JBryan

I am familiar with Nelson Pass and have heard several of his designs and would love to try one in my system someday. Most of his First Watt products (including the J2 & F3) are designed to run in Class A mode and thus should be warmed up similar to tube components. His suggestion to allow an hour warm up for stabilization is good advise from someone who definitely knows his stuff - take it to the bank.

Garyrc: "Do you warm up your equipment before playing music? If you do, for how long? " In my experience, it takes about 30 min to an hour for tubed components to warm up. Digital amps require in the neighborhood of 2 hrs and SS equipment between 3 and 5 hours to properly stabilize and its best just to leave the SS and digital components on 24/7.

The Korneff 45SE is a great amp, I owned one for years and it held its own against quite a few other 45-based SET amps I put up against it. As others may have mentioned, 45SET amps put out 2 watts or less and if your room is any larger than say, 10' x 12', you'll have to listen at fairly reasonable SPL's, probably below 85dB or risk some compression and distortion. In other words, if you like to ROCK OUT!, you may be disappointed.The Korneff amp in particular has very low gain and has a difficult time pushing those 15" woofers. I tried the Korneff on both C'Walls and Khorns and the amp was much more compatible with the Khorns - very smooth and detailed. On the other hand, I can't agree more with Eric's recommendation of the SEOTL amps. I have a pair and they really sing with CW's - dynamic, super fast and lots of oomph in the bass compared with the Korneff. I'm working off memory but I preferred the Korneff with Khorns - nice detail and you can't duplicate that 'you are there' sensation of SET, especially the 45 and a pair of SEOTL's with the CW's - great transients, excellent bass and more open presentation on the top. Your ears will tell you more than any of us can but I'd suggest a minimum of 8-10 SET and SS Class A watts (300B or equivalent) to adequately drive the CW's, double that minimum for Push/Pull and triple that for Class A/B SS. Have fun!

I haven't given it a spin yet. Sadly, last Friday, the pumping station blew a transformer which caused a fluttering power outage in our neighborhood. One of my power conditioners apparently arced and half my system was down for the weekend. I've replaced the PC with another surge strip but haven't fired everything up yet. I'll get the system back up and running tonight and I'm just hoping that everything survived....fingers crossed!

The water does go through a distilling process in that its super-heated but the residue and contaminants need to be filtered or they will be spewed out with the steam and onto your records - not good. I only pull out the steamer on 5-10% of the records I clean and a gallon of distilled water will last a long time so its not an area where you need to skimp on quality. Also, I've only used my steamer for records so I don't know what a previously used steamer will do - maybe nothing but I'd be wary if any other chemicals were used (not recommended in the manual anyway). Finally, I prefer the narrowest attachment as a jet of steam will force out more dirt and grime from the grooves - but that's just my take. Either way, I keep the label protector on throughout the cleaning process. Experiment away - you'll quickly find a way to get the job done that best suits you. Have fun!

Steam cleaning...seriously! The best way to clean a record is whatever works to remove dirt, grit and oils. With previously cleaned or new records, a simple swipe with a carbon fiber brush or dust wipe followed by a few shots from a static gun does the trick. With clean used or new but questionable records, I'll clean them on a vacuum machine (like the VPI 16.5). If there are still ticks, pops or surface noise, I'll put the record back on the vacuum machine and clean again but after I apply the cleaning solution and scrub it for a few revolutions, I'll pull out the steamer and holding it about 6- 8" away from the record surface, I'll press the button and steam the grooves for a few revolutions (I don't use any attachment nozzle but a smaller jet may work well). If its an especially noisy or dirty record, I tend to hold the nozzle closer but be aware that the record will deform as its heated (kinda scary the first time so practice on a 2nd or 3rd copy or a Barry Manilow LP). Not to worry - as soon as the steaming stops, the record reverts back to its original shape (BTW, steaming does not take out warps...d@#nit!). I then vacuum the cleaning solution and excess water as normal and follow that with a rinse of sterile distilled water, vacuum, static treatment and let dry. That method results in the cleanest, quietest-sounding records I've experienced. A couple of things, first, use the highest grade distilled water you can find. My wife brings home sterilized distilled water from the hospital and that works great - no residue. Second, buy a new steamer and only use it to clean records. Any pre-used steamer may have a cleaning solution in it or tap water, both of which can do more damage than good and may ruin a record. As with any cleaning method, you'll find the way that best works for you. Here's a fella demonstrating his method which is similar to mine.... Have fun!

