K horns Best receiver/amp for my first set of k horns

[Dr Morbius]

Congratulations. Tubes and horns.          

[joeydingo]

I'd have to agree with the "Tubes and Horns" quotes, although there are many nice sounding SS amps out there. The biggest dumbass mistake I think I've made is thinking "big speakers, big amp".

We all know we have between 99-105db/watt depending on model and year of production of Heritage line speakers, but you'd be amazed at the giant amps hooked up to them. And I'm guilty as charged there, and sure many others here would agree they've made that mistake.  I am currently powering a pair of Belles AND LaScalas about as loud as you want to listen to them (or at least as loud as you SHOULD listen to them) with an 18 watt Triode Dynaco ST70 rebuilt by Will Vincent.  

Edited November 5, 2014 by joeydingo

[minermark]

Looks like you have enough amps to get started, your ears will tell you what to do, run those puppys, pizz off some neighbors.

[Taz]

. All I have is a sansui 9090db and a ken wood 9100. What do you suggest. I am on my way home to listen to them.

 Compares with; Do I take the Caddie or the Benz.   Hook those Puppies up and tell us about them.  But really, Tubes is the way to go.

[jimjimbo]

Well, once you decide to try tubes with your KHorns, (and you will....), contact Justin at ampsandsound.com.  A great member of this forum, a super nice person and a builder of outstanding amps to pair with Klipsch.

[Kent T]

In tubes,

 

Fisher or HH Scott

 

In SS,

 

McIntosh MAC 1700 or HH Scott pre 1973. Look for early all discrete silicon era gear pre 1973. Sansui 4000 is another great Klipsch partner. Enjoy thy Klipschorns. Lower damping factor receivers also ideal choices (the units I mention here all are). Avoid Integrated Circuit laden or too high power SS, most if not all of them will sound poorly on Klipsch. 20-45 watts per channel the maximum you need. Klipschorns are very efficient. 

Edited November 7, 2014 by Kent T

[Colin]

tubes, I suggest tubes

 

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1212/garber_fi_x4.htm

 

you will love this amp with your horns (but like me, you might want a good sub-woofer)

 

also

 

Choices of Amplifiers for Big Ole Horn loudspeakers

 

It is not just the THD, since Big Ole Horn loudspeakers don’t need a lot of watts, it is also the TYPE of distortion, which is why so many tweaking audiophiles recommend TUBES:

 

• Look for heavy, vintage solid-state receivers, like Harmon Kardon twin transformer models 430-930, for less than $150, but which go for as little as $5 in a yard sale (mine). These sound as good as new receivers costing hundreds, even thousands (see Roksan Caspain receiver review on EnjoyTheMusic.com). They are quite a bargain for Big Ole Horn loudspeakers.
• Even the low cost ($30) Lepai LP-2020A+ stereo, class T, audio chip amplifier can easily drive my 103-dB efficient Big Ole Horn loudspeakers on most music to moderate volumes at ¼ on the dial. Like a cheap burger, it is a lot of food for the price. Hard to beat.
• Check out better quality chip amplifiers, like Sonic Impact and Trend Audio, which are about $100
• Seriously consider low-cost, refurbished tube amplifiers from fellow forum poster Craig, at NOSvalves.com. Many are a few hundred. Refurbishing one will take time, and about double the cost, so it a great amplifier will cost about a grand. The result however, will be as almost as good as most mega-buck integrated amplifiers, solid-state or tube. Consider either vintage integrated or separate tube pre and power amplifiers. 
• The classic solid-state Outlaw receiver is excellent on Big Ole Horn loudspeakers, perhaps the best solid-state receiver value I have heard.
• I know from experience that new Cayin, Cary, Antique Sound Labs and Bottlehead tube amplifiers are quite good
• Jonathon Valin in The Absolute Sound (September 09) gave a rave review to the $800 Odyssey Khartago Power Amplifier comparing it very favorably to much more expensive amplifiers.
• I auditioned both the Nelson Pass X250 and his radical 10-watt SIT-2 amplifiers on my Big Ole Horn and other loudspeakers for EnjoyTheMusic.com. I have yet to hear a movie/music and system configuration with either Big Ole Horn loudspeakers, electrostatic or traditional cone drivers in which either Pass amplifier always showed off the best that the system could deliver. Passes me out. 

Edited November 10, 2014 by Colin

[eth2]

Congratulations and sit back and read the tube vs. solid state debate.

The best advice you have been given so far is to take your time and listen to as many different amps/preamps as you can. Spending a ton of money and then figuring out what you really want is not the way to go. Wish I had listened to that advice.