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Power needs of Heritage series speakers


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I guess the other important thing I learned is what loudness level I like to listen at. 75 to 85 db's is fine in my old age and what I like about the tube sound is you don't loose dynamics or imaging at lower levels. Regardless of the volume, it sounds so good that I loose hours at a time, even while trying to get chores done!

This is so true, I very rarely get past the 10 O'Clock position on my Grounded Grid Preamp. When I get crazy and start pushing it to 12 the sound doesn't just get louder, it envelopes your body mind and soul. I had gone and picked up the Ex Wife 2 weeks ago from Noel Mo so she could spend some time here with our daughter here in Iowa, well she stayed with me and was completely blown away by the sound...She loved Zakk Wylde "Book of Shadows"

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Luv_sum_Horns,

Dido Brother....You've got yourself some equipment as well. I don't have any Heritage series "YET" LOL, I guess the only good thing about divorce is I only answer to myself and my paycheck LOL, never ending quest for the altimate in audio....Okay just downloaded Amy Winehouse from HD Tracks, Complete Thumbs UP.

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Female vocals do it for me. I'll get some Amy Winehouse on my next amazon blitz. I'm a dedicated rip from CD to flac kind of guy. If you haven't heard of Susan Tedeschi, that's my recommendation of the day.

Me too brother...LOL better than sex....LOL....Oh Man...Nora Jones and some Alison Krauss

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Wow Steve_S, just looked up your DAC. Got a pair of those Sabre chips in my Oppo which is the front end for lots of digital to tube amp connectivity. Love to hear your impression of how it sounds on the RF-7s

I liken the DAC to a turntable, granit I cannot change the Computer OS albeit MS, Apple, or Linux, complete digital only needs a music file....Hence J River, Pure Music so on and on, "These absolutely affect Sound".The only other DAC I can compare my current is to a Cambride DAC Magic Plus...On my RF-7ii's with everything else in play The Wyred4Sound kicks the Cambridge's *** up down and all around...I'm a big Alter Bridge fan, with the Cambridge in place their music sounded lost, This is music ripped using dbPoweramp to AIF. The day I got the Wyred4Sound and replaced the Cambridge everything in my music library sounded 10 fold. Folks this isn't an exaggeration...Everything from start to finish absolutely matter

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There are guys using CWs at 110+ db, which rules out low power single ended designs

 

 

Are these guys concerned about the headroom needed for musical peaks, or do they listen at 110dB+ continuously? That's akin to running a table saw with no hearing protection...

 

Peaks only, for me, and brief ones at that, in orchestral music.  Usual loud levels in the low 90s in dB SPL, peaks up to 110 dB very, very briefly -- theoretically higher than that.

 

I don't know if this is a factor, but the old Klipsch data sheets listed the Cornwalls as having 3 times the Frequency Modulation distortion as Klipschorns, and at a lower SPL.  I like Cornwalls, but maybe they don't push cleanly as far as Klipschorns.

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I originally started my bit perfect quest on Windows. I gave up. Being a computer nerd, I can't handle the needless resampling or the license fees, so I switched to Linux because it was just easier. I actually ripped 1200 cd's into Ogg Vorbis before I found out about FLAC. Using a high end sound card, everything works out of the box practically and I can switch back and forth between the digital coax out of my soundcard, or HDMI out of my Nvidia video card. I've settled on using Banshee as a player as it supports gain leveling and gapless playing, and really big libraries. Being unencumbered by file formats...priceless.

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There are guys using CWs at 110+ db, which rules out low power single ended designs

 

 

Are these guys concerned about the headroom needed for musical peaks, or do they listen at 110dB+ continuously? That's akin to running a table saw with no hearing protection...

 

Peaks only, for me, and brief ones at that, in orchestral music.  Usual loud levels in the low 90s in dB SPL, peaks up to 110 dB very, very briefly -- theoretically higher than that.

 

I don't know if this is a factor, but the old Klipsch data sheets listed the Cornwalls as having 3 times the Frequency Modulation distortion as Klipschorns, and at a lower SPL.  I like Cornwalls, but maybe they don't push cleanly as far as Klipschorns.

 

Two completely different types of bass, horned bass vs direct raidated bass. Fast and clean vs slow and sloppy...

