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Fun/Loud/Party Amp for Cornwalls?


aaronhirsch

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Hi.

 

I'm about to complete a 10w 300b based tube kit amp. The Elekit TU-8600s.  Of course I can't keep myself from thinking about getting a second amp to compliment it. I'm thinking that the Elekit will be may main amp for my normal low volume listening. I'm under the impression that for a fun/loud/party scenario with dance, rock, and electronica I should probably get a different amp and maybe make put an A-B switch in to choose an amp according to the mood. I'm guessing that SS might be the way to go. I need to keep it under $500. So, I'll consider anything. Used is fine. DIY would be great. An older AV amp maybe? I find my Yamaha Natural Sound HTR-3067 amp to be rather harsh with the Cornwall horns and I want to avoid that. Source audio is Spotify/Tidal via a Sonos connect. I may do an inexpensive DAC like the Topping E30.

 

Thanks!

Aaron

 

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I'd personally recommend a used Crown D-75A rack-mount amplifier, e.g., https://www.ebay.com/p/110912422

 

These amplifiers are very good in terms of value per dollar (used), and are very neutral sounding, and at 45 w into 8 ohms, plenty of power for your Cornwalls with far less probably of blowing driver diaphragm if someone cranks it up all the way (like many inebriated idiots at parties tend to do).  These are class AB amplifiers that avoid the issues that I've found with the sound of class D amplifiers found in many/most lower priced AVRs. They also have no fans in them to make fan noise when under load.  They are quite rugged. 

 

They have balanced XLR connectors for the input, but you can find RCA-->male XLR cables for very little money (about $8/cable) if you don't have a preamp with balanced outputs.  The XLR balanced connections, when used with a preamp having XLR outputs will be much quieter in terms of common mode noise (i.e., power line 60/120/180 Hz droning noise). 

 

Chris

 

 

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Another option is a used QSC PLX or PLX-2 amp. These are overkill for power, but sound very good, are quiet, and are available for a reasonable price.

They do have a fan, but  the fan can be switched out for a quieter one.

I have also built a TU-8600S with the Lundahl transformers. LCD-3 phones sound very good with it.

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Thanks for the recommendations! I’ll take a look at all of them!

 

TU-8600 is done and doing troubleshooting/burn in now. 9 watts can get pretty darn LOUD. 
 

Bass can be wobbly on my budget 300b tube. If I bi-amp, shouldn’t the crown be enough to manage the woofer?

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7 hours ago, aaronhirsch said:

If I bi-amp, shouldn’t the crown be enough to manage the woofer?

Easily.  See the second page of the following maximum power recommendations for mono-amping (i.e., divide those values by approximately 1.5 for Cornwall woofer only power limits [i.e., direct radiating vs. horn loaded upper drivers] when direct coupled in bi-amping): 

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=69980

 

Chris

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9 hours ago, Chris A said:

Easily.  See the second page of the following maximum power recommendations for mono-amping (i.e., divide those values by approximately 1.5 for Cornwall woofer only power limits [i.e., direct radiating vs. horn loaded upper drivers] when direct coupled in bi-amping): 

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=69980

 

Chris

 

That is a fun read! 

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