JBryan

On a lark, I picked up a pair of Heresy IIs the other week and hooked them up to see if they worked (they did). They sounded fine but the imagining and bass were a bit lacking so I went on about my business. I started to clean up the room and decided to place them on top of a pair of Cornwalls just to get them out of the way. The difference was not slight as they really began to sing and fill the room - lots of bass and a great image. Obviously they're placed too high and laying on their sides can't be optimal but I did surmise that those risers just aren't enough and stands would definitely be in order. My best guess would be to place the speakers with the top of the woofer at ear level - just seems right to me. On anothef note, I had originally hoped to use the Heresys and Cornwalls in a HT system but the wife immediately nixed the idea and wants them out of sight. I quickly found a buyer for the Heresys but ironically, he wants to work a trade for a pr of La Scalas that his wife refuses to let in the house. He wanted me to drop by the church where they're being stored and take them home but he can't take the Heresys until after the holidays. I'd love to hear the LS in my system but how would I go about explaining it to my wife? As it is, my listening room has a pr of Khorns (which she likes - thank goodness) with the Cornwalls in front and the Heresys in front of the CW. My friend tells me I should put the LS on top of the Khorns but I don't know if that will fly. On the other hand, it took my wife a week to notice the Cornwalls and she works out in that room every other day. She must really love me to put up with all these tube amps and large speakers scattered about but I'm sure I'm nearing her "line of toleration" and the LS will certainly exceed it. What to do...

I've observed that over time, the vinyl market fluctuates as most any other market does. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in interest and therefore, LP prices as those 'philes who have been either out of vinyl for years or never heard it in the first place flood the market gathering all the "sought after" titles and gear. At some point, even the hardiest enthusiasts begin considering the price/value ratio and the prices stabilize and in some cases, even fall. I think the LP market is in an ebb and thankfully, prices will begin reflecting that although I'm sure the market is still healthy - just take a look at the new table sales. Also, the issue of convenience must play a part. The reason CD technology took off in the first place was the extreme convenience it offered. The idea of not having to clean the CD each time and flip it over after 4 songs was just a godsend to most listeners and no pops and scratches was windfall. CD players quickly (10 years) took over the music market and it looked grim for the aged LP. But as usually the case, there was a bit of a backlash when prices exceeded what the average listener wanted to pay. MP3 and other compression programs became a viable alternative and for the tiny audiophile contingent, LPs were re-examined. True, there was still the inconvenience and the occassional pop and scratch but beyond that, 'philes discovered that the LP offered much better resolution and detail. Soon web groups and reviewers alike were expounding the triumph of LPs over the smeared and harsh-sounding CD. Of course, the audiophile market represents less than 10% of music and equipment sales but for a couple of years, LP sales grew faster than CD. Still there is the convenience factor and with the advent of higher bit CDs and SACDs offering sound quality which approached the LP, the market had began to shift again. There have always been 2 markets for the LP, audiophile with prices easily topping $100 for a single, used but collectable record and the "bin" sales which are represented by flea markets, thrift stores and used shops. I can still find the occassional "6 for $1" sales but recently, even Goodwill has seen the opportunity and raised their prices to $1...EACH! I think after all the hubbub, the LP market will settle back into its 3-5% niche and there will be some great deals on used tables. As long as there are audiophiles willing to put up with the hassles of vinyl, there will always be a market and as far as I'm concerned the industry will be as hard-pressed to make a digital source that offers the sonic benefit of vinyl as it is making solid state gear sound like tubes. Just my opinion of course and If you've read this far - congratulations! You must have had as much coffee as I. Can't you just smell the espresso...Bryan

Craig, You're one of the guys I referred to as able to build a xover in his sleep. I pictured your workshop filled to the rafters with caps, resistors and trannies - all waiting for a future project. I will try out different cap combinations and hopefully be able to use the some of the remainder restoring some of the old guitar amps I have laying around. You're more than welcome to what I don't use - but you may have to wait a few months. With my skills, building those xovers will move along about as fast as molasses in winter. Feel free to email me privately (jbh@comcast.net). Thanks, Bryan

Guy, Thanks for the tip. I think your suggestion makes good sense. I will rewire the drivers with AlphaCore MI2 and also use that to biwire the speakers so it seems logical to use cooper hook up wire in the xovers. I actually replaced the silver wire in my amp with cooper a few months ago for just the reason you described - it sounded too lean. Cooper did the trick. Thanks for the reminder. I have some Solen and Hovlands around from when my amps were modified but I don't think they're going to be compatable in a xover application. Of course, I'll never know until I find them. Thanks again, Bryan

