jt1stcav

Superb craftsmanship as always, Greg. Love that Shorthorn appearance. Not having fully read your project page, I assume the wood facade doesn't interfere with the sound in any way. You are right, though...you can never have enough wood!

That's the best advice right there IMHO! Buy the classic amp of your dreams and have it sent straight to Craig or any other qualified tech before trying it out first. Then you'll know you'll be enjoying your purchase for a long time!

Thebes's advice is spot on...except IMO if you ever buy any vintage tube amp, you should NOT power it up under any circumstances unless it has already been repaired/restored/modified by a qualified tube amp technician first, period! The reason being any 30+ year old tube amp may very well have blown resistors, leaky caps, and a solenium rectifier just waiting to catch on fire! If you plug in and power up any unrestored tube amp, it's a crap shoot whether it'll work or not anyway (although most do...to a degree). But why take the chance in having that beautiful Scott, Pilot, EICO, or Fisher tube amp possibly go up in smoke, just because you're excited and wanna hear how it sounds first? I don't believe in using variacs and slowly bringing up an amp just to see whether it'll operate properly or not, especially if it's been sitting around unused for years! Old tube amps behave differently than older solid-state amps and special care has to be observed or a possible fire can flare up (and I've witnessed first hand a solenium rectifier catching fire as soon as my first Zenith tube radio warmed up...I quickly learned my lesson afterwards)! Buying any vintage tube amplifier is exciting, and even more so after hearing one driving your Klipsch (i.e. my bro's '60s Magnavox single-ended 6BQ5 console amp that was upgraded by its previous owner...driving my dad's Cornwalls was a revelation in sonics we never experienced before with SS amps). I know how excited one can be when first receiving a classic EICO or Scott tube amp and wanting to power it up right away to hear what others always talk about (that glorious tube warmth)...but if the amp hasn't been restored or at least touched-up by a qualified tech, then you could get lucky and never experience a problem...or the amp could very well crap out or worse-case catch on fire! To me it's just not worth it to be impatient. Have it looked at first by a tech before trying it out...it'll definately last longer and you'll enjoy it for many more years to come. Just my two cents...

I think you will be extremely impressed with the JoLida, just as I was with my BEZ Model T3B 300B stereo SET amp and my dad's '79 Cornwalls (now sold)! The amp's 6.5Wpc was all that's needed in my small listening room...I don't know how well it would've done driving the 98.5dB CWs in my home's large formal living room (with more efficient Klipschorns I'm sure even 6.5 watts would be pretty darn impressive)! Looking forward to your report...

Man, that "F"ing dude can't read a tape measure...thinks he has 18" woofers and then types in 18'. What a f#&$in' pottymouthed jac%#$$![]

True dedication...but he'd really impress me if he made me a pair of matched 300Bs!

How could you have forgotten? That was taken at your place, at your Dad's birthday party... You're actually close, Gregg...but it's me during a power outage from our typical Florida thunderstorms (and I have my shorts on this time). Alas, poor ol' Pepper Pod is no longer with us.[]

That's good to hear, Amy. Thanks for the clarification.

Gary, new e-mail sent to the above address...

Gary, another e-mail sent your way![]

Which Sony are you selling, Gary? The one that gets no use, or the other that hates redbooks? Is it black or silver? An e-mail was sent...

Ming, I like what you've done. That jewelry box with the wood sides is rather attractive IMO. Good job!

Congrats, Ben. I actually voted for the top model with the rosewood fretboard, but your choice is sweet also. At least it won't weigh a ?% ton like a Les Paul does!

Grilles on, sitting on the floor...but that's just my guesstimate from reading this forum. Enjoy your Fortes.

Hmm, just as I thought. You could save some money and really make an impact at your next gig if you play your son's blue guitar![]

Oops, my bad. And yes, buy American (if at all possible)!

If you think the standard Oppos are the nutz, then how 'bout fully modded 980H and 981HD units? You can even get 'em cryogenically treated...that's insane (and so are the upgrade prices)![] http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Oppo_Units&Category_Code=MODS&Product_Count=39

I dunno, Ben...not being a guitarist (and I know Leo loved G&L), have you considered a custom crafted American Fender from their own shop (not NOS or Relic)? I'm assuming the cost factor would be tremendous...are all G&Ls made in the US, or elsewhere?

So, as I understand it, my RF-75s for example, had their solid cherry cabinets made at the Hope plant, and final assembly and inspection were also done there, where they were packed and shipped out to dealers. And the Tractrix horns, compression drivers, woofers, motorboards and networks were designed and engineered at the R&D department at the Indy headquarters, and the plans were then transfered to KSC in CA, where they in turn actually had the latter components manufactured at their China plant. From there, the finished products were then shipped back to Klipsch in Hope for final assembly for consumer purchase. Amy or Trey, am I even close on this assumption? Seems almost more complicated to have certain models of the Reference line manufactured this way, that is until development/parts/labor costs are put into play, along with insurance, benefits, pension and union dues, et al... I wonder if PWK ever envisioned such practices when he started up the business in '46 (how simple manufacturing must've been back in his day).

I hear ya, Doc, but I believe this wax "comeback" is not only DJ-based...there are many more European and Asian audiophiles spinnin' vinyl then we may realize (from the forums and blogs that I've read). They may very well be babyboomers, but I tend to think they pass down their LP-lovin' ways down to their children, for I've read (and even watched a video blog from the Netherlands awhile back) where the members of this audio society were my age and younger! Regardless, I hope vinyl lives long and prospers.

I would tend to agree with Joe...I bet album (LP) sales at both Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds music catalogs are up, or at least at a steady rate. With better pressings from such masters as Steve Hoffman coming out in droves and new turntable models being introduced practically every year, I think the vinyl format is definately making a resurgance!

IMHO there's no reason why either the Cornwalls or RF-7s can't sound equally good playing both 2-channel music or 7.1 DD/DTS surround movies/videos. I've never auditioned the RF-7s, but our household has owned a pair of Cornwalls for over 28 years, and they were equally at home playing vinyl, CDs, and SACDs as much as playing DVDs (center and surround speakers were not Heritage or even Klipsch, but the Cornwalls didn't care...they blended perfectly after careful tuning).

Ditto, blah-blah-blah, and all that jazz. No, I'm not drunk.

[Y]

Oh, I thought she was refering to your Tektons...