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Wow! If you routinely listen at over 90db you will enjoy this hobby for maybe a half dozen years. Then you might as well sell everything (I call dibs on any cool vintage tube gear) and buy a boom box because your hearing will be shot.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/faq/

I found my Klipsch Hersey to be on the harsh side with my B&K gear but once I hooked up my restored Fisher 500c with some NOS RCA Blackplate and Mullards to them, wow, just amazing. Can't wait to drive some Cornwalls with it. Once my system is all done and set up I'm thinking I'll add that little Decware SET integrated to the mix for a taste of modern tube gear.

Anyone out there running any Decware gear over their heritage series?

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Anyone out there running any Decware gear over their heritage series?

 

I'm familiar with their SE84 amps, like them a lot.  Two watts will only get you so far, but that may be just enough enough with Klipsch heritage.  The ones I have seem to punch above their weight, but I don't listen that loud (75-85 db avg).  They'll do reasonably loud, but are simply incapable of painfully loud, so your hearing is safe.  They do pull off the kooky depth-of-field and presence thing characteristic of SE amps, reportedly more so than any other amps in their lineup.            

 

 Erik2a3 has a Mini Torii (single ended amp of about 4 watts using 6v6 family of tubes) that his wife bought him which he has positively raved about.  He's extremely knowledgeable on the tube front, so if he likes it, it's probably pretty good.  If I recall correctly, the MT is one of his overall favorite amps for 'Scalas and Heresy.

Edited by Ski Bum
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"Anyone out there running any Decware gear over their heritage series?"

 

Running a Decware "Rachael" SE34l.3 six watt SET, and as you were posting, my favorite UPS guy is dropping of my new "Torii MK4" dual mono...

 

I doubt I have 40 hours on the Rachael and I've used it on my Heresys', Cornwall IIIs, and driving the top half of a Frankenwall setup. Luscious. It's the "sound" I have been searching out for the last 30 years or so.

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I built a 90lb parallel 2a3 amp driven by a transformer coupled 5842Q about 20 years ago - but one of my favorite setups is a relatively inexpensive Chinese made SE EL34UL amp rated ~8 watts per channel (with very little global feedback) driving Heresy I with vintage KBG caps - the mids are just beautiful whether Fritz Wunderlich or Jimmy Martin using the first Emotiva DAC (,model with digital volume which has to left cranked up)  I run my Heresys from the 16ohm tap, they're pretty high on a wall and turned sideways, grills off.  The only thing I might fault might be the blend between the woofer and the K700 - I left the autoformer taps stock and there's no swamping resisistors.   I wish I could get my K-horns satisfactory but wall resonance is a problem.

Edited by karlson3
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The wife and i run KT88 based Tubers.

Never Discount the "Imports" China has got their Chit together.

My guy "Primeamp" on the Bay has sold me at least 6 Amps over the years.

Like PA tells me, Mark we have two Billion people here, if my Amps are Chit, someone will kill my family. 

Have to say, I am particularly fond of that vintage desk....brings back lots of memories....

 

Aerojet surplus sales just a few miles away, if you know this desk, you sir, have some time at one, my respect.

 

I also spent time at a desk like that during that disagreement in SE Asia.  Just as soon forget it-but I never will.

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"Anyone out there running any Decware gear over their heritage series?"

Running a Decware "Rachael" SE34l.3 six watt SET, and as you were posting, my favorite UPS guy is dropping of my new "Torii MK4" dual mono...

I doubt I have 40 hours on the Rachael and I've used it on my Heresys', Cornwall IIIs, and driving the top half of a Frankenwall setup. Luscious. It's the "sound" I have been searching out for the last 30 years or so.

I am really looking forward to finishing my current setup so that I can try out the Rachel.

How would you compare Rachel to the new Torii? What tubes are you running. And keeping in line with this topic, do you think the 6 watt SET gives you sufficient dynamic headroom?

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I am really looking forward to finishing my current setup so that I can try out the Rachel.  If you are running efficient speakers you really can't go wrong with a Rachael (Duh, Heresys').

How would you compare Rachel to the new Torii? Just got the Torii, need to make room for 2 tube amps in the rack.

 

What tubes are you running. All stock tubes so far and I have no urge to swap.

 

How would you compare Rachel to the new Torii? The comparison begins this weekend!

 

And keeping in line with this topic, do you think the 6 watt SET gives you sufficient dynamic headroom? No doubt. Out of curiosity, I grabbed the sound meter and turned the Rachael up to 102db (the efficiency level of the CWIII @ 1 watt) and holy crap it was loud! And at that level I still had 4.8 watts left.

-bill

Edited by Luv_sum_Horns
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