Is it Mapleshade that sells these steam cleaners? I've never heard anyone mention them here and recall I saw one in the not too distant past somewhere and it struck me as quite logical and the price not too dear. . Do you use one, and if so, willing to share your thoughts? Dave Yes. I believe you can get a steam wand cleaner from M'shade but for @ $20, you can go down to your nearest Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, etc. and buy a perfectly good one (if not the same one). Myself and several others on this Forum have used steam to clean records and its fairly intuitive and an easy learning curve. The results range from outstanding to hardly noticeable but that's true with most any record cleaning method I've come across and most of the time, steaming is quite effective at reducing surface noise. Of course, I reserve steaming for exceptionally dirty records and I don't often bring many home and I always use it in addition to my regular cleaning procedure. I'm also looking into enzyme cleaners but want to find an inexpensive substitute for the audiophile concoctions being offered. If anyone has an idea, please feel free to post it.

While degradation may occur with previous materials, vinyl's elasticity allows the grooves to reform to their original shape as the record cools. I would imagine that if you were to play a record continuously, the grooves may actually melt and then you'd have a problem - most easily heard by the complete lack of the high frequencies, assuming the stylus would even track in the groove. I read that, back in the '80's an audio mag tested and then played a record over 100 times in quick succession, then re-tested. There was no discernible differences in such things as frequency response or surface noise. A properly set up and operating TT, arm and cart will not harm a modern record. Dirt, oils and mold on the other hand, can do some damage and will eventually degrade the record's condition. Playing a dirty record - even slightly dusty will essentially turn your stylus into sandpaper as it will drag those bits of dirt, etc. through the grooves and wear them down - especially the smaller, finer notches that create higher frequencies. Also, as the grooves are heated, the dirt, oils and mold can become embedded and those will not be released through most cleaning methods (steam cleaning may do the trick). This is why many folks clean even their new LPs before playing them. I usually don't unless the record is visibly dirty or dusty simply because any degradation of a clean record is extremely slight and I'm too lazy and impatient to bother with such minutiae.

Arghh... Well, hardly surprising that many would not be familiar. One of the finest performers ever, with his marvelous red lined cape and hat and 400 speaker Rogers traveling organ on a semi. He never claimed that Rogers to be the equal of "the real thing," but he said it allowed him to take great organ repertoire to those who otherwise might not hear it at all. The "Fox Touch" sessions remain, for many of us, one of the greatest technical and musical moments of the 20th century. Again, I won't go into the details, but I have both the Stan Ricker direct cut discs as well as the digital...which was WELL below CD sampling rates on a first gen Soundstream recorder done simulateneously with the analog DD discs and yet is easily comparable in sound quality. These discs are hard to come by, but if you ever have the opportunity to hear the digital and analog back to back, it is a revelation for both formats and all the proof I need that it's not about the format or media, but about the ENGINEERING!. Dave Thanks Gary, Dave! I knew you guys would be familiar. We had some lightning last night so I didn't play the record but there's always tonight. The thrift shop where I bought it had just put out 5 or 6 large boxes with some jazz but mostly classical and I really wish I knew what I was looking at. I'm still a bit concerned with playing through non-fused bass bins but I'll keep the volume reasonably low, especially considering how quiet low bass really is- more often than not the very low bass notes tend to pressurize the room and are felt more than heard. A friend recently blew his woofers listening to them while the mids and highs were not powered. He turned the volume up to normal listening levels not knowing how much louder the sound would be with the mids and highs playing (damage your hearing loud!). He learned an expensive lesson that day. Anyway, thanks for the remarks and I'll carefully enjoy the record.

