Quadraphonic system, La Scala question


Hi, all. I am hesitant to post as my system setup is kinda strange (to most). First, I am into quad (vinyl and 8 track -try not to laugh, but the discreteness of 8 tracks is great). I have two quad setups in my home and actually 3 quad receivers among them. The other day, I was listening to Edgar Winter Group (They only come out at night, to be specific) in my second (lesser) quad room based on a Marantz 4430 receiver and Akai quad 8 track player with four Sansui SP-1500 speakers (in awesome shape). I was really loving the sound, so took my 8 track to my main system in my den (favorite room). Now, I am a pig, so I have in my main room two simultaneous setups. I have a home theater setup with all Axiom speakers and sub and center fed into a Yamaha rxv-2600 receiver and I enjoy a 50 inch DLP tv I just went into debt for. I also have my SACD/DVD-A, other cd players and tivo/directv fed into that receiver. But, for listening, I have a QuadBob restored Sansui 9001 receiver (double awesome) which I pass through from the Yamaha some source material using the straigt or pure button). I have a Rega P-25 turntable for stereo and SQ and QS quad listening and a Marantz 6300 turntable and AT cart/stylus for listening to CD-4 albums plugged in through the Sansui (and a Marantz CD-400 decoder). The quad setup includes 2 Klipsch La Scalas for front channels and 2 Heresys for rears. Now, I love them and have for a few years, so here is my quandary: I took that 8 track and put it in my big listening room with the La Scalas (yes - I have multiple quad 8 track player/recorders) and was dismayed by the thin, harsher not impactful at all sound coming from my Klipsch's after listening to the old lower-fi (even in their day) sansui speakers in my living room. I've never done a room to room type comparison, so was shocked at the difference in sound. The Marantz receiver hasn't even had any type of upgrading, but has a nice rich sound with those Sansui speakers. The Klipsch La Scalas have the AL crossovers update and while kinda bright never sounded so thin as with this particular tape. Well, I played some albums today while reading for hours on this site searching for some new speakers to replace the Klipschs, and they actually sounded fine. But, now I'm convinced I am missing some warmness. So I looked at info. on Paradigm Reference Studio 100s, B&Ws, and some Spendors (as well as Von Schweikerts since the guy I bought the La Scalas from upgraded to these, though he does miss the Klipsch's a bit). So, can anybody help me with such a decision? I know I'm probably a mid-fi girl compared to what I read here, but I want the best bang for the buck. I happen to like the look (they are beautifully finished) of the La Scalas and don't mind their size, but I do like bass too (and it is there, but the brightness is bright). I listen to a variety of music, mostly 70s since I'm into quad, and I like multi-channel SACD and DVD-A as well as my DTS encoded cds of quad source material. I also listen to XM off the satellite. I love everything from Grand Funk to P-Funk to Chase to Deodato to Paul Simon to Carpenters to Herb Alpert to Ted Nugent to Mancini to Aerosmith, yadda yadda. I live in South Carolina and don't have too many high end stores to shop from for higher end audio. The Spendors seem like a line of speakers I'd like as I feel like I'd like more bass, but I'd also like to turn up the volume to like 5 or 6 on the Sansui (that's pretty loud for the receiver) on occasion, though I would like a high quality sound at lower volumes too. And, here's the rub - I still love the La Scala's except for this episode I described, but now feel it may haunt me. I know the Sansui speakers driven by the Marantz are good at the little volume I used, but if I cranked it up, they'd sound much more distorted (and they have had no updating, so I'm just hoping they keep on working). And, I guess I could somehow combine my home theater with my audio, but I'd rather have my quad speaker setup go directly into the Sansui and then of course, how do I find something to replace the La Scalas and presumably the Heresy's (for a more matched up quad system)? I know this is rambling (shouldn't drink while typing) and I know this is not your calibre of "hifi," but would any of you have any suggestions? I love the warmth of my Sansui receiver, but I fear its warmth may not compensate for the now perceived brightness of my La Scalas. And, by the way, I love the sound of the Axioms in my home theater setup (if that helps you gauge my tolerance for brightness or whatnot). Well, if you have any suggestions, especially if you get what I'm trying to achieve, I would appreciate it. As I said, I'm sure this is quite the anomoly of postings, but I hope some of you appreciate the quad aspect of my listening hobby. When the quad is good, I really can have a soundstage across the front and indeed all around! If I weren't into quad, I'm quite sure I'd be a real audiophile and tinker and tinker with that two channel sound that I also happen to have an affinity for. Wish I could have an awesome stereo setup in tandem with the rest!! I used to have Adcom GFA 555s and such, but sold them to my brother as I couldn't really tell the sound difference. Oh well that is a whole nother can of worms. Thanks in advance and thanks for persisting to the end of this!
Laura (chapin99)
chapin99
Klipsch are awesome but never "warm". Also, any receiver from 3 watts up will play loud with such efficient speakers. With that said, here's my advice:

