How much power do I need

[tigerwoodKhorns]

How much tube amp power do I need to drive a set of K-horns?

10, 25, 35, 50 watts??

Please let me know how much you are running and if you are satisfied with headroom, bass response, etc.

Thanks,

Chris

[mobile homeless]

Lordy.... You should know the drill. That above question depends on a few things:

1. Listen tastes/Music type

2. Room Size

3. Average volume level/or volume need

4. Quality or Quantity is the question as well

5. Mortgage? (this isnt really necessary but I was just wondering)

kh

[Audio Flynn]

I'm feelin' goofy.

I'll take a guess.

3 watts

HEHEHE

Unless the room is an airplane hangar.

HEHEHE

and I aint even had a drink in 3 days; maybe I need one!

[Chris Robinson]

Tiger, try a 2-ch forum search with the following items:

SET

Klipschorns

You'll probably get a 1000 hits so have the tea brewed and the answering machine on.

I've been the route recently with mine. Started with PP 15 Superamp (nope), then went with the HF-81 (Eico) ... very sweet at 15 ... now have 3.5W with the Wright Sound 2A3. Very close to perfect.

If you have a $1000, +/-, just start with a good SET-up ... i.e., Welborne Labs or Wright Sound. PWK voiced the Klipschorns with the 2A3 SET combo. You won't be disappointed.

Of course you could try SS, 40W PP, and everything in between, but you'll probably wind up where I started and probably spend a few grand on trading expenses.

PWK said something to the order of "what needs is a good 5W amp". Your Klipschorn will rarely dine on more than a few and you'll be thrilled.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I need to add some info.

Room size is 14' w x 29 deep with a 2 story ceiling.

I listen to different music, mostly steely dan, fleetwood mac, etc (70's stuff)

I think that about 25 watts will be plenty, but I am afraid that when I want more power, it will not be there.

any suggestions?

Chris

[NOSValves]

Well I'm going to have to agree with your 20 to 30 watts. Your going to want more than 3.5 watts for that size room and rock and roll music. I'm sure I may suffer some heat for this but I can measure what 3.5 watts is and it may do it for some people but it will never get it with me. I may only listen most of the time to 2 watts but there are times I want 10 to 15 in my small listening area. I guess its just all the Rock concerts and Rock and Roll bars over the years

Craig

[Audio Flynn]

Did not mean to be disrespectfull just funny. Jumping to 3.5 watt SET goes against years of ingrained high watt thinking.

I have never worked with a "cathedral ceiling" room it would pose different issues.

Craig,

What bars?

My favorites

Ricks American Cafe... East Lansing

Harpos...Detroit

Traxx...Detroit(closed)

Non Bar

Orchestra Hall.....Detroit(better than The Fox accousticly IMHO)

Never been but want to

Bakers Keyboard Lounge...Detroit(old jazz place)

I get to go to Chicogo for the National Plastics Exposition in June 2003; much better place for blues and jazz than Detroit I think.

[Chris Robinson]

Flynn, I hear your pain. And I don't take it personally ... but I'll tell you that 3.5W with Klipschorns is MORE than enough to fill that room. With the Eico at 15W, I could crank it to 75% power (I need MORE, Scottie!!) and not come anywhere near the output I'm hearing at 35% with the SETs. Not sure what's going on here, but it's finger-in-the-wind empirical evidence.

I was just telling Kelly yesterday that my grandfather had a room (much like yours -- wide and deep). I think you'll find that you have few problems with standing waves but lots of resonance. Sounds like a fun room ... one that should work well with Klipschorns.

I only suggest you give a decent SET pair a chance. Craig did such a nice job on my Eico that I was doubtful that anything could sound better ... but the SET solution (to my humble ear) sounds like the ticket with these Khorns -- which are special, for sure.

Find a pair of Welbornes or Wrights and take a flyer ... You can always sell them for what you paid, and you won't have sleepless nights wondering if you left anything on the table.

What could be better?

[NOSValves]

Audio Flynn,

Haven't hit the Detroit bar scene in years or any bar scene for that matter ! I used to spend many druken stuper hours in JC Rock Saloon on Gratoit and I believe 6 or 7 mile. I've been in Harpo's a time or two. I think I went a trax a time or 2 also. My biggest amount of bar time was working at a Rock bar in northern Michigan resort town of Oscoda which was also a Air Force town. Hard to believe some of the great bands that made that circuit in the summer months.

Craig

[AndyKubicki]

tigerwoodKhorns, I had apprehensions about what seemed to be very little power for my Khorns when I bought my 222D, rated at 20 wpc rms after having a SS Adcom 85 wpc for several years. Let me tell you, that 20 wpc is P L E N T Y ! And I listen to jazz, 70s and 80s rock and classical. I love to crank em up for rock and classical at times and find the Scott has room to spare! Now I have NOT heard SET, yet, but it sure sounds like it's the way to go. If not, I can at least tell you that in the case of my Scott, you will be happy with 20 wpc with Khorns!