Picking up speakers next weekend...
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 545 Registered: Feb-04 | If I actually go through with this (in spite of finances), I'm driving many hours to buy and pick up some speakers next weekend. Those who know me here probably know what I would buy, and most of you wouldn't agree with my choice, so I'm not splilling the beans until after it's done. I'll report back after I have them and have listenned to them in my home. :-) |
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Bronze Member Username: VgtvidzPost Number: 41 Registered: Jul-04 | I better be some Klipsch =) |
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Bronze Member Username: VgtvidzPost Number: 42 Registered: Jul-04 | it better be some klipsch* |
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Bronze Member Username: MauimusicmanPost Number: 59 Registered: Apr-05 | So you're finally caving and getting some GMA's? Good choice Peter. Although, if it were me, I would have gone for the Klipschorns. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 546 Registered: Feb-04 | I'm that transparent am I? Yup... I am that transparent. Let the flaming begin.. |
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Bronze Member Username: MauimusicmanPost Number: 60 Registered: Apr-05 | Klipschorns are fine speakers which definately appeal to a lot of people stylistically as well as sonically; nothing to be flamed for IMO. Now if you said you were going for some Bose cubes, that would be a different story. |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 434 Registered: Feb-05 | Hi Peter, I hope you enjoy whatever speakers you get. Nothing quite like being satisfied with an audio purchase. Enjoy the music! |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 548 Registered: Feb-04 | Thanks Maui, Now I wish I knew who you really are! Soon you'll be a silver member, can you believe that? You either love or hate Klipschorns. I know what I'm getting into since I've owned La Scala's for a long time, and recently discovered how great they sound when you give them some room (18' apart). But people say the Klipschorns sounds even better than La Scala's helped by a sub, so I'm looking forward to trying them out. If they don't work out because of my room, I can sell them for the same price I'm paying so no great loss except the gas and time to pick them up. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 549 Registered: Feb-04 | Thanks Arthur! I guess I was composing a reply while you posted... Anyone coming through my area (yeah, right!) can visit and see and hear what those big pieces of furniture are all about. They weight more than Paul's new sub! |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 550 Registered: Feb-04 | Hey VGT Vidz! You PMed me but there's no email to reply to and you don't accept PMs, so I can't reply! |
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Bronze Member Username: VgtvidzPost Number: 43 Registered: Jul-04 | Hahaha, oups, let me fix this, between, If I ever go in your area some day (which I doubt), I'll give you a call, hehe. As a Klipsch fan, I will certainly enjoy them! |
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Bronze Member Username: VgtvidzPost Number: 44 Registered: Jul-04 | I'm not sure if it worked, anyway, here's my email vgtvidz@hotmail.com Thanks |
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Bronze Member Username: MauimusicmanPost Number: 62 Registered: Apr-05 | BTW, what is going to happen to the La Scalas? |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 564 Registered: Feb-04 | The La Scala's are going to be my surround speakers. I only have room for 5.1, so Klipschorns in front, La Scala's rear, Heresy center and Hsu STF-3 sub. I know a La Scala would be best as center but there's not enough room over my 52" RPTV (non-HD). Maybe in a few years when I upgrade everything to HDTV (TV, PVR, DVD player). It should sound migthy good on multi-channel music. So far this means concert DVDs since I don't have a universal (DVD-A/SACD) player yet. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 571 Registered: Feb-04 | Here's the right side my my HT setup, with (half of) the new addition in the front-right corner: <img> Hope that image insertion worked... |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 572 Registered: Feb-04 | Why didn't the image tag work? Paul posted a picture of his sub a while back, so i know it can be done... |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 573 Registered: Feb-04 | Okay... Here's goes...  |