CONSOLIDATE

Get a really nice home theater pre-amp and 5 channel power amp. Run one of the quad units, using the pre-amp outs into 4 of the pre-amp in's in the HT pre-amp (you could use your yamaha but that may be the weak link). If you stick with the klipsch, you won't need a really big amp, just really nice. You can get something like an Anthem for $499 or so and it will blow away your yamaha in quality.
This way, when you want theater, you will use the HT system with the klipsch (yeh, you will have to buy a klipsch for the center). When you want quad, you will still use the same system but processing through the quad receiver. The center channel will just be silent. Some really good pre-amps will even be programmable so when set on the quad input, it will eliminate the center and set the gain for all 4 the same.
NOW for the good part: Mulit room/multi zone. You can have quad sound anywhere you want to run speaker cable to and have 4 speakers. A simple system would have nothing more than 2 volume controls (4 channels) in the remote zone. You can quite easily put quad sound in your whole house with only 1 source. You will need a second 4 channel amp.
This should reduce your clutter a tad, improve sound allow you some time to focus on upgrading 1 system instead of 3.
I have owned almost every Klipsch Heritage made. In the 33 years that I have owned them I have tried many different combinations. Back in the 70’s I also had a Quadraphonic set up as you, only with different amps. It sounded good, but nowhere to the level that I achieved later.
Now in the order of importance, I will give you a list of what I feel will make them sound great.
#1 Klipsch likes a good acoustic treated room, especially treated for the bass waves to prevent standing waves, if you get your bass correct you have a better chance of your highs sounding right. These speakers move a lot of air, so it is very important to prevent standing waves for them to sound right. They like large rectangular rooms with tall ceilings, but I have had good results in some small rooms. Example, recommended room dimensions for a medium size room would be L19.5 W14 H9.
#2 You have to put the best front end in front of them that you can afford, whether analog or digital. You can get them to sound great with either. I don’t recommend tape.
#3 I have had them sound great with solid-state amps, but to take them to the next level I recommend tubes or a combination of a tube preamp and solid-state power amp. I achieved my best sound with all tubes. They should be of high quality, but most important, the amps have to interface with Klipsch. For tubes I like CJ, Scott vintage. 300B tube amps. To get your best recommendations for solid state or amps in general go to
http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/
Thanks to both of you who responded. You have given me much to think about and plan. The consolidation idea seems a smart way to go. Also, I may have to really consider the weaker links to my setup (just bought the yamaha receiver a month ago - d'oh!). Anyway, thanks for taking the time. Think I better sit back a while and plan for the future (while saving up the funds to make improvements). Thanks again!
chapin99
La Scala problem solved!!! Seems my ALK crossovers have a fuse that can blow. I blew a fuse and lost the woofer! Now all is right with the world and they sound awesome as always!!! Rich and full. Thanks to those who helped speculate with me.
chapin99
I don't have any answers to your concerns, but your post brought back memories of one of my earlier systems from around 1973 or thereabouts. I had the same Akai quad 8-track and four of the Sansui speakers. I used a Harman Kardon quad receiver. It was a fun system.
I don't have any concerns either. I started back in the early 70's with a Marantz 4300, a phase linear 400, a pioneer pl-51 direct drive turntable with a audio tecnnica at15s shibata stylist, a jvc demodulater for the cd-4 records. I only have my 4300 in retirement now.