Kris K

Smilin, my thoughts and prayers go out to your and your family. I lost my mother in September of 2002 to cancer.She fought a long hard battle for 2 years. The time that me and my siblings spent with her weeks before her passing is priceless and left wonderful memories that will last me a lifetime. Spend time with her, ask her questions that you always wanted to ask her in which she only has the answer. Photos, family movies bring about a soothing effect. Your mom will have good days ahead of her, so enjoy those days with her. There is a book that Hospice puts out called, " Gone from my sight", please read it if you have a chance, it will help you understand what she is going through. Anyone that has read this book will agree. The people from Hospice are wonderful if you need them. Kris

Do you still have the Khorns for sale?

After many years of using a ss preamp I took the plunge with a tubed preamp, the AE-3. What a difference this has done to the sound. I want to upgrade the stock Chinese tubes with a tube that could liven up the midrange and present a great lowend. The AE-3 uses 6sn7's. I was looking at KenRad vt231's or Sylvania vt231's. Would these be a good mate? What tubes do you suggest? Thanks, Kris

Send the wife and the kids packing for the night, grab a cold drink, kick the shoes off, and extend the lazyboy and enjoy your horns. Here are a few of my favorites: Supertramp...CRIME OF THE CENTURY Pink Floyd...WISH YOU WERE HERE Dave Matthews...LIVE IN CHICAGO (great recording) Eagles...HOTEL CALIFORNIA Tantric...(different but sounds great) KRIS

Gil, I should have said that each of the upgrades that I have done has brought new character to my system, to which I enjoy. New amp, preamp, KLF30's. I knew that the cable question would bring on various responces, that is why I asked. Many of you where once in my shoes and now have the experience through your many purchases($$$) to offer helpful suggestions; to which I thank you. Thanks, Kris

Having no real experience with "cables" I was looking for help. I feel that with each upgrade within my system will bring harmonic happiness. I did not like the sound of the new cables that I bought, so I went back to my 1984 $45 old faithfuls and all was well again. I had a chance to buy MIT's a few years back but I felt that their sound was do to the network on the cable and it was altering the sound of the preamp...does this apply to all high end cables also? Thank, Kris

Yes I could have stated "patchchords" a term that I was using back in the mid 70's, but I went with a more refined word "interconnects". I have been on both Audioasylum and Audiogon but thought I would try here also. I had a new pair of $200______(you fill in the blank)and yes they had a much different sound...one that I did not care for, so after 3 weeks I returned them.Yes I do believe that cables do make a difference. TBrennan, I posted this thread for help,as many others do, and not for sarcasm. Kris

Im in need of new interconnects for amp-preamp. Im using a Bryston 4Bst and a AES AE-3 preamp and am in need of new cables........any suggestions? Thanks, Kris

Having no experience with tubes, I was searching the different boards for various tubes to compliment the AES AE-3 and came across a few speaking of frozen tubes and their advantages.Is this just another gimmick? They say that during the process many tubes are ruined, but the ones that survive sound phenominal with a much longer life. Has anyone used such a tube? Thanks, Kris

Space cowboy....I am also new to this equipment( tubes), and you will be educated by many true audiophiles in this forum. When someone such as Mobile Homeless offer a comment or suggestion listen to them and trust their jugdement. They are a true help> Kris

I hooked this preamp up yesterday and was floored. My Klf30's always sounded great but now they sound DYNAMITE.Its like replacing a 40watt bulb in your fixture with a 100watt bulb.....and seeing what you have been missing. The AE-3 brings new life to the 4Bst as well. Strong solid bass and a high end that seems to go on forever. WOW. Never did my system sound so good. And to think that this can only get better by replacing the caps with oil filled and yanking the stock Chinese tubes. If the AE-3 can sound this good, I can only imagine what a Cary could do( my goal ). I want to thank eveyone that made suggestions to me it really helped. I would have never thgought that a tubed preamp could sound so good. Again thank you. KRIS

The seller is not saying that the speakers were owned by the Doobie Brothers.......he is selling speakers that might of been owned by the Dobie Bothers. He is not misrepresenting himself with this add, there very well might be a Dobie Bother in some phone book ........somewhere. Not selling you a con, but preying on your stupidity! Kris

The audio cabinet was purchased about 6 years ago at a local hi end audio store. I want to say it cost $350. I believe its manufactured by Elite. Its your typical wood cabinet with glass doors, which I needed back then to keep "little fingers" away from the equipment. Plus it looks good in the family room which is paneled. The left channels KLF30 is within 3inches from the cabinet and until now I never thought of checking vibration. I was concerned about feedback into the tubes from the speakers.Mobile suggested that I might want to feel the equipment and see if there is indeed vibration on the equipment. I took his advise and found there are vibrations(at high volume),are these something that I should worry about I really didnt know. I never had a problem with the cd player thats housed in the cabinet, so maybe I need not worry about the AES. Here is a cute story on "little fingers". Back in 1985 I was working about 15 hours a day, so that my wife could stay home with our child. He was 3 years old then. I came home about 10pm and seen that the RCA record of the month just arrived. I went to the fridge for a beer, powered up the equipment, sat down and........nothing not a sound. Had power to preamp and amp, TT was spinning but nothing. Something is not right here.....checked all the connections, dials, fuses, you name it. Its 11:30 and Johny Carson is on and I have my system torn down and starting from scratch. In comes my wife,"What are you doing? Dont you know that you have to get up in a few hours?" I explained my problem to her and she said "I seen Tony looking at the buttons on the TT earlier". Two hours and a quart of sweat later ........ The turtable was a Bang+ Olufsen TX and its arm had linear tracking, so when I opened up the cover and exposed the tone arm I was missing my MMC2 cartridge (not cheap back in '84). My little darling pulled it out and threw it behind the couch. It took the next day to find it, full of dust bunnies. What comes around goes around. Mobile yes the KLF's are spiked. Thanks, Kris

