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StereoTransmittedDisease

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Everything posted by StereoTransmittedDisease

  1. Thanks for all the tips and suggestions guys. I did click on that link but I really didn't understand all the techno-jargon so I'll just take your word for it that the GZ34's are superior. And like I said before, I've tried a few different power regulators in my system and they were always detrimental to the sound (closed-in soundstage and rolled-off highs mostly) but if I try everything else and that ends up being the cause of the problem then I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and go on another quest to find one the doesn't affect the sound... It'll probably end up being something that costs a fortune but, oh well... [] Thanks again.
  2. Thanks a bunch, guys. Yeah, the prices on those Mullard GZ34's did give me a bit of sticker shock (2-$300 a pair... Ouch!). I realize that the Mullards are probably the best sounding but does it matter too much what brand I use durability-wise as long as they are vintage and I get a good brand (RCA, Amperex, etc.)? Also, I do have the VRD's mains running through a PS Audio Duet power conditioner but it just cleans up the power and protects from overvoltages, it doesn't really regulate the power supply. Actually, I've used power regulators in the past (Monster, Tripp Lite, etc.) and I've never been able to find one that didn't adversely affect the sound in my system so that's why I'm not using one now. And right now I'm a little short on cash so I can't afford to go out and break the bank on some uber-expensive regulator that may or may not affect the sound in my system.
  3. It's just on one of my amps and I'm sure it's the rectifier tube (or something to do with it) because when I switch them out then the other amp starts blowing fuses. This happened with the stock tubes and then I bought a pair of cheap JJ's and now it's started again. The guy I bought the JJ's from said that older tubes sometimes hold up better. So should I just get a pair of good NOS tubes, and if so, what's a good brand durability-wise? Both of my amps are properly biased so I know that it has nothing to do with that. Any other suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
  4. Craig, I emailed you again. Let me know if you don't get it and I'll try emailing you from a different address. Thanks.
  5. Thanks Dbflash for all the detailed information - you're awesome! And Craig, I'll definitely try emailing you again... Even though I have the info it would still be nice to have the manual. Thanks.
  6. Thanks a lot everyone, I really appreciate the help! []
  7. I have a multimeter to correct the bias and I know how, I just need the settings. Thanks, Lighting, I'll give CIGARBUM a try. Silversport, unless I'm missing something that page doesn't have the bias settings, does it? Do you have Craigs new email address by chance? Also, I think the VRD's that I got from Smilin were stock but he was thinking about buying some "super" upgraded version of the VRD's at the time. Haha... I just noticed my join date here and checked my messages... I guess it was a bit longer than a year, more like two. Damn, time flies.
  8. About a year or so ago I emailed Craig at Nos Valves inquiring about his VRD monoblocks and I asked about the discount if I were an active Klipsch Forum member. Anyway, since I own Klipsh Cornwalls, I decided to sign up here and ask your opinions about various amps. At the time I owned a McIntosh MC275 and was fairly unimpressed with its performance - especially for the price. Pretty much everyone on the here agreed that the VRD amps were the way to go so I decided to give them a try. Then, one of the guys here pointed out that someone had a pair of used VRD's up for sale on the forums. I ended up purchasing the amps from user Smilin (can't recall his real name at the moment... Steve Milin? Can't remember...) and have been completely blown away by them ever since. They sound great on everything from my Cornwalls to my custom Selah Audio dipoles to my little Chinese made Compact stand mounts and everything in-between. When the Smilin sent me the amps they worked great and he sent me everything I needed except for the user's manual. Now is the first time I'll really be able to set them up in a permanent setting since I bought them due to moving and other life issues but I don't know the proper tube biasing. I'd really like to get these babies up and running; so basically, this is my long-winded way of asking if any of you could send me a copy of the user's manual for the VRD monoblocks. PS I did email Craig at NOS Valves pretty much the same thing I’m posting here but haven’t received a reply yet so I’m hoping that one of you will have the info that I need. I'd really appreciate it. EDIT: I guess I should have posted this on the "Technical Questions" board. Oh well, I guess a mod can move it there if they want to.
  9. I hope those are still available. 'Cause if they are, Ima jumpin fool!!! *please let them still be available*
  10. Thanks everyone for your very helpful posts, especially Audible Nectar's incredibly informative post. I am definitely leaning towards the VRDs. I have the MC275 and it's just not doing it for me. It sounds like the VRDs will solve the problems I have with the Mac - notably very heavy handed in the bass region and a sound that's slightly veiled. Unless something changes, I'll be placing my order as soon as I can scrape up the cash. Thanks again!