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Bronze Member Username: MauimusicmanPost Number: 66 Registered: Apr-05 | Sweet stuff. Everything else looks kind of piddly in comparison.. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 574 Registered: Feb-04 | Yeah, as paul would say: "This is no petite 'girlyman' speaker."  |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 215 Registered: Jan-05 | Heh that thing is huge. Cute kid by the way. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 575 Registered: Feb-04 | Thanks! She's turning 4 this summer. |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 216 Registered: Jan-05 | Well, enjoy them Peter. I dont think anyone will ever say you have girlyman speakers. Even your "surrounds" are bigger than most people's mains. |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 495 Registered: Feb-05 | Now those look like some serious speakers. Paul would approve! I hope you're diggin'em. |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 217 Registered: Jan-05 | Also, out of curiousity, did you get my PM Peter? |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 576 Registered: Feb-04 | Stealth, If you mean the one last week or so. Yes I did. :-) Strangely, I can post with my username but can't "log in" to change my profile or check PMs'. But I got one via email from you last week. Hmm... I was sure someone was going to ask me how these babies sound? ;-) |
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Bronze Member Username: MauimusicmanPost Number: 67 Registered: Apr-05 | We figured you would get around to that  So, how do they sound, particularly as compared with the La Scalas? |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 578 Registered: Feb-04 | Okay... Let's start with the beginning. The La Scala's. Let me borrow some text I posted to another forum... I've had my La Scala's for close to 25 years (but spent 12 of those away from them when I left for grad school and until I bought a house and finally finished the basement). For the last 4 years, they have been in a room sized 11'x30', along the 11' wall and with me sitting around 12' away. For most of that time, they were snug in the corners. I only started to toe them in a bit last fall, about the time I added the Hsu STF-3 to the setup. Adding the Hsu openned up the sound quite a bit, like a whole new speaker. The La Scala, however big it is, has nice tight bass, but only to 53 Hz at -3dB. A few weeks ago, I decided to see if my room could accomodate Klipschorns and I put the La Scala's on the long wall about 18' apart (not using the full length of the room), toed-in at 45 degrees to simulate KHorns. I figured if it worked I could build a small wall for the khorn's corner. With the speakers in this arrangement and seated in the middle, the horns both line up on me. I listenned to some Holly Cole and some Norah Jones. Everthing I put on had the same effect... Instead of the usual soundstage, with voice in the center, bass on one side and piano on the other, the speakers simply disappeared. The voice weren't in front of me, they came at me from the front. It sounded like the sound really emmanated from there. I sat my wife down in the sweet spot and asked where the voice was coming from. She pointed to the Heresy center channel. I asked if the sound was simply centered or whether she thought the Heresy was playing it and she said the Heresy was playing. She couldn't believe it when I said it was not on at all. None of the instruments appeared to come from the La Scala's. Each has it's spot and it felt like the speakers themselves were quiet. It was eery. So I may look stupid here. Perhaps you all experience this every day and this is normal. But I had never felt it so real before. It's amazing! Fast forward to buying the Klipschorns... They are a lot bigger than I remembered them from 25 years ago! They do disappear in terms of square footage after you push them into corners, but the front facade is still enormous. Like having two huge monoliths in the room. The pictures do not do their size justice. My initial impression was that they sounded very similar to my La Scala's and sub duo, only they don't need a sub at all. Unfortunately, I could not initially recreate the imaging I get with the La Scala's. The sound was coming from everywhere, the singer was coming from both speakers and wasn't imaging in the center at all. Then I decided to flip the phase of one speaker and BAM, the imaging was back! Strangely, I quickly checked my wiring and couldn't find any inverted cable. There's the AVIA Home Theater calibration DVD that I can borrow from a friend to see whether it is inverted of not, but it's staying like that anyway because that's what sounds good. On 5.1 content like Diana Krall's Live from paris DVD, having those up front with La Scala's in the rear is FANTASTIC. The piano is spread over all channels and the sound is incredible, much better than with unmatched speakers in the rear (more so than I would have thought; it allows 3D soundstaging). The drums (on track 7) are clear, dynamic, effortless, crisp and nothing boomy; those sounds come from the Klipschorns (not the sub). They sounded very good on the La Scala and sub duo, but now it's so good I melt listening to it. The Klipschorns don't sound quite as loud as the LS even with the same SPL level. They are smoother and a bit less forward and you can push up the volume before overloading your ears and senses. The sweet spot is larger; if I moved by a few inches I'd loose it with the La Scala and it's more like a few feet now. The bass is tight and incredible, the mids are silky smooth. They are a definate step up from the La Scala. Am I happy? You bet! |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 498 Registered: Feb-05 | Great review Peter. I have the Norah Jones CD's and the Diana Krall DVD so I can feel ya. |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 218 Registered: Jan-05 | Glad to hear you are enjoying