TommyK

Exotic speaker wire is a marketing triumph. I take my hat off the boys at Monster that started this trend 20 odd years ago. Impressive. Who would have thunk that so many would believe that the basic laws of physics would not apply to 6 feet of stranded copper? Peace, TommyK

Buy a Super T digital amp for 139$, wait for it to arrive, then send your St-70 to NOS Tubes for upgrades. When the ST-70 returns, swap between the two as your heart desires enjoying that you have two examples of amplifiers that each do somethings better than just about any amplifier out there, and that no one amplifier can do it all, and that you have for around 700 bucks all in achieved what many audiophools spend 10 times trying to re-create. Then again, that is just my 2ct. Peace, TommyK

goto http://www.slimdevices.com/ also google squuezebox and audio and read the reviews. Peace, TommyK

I'll post a review in a week or two. Cheers, TommyK

Congrats. I love my Belles. What are you driving them with? I use various tube amps - an Ostby rebuilt Scott 340B, A Nobis Cantabile, A pair of Mac MC-30s, and when the mood strikes me, various SS amps (Marantz, Mac, NAD, Pioneer, Nikko, Tri-path) as well. When it comes to amplifiers, I believe in serial monogomy. Again, good purchase, TommyK

I'd say the price on Belles has jumped 30% in the last year. Now only if I hadn't shorted google on the break I could brag to my wife about what wise trader I am. Buy low, sell high. Peace, TommyK

Strange question, but does anyone have any ideas where else Heritage Klipsch is a big seller? Is there a big Cornwall following in Finnland, but not so much in Eastonia? Is Hope busy shipping K'horns to New Zealand, but only sells a pair a decade in Korea? Is the Cult of the Belle strong in Turkey but nary a Heresy in Romania? (Has anyone thought of doing a google map of the members here?) Thanks in advance, TommyK

So many great Marantz Amps ... My pick for sleeper Marantz amp is the 1060b. The earlier version1060 has a following and is a great SS amp. The 1060b though doesn't get the same press as the older unit. An oversight IMHO due to a preference for older Marantz, and the fact that the design of the 1060 is more classical. The 1060b has those awful sliders that were popular in the late 70s. The 1060s have been ebaying for $100-200 where as the 1060b often go for the opening price. I haven't done a side by side comparison of the two, but have heard them both with Klipsch gear, and was duly impressed with each. The 1060b has pre-amp jumpers as well. Peace, TommyK

Yeah. Part of my audio quest is to bring out those "ah" moments. Beth Orton's voice can raise the hair on my arm. Haunting. George Lewis' Clairnet. When Jerry Garcia is in the pocket on a Dark Star. A CSN harmony. Qutoing Brian Wilson - Dont know where but she sends me there. TommyK

"Flat" is such a negative. But compared to the Belles, in my set up, voices were *flat* as in not as *vividly present*. It comes down to trade offs. The imaging with the SGMa was THERE in bold caps. But the energy did not compare to the Belles. They didn't raise the hair on the back of my arms. Two discs I played which showed the difference were Amos Lee, a singer songwriter out of Philly, and Beth Orton. The Belles just reproduced the vocals with more realism and dynamics. My wife wishes sorely that I would get off the upgrade wagon.Yet for me, half the fun of this hobby is trying new set-ups. Next up I ordered a Behringer digital EQ. At least this one I won't have to sneak in the front door and burn brownie points. Peace, TommyK

Greetings, I picked up a pair of SGMa Maggies in great condition locally yesterday. I had always wanted to try Magnepan speakers, having heard so many good things over the years. After an evening of listening, they just dont have the dynamic feel of my 1976 Belles. Not as much life in the music. True I need to spend more time with various amps and set ups to try and get the most out of them. Possibly run a sub to help out too. Fortunately my room lets me bring the panels 3 or more feet from the wall. I used an updated Nobis Cantabile pp El34 and matching Cantabile Pre as well as MC-6200 ss int. I kept the source to CDs using a PS Audio dac and an AckDac! from various players. The SGMa did many things well for me. Great deep soundstage. Wonderful luscious mids. Just not as complete a sonic experience as the Belles. Everytime I try a new speaker path, I meet PWK walking back the other way shaking his head. Cheers, TommyK, NJ

this is the way to do it. Walk around with a video camera and narrate, and keep a back up coppy off site. TommyK

Anarchist, where you at? I am in North Jersey. I have a pair of Bottlehead 2a3 and pair of 300B SETS for you to listen to if you want to come over. The speakers are Belles. The system is currently running a MC6200. But it is easy enough to swap ICs! We could round out the session witha ppEl34 as well. Peace, TommyK

Thanks for the reply. I tried the Bottlehead SETs (parabees and paramours) on the Belles and the gain was not too much) though not using the Foreplay pre, which has a gain problem as well. But the SETs are not wife friendly - and lately I like a little Negative Feed Back - from my amps - not my wife. My Mac MA 6100, doesnt have the gain problem, but is SS and I really like the sound of the Belles with tubes. I will try a different input - stranger things have worked before. Peace, TommyK

