mcp Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 I posted last week about looking for some floorstanders and I'm still searching...but, in the meantime, I read alot of conflicting experience about whether to use SS vs. tubes. For instance, is one series (CF, KLF,RF, Heritage) better with one or the other? I would like to move back to tubes, which of the big floorstanders would do better with low powered (<20 watts). Due to size, I have ruled out Cornwalls, Lascalas, Klipschorns...most of the others are in play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 mcp, it's a can't go wrong thing, i think. Lots of folks love Heritage, especially big heritage with tubes. Any of the speakers you mention will be good sounding gear with tubes or SS. Klipsch has used SS gear for years in it's engineering labs. You can find the occasional tube amp in a Klipsch listening room, also good. Mr. Paul Klipsch changed to SS in his personal system at home once he was satisfied with certain issues. main thing, it needs to be quality gear tube or SS. Good news is that doesn't mean it has to be outrageously expensive. if you know your budget you can ask the forum for recommendations of tubes or SS... new or used. Might even come across a good deal on gear owned by a forum member. with Klipsch, it's amazing what one good clean watt will turn out in terms of good sound! Enjoy the adventure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David H Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I agree completely with Dee, however I prefer Tubes for my own system. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylymon Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Check out the Bottlehead.com website. They offer tube kits, a great forum, all the help you could ever need. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockhound Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Good question. I have had both and in my opinion if you go with something like a KLF SS will make you smile in my experience SS gives more low end grunt while tubes bring more of the soundstage out. I currently have tubes running my Chorus 2's and love it. Having said that I do miss my Mcintosh 2105 with the KLF 20's I once had. Like someone said earlier you really cant go wrong but you MUST try them oth to see which ones you like better. Enjoy the ride..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 For some reason I think back a few years with melancholy when a thread title like this would cause a war. Good times! ) I prefer tubes exactly because of this melancholy and because they sound so good with Klipsch heritage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger I prefer the sound of a cold tube amp over a cold weedy sounding solid state amplifier...of course one can always leave a SS amp powered up all the time. You can't beat the convenience factor of SS for a quickie listening session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger Roger, if you don't mind my asking, what amps did you audition to lead to your conclusion? I've been designing and building amps for decades and have never encountered this phenomenon, unless applying signal during the typical 20-30 second initial warm up. Regards--- Maynard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I posted last week about looking for some floorstanders and I'm still searching...but, in the meantime, I read alot of conflicting experience about whether to use SS vs. tubes. For instance, is one series (CF, KLF,RF, Heritage) better with one or the other? I would like to move back to tubes, which of the big floorstanders would do better with low powered (<20 watts). Due to size, I have ruled out Cornwalls, Lascalas, Klipschorns...most of the others are in play. I don't have that much experience with anything other than the Heritage line, so take it for what it's worth. Now with that said, I'd recommend the Heresy's or Forte's, they're smaller than the other Heritage line speakers you mentioned. If size were no concern, then Khorns would be the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger I run separate systems of each type, i.e. SS and Tubed. Warm-up time is no more a concern with a Tubed system, so long as it in proper working order. Both systems (actually 2 tubed systems) sound good, in deed, very good; but I prefer the tubes. They just sound better to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcp Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 Thanks for the input, everyone...I know that my original questions was a loaded one as people have strong opinions. I've owned many terrific solid state and tube amps over the years. I remember trying Heresy IIs and an Eastern Electric tube integrated and didn't like the pairing at all. However, a Harman Kardon 430 ss receiverwoke those speakers up more to my liking. I wish I had tried a tube amp when I owned Fortes, but I can say that a simple Rega Brio 3 sounded fantastic with those speakers. I do love the sound of tubes and will probably dive in on another tube integrated. Just bought a pair of KG4s last night to use until I can find a pair of Chorus or Fortes or maybe even RF-7's...always liked the KG4s.