StickMan Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Searching for the ultimate monoblocks to use with my 1987 KHorns. Anyone have a recommendation? How about the Cary 805c's? If you have heard KHorns with these SET monoblocks please give me your comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foldedhorn Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Try buying a Sony or something ...any amplifier from Best Buy will do. But, it has to be from Best Buy. Because if they are good enough to sell Klipsch, any of Best Buys electronics should be good enough to drive them......No??? If you are really stuck on monoblocks just by two receivers. Klipsch is ok with this. Klipsch Best Buy A true match made in heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyhorns Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Get two stereo Macs and bridge them for mono McIntosh & Klipsch, a wonderful pair! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Be careful, some Macs when bridged, don't put out any more power because the impedence doubles, or halves, or something like that. I found out the hard way. This is definately not what you are asking about anyway! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Stickman, Welcome to the forum. There are lots of tube amps which would be fine with KHorns. Lots of flavors, and while it would be hard to go wrong with an amp from Cary Audio, SET is preferred by some and some folks don't care for it. I like the way SET 2A3's sound on my La Scalas. What many people find is that the 3.5 WPC just has inadequate headroom. If there is any way you can audition your options before purchase that's good. One thing that is helpful in checking out amps and other stuff is the used market on Ebay, Audiogon, and sometimes this forum... is that by making careful purchases, one can usually break even, and sometimes even making a few bucks reselling a piece of used equipment. If you buy new and then sell, no way to avoid taking a hit on the bucks. Regards, Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Well, you did say "ultimate". If I had the money right now -- these would be gone. http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?ampstube&1060481569 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 "This pair of ampifliers simply sound holographic and harmonically rich." cool. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 My low budget Quicksilver mono-blocks sound the same way -- I just want those because they look really neato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Here's what I've run into my Klipschorns: AES Superamp Eico HF-81 Wright 2A3 SET WPA 3.5 JF Lessard Horus (Home Brew) You can take the Horus off the list because they're totally tricked out and excessive in the cost department. Right behind them, however, are the very affordable Wrights. With the Klipschorn, there is enough power in these little mighty mites to make some excellent, excellent music. Dean and others think otherwise, but it is a matter of personal taste. The PP SuperAmp was disappointing to me, however the Eico was nearly as good as the Wrights. The Eico, if you find a good one that Craig has been through, is the value-leader of the list above. Then again, Scott 299's are highly thought of as well but I haven't heard one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Hi Chris -- you and Leo got those things dialed in yet? You know what? I don't know what to think anymore! I have said that you guys with the big stuff have some options open to you that some of us don't. I know that good SET and mediocre SET are more than a stones throw away from each other. I think if I had a big budget for this hobby -- I would have both very good SET, and a good, powerful push-pull. Might be fun to build a set of these: I don't care much for Ron W. though -- I think he's a wiener. http://www.welbornelabs.com/drd.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 bottlehead.com has some nice kits. They're inexpensive and designed insuch a way that future mods (if you're into such things) are reasonably easy. They use the "Parafeed" output circuit, which I think is supurb. There are 2A3s and 300Bs. Also, I back Chris's Wright suggestion, and those Wrights can be upgraded also. If you want to do structural damage to your listening area, not to mention your hearing, you can get a nice pp design. If you do, make sure triode mode and minimal or no feedback are options. leok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Stickman, what gear are you currently using? I haven't heard Cary's 805c, but I know that Cary products get great reviews...have you heard the 805c or any other SET amps in your system? My favorite SET tube is the 2A3, both Welborne Labs and George Wright produce great SET amplifiers IMHO. I currently own a pair of Welborne Labs Moondogs w/ultimate parts upgrade and they sound terrific. I also just received a pair of Jean-Francois Lessard "Homebrew" Horus 2A3 based monoblocks. Welborne's 2A3 Moondogs and 300B Laurels are no longer in production (jump on them if you see them used), but Ron has some other very interesting amps that have taken their place. Don't forget the preamp, it is as important to your overall sound as the amps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike82 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Hi Howard: Mike Masztal here. Welcome! Glad you finally made it over to the Forum. You'll find a lot of K-fans here and good advice to boot. Quite a few folks here use the 2A3. For everyone else. Howard's got a gorgeous house with a large, well-designed, dedicated listening room. He's as rabid a Khorn fan as anyone here. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 "ultimate" is a strong word. I wouldn't wipe my b*tt with a Cary product. I know someone who has a pair of Atma Sphere OTL 300Bs, about $8K, no output transformer (made up for it with a row of 8 300Bs per channel) and puts out about 60 watts in SE topology. He says they make his Khorns kick b*tt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 For mono blocks with my existing experience listining to a wide array of push pull amps and a few SET none of which are the amps Chris refers to which I am sure would raise the bar in the SET department but at a cost. Hands down at this point a nice SET of Dynaco Mark III's tricked out strapped in Triode output by me or some other capable tech with the gear to tune them with a good quality preamp would be my choice for a all around system that could play any gender of music from 70 dB to 115 db in a well rounded fashion and never be strained !! I think if Dale Walker was around to comment he would agree and also Tom Lacourte would also 3rd this opinion. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Craig, Man with all the money I spent with you, you could atleast get my last name right! Yes, I'm in awe with the MarkIII's, they never run out of steam, and give it to you the way it is from top to bottom. This weekend I'm picking up my La Scala's can't wait. Hey, I just thought of something La Scalas for La Corte!! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flux Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 A year from now most of you will be wandering back to solid state. I wouldn't wipe my butt with a Cary product either. In fact, I wouldn't wipe my butt with any tube amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Wellcome Stickman! I want to confirm your budget. If you are talking new 805C we are at about $10k, right? if used about half that...if that is your budget you have many, many choices. I feel that the high power triodes (like the 805c, Apollo) try to get you most of the "SET magic" with real dynamic headroom. BUT I have not really enjoyed the 845-based amps I have heard. IMHO with k-horns the power level needed to get that "dynamism" is between 10-20 watts again, IMHO, others say less is needed. the 805C pump out up to 50...are you sure you want to pay for all that power? cary's 300B SET costs about $4k new and many feel it has enough power (depending on room and music tastes), Randy HATES Cary due to problems he had with them but many people swear by the sound quality of their components. I have heard a cary SET amp on my k-horns and they sounded lovely (just a little weak in the knees for me). other brands to consider at that price point with SET and other DHT offerings are; Audio Note, Tenor, Sun, VAC, VTL. I want to make a pitch for a DHT PP amp, both Sun and VAC make amps that use 2A3s or 300Bs in PP topology and I think they give the best of both worlds, SET magic with PP balls. With that budget you could ask JFL to mke you pretty much anyones idea of ultimate monoblocks with the best of all components....oh boy what a dream that would be! 2A3 PP full house monoblocks and his preamp...tell him I sent ya' !!! the good news is that with that kinda budget you have access to almost any of the best amps. it would be helpful to know your other components (source, pre, cables) room size and musical tastes to help you focus and narrow down the search. regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Flux, Especially if its been running for ten minutes!! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 ---------------- On 7/1/2003 9:28:18 AM Flux wrote: A year from now most of you will be wandering back to solid state. I wouldn't wipe my butt with a Cary product either. In fact, I wouldn't wipe my butt with any tube amp. ---------------- This might be the dumbest post in the history of this forum. In all my years of having the hi-fi habit, I have met only ONE person who has gone back to solid-state after hearing what good tube amps sound like when driving horn speakers! This person went in an entirely different direction and needed a monster amp to drive his new Dynaudio speakers. Ignorance is bliss I suppose . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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