Klipsch Stage Speakers

Re-reading this thread today and remembering how the SMAHL's got started. It was a set of LSI's just like these and I had fixed the bad K-43 and recapped the AA crossovers. Everything else was OK but it just did not sound quite right. I had read about Dave Harris's little MDF tweeters and I thought OK I have a Haas VF4 and design software so I can do this in aluminum and not MDF which I despise. The first one I cut had a conical cavity because I had not learned how to do the Tractrix cavity in my CAD program yet. Stuck an APT50 driver on there and man what a difference. That started the whole evolution of the MAHL's and it all began because I was looking for something I wanted for me. I never expected it to grow the legs it now has. Tip of the hat to Claude who tested things for me in passing.

Of all the La Scalas these one piece are the easiest to make right. I chose the AA crossover because they were by far the most popular ones. The K-43 was already in there. The fiberglass covered and trimmed sidewalls did not have that resonance problem all the other La Scalas I had worked on had. A new tweeter fixed that onerous tweeter problem. I had my original set sitting on top of some KP- 480's. One day I went to an audio store in Nashville asking about DAC's which I though I might need. The salesman must have figured I was made of money as he demanded I sit on the throne in front of some weird Buck Rodgers looking diamond diaphragm B&W speakers with a 24g price tag. So I humored him and sat on the throne. Listening to Buck Rodgers space ship I thought if this dude could only hear that set of LSI's on those 480's he would ---- a brick. I had $1500 in that whole setup and those days are gone forever.
 
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We used the split models professionally and commercially as it was easier to orient the mid and tweeter section for the better coverage we needed.
 
We used the split models professionally and commercially as it was easier to orient the mid and tweeter section for the better coverage we needed.
Primary reason why all two ways I will ever build will allow for tilt and rotation on the HF side. You cannot get sound as good out of a speaker where all the drivers are fixed in place.
 
@RichardDaRed, I was trying to remember the last time I used an ohmmeter with a needle ! Maybe in a highschool electricty class ? That was a real trip, lol.

I lucked out and found a Fluke 115 meter in a garage sale a few doors down for 5 bucks many years ago. Didn’t even realize it had the ability to measure capacitance until I became active in the DIY community. A couple years ago I got a cheapo LCR meter off Amazon to measure the coils in crossovers. It paid for itself the first time I unwound some salvaged inductors to a new value needed in a crossover build. I’ll get back to this…

All of your working drivers are within normal variances. They never read the value stamped on the driver.

Rest easy, once you get your woofers you will hear La Scalas in your own home !
Thanks Geoff27 - I had thought I was flipping both pairs of La Scala Industrials - they were an amazing impulse find and buy - but have decided to keep a pair for a while. It is too good of an opportunity to pass on. The Kappa 15C's are wonderful and the speakers certainly need to be brought to a better acoustic environment, but I am thinking of installing the Crites Crossover updates, the yellow ones that I have. Before doing that, since things work and sound darned good to my ear, is there a way to test the board without removing or disconnecting components? I now have a pretty groovy Innova 3320 digital meter and would love to make more use of it. Funny thing happened last week - I picked up a decent pair of Heresy's at an estate sale and now my office sounds wonderful.
 
I've decided to try my hand at reconing this K43 from the above project that had a big hole in it when I got it. When taking it apart to measure to be sure to get the correct kit I found the magnet has rust on it. Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated. I can see from the inside of the voice coil that there has been some rubbing going on so that area needs to be cleaned out for sure.
 

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If I were in need of a 402 set now I would buy new and not look for the pixie dust used sets seem to be made of since you can't ever find any. The real bonus to new is the latest deposition phase plug Roy designed for the 1132 driver which would be the one I would get. I had some of the old phase plug and new tractrix style phase plugs to play with here at the same time and the new ones are noticeably better. Roy also made an additional, I guess it might be considered a sort of phase plug too. concentric ring thing that fits between the end of the snout and the flange of the 402 horn that also seems to improve things though I cant put my finger on what like I could with the internal 1132 phase plug.
Current price on the K402 with 1132 driver is a little over $2,800 a pair delivered if OP was wondering. That is from American Cinema Equipment. I haven't checked Paducah, but assume pricing is similar.
 
I've decided to try my hand at reconing this K43 from the above project that had a big hole in it when I got it. When taking it apart to measure to be sure to get the correct kit I found the magnet has rust on it. Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated. I can see from the inside of the voice coil that there has been some rubbing going on so that area needs to be cleaned out for sure.
adding some photos to show approximate sizes of elements: VC id looks to be the 3.018" spec'd as does the opening on the cone at 3.0" on the aftermarket kit, but most else is well off. My K-43 speaker has a VC height of 1 9/16, a wind of 7/8", cone depth 3.5', cup spider 5 3/4", dustcap of 4 1/4".
 

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I recommended Eminence Kappa 15C's ONLY for the LaScala and my QuarterPie Horn, going on 16 years now. All with nothing but positive feedback. It ups the 400 response by 4 db to meet the K55/K400. Huge gain in detail for what was then only $109 each. If you can find some more K43's in great shape, however, those are still a great choice over K33 or Crites, which are better in the MWM or Klipshorn, historically. @Daveintn may be of great help to you concerning these, since he refurbished quite a few!
Hi Claude, from what you said above for the Klipschorns the crites cast 15 inch woofers would work fine, or what in your estimation the best woofer for a type AA Klipschorn would be?
Thanks,
Steve
 
Hello again, well it was certainly my lucky day - four La Scala Industrials picked up and two of them sound wonderful. The other two, not so much. I started taking one apart and share photos here: View attachment 3296131
First test, one luck hand cart.


View attachment 3296135
Balancing Network on that same speaker. Midhorn (oh, sorry, I am learning - "Squaker" wire was loose on the board. Once connected sound was much better, but can tell horn was replaced or messed with as the front mount of the horn was no screwed in at all. Corrosion on the balancing network, too. I thought the capacitors looked good - no bulges but rusty is never good. I plan on pulling this out and cleaning it up.

View attachment 3296144
Screws found in the case where the squaker was loose. Can anyone tell me if these are correct for replacing the squaker? I guess kind of them to leave them for me, right?

View attachment 3296147

Two issues here - I am inclined to say a mouse hole through the cone, and also an good deal of buildup on the back of the magnet. Would appreciate any opinions on that white powder on the magnet. There is pitting evident on some of the external metal parts so I assume these were outdoors a good bit. I do not see any water staining on the interior wood pieces. Any advice on pulling that woofer out. Just four screws and twenty pounds of magnet, right?


Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!
Git dat mouse!
 
I know you probably already know this, but, to find out, just find one of the person's posts (say #45 preceding) and the word replaces the description below the 'nym.
 
I remember working in customer service years ago, one lady seemed to always go out of her way to be miserable to people. After two degrees of separation I found out she had cancer.

I went out of my way not to take her miserableness personally.

Compassion is the only thing that will save us as a race.
 
Compassion is the only thing that will save us as a race.
Yes, but it seems to be going out of style of late: How Empathy Became a Threat

The way we treat others is a window into one's inner life. Life is hard--especially when we come up against the end stops. And people rarely share their own struggles here and elsewhere. I know that I instinctively do not share my own struggles, especially online. It's not fashionable, it seems.

We should keep this in mind when we see others lashing out or behaving erratically, I think. I've seen this as a symptom of things like, for instance, bipolar disorder...which is a terrible affliction.

Chris
 
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