kjohnsonhp

Wow! Same year and finish as my Cornwalls. 9P688 10P000

I think the demand/price for the highly hyped EICO amp would drop if there was more information posted on better alternatives for a similar price. There seems to be a lot of interest in moving to tubes based on all the advice on this board but I'm not sure what the options are less than or equal to $600 other than the <$200 build-it yourself amp kit that looks like an EE101 lab project on a piece of scrap wood.

What's interesting to me is that there was a lone Heresy on ebay a few weeks ago with a hole in the back board. This part would be a great replacement...now if the two would just end up on ebay at the same time.

The Rotel 1055 looks great but isn't it $1300 and not discounted and hard to find used vs the Denon 3802 which is found new on-line for $700 vs the Outlaw AV Receiver at $500. I'm not sure how big of a delta there is between the three for 5.1 or 6.1 HT. I'm tempted to start with the Outlaw 1050 AVR, then add used amps and then replace the 1050 with a 950. I could get into the HT game with the Outlaw and the tube 2-channel game with the $800 delta between Outlaw and Rotel. The amp/pre-amp/surround decisions seem to be some of the most commons posts on all A/V boards. My system: 1976 Cornwalls (main l/r) Hitachi HTA-6F 60w/2-channel receiver (to be replaced) Beogram 3000 TT w/Sure Sony 207esD CD 27" Sony Trinitron (want 65" Mitsubishi)

The amp is the Carver AV705x 5x125w THX amp from 1997. This auction is closed but I'm sure there will be more. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1378974872 One option is a receiver (Outlaw, HK,Denon, Rotel,etc.). The other is the Outlaw Surround processor with an amp like this one. I guess the hybrid of an amp with a receiver is the other. I was looking at tube amps for 2-channel but they seem to sell high in a bidding frenzy, so I'm thinking of starting with a value HT electronics setup and then I'll look for a tube amp to restore with patience.

For a 5-channel amp I was wondering about the 1997 125w (<.03% THD) Carver THX amp selling on ebay for $600. I've seen the Carver m1.5 350w 2-channel amps for $400 or less but I've heard they are high distortion (.5% THD). Anyone have any experience with these? especially the THX amp.

1984 during college when a person in our house bought a pair of Heresys. He then traded them up for Cornwalls. I learned about Klipsch from him and then went to Tweeter,etc. in Worcester,MA to hear Klipschorns playing 1812 overture w/cannons.

I think the best sign of approval is for someone to hear your system and then buy a similar setup for themselves. If they spend the same on a totallly different system when yours would have fit their space, you may be getting an unsaid statement that they didn't find your system to their tastes. Most people without a big HT setup are impressed with just about any surround sound. I've impressed folks with my older hodge-podge setup with Hitachi speakers, CSW center speaker plus, Energy Take2 rears and CSW sub powered by an old Denon AVR-2000 with only the original Dolby Pro-Logic. It kicks butt over a standard TV. Of course I've also gotten a lot of recommendations on what I should be doing to improve...

It would be pretty rude for someone to enter your home and critize your precious belongings, so I'm not sure the question makes any point other than your friends are polite. HT systems are unique for each person's budget, space, and tastes so one must be deciplined to focus on pleasing yourself/the owners yet it is very easy to get focused on using HT as something to show off and impress...kinda like cars...the "I gotta have one better than yours attitute." At a minimum we all want people to be as impressed as we are with our system. I often feel argumentative when I recommend Klipsch Heritage and get a negative response. On another note I'm really interested in getting dual SVS Ultras to enjoy reference level bass, but as my wife reminds me the value in that feature may be limited to brief demos and those rare times I'm home alone and have time to watch a movie.

Are there any tricks to get the best imaging from the center channel? I've been adjusting the volume of the center to find my preference. Sometimes I feel the urge to look up at the big speaker on top of my 50" TV instead of at the speaker on the screen. Not only is there a lot of sound coming from the top of the screen but the big box draws the eyes upward. Maybe I just need a little mental focus, "the sound is coming from the screen, the sound is coming from the screen...ignore the big box above". Perhaps part of the problem is that I haven't purchased a Klipsch (and espcially Heritage) for my center yet. Cornwalls are main l/r.

I would like them to go with my 1976 Oiled Walnut Cornwalls...don't really have room for more Corns as surrounds. Sending you an email.

