Beautiful Klipsch La Scalas… is this fate?!

[garyh 460]

Oh man, I am so, so very tempted! 

 

My friend who owns a music shop in town (instruments, but mostly guitars and amps and guitar repair) calls me and tells me he has something I should see.  He takes me to the workshop at back.  Seeing them sitting there, on what I thought at first was a bench, sends a shiver of glee through me—literally—it was palpable.  I haven’t seen a pair up close and in real life for years. 

 

The odd thing is, until just a few months ago, I rarely thought about the La Scalas I used to own.  It’s only recently that I've been thinking about them, even talking about them, here.  Is this fate?

 

I can’t really use them for the HT setup.  Too big, too many added complications (a center channel to match)?!  Too much work already put in and I really like the SVS Ultra Towers (which are about as big as I can contentedly deal with, I think—and the La Scala’s footprint is over 3 times theirs).  If it was just 2-channel music system down here, different story.  But maybe, just maybe I could talk my wife into them upstairs—but man, their size might be too much for her—I got rid of my first La Scalas for her when we were living in CA. 

 

But then again, my sons have moved out.  We do have spare rooms now. 

 

They could work in the living room, or the family room, for our upstairs music system.  But at best, my wife would tolerate them.  She’s cool, but she wouldn’t be overjoyed (like me)!

 

Or I could stack them in storage closet behind the HT front wall and bring them out now and again for music play.

 

Heck, honestly, even if I just stored them in the garage, I can't say I wouldn’t love the idea of simply knowing I have them. 

 

The seller wants $1500 for the pair but I can probably get them for closer to $1k (they’re part of an estate sale) – with the custom stands (which I’m really not that interested in – the previous owner must have had a big space for them).

 

A little nervous about their age.  Appear to be from 1978 if I’m reading the ser. no. right.  But then again, it’s likely I’ll have to replace or have repaired most of the crossover components (and the woofer?) but the owner said they’re working just fine as is.

 

It’s not a bad price considering the cabinets are in excellent condition.  A little touch up here and there and a coat of Howard’s Restor-a-Finish and they’ll look like new.  I mean, really nice condition.

 

The crossover network is a bit dusty, but what do you expect, exposed as it appears to have been for years.  Just looking at those oil-filled capacitors brings a grin to my face.

 

Man, I was just telling everyone how I don’t have room for speakers this big.  But HELL!  Now I want to MAKE ROOM.  It just seems so darned fated!  It’s like it has to happen, like I have to make it work.

 

Somebody, talk me out of this. 

 

Gary

 

EDIT:  To be sure, they would be secondary or backup speakers, in all likelihood.  I think it's a no go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[garyh 460]

 

 

 

[Rob 5,942]

NO. You better go get them.  Then if you cant fit them in your house I can damn sure fit them in mine. 😂

Edited October 31, 2021 by Rob

[2chGearBuff 428]

I have heard LaScalas in the past, and I have to admit, even though not a huge Klipsch fan, I would love having a pair of those.  Note - I do currently own a pair of Heresy II's that I like, but those are more nostalgic pieces for me from my youth.  And I did have a pair of KSB2.1 and the matching center channel in my HT setup years ago.  I say, find the room, damn it!  You can never have too much stuff!  Especially audio gear!

[garyh 460]

I don't know how or why those pics of the Pardigms are in there.  No idea how that happened.  Can't seem to get rid of them now!

[RodH 4,866]

fixed.

[itchitch 4,467]

I have always wanted to own a pair of La Scala!

 

There was a small bar in Milwaukee that had SIX of them hanging from the ceiling - powered by a rack of McIntosh blue metered beauties.

 

The volume would get louder as the night went on - women dancing on the bar to Sledgehammer (yes, it was a few decades ago.)

 

They are so damn big and almost every "review" out there mentions they lack real bass, especially for their size.

 

I do suspect a purchase will send you down the upgrade rabbit hole - Crites Crites Crites... followed by cabinet refinishing - adding castors .....

 

$1K and I WOULD  

[garyh 460]

50 minutes ago, itchitch said:

They are so damn big and almost every "review" out there mentions they lack real bass, especially for their size.

 

 

It's funny.  I've read the same recently, in my recent efforts to refamiliarize myself.  Funny how things change and everything's relative.

 

I owned a set, purchased in 1986, for nearly 8 years.  I never--ever--would have said they lacked bass back then.  No one who listened to them would have said it.  In fact, the opposite.  We used to be wowed by their 15 inch woofers.  (Late 80s, early 90s).