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 mcp, you are right on the money talking about the synergy between the HK 430 and the Heresy. Amazing combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger Roger, if you don't mind my asking, what amps did you audition to lead to your conclusion? I've been designing and building amps for decades and have never encountered this phenomenon, unless applying signal during the typical 20-30 second initial warm up. Regards--- Maynard I have to admit the last time I listened to tubes it was a Juicy Music Bluebery Pre Amp with a solid state amplifier and it took a couple minutes not 20 or 30 seconds before I couldn't tell the tubes apart from the SS because the blueberry was sounding like crap. That has been several years ago and there were at least 15 forum members present when it was A/B compared to a cheap old used Adcom 565 preAmp in a blind test and I corectly called the tube Pre Amp because it was sounding like crap in comparison. But this is not the only time I've heard tubes either, I've even owned tubes before. I'd be glad to A/B my Naks against a tube amp. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Tubes are fine if you don't mind waiting a while for it to stop sounding like crap while the tubes warm up, that said I prefer SS. Roger I prefer the sound of a cold tube amp over a cold weedy sounding solid state amplifier...of course one can always leave a SS amp powered up all the time. You can't beat the convenience factor of SS for a quickie listening session. Or....... for playing BASS heavy rifts, or...... for playing at high volume levels! My Naks are up to a blind A/B comparison with your tube settup... come gettya some!!! [] Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 I posted last week about looking for some floorstanders and I'm still searching...but, in the meantime, I read alot of conflicting experience about whether to use SS vs. tubes. For instance, is one series (CF, KLF,RF, Heritage) better with one or the other? I would like to move back to tubes, which of the big floorstanders would do better with low powered (<20 watts). Due to size, I have ruled out Cornwalls, Lascalas, Klipschorns...most of the others are in play. I don't have that much experience with anything other than the Heritage line, so take it for what it's worth. Now with that said, I'd recommend the Heresy's or Forte's, they're smaller than the other Heritage line speakers you mentioned. If size were no concern, then Khorns would be the way to go. If size and price were no object then Jubilee would be the way to go! [] Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 If you are wishing to use tubes AND you like a lot of punch in the bass, I would stay away from speakers with multiple woofers. They will typically have a impedance dip that will not be compatible with a number of tube amps. That said, if you don't require "bass grunt" as stated earlier in this thread, tube can reward you with, in some cases, a more musical presentation. SS can be very matter of fact in it's presentation but many times is needed for the grunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcp Posted April 21, 2013 Author Share Posted April 21, 2013 If you are wishing to use tubes AND you like a lot of punch in the bass, I would stay away from speakers with multiple woofers. They will typically have a impedance dip that will not be compatible with a number of tube amps. That said, if you don't require "bass grunt" as stated earlier in this thread, tube can reward you with, in some cases, a more musical presentation. SS can be very matter of fact in it's presentation but many times is needed for the grunt. I do require bass grunt, but I am also looking for less agressive and grainfree highs...I want it all! Kidding aside, I listen to a bit of everything and, to me, a good tube amp is tough to beat if it has the ability to drive the speakers at hand. I'm thinking Forte I's or Chorus I's as they are probably the best option in mmy 17 x 13 x 7.5 living room... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 If someone in your area has a pair of VRD monoblocks that you could audition I would go that route. They provide the bass grunt you are looking for, as well as a magical midrange. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 I do require bass grunt, but I am also looking for less agressive and grainfree highs...I want it all! Kidding aside, I listen to a bit of everything and, to me, a good tube amp is tough to beat if it has the ability to drive the speakers at hand. I'm thinking Forte I's or Chorus I's as they are probably the best option in mmy 17 x 13 x 7.5 living room... A guy down the road just got a Rogue Stereo 90 to use with his CWs and it sounds very nice in triode mode, with plenty of bottom end (to my ears, in ultralinear it's very aggressive and SS sounding.) It won't touch properly designed SETs or SEPs in terms of high end smoothness, but if you need that kind of power it seems to be a nice compromise particularly if you eliminate the preamp and use a passive line stage with it. His typical listening level is 105-110 db at his chair which is 12 feet from the speakers- listening room is about 12 feet wide and 30 feet long with the speakers about 6 feet in from the back wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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