henry4841

Perhaps the new production tubes just need some more hours on them. Tubes do need some break-in time. I prefer NOS and buy them whenever I can price wise and availability. The main difference is not so much sound but longevity from all that I have read on the web. The tubes of old did not all sound the same from brand to brand much as is with the new production ones.

Especially with this virus circling the globe. My best who was never sick caught Covid and was dead less than a week later. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.

I should also mention the old lady next door, younger then me, is extremely on the other side of the fence but it does not makes us less friends. She is so opinionated we do not discuss it anymore but I take her garbage can to the street every week and visit her when she is in the hospital. She knows she can depend on me when she needs me even though we disagree. This is the way it is supposed to be in a democracy.

First everyone hears differently so there is no one size fits all. This is from my own personal experience. Years ago I built all the published schematics I could find for the LaScala speakers along with some designs of my own. We are talking 30 or more with many hours listening to each one. No extreme measurements as Langston has done which is an enjoyable endeavor I have done with other electronic equipment charting measurements. To me ditching the autotransformer made for better sound with my equipment and room. I contributed to better sound of not using iron for attenuation as being the phase shift. There was one LaScala crossover, cannot remember the exact one, that the engineers at Klipsch could not decide if reversing the leads at the crossover was the correct thing to do. The were sent out one way and a few years later it was determined the leads should be reversed to compensate for the phase shift. After doing all that work I decided to just build an AA network with the autotransformer using decent parts to leave in my LaScala's. Good enough is the way I figured it and when they are passed down my sons will not have trouble selling them being stock. L-pad discrete resistor attenuation or autotransformer? The fact is a resistor is the less offensive electronic component. PS: I do not listen myself with the stock LaScala network, mid horn or tweeter. What I have made sits on top of my speakers only using the bass bin of the LaScala. Easily switchable to stock for selling at a later date. That is if one of my sons do not keep them. The crossover network does not include an autotransformer.

I am on the other side of the fence feeling the same way about the extreme other channels of which you know who. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with having opposing views. Having opposing views is what makes America great and a democracy. I just cannot understand why there is so much hostility now if someone does not agree with you. Sickening and terrible people turning against one another. Some of my best friends of my adult life did not agree with me on so many issues. It did not make us less good friends. We even enjoyed debating each other on the issues of our country. Where has love of our fellow man gone?

Great you took the time to do so much research and testing of autotransformers. PWK was very opinionated and a proficient writer. At the time of his choosing an autotransformer tube amplifiers ruled with low output so it is my belief, and many others, that the main reason for choosing an autotransformer is low to minimum power loss. As Dean stated there are negatives of using an autotransformer, the main one I do not like is the phase shift that naturally occurs using iron. Most all if not all speaker manufacturers have ditched the autotransformer in passive crossovers with discrete l-pad for attenuation. Does the job much cheaper and with amplifiers these day's watt savings is a mute point. Klipsch as well. Many many years since the went to discrete l-pad for attenuation over an autotransformer. There is one famous company that uses an autotransformer in their SS amplifiers, not speakers, is McIntosh.

I've never seen so many help wanted signs at so many business' right now in the small community I live in. Plenty of jobs and no one to fill them. My brother needed repairs done to his car and called his local independent shop he has been using about bringing it in. The owner said do not bring it to him because many of his employee's are at home getting more money and benefits for not working than showing up for work. That says a lot of the state of affairs of our country and inflation.

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2021/06/17/inflation-hits-highest-level-since-1979-in-philly-fed-survey/ The year is not over yet, just hang on. And yes being old memory is not what it was but that does not make the inflation we have now any better only worse when on limited SS benefits. The heritage line of Klipsch is still a good investment even with the price increase in my opinion. You will not go wrong buying the heritage line. Good old USA made with quality parts.

Worry about something else. Tube gear reigned before air conditioning became prevalent in homes.

Not to beat a dead horse but this quote is from a thread on Nelson Pass' SE V-fet project on the SMPS included in the kit build of the SE V-fet amplifier. For those that are not familiar with a V-fet (SIT) transistor it has the curves of a triode amplifier. In other words a triode tube like SS device. Makes one wonder how much if any better the Benchmark amplifier would sound with a linear PS. "I have viewed this as an exercise in revealing the full potential of the amplifier. The SMPS that is part of the kit does a good job and will make some (or most) amp builders very happy. It is a cost effective solution. It does not let the amp perform at its very best. The only way to find this out is to build an alternative PSU and listen carefully to the results. The discussion of alternate linear PSU designs is a way of exploring different ways of letting this VFET amp sound its very best."

