What amp are you using with Heresy IIIs?

[Weltfaul]

Hi everybody,

 

thanks for your replies. I am choosing an amp for my second pair of Heresy IIIs, but am a little overwhelmed by the options and the contrasting opinions. What is your choice?

 

Max

[Idontknow]

Hi Max, I’m not sure how anyone would be able to answer that unless they knew more about the listening levels and type of music you intend to play. Also, how big a room you are trying to fill. 

 

[wuzzzer]

What type of amp are you looking for?  Power amp?  Receiver?  Integrated amp?

[Weltfaul]

Hi,

 

actually, I am curious to know about other people's choices for the same speakers. I wish to know how many use low-powered tube amps and how many large solid state ones, with what results.

I'm more interested in your systems than in having suggestions about mine.

 

Thanks

Max

[Weltfaul]

I've heard my Heresy IIIs with a Pass Labs INT-25, good but not excellent; with a PrimaLuna EVO 100 integrated, very good; with a Bow Technologies Wazoo, good but not very good.

I read that you can use them with 5Watt tube amps, with 100Watt solid state, with SE triodes and with MOSFETs; they seem to be content with a fistful of good watts and with large power stations; I can't make up my mind as to which amp to look for.

I cannot demo anything at home; that is why I am collecting other users' experiences.

Thanks.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Weltfaul

[Weltfaul]

On 3/12/2022 at 12:47 AM, wuzzzer said:

What type of amp are you looking for?  Power amp?  Receiver?  Integrated amp?

Ok,

I realize that I won't have any useful opinion/indication unless I give some more informations.

Our living room measures 3.85 mt. x 6.50 mt., ceiling is 3.05 mt. The room is furnished, two sofas cornering each other, a large carpet, a grand piano, a large bookshelf.

The right-hand 6.5 wall opens onto a 3.5 x 3.5 mt. dining space. Three French windows, with thin curtains against the glass.

The Heresy are placed on the short wall opposite to the bookshelf. They fire across the 6.5 mt. dimension.

I mainly listen to acoustic music of any kind with a preference for small-groups jazz, classical, songwriters. I never listen very loud.

 

Most of all, I come from years of swapping, experimenting, spending! I am very tired and am looking for an integrated amp with the minimum useful power to complement the culture and concept of the Klipsches. My source is an Esoteric K-07Xs SACD player, I'll add vinyl to the setup. It doesn't have to be a modern, costly unit - anything will go if it matches the Heresy well.

 

I'm grateful for any useful tip, options are too many and I cannot simply borrow the whole world a piece at a time to demo at home.

Regards

 

Max

 

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Weltfaul

[Marvel]

Hi Max,

I've not heard the HIIIs, but own some HIIs and have listened to a pair of originals. 

 

Current music room is 6.4m x 6.7m with a 2.9m ceiling. Carpeted, two couches, upright piano (spinet) on one wall. Loaded bookcase on wall behind couch that is main listening position.

 

Sit about 3.6m from front wall.speakers about 2.5m apart, pointed just behind the listening position.

 

I had LaScalas for quite a while and was using 2A3 tube amps @ 3.5 watts each. Magical, with no sub, jazz and classical/orchestral were marvelous. I sold the 2A3s, after purchasing a modified Crown D-45, which does about 25wpc. Still sounded wonderful.

 

I gave the LS to my older son and moved the HIIs in. Although I like the LS way more, the Heresy is still good for the music I listen to. Still tweaking the positioning. I also have used a newer Crown XLi800 300wpc, which gives a bit more control, but not necessarily better.

 

My preamp for everything is a single tube line stage with no eq, so what I get is what I get and I've had it for over 15 years.

 

Bruce

 

[Weltfaul]

Hi Bruce,

 

thanks for your post. I have read enthusiastic opinions on 2A3 amps, and a guy not far from my place is selling one and would take my SS integrated in. I may go for it and put a lid on my quest..