Tubelion, I saw the caps on eBay but Anthony was more than fair with his pricing since I ordered several lots of his caps. 48 caps plus shipping for less than $100 - how could I possibly complain? Besides, not all his caps are on eBay so this seemed like a better solution. I appreciate your and Randy's suggestions about combining lower value caps in parallel and will definitely give it a try. That's one of the reasons I bought as many caps as I did. I guess I can clip different caps together in different configs until something clicks - then solder everything in place. I will also run the woofer without the inductor and see how that works out. If it doesn't pan out, I could always use the inductor(s) that are already in the bass cab until I can order an AlphaCore. Thanks again for all your help, Bryan

Randy, Thanks for the configuration suggestion. I would imagine that the xovers as you described would be LARGE but I'll try a few configs and decide what works best. I also have a few other caps around here somewhere that come into the equation as well. I figure that with upteen guitar amps laying around, I could always find a use for any spare caps and I don't plan on ordering too often from Tony so what the hey. Tom, You're correct. The autoformers from Universal are $24ea. (with $8 shipping). My concern with that part is whether to hook it up as per the ALK and utilize the taps as Al designed or stick with the original T2A. I'm leaning toward the UT transformer since it will give me more options. I went ahead and ordered the caps and transformer - now I can consentrate on the other parts. I'm going to find some decent wire (cooper, I think) and hopefully I can order the other parts from the same place and have everything shipped together. Then its just a matter of working up the confidence to get started. I'm certain there are some folks on this BB that could have already built 10 of these xovers in the time it takes me to decide which color wire to get, but like I said, this is my first project so a few moments of hesitation far outweigh the spectre of the big disappointment. Baby steps... Thank you all for your advice and please keep those suggestions coming - I need all the help I can get as I'm still trying to source the other parts and figure out what it is that I'm doing. Bryan

I'm slowly putting together a list of parts and sources for the modified Type A xover that's recently been discussed on the BB. Here's what I've found so far: -10uf x 630V PIO caps (6 for $25 from tonywelsh.com) -4.0uf x630V PIO caps (6 for $20 from same) -1.0uf x750V PIO caps (6 for $20 from same) -2.2uf x400V Milspec caps (10 for $10...) -1.0uf x 400V Milspec silver? caps (20 for $20...) All these are russian surplus from the Ukraine and I hope to try several combinations to hear what works best. If anyone has suggestions for better caps, I'd love to hear about it. -T2A autoformer (modiffied for the ALK) from Universal Transformer Co. (2 for $24) I would like to use this part as opposed to the Klipsch T2A because its a bit less expensive and has more taps for adjusting the drivers output. The only problem is that I'm not sure how it can be used in the network to facilitate the adjustments. Any thoughts or guidance? -AlphaCore air gap foil inductor - 2.7mH 14awg (2 for $56) I've heard both good and bad responses to this inductor but the majority seem to like it better than the others. It's also been suggested that the Khorns woofer should be run directly w/o the inductor. I want to try it both ways - with and without batting in the cabinet as I can't find a definitive solution for the best bass response. Also, would it be of any benefit to install the inductor in the bass cabinet or just keep it with the xover? I'm still shopping around for the other parts. I guess the Vampire posts are the better bargain at $4/pr compared to Cardas ($15/pr). I haven't decided whether to use CFO cooper or pure silver as hookup wire and I still haven't sourced a barrier strip so I can play with the taps. I'm sure I'm forgetting something so if anyone can point me in the right direction or suggest any other options, I'd be very appreciative. This will be my first foray into DIY and I hope this simple project doesn't prove to be to much for a novice like myself. Thanks ain advance for your suggestions and opinions, Bryan

