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amp synergy with Cornwall IV's/Forte III's/Heresey IV's?


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Hey Everybody,  I'm a noob,  Canadian, lurking and reading threads for a couple of months now.

 

Great forum you guys have here!

 

I've recently decided to get a pair of current gen heritage models to use in a 2 channel setup, I have a pair of JL Audio Fathoms on standby to use as required with the speakers.

 

My request for the time being though is amplifier related.

 

I'm seeking an integrated amp to synergize with any of the current gen heritage models in my thread title. 

 

I can utilize any of those speakers in my setup and I like them all so the priority is finding that holy grail amp

 

I would like to get as close as possible to a one and done amp purchase although I'm open to getting both a solid state and tube amp for a proper comparison

I have a matched quad set of still new  Psvane EL34PH's on standby duty

 

Budget is 5k range, new or used

 

For all owners of these models, are you using an amp that you would consider a holy grail match?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I have a pair of 1981 Heresys that I'm using a Sony STR-DA5000ES receiver from 2004 with.  Brand new it sold for $1,500.  I bought mine for $40 through the Facebook marketplace.  It is absolutely incredible.  Most 15-25 year old ES receivers sell for $75-200.  No one wants them anymore because they don't have hdmi or other modern features.  If you don't need those, you're in luck. 

 

You definitely don't need to spend anywhere near $5k for audio nirvana.  I would seriously suggest checking your local craigslist and Facebook for older Sony ES gear.  There's also many to choose from on eBay. 

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I'm using the point-to-point 6 wpc Reisong EL-34 A10 SET amp with my Cornwall IIIs. Costs only $US 300 but sounds surprisingly good with great detail. Not harsh at all.

 

I think any good tube amp up to 25 watts is sufficient for Cornwalls but SET amps undoubtedly have a special synergy with Klipsch Heritage that is hard to describe. I have never experienced this before.

Edited by VNC Studio
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We've been comparing a pretty good number of amps, preamps and integrated amps with the Heresy II and Heresy IV. I have four other friends and we borrow each-others amps to compare them and we compare our 2 channel systems. I'm amazed at the difference these components can really make. One of my friends just ordered the Yamaha S1200 and it's expected this Friday or possibly Monday as it has already shipped, so I will be happy to report back on its sound quality compared to others we plan to shoot it out with. I love Yamaha but there's one thing I'm still not sure about. When I started out, I purchased a Yamaha integrated S501 from Crutchfield about 3 years ago which is more entry level integrated but something I learned is that it has a very warm, rolled off sound. At first I really liked this integrated amp but never had anything else to compare it to, so I didn't really know. Later I had read a ton about tubes and was very curious, so I decided to contact tubes4hifi and decided to purchase an Dynaco VTA ST-70 with KT88 tubes by Bob Latino and they commissioned a technician to build it for me. I also pulled the trigger on an Erhard Audio Aretha tube preamp to run it. When I compared this new tube setup to the S501 I dropped my jaw in disbelief. The tubes were shockingly superior in every regard, I mean it wasn't even remotely close. It was if a towel had been removed from the front of the Heresy. It was more open, airy, holographic, whatever you want to call it. One day I found this video to best describes the difference in sound. If you skip to about 2 minutes into this video and listen to the drum symbols you will hear how even harmonics sound more muffled while the odd sound more open IMO. I'm just using this video as a frame of reference to give an idea what I heard. The yamaha S501 sounds like a towel is placed over the speaker. It doesn't sound alive or real like the tubes do. My friend then decided to bring over a Parrasound A23 Halo solid state amp to compare to the VTA ST-70 tube amp which we plugged into the Aretha to compare to the VTA. As my friends and I listened, we all could easily, immediately tell within just 5 seconds of listening that the Parrasound A23 Halo also had a similar muffled sound. I then began to wonder...do all solid state amps sound this way? muffled? It's like the music doesn't breath. Even the bass was more impactful in the VTA, go figure. 

 

So, my friend loaned me his MacIntosh MHA150 solid state headphone amp of all things. It costs about 5 grand and has 50 watts a channel which is plenty for the Heresy. For the first time, I heard a solid state amp that did not have a muffled sound. I listen mainly to jazz and all the musical instruments sounded clear and separated unlike the other two solid state amps. But, once again, compared to the Dynaco, the MHA150 sounded to clean in the sense that it just didn't have a real soundlike quality to it. It didn't have that lively, realistic punch like the VTA. I don't know what it is about solid state, it just doesn't connect me emotionally to jazz in the same way as the tubes sound. I just can't go back to it. We have since compared a number of things but I will be very curious if the Yamaha S1200 has that muffled sound signature. I'll know very quickly. I also may pick up a Primaluna Evo100 this Friday from upscale audio. My friend may get one too. These integrated amps have a tremendous following, but I have not yet heard one, so maybe this Friday we will see and compare more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by angelaudio
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I had an MA252 for over a year. It was beautiful and very well built and sounded very good playing thru my Forte 1s. 7 months ago I traded the MA252 in for a Primaluna EVO 400 Integrated after hearing how great that all Tube integrated sounded. As nice as the MA252 is it did not sound in the same league as the Primaluna. Not even close imho. Could just be the synergy of my system but it sounds so good now I cant stop listening

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3 hours ago, texasnavy05 said:

How about the mcintosh ma352? It's an integrated hybrid. Tube preamp with SS amp. I've been interested in the ma252 but haven't talked to anybody that's actually heard one.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 

I had one - traded it in on a Primaluna all tube amp

 

you can pm me if you have any questions about the MA252

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On 6/26/2020 at 11:38 PM, willland said:

@TorontoCanuck,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

If I had $5000.00 max to spend for an amp to drive either of the mentioned speakers, I would get this.

https://hifiheaven.net/shop/Yamaha-A-S3000-Natural-Sound-Integrated-Amplifier-Silver?search=A-S3000

 

second that , and used , they are a real  bargain -

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I had one - traded it in on a Primaluna all tube amp
 
you can pm me if you have any questions about the MA252
I've been between 3 amps. Primaluna evo 300, ma252, and for an inexpensive option to potentially upgrade later the parasound newclassic 200.

Leaning towards the primaluna

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

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Not trying to cause waves here but I spent and entire evening with my friend comparing a McIntosh MHA100 headphone amp to a Primaluna Evo400 on a pair of Heresy IV. See my video below. The MHA100 is just 50 watts a channel and is not even a dedicated speaker amp and even so, was really challenging comparing the two so I'm having a hard time taking in the idea that the differences between an MA252 and Primaluna Evo400 are night and day apart considering that the MA252 is even more suited for floor standing speakers like our Heresy IV's in this video. A lot of this audio stuff gets pretty blown out of proportion IMO. MA252 has twice the power than this little headphone amp, a tube preamp! and tone controls. What am I missing here? 

 

 

 

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I finally just had a chance to compare the Yamaha a1200 to my Bob Latino Dynaco ST70 using KT88 tubes and my restored PAS2. The 1200 is a very noticeable improvement over the s501. The bass is excellent and it sounds pretty balanced but it still lacks that beautiful, airy separation and clarity that I get from the Dynakit. Bummer because I was really hoping it would sound like what was described in the Stereo Police youtube channel. The a1200 is still an excellent integrated amp but it just lacks that open sound. Just a bit to too flat for my tastes. It has good detail but it still has that sort of muffled sound like quality to it compared to the tubes. It's difficult to put into words.

Edited by angelaudio
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