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New Forte III Owner - int amp suggestions


CCNJ

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Just ordered my first Klipsch speakers - Forte III.  I currently have a benchmark hdr dac1 (preamp) and Parasound A21 amp (250w per channel). I know that Klipsch are super efficient and was thinking of selling the amp and maybe the pre/dac for a good integrated amp. Budget under 2500 new or used ok.  My use is 50% music / 50% HT so I would like to stick with SS for the convenience factor. The setup is in my finished basement approx 700sq feet (Open layout).  

 

I would love to hear from members that have experimented and have found a good pairing with Forte’s or other heritage speakers. 

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I'd suggest keeping what you have and seeing what you think first Headroom is a good thing.

 
Second vote there. Don't sell that combo without testing it for quite some time. I personally feel that is an excellent pairing. That parasound amp runs class A for the first 8 watts or so. That DAC is a benchmark that others are compared to.   You have trim knobs on the back of the amp if all the way up produces too much level top early on the DACs volume.   If I remember right, I think that DAC even had variable output from jumpers on the main board.   I think you will love that combo. 
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   How do you feed the dac? Improving your on amp will be difficult.

   I go against the grain and prefer 30 - 50 watt amplifiers for high efficiency speakers. Simple output stages. 

  Many prefer having a lot of horsepower. You have plenty of horsepower now.

  Used to think a sweet Class A solid state, like a lower power Pass, Accuphase, or other great amp would be the ticket. Maybe a vintage Spectral, or one of the European amps.

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50/50 is the issue... if you were 75-80% music, I go with something like a decware amp, or like hand built unit of 20-35 watts. But as you watch as many movies as music I might be inclined to stay with the paramount a21... at least for the next 6 months+

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  If you really have the itch there is a Spectral DMA-90 on Agon. Said it was factory upgraded for lower noise. This should be a rocket ship. The price is in the middle of your range and looks flexible.

 If I had not just finished building a new amp I would make an offer. Underground Sound in Memphis used to have Spectral of this vintage on display. Sounded fantastic.

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He has a preamp. The DAC is a preamp. Unless you need Analog inputs.... But you have been running that combo and it wouldnt seem so. Doesn't make sense to downgrade to a Parasound Halo Integrated with less power and I would question how much better than DAC is listening to the vast majority of music over the DAC in the parasound unit anyhow.   DAC straight to amp is the way to go when possible IMO 

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Lots of good advice - thanks.  I think I will try my current kit with the Fortes first before I make any moves. I was a little worried about feeding too much power to the Fortes as I blew the woofers on my previous speakers (Totem Hawks). They didn’t like to play loud and were pushed too long and hard during a party. 

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There is no reason to think that any modern day amplifier or integrated that has been engineered to be linear within it's power limits will sound better or worse than the next.  Any AVR, Integrated Amplifier or Amp/Pre separates will sound indistinguishable from the other so long as not overdriven, which is unlikely given the efficiency of the Forte III'S.  

 

http://tom-morrow-land.com/tests/ampchall/

 

 I think the setup you have is fine.  Of course, if you're looking to simplify, I'd go with a integrated amplifier.  In any case, think about features.  Bass/ Treble controls?  Mono Switch?  Home Theater Pass thru?  Integrateds can, in some circumstances, sound "better" in the sense that by having one less A/C cord and no interconnects joining preamp to amp, they can in some setups have less hum.   If you pause your source (cd player for ex) then crank the volume, do you hear hum through your speakers?  In fact, if you get an integrated with an onboard DAC (many have this) you can further de-clutter by ditching the DAC.  Here again, you're not apt to hear any differences b/w modern day DACs.  So why not get rid of more interconnects and another power cord?

 

Congrats on the speakers.  I listened to them at length and loved them

 

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Any AVR, Integrated Amplifier or Amp/Pre separates will soundindistinguishable from the other so long as not overdriven, which is unlikely given the efficiency of the Forte III'S.  

 

That is simply a false statement. Sorry. Why bother to have a hifI system if you feel there is no difference between anything? 

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