I think I might have a problem here. Earlier when everyone was gone, I decided to play a cd....Dave Matthews Live in Chicago and when the song titled #41 started(love this track)I reached over and "pumped up the volume".I had the Dave and his band right here in my family room.WOW But I remembered talking to Mobile about tube microphonics and my concern with my KLF30's only being a few inches away from the stereo cabinet that houses my equipment.Mobile I placed my hand on the different pieces inside the cabinet as you suggested and sure enough there was vibration plus some.Granted this was at high volume and I dont listen to concert levels all the time, but what happens to the sound when the preamp becomes part of the soundstage? Should this have been a factored in or would I have been wise to look SS. MY wife and family room limit me(no chioce)as to where I can place my fun stuff. Oh please help me, tell me that I did do the right thing going tubes. I havent recieved the AES yet and Im starting to think twice.AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Kris

I bought the AES AE3 for $400,and thought that would be a good intro into the world of tube gear. If the reveiws are on the money I will keep this for quite some time and if it isnt what I want in a preamp I can sell it and hardly take a hit at all. Mobile I would not disagree with you that a Cary would be the better choice, considering the chain of finacial events that have just occured, Im limited on my purchasing, and when I ran across this I figured I could swing this small expence. Heck this preamp is the lowest amount that I have spent to date on any piece of equipment in my current system. Mobile I did take your advice to stay away from the 6922's . Yes, the owner told me that it comes with the original stock Chinese tubes. The caps that AES had priced out are Audio 1 oil caps 2.00uF @ 600VDC .........per AES web site This message has been edited by Kris K on 07-30-2002 at 04:59 PM

Mobile and others thanks for your thoughts on tubed preamps.Mobile you were suggesting Cary to me and I was looking at a few models, but then I started to read up on AES.Wow same company at a fraction of the cost. Great reviews also. Deang were you not loving your SF Line1 until you bought the AES- 3? I found a used AES-3 factory assembled standard version for sale at a very good price.I contacted AES and Billy Wright told me that I should upgrade to oil caps ($118) and would be amazed at what this would do.Even at the extra cost Im still spending less than a new factory assembled unit. Does this upgrade in the caps have a great difference in sound? Also the preamp is coming with the standard Chinese tubes that to my understanding are not all that great(microphonic?). What tubes would be a good match with this preamp? I havent recieved the AES-3 yet ,but Im hoping that I bought champagne on a beer budget. Thanks, Kris

Mobile what are your thoughts on the Cary SLP 74?

ShapeShifter dear freind, I live a hours drive south of you ,just as you cross the ohio border. With the high heat and humidity that we have been experiencing, Detroit Edison is running over capacity and I think that you should be doing your share in trying to ease their burden. You must give up some of those power demanding pieces of audiophile equipment at once....no comprimise! Think conservation! I will be traveling up to Traverse City on monday and will stop by to help you dispose of some of your gear; this will be hard for you I know, thats why I'll be there to see you through this painful experience. Your best freind, Kris

Well I just spent $582.76 today on repairs to my van, so any immediate purchase of a tubed preamp is going to be put on hold for a short while. I was tempted to tell the wife that she would have to hitch a ride to work with her freind so I would have her Jeep to use....for a week or so.....didnt want to deplete the preamp fund....would this be wrong of me? Here is going to be my next topic " Wanted a good used (FREE)tubed preamp to a good home....donations are being accepted" Thanks, Murphy Law

OK dear friends tell me what you think of this one: Conrad Johnson PV11L with RCA 12AU7's clear tops pearl crovac NOS tubes for $550? Yes...NO...maybe....good place to start? Thanks, Kris This message has been edited by Kris K on 07-15-2002 at 05:44 PM

WOW my head is spinning, I better sit down. Lets see if I have this correct; ARC is middle of the road and average, Audible Illusions is fantastic for phono only, Sonic Frontiers ....mmmmm....no( Deang did you not just own one ), and try to find one that doesnt use the 6922's. AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I feel better now that I vented. Should I have taken the simple approach and went with the Bose LifeStyle System? No but on the serious side, I do appriciate everyones help because you have critiqued vast amounts of equipment and spent $$$$$ finding the right and wrong pieces, and when there are many in agreement ( like-dislike)its easier for me to rule out a few choices. Please by all means keep em coming. Thanks, Kris P.S. Conrad Johnson has both the PV line and the Premere line with the later of the two being the newer ....correct? Is one better than the other. And what about the use of 6C4's.....good, bad ? This message has been edited by Kris K on 07-15-2002 at 02:46 PM

Mobile Homeless, thanks for your thoughts and input. I am looking at a Audible Illusions Modulus 3A. Great write ups ......what do you think? Thanks, Kris

Sorry , topic should have said "question for Mobile Homeless".......I applogize

I am looking at buying a tube preamp to compliment my Bryston 4Bst amplifier and KLF30's. My equipment is in a enclosed audio cabinet with my left driver (speaker) no farther than 1 foot away. At times I loosen the tie, grab a beer and let the volume take me to front stage. In trying to research the tube experience, I came to a article concerning tube microphonics,and from what I read this is feedback back into the tubes from outside sources? Is this true? Is this something that I should be very aware of? Anyone had such problems ? I have retired the turntable to the closet and have bought large amounts of small silver discs so there cant be any feedback from a cartridge. My family room being very large is divided by a fireplace and I am very limited (no choice) as to where the equipment can located. Should I hesitate at buying tubed and go with SS..... Thanks, Kris This message has been edited by Kris K on 07-13-2002 at 11:35 PM

Mobile and friends, thanks for your replies ,I do appreciate your helping me through this dilemma. Thanks, Kris