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What pre-amp do YOU use?


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MacKlipsch,

Well, unfortunatly.......no. Just as well for now till I get the amp and the cabinet paid off. Although I am expecting a court settlement that may afford me to get a C40 or a C30 in great shape.

Hey!! Now that the Fed's are gonna return our tax money to us ($300 for me) it sure could inspire one to get a higher model!!

UPDATE!! UPDATE!! Just got a copy of the Carver C-1 manual in the mail today and it proves a lot of what others have been saying about Carver and Klipsch (being way too harsh). It says that using very efficient amps and speakers will render the top travel of the volume knob at about 10:00. Sure....now I hear this.

This message has been edited by tblasing on 05-29-2001 at 03:01 PM

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  • 2 weeks later...

tblasing,

I have a Carver C-1 that I bought on eBay last year. Once I discovered the "efficiency" problem, I had my local repair shop do the -9dB attenuation mod on the first preamp outputs. The mod was inexpensive and greatly improved the "control" ability of the volume knob. FYI.

Scott

------------------

Definition of an idiot: Noun; Someone who doesn't know something you learned yesterday.

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I go back and forth with my preamps, Audio Research SP3A ( upgrades courtesy of Audio Research ) and my VanAlstine modded out PAS. Both tube gear. They each are very nice the Audio Research has more all out balls with gobs of gain where as the VanAlstine is more laid back- a kinder gentler preamp as it were. I think in a true audio sense the VanAlstine kicks the bejeebers out out the SP3A, but I do love the sound of the Audio Research. I do like tube preamps and good solid state amplifier combinations Tipsy.gif

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I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE!!! The waiting anyway. Today I broke down and called Audio Classics and ordered a C33 in excellent condition. Price, $1221 with shipping from NY to Cincinnati. Should be here by mid next week. Took a week off from work just to "play" with it. They tell me the 33 is the same as the 34 but the 34 has one phono input rather than two and something about needing an external box for video switching(?) So I guess now I can join the "Mac" club. The only esoteric thing I found was a different labeling of an input: C34V says "CD" while the C33 says "AUX". Tomato, Tomahto. The C34V also has a dedicated TV input unlike the C33

stcalwell: I may still have that resistor conversion done. Who knows, I may try it my self.

I guess the last piece to get is a Monster Cable HTS5000 surge protector.

------------------

Tom

KLF-20 Mahogany

Carver C-1 (McIntosh C33 is coming!!)

Rotel RB-1080

Yamaha PF-800 Turntable/ Sure V15 Type V Cartridge

Ortofon VMS-30 Cartridge

Stanton 999SS Cartridge

Carver TL-3100 CD

Yamaha K-1020 Cassette (maybe being mothballed)

dbx 1231 EQ

H.H. Scott 830z Analyzer

Monster Interlink 400mk II


Monster Interlink 300 mk II

Studio Tech U-48RW Cabinet

Original 12ga. Monster Cable

This message has been edited by tblasing on 06-08-2001 at 05:17 PM

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MacKlipsch, you know I honestly don't remember who the guy was I delt with. That's very unlike me. This Sunday is the Concours D'Elegance Auto Show going on about ten miles from my house. If I don't use up all the film (sorry, not digital yet) I'll scan it in and post a shot of the almost finished system. Still can't believe this thing will have a little over $10 grand in it in MSRP.

So please, see it within your hearts to give to the Neediest Tom's of All. Care of........

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Tom

KLF-20 Mahogany

Carver C-1 (McIntosh C33 is coming!!)

Rotel RB-1080

Yamaha PF-800 Turntable/ Sure V15 Type V Cartridge

Ortofon VMS-30 Cartridge

Stanton 999SS Cartridge

Carver TL-3100 CD

Yamaha K-1020 Cassette (maybe being mothballed)

dbx 1231 EQ

H.H. Scott 830z Analyzer

Monster Interlink 400mk II


Monster Interlink 300 mk II

Studio Tech U-48RW Cabinet

Original 12ga. Monster Cable

This message has been edited by tblasing on 06-09-2001 at 12:46 AM

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THE NEW PHONE BOOKS ARE HERE!! THE NEW PHONE BOOKS ARE HERE!!