Thanks for all the ideas! I'm looking for a tube amp. My antique radio restoration friend and tube collector said he would restore an amp for the cost of parts so I'm looking for something that won't take up too much of his time....or something that won't need his services. I'm not sure where to look other than audiogon & ebay. The Decware Zen amp seemed like a good value and I like their 30-day trial but the two posts on that amp resulted in returns. Finding an amp and a pre-amp may take some time.

What do you think of this article? http://www.americanheritage.com/it/index.shtml When double-blind listening experiments are performed, any perceived differences between well-designed tube equipmentequipment that measures well in testand modern transistor amplifiers can be shown to be unverifiable, if an experiment is run with enough trials to be statistically valid. From a scientific standpoint, if the amplifiers specifications match, no audible differences should exist.

Don't feel too alone. There are probably a lot of happy Klipsch owners in Oak City at home enjoyng their speakers and simply don't care about the forum. In addition there seems to be several frequent posters in the Dallas area which is within a three hour drive.

<img src="http://members.aol.com/kjohnsonhp/wire.jpg"> For the record here is my speaker wire installed by Performance Audio Video of Flower Mound,TX dealer in Snell speakers, Lexicon, Runco, etc. THX certified. The recommendation was to use a projector for a big screen home theatre for the entire family...not audiophile music. I'm now trying to get the music setup first then I'll pursue HT. As you can see in the attached my challenge is the roof line. Cornwalls fit nicely in corners where the old Pioneer speakers stand in the photo. However, it limits my ability to use KHorns and the screen size. I'm leaning towards a 65" rear projectoring TV instead of a DLP projector...should be plenty big given the 20' depth of room with listening position about 2/3's back. The room is evolving from a kids play room.

It's interesting that I hired a high-end HT firm to wire my room prior to building it. Although the firm focuses on $50K+ installs I guess they were positioning my room for a budget 5.1 sound system and expensive DLP projector. $15k in projection, $5k in sound. A couple years later I'm putting more focus on sound and may wish I ran better cables through the walls.

I think a quick listen to Corns with better electronics would be very helpful...one with SS and another with tube. I'll then go buy the perscription. I must say that when I listen to movies the sound is really impressive. I kept my cheap 500W/12" CSW sub on from my old system and watched parts of U571, Star Wars Ep1 and MI-2. It was awesome! I can only image the difference once I replace the 3 other speakers and sub! Music CD's are much louder and I back off on the volume from say 11:00 to just under 9:00 (clock face position of volume knob). I then enjoy the music, too. THANKS for all the ideas and comments!

Here is a photo of the back. The screws looked like they were either new or never turned. The heads pressed against the wood with impressions like they were only inserted once...now they could be replacement screws. While we are talking about my Corns let me know if there is any fix to the penny-sized black circles on part of my tops...the black is like a water stain in the grain...you can't feel it. If not for those circles the vaneers is in great shape.

See attached photo of inside. I wanted to check and here is what I saw: K-77 Tweeters, K-55-V Squawkers.

I want my music listening system to be enjoyable and impressive to my ears. Since I've never owned audiophile equipment I was hoping that wouldn't require more than $1,000 in electronics plus my Cornwalls. If I need to spend more then I will. I'm turning 40 years old and I've always wanted a "good stereo". I was also planning to add pieces over time (upgrade the record player, CD player, add a surround processor, amps and speakers for HT, etc.). I've got plenty of software in both vinyl and CD formats. Can I start with just the amp/pre-amp or do I need to buy a Rega Planet CD player and $1,000 record playing system? My current sources are Sony 207esD CD and Denon DP-790 w/Grado Red (or Beogram 3000 w/Sure). I've got lps and CDs so I'd like one format to sound great. I'd like to simply go buy the equipment, plug it in and listen to it. I could buy vintage and pay to have it restored but I don't want to use a sodering iron again unless it's simple task nor do I want to go through a trial and error process of testing different parts on the amp just to get my intial happinesss--unless it's a quick process. I could tweak the system to get to the next level over time but I want to get an initial level of satisfaction soon. I live in Flower Mound, TX near the airport. I don't know if there are retailers for tube equipment in my area but the D/FW area usually has everything if you know where to look. I have a friend in Portland that restores antique tube radios but he's not a hifi guy although he's restored a few old tube amps from the trash and sold them on ebay for $800. I'm not sure if his skills would be a fit for a restoration of vintage equipment he does sell his services for radio repair.