Here's another thrift adventure I never tire of telling... I collected LPs almost unconsciously when I was in high school and college. When I moved back to the folks' house, I realized just how many I had amassed. I didn't bother to count but I had over 1000 titles that I had played once to record and "archived" to boxes and at least twice that many in thrift store and yard sale finds. I actually broke an axle pin on my Audi trying to transport a portion of the collection home. When my job and girlfriend convinced me to move me to Baltimore, I decided that I just couldn't keep up and left all the LPs and my turntable behind thinking that CDs were my future - so much more convenient... and transportable! 3-4 years passed and I thought that I was off the needle for good but one day I cruised through a thrift shop for god knows what and I saw a few stacks of LPs sitting atop a coffee table. I glanced through the top few for old time sake and was immediately stunned to find a pristine, still-in-the plastic Parlaphone copy of the Beatles' Revolver LP - in mono! As I flipped through the stack, I found most of the Beatles' entire catalogue along with the corresponding Capital titles and they were all in beautiful condition. But there was more! I found oodles of Rolling Stone, Who, Yardbirds, Bluesbreakers and Dylan titles and they were all in relatively clean, unplayed condition and with all the inserts. Imagine finding the White Album with the photos and the Live at Leeds and Dark Side...with the posters still crisp and folded. It was like someone had collected the albums I had either worn out or had never had the chance to pick up and decided to drop them off an hour before I graced the door. I was dumbfounded. I carefully collected myself and asked the shop owner how much she wanted for the LPs. "A dollar each", she said. I asked her if she had a box... To extend this story, I ended up with over 150 LPs, ended paying less than .50 ea. with a volume discount and got an earful from my boss for taking an overly extended lunch. But no matter, I was giddy - absolutely amazed with my find. The rest of the day was shot, of course. I couldn't consentrate on anything but my newfound treasure. So many titles, I forgot I had bought half of them. I drove home after work and hauled the boxes to our 8th floor apartment and spent the few hours carefully going through them, putting them in order, checking out the inserts, etc. When my girlfriend finally arrived, I was busting to show ger my good fortune. She did not share my excitement. "What are you going to do with them? You can't even play them." She was right, of course, and the spector of me hauling the rest of my collection from North Carolina into this 1 bedroom apt. didn't appeal to either of us - especially her. My brief moment in heaven had been interrupted by reality but I still hovered over my find until the wee hours. A few days later, we headed down to Bethesda to see her folks and passed a yard sale in the neighborhood. I dropped her off at her mom's and went back for a look. Almost immediately I spied a Thorens turntable and started inspecting it. It had an Audio Technica cart. with a spare. I asked the fellow "Does it work?" "Don't know", he replied. "There's a plug over there if you want to try it out." "How much?" After a short pause he said, "Twenty bucks." I paid him and after cleaning and set up, it worked like a charm. I put on the first LP (Rubber Soul, I believe) and was mesmerized. After 4 years just listening to CDs, I was shocked at the detail, intimacy and overall quality I had been missing. I can only assume it was a coincidence of fate (or the devil) which put me back in the grooves but its been 10 years since my "find" and I've upgraded my system and TT a couple of times and I've gathered almost as many LPs as I left back home. My taste in music has veered somewhat to jazz - particularly 50's and 60's monos but I still mark that day as my re-entry into LP collecting and I thank that person, whoever he/she is/was, for renewing my adventure. Of course, if my wife ever finds you....she leads with her left and hits low. Thanks for reading, Bryan

I was searching the Asylum and found a fellow named Tony Welsh of TW Tubes who is selling NOS PIO caps from Russia. A box of 6 10uf/630v PIO caps cost $25; 6-4uf/630v - $20; 6-1.0uf/750v - $20. (http://www.tonywelsh.com/paper_capacitors.html) He does a lot of business on eBay and his FB is good. I'm wondering how the Russian caps compare with the Jensen or AudioNote. Does anyone have any experience with these caps or done business with this gentleman? By my estimate, I could totally screw up the xovers 3 times before I'd have to place another order... Ha. Thanks for your help, Bryan

Forgot to ask... I just found "new" 12 & 14mH PIO Jensen caps at Welbourne Labs. Would either of these work better than the 8.2 & 4.2mH caps? What's the significance of the voltage rating? I see that the above Jensens are rated at 300VDC but I also see other xover caps with ratings up to 1000VDC (AudioNote, Angela). Should I concern myself with this or does the xover being passive make this measurement unnecessary. Thanks again for all your help.

Randy, Are you suggesting running the woofer directly and letting it roll off naturally. What's your experience with this - On the downside, is there a bump in the low-mid or does it sound muddled? Would the upside include deeper bass response or what? What are the trade-offs? Unfortunately, I can't find all the parts in one place. Any DIYers out there with suggestions on where I can source these parts? Thanks.

