leozepolusa Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 I bought a custom pair of cornwalls matched with one heresey back in 1982 with the idea of setting up a three channel system. I never did, and the Heresey remains unused in my attic. I would appreciate advice on the best way to feed the Heresey with a true center channel signal. Do I need to buy a home theatre type power source or is there a better way to feed the center channel using my stereo amplifier? Do I need to add another mono amp to the system? Sorry for the novice question, but I left my stereo nut phase back in the eighties, and I'm sure alot has changed in the past 20 years (eccept for the great sound of these Cornwalls). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 You will need another power amp. If you search this site, you should find a schematic of the circuit Mr. Paul recommends for generating the center channel signal. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 It seems to me that you were on the verge of three channel in the old days, and now want some advice on the best way of getting into three channel and home theater. My advice is to visit the local audio dealer and buy a middle of the road Home Theater receiver. Count on spending about $400. All the Jap stuff is pretty good. All have inputs for DVD and lots of processing. It will serve as a good central building block on which to expand. Surround speakers are something to consider after you get eductated. Your Cornwalls will serve as very excellent Left and Right mains. The Heresy will be an excellent center speaker. Please do not let any salesman tell you need anything else in speakers. You have a perfect trio. You'll have to learn the set up of the HT receiver. There are settings so that the center Heresy will be getting the "phantom" channel. You're getting back into the field at a good time. The average HT receiver is a wonder of technology. On the other hand, your speakers are rock solid old technology. I'm taking a position a bit at odds with JA. However, the HT receivers have all the modern hardware. Everything is in the box. It works very well. Gil This message has been edited by William F. Gil McDermott on 02-05-2002 at 11:52 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted February 6, 2002 Share Posted February 6, 2002 Leozepolusa, wow, 20 years of Cornwallowing that's a heap of pure enjoyment. First off, Gill is on the right track as usual. Conventional wisdom would say that keeping the Heresey between your Cornwalls is the only way. I have a pair of vintage Cornwalls in the music room and am working my way up to making them a multi-channel music system as vintage product comes available. I have been looking to pick up another Cornwall and three Heresys. For 5.1 (and above) the center channel gets more work than all the others put together... and then some. So it doesn't seem reasonable to send a 55 lb 12" woofer Heresy out to do a 108lb 15" woofer Cornwall's job! So, my thoughts were to have a LCornwall, CCornwall, RCornwall across the front and Heresy's for surrounds (facing one another a foot behind the sweetspot seat) and in the middle of the back wall. The last pair I bought were shipped thousands of miles and so far I haven't been at the right time and place to pick up any locally. My existing HT uses six KLF-30's working in 6.1 config. All the KLF's are set to "SMALL" with a pair of SVS Ultras handling the sub chores with finesse and dispatch. Try to keep us posted as to your upgrade process. Oh, and don't forget the popcorn! HornEd ======================================= "Where Klipsch Legends Cavort Six Ways!" FOREGROUND SOUND STAGE: KLF 30's: Left Main, Center Main, Right Main SB-2's: L & R Front Effects on 5' sand filled columns BACKGROUND SOUND STAGE: KLF 30's: Left Surround, Rear Effects, Right Surround LARGE MOUTH BASS: Twin SVS CS-Ultra subs, Samson Megawatt Amp KLIPSCH SPEAKER SUPPORT SYSTEMS: Mitsubishi RPHD1080i 65", Yamaha RX-V3000 Receiver Toshiba Pro Scan 6200, Toshiba Pro 6-head SVHS W808 and such... Tweakin' On! Music Respite System: vintage Cornwall based Klipsched Class "A" Motorhome: On the road testing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted February 6, 2002 Share Posted February 6, 2002 Gil's right - he knows a great deal about 3 channel both historicaly and currently. Just one suggestion - the Klipsch Heritage speakers require top notch preamps, amps and DACs. I use the Outlaw 1050 A/V receiver that works very well with Heritage speakers at a low price - $499. plus shipping. Only available at www.outlawaudio.com. It is an excellent 6.1 A/V receiver that provides a quality of sound equal to receivers at twice it's price or more. It has a 3 channel option amoung others. To do much better you would have to go to tubes. I'm experimenting with an old Stereo EICO HF81 which I hope to rebuild and possibly add a 3 channel matrix circuit which Gil gave me. ------------------ Soundog's HT Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty65 Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 Soundog, Have you ever tried running that Outlaw amp in the 3 channel mode? If yes what was your impression? How did you hear of Outlaw? Thanks Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 It works - takes away any "hole in the middle" but since I have two Klipschorns (which due to their corner placement angle towards the listener) on a 12' wall there is not a great difference in most recordings - however if they were further apart it would be very desirable and effective. Remember any tonal mismatch between mains and center can produce undesirable effects (instruments "jumping around"). My center uses the same speaker components contained in the Klipschorns (except for Al's ALK crossovers). The Heresy and the Cornwalls should be close. ------------------ Soundog's HT Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKlipsch Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Here's the "Dope from Hope" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Please know my suggestion is one of several ways of doing things, and I wouldn't discourage any others. Horn Ed has his super system. In Leo's case, he might want to stick with the classic speakers he has on hand. A pair of Heresy would make good surround sound speakers to stay with that family. Some members have favorite brands, and models of HT amps. There are consistent complaints by Klipsch owners that many HT amps have some objectionable amount of back ground hiss in modes using DSP. So one or the other brand and model might well be better than others. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Very true, Gil... and there are a lot of insights in your first post that can be applied to many different situations. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in equipment, we forget that the challenge of the room in which we listen sometimes responds better to some gear than others... or at least that has been my experience over the years. For example, the Cornwall music system fits its environment and would be a lesser system in the HT room... and those six KLF-30's, two high FE's and their big bass buddies would be a standing wave disaster in the music room. And if I tried to stuff either system in the motorhome... well it's all a chase for "Psychoacoustics Nirvana" but great sound in an 8'x30' rolling sound lab is a challenge when there's a wardrobe, potty & shower clogging up the middle! Besides, it appears I don't need any help on the "certifiable" issue! Frankly, leozepolusa, the reason I have just two Cornwalls in the music room... is because they sound so good... but I probably could be persuaded to bring your lonesome Hersey out of the closet or the right price. That Klipsch Classic tweakin' bug just won't go away! But, I have to agree with Gil, you already have a "near perfect" speaker match... take time to enjoy and enrich the life of your household and visitors. It's the Klipsch Thing to Do. I am just thankful that I have the opportunity to have the problem... it's made a lot of people happy over the years... most of all, yours truly... HornEd This message has been edited by HornEd on 02-08-2002 at 11:46 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 I'm getting a bit worried about the way this is going. Everyone has a pet peeve about a perfect system. I'm just giving some advice about gettting to what may be 75% of "very good." The last 25% is more difficult. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGK1958 Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I'm currently running a 3 channel system using Cornwalls and an KLF-C7 as the center. I'm driving it with a McIntosh MC7106 6 channel amp, strapped to 3 channels at 300 wpc. I'm using a Mac MX130 A/V preamp which has a center channel output. McIntosh used to make preamps with a center channel output(C26, C27, C28). You can find these on ebay or at AudioClassics.com. My system is pulling double duty as my HT system, but with music it sounds fantastic. I worked at a hifi store back in the day where we had a 2 Khorn, 1 center Belle, 3 channel system with McIntosh amp/preamp, B&O turntable and Nakamichi Dragon cassette. This was audio heaven in 1980!!! This message has been edited by KGK1958 on 02-19-2002 at 08:41 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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