jazman

Merry Christmas. See the above message to soundog's Merry Christmas. Klipsch out.

Merry Christmas Soundog, and to all in Klipschland and the world. Thank you to everyone who has helped me by sharing their knowledge and opinions. May things get better for all who are less fortunate than I, not just the material things of life, but in terms of good health and good family. Klipsch out.

soundog; justrelaxing, justrelaxing, like soundog suggests, your first decision is how far you want to go(cash and involvement) with your HT setup. That will determine what you purchase more than anything. What do you have now as a core system? soundog, I thought I had a problem,(chronic Klipsch disease), but after reviewing your system info, I feel fine now. Merry Christmas. Klipsch out. My systems. Family room HT: Yamaha RXV795 AV receiver Toshiba SD-3109 DVD/HDCD Panasonic VHS Dish Echostar Sat reveiver KLF 20s front KLF C7 center RS3 II surround KSW 15 sub KSW 12 sub Mitsubishi 55" 16x9 HD front projection Master bedroom: Yamaha RXV795 AV receiver Toshiba SD-3109 DVD/HDCD Dish Echostar Sat reveiver 2 Quintets front 2 Quintets rear The Quintet center Energy Sub (saves space) Sony 27" KV-27V66 Center of home for 2 channel Jazz listening: HF-81 Integrated amp/preamp(due for arrive this week) RegaPlanar 3 TT, RB300 Tonearm Elys cartridge AH! Tjoeb CD player Teac Reel Nak Cassette 1975 vintage Belle Klipsch Waiting assignment; 2 KG 4.2s 2 KG 4.2s, waiting to be sent to Chicago KSP C6 center KSF S5 surrounds

How about a good DVD with good sound and a good movie to go along with it. What a concept? Get Ronin! Merry Christmas. Klipsch out.

I sent an email your way. I have a pair of KG 4.2s I am willing to sell. Klipsch out.

mobile, Not to worry. I am not in anyone's camp at this point and realize more than anyone that I have too much to learn before feeling comfortable with a big ticket purchase. Not only does the power side of things require study, there's the preamp, and in most cases a phono stage. I do however want to hear the opinions and impressions of those who actually own and use the hardware, not just the reviewer. Colin has a listening environment very similar to mine,(mine is 25'lx18'w and 23" wide at second fl with 20' ceiling), and a low cost DIY kit that provides good value and learning experience. The HF-81 is perfect for me now because it addresses my needs for power, control, phono input, a base for learning tubes as well as what goes inside the box. So mobile, how will I be able to tell if the valves are bad? Did you see the mods/replacements the seller has done? He said he has tested everything and it works fine. He uses 2 HF-12's and 1978 vintage Hereseys currently and has used other 6BQ5 tube amps. He does not have the owners manual for the HR-81 and I probably won't get the HF-81 in my hands before the end of next week if I'm lucky. The same delivery time frame goes for the AH!Tjoeb. In the mean time I will gladly read Jeff Lessards DIY amp. The name seems to be a tribute to Horace Silver. Ok, back to the reading for me. Klipsch out.

Colin, Thanks for your post. I sent you an email earlier which you can now disregard. I read your review earlier today after visiting one of the sites where "bottleheads" post. My 2 channel listening room has similar dimensions to yours except its open to the second floor where it's approx 23 ft wide. You also seem ready for the next step, the Paraglow. Once I hit that price, I'd probably go with for the Parabee to cover all power needs for the large room. As with many things, there are so many products from which to chose. It's going to be a long, enjoyable search for my final tube power configuration. Somewhere along that road I'll need to add a preamp and phono stage. These parts, regardless of brand, will require some diligent saving and frugal shopping on my part. At present, I'm just waiting for the EICO and AH! Tjoeb to arrive. The audio richness I sought with the thought of bi-wiring the Belles, now seems waiting to be unleashed by a set of tubes. Klipsch out.

edster, The latest information from the seller on the tubes was; I found more info on the tube box: Amperex--Jan--7308--Green. Do you know anyone using the DIY Paramour kit, $549 for a pair of monoblocks with 3.5 watts of SE 2A3. Klipsch out.

edster, AH! Toeb update. The seller has passed along this information on the extra tubes. "The tubes are marked, "Rare production 1968" on the box, and are from Upscale Audio." My humble research shows Upscale Audio as the exclusive North American contact and distributor for the AH! Tjoeb CD Player. Maybe I've got some real goodies to look forward to. Also thanks for the info on the Amperex Bugle Boy tubes which seem to be the "choice" upgrade of reviewers. You and the other enthusiast on this site are awesome! The new pieces should start arriving within the next 10 days. Can't wait to hear how it will sound in my wide open listening room. BTW, I've located a Jolida dealer about 25 miles from my home. After my ears spend some time with the EICO HF-81 integrated, along with some tweeking recs from mobile, I hope to start demoing products. Klipsch out.

