lshannon

Thanks for the CD ! ! I really appreciate it. - Lee

Thanks everyone ! ! - Lee

Hello, My NAD cassette deck died. At a local shop, I picked up a Nakamichi BX-300 that had been serviced for $95.00 to transfer some tapes to CDR. I have been unable to locate a Users Manual on the web. By any chance, does anyone have a pdf of one that they could share? - Lee

I'm not sure of the etiquette here, but I want to thank everyone who commented when I purchased my first vintage tube amp and needed help checking it out. Craig at NOSValves was recommended and he restored the amp and it sounds great, he was great to deal with, very friendly and knowledgeable and professional. I want to publically thank him too and would recommend him in the future. - Lee

I have it set up and running and it is by far the best stereo sound I've ever had. Which is really kind of sad/irritating, as I'm 47 and just only now got great sound from stuff either made or designed in the late 50's or early 60's. How have we all been snookered into willingly buying stuff for decades that sounded worse than what our parents could listen to? - Lee

Guten Tag

Basically I got into tubes by reading this forum. I always heard that tubes were better, but no one I knew had them. I read a review of ASL Wave 8 mono blocks by Colin Flood and bought 4 of them and used two and kept 2 NIB (BTW they are all on sale at www.Echohifi.com). I liked them and soon wanted more/better. Someone (on this board) warned me that that would happen. I saw a Marantz 8 and bought it and am waiting for its arrival. I'm thinking that now I may need a better preamp than my Van Alstine modded Dynaco PAS, but don't know what is better (other than a Marantz 7 which is too costly when on Ebay). I basically read this forum, asked questions, and look at other people's systems and try to experiment in my budget. I figured a Marantz 8 would last me a really long time and would be hard to do substantially better without spending a huge amount of money. I guess that is my criteria, the intersection of cost and performance. Hopefully a Marantz 8 and Cornwalls combination would be hard to beat (in my office). At home I have a 5 year old, so I'm still a solid state guy there. -Lee

Thanks guys for the info on the inputs! I don't need the power and so I'll leave it in triode. - Lee

RE: Not that I need to know but why would you buy this unit without the tubes? JJK Because I didn't know how much they cost. LKS RE: Even from a reputable tube soure like a TubeDepot.com, you can get all these tubes for around $200. Then, while you're enjoying your wonderful 8B you can research other tubes. Before I started the email, I ordered a set of basic tubes from a place called "Vaccum Tubes Inc." with the idea of doing just what you suggested, get it up and going and then spend some time researching and asking others for recommendations. My previous foray into tube amps were little Antique Sound Lab Wave 8s and their tubes were inexpensive. I'm really looking forward to getting the amp and getting it checked out and set up. Thanks for the great information !! - Lee

Can anyone recommend a set of tubes for the Marantz 8? I bought one for about $1300, but the seller kept the tubes (now I know why). I called a tube store who described several options with a range of prices that ranged from reasonable to shocking. I definately want a set of tubes that do it justice, but am unsure as to which type/brand provides a really meaningful improvement. I listen to a wide range of music including jazz and gregorian chant (a hangover influence from the seminary). I'll be using it with a Van Alstine modded Dynakit PAS2. Thanks in advance for the recommendations. - Lee

Thanks for all the information re the amp and the name of Craig ! ! I'm really excited about getting the Amp. Looking to running it with a modded Dynaco PAS-2 and my Cornwalls. Right now I'm happy with my PAS-2, but am willing to look at others. - Lee

I just bought a Marantz 8 factory wired in triode mode (not sure of what that means). I understand that Marantz 8s were earlier versions of 8b's. The Seller indicated that it would need a bit of power supply work (new electrolytic capacitors) to be reliable (not sure of what that means either). I've always heard that Marantz 8b's were thought by many to be the "holy grail" of vintage tube amps. Does anyone know of some places to send it to to get checked out and set up right? My only prior tube amp experiance has been with some Antique Sound Lab Wave 8s that were plug-n-play. This will replace my ASL Wave 8's as my office stereo amplifier. Thanks, - Lee

I have a set in my office that I am listening to right now. I like them alot. I use a modded Dynakit PAS 2 preamp and a pair of cornwalls. I keep thinking about "upgrading" but I don't. - Lee

Don't - store them away till later. To protect mine from my 4 year old, I put my klipsch heresys on top of the stereo cabinet and my Cornwalls and LaScala in the basement. I figure that my kid will want some of them when he goes to college. I also put away a set of two Antique Sound Lab wave8 tube monoblocks away, unopened new-in-box, into my attic for my 4 year old son. - Lee

Thanks for the advice all. I am also thinking that more tube watts would be better. I think I would prefer a vintage tube amp. How is a HK Citation? - Lee