them. The wiring thing is weird; perhaps the previous owner made some internal modifications? Either way, if it works, it works. As far imaging goes though, placement is always a factor. For me though, I finally realized not too long ago that music sans subwoofer wasn't a bad idea. My mains are good down to about 50Hz or so with a very gradual roll off beyond that, and for some reason, I find that they image and soundstage a hell of a lot better than with the sub playing. Go figure. Of course the question is, now that you have what is by many accounts the perfect speaker, where will upgraditis strike next? |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 579 Registered: Feb-04 | I borrowed the AVIA calibration DVD to check the phase and it looks like my inversion is correct. I had moved the sub and used the test tones to check its level calibration and it hadn't changed with its new location. But for fun I switched the sub to Off on the receiver to redirect the sub content to the main speakers and the SPL didn't go down on the AVIA test tones. I don't know what frequencies they use, but the KHorns are handling them without breaking a sweat. They put out a lot of bass. I have a CD with test ones and I put on 31 Hz and had one channel outputting 92 dB with the receiver set to -30 dB, and the second have be better placed for that frequency in my room because it was over 100 dB at 31 Hz at -30dB on the dial. What will I get next? Well, I still don't have a universal player, my DVD player dates from 2000, the center speaker could be switched to a Klipsch vertical Cornwall,... and I want to upgrade my crossovers (or at least freshen them up). But I promised my wife that there would be little else this year. :-) If you come by my way, drop in and listen! |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 219 Registered: Jan-05 | I was stupid enough to promise my wife I wouldnt want anything new for several years...Ohh well, fortunately I can tweak my speakers to my hearts content. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 580 Registered: Feb-04 | :-) I was just looking at the Solen.ca web page. Buying caps as parts doesn't really count as an audio purchase, does it? :-) |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 220 Registered: Jan-05 | Theyre pretty cheap (respectively). I can't imagine you taking too much flak for them. Then again, it depends on your wife I suppose. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 583 Registered: Feb-04 | No comments from Paul yet? |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 507 Registered: Feb-05 | Give Paul time, I'm sure he will show his appreciation. I'll bet you can get some serious spl's goin' on. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 585 Registered: Feb-04 | Serious SPLs... Yeah, with 4 speakers rated at 104 dB at 1W and 1m, it's prett easy. But I still do most of my listening at 90 dB or less. They sound great at low volume too! :-) Art, that B&W sub looks sweet! Nice finish on it too! |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 509 Registered: Feb-05 | Thanks Peter. I do most of my listening below 90db as well. I want to be hearing great music through these nice systems for many years to come. |
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Bronze Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 73 Registered: May-05 | Peter Hi there. Playing a 31Hz sinewave at100dbc I bet your ears must be ringing after that, and the roof tiles sliding of the roof! Heheehe....go for it And I thought I had lost the plot! Ashley |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 603 Registered: Feb-04 | Actually, 100 dB at 31 Hz on C-weighting isn't that loud to your ears. |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 221 Registered: Jan-05 | The nice part is that it takes a fraction of a watt to do it. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 658 Registered: Feb-04 | Just an update. I tried the HT setup on all 3 walls and ended up on the same wall as on the pictures. I tried the Klipschorns on the far wall, 11' wide. They sounded technically correct but the soundstage was (1) very small, (2) partly behind the wall and (3) sounded like bookshelf speakers 30 feet away! So they are back 18' apart, and man do they sound sweet! You can cut the soundstage with a snife! The lead vocalist usually sounds like she's coming from the speaker on top of the TV, and that's in stereo when that speaker is not working. Very nice. That's a Hsu STF-3 on the picture, second from the right on the far wall. Looks small huh? It looked huge when I unpacked it last fall! |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 225 Registered: Jan-05 | Time to get a top of the line SVS to match! Seriously though, enjoy the setup and have a good weekend. The whole thing looks pretty sweet. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 659 Registered: Feb-04 | Stephen, The Hsu does the job on movies, never bottoms out, and seems-in well on music. For movies, I crossover the mains at 40 Hz, the surrounds at 60 Hz and the center at 80 Hz. For CDs, I can either set the mains to large without the sub, or set the sub to [R+L] with crossover at 40Hz. I realise most people with this much invested in speakers have a more expensive sub, but the Hsu is very musical. Works very well. You wouln't believe drums on this setup. They sure sounds real! |