 

Best

Max

[OO1]

@Weltfaulwhat kind of SS integrated amp do you have ?  SS amps are great with the H III  , the Yamaha A-S series  -801 - 1000-1100-1200 sound Fantastic  with the HIII    

[Weltfaul]

Hi Randy,

 

I currently have a Bow Technologies Wazoo, it's a 50W MOSFET unit. It's sort of sharp and too much 'focused' for my taste, plus its bass is not very extended and a little 'bumpy'. It was very good years ago with Marten Design Miles Its, but it doesn't seem to gel with the H III. I may consider the Yamaha A series, thanks for the hint. It's not the first time I read good opinions on the pairing.

 

Max

[OO1]

Max ,   that Wazoo is pretty good , I would keep it   ,  the Yamaha A-S1200  takes a MOSFET design from 50wpc  to ... 90  wpc  , but it also packs  a  superb pre-amp  which  makes all the difference  with the H III .

 

                                                        A-S3200           

 

 

                                                                                                                                                             

[Weltfaul]

Randy,

 

The Wazoo was very good with the Marten Design Miles II's, but I like it less with the Heresy. It is basically a power amp with an input selector and a passive volume control. I too believe that a good preamp makes the difference. I admit it's weird but what makes me dislike the Wazoo a little is a feeling of excessive 'presence' of the soundstage and voicing.

 

I am investigating Yamahas, but most models are discontinued so I'll take a look at the rich second hand market.

 

Thanks, Best

Max

[GandL]

I have been using a rebuilt Marantz 2245 with really good results. I have used an HK 430 as well but like the Marantz better with these speakers. 

[The Dude]

Not H3s, but I am running a Nelson Pass ACA in my office that is roughly 9'x9' with H1s. I don't think it could get any better than that, just my opinion, but sounds dam good and plenty of volume.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[Idontknow]

Hi Max, now I have a better idea what you’re listening too, that makes this much easier. You and I are very similar. I listen to jazz and classical mostly at lower volume levels. I have compared tons of amps and gear. You can see my YouTube channel. I guarantee you none of the above mentioned amps will sound as good as the Alan Eaton 45 single or mono integrated amps for what you’re listening to. For example, I have the Yamaha AS-1200 demoed in a couple of my videos. There’s absolutely no need whatsoever to spend over $1300 for what you are doing. These will outperform just about anything regardless of cost with the speakers you have and what you’re listening to. I too use the Heresy. 

 

The problem I have with these costly solid state amps is they do not produce the rich, sweet sound of the 45’s. When you hear horns, guitar, symbols and drums, the contrast of the instruments is absolutely second to none! At low volumes the sound is so beautiful to listen to. I am going to be posting some more videos on a few Pass First Watt amps and I still I say do the Alan Eaton’s.  Sorry, but those big expensive solid state amps wouldn't hold a candle to the Alan Eaton 45’s. When I compared the AS-1200, it sounded veiled. Horns, symbols, guitar sound muffled by comparison. It’s as if someone put a towel over the speakers. Don’t get me wrong, Yamaha makes nice gear but there’s just too much marketing hype people get sucked into. 

 

If if people knew more about Alan Eaton’s amps, they’d realize what they were missing. It’s sad people just haven’t heard them since they’re not well known. Just because a brand is popular doesn’t mean it’s better.  You can check out more of my videos. I just get as many amps and gear as I can and compare them. That’s how you truly know. After I did this video, I later concluded that the Alan Eaton’s were the best and I keep matters in context. I have several videos including the monos as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Weltfaul]

Hi,

 

sorry. but I missed your post because I don't check the forum often. In the end, I tried to put a few things together - some watts, a preference for older Japanese looks, a mid-size enclosure, a phono stage. I chose a TEAC A-H500i because I have had the lesser model, the H300, and it was a very good amp for the modest cost. I was lucky, the Teac is a very competent, unsuspectedly fine performer. It drives the Heresy well and ticks all my boxes. It costed me €220 and is, so far, my Best Buy ever in audio. Max

[jdfrakes]

I've run a couple different configurations with my Forte III's.  First my system:

 

Rega Planar 3 turntable

Denon DL-103 MC cartridge

MoFi StudioPhono preamp

Raspberry Pi 4 for streaming with Roon

Schiit Modius balanced DAC

Schiit Fryea + Preamp with NOS Sylvania 6SN7 tubes

Schiit Vidar SS amp(s) have run both stereo and mono-block

Mellow Tone Kits "Yuri" mono-block SET tube amp

My room is 11.5Ft x 14.75Ft with some sound deadening foam and a large area rug.

My Fortes are on the short wall about 35.5inches from front wall and 27.5inches from side walls

 

With a single stereo Vidar the system had good headroom, soundstage and imaging.  The overall tone was balanced with the high bass to low mids lacking to my ear.  I liked this setup but wanted to try mono-block.

 

With balanced mono-block Vidar's the system had even more headroom.  the soundstage and imaging were improved which I assumed was the reduction in crosstalk.  The high bass and low mids were not improved.  I was able to start picking out instrument sounds that had been buried in the mixes before.

 

With the Yuri's (which are 2 watts per channel) the sound is as good as its been.  The slight deficiency in the high bass and low mids is gone, I would say the tone was warmed up.  The soundstage is as wide as the mono-block Vidar's but the imaging was much improved.  Where the performers and instruments have some separation in previous iterations of my setup, they are now distinct with a good amount of "air" around each element.  I've heard much better systems than mine but my current setup is the best so far in my room.

 

You can check out the Yuri amps at valvesnmore.com in their Mellow Tone Kit area.  

[1OldTubeGuy]

Hi Max,

 

For MOST of my critical listening, I use my Aric Audio KT120SE, with KT88’s and JJ ECC802’s. It’s a single ended tube amp, and throws a wonderfully tall, wide and deep soundstage with my Heresy iii’s. If I’m playing music with vocals (particularly female vocals) or acoustic music, I’ll pull out the KT88’s and throw in EL34’s. If I’m having lots of people in the house, I connect my Rogue Sphinx to the Heresy’s and can easily”rock the house”!!!
 

Bill

[Weltfaul]

On 4/3/2022 at 4:31 PM, The Dude said:

Not H3s, but I am running a Nelson Pass ACA in my office that is roughly 9'x9' with H1s. I don't think it could get any better than that, just my opinion, but sounds dam good and plenty of volume.

I resurrect an older thread of mine to answer this.
I bought a (properly assembled) ACA on eBay a few months ago, perhaps I tried it with an inadequate preamp but with my Heresy IIIs, in my living room, the result was small image, mildly saturated colors, unnaturally sharp focus - the kind of presentation you'd expect from a cheap, shrewd tube amp.
It was definitely not enough in terms of loudness amplitude, and it has made me seriously wonder about the much reported ability of Heresys to sound loud with a handful of watts.

I have also written to Klipsch themselves and the answer was: Paul Klipsch stopped using tubes as soon as good SS amps were available. In his late systems he apparently used pro cinema power amps..
Without reaching that far, I am beginning to think that Heresy IIIs sound ok with pretty much anything - from 3W, SE triodes to huge Solid States - and it's only down to personal preferences - meaning, as I am certain of, what the owner wishes to hear with the type of music he loves to play.

I am now using a Sony TA-F5000, which is better than almost anything else I've owned in terms of luminosity, coherence and definition but also a little dry in the bass and a little too much MOS-FET for relaxed listening. I have reached the conclusion that Heresy IIIs are truly one of HiFi bargains and best buys, but they have no real preference and must be driven buy the kind of amp that better suits what the listener listens to mainly.. In my case, classical piano, jazz piano, small ensembles both classical and jazz, acoustic songwriters, well recorded music with the exception of symphonic, which cannot be replayed properly with any systems in any rooms - unless the system is a symphony orchestra and the room is its venue.

Best to all
M