Plink

The Slagle autoformers are simply spectacular.

Bruce, I bet your crossovers help a great deal. I am not saying a SET will not work. I just think a triode push pull or a carefully considered pentode push pull amp could work better. No doubt good output transformers (like on your amp) are mandatory, imo, for any configuration. Were you able to listen to your LaScalas with the previous crossover with your Moondogs? Cheers, P

Hi Rolly, Personally, I would not use a SET with Klipschorns. I would suggest a low watt push pull amp using 2a3, 45, 6V6, 6L6G, 6L6GA, 6L6GAY, or EL84. First Watt is another good suggestion. I love SET amps and do not subscribe to the misinformation brought forth in this thread on the topic (notice how tube fanatic's excellent post on Electra-print transformers went completey ignored...can you say agenda?). However, I just don't think they are a good match with Klipschorns. It is worth noting that many people think they work nicely with Klipschorns and equally valid. Cheers. PS. I once had a 300B SET built by James Burgess. I took that amp to my tech to measure the Magnequest outputs and while rolloff started around 16 khz, the measurement in the bass region was incredible...nearly flat down to 10 hz. AC heated amp with incredible presence...I changed the cathode bypass caps on the 300B tubes and ended up with a SET that had superior drive and PRaT than my mid level Naim combo! But a tiny bit of midrange presence was lost...I think. Why o why did I sell that amp.

Actually, pmsummer's photo in the show us your systems thread on page 7 is very similar to my room (pmsummer, hope you don't mind me posting this again):

Lol. The fireplace is sealed. Yep. could have made a heckuva subwoofer, perhaps of the tapped horn variety.

Hey Dennie...the high ceilings in these houses are great but the fireplaces in every room really piss me off. I wasn't much of an audiophile when we bought this home...lol. Unfortunately, they would be on the short wall. I kinda thought 5 feet from the wall to the fireplace would be fine and also because the room is nearly a square. Btw, I am not big on soundstaging but I like big sound. I also listen to a lot of mono lps.

I think Klipschorns will work okay but good to have advice. I live in an old victorian house. Room is probably 16' X 20' with 11' ceilings. On one wall, there is a fireplace extending out into the room about 30" on each side. The only good corners are on an adjacent wall. The fireplace is probably 50" from this adjacent wall. On this adjacent wall where the Klipschorns would be placed, there is a window with curtains. Not sure if that is a problem either. I suppose curtains could be closed for serious listening. In other words, do you think the fireplace extending out will be a problem? What about the windows? Thanks for your advice.

Thanks. I haven't talked to him in a long time. He has done some amazing work for me. I've got a pair of Jensen CN-100 that need a crossover redo. Maybe I will give him a call.

Is Ryan still doing restorations?

Thanks for the invitation but you're right, we really won't have the time. It's going to be a true "getaway" and that means this audio stuff as well. We will definitely hit Jordan Pond House and the nice thing is I hear it will be still open in October. Looks quite scenic! I have an invitation from a forum member closer to me and I might go listen to his Klipsch speakers. This should help clarify things. I'm not a high end fan but a music fan. I just want to make sure the speakers are on the same level as the rest of my system. Once I go high efficiency, like your father, I plan on building some Bottlehead SETs. Thanks again for your comments.

yeah Greg, I'm just trying to get an idea of what I'm getting myself into. I'm thinking Cornwalls would be least costly way to get into SET but I want to make sure they are good enough. And hence my question and bewilderment...I'm using speakers that have great reviews and are highly regarded and Klipsch speakers are sort of off the radar in the high end area. Not a whole lot written about them or comparison to other high end products. I don't doubt that they sound great but are they a good match, performance wise to the rest of my gear. I'm hoping that I find some Cornwalls and I look back on these comments as silly. [] Yes, I'm also considering single drivers like Great Plains. I know a great woodworker who has done work for me in the past. I guess the only real way to know is just to pick one and dive in. PS. We're taking a fall vacation up to Maine (Acadia/Bar Harbor area) this year. Never been to Maine and I'm really excited!

duly noted fini. i certainly wasn't going to make a lasting judgement of the speakers i heard just from that one experience.

Hi Greg, thanks for your comments. I was thinking Cornwalls because I don't really have classic corners in my room.

They were the Dynaco monoblocks...can't remember the model but they are very common. Only other thing I can think of is that they were probably in too small of a room. I have no idea about the crossovers so they could have been poor as wel...but I was told they were rebuilt. I was just commenting on my brief experience with Klipsch speakers. I don't think it's really relevant and thus the reason for the thread and why I'm asking how they might compare to my current speakers (well regarded $2.8K conventional two ways). I think I'm looking for comments from people who have experienced both types of systems - conventional hifi vs high efficiency/set from a Klipsch perspective

The few times I have heard SET done right, I really loved the sound. I had a 300B SET amp in my home with my Devore Gibbon 8 speakers and the amp wasn't powerful enough on complex music or classical. But, I was able to get that taste of SET in my system and it's liquid 3D sound was really enticing. My question is: can I get better performance from my system using a SET with Cornwalls or Fortes vs my push pull amp with my Devore Gibbon 8s? Are there impedance issues with Klipsch speakers that make using low watt amps difficult? The Devores are a flat 8 ohm but sensitivity is only 88db. Other than a university system in college (and the hazy memories of it [A]), the only KIipsch I have heard were LaScalas with Dynaco monoblocks. I thought the sound was a bit bright. They had this incredible big, dynamic sound but were a bit bright tonally. Everything was great about that system but the tone was not something I would be able to live with. My current system is Lenco L75/Shindo Aurieges/Wright AU-15 (2A3 push pull)/Devore Gibbon 8s. Not displeased with this system at all and it's the best I've had in my home but just wondering what a reconfig will do. Btw, I just moved that system to the basement and off the 1890s Victorian wood first floor and I was able to get improvements in that 3D effect. The effect was quite amazing, really. I learned that there is a lot more optimization in perfecting the setup. Possible course of action would be to substitute the AU-15 with Wright's 2A3 or 300B SET along with the Gibbon to Klipsch substitution (Cornwalls?). The concern is if it doesn't work out, there can sometimes be more difficulty in selling large speakers. Thanks for any help!