Well....those too but the Mac came today also. It fit right where it (had) to. The guy I dealt with at Audio Classics is Stephen Rowell. It really suprised me that it came with the original box, the panlock wall mount brackets and the original manual. UPS crunched one corner; I could tell because the packing tape that AC put on it was torn with the rounded corner.

The first thing I did discover was that the loudness control puts a nasty rumbling hiss through the tweeters. I turned that off and just raised the bass on the eq a bit. So much for getting that declining curve with increasing the volume. With it off, however, the system is dead silent (YEA!!).

I was in a hurry to get a picture posted so please excuse the sorry lookin' pic. I'll break out the Monster Minolta X700 later.

------------------

Tom

KLF-20 Mahogany

McIntosh C33 (Carver C-1 for sale?)

Rotel RB-1080

Yamaha PF-800 Turntable/ Sure V15 Type V Cartridge

Ortofon VMS-30 Cartridge

Stanton 999SS Cartridge

Carver TL-3100 CD

Yamaha K-1020 Cassette (maybe being mothballed)

dbx 1231 EQ

H.H. Scott 830z Analyzer

Monster Interlink 400mk II


Monster Interlink 300 mk II

Studio Tech U-48RW Cabinet

Original 12ga. Monster Cable

This message has been edited by tblasing on 06-14-2001 at 12:26 AM

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I really shouldn't call it loud but when there is no music playing I can definitely tell it's there. I also noticed that the more I turn the loudness up the less hiss there is. Turned all the way up it doesn't totally go away but at the volume levels I usually have it at it seems a bit too much "loudness" anayway.

BOA!- Tell me if I'm wrong about this. As I understand it the Fletcher and Munson curve is loudness at a set level that decreases as the volume is increased without touching the loudness control knob. Am I anywhere close?

This message has been edited by tblasing on 06-14-2001 at 07:01 PM

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A few more delays getting current pictures up on the BB. Today I sent Big Mac back to Audio Classics for repair. I talked to the service dept. and he said it may be a capacitor going south in it. Just hope it doesn't take too long. Wonder if they reimburse for return shipping.

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Tom

KLF-20 Mahogany

McIntosh C33 (In the Hospital)

Rotel RB-1080

Yamaha PF-800 Turntable/ Sure V15 Type V Cartridge

Ortofon VMS-30 Cartridge

Stanton 999SS Cartridge

Carver TL-3100 CD

Yamaha K-1020 Cassette (maybe being mothballed)

dbx 1231 EQ

H.H. Scott 830z Analyzer

Monster Interlink 400mk II


Monster Interlink 300 mk II

Studio Tech U-48RW Cabinet

Original 12ga. Monster Cable

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  • 1 month later...

tblasing;

what ever you do with your rig, drop the 12ga monster wire.

the two greatest improvements i've made to my rig were;

support the speakers on three spikes, {each spkr}.arrange two spikes at driver end of cabinet and remaining spike at horn/cone end.

once satisfactory location is found, if spkr/spkrs is/are on carpet, force spikes through carpet to contact solid floor.

select new speaker wire. multiple induvidually insulated conducters will amaze all who try this.

i ran monster 12ga for 16 years. watta waste.

i now use the monster wire as the safety ground path for the power conditioner to earth.

8 or 10 strand thermostat wire is satisfactory for short runs. how long? i dunno.

kimber 8 is prabably the best value. a double run of it has no superior. i've got 20ft on each of mine. now some day i'll find a contractor to put a new basement under my house and have need for the length.

wonder if a new basement will survive the klipsch?

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sonic frontiers; line 3se, power 2se.

monster 2500 pwr. cntr.

marantz sa-1

wire world equinox3 intr. cons.

kimber 8 spkr. cons.

lascala's

sonus stands (2).

mothballed;every thing i'm not proud of!

This message has been edited by frantic frank on 07-30-2001 at 06:13 AM

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