 

And what they could do with a simple, pure, clean 5 watts of power was nearly mystifying.  We used to have "speaker challenge parties."  Guys would bring their speakers, and sometimes amps too, to my house because invariably, theirs were smaller and easier to move.  There may have been one or two obstinate defenders of their own speakers but unfailingly, the La Scalas always won--for sheer volume, tone, presence, etc.  (And it's been a while, but I don't recall any speakers that did bass better).

 

But I don't doubt one bit that by today's standards and a sub in nearly every system, they might sound a bit weak in the bass.  Or that there are standalone towers that might do better with overall bass output.  New tech, materials, designs.  And I don't doubt that if I get them, I'll run the subs with them too--as I do now, with the SVS Ultra Towers--in a fairly subtle supplemental integration.

 

But I've also read that many owners of La Scalas from the 70s and 80s find them to be working perfectly well *with all the original parts* after so very many years.  Maybe I'll take an amp and preamp to the store.  Hook them up.  Listen.  If they sound nice as is...  hmm...  (but no doubt, as you say, I will still likely go down the rabbit hole of upgrades... as is my want, unfortunately.  (Which actually makes a good argument NOT to get them))!

 

I've been going back and forth.  Back and forth, since I saw them.  If I did pull the trigger, I was thinking I would go to $1200.  *IF* and only if, my willpower completely fails me and I HAVE to have them.

 

Thanks, Gary

Edited November 1, 2021 by garyh

[itchitch 4,467]

On 10/30/2021 at 8:11 PM, garyh said:

Somebody, talk me out of this. 

 

This is why I threw in the "bass" discussion

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by itchitch

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

On 10/30/2021 at 10:11 PM, garyh said:

Somebody, talk me out of this. 

 

Damn, man - did YOU come to the wrong place for THAT!!!!!!!  😆

[garyh 460]

35 minutes ago, Brian_at_HHH said:

Damn, man - did YOU come to the wrong place for THAT!!!!!!!  😆

 

I know, right?  I bet a visit to a shrink would reveal I was actually looking for good reasons to GET THEM! 

 

/gh

[Sk1Bum 11,368]

I auditioned 5 of them for $3K a few years ago. I was thinking of using them in my HT setup, but they sounded shrill to me, piercing almost. I don't think I would be able to listen to them for long without fatigue. Even though it was a great deal, I passed. 

 

If you love them, do it. If you have any hesitation, don't. 

[Maddmaster 996]

You're not looking for a reason to get them. It's more like you're already to get them. You're trying to find a reason not too. LOL 🤣🤣

[garyh 460]

56 minutes ago, Sk1Bum said:

If you love them, do it. If you have any hesitation, don't. 

 

Thank you for this.  (And I agree re. HT setup.  Just a no-go.  Way too overpowering for me and frankly, for my tastes, I just don't think they'd be well-suited for the L/C/R in a theatre setup.  I know at least one YouTube guy who's doing it--in a smaller room even!  But I just don't get it.  For 2-ch music, different story).  

 

57 minutes ago, Maddmaster said:

You're not looking for a reason to get them. It's more like you're already to get them. You're trying to find a reason not too. LOL 🤣🤣

 

Actually...  Yeah.  I'm REALLY liking the SVS Ultra Towers--for everything, including 2-ch music.  If I got these, they would go unused most of the time I think, bc the more I think about it/ talk with my wife, she might tolerate the over-the-top behemoths for a while but in the end, she'd shake her head every time she saw them.  And eventually, she'd say enough.  (If I placed them anywhere but the theater room or garage).  But $1k to $1200 in some ways doesn't seem like a lot to have two beautiful La Scalas stacked in storage in the garage or the back closet (but that's some nostalgia and heartstrings pulling, there).  And what a shame it would be too, for them to sit idle: like Sisyphus, pardoned and sitting at the bottom of the hill with nothing to do.

 

I just can't justify them.  (But I'm still like only 60-40 against).  /gh

[2chGearBuff 428]

This conversation reminds me of when I was thinking if buying my Amazings.  They were priced at a steal of a price and I was talking with my teenage son about it.  They were in MD and I am in central NY.  I was on the fence and my son chimes in with, you need to just buy them.  And when you get them, you run them for a while and if you don't like them (yeah, right) you can always sell them for what you got them for if not more!  So that following Saturday, u ended up driving to Baltimore to get my current speakers.  Boy I am glad I listened to him!🤣🤣. (Like I wasn't going to buy them already!). 