Greetings, I have a pair of beautiful Belles (vintage 1976) in the family room. I am running a Nobis Cantabile (el34 pp 35 watt) amp and matching Proteus pre amp thru the line stage. My source is a PS Audio Ultra Link DAC and sony NSV500 DVD player. My problem is the Belles are just so efficient that I can't set the volume to moderate levels. They sound great mind you, but even turned up a RCH, I am blown away. I have swapped out the Pre for a pair of EVS volume attenuators and I can control the volume slightly better, but still not to a point that allows me to control volume as one would expect. What are my options? I have other amps in other systems in the house, eg, mc30, Bottlehead SETS, MAC MA 6100, Marantz 2275, etc, but the Nobis is the one that gets the Wife's nod for aesthetic, so I am loathe to burn 'credits' bringing in something else to pole position in the family room. Thanks in advance. TommyK, New Jersey

FWIW, I believe, the 2a3 was Mr. Klipsch's favorite tube. Both are great tubes. Do you like the sound of a Martin or a Guild? A California Cab or a French Cab? AMD or Intel? 300B's are said to have a better bottom end, but I haven't heard it. MY Rec? buy a Bottlehead Paramour or the new S.E.X. and a Parabee, build both for the price of buying one from a mfg, and decide for yourself. Peace, TommyK Paramours, Parabees, Mac 5100, MC-30s, St-70s, and various other pp El-34 amps. Belles.

Meuge, I didn't hear anything from anyone for two weeks so I put them on ebay. They sold for the buy-it-now of $875 within 20 minutes of being up. Good luck on your exams. In a few weeks I will be getting my new to me Belles in place. I'll give you a shout when I have things set up. Peace, TommyK

I wrote the guy last night asking him if he was sure it was a Cornwall. He wrote back that he was sure. Oh well, wont be the first time something was misnamed on ebay. Peace

Eugene, Thanks for asking. First, I feel like a twit b/c I offered to loan you my McIntosh preamp a few weeks ago, and then the RNC happened and and and excuses and I never got the beast to you to hear. It is still here. Second, if you come out to the house, I have about 20 med school text books I can give you. Anatomy, physiology, etc etc. My wife the Doc, wants to get rid of them. Third, if you come out to the house, we can listen to the Cornwalls thru an el34 based push pull amp and a 300B SET amp. We can listen to redbook thru an Ack! Dac, and also spin some vinyl on the thorens TT. The Cornwalls are big though, so if you are thinking about for a NYC apartment, your better bet would be to go with Heresy IIs. Which if you come out to the house I can pull from storage and we could listen to as well.... Peace, TommyK

Greetings, I have a line on a pair of Belles, and need to sell a rather nice pair of Cornwalls to make room and free up funds. My wife loves me (so she says) - but not enought to allow 2 sets of Klipsch in our small abode. $650. I can deliver to So CT or NYC or Northern Jersey for a (+- 50$) fee. Or pick up in Butler NJ. Raw Birch. The corners have some nicks, but overall the boxes are in good shape. Sonically they are incredible. The horns and woofers are in great shape. Email if you want pics. I wanted to offer to the group before I put them up on ebay ... I have a sneaky feeling, that in 5 years, you will see my post regretting selling the cornwalls .... (Final sale contingent on closing on the Belles) Peace TommyK

Hey - what happened to my pic? Damn Jpeg gnomes. First it was my blue sock - now a pic of my beloved crossover. Here we try again. And garymd, I assume you are a GD fan. My audio goal is to reproduce GD SBDs as well as possible. Right now that means Cornwalls and a Nobis Cantabile pp El34 w/ Proteus pre, spun from wavs on my HD to an ACK! DAC. If there are any shows you are missing I am pretty complete. Peace, TommyK

Here is a pic a crossover in my new-to-me 1981 Cornwalls. Can anyone tell me which crossover I have? There is no writing on them. Thanks TommyK

I have never been a big fan of Stereophile. But Mr Atkinson has been fair and approachable on the AA forums. And he seems to be addressing, or at least stating to address, a complaint that Sterophile isn't a real-world magazine giving real world advice. I have heard that they we going to review a modded Toshiba 3960! Now that would be a change - Stereophile reviewing a $50 DVD palyer with a couple of mods. I think reviewing a K'horn would be a good thing. It may be time to give Stereophile a chance to come down from the mountain and review equipment that people are actually listening to in the den. Peace, TommyK

here is a recent review of KHorns on the speaker forum at audioasylum.com the short link - http://klipschKhorn1.notlong.com I already gave my two cents. peace, TommyK

Hey, if you are in NYC, which it appears you are, you can borrow my McIntosh MC-24 solid state. If you like, we can find a fair price. I am in NJ, but work in the City several days a week usually. Peace, TommyK