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Upgrades : Speakers or Amp what should come first?


Beenaround

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Hello all - looking for a little help/guidance. Im still relatively new to the 2 channel home audio world and have been trying to do my due diligence over the past year in researching all that I can.  

 

I currently have a pair of KG3's and a small tube amp (Musical Paradise MP301).  

 

I seem to be having terrible luck finding a set of any Heresy's, Cornwall's, or La Scala's. Its almost like no one wants to be bothered with basic questions, they play games, or they don't want money in general. I have almost given up for now on speakers and begun looking at amps. Specifically the SS McIntosh MC2100 or 250. The tube stuff is WAY out of my budget. 

 

I figured, maybe a new amp would make my current speakers a little better. Which is what brought me to the question - what to upgrade first? Should I hold out for the speakers, or take a chance, pick up an amp, and hope for the best with the KG3's for the time being?

 

Any help you guys can provide is greatly appreciated.

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A better amp will certainly make your speakers sound better, no doubt about that. But with KG3s you will quickly "run out of speaker" as you climb the amp ladder. That said, 6.5 watts isn't a lot of power for 94 db sensitive speakers.

 

Normally I would say upgrade the speakers first. But you may not be getting all the performance of the KG3s with that amp. So yes, buy a better amp. But do this keeping in mind what your next speakers might be so you don't have to do it again.

 

BTW, post your location. Sometimes forum members run across deals local to you that you might be overlooking.

 

Shakey

 

 

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14 minutes ago, Beenaround said:

I have almost given up for now on speakers and begun looking at amps. Specifically the SS McIntosh MC2100 or 250. The tube stuff is WAY out of my budget. 

If you are thinking of a 2100 or 250, then actually some tube stuff is NOT way out of your budget.  A nicely restored Fisher 400 or 500C or a Scott LK-72 would be right in line.  They are all great units and well worth searching for.  As others have asked, your location would be helpful, and your budget would be good to know.

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17 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

If you are thinking of a 2100 or 250, then actually some tube stuff is NOT way out of your budget.  A nicely restored Fisher 400 or 500C or a Scott LK-72 would be right in line.  They are all great units and well worth searching for.  As others have asked, your location would be helpful, and your budget would be good to know.

 

 

Im in Maryland. I had spoken with the lady who "was" selling multiple sets of speakers, I'd rather not get into that conversation out in the public forum, I can always message privately if anyone is interested in that story. And I was thinking of the La Scala's out in Baltimore but im not sure if I will be able to transport them so far unless I rent a vehicle which ends up being more than $100 at that point tacked onto my price tag.

I have looked at the 400, the ones I have come across are damaged/over priced or get sold immediately if they are worthwhile. It seems like you really have to be FAST in this hobby. Once someone posts something its almost pending before they submit the sale ad.

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I would like to try and keep it between $1000-2000 which is what the wife is "allowing" at this time. Depending on what I come across, condition wise I could go a little more. My KG3's are Oak, I definitely want something in Walnut for my next set. 

 

I have read about all sorts of deals, like guys getting Heresy's for $400 and La Scala's for $1000, but I haven't actually seen anything near that in the last year. I figure I should be able to pull any one of the 3 on my list for that price range if im lucky. I wouldn't mind looking at a set of Forte's or Chorus either - but I would prefer one of the listed in my first post.

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I don't know what route you want to go exactly, but in my experience, you can get great sound through better speakers and decent amplication than the other way around.  At 2k, you can get b stock heresy Iv from a certain vendor brand new with warranty.... If you decide to be open to pro gear, some larger speakers can be had for that money.   Cornscalas from Crites are another option. Rf7 I and II come in around that range used also.   Jbl cinema 3722 are tremendous value.   The list goes on. 

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24 minutes ago, Shakeydeal said:

What's wrong with these? They are in MD.

 

 

 

 

 

I saw them, I would like to pick up a set that do not need anything, specifically the finish. I personally do not like the color, a little too dark. Maybe the finish that was used? I figure if I'm spending this much money I can be a little picky, that is the only set I have passed on in my area. Anything else that has come up, I have jumped at but like I mentioned in my initial post. I'm either too slow, people are playing games (like trying to get bids), or I'm not "knowledgeable" enough for the seller to be bothered with. I actually had one guy tell me he was hoping to find a buyer that would "know already what they are buying (like how his speakers sound) and not need a demo". He didn't really want to be bothered with questions I guess. 

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27 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

I don't know what route you want to go exactly, but in my experience, you can get great sound through better speakers and decent amplication than the other way around.  At 2k, you can get b stock heresy Iv from a certain vendor brand new with warranty.... If you decide to be open to pro gear, some larger speakers can be had for that money.   Cornscalas from Crites are another option. Rf7 I and II come in around that range used also.   Jbl cinema 3722 are tremendous value.   The list goes on. 

 

Im gonna check out the Cornscalas and maybe the newer Heresy option you mentioned. I know a lot of guys like JBL's I'm not sure what it is but they just didn't work for me when I listened to them. Thanks for the info on the other Klipsch options!

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2 minutes ago, Beenaround said:

I know a lot of guys like JBL's I'm not sure what it is but they just didn't work for me when I listened to them.

I have 4722Ns. I kind of doubt you would say that if you heard them. Huge top horn with double 15s.  Extremely detailed and no sub NEEDED.   Plenty of great models vintage and current.

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18 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

I have 4722Ns. I kind of doubt you would say that if you heard them. Huge top horn with double 15s.  Extremely detailed and no sub NEEDED.   Plenty of great models vintage and current.

 

I will dig a little deeper on the JBL stuff. Im sure there are plenty of options available that would blow me away, maybe the few models I listened to were either not in the right space, like the L100's I sat with for a bit were in a store not a home. Its also possible I need to sit with a few more models in better listening areas. 

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L100s certainly wouldn't be my choice to compete with horn loaded klipsch. Very different animals there.  I doubt those would be for me either. The JBL "hifI" models are quite expensive (even with a decent discount over MSRP) which is why I stuck with the uglier, larger, much better value cinema line.   

 

For example :

https://www.musicdirect.com/speakers/JBL-4349-Bookshelf-Speakers

 

Value for the money?   Not for me. Id much rather have Cornwall IVs for less money.   

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KG series seems to be very responsive to upgrades in the crossover and maybe the horn driver diaphragm. 

Bang-for-the-buck, my choice would be to put $200 into the speakers you have, and drop the rest of your budget on sources and amplifiers.

 

But that's me injecting my math into your equation. 😉

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4 hours ago, Beenaround said:

Hello all - looking for a little help/guidance. Im still relatively new to the 2 channel home audio world and have been trying to do my due diligence over the past year in researching all that I can.  

 

I currently have a pair of KG3's and a small tube amp (Musical Paradise MP301).  

 

I seem to be having terrible luck finding a set of any Heresy's, Cornwall's, or La Scala's. Its almost like no one wants to be bothered with basic questions, they play games, or they don't want money in general. I have almost given up for now on speakers and begun looking at amps. Specifically the SS McIntosh MC2100 or 250. The tube stuff is WAY out of my budget. 

 

I figured, maybe a new amp would make my current speakers a little better. Which is what brought me to the question - what to upgrade first? Should I hold out for the speakers, or take a chance, pick up an amp, and hope for the best with the KG3's for the time being?

 

Any help you guys can provide is greatly appreciated.

 

 

You can get a B stock pair of American Walnut Heresy IV's on the auction site from a Klipsch dealer for $2200 shipped, no tax. They will work well with your amp and will be plug and play. They are excellent speakers. I drive mine easily with a 3.5 watt 2A3 amp. My 2 cents.

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