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Amp for Klipshorns


TheBeast

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My friend has a pair of klipschorns but the amp he was using recently blew out. He wants to know what would be a good new amp to buy. He wants just a 2 channel unit for the speakers and he wants the amp to have a remote control. What would be a good amp for him to get?

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Beast

Khorns do not need much power, but they need to be driven by clean electronics. Every flaw in your system comes through loud and clear.

Personally - I would get a class A amp for khorns. Pay for quality not Watts with Khorns.

What is your budget? That would help with the suggestions.

Ususally Pre-amps have remotes not Amps. Since I have gone to McIntosh Pre amps 10+ years ago, I am VERY happy. But Mac's are fairly expensive, but worth the money. $600-2000 for preamps $1500-15,000 per amp.

Again - whats the budget?? We then can give you some suggestions.

JM

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Wes

Have you gotten anything new, it would be hard to tell in the photos LOL!

I think ill get my 1985 cadillac eldorado on the road and try to swap for K-horns LOL!

I swapped audio for the car, im thinking of swapping it back, theres to many electrical components in this car, not for me LOL!

Anyway, nothing new here, still enjoying the 4 chorus!

Regards Jim

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Your fantastically efficient speakers are one of the few models that can truly take advantage of the delicacy of the 2A3 tube.

The rule of thumb with SET amps seems to be that larger and powerful amps do not usually sound as good in terms of micro-dynamics, detail, and tonal accuracy. The best sounding (not the most powerful) amps use the smaller tubes. On extremely efficient speakers, like big old horns, even a few watts should provide enough power for most of the frequency spectrum, except the mid and deep bass.

If you were to build your system by selecting the amplifier first and settled on tubes, you would go for the 2A3 or 45 tube and then seek ultra-high efficiency speakers, like line driver arrays or horns. Whether you elect the flea powered 2A3 tube or not, you will still need a solid state powered sub-woofer (and a good one) to fill in the bottom end of music and movies. Any speaker that does not reach deeply into the sub 40 Hz range needs a sub-woofer behind it. Not just for the wonderful action scenes in movies either, a passle of instruments have harmonics that extend that low.

By far, the 1st watt (0.005 to 1.000 watt) is the most important with high efficiency speakers. Go for the simplest, naturally distortion free (no negative feedback) amplifying device. A Direct Heated Triode tube (45, 50, 2A3, 300B, etc.) can be the answer to sonic nirvana.

I would seriously consider 2A3, possibly even 45, tube amps from Bottlehead, Wright Sound, Wellbourne Labs and Don Garber. The combination will put you into an audiophile league of which many of us can only dream. It may be more than $1,000, but the speakers and the sound is worth it.

Bottlehead amps are simple to make kits. See my review of their custom Paramour at:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_2/paramour-tube-amplifier-4-2001.html

The Don Grabber's Fi X is a good 2A3 amp for less than a grand. Don Garber knows 2A3's. No web site, call 718-625-7353

George Wright is very highly regarded. His amps will be more expensive than the Bottlehead ones. They are at: http://www.wright-sound.com/

The Wellbourne Moondog amps appear to be even better, with some great reviews from listeners. See http://12.16.160.65/moondogs/ for Kelly's great home page and go to http://www.welbornelabs.com/

By the way, Positive Feedback article (volume 8, number four) is an excellent comparison of the Wright and Wellbourne 2A3 amps.

------------------

Colin's Music System Cornwall 1s & Klipsch subs; lights out & tubes glowing!

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quote:

Originally posted by Jim Cornell:

Wes...Have you gotten anything new, it would be hard to tell in the photos LOL!

Hi Jim,

Been without a connection since yesterday.

No, I haven't made any speaker additions. I too would like K-Horns, but none thus far. Hey, I can't buy a Cadillac either (LOL). I hope every thing works out for you, I know they will eventually come your way!

Be Well,

Wes

------------------

KLIPSCH IS MUSICf>

My Systems f>s>c>

This message has been edited by ShapeShifter on 05-28-2002 at 12:43 PM

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