Pondering a pair of Klipsch La Scalas

I owned a pair of these, but never owned any Mc gear at the same time. Klipsch and Mc were often sold together--they are a good match. However, most of the time you do not need the power of the Mc. You could easily drive the La Scala's with a 3 watt SET, which is what I would do if I still had mine.

If you have not heard the La Scalas, you should before you buy. They are extremely dynamic--one of the best in that regard. They will play louder than you want or your neighbors or pretty much anyone in the same zip code. However, their ability to do these things does give them limitations. They do not go that low in frequency response. They roll off quite a bit at 30 Hz. Klipsch rated them only to 35, but they are better than that. They are also somewhat soft in the top end. Lastly, they lack micro detail and imaging (or soundstaging).

What they do well--they do very well. If dynamics and the ability to play loud is your top priority these speakers are very hard to beat and I really doubt can be touched for their price. If do listen softly and listen for imaging and micro-dynamics, then I would not recommend these.

Check the www.klipsch.com forums. You will find that McIntosh gear works quite well with the vintage Klipsch, and in fact we just purchased an MC7200 (200W SS amp) to go with our Klipschorns. It sounds like the other end of the sonic spectrum--as it should--from the 4W SET amps we also use, but both are incredibly rewarding, and a good match for the speakers. Be advised that the La Scala's are actually rated to 53Hz (not 35). Consequently, if you want to fill out the bottom frequencies, count on getting a sub. We used an ACI Titan, and it blended in with the La Scala's so well that not a single listener ever suspected it was on. In my opinion, the modifications to the La Scala--damping the horns with Dynamat, re-wiring with silver, and upgrading to new crossovers--are essential in getting the most out of these speakers.
Best of luck!

a classic combination. you're there...start celebrating

klipsch & mac are a perfect combo,i really liked the sound of my klipsch & solid state mac rig's,ive owned all the mac gear you have & it will pair well with the lascala's,as boa2 suggested above silver wire will make a big difference,i never got around to rewiring my khorn's with silver wire but i did do a pair of cornwall's i had,you can use silicone caulking also to dampen the horn's without any damage as it will peel right off if you dont like the change or if you decide to resell them.

boa2, i see you updated your rig pic's to include the new mc7200,it look's great in your rig,how do you guy's like it so far?

mike.

Rives comments about the Klipsch's dynamics are almost an understatment. In the early 1990's, when I was in Japan teaching graduate courses at U.S. military bases, I worked part-time selling audio gear for the base exchange system. Among the brands that I sold were Klipsch and Adcom. We had a pair of LaScalas and also K-Horns being driven by a pair of Adcom 565 monoblocks. One of the evenings I was working, several Navy CPO's came in wanting to hear the Klipsch, and I demo'ed them by playing the final passages of the Telarc "1812 Overture". When the cannon shots fired at the end of the piece, the two guys nearly jumped out of their chairs, and within moments several employees and the floor manager came running into the demo room, thinking there had been an exposion of some kind. I had a good laugh, and ever since then, Klipsch has been synonymous in my mind with dynamic range.