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Tube Amplification(?) + (Music?) + Cornwalls =?


K2RGF

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Hello all,

First post in the community but have been lurking for a few months. Was undecided if I wanted to take the leap into a new adventure. It wasn't until I walked into a record store and heard a pair of amazing speakers.

Emblem on the front read Klipsch. I have a 2.1 klipsch setup for the computer. Sounds good but nowhere near these speakers in the record store.

I ask the kid behind the counter what model speakers are we listening to? Klipsch!!

Ok...! They sound amazing...I would like to do a little research on them so I need a little more info. Kid says Cornwalls!! I kinda laugh. Go over to the left speaker and snap a few pictures with my cell phone. I'm thinking this kids pulling my leg.

I walk around and am blown away by the sound. They had on Parkway Drive which is a pretty heavy band. I swear I heard an extra guitar on those Cornwalls that I never heard on my speakers! Pick up a Guns N' Roses vinyl import and now back at the counter to pay.

Ask the kid hey what receiver are you guys using? "Boss has some kinda tube amp". Ok thanks!!

Couldn't wait to get home and look up these Cornwalls. I didn't know what to expect.. As I'm typing Cornwalls I'm thinking, is this the name of his band? Maybe some new sneaker? Hit return and those beauties come up. Same set from the record store. Little more searching and I'm up to the wee hours reading everyone's posts in this community.

Here I am..after researching tube amplification and am still lost.

The music that the entire family listens to is all over the board.

I listening tastes are more:

Led Zep

Alice n Chains

Guns n Roses

Metallica

and some heavy stuff.

My wife on the other hand listens more to

Bachata and Salsa..

My nine year old listens to Ahhh Justin Bieber type music.

I would like the community to chime in and recommend an amplifier for the diverse music listened to.

Room is not that large. 10ft ceiling, 16x18.

Opinions on tube amp kits?

Thank you

Bob

K2RGF

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welcome. I own a pr of cornwalls and LOVE them. right now they are still my favorite klipsch spkrs. but, I still haven't heard the entire line.

 

if you've been "lurking," then you know we love pictures!

 

the amp running mine now in a 5.l system in my Marantz 5002 av receiver. I've also used a "fatman" tube hybrid amp. both sound/sounded great. they are very efficient spkrs, and don't need much power to be driven.

 

 

again, welcome!

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The amount of power that you need depends on the level at which you listen.  I have guys using as little as 1/3 wpc with Cornwalls, and it's plenty for their application.  Others need upwards of 30 watts.  So, if you can provide more info that would help with recommendations.

I see that you're a ham.  How are your technical skills?  It isn't difficult to construct your own low power tube amp, and you would probably enjoy the experience!

It has been a long time since I was reminded of Baldwin.  I once lived in Rockaway and had friends out your way in East Meadow, Westbury, etc.  

Maynard

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Welcome,

 

My current setup sounds amazing "to me". But it all depends on the recording...Garbage in Garbage out.

My listening habbits are Black Label Society, Clutch, Spoon, Norah Jones, Neil Young, Grand Funk, Bad Company, The Who, Mark Knopfler, Leonard Cohen...The list goes on and on and on

I can recommend Transcendent Sound. Bruce makes very good sounding equipment.

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Guest Steven1963

Welcome to the forums! Cornwalls are part of the collection Klipsch calls their "Heritage" collection, in that there were four original speakers that formed the foundation of the company: beginning with the legendary Klipschorn, A corner speaker whose conception dates back to the 1940's and is still made today in virtually the same design as originally engineered. They are the longest running manufactured speaker in the world, I believe. The Lascala is next in the line of Heritage, then the Cornwall (needing no CORNer, or WALL to operate, hence the name CORNWALL. Last is the Heresy, a small floor standing speaker that looks a lot like a baby Cornwall.

 

Cornwall's are a fantastic high efficiency speaker with excellent bass. You would be amply armed with high quality sound that is capable of reproducing low-distortion music at ear shattering volume levels. As far as amplification goes, my personal opinion is, tubes can be an expensive proposition especially as a beginner. You can spend a few hundred or thousands just on an amplifier. I don't know your level of audio sophistication, but if you are just beginning your journey into what can possibly be a hobby that has no end (financially and sonically), you might wish to start with a more affordable solid state source and then as you learn more and listen closer, determine where to go from there.

 

This site is a great resource with many knowledgeable people across the gamut of audio bliss. Pick their brains, ask lots of questions. It's a virtual goldmine of information. One thing we pretty much guarantee though, is you will never hear music the same once you hear it through a properly setup system using a set of high end Klipsch speakers.

 

Oh, and no...Justin Bieber should never be allowed through a set of Klipsch Cornwalls. He is relegated to a cheap pair of Bose and nothing else.

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  • Moderators

Welcome to the Forum!!!!

 

I agree with everything Steven said.  You may want to start out with a more affordable solid state source.

 

We have a pair of Cornwall IIIs in our bedroom that are powered by an older model Harmon Kardon receiver.  We are quite please with the results.  I can get you the exact model number.  

 

You can always upgrade once you learn more.  

Edited by dtel's wife
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Guest David H

 Cornwall's are great with tubes.

 

In my opinion EL-84 based tube amps like Dynaco ST-35 sound great with Cornwall's

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

Dave N3DH

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Welcome to the forum K2RGF.....

I remember the 1st Klipsch speaker I heard some 25 years ago....and yes it blew me away.....that sound always stuck with me.

I new one day I would own Klipsch speakers.....at the time I didn't know many I would have....

I owned some Corwalls a few years ago, I liked em. But I sold them to a friend of mine. So I do get to see and hear them still.

A lot of guys love there Cornwalls.....and they do have good sound....as you said...... So go and get ya some.. or start checking out some of the other Klipsch.....have fun with it....I know I do...

Oh and that 1st set of Klipsch I heard was a set of Chorus I's way back in 87 when they 1st came out. A friend of mine got them. He was powering them with this little silver cube thing.....a Carver M400 cube 201 watts. I could not belive the sound of those speakers and this little box with those red lights jumming....it was WoW....

Best of luck.....now go get some Klipsch....lol lol

MKP :-)

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We have a pair of Cornwall IIIs in our bedroom that are powered by an older model Harmon Kardon receiver. We are quite please with the results.

 

Love the Harman Kardon 430 and 730 models.  The 430 is 25 wpc and the 730 is 40.  Either one will sound excellent with your Cornwalls, Bob.

 

Welcome to the Forum!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I like refined and a bargain, and spending more for an amplifier of quality. CornWalls are efficient, and good tubed or low damped SS amplifiers are heavenly with them and their temporary Chorus replacement in the line, which I am listening to right now. I use a McIntosh MA 5100 with them, and the Dynaco ST 35 is heavenly in great functioning order, properly refurbished, as does the Fisher 500 C and 800 C. 

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