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Tubes or SS for all-horn Klipsch Heritage


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22 hours ago, Mallette said:

Odd. Makes perfectly good sense to me.

 

 

 

 

Amusement evades you.

 

However, I'll bite. From a scientific point of view, why would you?

Would CERN build the LHC and then power it with an inefficient and antiquated technology? 

Just because something once was the cream of the crop, doesn't mean that it will always be. Scientifically and statistically, it is not.  Preference and nostalgia aren't valid arguments to my initial statement, beyond being exactly those things. My statement posited a fact-based observation.

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My speakers are Belles with Community SRH90 mid-horns in place of the stock mid-horn.

 

Good sized room - definitely not small.

 

The available amps include SET, SEP, PP tube amps and Class D, chip and Class AB solid state amps.

 

I trust my ears. The SET and SEP amps sount the best to me - more emotional connection with the music.

 

The EL84 SEP amp has 4 watts/channel. The 300B SET has 9. The 845 SET has 18.

 

All are capable of driving the Belles louder than anyone should listen.

 

YMMV.....

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2 hours ago, alxlwson said:

 

 

Amusement evades you.

 

However, I'll bite. From a scientific point of view, why would you?

Would CERN build the LHC and then power it with an inefficient and antiquated technology? 

Just because something once was the cream of the crop, doesn't mean that it will always be. Scientifically and statistically, it is not.  Preference and nostalgia aren't valid arguments to my initial statement, beyond being exactly those things. My statement posited a fact-based observation.

 

 

Oh, ok. One of them I see. Things are gaining perspective with your last post.

 

The best reason to power Klipsch, or any other speaker for that matter, with tubes is that they just sound better. Oops, that 's a subjective statement and I know "you guys" frown on that. Doesn't matter, I'll stand by it anyway.

 

Preference notwithstanding, modern tube amplifiers do NOT sound like their 1950s counterparts. I have a 22 watt SET amplifier that I would not be afraid to pair with low 90 db efficient speakers. And I would not have to make any excuses about the sound. Although there are some nice sounding SS amplifiers (Plinius, Coda and McCormack come to mind), I still prefer tubes for their natural tonality and ability to draw me into the music. Something SS amps, no matter how good, are unable to achieve.

 

So you stay with your charts, graphs and sterile SS sound. I will stay with my bloated, thick,  rolled off, old school tubes. We'll both be tickled.......

 

Shakey

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47 minutes ago, Shakeydeal said:

Would CERN build the LHC and then power it with an inefficient and antiquated technology?

No, nor would they provide 100 times too much. As PWK said, "I'll build a better loudspeaker when they change the laws of physics." Haven't noted any changes recently. As to "efficient technology," I don't feel the extra electricity required to power tubes really shows on my bill and so is irrelevant. 

 

My own experience is based on ear based observations. 

 

Dave

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  I used to use tube amps. Takes a lot of work to get them quiet enough for a 100+ dB efficient speaker. I have a 300B with pentode input upstairs. Think there is a small push pull also. Also a 3 watt SEP. Sold the rest.

  I like well done push pull solid state. Less coloration than tubes. I have a SE mosfet amp too. A little compressed on dynamics. Cranks too much heat for Houston. 

  Use a Solid State diy, S/N is around 110 dB. The best S/N tube amp I owned was a Croft OTL. It had only a low level noise with horns. You had to have head close to speaker to hear the heater rush. But it generated over 100 watts of heat for 10 watt output. 

  The euphonics of most tube gear can be very pleasant. I prefer to hear as uncolored red as possible.

  

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Most tube amps sound pretty good with these speakers. Can’t say the same for solid state. Over the last 15 years, I’ve only heard three solid state amps that cut the mustard. Most I couldn’t get out of the house fast enough. There are two that I would really like to try, but they’re just too expensive. 

 

Any modestly priced tube amp, regardless of topology, will do very well. SET sounds good, but will run out of gas in many rooms. My opinion is that you need at least 25 wpc to do any real work. 

 

It’s easier to find a good sounding tube amp than a good sounding solid state amp - unless you have very deep pockets. 

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