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LaScalla "horn" sound compared to "maggie" sound

I am quite satisfied with the sound I have with my current system, but am looking for a little spice and variety in my life.  There is a set of circa 1977  LaScalas available in my part of the country and I wonder how the sound might be as compared to my current Magnepan 1.7 set up?  I know it is apples and oranges, but I like both.  Chocolate is my favorite ice cream, but I also like strawberry sometimes.

My general understanding, or perhaps misunderstanding, is that the Lascala/horn type of speaker has the wonderful life-like midrange, are quite dynamic, won't go real low in the bass region, and may be sweet or ragged on the top end depending on who you talk to, set up, and what you feed them.

I could go listen to these, but the sources are inferior and the room would be different from mine.  I really can't get a good grip on a different sound until I can sit back in the Hefty-Boy and assimilate it slowly.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

My current system is:

TT- VPI Classic 1 with Soundsmith Zephyr cart.
Phono stage- Herron Audio VTPH2
Digital/CD- Simaudio Moon Supernova
Preamp- Herron Audio VTSP3A
Power Amp- Bryston 4BSST2
Subs- Rel T5's
abnerjack
abnerjack OP
208 posts
 
Yes indeed, nice posts by all you folks.  It has been very informative and piques my interest in the Klipsch and horns in general.  The guy had initially advertised the LaScallas on Craiglist for $1250.  That didn't seem out of line for a set of these, but then some time after having a phone conversation with him, he sent me an email apologizing for unintentionally misleading me about the price - he had meant to specify $1250 each/$2500 for the set.  This seems a little steep for a stock pair of 1977's.  I will keep my eyes open for another opportunity.  I will continue to learn and would appreciate more opinions on this type of speaker.
chrshanl37
835 posts
 
@whart,

what you said about imaging being a non issue because of the in room presence with horns was something I heard first hand recently and was exactly what I was thinking at the time. The gentleman had modified a pair of Klipschhorns with Oris horns on top driven by Welborne set amps and Hypex amps on the bass bins. It was astonishing, unlike anything I've heard from expensive stats or box speakers.

The in room presence and lifelike presentation was truly remarkable.

autospec
474 posts
 
Sir:  I own 4 pairs of Wilson's , 4-5 pairs of Pro-Ac's, 4-5 Pairs of large Altec's and 2 pairs of Lascallas and 1/2 a pair of K-horns.......I bought my LaScallas from a guy on Craiglist list for 500.00 if he would deliver them to me  (about 100 miles away)....The guy shows up with these speakers in the back of 53 chevy pick-up........He told me he bought them out of a air-plane hangar in Germany and shipped them back to his home in the US.....They looked like they had been dragged back from Germany.......They were  big time beat up.........I hooked them up to one of my 2 watt tube amps and it was over for me.........I quickly went out and bought another pair for 800.00 and carried them home, the woofers were blown up so the seller gave me back 400.00.....I cut those in half like the "VOLTI" mods and am in the process of painting them Black high gloss lacquer........Don't listen to them if you don't have room for them or you will be putting a addition on your house......autospec
tubehead120's avatar
tubehead120
35 posts
 
Good horns are "in your face" alive like nothing else.  None of the big Klipsch speakers I've heard can deliver the very bottommost bass via the horn - it would have to be too large - but that never bothered me while listening.  The condition of the crossover and tweeter really matter and upgrades can be very effective.  To me tiny Class A tube amps - the DHTs in particular - sound best with them.  These setups can stand your hair on end and blow it back.

Paul Klipsch said that the world needed a good FIVE watt amp.  The average home speaker produces about 87dB sound level output at 1 meter with 1 watt electrical input.  Klipschorns, I believe, produce 105dB. Remember that each 3dB increase is twice as loud...  the Klipschorns will play 64 times as loud as the average speaker with the same input power.  With the horn acoustically loading the drivers, they also present a very benign load to the amplifier - unlike screen speakers they are an easy load for tube amps no matter how small.
mg16's avatar
mg16
119 posts
 
I have owned both Lascalas, and Maggie 1.6. The Lascalas need a big room. I drove Lascalas with a 45 tube amp. Nothing I have ever heard approached the live like dynamics of the Lascalas in my room. I have owned scores of speakers. Only a 45 tube amp seemed to tame somewhat the "slight glare" of the high frequency horns in the Lascalas. Forget solid state. I had 2a3 and 300b, but 2 watts of 45 tube amp sounded best to me. Like I said though, it tamed them "somewhat'. I ultimatlely could not take the glare despite xover upgrades, and room treatments, and sold them. I think my 12 by 24 ft. Room size had a lot to do with it also. If I ever get a house with a larger room, I will definately find another pair of Lascalas, or Klipschorns, and 45 amp.
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