$500K for speakers or everything?: OPTION 1: $1,000 Energy Take 5.2 speaker system PS2 Game/DVD Sony 5.1 receiver (~$200) Look at www.hifi.com they have bundles

OK, I think it's time to explore the tube amps. It's been 10 years since I was an electrical engineer so I think I just want someone to recommend something that I can buy, connect and listen. I reviewed an old crossover design I did in the 80's for my car stereo and I now can't even remember what all the Z's in the equation mean. I'll check for Dallas stores that are analog oriented. Recommendations welcome.

I guess I kinda expected that once I got nice speakers I'd be sent down the audiophile path of improving the supply chain: tube amp then Linn turntable w/moon rock needle, etc. I would like to have a record player system that makes me say I like it better than CDs since I have 3,000 lps. Of course not all are mint master recordings. My Dad's 1959 45's of San Antonio rock like The Traits might be better on an old Sound Design I'm not sure if my 70's power pop, new wave, punk, post punk, college alt. rock stuff would sound any better. When you are on the computer what stereo do you listen to? I have my desk against the rear wall and corner preventing me from putting a full sized heritage speaker in the rear. This placement puts me under the rear speaker if I finish the surround or facing backwards and to the righ when listening to 2-speaker stero. I've been using BA-60's on my desk connected to a receiver instead of a computer speaker system like promedia. For higher volumes I just let the Cornwalls bounce off the back wall.

Oh by the way...my hearing isn't shot because my recent trip to the Dallas Symphony moved the senses. I really would like to sit back and let classical music on my stereo drive my emotions...both the soft sounds of strings and the arm swinging punch of a full orchestra blasting. I don't think I'm there yet. My primary interest has been rock but my interest in hifi has been driven by a desire to hear improved classical reproduction.

Prior to the Cornwalls here is what I had exposure to: 1985 new Cornwalls & Carver M1.5 amp --memories were very impressive but the equipment was owned by a housemate so I didn't get too much exposure--except through the floor/vents and select listening opportunities. I heard Cornwalls at Tweeter that year playing 1812 Ovature w/canons and was really impressed. Since then I've been listening to low volumes--when single I lived in an apartment then once I was in a house I got kids and a wife that like the sound low. My old stereo was the Hitachi 60watt integrated amp replaced by the Denon AVR-2000 A/V receiver and Hitachi 3-way speakers (about the size of a Heresy) and sold for about $500 in 1985. See photo for my equipment (old & new). I've mostly listened to the car stereo: Infinity Gold package in Durango and Mach Stereo in Mustang...nothing special. I was a college radio DJ and went to a lot of club concerts--maybe I've blasted my hearing The Corns sound great watching Star Wars Ep.1--especially Pod Racer scene and sword fights but music is more harsh. Here are examples (all CDs): * Handel's Water Music - trumpets are harsh horns sound great. * other loud classic passages all sound too loud--turn up the volume on the soft passages and deeper woodwinds and turn down during the loudest passages--dynamic range. * Annie Lennox - No More I Love Yous - vocals harsh * Hendrix - Red House - sounds better but a little harsh on guitar as volume increases * Male operetic soprano vocals sound fine * Madonna- Boardeline and other dance tracks sound great * Sarah McLachlan - Angel - vocals a little harsh on high levels * Everything but the Girl - Flipside - great base and dance sound Lower volumes make the sound better. Most songs only sound harsh in "loud" passages. I admit my Hitachi isn't a great int. amp but I was hoping for more from my Denon w/Corns The highs are harsh--sound too loud--like a stereo cranked too high. The lower sounds are great. I'm not sure if I need a tube amp, ALK crossovers, just a seperate SS amp/pre-amp, or maybe I'm just not a horn guy. I certainly liked the $14K KEF speakers playing "The Wall" powered buy $5k+ of Krell electronics I heard recently but that is not my price range. The DefTech BP2000TL weren't harsh until really cranked but kinda muffled compared to my Cornwalls. All the speakers at places like circuit city sound harsh at the volume the kid reps try to crank them to. I always have to back the volume off a tad.