John Siau, I did not know who he was, is pitching his product and of course he is going to sing praises of using a cheaper alternative to the more expensive linear PS that is superior in many more ways technically. Those with an electronic background understand this statement purely from a technical understanding of components and circuitry. But hey, it works and has a reputation of dependability. The latest diy product of Nelson Pass, of which I have but not completed because to health issues, uses a switching power supply and the ones that have completed this product, a SE V-fet amplifier, say how quiet the noise level is. Many though that have completed the project have made the comment that they are going to build a linear supply for the project at some time in the future because they know the benefits of a linear supply. Face it a big expensive transformer with expensive capacitors is required for a linear supply vs the light weight switching supply used in the project and also in the Benchmark. Most all I have said on this subject, linear vs switching doesn't really matter if both work as intended and are dependable. I use to also be one of them that was searching for straight wire with gain in an amplifier but now that I am old my attitude has changed to the camp of Passlabs and First Watt. The designer of the company is Nelson Pass and he has stated that for years he built amplifiers with the goal of straight wire with gain with low distortion numbers. But now he designs amplifiers that sound great to him and hopes others hear the difference and buys enough of his products for his companies to survive. From all appearances he has achieved his goal in that he has a loyal following that purchases his products. In case you do not know much about Nelson he is considered a legend in audio amplification in a class all his own. There was a designer many years ago, his name escapes me right now, that said the best sounding amplification had a certain amount of 2nd harmonics and a touch of 3rd. Nelson has intentionally introduced some 2nd harmonics in his amplifiers along with designing amplifiers that naturally have a touch of 2nd harmonics. As Nelson has stated many times he is in the entertainment business and not scientific products. All this talk of straight wire with gain is for the young audiophiles trying to say do not chase numbers as I once did 40 years ago. I bought an expensive pre amplifier years ago in my youth with numbers lower than the equipment used to test it. It is now considered by most as not that great sounding and I can agree. Lasted 30 years without a problem as did the same brand amplifier so they were well made but not the best sounding. If I had it to do over again I would have bought a tube McIntosh which was about the same price and is now worth more than the cost back then. To me a SET tube amplifier is what I listen with most of time with plenty of the sweet 2nd harmonics many of use just love. It is like magic to my ears. Holographic is how many describe the sound. As if a singer is in the room with you. PS: Jean Hiraga is who is quoted as saying some 2nd harmonics with a touch of 3rd sound best to him. A legend also in sound. Had to do some googling to remember his name. I have got way off the OP topic of Benchmark amplifiers. I am almost positive, because of it's loyal following that praises it's sound, that it was not designed to be straight wire with gain. From all that I have heard over the years it has to be an excellent sounding amplifier worthy of consideration. There are many members on this site that have had many different amplifiers that consider it their choice in amplification There is no one amplifier that fits all.

The Benchmark has been around for many years with much praise. Great choice I am sure but never heard one. For what they charge for one I am disappointed that they chose a switching PS over a linear one. I am sure it was for larger profits but it works and has shown to be dependable. I was snobbish once only considering class A for myself but after building one of the best design class A/B amplifier circuit it changed my mind over the sound they can produce. As good as the best class A I have heard. Also use to turn my nose up on class D but they are now at audiophile level. One of the newer designed class D amplifiers would be a good choice as well. The TPA 3255 module is the one that changed my mind on class D. All the previous ones, many tried over the years, were thin sounding to me. Not the TPA 3255 board. Ice board amplifiers sound really decent as well. I have 2 amplifiers with the TPA 3255 boards and one amplifier with an ice board. Could live with them if only amp I could have.

Buyer beware. Remember the old song "take time to know her."

Prices always go up. I bought my LaScala's in the 80's for $1,500 which was a lot in 80's money. Average Joe had to save to buy them. Still a wise investment because I have never seriously considered changing speakers and I could recoup my price any time I decide to sell. Always had parrots my entire life. My African Grey died a couple of years ago after living for over 35 years with me. I paid $700 for him at the time. Been pricing one these days and was shocked to find $5,000 and hard to find. Admittedly the price of pets went up after many were housebound last year that sought pets. Priced a cute little puppy at the pet store last weekend expecting at most $1,500 but my grand daughter had to pick me up off the floor when I was told they were asking $5,000 for the dog. $5,000 for a dog! All that being said I have never in my 72 years seen inflation sky rocketing as it has since January. Job wanted signs at every business with no one wanting to fill the position. One can argue all day that it has nothing to do with the changing of the guard but that is usually from the too educated ones with high fixed incomes. Common peasants like myself know the reason. I have tried not to say anything political but to only speak the truth and facts. I also agree it is shameful that everything has to be political these days but one cannot belong to any forum without the truth being said no matter the amount of censorship or banning of both sides of the argument. Politics is so much a part of our everyday lives these days with those in power trying to divide us. We hear it everyday on the news. The truth is in my mixed neighborhood with African Americans, Caucasians, Mexicans and Asians we all get along and are all friendly to each other. I walk every day in my neighborhood and wave and speak to everyone with only smiles and wave backs. I am a Caucasian with a Japanese girlfriend which I have had for over 12 years. We get along wonderfully. One reason is probably because we both own our separate homes on the same street. We kiss every night and say see you in the morning sweetheart. Two houses make for a great relationship. All of us can just enjoy our speakers and listening to music to escape from what is happening all around the world with a deadly killer disease and inflation sky rocketing to who knows where and try not to ruin this forum with heated discussions on what is happening around the world. It is what it is and I hope the best for all of us.

They are available in a specialized field but right now I cannot remember what or where. Do some google searching and I am sure you will be able to find them. The only use for a current limiter are technicians and builders of amplifiers. If there is a dead short somewhere the build will light up drawing current away from device. If you do neither no need to have or build one. With a variac you slowly increase the voltage while monitoring amps with an amp meter. If amperage rises very high you immediately know there is a problem and can quickly shut it down.