  11. You are offered a choice between one new McIntosh MC275 or a pair of NOS Valves VRD amps. The only caveat being that you may not sell them and you must use whichever you choose in your main system. Which would you choose and why? Bonus points for having heard both amps.
  12. Thanks for all the replies. OK To answer some questions: The amp is brand new... I believe version V. I have tried the pre with an old NAD Power Envelope amp and a Sanyo Plus Series mini-amp - both sounded fine. I do not have any other tube amps to try it with however. I have also rolled several NOS and used tubes with only small changes in the sound. I've tried GE, Mullard, Raytheon, Philco, Magnavox, Realistic Long Life, Zenith, new JJ Teslas, etc, etc. Right now I have some used Curtis Mathes 12AX7s in place along with NOS Mitsubishi 12AT7s with the same results - minor differences, but nothing to write home about. What I haven't done is to try the MC275 with another preamp; it just never occurred to me to do so. I have a trusty little single-tube Aric Audio preamp that I bought off of eBay a couple of years ago; I'll definitely try that out later today or tomorrow. As for the crossovers, rebuilding and refurbishing vintage speakers is sort of a hobby of mine. When I really like a pair of speakers I rebuild the crossovers at the very minimum. I’ve already ordered and received Sonicaps from Danny Richie of GR Research and Eichmann Cable Pods and matching spades from VH Audio. Now I’m just waiting on some 1/100 value Russian military PIOs that I won on eBay for bypassing. I would have bought the Sonicaps from Mr. Crites on eBay since he is more a part of the community here, but he didn’t seem to be selling the values that I needed – 2, 3, & 20mfd.
  13. I guess I should clarify a bit. I do not like the sound of the Cornwall/MC275 combo at all, at least not in my room. Though I can see how it could work great in a larger room. I do have had limited experience with inexpensive tube preamps paired with SS amps and have listened to many tube amp/preamp combos on other speakers and liked what I've heard. I went into my dealers basically looking for a preamp, but he gave me slightly over 4K in trade in value for a Marantz amp that I bought used for $2500. So I figured what the hay, might as well try it, and if I don't like it then I'll still come out ahead. And that's where I'm at now: I tried it and I don't really like it, but I'm not at all fussed about it because I can still get more for r selling the Mac used than I paid for my Marantz. I had Heresy's in the past and did not care for them too much - too tipped up in the highs and upper mid frequencies for my taste. The Cornwalls are the first Klipsch speakers that suit me as far as overall balance is concerned. Though I admit that the CWs and the Heresy's are the only Heritage Klipsch I've heard so far. You hit the nail on the head - it's definitely not the CW's at fault here. It's the MC275 amp. I love the C220 preamp though. That's one of the things that I'm wondering - Does anyone else here use this pre or one like it with Cornwalls and if so what amps are you using. Do you think I'd be missing much by keeping the C220 and using a SS amp? What about the VRD amps? Anyone using Mac pre with these amps? Man, that sounds great... I almost hate to admit this, but my audio budget is just about tapped for a while; I was really hoping to find an answer that didn't cost me anymore money. The room is a spare bedroom that I can do with as I please, wench be damned! []
  14. I'd agree with you except one thing I forgot to mention is that these are in a reletively small room 12' x 14'. Though they work in this room with every other amp I've tried them with - not too boomy, not too bright. At first I actually couldn't believe that these big old speakers worked so well in a small space, but they really do.
  15. Hello. I'm relatively new to tube gear and I was hoping for a little guidance before I throw away a lot of money. I recently purchased some Mac gear to power my Cornwalls. I picked up a C220 preamp which I love and also a MC275 which I'm not too crazy about. The bass from the 275 seems way too prominent and boomy. Also, to use an old audio cliché, it often seems as if there is a veil over the speakers - though this was at least partially alleviated by using balanced cables. Before this Mac gear I was using either one of several old Pioneer and Sansui receivers or my Marantz Reference PM-11S1. All of these sounded fine, but I really, REALLY like what tubes impart into the music. I'd be annoyed right now if the dealer hadn't given my 100% retail trade in on my Marantz... which I paid $2500 for. So I guess my question is should I just be happy with the tube preamp and hook it up to a good SS amp or should I try another tube amp? At this point I think I'd be happier just hooking the C220 up to the amp section of a good old HK 430 receiver... Has anyone here tried using the C220 with the VRD amps? Is there any reason that this combo shouldn't work? Anything else? I've read good things about Wright amps, but then I've also read that they have spurious noise issues. Any advice would be appreciated.
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