OK, since we're falling slightly off-topic. I picked up a few LPs this week and one of them is Virgil Fox's 'The Fox Touch' on Crystal Clear Records. Its a Direct-to-Disc recording, mastered by Stan Ricker and Richard Simpson on a John Curl designed console. In the notes, the author goes into great detail about the recording process "...No transformers were used in the signal path...no equalization, limiting or compression...to provide the cleanest path to the cutting lathes." He goes on to say that "...best results and proper balances will be achieved if played at high volume levels." Then a warning "...there is really great mid and low-frequency energy in the range from 16Hz to about 1.5kHz...these pedal notes are sustained for a number of seconds, so fusing your speakers...would be a proper caution." I'm gonna spin this record tonight but has anyone listened to this recording and should I be concerned about the low frequency energy blowing my non-fused woofers? Anybody?...maybe Dave's still around, he's probably heard this before.

"Why vinyl?" The only reasons I can fathom is a) you already have plenty of LPs or Digital playback just doesn't do it for you. Turntables and records are a PITA! Records need to be cleaned and organized and take up a lot of space compared to CDs or better, hard drives and servers. Good TT's aren't cheap and require a plethora of expensive gadgets and fluids to get the best out of your LPs.The minutiae of vinyl playback can be overwhelming... adjustments to the cartridge, arm and plinth can take hours, if not days and with a single mistake, you're back to square one or worse, you have a broken stylus to show for your efforts. The learning curve is tremendous and requires steady hands and good eyes and after applying all the research, math and technical skills you've amassed over the years, you may still manage to put together a arm and cart combo that sounds like crap...expensive crap! And lest I forget, no matter how thoroughly and diligently you clean your records, there will always be that occasional tick or pop to let you know that you're dealing with a far from ideal playback format. If you're looking for someone to talk you into vinyl, I'm not your guy. I wouldn't even recommend CDs anymore (or SACD's , DVDs, etc.) - they are so last century! Just get a nice network storage system and download hi-rez music or better yet, wait a few months and someone will have all the hi-rez you want on a cloud and you can just pipe it through a nice DAC and be done with it. The convenience of digital is just too hard to argue with these days. Having said all that, I mainly use my NAS/network player for background music when I work and entertain and to warm up my system. When I actually sit down and listen to music, its almost always coming from my TT. For all its downsides, vinyl offers me the most intimate and emotional connection to music through my system and for that, I'm willing to put up with it all...even those pesky pops.

In a well-ventilated space, sand VERY lightly, with the grain - only putting pressure around the nicks you want to smooth out. You don't need to bother with the 600 grit. Wipe down with mineral spirits to completely clean and dissolve residue (wear gloves). When dry, wipe again with tack cloth. Apply a liberal amount of boiled linseed oil to a lint-free cloth and apply a thin coat to the cabinet - again, with the grain. Wait 20-45 minutes and wipe off excess with a dry, lint-free cloth. If cabinet still looks dry, re-apply BLO and repeat. Have fun!

I haven't heard the 2255 but used a MC2100 and C33 with Khorns a while back with pretty good results - plenty of bass and that laid back, even keel sound that is common with Mac gear. There was a time (60's-80's) when a Klipschorn/McIntosh setup was considered a perfect mating and of course, some folks still do. I wouldn't consider it the best bang for your buck but you wont know til you hear it yourself and if you buy used, the gear wont lose much value should you decide to move on. BTW, if you ever find yourself without an amp, the C33 has a 20 watt amp in it that will get you by. Have fun

According to PWK, 4' on a side is all the Khorns require and you're just extending the bass horn so no need to make the corner taller than the bass cab. That makes it convenient when using 4' x 8' sheets of plywood. Beyond the dimensions, the options are practically endless. PWK originally made FC's framed with 2x4's but most of the corners I've seen are plywood and/or MDF - the more layers, the better but keep in mind that with 2 or more layers, the corners get bulky and very heavy and will meed to be braced. I used one sheet each of ply and MDF with another sheet of damping material (Dynamat-like) sandwiched in-between and 2"x1" oak strips to brace (per speaker) but search the forum and you'll find lots of good ideas - surely one will suit your needs. Have fun!

