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ned

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Posts posted by ned

    balanced interconnects....

    in Solid State

    Posted

    Thanks Khornukopia - Amp should arrive today and my dealer will lend me fancy RCAs and balanced ICs. They have no direct recommendation apart from asking me to use my ears in my room. I look forward to a lost weekend. I'll report back.

     

    excellent!

     

     

    balanced interconnects....

    in Solid State

    Posted

    Thanks Don,  I appreciate the response. You have a better sense of things than I do. 

     

    My concern is almost exactly the opposite. I've never overdriven an amp with Klipsch. (I started with the RF line, then Cornwalls and now the stately corner horn)  The Parasound A23+ starts to engage A/B around 3 watts*. This is often more than I use with the KHorns. If my goal were to get 85dbs at 3 watts, would using balanced connections (and gaining 6db as a result) help me stay in class A? 

     

    I guess my question is, will I get more volume and better sound at the same low wattage using balanced inputs? 

     

    Should I care about A vs. A/B? 

     

    Thanks again for the reply.

     

    Ned

     

    P.S. the A23+ produces 160 watts per channel into 8 ohms and so I have pleeeeeenty of headroom.

     

    *I learned this number from Parasound who is very responsive to my OCD driven questions about the amp. I ordered one today from my local brick-and-mortar audio crack house.

    Parasound P5?

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Haven't heard the P5 but, I have some hours on the P6 and I think its great. Very light and transparent. The sound is quick and clear. From bass to treble, well presented and precise. Lots of room between voices. First time I noticed the acoustic guitar on the Link Wray masterpiece "Rumble." One of many tunes I thought of being muddy in the bass (including many RCA recording c. 1980) that ended up with more articulation than I knew on both on vinyl and streaming (not comparing the ones marked as remastered). Using phono stage and the DAC through USB and optical. It is the first modern piece I've had in many years and I am thrilled. I am going to order the A23+ tomorrow. A little gift to my KHorns. Sounds great at low volumes too. Not the case with some of my vintage gear.

    • Thanks 1

    balanced interconnects....

    in Solid State

    Posted

    Hi eveyone - 

     

    After years of vintage hifi I just made a leap. I just bought a Parasound P6 and I am digging it. I may review it elsewhere. I am using its DAC via USB for streaming, its optical for my CD transport and its phono pre for a grado on a technics into a pair of 1979 KHorns. The KHorns remain the signature of my great sound whatever gear I run .

     

    Here is my question: Using balanced outputs and inputs between a P6 and an A 23+ adds 6db according to the amp manual. I am curious if this has any effect on when the amp moves from "A" to "A/B". Does the increase in volume come from the circuitry of the pre or the amp? Do I get 6db for "free" from the pre?

     

    I don't expect I'll use more than the first few of the 160 watts that the amp puts out. Should I even care about whether the amp is running in A or A/B? 

     

    Thank you for any thoughts you have. I am enjoying the modern world.

     

    Ned

     

     

    Today’s favorite

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I should also note that no matter what gear I roll, from the ridiculous to the sublime, the signature sound of my system is the KHorns. Carts, preamps, amps, single ended triodes to chips make a discernible difference but all are secondary to the horns in the corners. It all sounds pretty darn good. 

    • Like 3

    Fisher 400c into class d amp

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    Wow. You found the words of Avery himself. Thank you! Nice digging. 

     

    I hope the 400c goes back in service when the temperatures drop and the pair of 200s (the last of the famous 50a line) go back in service. I just went SS with a new preamp and am loving the glassine quickness. I look forward to a languid winter.

     

    You are a great member of this community. Thank you.

     

    Ned

    Today’s favorite

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, Rivernuggets said:

    'Today's Favorite'

    Does that mean a new setup will be in place tomorrow?!?

     

    Nice system!

    Funny you should ask.  

     

    Just picked up a Parasound P6 and am breaking it in though a trusty chip amp.  The st-70 sounded good but a little slow in in responding to big music.  Looking in the sofa cushions to see if a a23+ is in the cards.  I have lots of vintage gear but sometimes it’s nice to have something that just works very well.   Loving the phono stage and my first real dac.  

    DD699A91-6EA3-4F66-86D7-DA16B0473419.jpeg

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

    Fisher 400c into class d amp

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    Hi everybody. 

     

    I am in a transitional period while my st-70 is getting serviced. Tonight I am running a Fisher 400c into a Teac A-L 700p into KHorns. Funny thing, It sounds great at volume, but at polite levels, not so much. No bass, no umph, and the sweet details are pretty well buried in the mix. Some of this could be explained by loudness curves, but I wonder if something more is a play. The loudness controls on this pre are too drastic to be useful but some bass and treble adjustment seems to help.

     

    Could this be a symptom of an impedance mis-match between the old pre and the modern amp? I don't find the input impedance listed anywhere, but surely it is above 20kOhms or something safe like that. I may switch out the amp for transistor based SS to see if that makes me happy.

     

    Most recently I ran an Adcom 555 into the st-70 and it sounded pretty nice. 

     

    In my opinion, one thing that really sets the KHorn apart is that it typically sounds great at lower volumes. Not tonight. 

     

    Any thoughts?

     

    thank you,

     

    Ned

     

     

     

    Cornwall I vs Cornwall II

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I know of a pair of ~1978 Conwalls in Santa Fe New Mexico that are gathering dust. I used to own this pair and sold them to a friend who no longer has space for them. I am not the seller but can happily put you in contact if the location is convenient. Not museum pieces but solid. 

    Single k33b

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    Joe,

     

    How is your sound? I love that new gear moment. 

     

    Thanks for your inquiry. If you ever want to go OEM or if you get a buyer for your single that wants a pair, drop me a note. Mine is safely stored and I don't seem to be in any hurry to move it. 

     

    best to you,

     

    Ned

    Single k33b

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    great. I bet you will enjoy your speakers. I love mine. 

     

    keep in mind that the purchase price of mine, a good match to yours, is low by ebay standards. 

     

    What are you going to play first? I find the early mono Liberty recordings of Julie London are very revealing...as is the cover art. 

    Single k33b

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    Set 'em up Joe,

     

    Santa Fe NM 87505.  I would suggest mounting the speaker on a piece of plywood  and making some sort of bracing within the  box. I like good packing. Please add a few pounds for materials.

     

    Better still, If you prefer to ship me one of the empty boxes that you get from Crites I bet that would work best. He is very good at this stuff.

     

    Thanks,

     

    Ned

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