Randy Taylor Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Hi! and welcome, When I first got my Klipsch Heresey II's I used them with a cheap Technics receiver and found them to sound OK but had a lot of Brightness in the speakers that I found to be annoying, came to this site and read where everone seemed to like tube amps with there Klipsch speakers and bought a old Scott 299B off Ebay and loved the sound and soon advanced to a Mcintosh 225 and a pilot 232 amps and could not be happier with the sound. It seems that when Paul Klipsch designed these speakers he voiced them with tube amps in mind and that is why they sound so good with tube amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigyank Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 I just purchased a pair of Klipsch HWO Heresy's and man am I excited. Barely even a nick on them. I have been viewing some of the threads and wondered from what I have read does one really feel that to get decent sound out of a vintage pair of these speakers (also I have the serial numbers, they are consecutive how do you decypher?) do you have to drive them with tubes? Currently I will be driving them with an Adcom GFA-5800. Bigyank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gullahisland Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Definitely go with tubes. You're going to have a heck of a time attenuating the volume control using that behemoth SS amp. I tried hooking my Classe CA-100 to my (Ed's) Belles and couldn't find a setting between 0 and 100 decibels. Right now, I'm just using a pair of Antique Sound Labs Wave 8 monos (can be found used for $250) which are only 8wpc and it's just amazing. You could probably sell that 5800 for $650-700. For that money, you can get a VERY nice tube amp and still have a few bucks leftover. Many here will recommend Scott. I have yet to hear one, so I can't comment, but you'll get a TON of great information from a TERRIFIC group of guys. Just hang around here for awhile and you'll be up to speed in no time. Welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Welcome. I'm very new here myself but you will find the folks here are just fabulous! It's not just the enthusiasm for all things Klipsch, but the friendly hand they offer to everyone and their willingness to share the knowledge they have acquired. Of course they have absolutely no sense of humor so watch our step (heh,heh,heh). Re the Heresy's, while the consensus seems to be tubes make them sing, all the Klipsch speakers I have listened to go fine with solid state. I've run my speakers for years with all of the low end receivers (and yours does not qualify with the junk I 've used) yet still every time I really listen to them I'm almost awed by the clarity and dynamics they deliver. It's very hard to have Klipsch speakers and want to play background music because they keep drawing you in. After all, the first rule of home audio is speakers, speakers, speakers. If you're speakers are great you're music is great. The rest is nuance and largely incremental but hugely enjoyable enhancements. To some ears Klipsch can be a little harsh or in sterophile terms "bright" . This can lead to what's called "listening fatigue". To my mind, with Klipsch's that just means they are so awesome they tend to overwhelm the senses and wear out the listener. (sorta like the reaction mOOn had the first time he went to a Duran Duran concert). Lot's of good stuff to learn here and lot's of nice people but don't forget to take time to listen to the music. It will never sound as good again now that your cranking the K's. ( Hey, Dave Barry, how's that for the name of a rock band). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigyank Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 okay so when were these speakers manufactured? Also, got them hooked up to the Adcom and wow they are SENSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!! Great sounding for some vintage rock-n-roll (currently listening to some Ten Years After). I appreciate the responses and look forward to a great partnership with these speakers! Yank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hightone Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 congrats. 1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Bigyank, If the attached file is an accurate indicator, and I read it correctly, your Heresies were made in 1985 in the 12th week. Congrats. I have Heresy IIs, while my older son has original Heresies. We both love them. Depending on what you listen to and how loud, you may or may not want a sub. I listen at lower levels, and have a very small Velodyne with mine. Powered by a Sony receiver of an unremembered model. My son doesn't use a sub with his. They sound good either way. Marvel klipsch_SN_format.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 1985; AKA Heresy 1.5 (HII squawker, HI otherwise). