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The La Scalas' sound varies remarkably depending on amplification, and they demand and reward high quality; the prospect of them being driven by a big-box-store receiver fills me with sadness. Choosing the right amplifier to use with them wasn't entirely straightforward and required a fair amount of trial and error. The Klipsches' sky-high sensitivity may suggest otherwise, but a single measurement never tells the whole story. I listened to them with five amplifiers controlled by the superbly transparent and tuneful PrimaLuna EVO 400 line stage; here's what I heard.

Ayre AX-5…

Description: Three-way horn-loaded loudspeaker. High frequencies: Klipsch K-771 compression driver with a 1" polyimide diaphragm loaded with a polymer Tractrix horn. Midrange: Klipsch K-55-X compression driver with a 2" phenolic diaphragm loaded with a polymer exponential horn. Bass: Klipsch 15" K-33-E woofer with fiber-composite cone loaded with an 8' bidirectional folded horn. Crossover frequencies: 450Hz, 4.5kHz. Frequency response: 51Hz–20kHz ±4dB. Sensitivity: 105dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: "8 ohms compatible."
Dimensions: 40" (1016mm) H × 24.25" (…

Analog sources: Garrard 301 turntable in a Box Furniture Co. plinth; Thomas Schick 12" tonearm and headshell. Dynavector Te Kaitora Rua, Hana Umami Red, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, Ortofon SPU Classic G, and Zu/Denon 103 cartridges.
Digital sources: Lejonklou Källa, Sonnet Morpheus, and Denafrips Iris DACs; Sonore ultraRendu; Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i5 server running Roon Core.
Preamplification: Shindo Aurieges and PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamplifiers; Manley Steelhead RC, Sutherland Little Loco, and Parasound Halo JC 3+ phono preamplifiers.…

Because of the Klipsch La Scala's bulk—it weighs 201lb—I measured the speaker in AH's apartment. I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the La Scala's behavior in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 mike for the nearfield and in-room responses. The loudspeakers were driven by the Manley Mahi Mahi amplifiers AH used for his auditioning. For the measurements, I left off the grille that covers the high-frequency and midrange horns, as AH preferred the sound without them.

The La Scala's sensitivity is specified as an…

I remember a Saturday morning around 30 years ago, when I just happened to be at Sound by Singer, the New York City audio salon, watching this wizardy German fella named Joachim Gerhard unbox the newest speaker in his line, Audio Physic. I remember how bright the sun was as it streamed in through the windows, forming a wall of light behind him and silhouetting two implausibly thin box speakers. Their silhouetted forms displayed proportions similar to the World Trade Center.

I was taken aback by how Gerhard set up these thin twin towers…

Setup
In my room, Heretic importer and Fidelis Audio principal Walter Swanbon set the AD614s on custom 12" Fidelis stands about 20" from the wall. In that position, they played big soundstage-wise but were a little lean through the midrange. After he left, I experimented by moving them first forward some, which made them leaner and brighter. So then I tried moving them backward, ending up with the two boxes no more than 6" from the wall behind.

Sitting on the Fidelis stands, the 614's tweeters were 27" from the floor. My normal listening position places my ears 33" to 36"…

Younger people (post-Boomer generations) listen to a ton of music—but are they really listening? Are they paying close attention, or, as the cliché goes, is it, for them, all background music? Generational clichés are rarely accurate. Of course they actually listen. Enough of them are, anyway. And they…

The police…

At AXPONA 2022, I eagerly…

I changed brands of speaker cable and interconnects, but inasmuch as I could hear changes, the sound remained dull. To make sure I hadn't inadvertently made some other important change in the system…