Question for the Klipsch Community.

7.62

Infinity nutcase.
Ive been an Infinity guy since starting my Audio journey. I recently picked up a pair of JBL MR825 speakers with one tweeter not working. I bought some Pyle PDS442 compression drivers to replace them. They came in last night, I installed them and brought the JBL's into my main listening system.

This is my first experience with this type of speaker, the horn and 15 bass driver.

I've been listening to my favorite FM Saturday morning programs for the last 5 hours. I'm very surprised at how well these sound, I've been having some trouble with my hearing and these are becoming game changers for me. Everything is open and airy. I'm hearing everything I feel I've been missing for awhile. It's really blowing me away. Sure they're not Audiophile in any way but damn my brain likes what I'm hearing.

So that being said, I've heard one pair of klipsch, think it was an RF-82. One horn with 2-10 inch gold colored woofers and honestly I didn't care for them.

I've always loved the look of the older Klipsch, belle's, K horns, Cornwalls and especially the La scalas ! I've done some reading and I'm really contemplating building a pair for myself. Again I've never heard any of those vintage speakers. But it looks like there's enough resources to build a custom pair.

So I'm just wondering if you guys think that the JBL would be a good representative of the sound of the Klipsch La Scala?

Thank you for reading and I look forward to your thoughts.
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For reference here's a pic of the JBL.
 
I'm wonder if that might be a better representation for the Cornwall. Direct/radiator woofer with the horn tweeter. Might go deeper than the LaScala however, when you turn things up a bit, the LaScala might have cleaner output since it's horn loaded.

If you have the tools to build a pair, build a "JubeScala" and use the K510 horn if you want to build it in or, if you don't have any WAF issues, set the huge K402 on top. Both really need an active crossover if you want to get the most out of them.
 

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Coytee,

Thank you for that suggestion, I really like the speaker to the left. Did you build that ? Yeah the one to the right is a bit much.

If I were to build a pair, I have all the tools and some gorgeous cherry veneer that would look killer. But I'd probably stay true to the original design as much as possible. I'd buy a pair of those crites crossovers, really don't want to get into the digital, dsp stuff unless I have no other option.
 
As someone who has heard (and own) both versions... I say "do as you please" however, please trust me when I tell you the LaScala with the K402 (the huge horn) on top will crush the sound of the stock LaScala, irrespective of the upgrades to the stock. You are looking at a 2" throat horn verses the puny 1" throats on the stock midrange.

With the K510 (the speaker on left) you are still looking at a 2" throat so you're going to get that benefit, you just don't get the benefit of how low the horn will control the sound. You won't care though because it will still stomp the stock LaScala.

To make another point... I don't say the above to rag on the stock LaSCala, I've owned a pair of LaScalas since 1979 and the only change from new to now is a new crossover. (I can't bring myself to cut them and don't have the space for the horns to simply sit on top so they stay stock)

Once you get accustomed to the sound of the larger horns, you'll find it difficult to go back.

Although I have seen a passive crossover on the speaker to the left, I don't know that it was designed by Roy (Delgado at Klipsch) My guess is it was designed & built by Bob Crites. Point being, I think you can get there and keep a passive. You will just lose some of the benefits that the active crossover will bring (I've become a fan of actives so perhaps I've gone to the dark side...)

The two horns on top are what I think Roy calls "Constant Coverage". They need some upper end EQ to make them sound right. Some folks don't like that but, they don't seem to understand that the stock horns have the EQ built into the horn itself with the collapsing polars. (I'm just repeating what I've been told this part starts to get over my head)

Bottom line, with the two horns above, you are still using a Klipsch designed and engineered speaker that will sound killer.
 
I would like to give you 2 practical advices:

1. Since you said you are Infinity guy, just be aware that Infinity is probably not as desirable/valuable as Klipsch. This is from my experience selling Infinity (hard to sell) and Klipsch (easy). It has nothing to do with sound.

2. I prefer to stay as much to original Klipsch as possible. This way I have no extra work (great) and my investment is truly secure (wonderful).
 
In this case it has everything to do with sound, these horns are different from anything I've heard. I'm just curious how they might compare to the vintage Klipsch.. But I think I'm asking a very unreasonable question now.

I'm really not interested in resale to be honest, just trying to find the right speaker to settle on for long term. I have some nice QLS-1's but I'm not picking up the highs, it's really frustrating. But I totally agree with you keeping as close as possible to the original La Scala, for that matter any speaker that I cared to replicate.

I think I know exactly what I'm going to do . Being pondering it all day at work.
 
I'm really contemplating building a pair for myself.

But I totally agree with you keeping as close as possible to the original La Scala, for that matter any speaker that I cared to replicate.

No disrespect intended.....but if you are going to for example, build a pair of LaScalas.... they will never have the resale value of the factory speaker. You can put all the golden parts you want in them.... they are still a pair of home made LaScala speakers. They won't be worth more than the parts enclosed.

