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Powerful amp for the sensitive Heresys? Opinions welcome.


Weltfaul

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Hi.

 

I drive my Heresy IIIs with a PrimaLuna EVO 100 integrated, a 42W, push-pull tube amp. The room is about 40 square mt.

A guy came visiting a few weeks ago to demo them, brought a few CDs along; all music was rich in texture, bass and ambience. He liked it to be played louder than I am used to, so I could appreciate the Heresys' powerful rendition. Anyway, my feeling is that the Heresys can digest many more watts than their declared sensitivity suggests are enough; and that a powerful SS amp would make them flourish better than my more domestic valves.

 

Anyone with personal experience of Heresys powered by powerful solid states please?

Thanks,

Max 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Weltfaul said:

Hi.

 

I drive my Heresy IIIs with a PrimaLuna EVO 100 integrated, a 42W, push-pull tube amp. The room is about 40 square mt.

A guy came visiting a few weeks ago to demo them, brought a few CDs along; all music was rich in texture, bass and ambience. He liked it to be played louder than I am used to, so I could appreciate the Heresys' powerful rendition. Anyway, my feeling is that the Heresys can digest many more watts than their declared sensitivity suggests are enough; and that a powerful SS amp would make them flourish better than my more domestic valves.

 

Anyone with personal experience of Heresys powered by powerful solid states please?

Thanks,

Max 

 

 

He came by and liked.... So that's what he likes. They are you speakers, what do you like?  If you want to have so fun once in awhile, buy a QSC RMX 850 or so other cheap amp and know you can easily max them out with safety filters in place at the sacrifice of sound quality. You have an EXCELLENT amp, keep it. The guy that came by might need PA speakers for his mains, doesn't seem like you do. 

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I have a Cayin 34 with 32 Watts and I had Hereseys before my CW and both can be cranked without any Problems, so I think with the Primaluna you have enough power to play loud and the Primaluna is really a good amp too. No need for an SS IMHO. Those speakers are just perfect for Tubes.


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Hi,

 

thanks to both. WCD, yes it's what the guy liked, but my impression is not only based on that single listening sessions but on the fact that the Heresy are a sealed box design and that they can sustain up to 400W of power; this seems to suggest a loudspeaker system with an optimal volume level higher than that of more 'domestic' units. But yes, I am aware that the PrimaLuna is a very good amp and that is why I am extremely reluctant to consider a replacement. My question was about the experience of people with a solid state, powerful amp with the HIIIs.

 

best,

Max

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1 minute ago, Weltfaul said:

Heresy are a sealed box design and that they can sustain up to 400W of power

No, not true.  If I played your speakers through my parasound a21 amp and even tried to touch the limits that you could sustain (unless you are used to 140 dB car audio or 130+dB concerts ALL THE TIME) you would be driven out of the room far below 100 watts. 

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I'm using a 40 watts per channel 6L6 based amp with Heresy 1s and a sub-woofer. Before the 6L6 amp I used a 3.5 watts per channel amp using two 6BQ5 tubes. The increase in power with the 6L6s was pretty noticeable at higher volumes which I almost never use. I agree with @Westcoastdrums I'm living in the first 5 watts. I would have moved back to the smaller amp but the larger amp has better sound quality everywhere it operates.

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I could likely EASILY live with a 5 watt or less 300b... BUT, I have my preferences and I don't like soft and romantic.   I love crisp, modern, dynamic, slamming tight bass and as good of a spatial and palpable midrange as one can get.  That's how I ended up with my choice.  But believe me, anyone local in socal is willing to come listen, as the system is turned up, CRYSTAL clear to PAST concert levels (I'm less than 15 feet away from the speakers and the subs are QUITE serious for this room).  It gets extremely silly quick and if you hang around past,  I will smile and leave because I can't take it. 

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I had a hybrid Magnat with more power before the Cayin, same price range, I do not want to go back. I am more into relaxed listener but sometimes I like it loud too but with keeping the musicality. So I went the other way instead of buying like a 5k Yamaha 3000 to get what I want, I went for the Cornwalls and kept the Cayin. The CWs are filling my room with music whereby the Heresey did bring the music into the room. I would have to force them too much in this case. My experience now is that it sounds loud, even when I play at low volumes. Neighbours are happy :)


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I've driven my 1972 Heresy speakers with 3.5W p/c (TubeCube), 12Wp/c (Leben CS300), Harman/Kardon 430 (twin engine, 25Wp/c), and modern Denon and Marantz amps ((40W p/c).

In my experience, it is not the Watt that determines the sound quality, but the quality of the auditory circuit. With sensitive speakers, my CS300 with 12 Watt per channel is more than loud enough, even in a large space.

But then again, I like to listen to details at low volume, close range. I fully appreciate people who are after a more visceral experience and want to feel the music, literally!

 

There is one thing I don't fully understand. My 1972 Heresy speakers specs are 100 Watt (peak 300W), while in 1972 there were very few consumer amplifiers with this level of power. 

 

Currently listening to Iron Maiden's new album, volume nob at 12 o'clock, and it is deafening...

 

image.png.1358a4271ee7cd4e9fb2654640650183.png

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I too have the Parasound A21+ with the first 5-6w in pure class A. 
 

the sound is rich and warm and I do not miss my tube amp at all. Any level listening. Either barely audible or or ears bleeding, this combo (CW IV’s) is stunning. All types of music. 
 

I did keep my sub in the mix as I do like to feel bass below 30hz which I don’t think any Heritage speaker registers properly (correct me if I’m wrong)

 

but very happy SS user here. 

Edited by Joecoulson
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I gotta have it all. Rolling amps and preamps is a sport around here. Depending on mood etc it varies from low powered tube to high powered pro-amps to low powered solid state to high powered vintage solid state.

The results from different combinations of tubes, interconnects, power cords, speaker cables, speaker positioning, different rooms, different acoustic treatments and on and on seems endless.....and fun.

Then there's DAC's.....

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On 9/25/2021 at 1:36 AM, Westcoastdrums said:

I could likely EASILY live with a 5 watt or less 300b... BUT, I have my preferences and I don't like soft and romantic.   I love crisp, modern, dynamic, slamming tight bass and as good of a spatial and palpable midrange as one can get.  That's how I ended up with my choice.  But believe me, anyone local in socal is willing to come listen, as the system is turned up, CRYSTAL clear to PAST concert levels (I'm less than 15 feet away from the speakers and the subs are QUITE serious for this room).  It gets extremely silly quick and if you hang around past,  I will smile and leave because I can't take it. 

What DB range is your preferred listening experience? I'm usually hanging out around 95db peaks but I have measured up to 105db peaks in my room before, when I was drinking lol. 

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I stopped searching when I got  a Crown XLI800. With efficient speakers they will run you out of the room and I have never turned them up to even 3/4 of their potential. I have had much bigger output amps but none have sounded better. I have no experience with tubes because I am not interested in them.

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I stopped searching when I got  a Crown XLI800. With efficient speakers they will run you out of the room and I have never turned them up to even 3/4 of their potential. I have had much bigger output amps but none have sounded better. I have no experience with tubes because I am not interested in them.
Dave are the fans very loud on those amps?

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