Back in the day, spikes weren't used and the Heritage line doesn't have the inserts for them but feel free to give it a shot and report your findings. You might also try brass footers but be careful - heavy speaks on spikes can do some serious damage to the floor. Regarding the caps, Parts-express.com has 6uf Auricaps and you're in luck - they're on sale! http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=027-688

Bruce has offered some very nice kits at reasonable prices and his designs keep getting more interesting and innovative and in my experience, quieter. I've had a a few of his amps over the years and his SEOTL was a real jaw-dropper. Clean, dynamic, uber-fast with excellent bass control and when bridged in mono, these qualities become that much more pronounced. Bruce now offers the Mini Beast SEOTL with 4w/ch in stereo and 12w/ch bridged though the reviews are still out on whether its an improvement over the older version (1.5w/ch and 4w/channel bridged). Given Bruce's track record, I would assume it'll work out fine.

Depends on what you need and how it will match up with the rest of your system (which you haven't listed...for shame!). My favorite vintage Mac amps are MC-30's but you'll need fairly efficient speaks. I would avoid vintage Mac SS amps as they tend to sound a bit tame compared to many modern SS amps. If you're looking for something more modern and more powerful, you can do worse than a pair of MC-501's. Have fun

In my experience, SS amps need about an hour to settle in and 3 hours to sound right while tube amps and pres need at least 30 minutes to sound their best. Class A SS amps don't seem to take as long while digital amps take hours and I just leave them on 24/7 so I think the warm up time is just that. Putting aside the complexity of the circuit, caps and trannys, the time it takes for a amp to snap into focus is directly related to its thermal running level. When it hits that temp, everything seems to fall into place.

D@#N!....All my best posts were pre-2001...(sob)