Guy Mobile, etc, How about this for a shopping list of parts... Jensen PIO caps (x2): 8.7uf; 4.2uf; 2.2uf 2 autoformers (T2A) from Universal Transformer Co. 2 sets of Vampire binding posts 2 AlphaCore 2.5mH inductors (bass cabinet) 3' of Cardas OFC wire 2- 10"x6" pc of MDF Is this a complete list for 2 type A xovers or am I missing something? Any substitutions or recommendations for the parts/plans? I plan to rewire the cabinets with Goertz M1 2 cooper since I already have some laying around and I will most likely try it in a biwire config. It also been suggested that I bypass the inductors altogether and simply run the wire directly to the woofer. Any thoughts on that idea? Any advice as to where I can source the parts would be most helpful. Thanks in advance for all your help and support - wish me luck and feel free to send email, Bryan

A couple of years ago, I answered an ad in the newspaper in regard to an "audiophile turntable" for sale. The gentleman couldn't give me a lot of info about the table and gave me directions with the suggestion that I "just stop by sometime". Given the price and my desire for a TT, I was there within 20 minutes. The table was an Oracle Delphi w/arm and "hardly used" MC cart. I ran it through its paces and handed him the money all the while thanking my lucky stars to have been the 1st to call. After packing it up and putting it in my car, I returned to thank him and say goodbye. During our salutations, he became quite emotional about "losing" his TT - to the point where I began to get a bit nervous about the deal. The spectre of me handing back this wonderful TT to this sobbing 50 year old flashed before me several times. I was unconsciously moving towards the door when he suddenly stopped his reminiscing and directed me to follow him down stairs. I wasn't afraid per se but then again, I'd only known this guy for about an hour and there was a tinge of discomfort in the air. At the bottom of the steps there was a large bookshelf full of LPs - 100s of LPs. He mumbled something about not needing them anymore and started loading a box. Once filled, he told me to take it to my car and began filling another box. I couldn't believe it! Now I was just floating in the moment and stood there a good minute before I came back to my senses and grabbed the box. We managed to put 8 boxes and milk crates in my car. I drove home, unloaded and returned for another 12 boxes, and then again for another 6 or so. After it was all over, I had a pile of LPs (I had to dump the records each time to re-use the boxes). In the end, I think I counted just under 1500 LPs - mostly classical and jazz but there were quite a few very 60s rock titles and even a few soundtrack and showtune albums - all very clean and well-cared for. It was a revelatory experience and I must've thanked him 50 times although my wife wasn't thrilled when she saw my "haul". One man's good fortune can be his wife's worst nightmare. I had left all my records back in NC when I moved up to Baltimore thinking I was done with them but in 1 afternoon, I literally doubled my collection and got a TT to boot! Two years later and I still haven't listened to half of this fellow's gift but hopefully, I'll have plenty of time to enjoy it. These experiences don't happen often but I feel so very fortunate to have found that ad and made the call.

I just picked up a pr of '83 Heresys and they sound pretty good considering their size. After trying them in several positions, I placed them on top of a pr of Cornwalls so the woofers were slightly above ear-level, pointed just outside of my ears. The soundstage opened up considerably and the speakers seemed more coherent with an all-round better sound. Do these speakers benefit from higher than normal placement? Anyone had a similar experience or just the opposite? Also, anyone tried putting a layer of batting in the cabinet and if so, did you percieve lower bass frequencies or did it just become flabby? Thanks, Bryan

Guy, Mobile, etc. I've been pondering the idea of building a pr of xovers to replace the AK-2s that presently reside in my Khorns. With your comments and opinions in mind, I'd very much like to try to build a modified Type A however, I have a few questions. Does the Type A simply replace the AK-2? If not, what needs to be done? What about the inductors in the bass cabinet? Should they be replaced or taken out completely? Also, with my soldering skills bordering on ineptness, I would not paint myself into a corner by pulling parts from the AK-2 - at least I'll have a fallback xover if I screw up on the Type A. Is there a consensus in regard to the parts used - caps, inductors, wire, terminals, base, etc. and where can I source them? Finally, should I lose my confidence or fail miserably, does anyone on the BB build the Type A commercially and if so, how do I contact them? I've read the wonderful reviews of the ALK xover and I'm sure it works like a charm but I use flea-power amps and feel that a simple design with premium parts will better suit my needs. I'm obviously a complete novice at this so any suggestions and advice would be most appreciated. Thanks, Bryan

HDBRbuilder - While you're professing finsihing technique, could you please pass along any tips on removing waterspots, scratches and overall maintenance of oiled and varnished finishes for older klipsch cabinets? What's the best oil and conditioner to use? Also, I have a pr. of Khorns with minor surface cracking in the varnish. Is there any simple way to re-amalgamate the varnish? As always, your help is most appreciated. Thanks.