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Welcome to the club. Thebs is engaging in a bit of humor himself. Most of us are really quite witty and laid back. If such things could be measured, I'd say this the best forum on the net. I have not tried tubes myself in recent years. I was a young lad at the time of the transistor revolution. Early listening was tubes. In any event, I drive Klipsch speakers with low power Japanese transistor amps. One amp is of recent vintage, two are from the 1970s. They sound good, and to my ear, not harsh. Again these are not rock crusher amps by any means. I will suggest that you put your speakers in corners. The Heresy units are good, but they need all the corner loading that can be had. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edster00 Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Welcome to the forum bigyank! My first pair of 'decent' speakers was a pair of Heresys I bought new in '77. I also bought a Yamaha CR-1020 at that time and I like the combo very much. I still have both pieces to this day. I did end up going tubes with my larger Klipsch speakers, but whatever sounds good to you is good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschguy Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Great speakers and welcome to the forum. You'll find plenty of old threads about Heresy's to keep you busy for a while. I don't know how your veneer looks, but if they looked dried out, do a coupled searchs here for tips before applying anything to the cabinets. Best regards, Andy P.S. Gil, I dying to know. What modern, low powered solid state are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwatkins Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 I run both - SS for the 5 heresy HT and tubes or SS (switchable) for the two channel. Each have their fine points for various sources. Let you ear decide... Welcome to the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted April 16, 2004 Share Posted April 16, 2004 Congratulations on your Heresy's. Welcome to the Klipsch Heritage owners club. I think you will find you love these speakers regardless but you are correct there is a definite affinity for tubes here. I have not had the pleasure of running my La Scalas with tubes; I have always used SS amps and now a SS receiver since I am in a multi channel HT rig. But I do someday hope to test the tube waters. Anyway welcome abord!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 Welcome to the Klipsch Club, and to the wonderful world of Heritage ownership. Although I've never owned Heresys, I've heard them on many occassions...fantastic horns, they are! I've enjoyed my Cornwalls (the Heresy's bigger brother) for years with super SS amplification from Technics, SAE, harman/kardon, Adcom, Carver, and McIntosh, and the CWs have never ceased to amaze me. Now I'm on to tubes...I've started with a tube preamp from AMC and now a Hong Kong-based 6SN7 line stage pre that really opens up my music in ways I never dreamed possible! I'm still waiting for my 8 watt per channel 300B SET amplifier to arrive so I can finally experience this SET magic tube-lovers always talk about! Enjoy your Heresys with your SS amp; I'm sure they'll please your ears just as much as my SS amplification has (my current MC250 amp is a perfect mate with my tube pre, and I could live with this setup indefinately). But IMO you owe it to yourself to at least try out tube power, whether in the form of a great vintage piece from H.H. Scott, Fisher, EICO, Dynaco, Grommes, Pilot, etc., or even an affordable new piece from China; Dared, Ming-Da, Shanling, Radii, Caylin, Antique Sound Lab, BEZ, Kailin, etc. Good luck, and listen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigyank Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Finally took a look inside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 That's so bizarre! I have HIIs, but slightly newer. The backs don't come off of mine, you have to remove everything from the front. My crossover is a newer design, and uses a pcb if I remember correctly. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 1985 was the last year or the transition year to the Heresy II I believe. Don't hold me to that though. A friend of mine has 1985 Cornwalls, and they are not II's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 "Also, got them hooked up to the Adcom and wow they are SENSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!!" Wait 'til he hears the BIG HERITAGE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v3spitfire Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 I have the heresy II's and listened to them w/ an adcom SS for years. They sounded great, only harsh at extreme levels - at their capacity. Then I went to scott tubes last year. Its a different sound, but I also find myself listening to different music on them (was mainly rock and accoustic, techno. Now its mainly accoustic. All rock and techno has been shifted to the RF7s and ss adcoms. Either way they sound great, so enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampcat Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Keep the amp . nothing wrong with that amp. Adcom makes good stuff. The gfa5800 is a powerhouse. The new adcoms (yours) are warmer than the orginals. If its to bright save some money and pick up a used EQ. Or simply turn the treble down a bit. (if you have tone controls). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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