First, I would expect the Klipsch forum to be speakercentric, a bit horn-heavy and efficiency biased but if the conversation here gets tiring, there are plenty of other forums with their own particular biases to keep us entertained. Besides, this hobby is mostly about the journey and it has a rather large learning curve. As I put together my system and heard new gear, I was exposed to new sounds that refined my listening experience and redefined my audio priorities which in turn, reset my path to a new audio nirvana. My journey began with a lot of fits and starts and it took years to determine which path to take. My most recent quest began about 15 years ago when I rediscovered tube amps. I thought I had found my nirvana with McIntosh SS gear and B&W 801 speakers when I came across a Music Reference tube amp and everything I had come to expect from my system dramatically changed. Tubes became a priority and with each new piece of gear, my experience became more defined and my journey more focused. I eventually heard an SET amp and it was such a revelation, my path was finally set (pun?) and the need for efficiency led me to the Klipschorn (again) and to this forum. Budget v. Time... In my experience, this is an inverse relationship. Unless you get lucky and find someone willing to sell you their carefully matched system, you'll have to spend more time looking and listening to gear that fits into your system and budget. My only tip...don't be in a hurry. Unless I'm looking for the latest technology (as in DACs or network players) or gear with a somewhat short lifespan (like phono carts), I always look to buy used as its the absolute best way to stretch the budget. You also have to consider that just because a particular piece of gear works on paper, has good reviews and even sounds great in someone else's system, doesn't mean that its a good match in yours. You will not be satisfied with every piece of gear you listen to in your system and you wont forfeit nearly as much money re-selling a used piece of gear as opposed to new. P>I want the music to sound as real as possible but the illusion that someone wants to create from their system is personal and no two people hear the same thing. Given that it is physically impossible to recreate an auditorium or stadium event through any audio system in any listening room, that most venues' PA systems are far cruder and much less refined than the average home audio system (unless you like listening to your music at ear-splitting levels with buckets of distortion) and that few systems within anyone's budget can actually create the illusion of realism, there is no simple answer. Everyone perceives music differently and even with the most sophisticated gear, the illusion tends to be a moving target. I attend a lot of live music events and have found that a decent SET/horn setup offers the most realistic reproduction of such things as voices, acoustic guitar and horns to me and I am quite satisfied with its 'you-are-there' illusion of jazz combos, chamber music and even most well-recorded studio albums but full orchestras and rock concerts are not nearly as convincing. And while SET works for me, I would never presume that its everyone's cup o' tea. Besides, setting up a tube system is difficult at best and SET can be a real PITA. One of my highest priorities is noise - tube hiss and background hum (mechanical or electrical) are intolerable and inexcusable in my book. Other than lights and tubes aglow, I don't want any other indication that a system is on - I especially don't want to hear it as I feel that even the slightest hiss and hum will mask low-level detail and take away from the listening experience and ruin the illusion. This was not an easy hurdle for me and required quite a bit of mixing and matching. I had to replace gear even when the specs suggested a good fit and I'm still bothered that if the room is quiet and my system is turned up to 50% or so, I can detect a slight hiss if I put my head inside the horn but then that gives me something to work for. To most folks outside if the Klipsch forum (maybe even here), horns are pretty cumbersome and not terribly attractive and all but the most refined tube amps tend toward a utilitarian, even industrial look. I personally like the simple, utilitarian look. You can try to minimize buying and selling gear but that's a bit counter-productive and takes some of the fun away from this hobby. You may get lucky and find exactly what you're looking for on the first try but that's highly unlikely. Its simple math, the more gear you listen to, the more experience and knowledge you'll garner, you're listening skills will become more refined and your future selections will be more informed. If you're just starting out, I'd suggest you research and buy as nice an used integrated amp and the best pair of speakers that'll fit into your room and compliment the amp. Versatility is key in that you want an amp/speaker setup that can accommodate many types of gear. Klipsch speakers are good example because their efficiency allows them to handle most any power amp from low-watt SET to 1000w behemoths. You can start by plugging in fairly inexpensive TT's and CDP's and work your way up from there. I'd definitely suggest that you listen to as many systems as possible so you can get a feel for what you like before you start spending your own money. Unfortunately, I don't live in the same neighborhood with a lot of fellow audio enthusiasts and there are precious few audio stores left so I had to buy a lot of gear sight unheard. The net is a tremendous resource and you'll have to bone up on your research skills in order to do your search justice. Reading reviews and following posts by more experienced folks that share your audio interests and are further along the curve than you can be very helpful. Sorry for the long post and I hope I addressed everything. If I had to be more concise... Ask a lot of questions and research before you shop, be versatile and don't be in any hurry, and if you need a push, buy a Scott 222/299 integrated amp and whichever heritage horns that fit your room - Heresy, Cornwall or Khorn...that's a good starting point. Have fun!

i used an AR amp/pre combo with B&W 801's and ProAc monitors a while back and they sounded good and were well-built. Though I've never heard AR gear through Khorns, my experience suggests that while you would hear more authoritative bottom end, the mids and highs would come across a bit sterile compared to the Scott. A well-worked Scott is a great match with Khorns (and horns in general) and you'd have to spend a bit more $ to find an amp with better sound quality. That being said, you'll never know whether you'd prefer the AR gear unless you hear it in your system. Have fun.

