Audible Nectar

I solved my long running computer issues today by finally just replacing the whole machine. I ended up with a new Lenovo desktop.....it's incredible how inexpensive computers are these days, and after over 10 years with the previous machines I milked about all I could from them. They cost enough back in the day, and I was determined to get all I could out of them. My prior issues were in part due to just too old of equipment, but computers are one of those fast depreciation items I tend to not want to replace often (I get soooo much bang for the buck with Heritage). But I gave up (and in) today and finally got a new one. And in this household that's a bit of news. Here's hoping I don't have to fight with this one as much as I did the other two.......if I have reasonable success, I might even get a laptop - considering the asking prices these days. Oh, and gave Klipsch a bit more business on a set of Promedias. Jesus, didn't Klpsch realize that most people sit next to the computer and system when they built those? LOL........Holy LOUD[8-|]

It's nice to find a "value tube" like that you can live with. I have expensive taste when it comes to some of these tube types.....12AX7, 12AU7, and 6DJ8 family tubes in vintage forms (like Tele,Philips/Amperex, and Siemens) are as addictive as crack, and on that rare occasion I rolled back to the stock Philips JAN or JJ things just weren't the same. It's a good thing I really like the Penta KT88, cuz WOW are NOS KT88 exeeeeeeennnnnnnsive :-) That's probably my favorite recent production tube offering in my equipment - I just ignore the Tung-Sols to avoid getting any more ideas ;-)

What this world needs is a "NOSValves" of computer repair and custom building. Service is always the key to any good ownership experience, and I have come to the conclusion that it's a key reason I have spent the last computer decade doing a paltry percentage of what I should be doing with computers. I am sufficiently desperate to be running a box now on Linux from the CD rom....and it only works half arsed. I tend to get really tight with the wallet when I don't have faith or evidence that the money spent will be fruitful - and I get to be really tight with my $$$ when I think about Bill Gates...... But hey, it took me 25 years to finally get the Heritage of my dreams, so I suppose if it takes me another 10 years to get fast comp that works all of the time I am still ahead of the game :-) Anyone know a computer expert in the IL/IA region?

Get your hands on a vintage Electrolux horsehair brush attachment and vacuum cleaner. I use it regularly to dry clean my various gears, as it is very important to remove dust before attempting any applicable wet cleaning. It is THE BEST above floor cleaning setup I have ever used. The soft horsehair is non-scratching, and with delicate/careful use can even be used on my vintage Macs. I have another trick I use with the "angle crevice tool" too. I wrap the end with a blue "shop towel" then suck the edges just inside the angle tool, then tape the towel to hold in place around the sides of the tool. Then I can use that crevice tool to get in those tight spaces without scratching any surface, as the tip of the crevice tool is wrapped with the shop towel as a "cushion".....I work those tighter areas with the tool, gently vacuuming those areas without scratching. An odd, "vintage" sort of solution, but that brush works wonders, and I've yet to see any other like it on the market. I look a bit like a doctor doing liposuction on a patient, but it works :-)

This list starts and ends for me with the 1976 Paddy Chayevsky film "Network". NO american should be issued a diploma of any significant value without seeing and understanding this film first. Paddy not only saw the future of television - he saw the future of the world, driven by the device we know as television. While it enjoyed a certain popularity in the 70's, and won four Academy Awards, the film has largely been forgotten, and more importantly the message has been forgotten, too. IMO, one of the 10 most important films in the last 50 years, and a cinematic art that is every bit as well done as the message is. "When the twelfth largest company in the world controls the most awesome, god&^#* propaganda force in the whole godless world, who knows what sh.... will be peddled for truth on this network". - Howard Beale (who is, not by coincidence, my avatar image)

Mine goes like this: "The more people I meet, the more I love my wife and my audio system." In a world gone mad, I know where to find my sanity.

The Psilocybinwalls beat them all. Rosewood, zebrawood, teak are all nice finishes but those crazee things are the most incredible wood I've ever seen. I mean, seriousleh - are those things even legal?

"NOS wins again".... Yes they do[] With exception to the KT88SCs in my VRDs, I use the old brands exclusively these days.

