TommyC Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Today I had the opportunity to hear the system of a friend of my wife's. He has a set of Georgeous La Scalas powered by Channel Islands equipment. Don't know the specifics, but he had a passive preamp and a set of mono blocks that he said put out 40 watts each. Nice looking equipment. Small and clean. What amazed me was how MUCH sound you can get out of those La Scalas with just 40w of power!!! He was using a Jolida CD player and the sound of his system blew my mind! My wife asked "How come our stereo doesn't sound like that?" You should have seen the grin on my face as I pondered all the possible responses! Anyone here know anything about the Channel Islands equipment or the Jolida CD Player. I looked them up on the net, but don't know enough about what I am looking at for it to make much sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 40 watts per side IS major wattage for highly sensitive horn speakers. My MkIIIs are a little less than that and they can drive you out of the house. Too many people see those 300 watt boombox systems and think you MUST need lots of power to drive big speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Yea you should hear my LaScalas on HK430 with 24 watts///ooohh yea baby...does your friend have smooth hard floor? if he does he should put grippers on the bottom of them,,,,helps alot,,,rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burtlively Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 channel islands is good equipment. i've got their passive preamp. they also make a dac which is quite good as well. i have not heard their monoblocks, but i would assume them to be of great quality. they are pretty affordable at $999 a pair as well. their size is amazing! as for jolida, i am an owner and supporter as well. their products are an amazing value. they are high quality products. if you like the sound of the channel islands, you would be amazed at the sound of a jolida tube. the 202a is 40 watts of tube power for $750 unmodded. the 100a cd player goes for $900 unmodded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burtlively Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 by the way here are the websites: http://www.ciaudio.com/ http://www.jolida.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 "My wife asked "How come our stereo doesn't sound like that?" You should have seen the grin on my face as I pondered all the possible responses!" You lucky dog!!!!!! Like the 007 of audio with a license to upgrade!!! Like the others said 40WPC is more than enough to power 104DB/W speakers. Loud is 1/10 watt ear-splitting is 2 watts anything more is headroom. Select an amp with a nice clean first couple of watts and enough dynamics to handle your pleasure. 20-40WPC is plenty. After you find your K-horns:)(or Belles, or Lascalas), a good pre-amp wether line-stage, passive or phono is where to start. Then a clean power amp with respectable iron like some of those mentioned above and many others. With a good SACD/CD player you will have made your wife happy . You lucky guy! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyC Posted May 22, 2004 Author Share Posted May 22, 2004 Well 3dzapper, my first problem is that the room he has his equipment in is almost 2/3 the size of my Whole House! I don't think there is a room in my house that a pair of Khorns would fit in! I am happy that she is starting to warm up to my plans, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 I have no trouble driving my Belles with 1.8 Watts per channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 ---------------- On 5/22/2004 6:01:24 PM Cut-Throat wrote: I have no trouble driving my Belles with 1.8 Watts per channel. ---------------- Let's get serious, shall we? 1.8W can't compare to 40W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 ---------------- On 5/22/2004 6:01:24 PM Cut-Throat wrote: I have no trouble driving my Belles with 1.8 Watts per channel. ---------------- In a small room maybe. My room is over 6000 cubic feet, 1.8 would not do much for my khorns. I drive mine with 50 watts and can get 115 db with knobs just over 12 oclock if I want, 90 to 95 is just about right for me. JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 "Let's get serious, shall we? 1.8W can't compare to 40W" You're right. 1.8 watts is far better! And my room is also over 6000 Cubic feet! Since I own a 30 watt per channel Push Pull tube amp,A Hybrid Tube amp with 250 watts per channel,A SS amp with 200 watts per channel and other SET amps from 3.5 to 8 watts per channel. I can say that the 1.8 watt 45 amp sounds the Best. What kind of SET amp do you own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lon Armstrong Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 It's been my experience as well that about 2 watts per channel SET is the best sound. . . with the right speakers in the right room of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 I'm at work right now listening to no watts. Sounds pretty good actually, and certainly sounds better than 1.8 watts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Dean, You bad!!!!!!!!! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschfoot Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 ---------------- "How come our stereo doesn't sound like that?" ---------------- That can be taken a few different ways. In any sense, time to upgrade. Nothing like the missus admiring someone else's equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 I have never been a big SET fan. JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazman Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 ---------------- On 5/23/2004 12:28:53 AM j-malotky wrote: I have never been a big SET fan. JM ---------------- How many have SET amps you auditioned? Klipsch out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5700199660&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 My brother bought yet another tube amp, but this time it's a 5 watt SE stereo power amp using all original EL84 output tubes, a single 12AX7, and a 5U4GB rectifier driving his Klipsch KG 3.2s...It's amazing how much sound he gets from so little power with only 94dB efficient horns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 Your wife asked you why your stereo at home doesn't sound like that? Has she even HEARD the Heresys you got yet? If not, then she NEEDS to hear them ASAP! They are voiced the same as LaScalas and the rest of the Heritage line, but they just don't have a horn-loaded bottom-end. Heresys and Cornwalls don't NEED a large room to begin with. I have a feeling that Heresys are just gonna be your FIRST Heritage aquisition...I can see a pair of Cornwalls for HER stereo in your future..."eenie meanie, chili beanie, the spirits are about to speak..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 That amplifier looks to be in really great shape, Jt! Neat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts