edwinr

Yeah, a little Celine goes a long way. Check out my post on bridging binding posts. I think Paul Parrot would be proud!

It's always been a point of contention with me. You are encouraged by the hi-fi industry to spend many $$$$$ on exotic speaker cable/interconnects and inside the speaker boxes/amplifiers etc, manufacturers use low cost hookup wire. This is not to say that I disagree with using good quality cable, I just think that if we wish to upgrade our cable, perhaps we need to check inside our equipment and ensure this cable is also up to scratch. I also think blanket cable interconnect recomendation can be detrimental to good sound. Certain cable/interconnect combinations may work in one system but not work in others. Woop's, this soap box is too high, I need to get off.

What's wrong with Celine Dion?

Go the Synergy system. You know it's a tonally matched system with good dynamics. Later you could upgrade your mains for a set of reference series, keep the other Synergy speakers, and improve your 2 channel listening while enjoying the full benefits of 5.1 when you choose. There's nothing wrong with the lower cost Yamaha's when used with higher sensitivity speakers like Klipsch. I would be reluctant to mix and match like you're thinking - you might do your money.

While I am a huge tube fan, I have to admit few tube amps will do bass like solid state can. The exception to the rule would include the Audio Research range. In relation to mosfet amplifiers, I think they do have a tube like sound, smooth and easy on the ear - lacking the blare that some solid states can exhibit with horns. Sugden had a very nice mosfet amp out a few years ago called the A25. That has been discontinued but they still sell the class A A21 - very nice. Generally speaking I find the lower powered UK ss amps to be the most appealing of their type. The best and cheapest on the market is the Creek integrated range - they have a passive pre amp section matched to a high sensitivity power amp section.

What a debate. You can really see what makes the Klipschorn great. It can appeal to so many people from so many different walks of life and from many different religious persuasions - for example; SET believers, PP believers, even SS believers. (Okay I admit it, I am really a Klipsch undercover secret agent).

I reckon any Klipsch speaker in good condition depending on space constraints, as long as you have the split mid and tweeter horns, e.g., KLF20, Heresy, etc. The combined mid/tweeter horn speakers; KLF10 and Kg5.5 are a little more system sensitive although stiil great value for money.

If you can money wise, consider the Project Debut turntable fitted with the outstanding Ortofon OM5 cartridge. The next step I would consider would be the Rega Planar 2 or 3. A little more expensive but great sound - you need to add a decent cartridge. Buying new is a better bet if you can. Turntables have come a long way since the 1980's - buying used you may be buying someone elses problems.

I agree that there are a lot of great loudspeakers out there and great systems. I recently heard the B&W 800 Signature, driven by ss amplification, vinyl front end. Wow, great sound. Based on sound quality alone you would have to put this gear in the top 5% in the current market. The purchase price of the B&W system however, is equivalent to the purchase price of a small apartment. But I then heard an even better sound (to my ears) consisting of the Avantgarde Duo, Magnum Dynalab integrated and Sony SACD - total Australian system cost $35,000 plus. Half the price of the B&W system. Then we come to the ultimate Klipsch system, consisting of the respected Klipschorn speakers, a middling cost tube amplifier and a suitable SACD/CD/Vinyl frontend, still offering outstanding sound quality in the top 5% of the current hi-fi market - but for half the price again of the Avantgarde system. How Klipsch do it for the money, I don't know, but give me the Heritage series anytime. The money I save buying Klipsch can buy a lot of records and cd's.

No, I haven't heard the 801. But I did hear the new 800 Signature where B&W ditched the single 15 inch driver for two 12 inchers. I thought the sound was absolutely phenomenal but the speakers were driven by amplifiers that alone would cost more than my proposed combined Khorn, Audio Research amp, Rega P25 Stanton 681EEE system together. I still think the B&W sounded too much like hi-fi, and even 2nd hand cost way too much money.