Excellent tips. Quick question though, are the tips suggested for Laquered or Oil finishes? I have a CWII with oiled walnut finish and want to remove some water stains and scratches before I refresh the oil. Thanks again for the tips.

Thank you Wes! All the info I want and pictures to boot. Sounds like your speakers are the same model as mine so I guess I don't have to take the backs off after all - but I will. This place has a wealth of information and its so easy to tap into the experts. There should really be a charge for this. I'll keep snooping around for more details but thank you again for your help. Bryan

First, I apologize for the long post but I've recently come across a pr. of '75 Khorns and need a little help identifying the wood used on the cabinets. The wood is darker than walnut with more contrast in the veins. The veneer strips are about 3-4" wide and smaller than the walnut ( 8") so there are 10 strips used on the the front . Of the choices, I'd guess they were rosewood but they could also be teak with a dark finish. If there's anyone who has seen rosewood and teak, please help me ID this so I can clean it up and make repairs. Also, the grill cloth has been replaced with tan basketweave and there isn't a logo. What is correct? Does anyone have suggestions for rewiring the speakers and modifying the AA crossover? I also have a pr. of '72 Cornwall IIs in the basement and want to know how do I take the grill cloth off. I tugged a bit but don't think its been attached with velcro. These speakers have a single piece of walnut veneer on the top and sides and the midrange and tweeter are vertical, staggered and book-matched with the other speaker (the pie logo is affixed to the inside corner of each). I found lots of great information in the archives but I could find little about this model or style (CWO.15). Is this a designation for "normal" Cornwall IIs? Is the 15 for the woofer - I thought all Cornwalls had 15" woofers. Any information would be helpful and most appreciated. Thanks!

My brother-inlaw had the same problem. After trying to deal with the 60 cycle hum in his stereo system, we moved the TV and unplugged the cable. The hum was gone. Turns out that the cable company grounded the cable to the house ground thus creating the perfect conditions for a 60 cycle hum much like using different wall outlets for the system. The solution turned out to be a smallish 60 cycle hum eliminator/filter we found at the local electronics/computer store for $6.99. Cheap and worked like a charm. Of course, you could avoid all this by tracking down the cable ground and fixing that. Just a recent experience - hope it helps.

Jks20, Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the debate. In my opinion, $3000 is a gracious plenty for what you're looking for (especially in the used market) although I'd flip the budget - $2000 for a pre and $1000 for the amp(s). A judicious search will uncover many combos that will work well with the Khorns. If you're into Credd and their lik, you probably want that over-emphasized bass the recording companies have tended to produce these past few decades. I find it impossible to come back from a rock concert and reproduce that huge, deep bass through a pr. of Khorns which under the best of conditions, barely make it to 35hz. If you're looking to reproduce that BOOM, then horns are probably not in your future no matter what amp design you put behind them. I agree with MHomeless that subs just wont work seamlessly with horns and you'd have to spend almost as much as you did for the Khorns trying to get close. If you're in love with your speakers (and why not!), I'd suggest either a 100+w/ch push/pull or better yet, an OTL amp. Both will give you plenty of volume on the bass side and the OTL will offer a good bit of the speed and dynamics of SET. Solid State is fine and does everything well - just not as well as tubes in my limited experience (no offense non-tubers). I've tried the Transcendent T8 monoblocks (90w/ch.) and stereo (25w/ch.) amps and I found that while the monos delivered a bit more separation, they sounded very simlar with the Khorns in most respects and I couldn't justify the difference in price ($2200 and $900 respectively on the used market). I imagine that either would suit your needs as well as the T16. But if you're looking for the most realistic, seductive and moving sound to emanate from your Khorns, I'd strongly suggest an SET design and the lower the watts, the better. You'll have to give up that BIG THUMP but in return you get more detail, better, faster dynamics and oh that liquid midrange... nothing else quite like it. I went from 200w/ch. SS to 100w/ch. P/P to 17w/ch SET (845) to 3.5w/ch. SET (2A3) to OTL and finally back to the 3.5w/ch. SET (so far) and I'm looking closely at a few 1w/ch 45 amps and kits. I listen to all sorts of music including the likes of King Crimson, BLUE, Mike Keneally, and yes, even groups like Creed, NIN and Incubus. All these artists share a rather heavy-handed bass and drum section and I'm perfectly delighted with the sound through a flea-powered amp although they don't present the intimacy of 50s and 60s jazz or chamber music. Anyway, this is just my opinion and I've probably said too much already. Your ears (and what's in between) are the experts and they'll tell you what's best. Happy Hunting.

