In this review, we will be comparing Klipschorn 80th and La Scala AL5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Klipsch
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary and Klipsch La Scala AL5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Compression Horn Tweeter
- 15" Paper Woofer
- 34-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 103 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:100-400watts
- Weight:65.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 51-15/16" x 31-1/2" x 24" ( 1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm )
Klipsch La Scala AL5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer
- 2" Midrange
- 51-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 105 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:91.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 40" x 24-1/4" x 25-5/16" ( 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm )
Klipschorn 80th and La Scala AL5 are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Heritage Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary and Klipsch La Scala AL5 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Klipschorn 80th is a 2-way design whereas the La Scala AL5 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
Klipsch La Scala AL5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 2-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
Klipschorn 80th features a " K-692 with K-5-K aluminium horn Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz. On the other hand, the La Scala AL5 features a 1" polyimide diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 2" Midrange and 1 x 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer .
Frequency Response
Klipschorn 80th has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz whereas La Scala AL5 has a frequency range of 51-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Klipschorn 80th can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the La Scala AL5's min frequency of 51Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Klipschorn 80th and La Scala AL5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Klipschorn 80th sensitivity is rated at 103 dB and the La Scala AL5's is at 105 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Klipsch La Scala AL5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Klipschorn 80th can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas La Scala AL5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the Klipschorn 80th.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
La Scala AL5 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Klipschorn 80th has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary's and Klipsch La Scala AL5's external dimensions. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary has external dimensions of 1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm ( 51-15/16 x 31-1/2 x 24inch) whereas Klipsch La Scala AL5 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm ( 40 x 24-1/4 x 25-5/16inch) .
Klipsch La Scala AL5 is 184mm narrower and 304mm shorter than Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary but it is also 33mm deeper.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is approximately 4880.0cm2 / 756.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch La Scala AL5 is approximately 3960.9cm2 / 613.9inch2. The Klipschorn 80th requires 23% more surface area than the La Scala AL5 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary weighs 65.70kg / 144.5lbs and the Klipsch La Scala AL5 weighs 91.36kg / 201lbs. This makes the La Scala AL5 39% heavier than the Klipschorn 80th.
Here is a comparison of how Klipschorn 80th and La Scala AL5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
What's in the Box of Klipsch La Scala AL5?
Here are the items that come with the La Scala AL5:
- 2 Loudspeaker cabinets
- 2 Subwoofer cabinets
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
51 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
105 dB
vs
103 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1016mm
vs
1320mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
3960cm2
vs
4880cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
Klipsch Heritage La Scala AL5 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-400 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
103 dB |
105 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
34-20k Hz |
51-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
fiber-composite cone with folded horn |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Horn |
horn-loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1320.0mm (52") |
1016.0mm (40") |
| Width |
800.0mm (31.5") |
616.0mm (24.3") |
| Depth |
610.0mm (24") |
643.0mm (25.3") |
| Weight |
65.70kg (144.5lbs) |
91.36kg (201lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Horn Loaded |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
19 mm MDF with real wood veneer |
MDF/Woof veneer |
| Available Colors |
Tigerwood |
American Walnut, Black Ash, Natural Cherry |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |