cjgeraci

Agree. I ran a Rotel 1080 with a nice Classe preamp with my modded RF-7s for awhile (back in the day). Then, I ditched the 1080 for a QSC PLX 1202. Much smoother on the top end, with nearly as tight bass. I would look at QSC. Carl.

Congrats on the RB-75s. Back in my Reference days, I "almost" enjoyed those speakers more than my modded RF-7s (again - almost). I do think the top is padded down compared to its larger brethren. Also, from what I recall, the model number of the 1.75 inch compression driver for the RB-75 was different from the RF-7 and RC-7 (both share same model number) so it "may" be that the 75s have a different top end driver. I've always thought that they were the most underrated and underappreciated Klipsch speaker. Carl.

That makes total sense Gary. You have a superb tube in there. It don't get any better than what you have. Mark, great idea to offer the 6H30 upgrade for those Juicy loyalists out there (me!!!). As you may recall, my Peach I is set on your superloz mode ninety-nine percent of the time. I run the two Siemens CCas in the superloz slots, and a nice (but not fantastic) Amperex in the BB slot. Very quiet - and magnificient sound. Given that I run the superloz mode all of the time - and with Siemens CCas in those slots, would I benefit from a 6H30 upgrade? Like Gary, I love my "Rolls Royce" Siemens CCas, but I'm always interested in learning about tweaks for the future. And even the CCas should last virtually forever, you never know somtimes....... Also, do you still offer the Peach remote upgrade for existing units? As always, thanks for your thoughts. Carl.

Beginning 2008, I was sitting pretty having eliminated tweeters from my Klipschorns, after having gone to new Altec 902 drivers with my Trachorns, and having taken the Klipschorns active. But, there was still more work to do. In 2008, I experimented with various solutions to solving the Khorn bass/midbass problem (ragged response above 250 hz and needing more kick), including incorporating JBL 2118 drivers with the Khorns. On a fluke, I found my solution. I now use Forte bass drivers (and cabinets) for the bass/mid-bass of my Klipschorns covering from 300 hz to 800 hz - run by a monster vintage Crown amp. The upgrade was substantial as was that gear change...... Another notable gear change brought finality to the top end of my Klipschorns. After experimenting with many solid state and tube amps with my 902s, I stopped when I heard a Sonic Super T chip amp run by an upgraded power supply (the Kingrex stand alone PSU). Great amp for horns' top end. I also finally decided to keep my fantastic NOSValves VRDs on my modded rear Belles, especially since they carry so much water along with the Khorns up front - when listening to music. 2008. Great year for finalizing some things, gear-wise. Carl.

Pretty good deal, I would say. I picked up a 2009 Camry LE for $19,700. So, you are right there, price-wise. BTW, I traded in a 2007 GM. So, I gave one of the "big three" a shot for awhile before deciding to take another look at Hondas and Toyotas, both of which are also made in the U.S. YMMV. Carl. P.S. The big three make some great trucks and some nicer high end cars. But, they still need to pick up their game with respect to mid-sized cars, compacts, and sub-compacts.

Maron, 1st He made two condescending remarks in two seperate posts first..... Where were you then??? 2nd Who made you hall monitor?? Roger We appointed Maron hall monitor. He's earned it. Also, its not nice to say someone is "callous." Carl.

It's not nice to bash a set of speakers with such detailed and helpful comments as "lousy" without actually having heard a pair of them (or perhaps just one pair).......... Carry on. Carl.

The bunch of us in here are mostly generous, helpful, and friendly individuals. However, trolls sometimes invade the space. In this case, it was someone who fancies himself as the Semitic god named Ba' al (or the modern meaning - "demon," etc.). Beware of those who sign up in the forum and request a thoughtful discussion the first day of signup without any indication they have ever heard (or appreciated) any Klipsch - or more broadly, horns. Hey, I didn't catch it. Carl.

Looking very good. And you have a Peach - that's a leg up. Glad to see you moved to the long wall. Big improvement in my experience. I agree with Artto, however. You should really move that couch out a little from the wall. Keep up the great work. Carl.

Agreed. Having had Cornwalls and RF-7s with Dean's mod, the former will cause you to wince with metal. Also, the Corns' bass becomes flabby with certain of the hard stuff. My vote is for modded RF-7s. Carl.

Yea, yea - point well taken. The "6DJ8" is the standard design of the tube, a twin triode tube. You are correct in that when one usually refers to a "6DJ8," - one means the standard incarnation of the 6DJ8 design, usually identified in appearance by steel pins. 6922s are premium versions of the 6DJ8 design, with lower noise, lower microphonics and longer life than the standard 6DJ8 incarnation - and with most being identified by gold pins. CCas are even more special versions of the 6922s (Telefunken and Siemens). Usually matched triode sections, low noise screening, 10,000 hour plus heater life expectancy, carefully controlled frame grid winding, low microphonics, etc. Some have called them one of the most detailed and three-dimensional sounding tubes in this family of tubes. I would agree. Many people (including me) sloppily refer to CCas as 6DJ8 - probably because of their basic design. I guess in reality they are neither a 6DJ8 or a 6922 - but their own thing: http://hktubeaudio.homestead.com/files/6DJ8.html Mine are the early type of Siemens CCas from the 50s. Carl.

Thanks, Mark. Many years ago, Guy advertised a pair of them in here, and I grabbed them before anyone else really noticed. I kept the yellow/blue boxes for posterity sake. Considering the price I've seen some of them go for, it was quite a find. Carl.

Yep, that was my solution. I also have had two true NOS 50's Siemens 6DJ8 CCAs in my Peach (Superloz mode) for over four years now. I think that they are rated at something like 15,000 hours or so. After how long that I will have mine, it will end up being a very modest expenditure. Dead bang quiet, and the best pre tube I have heard. Carl.

Thanks for the info. I'm going to xover at 600hz with steep slope. 600 hz with steep slope - no problem. You'll enjoy their sound. Carl.

Now this is a statement I find very very interesting. Is this without digital eq and boost etc. I've been reading about the 902 drivers and have not found a bad thing written about them. Yes,without digital eq or boost. A number of people in here and some other forums insist that you need a compensation circuit with the 902s or something similar (ala eq or boost) to get them to sound "right" due to the emphasis on the midrange and/or because of their measured response. I have not found that to be the case. I bought a new set of 902s from Great Plains Audio and have been running them with Trachorns for awhile now. Cymbals and other items in the upper registries are clear and refined to me, and the driver sounds balanced. I run active crossovers now up front, and the 902s are run by a Sonic Impact Super T chip amp with its own separate stand alone power supply (PSU), the Kingrex model (stand alone PSUs make a big difference with the little chip amps). Sheltie Dave, Maron, and others can also attest to their sound over here. The ultimate test is how does it sound.......... Carl. P.S. Some day down the road after I get some bills paid off, the plan is to convert the rear Belles to two-ways with 902s in the rear - with the Belles probably staying passive. That would finish everything. I'm going to have to give this a try. Bear in mind that there are certain limitations with the 902s. Unlike phenolic dias, which go lower on the bottom end much more easily, 902s have aluminum dias. Altec recommended running them no lower than 500 hz on the bottom, and I've known people that crossed them over that low on the bottom. Terry crossed his pair of 902s over at 400 hz first order on the bottom - and I do not believe he ever had a problem. Personally, I get into the volume too much, spl-wise, to have ever taken a chance by crossing them over at 400 hz. They could probably take it so long as a volume junkie was not laying into the volume knob. For about three months, I crossed the 902s over at 500 hz, 18 db and 24 db slopes, with my Khorns and there did not appear to be a hole in the 350-500 hz range with the Khorn bass bin. As you probably know, whether the Khorn bass bin can cleanly do 400 hz-500 hz has been a controversial subject over the years and there are plenty of discussions about that in the archives. Of course, when using 902s with LaScalas, Belles, or even Cornwalls, you have more flexibilty because you can move that crossover point higher with those bass bins/horns. When I eventually grab a pair of 902s for my Belles, I am going to cross them over at 700 hz on the bottom. 902s do sound cleaner the higher that you can cross them over on the bottom end. As Maron knows, after I lived with the 902/Khorn combo for awhile - I then went insane and ended up adding reinforcement to the mid-bass. But that's a whole 'nother discussion for a different time. I currently cross over my 902s at 800 hz on the bottom. I will say, however, that they sounded very good crossed over at 500 hz on the bottom. They sound even better crossed over at 800 hz - and the difference is only really noticeable when I really like to lean into the volume knob. Good luck if you take the 902 plunge. Carl.

Now this is a statement I find very very interesting. Is this without digital eq and boost etc. I've been reading about the 902 drivers and have not found a bad thing written about them. Yes,without digital eq or boost. A number of people in here and some other forums insist that you need a compensation circuit with the 902s or something similar (ala eq or boost) to get them to sound "right" due to the emphasis on the midrange and/or because of their measured response. I have not found that to be the case. I bought a new set of 902s from Great Plains Audio and have been running them with Trachorns for awhile now. Cymbals and other items in the upper registries are clear and refined to me, and the driver sounds balanced. I run active crossovers now up front, and the 902s are run by a Sonic Impact Super T chip amp with its own separate stand alone power supply (PSU), the Kingrex model (stand alone PSUs make a big difference with the little chip amps). Sheltie Dave, Maron, and others can also attest to their sound over here. The ultimate test is how does it sound.......... Carl. P.S. Some day down the road after I get some bills paid off, the plan is to convert the rear Belles to two-ways with 902s in the rear - with the Belles probably staying passive. That would finish everything.

Tjnif, I also agree with your impressions in the quantifiable differences between Trachorns and xtremes - with the Trachorns making much more of a difference. I also first used Trachorns with ALK universals and the improvement was dramatic. Then, I switched to extreme slopes with the Trachorns. The ALK universals are a little fuller sounding at "wife tolerating levels," but I usually let it rip downstairs in excess of that volume (high spls) - which is where the extremes really shine and have the advantage due to far less overlap between the drivers (almost none). Carl.

All kidding aside, I thought I would never get "done," until recently and then I took a couple more steps - and now I'm done. Honestly, even if I really really loved a pair of Jubs after hearing them (which I'm sure that I will), they would have to coexist in my house with my modded Khorns - because I have the Khorns where I want them. I agree that in your situation, the K55/Trachorn combo would be pretty hard to beat as far as a three-way configuration goes - especially since you have Al's extreme slopes. Those networks really help the K55 by cutting off its "interesting" upper end - to a glaring halt. In fact, I still run K55s in my rear Belles with extreme slopes (with Altec 511 horns). As far as tweeters go, boy that is highly subjective. I've owned Crites' tweeters, the Beymas, and JBL 2404s, and have swapped back and forth between the three in the past couple of years. Some really prefer the Beymas over Crites, but others feel just the opposite. My Beymas are actually sitting on a shelf - so if you want a reasonable price on a used pair - let me know. About eight month ago, I went back to Crites' tweeters in my rear Belles and are very happy with them, and my JBL 2404s went to my living room JBLs (my Khorns up front no longer use tweeters - the magic of Altec drivers). Again, you are in a pretty good place with the Khorns set up as they are. You may want to just stand pat with your Khorns for awhile, listen to a pair of Jubs and then decide if you want to make the upgrade. I think Craig's suggestion is pretty good (NOSValves) that one should give major upgrades six months to settle in and evaluate - so that you have a proper point ot reference for any future upgrades. In the meantime, its all good.............. Carl.

Now that idea makes sense. After the great deal you got on the speaker, why not spend a bit to make it comfortable? Now the ? is should the rear be open or enclosed. Easier enclosed but is there any harm to sonics by wrapping an enclosure around the center; or L/R for that matter? Congrats, and welcome to the center Belle club. No harm in closing off the back if that is easier. Good decision to not split her up. I've had various TVs above my center Belle for a number of years now, and a Belle is still my all-time favorite center, both aethestically and sonically. Three Belles up front is so very sweet (my last setup). Again, congrats and enjoy. She's beautiful. Carl. P.S. The top of a Belle is not shielded. I do not know if microdisplays are affected by magnetic pull from below (like the old CRTs were). If they are, you may want to get some bucking magnets or a lead sheet like I have used on the top of your Belle.

I just could not displace my pretty ladies for a speaker upgrade. Belles Rule! Also agree on the beautiful ladies. That's why when I decided to go with the modded Khorns up front, I could not part with my walnut Belles. They just moved to the rear. But, they are not neglicted, however. All of my music listening is done with both sets on. Also agree about Craig's incredible VRDs - since they power the rear Belles. Carl.

Yes, you need to hear a pair of Jubs, but I would not yet contact your Klipsch pro rep with your Visa number to buy a pair of Jubs without hearing them for yourself and quantifying the improvement. Dean makes some astute comments. He is one person in here who has owned a pair of highly modded Klipschorns (with Trachorns and upgraded mid drivers - JBL 2470s, and Beyma tweeters), and also a pair of nice stock Jubs - with both sets run by quality gear. I have owned Al's Trachorns for a number of years now and have run them with various networks (including Al's extreme slopes and now active) and with many different drivers. They are a major step up from the stock K400 horn. There is no doubt that by the dimensions (I inch throat vs. 2 inch throat and the size of the horn), the top end of the Jub (with the K402 horn) should sound much better than the Trachorn. But, how much better is an somewhat an interesting question since I am not sure many have heard both Trachorns (with better drivers) against the K402s. To my ears, however, Trachorns have surprised me by sounding much larger than their small throat would indicate. So much so that I do not crave anything more on the top end. Mark also makes some good comments about the difference in bass sound between the Jub bass bins and the Khorn bass bins. There is no doubt that after having Belles and also Altecs up front, I ended up missing some "punch" in the sound when I switched to Khorns up front. I ended up remedying that in a rather unconventional way. My only real point is not to prejudge but to listen to yourself and enjoy the journey. Heck, maybe once I hear a nice pair of Jubs I might be floored by the improvement over my little 'ol Trachorn Khorns and I will immediately whip out the plastic. But, until I quantify the difference, I will reserve comment. Good luck in your quest and enjoy what you have for the moment. I've heard what you are hearing (even with the stock K55 drivers), and it is pretty impressive. Feel free to pm me if you want some other suggestions on the Trachorns. Carl.

Or lose the tweeter and replace it with nothing.....[] Of course, that leads to other things.... Carl.

Hurry Folks!! Still, IMHO, the best Heritage center of all time, when you factor in looks, overall sound, and the large surface platform for your video. Carl.

Nap? I didn't think that Deb let you take a nap anymore............[|-)] At least with prisonbreak coming on..... Carl.

Congrats on the passing the cert. As always, I knew you could do it. What a pain though. As to the speakers, very, very nice. Despite what some say, I'm still a fan of D'Appolito arrays. And they have aluminum tweeters, yum! - still my choice for on top. I would love to hear them. Carl.