Guest Steven1963 Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 (edited) I've got the opportunity to pick up a couple Heresy III's and this tube amp: http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/ele/4902639103.html for a combined price of $1600.00. But I don't know anything about tube amps, other than I want to get into them eventually. So, to the forums I go, to ask the experts whether this is a decent amp with those tubes or if I should pass. EDIT: forgot to mention, the Heresy's would be for my HT and the tube amp would probably be for the Khorns. Edited March 14, 2015 by Steven1963 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I would jump on it ASAP before someone else does, for the tube amp anyways. They go for more than that in worse condition, and that one seems to be totally updated and modded. It is a knockoff I see, but even the knock offs are for more money. The Heresy lll I don't know anything about, so I don't have an opinion on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Try for $1400 and see if they'll bite. Looks like good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy bottom Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Seven, I made the switch to tubes not to long ago. I'm driving my LaScalas and Heresy III'S with two refurbished ST-70's, and I couldn't be anymore pleased. In fact my only regret is that I didn't switch over to tube power earlier. I'm currently driving the amps with matched Mullard EL-34 tubes and they rock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Done and done. I've taken the time waiting for some people to respond to do some research on the amp and the tubes. Apparently the tubes themselves are expensive and from what I've read, remarkable. Same with the amp...read a "ten most significant amps of all time" article ( http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-ten-most-significant-amplifiers-of-all-time/ ) with 8 contributors all listing their personal 10 favorites. 7 reviewers had the Dynaco t-70 in their top 3, the 8th had it in his top 4. Between that, you guys, and some research on the tubes I'm leaving in about an hour to audition the amp and the speakers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-D Rider Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 GO get them , Good luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy bottom Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 As we used to say back in my Navy Dive Locker days, Hoo Yaaa!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 The tube amp looks like someone has replaced some necessary part and in excellent condition. Grab fast or it will be gone with the wind, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 the post is deleted on graigs list - did you get them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Morbius Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Yea, what happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) Got it! And the speakers. He says the tubes have about 80 hours on them, which from my research means they aren't yet burned in. The speakers also, do not seem to be broken in as 'everything' sounds like $hit right now lol. But If I'm reading the date code correctly they were made in 2008 so either they weren't used very often or I'm just hearing the tubes. Edited March 15, 2015 by Steven1963 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy bottom Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Congratulations Steven!! By the pictures, you got a heck of a deal! Good to see another Washington State Klipsch aficionado. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) Thank you! I was able to talk him down a bit on price and he threw in a couple of tables also to set the Heresy's up about 2' off of the floor (about ear level as I sit) and I've been listening carefully for the last couple of hours. I can say confidently that these do not sound like the Heresy's that I remember (Heresy I's). These have much more base and lower mids than I remember with the highs and high mids much more subdued and refined. The bass is well defined for a Heresy (or speaker of this size, in general). If I were blindfolded and didn't know what I was listening to I wouldn't guess they were Klipsch. The sound is very smooth and airy, none of that mid horn 'squawk' and I kind of miss it. Of course this is all subject to the characteristics of the tube amp. The stage seems very open and wide. These sounds bigger than they are. But something isn't quite right. I think it is clarity - yes, clarity. I'm not hearing that usual crystal clear clarity that the Heritage line gives. Since this is my first tube amp AND the tubes are still burning I'll wait before any further evaluations. I wish my Khorns weren't in storage though, I'd really love to give this amp a try on a speaker that I am much more familiar with. I really am handicapped from that standpoint - new amp on speakers I haven't heard in 30 years! Something else...now I have to learn how to perform bias adjustments! That might be part of my issues also. Oh...and these are the tubes since the ad is down now: Edited March 15, 2015 by Steven1963 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 It shouldn't sound bad broke in or not. What are you driving the ST70 with? Did the seller give you any details on the modifications done to the ST70? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Well, sounding 'bad' is a relative term in the sense that I'm used to my Khorns. It doesn't help that I'm using the standard cheepo RCA cables to the amp. The others are packed for the move. Seller didn't know anything about the amp - it was given to him by a friend, the Heresy's also. Nice friend. I'm using a Sonos streaming Google play lossless files which is my usual format, so I know my source isn't the issue. I think it's just that I don't have a baseline: new speakers and a tube amp which is something I've never heard before. I've got a few more hours on the tubes and the sound IS changing. More detail and smoother. Definitely lots of detail. And that bass it just seems for these small Heresy's it's amazing. It's not 'thumping' but it is present throughout the content, more so than the mids which are much more subdued than 'Klipsch'. I remember Heresy's being bass-less and mid 'heavy', compared to these, BUT, these are III's so again, no baseline. I don't move for another 26 days so it'll be at least that long before I can hook up the amp to the Khorns and really be able to judge what I'm hearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Does the sound get loud quickly as you turn it up? Are the 3 small signal tube 12AT7? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Also I see some print on the left rear of the circuit board what does that say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 By the way I think you did real good on this purchase! That ST70 was built with all new parts its not an original refurbished. I think it might be a kit from Triode Electronics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 By the way I think you did real good on this purchase! That ST70 was built with all new parts its not an original refurbished. I think it might be a kit from Triode Electronics. Thanks! Yes! It is from Triode Electronics. The small print on the board says: 'Triode Electronics ST70 upgrade board.' Volume seems smooth across the spectrum. The 3 tubes up front aren't all the same and the print isn't clear. Two of them look to be Tung sol EF86 and the middle one is an RCA 5814A. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Steven, Can you solder? You would benefit from replacing all those cheapo black Solen caps in the signal path on the circuit board. Also when you get a chance and if your interested take the bottom cover off the amp and email me some uncompressed pictures. If you can solder I'm sure I could guide you through some really nice upgrades under the hood. craig@nosvalves.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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