henry4841

I just found out the MC 2255 is a 40 year old amplifier that was sold only for a couple of years. There are always exceptions to every rule when it comes to electronics. Marketing and selling a class B amplifier to audiophiles was a hard sale even for McIntosh. I am sure it was is a fine sounding amplifier but why when an A/B is so much easier to design. I would never pay good money for a class B amplifier just because of how it operates.

The notion of needing lot's of power with Klipsch is BS. Continuation of the power wars started in the 70's. I am sure this is going to start a lively conversation with lots of disagreement but the more knowledgeable members know the truth. Lots of watts with our speakers is like the little old lady in a Ferrari that never drives over 55mph. Nothing wrong with it but wasted dollars and power. Anyone smart enough to say different should be smart enough to measure the average power they are truly using a multimeter and ohms law at the loudest level they listen at.

36 years with my LaScala's bought new. Why change? Have added a sub and done some improvements.

I personally like class A amplifiers whether tube or SS. Firstwatt would be my first chose. Do not let the prices scare you because they often come up for sale here and at Renohifi. Firstwatt amplifiers with 25 watts are perfect with horns.

Just thought I would, any one thinking of purchasing a new amplifier for an efficient speaker like horns will be way better off thinking quality over quantity when it comes to power.

I need a lot of watts for my LaScala's to wake up. At least 5 or 6 watts. 🙂

I was lead astray by specs when I bought an AR3a. Klipshorns did not have very good reviews when rags were the rage. My thinking is they did not advertise enough in their publications.

I do not understand why they would design a class B amplifier or what the advantage of doing so would be. Above my pay grade.

Learn something new every day. Hard to figure out why when all one has to do is bias the output devices up a touch. The engineers at Mc know what they are doing. Must be the same with the Chinese built Melody's.

Nelson said it best. "For years I designed amplifiers for low distortions number but now I design amplifiers that sound good to me and hope others like them as much to buy them." Or something to that effect.

I've found it pleasurable using a tube pre with certain SS amplifiers but not all. It all depends on how much 2nd harmonic is built into the SS amplifier.

First one for me. Possible a language problem in translation but if not they have somehow solved the problem class B has with crossover distortion. If true I would be reluctant to purchase myself. An amplifier I used for decades went into class B at high power levels but it was mainly produced for pro applications. The Crown DC300a.

My kind of friend. You did not mind some piston slap when trying to set a record.

I've played with different types of resistors a little bit. I really could not tell a difference. Maybe on paper but not on my ears. Carbon resistors change value with time for sure where metal film are very stable on value. It's called splitting hairs.

Whoever said it was a class B amplifier is mistaken or just a slip up in his review. I know of no consumer class B amplifier being sold. Possible in pro gear where distortion is sometimes wanted, guitars. I say trust your ears more than what you read.

Tubes still rule when it comes to sound. Nelson uses SS output devices that have curves like tubes. Not absolutely true but in general terms he tries to get the tube sound in a SS component. More reliability for the SS crowd. I once asked him why he did not design a tube amplifier. His response was he has designed and he does have tube amplifiers. It's just that SS is the field he has chosen as a profession. Been really successful at it as well.

I like the look of a spartan built amplifier, built for sound rather then esthetics.

Kt88 is an excellent tube in a properly built amplifier. I have both a SE KT88 and SE El34 amplifier. Not a lot of difference in sound but more power.

No way do you want a class B amplifier. You will have terrible crossover distortion. With a properly biased A/B amplifier crossover distortion is for all practical purposes eliminated. With our speakers, being so efficient an A/B amplifier may not ever leave class A. Bias is the term you may not understand but if means if you bias, turn up, the transistor or tube as far as reasonably possible, where it will not destroy itself, it will stay in class A. Then you will have a PP class A amplifier in it's power rating. Nelson Pass wrote and articled years ago called "Leaving class A". https://www.passlabs.com/technical_article/leaving-class-a/

My opinion, which is probably not worth much, is very little difference especially in a sealed enclosure. But now we have something to argue about for a few pages more. Is not that what social media forums do? I just hope we all remain friends even though there is disagreement.

Years ago it was common to see drag motors tore down between races. They only wanted to have the motor last for a 1/4 mile. Now with improvements in metallurgy they try and make the motor last for 3 or four runs. They are always trying to cut weight without the part failing. One use to see many a Nascar car motor blow up on the race track. Not so much anymore. But they do still cut as much weight out of the engine on every part while still having the engine survive long enough to finish the race and not much longer. Less weight inside and motor balanced correctly enables motors to achieve higher rpms.

Arguing about gnats when there are eagles we could be discussing.

Only takes a short time. One must run the engine at around 3,000 rpm on startup for the short time needed for break in. We are getting into technical conversations when the subject of breaking in a car commonly thought by most refers to the first 3K, thereabouts, required for breaking in a new car off the showroom floor. I've seen many a camshaft destroyed because of not breaking it in correctly. So technically a racing motor does require a few minutes, when we are talking flat tappet cams, but we are talking 10 minutes vs 3K miles of breaking in. Ever seen a top fuel drag racing motor torn down and rebuilt between runs down the track. Very short, if this is what you are calling breaking in. In general terms a racing motor does not require a breaking in unless you want to talk about minutes. Engine blocks flex far more then most people realize. We use to take a telescopic gauge that is used to measure a bore, along with calipers, and screw it tight in a cylinder and then take our hands and push against the walls of the adjacent cylinders and watch the telescopic gauge fall out of the cylinder. Drag racing motors use a glue, much like concrete, to fill in the water jackets of the engine block to prevent as much flex as possible. They do not need water for a 1/4 mile run. If you notice between runs they cool the engine with fans.

Nelson Pass had a competitor that built a hot running amplifier and said it was the best one he had ever heard. For 10 minutes.

What has all this to do with what you call breaking in. And I was not talking about the 70's if that even matters. I am speaking from experience of machine shop work on racing engines. But if you are determined to have the last word go ahead and I will refrain for talking about this anymore. I know I am correct and do not have to prove anything. Let's just get back to talking about audio on this audio forum.