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Klipschorns new ones... & what amp or receiver ?


adqrip

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Hello all...

 

I heard my first pair of Khorns nearly 25 years ago & fell in love with the sound...  Fast forward...  I am ready to pull the trigger on a pair & need some advice from this group...   

 

Planning on putting the speakers in the living room, 15' x 18' with 20' ceiling..   speakers will be able to go in the corners, one corner is good, no obstructions, other corner meets stairs, & has TV & cabinet w/ audio gear.  I should have about 3 or 4 feet of wall before stairs & the wall falls off... Is this enough wall space for the speaker?

 

Currently have 100W older Yamaha receiver, looking at McIntosh MA6300, 100W (intergrated amp)(rarely listen to radio) or the McIntosh 6700 receiver (200W), or 6700 integrated amp ...  I am thinking 200W is overkill...  Any other amps/receivers to consider?

 

Budget is 15-17K...

 

thanks,

rip 

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Rip,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

 

 

I heard my first pair of Khorns nearly 25 years ago & fell in love with the sound...  Fast forward...  I am ready to pull the trigger on a pair & need some advice from this group...   

 

 

Planning on putting the speakers in the living room, 15' x 18' with 20' ceiling..   speakers will be able to go in the corners, one corner is good, no obstructions, other corner meets stairs, & has TV & cabinet w/ audio gear.  I should have about 3 or 4 feet of wall before stairs & the wall falls off... Is this enough wall space for the speaker?

 

 

While I have heard Khorns on a few occasions and agree that they sound wonderful, I do not know how well your room will accomodate the Khorns.  I by all means am not implying they will not work just can't answer your question most accurately.  I will let others chime in on that. 

 

 

 

Currently have 100W older Yamaha receiver, looking at McIntosh MA6300, 100W (intergrated amp)(rarely listen to radio) or the McIntosh 6700 receiver (200W), or 6700 integrated amp ...  I am thinking 200W is overkill...  Any other amps/receivers to consider?

 

My advice, after you get the Khorns, give that Yamaha a try and see(hear) what you get.  You can't go wrong with McIntosh so definitely a brand to consider.  As far as 200w/ch overkill, no such thing. ;)  :D   But, you sure don't "need" 200w/ch with Klipschorns.

 

 

 

Budget is 15-17K...

 

Is that total budget for speakers and electronics?  Either way, your choices are many.

 

Bill 

Edited by willland
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Your buying new K-Horns...wow. That's some serious money nowadays. Thanks for supporting the Klipsch company and welcome to forum. Your amp selection is so vast it is hard to recommend one. I could only buy new anything in my dreams but glad someone can. But if I were you I would look for tube amp for the quality and the Mac for horsepower all depends on what you like in the way of music.   Rick

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If you're buying Khorns new, you might consider the "Khorn II" and get the Jubilee.  I think you could get it for fewer dollars and it will sound better.  Other factors are involved as most people (actively) biamp them but you can also get a passive for them. They were PWK's last project and his attempt to take the Khorn back to a 2-way speaker.

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The best deal I have heard lately is from joshnich a member on this forum. If he has not already sold them. I know your nose is going to turn up when you see they do not have but 2 watts but believe me it will be plenty for those K-horns.

 

^^^^ This ^^^

 

Great guy to buy from and if you swap out the tubes to solid plate 45's made by Emission Labs I think it will tough to find a better sounding amp to match your speakers.

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The best deal I have heard lately is from joshnich a member on this forum. If he has not already sold them. I know your nose is going to turn up when you see they do not have but 2 watts but believe me it will be plenty for those K-horns.

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/159202-fs-cary-cad-45se-set-monoblocks/

 

This member is a respected reviewer and see what he says about a 1 watt tube amp with K-horns.

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/user/590-colin/

 

Nelson Pass has a watt meter hooked up in his lab listening room with 95db speakers and visitors are always astonished that they never go above 5 watts. The SIT amp by Firstwatt is getting rave reviews from everyone that has heard them if you only want Solid State. You will need a quality Preamp to drive them and right now there is a waiting list. I prefer a tube preamp with my heritage speakers. Those 2 choices, the tube amps or SIT amplifier will not disappoint you and will hold their value years years from now.

 

+1 on the Cary recommendation. To get the most out of the klipschorns, you will definitely want to get tube amps.  Listening preferences will dictate how much power you need but 3 watts goes a long way with Klipschorns.  If that is not enough, you really don't need more than about 20-30 watts.  You will never use 200 watts with Klipschorns so it is best to get an amp that is designed to sound best at lower power levels and why tubes are best suited for this job.  They will be hard to find as not many were produced, but be on the lookout for a set of Juicy Music pCAT monoblocks.  If you can find a set for sale, you will never have a desire to upgrade (which is why they are hard to find).  If my house caught on fire, the pCATs would be one of the first things I'd be trying to get out.  A Juicy Music preamp would also be a good choice for the pre-amp you will also need. Cary also makes very good preamps and I own a couple.  There are a lot of great choices available with your budget.

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Hello rip, welcome, welcome!  Sounds like you've got your hands full of fun.  A photo or two of your room would be helpful and a description of carpeting, furniture, etc. Will this be two channel only, or?

 

Take care.  Jim

On the road till Wed...  I could post a pic when I get to the house... good idea...

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Do you have the photo of the room they are going into? That would help tremendously.

My advice is listen to yamaha for a reference to get an idea on where you want to go from there.

What part of the country are you in, we might be able to help you audition some amps.

Travis

on the road till Wed... then will post a pic of room...  Atlanta...

 

rip

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You're in Atlanta.  On the road at that.  You have evidently heard Khorns and like them.  If you find yourself near Knoxville, TN, you are more than welcome to come by and hear what PWK intended to become the "Khorn II".  (powered by solid state and a tube preamp)

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Nelson Pass has a watt meter hooked up in his lab listening room with 95db speakers and visitors are always astonished that they never go above 5 watts.

 

Is that a peak reading meter?  My prm has gone to ~~~ 25 w.p.c with Khorns in my old room which was about the OP's room size.  It was the end of a Mahler symphony.  Now, in a big room, my 150 w.p.c. NADs (really more like 120 w.p.c. rated at old fashioned RMS) do well with Khorns.  PWK used to say you need 115 dB brief peaks at your ears to reproduce the "blood stirring" peak levels of a symphony orchestra.

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When a friend of mine who is a sound man for local bands comes over and listens to my system and we play some hard rock as loud as we care to where normal conversation is not possible and I measure how many watts I am using it comes out to less than 1 watt. This is in what I would call a larger than normal room about 10 meters from the speakers. I do not have a spl meter but I realistically think it is around 90db sound pressure at that distance.

If you're getting 90dB at your listening position, which is 10 METERS away from your speakers, then you're using more than 1 watt. In fact your speakers would need to be outputting 110dB or so to generate 90dB that far away. Works out to at least 4 watts continous, with peaks quite a bit higher.

Now if you want to sit near field and listen with a 2 watt amp, then more power to you. But trying to generate 90dB at 30 feet, with a 2 watt amp... You're kidding yourself.

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-distance.htm

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