If your Heresies were originally finished at the factory, they were either lacquered or oiled - as noted on the label. From a purists' or collectors' standpoint, you'll want to keep the original finish but if that's not possible, refinishing in lacquer or oil to match the original will not harm the value as much as a non-original finish. If you're not interested in maintaining their value or re-selling, then its a matter of aesthetics and skill. An Oil finish (linseed) would be the easiest to prep and apply while lacquer would be more difficult (relatively speaking) and both will take longer to dry than poly - especially water-based. OTOH, I'm not much of a polyurethane fan - particularly water-based poly. While its easier to work with than other finishes, mistakes tend to be obvious and the finish has a thin and brittle quality about it that most woodworkers and collectors can spot from 10' away - especially the water-based poly. Be mindful that the preparation will be determined by the original finish - you can't simply apply poly over lacquer and if the speaker has an existing oil finish - you're pretty much stuck with that because oil penetrates the wood and can't easily be removed or sealed. Also, keep in mind that unlike poly, lacquer can be repaired and re-amalgamated. Whatever you decide, remember that Dust is the Devil! Have fun.

The Counterpoint SA-2000 is a very nice preamp and with a few modifications, can be a great one. I'd definitely keep it around and try to match it with a decent amp. If you do want to keep it, I would suggest that you not fire it up unless its connected to an amp as you can damage the circuit and may take out a transformer if the pre doesn't have a load at output. I don't know much about the Forte but I'm sure there are members on the forum that can offer a few recommendations for amps. First question you need to answer - what is your budget?

Canyonman said: "JBryan, Well how do you like your Baldwin? My came with a pair og GE 5U4GB's they were a little noisy, I put in a pair of RCA's much better. Now Mr. Vincent suggest trying a 5V4 in it, he said it be easier on the tranny like that's gonna be a problem!!! LOL!!! Also it operates at 2.0 instead of 3.0 where the 5U4 is. Anyway my problem is the voltage drop with the 5V4, it is something like 17 volts vs 50 volts of the 5U4GB. With so little a drop my fear is it will make the amp too aggressive, and right now it is on the borderline of where I like it. So hence the inquiry about GB's. I happen to know that RCA's are a little more laid back then say a Tung Sol, that is what I use in the Korneff 45. I've had the amp for a few years but honestly, its spent more time on loan to audio buds than in my house so I really don't have much time with it. My impressions so far are pretty good - the amp is quiet and well-defined. The Tannoys are forcing my hand to more power. They replaced a pair of Zu Definitions that were being driven by a Yamamoto A-08S 45SET amp (2w) and although the Tannoy's high end sounded very nice, the bottom was anemic (not a surprise). I then tried a Brenneman Cavalier EL34SE (10w) but felt the woofers were still underpowered. I was hoping to try out a Scott 222c (22w) next but the amps' 5AR4 rectifier blew and I'll need to have the amp checked before hooking it up so I asked to borrow the Baldwin back and it seems to be working well. I haven't considered changing any tubes yet but I may play with the driver tubes (12AX7) as the output level is a bit low - pretty much the same volume as the 45 amp but with better bass control and headroom. I'm also considering using another preamp as the Joule Electra I'm using now has pretty low gain which, in concert with the Baldwin's lower gain may not be a good combination. Once I get the right component mix, I'll be able to give the Baldwin a fair listen and go from there. So far, so good though...

Canyonman said: "JBryan, Maybe I should have been a little more detailed about my inquiry, no this is not about the Korneff 45 it is set in stone. This inquiry is about the new Super Baldwin amp I just got, it uses two 5U4's in PP configuration. So I just was hoping to hear from other members who are using this tube or have used this tube in their amps." Sorry about that C-Man. I did make that assumption and that's why I was uncertain of what you were trying to accomplish by changing out the Korneff's rectifier. Coincidently, I too, have one of Mr. Vincent's Baldwin amps driving a pair of Tannoy Windsors at the moment. The rectifier tubes that came with the amp are Sylvania 5U4GB's and I'm satisfied with them in that I never considered changing them out. I will be interested in any recommendations you get but for now, I'll just walk away quietly. BTW, the power tubes on the Baldwin amp run pretty hot so this is one amp where 'proper ventilation' is more than just a recommendation.