Klipsch La Scala or Altec 838 speakers

So have you heard a set of Carmels then?

I have had LaScala's, currently have Klipschorns and Altec 604E and Klipsch Heresy's.  My opinion is there are equally satisfying but in different ways. Properly set up the LaScala's are very good and I would vote for them.

Decades ago, I had an opportunity to choose beteeen Klipsch La Scala and Altec 604Cs.

Speakers aren’t everything. It depends what you match them with. At the time, it was the Dyna Stereo 70 I had built myself when I was 14.

I chose the Altec 604Cs.

The Stereo 70 got replaced with a pair of Dyna MK IIIs, and then the Futtermans. The Futtermans are amazing. I tried other speakers: in particular, Duntech and Klipsch again. But the Futtermans love the Altecs.

It’s been Altec 604Cs, with a pair of Ds as backup. Which is a little OCD because I take care of the Cs: remagnitizing and reconing them every 15 years.

Each time, I found the Klipsch to be softer, … weaker somehow. Good for classical, but not for other material that wants more presence.

Each can have the shouty thing, but that’s corrected with better crossovers, the right tubes, and a device to (subtly) manipulate the phasing.

But basically, for me, it has been Altec for 46 years.

You may feel differently however.

That last sentence sorta negated everything didn’t it?

Thanks for all the great advice. I have decided to pull the trigger on tbe La Scalas. I am going to go give them a listen at the buyers spot and I am wondering what I should be listening for in terms of tweeter, bass & mid range deterioration .  I have owned horns (1983 Heresys) for the last 20 years so I know the coloration and the sound profile, etc. etc but I am used to my tube system and its sound and will most likely be listening on a ss amp with much higher wattage than my 2A3’s. Basically, what i can deduce on the spot that would influence my decision on what to offer on price. Thanks. 

The original EV T35 tweeter diaphragm had leads as thin as human hair that can burn up under high power. So make sure that both tweeters are working properly. And any scraping sounds from the woofer would be a concern as well.

I would also budget in a crossover rebuild, which is pretty easy and economical on Heritage Klipsch due to the way that they structure the crossovers on boards. While you are doing that work, spin the woofers around 180 degrees to take the pressure off of the spiders and to better center the voice coil in the magnetic gap. And enjoy!