Beatjunky, I recently purchaed a pair of Belles and the people on this Forum have been extremely helpful with tube recommendations. Check out the Bi-wiring Belles thread to read some on the advice provided. I thought bi-wiring would be my answer to more sound from the Belles, but Mobile and Edster put me on the tube trail and I've read and learned a lot in a few days, spent some more money. Still tons of reading to go for me, but I'm beginning to understand the terms and construction of tubes. You will find useful information on most of the web sites. Good luck. I know you'll enjoy those Horms. Klipsch out.

edster, mobile I asked the seller if they could provide more info on the extra tubes for the Tjoeb, but nothing yet. Mobile, I visited Welborne Labs site today. Very informative and a lot I've yet to read. Definitely class gear but outside my present budget, but well within a vision of the long term future. I read both of your HF-81 pages and considering how much you like it, I should be ecstatic with it once I assure the performance is up to expectations. I feel very fortunate to locate both of these pieces. The Force was with me. BTW, the Belles sound great even with the present amplication limitations. The room where they are located has a ceiling almost 20 ft high, aprrox 18 ft wide and 25 ft long. Klipsch out.

yea mobile, I got real busy. Timing was good. Those items were just posted on ebay yesterday. So after a ton of reading on my part, I decided to go from the gut. I won't bother to describe all the surfing and research. Mike was right on with the ebay links. So what do you think? Did the past owner make the correct mods to the HF-81? The Tjoeb is also supposed to have a couple of high performance tubes included with the package. I'll let you know about them when it arrives to determine if you should make recs. Late night surfing sessions are likely to be in store for me for some time to get up to speed on products, specs, reviews, etc. I was very tempted to simply order the Jolida JD 102B, but the price of the used HF-81 allowed me to also get the Tjoeb and buy some time. It will be quite educational and fun to learn about the many amplificiation options before a final purchase, especially if I have to save before shelling out massive bucks. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Klipsch out. Edmond

Thanks maxg, mobile, and edster. I've been reading like crazy to get up to speed on tube technospeak. So far, here's the plan. I've moved immeidately on purchasing a vintage EICO HF-81 integrated on ebay for $200. It included some upgrades so I did not try to fiddle with the sellers price. This will solve immediate power/preamp replacement needs and help me acclimate my ears to tube sound, plus provide some point of everyday reference as I move through the choices to a final purchase. So far I've spent a lot of time on the ASL and Jolida websites, reading many reviews, learning push/pull, single ended, etc. Both seem to have very reasonable priced integrated offerings. The Jolida Model JD 102B seemed to be the type of plug and play unit I'm looking for, and afforable. I will get to Wright Sound, Fi, Welborne Labs, etc. sites very soon, but this will require time and much midnight oil. Then will come listening test and take homes if I can find products in my area. On the CD front, I have purchased a Tjoeb '99 CD player from eBay and waiting on the seller to send my shipping charges. That will have to do for the immediate moment as I sort out all the products, reviews, features, prices. With the purchase of the Belles and these additional pieces of hardware, I think my bank account needs a rest. BTW mobile, you were saying about a turntable........ Thanks again to all for providing great recommendations to a neophyte now traveling in "Tubeland". I'll post my impressions of the new hardware to this thread soon. (I hope.) Klipsch out.

mobile, Ok bi-wiring is a dead issue for the moment. Not to worry about bad news Monday. In another forum I state that any of my hardware is subject to upgrade at any time. I knew when I purchased the Belles that it would create a chain reation of upgrades to many pieces. I've been investigating tube power but still don't feel I know enough to be comfortable making a purchase. Do you know a shop in the SF Bay area with enough experience to help me through this process of listening and learning about tubes? I've only heard Conrad Johnson products. The search has been on for a new CD player for months, turntables can't be found everywhere. What should I budget for each upgrade? I may require a two stage upgrade with startup target and an ultimate goal for each piece.(I have a son who plays ice hockey so there's more than one drain on the income.) Are there integrated pieces that can give me good upgrade bang for my bucks? I believe I read that Conductor purchased an integrated CJ for his KHorns. I try to focus most on the music I enjoy, not being at the top of the esoteric equipment chain, so keep that in mind when making recommedations. I can accept a compromise. Thanks for the heads up. Edmond

eyes, Maybe I can try to post some pics after the holidays and xmas trees etc. are no longer around. At this very moment Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" CD is drifting thoughout the house, sounding oh so sweet on the Belles. At the moment I'm in the master bedroom on the second floor. They are located on the first floor of a modest two story home, in a room that is a combination formal living and dining area. (It's CA remember.)The dimensions are roughly 18 ft wide, 25 ft long, with the location of the speakers on a narrower section of the front wall about 12 ft wide before opening up to 18 ft across. The ceiling is 18-20 ft high and open to the second floor. I wanted to be able to fill this cavern with sweet music and the Belles are definitely up to the job. Here's the equipment set up so far. Nakamichi 620 power amp 100x100 watts Crown IC 150A preamp Phillips CD player Belles connected with Audio Quest Bedrock wire. I will complete the setup with a B&O turntable, Teac Reel, Nakamichi cassette, Marantz tuner. All were used by me already for many years with my KG 4.2s. Needless to say, upgrades could occur at any time and any piece. Considering the KLF 20's as fronts, RS3II's, KSW15 and KSW12, KG4.2s with my HT setup in the family room, additional pair of KG4.2's upstairs, Quintets for small HT setup in master bedroom, I can't say enough about the sound of the Belles and how they fill the house. Just....WOW! Now all I have to do is maintain self control and not buy a pair of Khorns for sale by a gent in nearby Martinez, CA. That's all for now. Klipsch out. Edmond I must maintain self control........... I must maintain self control..............