Thanks, I had an original PAS-2 that worked well for awhile and then developed a hum. I still have it on a shelf where all of my old stereo gear goes to wait. I saw a Van Alstine modded PAS-2 on ebay and snapped it up. I really wanted to keep the vintage look in my office. I have a dyna fm tuner and the pas-2 slid in a Dynaco factory wood case. The original PAS parts have been replaced and the controls bypassed. For now I am happy with it. The Antique Sound Lab AV8s (8 watt) monoblocks are nice too, but they were such an improvement over the Carver amplifier I was using before (when I was young and thought more watts meant better sound), that I started to wonder if I could get an even more dramatic improvement with better tube equipment. I read that they were really intro tube gear and better sound could be had. I thought of buying an old HK Citation II and sending it out for refurbishing but then thought that I might get mroe bang for my buck by buying new. Here is Van Alstine mod info below: http://www.avahifi.com/root/equipment/preamplifier/super_pas_3_rebuild.htm Quote: "The basic rebuild kit consists of our new RIAA phono preamplifier circuit board, our new straight-line output preamplifier circuit board, our new six section power supply board, all of the parts for the boards, and stepped precision volume and balance controlsover 100 new parts including all precision film audio circuit resistors and capacitors. We provide all of the needed hardware, wire, and solder. When you are finished you will have a Super Pas Three preampone of the finest low-cost vacuum tube preamps ever built. All the original Dyna circuit boards are discarded, along with the original heater supply and quad filter capacitor. Our step-by-step illustrated color instruction manual makes it easy for you to install the parts on the circuit boards and interface them with your jacks and switches. We show you how to modernize the functions of your original selector switch and jack set to reduce cross-talk and change the obsolete tape head and special inputs into additional line level inputs. As excellent value, extra-cost options, this is a good time to install our new high-reliability fiberglass selector switch and our gold-plated jack ground-plane input and output connection set." End Quote

Currently I am running a modified Dynakit PAS-2 preamp and pair Antique Sound Lab AV-8s with a pair of Cornwalls. I read an article on AMC CVT 2030s, a hybrid class A no-frills tube amp, designed by the designer of NAD's 3020 integrated amp. The review sounded nice, but continued searching failed to find a broader set of reviews or comments on it. I'm stumped, it sounds good and affordable - so why no cult following? Should I up-grade from my ASL AV-8s? Is it an upgrade? I don't even know what "class" my ASL AV-8s are, but I'm pretty sure they are not Class A. Has anyone heard of the AMC CVT- 2030S and at $589.00 is it a good deal? My PAS2 and ASL-AV8s were my first foray into tubes. I like the sound and thought I would "upgrade", but am unsure of which amp would be an upgrade, so I thought if it says "Class A" I would likely be moving in the right direction. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, - Lee

I have a set too. They are commercial Cornwalls. I also have two other set of cornwalls. I use mine as rear side speakers in a HT set-up. They work real well. http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=49387&forumID=69&catID=19&search=1&searchstring=&sessionID={3F000EB5-031A-4DC4-9CFA-CC7F2315C8A8} Stephen Phillips Administrator Total Posts: 642 Last Post: 8/26/2005 Member Since: 11/28/1999 Hi Lee, The KP-301 is basically a Pro Cornwall II in a bit smaller cabinet and ported differently. The 301 uses the same K-79-K tweeter and K-57-K with a K-601 horn lens as the Cornwall II. The woofer in the 301 is the Pro K-48-K. The crossover network is different do to the cabinet size and the intended use of the KP-301. As the speaker is for Pro use, it may not sound right at home so to speak. May sound much better on a stage or in a large area application. But you could be the judge of that. I know of several customers using the Pro La Scala's at home and like them. Basically the bass extension may not be as deep as you would expect, but in a large area or outside, they would perform much better. I may suggest an EQ for a few setting changes and it should be fine for home use Klipsch Home Audio Tech Support KP-301.pdf

I have tried a La Scala Center with Vertical Cornwalls (Front - Left/Right) and Commercial Cornwalls Rear (L/R). I like them very much. I don't notice any mismatch. I would recommend it. - Lee

I noted some discussion of Cornwalls better being suited to larger rooms. My HT room is only about 10x12 and currently am running a lascala center, with vertical cornwals in front (L/R) and commercial cornwalls in rear (LR). Am using a HK 7200 receiver with a infocus projector. I barely have to turn up the HK at all (before my wife complains). Am I using too much speaker? Is this less than optimum? - Lee Ceiling is only maybe 7 feet - can you use room treatments to make up for the speaker size and odd ratios?

I was wondering about where it was when I went to set it up this last weekend.

So that's where the SPL meter is . . .

Cornwalls - vertical. Most value in the size per sound catagory and they give you more placement or orientation options. - lee

Hey this looks like a single 66 vertical. Anyone need a center channel? I would buy it myself, except my wife would kill me. I'm running out of space in the basement to hide them all. I guess I could sell my La Scala center and replace it with this, but currently I'm happy with my set-up. See on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5736269759&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT - Lee

By the way, a good cd to listen to if you like vocals is On Yoolis Night (medieval carols & motets) by the Anonymous 4. - Lee