KLIPSCH La Scala AL5

Heritage speakers ask for heritage recordings. I reached for Masterpieces by Ellington (Analogue Productions) which is a real masterpiece in how the 70 years old recordings were extracted on to the SACD. It is mono, I mind you, but it does not rob the music of its aliveness and incredible depth. Mood Indigo was recorded in Columbia’s New York Studio that – not only back in 1950’s - was considered to be one of the finest sounding studios in the world. It was actually a rebuilt Presbytarian church and that explains generous footprint of 30 x 16m with a 15m high ceiling. Not only did the La Scala recreate the atmosphere and the ambience of the room where also Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue was recorded (and much later arrangements for The Wall by Pink Floyd) but it did so with incredible ease and openness. The sound was terrific through the Klipsch, saxophones, trumpets and trombones, supported by horn, were expected to be outstanding, however, I was taken aback by the voice of Yvonne Lanauze that was oh-so breathtakingly present even though I barely touched the volume knob. The expressiveness – and effortlessness at the same time – of the vocals was a polar opposite of your usual high-end speakers; there was absence of any push but there was absence of any pull either. The music as if existed rather than being generated by a pair of speakers.