I have a pair of 1975 vintage Belles(yes, yes, finally) and would like to know if anyone has bi-wired their Belles? If you have, please let me know if your result was positive. If you have Belles and have chosen not to bi-wire due to some other considerations, please share your reasons and experience. These speakers will only be used as 2 channel audio, dedicated mostly for Jazz but also almost anything else musical. Does anyone have any suggestions for upgrading the speaker wire connections on these Belles? I have used spade connectors for the present but would like to use something more modern. I will be using equipment probably older than most of you, so you may not be familiar with it. Power will be suppied by; Nakamichi 620 Power amp Crown IC150A Preamp Phillips CD player(for present) Audio Quest Bedrock speaker cable. Later I will be adding my B&O Turntable, Nakamichi cassette, Teac Reel. BTW, I do not want to start a Bi-wire debate! Just sharing experiences with success or failure with this type connection. I will experiment, or not, based on the feedback. Thanks, Klipsch out. Edmond

Conductor, FYI. I learned something new today. The KHorns you own were designated "Style C" according to a 1975 Klipsch brochure.

It's a done deal. The 1975 vintage Belles arrived today safely. I will be get fresh wiring tomorrow and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. More later probably in the Tachnical forum. Thanks for the shipping suggestions. Edmond

Upon reviewing my DVD shelf after my last post, there is one movie that absolutely must make this list of audio show off DVDs. Ronin! If you haven't seen it, you must. It is full of wonderful surround sounds beginning with the opening rainy scenes, shootouts, car chases, skate blades on ice and much more. KLF 20's C7 RF3 II's KSW15 and KSW 12 subwoofers Toshiba SD-3109 DVD/CD Yamaha RXV 795 Mits 55" 16x9 widescreen

I agree with all the movies mentioned, but how can the last 3 007 movies not get recognized when action/sound showoff movies are discussed. Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, provide more than enough action sound effects to show off a killer Home Theater system even if you hate the James Bond genre. Pull these 007 DVDs out of your library for review. KLF 20's C7 RF3 II's KSW15 and KSW 12 subwoofers Toshiba SD-3109 DVD/CD Yamaha RXV 795 Mits 55" 16x9 widescreen

Conductor, Beautiful Klipschorn. It should be months, if not years, before you stop smiling whenever you look at them, and listen to them! What a deal!

Thanks Ross and "eyes". The seller and I have agreed to do something very similar to your suggestion. Use Styrofoam sheets/slabs as padding covered with cardboard, then a light weight skid large enough for both speakers to be taped/wrapped together front to front which can be split apart on arrival to make off loading easier. Thanks for your help. I hope the Belle's will cure my case of Klipsch desease. Is there anyone who wants/needs to purchase a C6 center or KSF S5 surrounds? I'm using C7 and RS 3 IIs with my KLF 20's for HT and no longer need the C6 and S5's. Klipsch out. Edmond

Ok world, There must be someone out there with these shipping boxes. I'm still hoping someone will come through for me but I'm not holding my beath. Since Klipsch only uses cardboard boxes and styrofoam, I may do something similar with a 1/4 inch plywood bottom in each, 1 or 3/4 inch styrofoam pieces lining the sides of the boxes and corner bracing. I'll keep you posted. Mike, do you have a pickup truck if I can reduce the shipping cost by picking them up at the trucking terminal? Then you could listen all you want when I set them up. Klipsch out. Edmond

My HT setup includes; Mitsubishi 55" 16x9 widescreen KLF 20's Front speakers C7 Center RS 3II Surrounds (Rec. by a Klipsch tech and a great call) KSW 15 Sub and KSW 12 sub connected to the KSW 15. I have my C7 sitting directly in front of the widescreen on the floor angled up using the legs as the manual recommends. The floor is a hardwood parquette. Due to the size of the TV, and the KLF 20's, I don't like adding more boxes and cabinets to the room. With the lights down, and a movie blasting, the black cabinet of the C7 blends in with the tv. I usually start with Klipsch general recs, then experiment a little. I also don't have to factor in WAF, just my 13 yr old son and myself. Other Klipsch in the house include; KG 4.2 2 pair Quintets with 8 inch sub(non Klipsch) for master bedroom HT Recently purchased a pair of Belles which will not be part of HT, but for 2 channel Jazz lisitening in a much larger room. Good luck.

Does anyone have shipping boxes for a pair of Belles? I recently purchased a pair(lifelong dream) and need to get them from the original owner in PA to the SF Bay area. He is the original owner but his boxes have long since decayed. Klipsch wants $118 per box to purchase from them. I will gladly pay to rent them and return them after use. Any alternate ideas gladly accepted.