Also, I forgot to mention the noise factor. The Sun was much quieter than the Cary 845 and the Transcendent T8 and that made a BIG difference in my decision. The Cary was the noisiest, followed by the T8 and I'm sure that without the mods, the Sun would be a much more noisey amp though I don't know to what degree since I haven't heard a stock version. I was able to cut the noise floor from the T8 in half by damping the amp with some sorthebane feet and exchanging the stock Sovtek 12AX7 with NOS (which also added a bit of detail in the bass). I'm sure that either of these amps would perform wonderfully with a less efficient speaker given their higher watts/ch. but the Khorns are brutal in their ability to highlight the slightest fault in a component and an audible hiss just drives me crazy! Sorry for the rant and good luck with your system.

Arco, I just went through the A/B bug with OTLs and initially shared many of your impressions. I have however, returned to the friendly confines of a 2A3 amp. In my opinion, OTLs offer balls-to-the wall power and speed with high-efficiency speakers. They match impedances and, therefore, work particularly well with horns and are a great bridge between Push/Pull and SET designs. I have a Transcendent T8 stereo amp (25w/ch) which I compared against a Cary 845 (17w/ch) and a Sun SV2A3 (3w/ch) amp through a pr. of Khorns. The T8 matched the performance of the 845 in most respects. They both were very detailed and fast and compared with the 2A3, they had a much more pronounced bass. More volume in the bass that I thought possible from the Khorns! But when I measured the response of the amps using a test CD, I found that while the Cary and T8 produced more volume in the bass, the Sun actually charted flatter responses at lower frequencies while the Cary and to a greater extent, the T8 dropped off more severely below 45Hz. Most likely, the readings have more to do with system "synergy" than the amps which I'm sure can easily extend to 20Hz and sound better or worse in other systems so take my data with a grain of salt. Originally, I had built my system around the Cary and later modified it to suit the Sun so the tests were obviously constrained. Also, the Cary and the Transcendent were stock while the Sun was modified with upgraded parts (Black Gate and Jensen PIO caps, TKD pot, silver wire, etc.) so YMMV. I really enjoyed the sound of all the amps and each had its merits over the other but I felt that the Sun (and SETs in general) offer better imaging, a larger, deeper soundstage and more detail overrall. I just found the Sun more enjoyable in the long-run and I'm a sucker for that midrange "magic" that only SETs seem to offer me. Once again, these observations were constructed through a system that is very SET-friendly and only reflect my 'neophile' opinions but hopefully, they will add to the discussion. Current System: Oracle Delphi TT, Cal Alpha/Delta Dac/transport, Joule Electra LA100 pre, Sun SV2A3 amp, Cardas and Alpha Core (silver) ICs and cables, Khorns.

Sounds like a real adventure. I'm not sure I would classify that shop as "audiophile" - maybe audionervosa is more appropriate. I've been to a few shops that had a fear factor but I always came out relatively unscathed. 2 things - First, Magnaplanars are panel speakers, not electrostatics. Similar principals but different applications (like compression drivers vs. cones). Second, most panel speakers require far more than 45 watts to adequately drive them, especially the bass panels. Good luck with the monos. They should be more than enough for your Klipsches. In my experience, limited as it is, I found that the most important component in a tubed system is the preamp. I've never had much luck matching a SS pre with tube amps but a tubed pre always improved the sound of a SS amp. Just my opinion, of course and for the price, I would most likely give your set up a try as well. In my journeys, I've learned that one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a system is the room. The room's characteristics should be considered intregal to the system when deciding on which components to use. After budgeting for a system, nothing will eliminate more options and choices than the room itself and matching your system's components with the room from the start will prevent alot of unnecessary tweeks and adjustments down the road. It may not be as much fun but ultimately, you will have a more satisfying audio experience and may very well save time and $$ getting there. Sorry for the unrelated topic but I felt a rant coming on and this took the bite off. Just my 2 cents, of course YMMV, Bryan