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Forte with 3 watt SET


Mark51

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I have a pair of Forte 1's driven with an NAD T-743 A/V receiver.  The setup is used for home theater and also late night music listening when the wife has surrendered the room to me.  I would love to hear these Fortes with a low power SET amp.  I can configure the NAD so the two front speakers, the Fortes,  are driven by a separate amp.  The center channel would still be driven by the NAD.   If a SET amp became that second amp, would that work for both home theater and music?  I don't listen to loud music,  only light jazz and classical.  We don't listen to movies loud either but would the SET tend to poop out on movies?  I have my eye on a 3.5 watt per channel SET and am tempted to give it a shot.  

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There is only one way to know if 3.5 watts is enough to cover your listening needs and that is to take an actual measurement.  Here's a very simple way to do it:

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/170414-who-wants-to-measure-how-much-power-voltage-is-really-needed/&

 

Alternatively, you need to put the amp in your system and use your ears.  Can you return it if it isn't satisfactory?  If not, perhaps you can find someone local with a similar amp which you can audition in your system.  Where are you located?

 

Lastly, in case you are interested, the forum has a section devoted exclusively to using tube type equipment with Klipsch speakers.  If you re-post there, or ask the moderators to move this thread, you may generate some worthwhile discussion:

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/forum/109-talkin-tubes/

 

There was just a discussion about your topic which contained differing opinions!  I can only state that if someone says you won't like vanilla ice cream because they don't I would not let it dissuade you from trying it and drawing your own conclusion.

 

 

Maynard

 

 

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I just recently picked up from a guy for free an old Pioneer SA5800 integrated amp. 25 watts per channel. I’m using it with my Fortes’ for two channel vinyl. I have an older Denon D30L turntable with an Orfton red cartridge. This set up sounds amazing! The 25 watts will run you out of the room. I can’t listen to it pass about 8 watts. I’m amazed how warm and clean the old Pioneer sounds compared to the newer Denon 2 Channel amp I own. I know your looking at tubes, but something SS vintage might be exactly what you’re looking for.


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12 hours ago, Terry Palmer said:

I just recently picked up from a guy for free an old Pioneer SA5800 integrated amp. 25 watts per channel. I’m using it with my Fortes’ for two channel vinyl. I have an older Denon D30L turntable with an Orfton red cartridge. This set up sounds amazing! The 25 watts will run you out of the room. I can’t listen to it pass about 8 watts. I’m amazed how warm and clean the old Pioneer sounds compared to the newer Denon 2 Channel amp I own. I know your looking at tubes, but something SS vintage might be exactly what you’re looking for.


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3.5 watts is a long way from 25.  There are transients involved even if listening low so requires a fair amount of overhead.  Small room , not pushing it, 3.5 may sound nice not pushing any stronger bass.  As Shiva said, forget home theater.

 

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The 3.5 watts would be fine for music in a room that size. I am currently using some 3.5 watt amps on Heresy IIs in a 20x23 room with 10ft ceilings and am very happy with them.

 

For home theater, you might (probably) will find transients a bit squishy and soft without the same impact as a larger SS or tube amp. Are you using a subwoofer in your system? This would offload a lot from the smaller output tube amps.

 

Bruce

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On 10/8/2018 at 12:44 AM, codewritinfool said:

Which 3.5W SET are you considering? Just curious.

I ordred a TubeCube from tubedepot.  It has two EL84's in SE configuration.   At $180 with free shipping I just have to try it.  

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TubeCube arrived today and my initial impression is that its a significant improvement over the NAD A/V receiver I've been using.  And there is still plenty of volume and bass for the two Forte front speakers, even with movies.  For music, vocals and horns now sound more balanced.  With the NAD they tended to sound too loud.  For $180 I don't think you can go wrong. 

tubecube7-scale.jpg

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On 10/6/2018 at 4:48 PM, Mark51 said:

I have a pair of Forte 1's driven with an NAD T-743 A/V receiver.  The setup is used for home theater and also late night music listening when the wife has surrendered the room to me.  I would love to hear these Fortes with a low power SET amp.  I can configure the NAD so the two front speakers, the Fortes,  are driven by a separate amp.  The center channel would still be driven by the NAD.   If a SET amp became that second amp, would that work for both home theater and music?  I don't listen to loud music,  only light jazz and classical.  We don't listen to movies loud either but would the SET tend to poop out on movies?  I have my eye on a 3.5 watt per channel SET and am tempted to give it a shot.  

 

Just to be Clear .... the Tube Amp that you bought is NOT a SET amp..... A SET amp stands for Single Ended Triode .... Which is usually a 45, 2a3 or a 300b Tube.... Yours is powered by an EL84 Tube, which is a Pentode.... It is for sure a Step up from the NAD Receiver...... With that said a True SET amp would be even more of an improvement. I own all Configurations and the SET amp remains King.

From your initial post I had thought you were purchasing a  2a3 SET amp (since it was 3.5 watts per channel)..... Which would have made the Fortes really sing.

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I am amazed that you get "full" sound with this setup.  Tried a Bob Latino ST-70 tube amp (supposedly 35W/ch) with my Forte's and just did not think it was enough. Sold it and went back to a vintage Marantz 1060 :) which blows me out of the room :D 

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21 minutes ago, Emile said:

I am amazed that you get "full" sound with this setup.  Tried a Bob Latino ST-70 tube amp (supposedly 35W/ch) with my Forte's and just did not think it was enough. Sold it and went back to a vintage Marantz 1060 :) which blows me out of the room :D 

 

Too many Variables to compare. ..... The difference between 3.5 watts and 35 watts is not as much as you would think... Then there is room size, Pre-amp, and listener preferences and on and on....

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4 minutes ago, Cut-Throat said:

The difference between 3.5 watts and 35 watts is not as much as you would think...

Yes; understand ... haha ... but never figured it out for my specific situation :D  And ... the Marantz 1060 "officially" is only 30W/ch.  Still puzzled :) 

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