motor starting cap?

There are also 2 electrolytics ( 68 or 6.8 uF) in each crossover. Is that normal for this era crossover?

Wrinkles

[Wrinkles]

Update:

I placed the newly acquired 511Bs in service with the Altec drivers listed above and WOW. What an improvement. The voices really sound great which is where I was noticing problems before. Thankfully, I did not hear any response differences between the two different Altec drivers. Once I get the K55M to 511B adapters, I'll install them and hear what happens. If it sounds better than this, then I will be floored.

Wrinkles