Wow. A great selection of tubes you have got (sorry about the grammer I just finished watching Star Wars 2). During recent discussions on the forum there has been some debate about burning in tubes, and the merits of tube rolling. I wonder, in the case of your Consonance, and other new tube amps of course, whether burning in also applies to the output transformers. Once your output transformers have accumulated some use, they also may improve in sound quality. This then would enable you to discern audible differences between tubes. I could be on the totally wrong track here. I also noticed during my 2 year ownership of the KG 5.5's a certain hardness in the sound but only on certain discs. This hardness reduced considerably when I matched the Anthem Integrated with the 5.5's. I also notice a little mid range hardness on my current KLF10's from time to time. This could be due to the combined mid and tweeter horn. More upmarket Klipsch speakers have seperate mid and tweeter horns. In saying that, no speaker is perfect, except the Khorn, and the KLF10 and 5.5's have many great strengths which make up for the occasional hiccup. I wouldn't have it any other way. Edwin.

Thanks for the pictures. Great looking setup. Are you suggesting 802's or 803's are better sounding/value than new Khorn's? I think the B&W range is very good within limits but ultimately I think they sound very hi-fi like. If I had a choice I would go for Paradigm Reference series every time over B&W. I owned the Studio series 20 for a while and was going to upgrade to the 100. After lots of listening I kept the 20's (Paradigm's best value) before going Klipsch all the way.

Hi Chops, I've just read your post about your new Consonance. Your system setup looks great. I used to own a pair of KG 5.5's with an Anthem Integrated 1. Nice sound. I thought you would be interested in a UK review of the Consonance Reference 8.8 Integrated in Hi Fi Plus dated 17 May 2004. Tube lineup in this amp are 4 6550s, 2 12AU7s and 2 12AT7s. The reviewer gave Consonance a big rap saying it was..."solidly built, beautifully finished, and sounds excellent" and even compared it with the French Jadis range. I think the Chinese manufacturers are becoming more and more competitive while offering outstanding sound quality. I like the retro look of your new amp and that fact that tubes are relatively cheap. Unfortunately we haven't seen Consonance on the Australian market yet, but I'll certainly be interested when they arrive. Great pictures. Edwin.

Colin, After that magnificent speech, you should be running in the primarys. You got my vote!

---------------- On 6/17/2004 11:08:51 PM paulparrot wrote: Edwin, Too bad you didn't have a better multichannel experience. Personally, I like 5 channels for music much more than 5 channels for movies. ---------------- No, Paul, I was very disappointed. But like Consistent I will be able experince a very similar audio and video exoerince with 2 channel only. Once I change to the Heritage 2 channel system and sort out my 2 channel amplification, I won't leave my head in the sand. I will then be willing to consider the Heritage multi channel option just as you have done. Perhaps by the time I'm ready to give multi channel another chance, the DVD/A and SACD camps will have sorted themselves out.

Speaking of gun discussions, a couple of years ago, my family and I were living on a 2000 acre farm in the Australian bush. I was at work in a small country town about 12 miles from home when my wife rang. She was distraught. She said; "I've just shot a fox, and it's run off...it might be suffering". Anyway I drive straight home ....and she's still upset when I get home and she said she was worried about the poor fox. After she calmed down she said she had seen the fox outside the kitchen window. She ran and grabbed the .22 calibre rifle and said she pointed the rifle outside the window and shot it through the left eye from a distance of 60 yards through iron sights! When we went outside to check I found the fox where she said she last saw it. It was definitely not going to bother our chickens anymore, and yes there was a neat hole where the left eye was. I asked her why did she choose to shoot it through the left eye, she said well it was the only eye she could see because it's head was turned! Anyway I had to go bury the thing and my wife was upset for several days over it. I'd hate to see her when she was really mad at something or somebody. After that day I was never worried about my wife or family again while I was at work. My Klipsch system back then were oak veneered KG5.5's (the biggest speakers I had ever seen at that time) driven by an Anthem Integrated One.