If you are going to actually cut and make a pair.... make what you want and sounds best to you, don't fret over a resale value that probably won't be there.

Now, if you grabbed a factory speaker and didn't want to cut it up.... I get that. I'm in same circumstance with my pair from 1979. They've been through my life experiences with me and I just don't have the ability to saw into them to insert the K510.

However, there is another way to peel that onion!! Leave speaker stock and set on top! problem solved!!

This is a Belle and is not mine, but you'll see what I mean. If this person ever wanted to sell things, they just remove the horn and put the original back on top.
 

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Ok I appreciate your input. But you highly underestimate my capability's. Not only can I, I'm willing to bet I could do it so well if you were in the market you'd not have the ability to tell the difference. Yeah I'm that confident. I have an eye for detail that's a curse. I kid you not.

I really could care less about the latest and greatest mods. Sure I'm open to it but I'd like to start from the rack grade and make my shots count then decide what I feel will make the tighter groups.Your eyes don't see like mine, nor do your ears hear like mine.

I'm just asking if the JBL may compare to the La Scala, that's all.

And no offense but none the of the pictures you've posted belong to you, they are suggestive? I know I'm new here in the Klipsch forum but would you care to show me your current setup, I'm always fond of seeing the greatest thing since sliced bread.
 
Have you thought about trying to find some La Scalas or other heritage klipsch to audition or buy before you decide to make your own? It would be a shame if you hated them after putting in that much work. You will always be able to sell the originals if you don't like them or if you decide to go ahead with the build. Maybe an AKer local to you has a pair.
 
I did try, even posting an add on Craigslist. There's one fella here that has the type coytee posted a pic of, the huge type deal horn. We talked but he's not interested in letting me listen / have a look. I guess I understand. Vegas is such a transient town. People aren't that friendly, trusting here.

I'm a 37 year resident, raised 3 kids married 26 years, ccw holder....etc. I'm the last guy you need to worry about. I have a genuine interest in hearing new things. But other folks I guess see it as a threat. It's a shame really.
 
And no offense but none the of the pictures you've posted belong to you, they are suggestive? I know I'm new here in the Klipsch forum but would you care to show me your current setup, I'm always fond of seeing the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Ok... here are some of mine

Rather than clog more pictures, here's a thread too.

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/166321-find-the-danley-dts-10/#comment-2061116

I own all the items in these pictures. I own some more (like the 510 which is currently on a shelf). I have also heard virtually all of these next to each other and other Klipsch speakers. If someone can 'get away' with it.... you don't want to waste time on the smaller K510....go all out with the larger K402. I've heard them 'side by side' (different listening sessions) in the anechoic chamber at Klipsch. Leaving out the details, the 402 easily bests the 510. I can attach pictures showing the different horns inside their chamber. These are not my speakers, all these others are.

I didn't mean to (potentially) disparage your wood skills.... I obviously don't know anything about them.
 

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Here's an offer...

If you build a LaScala clone, you might know that they make them in a variety of configurations. (some people don't know that)

The single piece speaker that you see above....they also make it now (as the LaScala II) as a two-piece box with the top section totally removable.

Years ago, they also made them as a 2-piece box...mainly for commercial use but some look nice i the home.

Not knowing what your aesthetic goals are, if you build a single box, you are sort of painted into a corner. If you end up building a 2-piece box, I will send you my extra K510/K69 (and if you wish active crossover EV DX-38) to let you play around with and do your own side by side.

If you like what you have, send things back. If you like the sound of the larger horn you still have to send things back :beerchug:, but now, you can just make another box-top and incorporate things as you please.

You pick up postage both ways. If I have some (I think I do), I'll include some of the wiring that would be needed to go from unbalanced to balanced connections.

Meaning, I'll try to send everything you need to simply plug things up. You would have to supply the second amp (it would be biamped so would need four channels of amplification) The DX uses XLR connections.

Honest offer.
 
I really like the speaker to the left. Did you build that ?

To answer your question directly, no I didn't build that.... however, I did originate the idea. I had the Jubilee's (the pictures above with the huge horn on top) and was wondering what to do for a center channel.... I realized a third Jubilee wouldn't work for me.

I got to thinking and realized that Roy & PWK designed the Jubilee to raise the crossover point of the Khorn to a higher level so they could take it back to a 2-way speaker (the Khorn back to a 2-way)

It dawned on me that the LaScala bass bin can play higher than the Khorn so I asked Roy about mating the K402 on top of the LaScala.

He mulled for a moment....then said (paraphrased) "Coytee....you come up with some squirreley ideas but, I think it would work"

A year later, a handful of people were invited to the engineering faclilty at Klipsch for the weekend and he had done all the engieering on it and played it for us for the first time (that is the picture at the top with the bass bin only and K402 on top)

There have been maybe 5-10 people now who have explored the 'JubeScala' idea and nobody has yet mentioned being disappointed.