INCREDIBLE condition! I have a similar pair, same year, but with removable grille. BEEEEEUUUUUTIFUL!

WOW - THAT was FAST. OP comes here wanting a Mac amp for the KHorns....which in and of itself isn't a bad way to go - and ends up with a pair of VRDs? How did that happen without me being here[]? Now had we stuck to Mac, I would have recommended MC30s (midrange and tonality KINGS) or MC60s (midrange and tonality KINGS with added bass authority). These amps have all the desired traits for KHorns - sweetness, tonality, and tube rectified for that perfect attack and decay....and I wouldn't have said a WORD had you gone that route. The almost perfect, cannot miss solution..... .....but you stumbled into THE PERFECT, CUSTOM MADE solution for KHorns, one of a select few that I would recommend alongside or over an MC30/60. In addition to being tube rectified, VRDs possess a superbly clear front end circuit, as well as a bass weight that presents a rare combination at that price. Manual bias is a distinct advantage too. As an owner of two operating pairs of MC30s there are few amplifiers I would own otherwise. VRDs are one of those amps, which dutifully perform in excess of 40 hours a week here. The more I use them, the more they become irreplaceable. So congrats OP - I think you're gonna like this.......[8-|]

Yeah - I've been running "high security" on the vintage Mac system, worried that "he" might decide that "he" wanted the MC30s. I have since learned that "he" already has a pair, and therefore have no need to worry. []

This is an EXCELLENT network, and I agree with jhoak's assessment here. I have come sooooo clooooose to having one of these network pairs built. In my current room and use, however, I find my V-Cap AAs to be stellar for my use.....but if I ever have upgrades done to my top section on the Belle Klipsch, this would be the network I would move to. OUTSTANDING.

I prefer the simple/basic networks for my use (A/AA/B/E) built with the best available parts. They have a very close/immediate sound that I really like, and they work great for people who don't turn up the system to volume level extremes. I take my speaker systems to the mid 90s db area in a 15 x 20 room and they work extremely well. If I were in a larger room, or used a bit more power, then an ALK network (or similar hybrid) might be in order. So in my Belles, I use a AA network built with V-Cap OIMP caps (this was about $600), which is a "best parts" version of what Bob is doing. Bob's AA does very well for about 40% of that cost, and will get you 85-90% of the performance. It's a highly recommended value solution for anyone still running 30+ year old cans in original Heritage. I am one of those "cap and tube rollers/tweakers" who likes simplest, high quality parts builds in gears/networks, so that may shed a bit of light on my "angle". There's merit to most ALL of the offered/discussed networks here, it's a matter of taste and use that will determine your best solution. It's a broader area than most realize, and an area worth investigating. BTW - no "peer pressure" element here. I like what I like and say so without any personal axes. It's never personal when it comes to gear choices. It's funny because I'm about as "polar opposite" WRT non-audio subjects when it comes to the people I have had do my preferred builds, but we agree on AUDIO solutions and basic business practices so we have all the meeting of the minds as necessary. Even with the offered solutions I did not choose, they are good people too and don't take the fact you chose otherwise personally either. This really is a "taste and use" kind of subject with solutions that present advantages and drawbacks, so there isn't a single "one size fits all" answer here. One thing that might help some is a bit from the original poster on what type of gear, room, and listening volume/habits/tastes/preferences apply, which would spark a bit more directed recommendation. Someone who likes SET amps playing at modest volumes would LOVE my V-Cap build, OTOH if you are running those KHorns on a 400 WPC solid state amp in a big room and plan to use that power, an extreme slope build from Al might be in order. And of course, varied solutions for use/tastes in between...