 

You know you want them, and are trying to justify your desires to a bunch of enablers that will convince you to get them!

 

Good luck trying to resist!

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

16 hours ago, Sk1Bum said:

If you love them, do it. If you have any hesitation, don't

 

Don't forget about "hesitation's" twin sister, "regret."  She (regret) is more dominating and longer-lasting than "hesitation."

 

At this point, I'll just say it..., do like @2chGearBuff's son so plainly stated..., "Get them," enjoy them, your wife may also like them (there's always a chance)... and know that you can always flip them.  If you don't, you'll spend your days searching for a similar deal.., which likely won't come around again..., for years..., if at all, or you'll pay even more for a lesser pair.

 

Don't let "regret" get you for the remainder of your days..., do it, do it now...

 

We've all seen your listening room, and in the corners (where Klipsch often seem to like being placed) you can squeeze them in. 

 

I have a friend who owns several car dealerships, and he never "hesitates"..., see's something, and he has the means to pick it up.  He has a pair of solid black walnut clad La Scalas..., they sound wonderful driven by a pair of Cary tube amps..., 😉 You know already these will do the same.

 

I picked up (totally unrelated) a Kubota compact tractor, front end loader, 3pt with PTO last summer, my wife came with me to look at it, and even helped me pick it up..., she had no interest, but saw the great joy it was going to bring me..., to have a machine that could really do the kind of work I've always done back-breakingly, with a pick and shovel..., several thousand bucks into it, space in the garage putting one vehicle out in the weather..., and all that..., She saw the joy on my face..., your wife may see that too, and really fall in love with La Scala's as they bring you joy from those 8 years you had before with the same speakers.  It could happen!

 

Enabling arguments are always so positive !! LoL!

Edited November 2, 2021 by AndrewJohn

[Nahash5150 10,629]

Motor start caps in the crossover...

 

There are no rules electronics - none!

[garyh 460]

54 minutes ago, Nahash5150 said:

Motor start caps in the crossover...

 

 

They're not run capacitors?  (I'm woefully ignorant - not a electrical engineer or electrician by a long shot).

Edited November 2, 2021 by garyh

[Nahash5150 10,629]

15 minutes ago, garyh said:

 

They're not run capacitors?  (I'm woefully ignorant - not a electrical engineer or electrician by a long shot).

 

They could be run capacitors too. I'm not sure of their value.

[Packratt 394]

I've probably got replacements on my truck

[garyh 460]

That settles it!  I thought it looked cool, but now I learn it's all voodoo magic and cheap silliness!    😃

 

Seriously though, I probably would go with the Crites upgrades I'm now researching (thanks for the tip, itchitch)—if I got them.  Which, again, is a tick for the con side—I have too much on my plate already.  

 

But I'm actually going for an hour ride to Reston on Thursday—with the friend who's got them under consignment—to look at a grand piano for his wife.  We'll have plenty of time to talk about it and I'll make up my mind then.  

 

I will most definitely keep you guys posted.   Thanks!

Edited November 2, 2021 by garyh

[BillWojo 542]

Find a set of Altec A7 speakers in your area and take your wife to look at them. After seeing them and responding with a resounding NO and seeing the disappointment in your face, mention the smaller LaScalas. She will more than welcome them in your living room.

Just don't listen to the Altec's if you like horn loaded speakers. Hint, I started with Heresy's, heard some Altec's, bought a pair and never looked back.

 

BillWojo

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

Is updating the electronics in the LaScalla's any different from what we do with our Carver components?

 

Remember, you can buy them meddle with them (keep the original bits), enjoy them (or not), and sell them for a profit to put towards some other audio tidbit that catches your eye or rather, ear.

 

If you don't like the sound, try them without the stands - that may improve  the sound, or it may make it worse.

 

Have fun, though!  That's the most important thing, no matter what you choose to do!   

[Dadvw 2,875]

On 11/2/2021 at 3:56 PM, Nahash5150 said:

 

They could be run capacitors too. I'm not sure of their value.

Do those fall under the “appliance” category because of their size?……..grin

[kve777 6,881]

I'll give you a great reason- Tekton Pendragon's. Get them instead. LaScala's are designed to be outdoor PA speakers. I've had two pairs. The best sound is from a distance of about 1/8 to 1/4 mile away. Yes, I've done that!  My Pendragon's fit the room better and have more bass and more manners. There. Now you have a reason not to get them.