Not knowing how much you know... PWK is Paul Klipsch and Roy is Roy Delgado who was PWK's "right hand man" for many years and co-designer of the Jubilee which was PWK's last project. He wanted to create the 'Klipschorn II' and take the Khorn back to a 2-way. Once finished, he felt the Jubilee bested the Khorn by such a margin, it deserved its own place in the lineup rather than taking over the Khorn. Unfortunately, the company instead, decided to insert it into their cinema lineup instead of residential. Rhetorically, I would ask, how cool is it that a speaker specifically designed for residential use, was felt to be so good, it was instead, injected into the cinema line instead.
 
Holy Hell, those are look amazing. Ok, Thanks for all the great info. I have a small living room and could never accomadte anything that size...LOL, at least my wife is pretty forgiving but I'd be pushing it without a doubt.

The horns are eye opening for me, I'm thinking this is what Ive been missing all this time. Like I said I've never heard the Klipsch version. There's only been one or 2 pairs of these for sale around here and they went pretty quick. I did get to see a pair of K-horns at our local vintage shop, I was surprised at their size. Hard to judge in pictures, much bigger in person than I was expecting but again they were already sold.

I did see the difference with the separated cabinet, if I were to build I'd probably paint myself in a corner as you mentioned. It wouldn't be a problem either way.

I'm almost 100% sure there's a guy here that has that jubilee version, when we talked I believe he said, powering with 8 watts "heaven" were his words. That in itself blows me away having somewhat struggled to power Infinity speakers. For someone still relatively new and knows very little, how in the hell do you power that huge speaker with 8 watts....LOL. I'd love to hear them but again seems private, not interested in sharing.

I'm the opposite, my door is open to anyone. I guess I'm just old fashioned in that sense, unless you set off my spider sense. I've not met anyone yet in this hobby that's done that.

I'm going to back peddle my idea and wait to hear some of these speakers first. I do appreciate your sharing Coytee. Sorry if I was rude. Thank you.

OH and that's very cool you got to experience that, I am in awe.
 
how in the hell do you power that huge speaker with 8 watts.

I'm not an expert but, it's not about the size....it's about the sensivity.

I don't know the actual number, but I've been told the Jubilee for example is around 108 db/watt when used with active crossover. I THINK it was Roy (co-designer) that said that but I don't want to swear to that. I've read on forums that it's closer to 104 db/watt. All I know is they'll near crush you if you crank them up with disregard to the volume.

Benefit of horns. High sensitivity, low distortion, clear as a bell.

People see these monsters and talk about how loud they must play (and yes, they can) however, I always remind them that in addition to playing as loud as they look, they can also play just as quiet as any other speaker and still sound dang good while doing so
 
Regarding the K402, (the huge horn on top) you can see it on the LaScala. In absolute terms (width/height) it is actually larger than a LaScala placed on its side.

I sometimes make a joke about being able to stick my head inside my tweeter.....

But, perhaps with the scale you can see how I suggest it will play much 'larger' than the stock drivers. (louder too but there's a difference)
 
Coytee are the top 2 horns dead (mid, tweet) in the La Scallas, if you add the big ass (402) horn to the top of the La Scallas. Still wondering what I am going to do about my blown mid horn. K55V. I love active x over, all we used in car audio.
 
Drtool, I'm not clear on the exact question...

1. If you mean in general use, does one keep the K400/77 active along with the K402 on top? No, they are disabled and the speaker is a 2-way. Woofer bin and the K402 (or 510 if someone wants to incorporate the smaller horn into the tophat which is what I'm intending on doing with my center channel) I've even suggested to some that they could sell their horns to recoup some of the acquisition costs of the 2" horns.

2. If you mean in the big stack picture where I have the MWM's on the bottom, LaScala in the middle? In that circumstance, I had the stack actively amped (had two Crown K2's attached to one of my Dx38's) I had one leg to the MWM bass bins, one leg to the LaScala woofer, one leg to the LaScala mid/tweeter and one leg to the K402.

I had pre-programmed the active so I could pull up different profiles and play between them with the punch of a button.

They were:

MWM woofers with the K402 as a 2-way setup
MWM woofers with LaScala woofer (only) and the K402 as a 3-way setup
MWM woofers with LaScala woofer and LaScala K400/77 as a 3-way setup

Later on, my brother in law, brought a pair of his EV's over and we added those to the mix

Was just a day of fun horsing around

These horns aren't as inexpensive as fixing your K55 however, they are a genuine step up in sound.

I sometimes sound like I'm bashing on the LaScala so I always try to make it clear that I'm not....and have owned a pair since 1979.

It's simply the truth. These big horns kick some serious hiney.

Add the three Crown K2's and the system is absolutely effortless with tons of headroom.

(to the OP, I used to have some of those 'flea' amps.... loved the sound but wanted more. I'm a dynamics whore and all those little amps did was frustrate me because they were somewhat limited in what they could do when you wanted to jump on it)
 

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