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Bronze Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 24 Registered: May-05 | Ok Peter, I take that back, the Stonehenge IIs are humongous but not by your standards. BUT, they're pretty, dang big compared to what I've been looking at. Very cute young lady, BUT either she needs to grow some, OR, you've got to get some HT speakers of normal size. These are HUGE!!! If you want the Stonehenge IIs for side surrounds, let me know and I'll make you a great deal. You can get them reconed and no one will be able to get near your house if you run the amp at about -20. LOL and ROTFL. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 660 Registered: Feb-04 | Stephen, I only just now realised that you are Stealth_c. Cool. David, So that's what those Altec's are... I can't find much info in the web. I'm already using the La Scala as surrounds and they timbre-match the Klipschorn perfectly since they use the exact same drivers and crossovers. But seriously you should look into using them again! They must sound good! Are they bigger than the Klipschorn? Are they horn-loaded? Altec Lansing is quite well known for their vintage horns... I'm intrigued! Get me some info on them! |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 661 Registered: Feb-04 | David wrote: Very cute young lady Thanks. :-) She's almost 4, and a big tall for her age actually! :-) ...a real sweety. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 662 Registered: Feb-04 | David wrote: one will be able to get near your house if you run the amp at about -20 Both the Klipschorns and the La Scala output 104 dB at 1W/1m. -20dB on the dial is pretty loud. What's the efficiency of the Stonehenge? |
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Bronze Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 25 Registered: May-05 | Peter, Almost no information on them anymore. They are not horn loaded like the "Studio standards", I almost bought those instead, they were $749 a piece and he offered them at about $600/pair. They had the giant horns on top and they were the same model as they sold commercially to theatres, except with the cool solid oad or solid maple cabinets. I wish I had more info. but several moves and many years later, not much left in the way of paperwork or brain cells, I'm afraid. They're not as large as the Klips, the Studio standards were about that size, though. These are about 3' x 18" x 18" or so. They're fairly substantial and weigh about 50-60 lbs a piece. They sounded great and I may look into the reconing. I could always use them downstairs with my old Denon AVR1500 for 2 channel. It's a great thought. Enjoy that new system, that has to be some incredibly serious sound going on in your HT. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 663 Registered: Feb-04 | Early, Stephen wrote: The wiring thing is weird; perhaps the previous owner made some internal modifications? The previous owner had unhooked the regular connections on the crossover (where you are meant to attach your speaker cables) to add banana plug connectors, but only on one speaker. A very careful examination of where the wire went on the crossover uncovered that he had inverted the red and black colours! I hope he didn't sell them because he couldn't get them to image! :-O Anyway, he's using B&W 801 now, with a Yamaha RX-V1 receiver and Pas X250 amplifier. He's happy, and I'm happy. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 664 Registered: Feb-04 | David, Yeah, that big Altec horn is said to be fantastic. Some people mod the La Scala and use that horn instead. It takes up the entire top bin! My brother bought Altec Lansing speakers about 15 years ago and loves them. He told me that Altec Lansing started making them again, but only on special order (so no rebate on them either). I'll ask him what his model is. He might actually be interested in your speakers because he only has two of them and will be using them for HT eventually (when he gets around to finishing his basement and building the HT room). |
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Silver Member Username: Stealth_cDublin, CA USA Post Number: 229 Registered: Jan-05 | It figures. Although one would think he would have been able to figure out what the problem was since it happened after he modified them. Ohh well, your gain. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 665 Registered: Feb-04 | Yeah, or maybe he never noticed the problem. They still sound good with one phase reversed. They fill the room with sound, as Paul would say. But they don't image. Perhaps he didn't notice. He certainly didn't let on that he didn't like them or that they had a problem. I auditioned his B&W 801 system and didn't think that they imaged particularly well in his setup either. My gain! Except I paid market price for them, and maybe a bit more than I should have. So I didn't make out like a bandit. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 679 Registered: Feb-04 | David, It turns out my brother's speakers are the 510S: http://www.alteclansing.com/product_details.asp?pID=510S |
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