I am TRULY convinced this was and is a "gear problem", from the 1970's to present. Klipsch needs gear that matches with the speakers. Julian Hirsch didn't help any. Who's Julian Hirsch? He's that guy in Stereo Review that used to state that "all amplifiers sound the same". That "big lie" permutated into an idea that it was the KLIPSCH that was the problem, because as Julian said "all amps sound the same", so it HAD to be the speaker......right??? WRONG. But that "myth" has had untold effects on the audio enthusiast population at large, a misunderstanding that persists today. People who listen to Klipsch without investigating other methods of powering them end up walking away too soon and gioving up on them - and the "opinion" then persists into infinity. We oft see evidence of this via "older" enthusiasts who come here after years of going through other gears, then rediscovering Klipsch by some accident and finding out what they missed. The detailed and specific solutions offered here are MUCH more effective that what many enthusiasts would have gotten at a dealer - but then again, that's because we can recommend from 50+ years of audio history the best gears and methods of making the Klipsch even better than most ever thought they could be. I don't think in my ENTIRE lifetime of seeing Klipsch in DEALERS (from the early 1980's to early 90's in particular) I NEVER saw them hooked up to tube gear. EVER. That in and of itself explains how many "kept moving" from the brand back then. Then again, I saw a TON of Klipsch sold by being driven with Nakamichi STASIS gear (and to a lesser degree ADCOM) which did win over a certain amount of converts....but when I think back to that time I realize there was a host of good solutions that were never seen by prospective buyers. Once an enthusiast comes here, ALL solutions can be considered, which means a greater likelihood of happy ears.

Yeah - that's a "decorator" version of the Cornwall, a "bare bones" version that allowed for customization of the finish or discreet install where the cabs wouldn't be distinctly visible or the look important. I believe it was made for just a couple years (1976-77ish), although someone I'm sure will chime in with exact production dates. I have a pair from 1976 that was birch raw later finished in stained Cherry with an added "grill border" and custom grillwork. They are the surrounds in my six Cornwall theater. Same mechanically as other Cornwalls of the era (drivers/horns).

I did that for a while - one channel at a time, especially with the MC30's. Then I did it in pairs for a couple weeks each. I do that now since I have two MC30 sets with different cap sets. Getting to hear the inner detail with recordings you know very well - and with a breadth of material - can be very enlightening. I also learned a BUNCH from having crossovers with identical schematic - just better parts - and roll those in and out a couple weeks apart. This personal experience in my own systems turned me into a parts geek in a hurry - despite the claims oft made and the prices oft charged, there's lots of great stuff out there. Us talking about them here allowed me to make more informed choices, and to have better odds of success. Of course, all amp builds saw an oscilliscope with the full battery of tests done and the sonics concur with that analysis, so the "finishing touch" of the inner audible details of the caps are all that's left to differ on - a topic that no specs can really convey. I don't need an engineer to tell me the difference between a Telefunken and Amperex 12AX7 in a given piece of gear because I have heard those differences - and once selected a preference bench test the amp to assure proper operation. Same with caps.

BTW - just to be clear - I am not accusing/stating that Greg is selling his all new product here, but it does appear that people perceive it as such.

I also agree with Rudy here. I have soooo personally benefitted from many of these "added modification" and "lab-in-progress" as it occurred on this forum for 10 years, and it is because of the forum collective always asking "what if" that my systems have progressed to "beyond my dreams" type of results. So WRT crossovers in particular, but extending to electronic rebuilds as well, the true value of these assistances is incalculable. That said, I CAN see where there is a perceived issue here. It's one thing to offer crossover upgrades, horn mods, driver upgrades, even full refurbish - but another to offer completely new product 100% non/Klipsch on a Klipsch forum. But then again, it's not my call either. I DO wish that there was a better way and attitude about discussing this. I believe firmly that it is the open nature of this forum (and Klipsch by extension) that gives the forum and Klipsch credibility - that willingness to let it all be out in the open and let us make the choices. Often those choices become Klipsch choices, like LaScala II, Jubilee projects, Palladiums - and others go "my way" - where I take older Klipsch product and tailor it to MY needs - then go tell the whole world how cool Klipsch is for allowing us to have this "audio lab of truth" to discover OUR own truths about audio and become a walking billboard for the company. Dare I say that I've sold more Klipsch product away from here than I ever did here, because I tend to "export" the knowledge gained here. Talking here is oft "preaching to the choir", but taking it elsewhere is winning new converts. Like friends from concert tours. I use old posts here to sell others on the merits. "See we fought that issue out and here's the results", or "here's the choices you have based on your needs". So while I "get" the reasoning on the issue of offering "new" product, I see the lines blurring and attitudes getting ugly and the vibe getting crushed a bit....and hope we can do better than this....

