Shakeydeal

I agree with “good, solid, high end” part. But we part ways with the high power part. My 300B amp sounds bigger and bolder than amps with 10 x the power. Of course it would fall square on its face with the wrong speakers.

I think you've got a good handle on it. Speakers that are easy to drive and present a benign load don't usually benefit from more watts. Now when I say "easy to drive", I don't mean speakers with less than 95 db sensitivity. I mean speakers like the Heritage series and comparable ones. I still maintain what you are hearing is that you prefer the sound of the more powerful amp, and not because it's more powerful. Because it just sounds better. This may be for several reasons. 1) You like the sound of tubes over transistors 2) The Fisher has better parts and a better circuit design 3) The Fisher has a more robust power supply Or some combination of all of the above. But I don't think output power is what you are hearing.

Increases in gain don't equate to more power. This just means that the amp can be driven to clipping sooner or later depending on the output voltage of the source. Amps that are designed as a push/pull amp usually don't sound as good when switched to triode. Most manufacturers will agree. This just gives the owner more flexibility. Then again, as in most things audio, this is subjective. You may like a pentode amp better when switched into triode. My take is different.

I think this is more of a novelty than anything. Every tube amplifier I've owned that had this functionality never sounded better in triode. Yes, you get a lusher midrange, but at the expense of everything else. The only way to do triode is with a triode tube. Not a pentode.

I think you are hearing the difference between technology AND topology. You aren't trying to drive a pair of Wilsons or Martin Logans which can have wild impedance swings. Klipsch speakers tend to have a benign impedance variance, so even the less efficient models are not hard to drive as most other speakers. A better experiment would be pitting two SS or two tube amps of different power ratings against each other on your Fortes. I tried a 150 wpc VTL and a 12 wpc Aric Audio amp on Cornwall IVs. I couldn't hear any improved dynamics or bass control with the VTL, but preferred the Aric for it's tone and imaging. Both sounded equally powerful after adjusting for any gain difference.

If you heard a good implementation of an OB, you’d get it.

No

I know you didn’t ask me, but I’ve owned two different EL84 amps and both were excellent. A Music Reference RM10 II and an Aric Audio custom. I have also had many EL34 amps, also which were good. But if you don’t need the extra power, there is something special about the EL84 tube. That would be my choice.

@RickD Why do you need a digital input? Doesn’t your dac have analog outputs?

A pair of these extend the bottom end of the lascala quite nicely. That said, I too am looking forward to the heritage subs.

Another BBA fan. I have his rack and an amp stand. Good stuff.

Which brings us back to the old saying "just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should"...

My first experience with Klipsch was back in the early 90s when I bought a pair of KG 3.2s. I wasn't really crazy about them and didn't keep them long. Fast forward to 2013 when a buddy let me borrow a pair of original Heresys. I was smitten. And even though I had a much more expensive pair of full range floor standing speakers, I thought "this is the sound for me". I found a pair of Cornwall IIs on craigslist and the rest as they say, is history. And no, I can't remember the first thing I played on any of the above speakers.

This is a screaming deal for someone. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650090031-klipsch-lascala-2-mismatch-pair/

You’d be shocked. I’ll bet dollars to donuts you can’t stay in the room with my lascalas at lease breaking levels with 8 watts. I can’t make this amp audibly clip on any source material.

I agree that going from one high powered SS amp to another one might be barely noticeable. But low powered tubes are where heritage klipsch shine. Hence my recommendation.

An SET amp is what ye seek, grasshopper…

+1 on Soundsmith. I bought one of his modded Denons a few years ago and it was great. Later on I bought a Carmen II and it’s even better. Peter is a great resource and makes some fine cartridges. My Hana sits on the shelf unused.

With the 270 mv input sensitivity of the integrated amp I would say there is a good chance it will work.

Looks like you might not need a step up tranny. 60 db should be enough for the Hana. What is your line stage?

Damn, Dennis is getting 7 watts from a 2a3. Very impressive. GLWS.

Depends on a lot of other things. What is the gain of the phono preamp, gain of the linestage, and sens. of the speakers.

I agree with what's been said already. But I also think the proper height of the speaker is when it is resting on the floor. Raising it up will only hinder sound quality when seated, if that's important to you. Best to use them as designed or not use them at all.

Scam

I bought Bobs xovers and I thought the sound was worse than the AA they replaced. Bright to my ears.