---------------- On 8/5/2001 12:27:00 AM Stu Pidass wrote: OK this has tweeked my interest. Stupid question but, exactly how does one hook up the centre speaker? I mean there are no "Centre" binding posts. On another related topic, I remember way back in the early eighties reading an article on hooking up four speakers to in a "daisy chain" type of style. My memory is foggy about this but I seem to recall that article talking about some kind of "hidden" track that can be heard this way. Anyway, the trick was to have your left & right mains connected as normal. The other two speakers would be facing the listener from the sides just like surrounds do in a HT setup. Now here's were it got interesting. You hooked a speaker wire from the positive of the left main to the positive of the left surround and from the positive of the rt main to the positive of the right suround. With me so far? Now the odd thing (at least it seemed odd to me) was the negatives of the rt & lt surrounds were connected together. I remember needing to adjust the distance of the surrounds from my ears until all speakers were equal. When it was adjusted the sound was absolutely remarkable. That was my first "surround" experience.There was a term for this phenominum but I can't recall what it was called. Anyone know anything about it? ---------------- It sounds like you are thinking of the David Hafler setup. The two extra side or rear speakers essentally reproduce the 'out of phase' information that is imbeded in all stereo recordings to a greater or lessor degree. Edwin.

I have found this forum to be very helpful in crystalising my update desires. I visited this form as a nonregistered user for some time before electing to join. I think it's highly desirable to promote both current and classic product. Klipsch is not by any means a fly by night company, or a flavour of the month company. The fact that 30 plus year old product is as highly prized as modern product is virtually unique in our pre-packaged world. It gives me a sense of confidence in buying Klipsch product. I do think you've got to cover all bases and if you're able to, satisfy the whole market. I personally don't like the way multi channel/home theatre is going, but if I was going that way again, Klipsch has got the product there for me. Promoting classic gear in this forum, such as the Heritage series, has led me down the decision path to a new pair of Klipschorns - helped by informed comments by forum members. I know the basic design is over 50 years old but you if you get it right the first time why shoot yourself in the foot by changing it (I'm not saying you can't refine a product). After all other other manufacturers still haven't caught on to the fact that you don't have to throw 100's of watts into complicated crossovers to drive heavy inefficient drivers to reproduce....flat, unrealistic sound which suppresses the micro and macro dynamics of music.

I've just been through the audio version of change of life. My wife said I could start a Hi Fi store! I've finally sold nearly all my 5.1 stuff, including a beautiful Onkyo DS989, M&K subwoofer, full Legend surround suystem etc, etc and have kept 1 pair KLF 10's in a compact stereo system. I now have the funds to buy Klipschorn and upgrade the rest of my 2 channel gear. It was hard selling my gear, but now I'm glad it's gone.... it opens up so many possibilities. Be strong. Sell the stuff you don't want to get rid of first - the rest is easy.

I think the Synergy series is a good starter or for a second system, and that's what this series was designed for. Carefully setup it will provide very rewarding sound. But if I had the choice I would opt for cash and stretch to the Reference series or perhaps into the used Heritage market - Heresys.

Sometimes when changing between the 4 or 8 ohm taps you will notice, depending on speaker, a difference in loudness. I would suggest that the 'louder' setting may be the more correct choice. Perhaps this suggests that your tube amplifier is working easier into the louder setting therefore able to drive the speaker better.

Very nice

Thanks for the pictures...what was that about a thousand words?

The argument that efficient, or to be technically correct, more sensitive loudspeakers may be less accurate is hogwash. Surely if the speaker cone is reacting to minute musical detail, and the speaker is designed accordingly, to communicate that fine musical detail and dynamics to the listener (i.e. in the form of a Klipsch speaker) then that speaker must then be classified as accurate.

There's an interesting review of the Klipschorn Speaker by Constantine Soo in the Stereo Times dated 3 August 2001. I downloaded it from the internet from 'Ecoustics.com'. Soo obviously was unable to achieve ideal placement but the review is a very good one. I am probably going over old ground for you guys as you are probably familiar with the review. Edwin.