They DO make the Heritage "jump" - but it's the CONTROL, delicacy, and authority the VRDs exhibit that really set them apart. They really are the "do it all" amplifier for Heritage.....40+ hours a week for three years and I never ever get tired of using them. As much as I love my MC30 based system, the VRDs are (like the Cornwalls being "speaker of the house") - amplifiers of the house. The more I have and use them, the more they justify ownership.

His restoration work does look really good. I have from time to time thought about what Greg could do with my set of Belle Klipsch, because it's one of few substantial upgrades I could realistically USE. Can't have KHorns/Jubs - but the Belles will always be flexible enough in placement that I could live with them in most dwellings - and with the aethetics my wife and I LOVE. Just not in the budget, though.....but I must admit - I have read Greg's pages on occasion[]

AGREED. I had similar work done on my MC30s (in fact an extensive experiment in caps for these amps was done, chronicled in my prior posts). All that evaluation and tweaking yielded similar transformative results. The big Heritage cabs absolutely benefit from all the preening of the signal upstream, and tube gears allow for the ultimate in customization to make this happen.

I would call someone who intends to install a pair of MC30s on a pair of fully horn loaded Klipsch...... SMART.

C22 with either MC30s or 60s. Hard to go wrong with ANY of these vintage Mac pres: C11, 20, 22 or MX110, and for that matter MC30, 60, 225, 240, 275. As much as I like tube rectification I do like the C22 and MX110 very much, and the vintage Mac preamps in concert with the vintage Mac amps is a display in tonality found in very few places. I am very partial to the MC30 and MC60.....the only Mac amps that are tube rectified and when properly tweaked sing like no other, and especially with Mac preamps of the era. I have an MX110/MC30/Belle Klipsch system core, thoroughly and particularly rebuilt, and the only way I can think of improving the electronics would be a C22. The manner of rebuild means a LOT, especially on horns.... The catch with any of the vintage Mac pres is to find examples with switches and such in best condition, then have it serviced for top performance. Once done, you'll want another one you can steal parts from, because you'll never want to part with it. I have another system with newer components but that will never substitute for the vintage Mac. I would put the LaScala between the KHorns if I were to try it with a center mix, doubt the Heresy would be robust enough to be of much help. You are fine doing the pre with a trio of amps you have access to now and changing amps later if necessary. The preamp will do a lot to move you in that "sonic direction" - the best match in amps is the icing on the cake. Who knows....the trio you plan to use might do very well.

I applaud the writer's interest in the topic, and his understanding of the importance of capacitors. I have learned much through personal experience WRT the audible differences in capacitors and resistors as well (horns are great for parts hounds) and while not quantified as done in the article has always been a topic of interest. I am simply amazed at what some of these caps can do. Especially the teflons....when used properly can elevate components from "pretty good" to great (but the transparency is 500+ hours of playtime in arriving). Then there's the array of poly-in-oil (like the V-Cap OIMP) and silver-in-oil (like Mundorf)....then the Russian teflons, poly-in-oils, and PIO types...just a wonderful array of choices that make that ideal customization a joy.....especially when you get juuuuuust the results you want out of a build. Be it coupling caps or crossovers there are an array of great choices. Customization (IOW - squeezing the most possible out of gears through best parts) has been a HUGE part of my system successes, and has allowed me to find lifelong solutions that I never get tired of. In NO case has these improvements been realized by way of schematic change from stock configuration, but a selection of the best possible parts to let the music through in the best light possible. Even the best of the classic companies had accountant beancounters determining a cost benefit analysis as to what level of parts quality is appropriate, and with the array of new parts choices and efforts these gears often benefit from attention in this area. And then of course along with caps and resistors there are the tubes as well, which allow for that additional customization as well. All in the audio path have some influence - and when such perfect combinations are found they provide tonality and realism that no specs can convey. So yes - a great topic especially worthy of attention on a forum based on horn speakers, where the upstream details count in every microdetail imaginable.

Headline of the decade. Discuss.