Danny in San Diego Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I just got a pair of Cornwall IIs on e bay and I'd like some suggestions on an amp. I have a Jolida 801A which has many nice qualities about it but has nowhere near enough low end. I then hooked my Cornwalls to my old Yamaha natural sound solid state. Much more bass and power but loss of mid and upper tone and soudstage. I can hear the potential in the Cornwalls but I need the right match. I love the mid and upper range qualities of tubes but I also need plenty of low end. Could I just replace my standard Jolida tubes and get more bottom? Or do I need to go in another direction altogether? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I'm kind of surprised that you find the Joilida lacking in the bass department since 6550/KT88 are known for there bass response. When running the Yamaha are the tone contols flat and if there is a loudness circuit are you using it ? Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 The H.H. Scott 299D is a really nice sounding integrated tube amp to power Cornwalls with. The 7591 output tubes produce some nice bass. I am sure Seadog, AudioDad and anyone else that has the combo would agree as well. www.NOSValves.com is very knowledgeable about the Scott amps. He rebuilt one for me and it sounds fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 How much money do you have to spend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I would suggest a 40-100 dollar HK 430 reciever...and there are some on e-bay,, Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 If I remeber correctly NOS Valves may have worked on Jolida amps in the past. You do need to answer Craigs questions. Read in the past threads there is an awesome amount of discussion. With what little I know, i infer trannsformers and caps will most likely make a difference in how they are implmented than tube changes (rolling). if everything in the design and components are sound; tubes then can make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 I'm also surprised the Jolida 801 with 6550's installed don't provide the bottom end you're looking for. I've just been through a process of auditioning a number of amps including those fitted with 6550 and KT88 tubes. The 6550 particularly is very punchy low down. Don't waste your time tube rolling on your Jolida. I believe the output transformers in this model are of sufficient quality to appreciate some nice tubes. But what you will achieve out of tube rolling is more to do with finess, delicacy, high and low extension rather than a massive change in tonal quality that you appear to be looking for. It hurts me to say this, but maybe tubes aren't for you at this time. The tube sound is something you grow into before you can appreciate the advantages in sound quality over solid state. Maybe you should speak to Trey about his offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Danny, Just on a lark reverse the wires on the back of the Jolida on one channel. Also make sure that you have both sets of wires in the 8ohm outputs. I have inavertantly put one red lead in an 8 ohm tap and one red lead in a 4 ohm tap on my Jolida. This too results in an out of phase condition, poor sound stage, imaging and lack of bass. You should have more than adequate bass with your 801. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny in San Diego Posted August 9, 2004 Author Share Posted August 9, 2004 The Jolida is also a little thin with my other speakers, which are Polk Audio LSI 15's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny in San Diego Posted August 9, 2004 Author Share Posted August 9, 2004 No more than $1,500, preferably less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny in San Diego Posted August 9, 2004 Author Share Posted August 9, 2004 Thanks for all your replies. I tried the Yamaha both flat and with bass and treble added and I generally prefer the latter. Re: being ready for tubes, I'm already sold on them. I appreciate the difference in the soundstage, presence, tone, warmth and all the other things that tubes provide. I have an old Curtis Mathes console radio which has tubes and it has more than enough low end. I also have a 1941 Silvertone which still sounds wonderful. So I'm trying to avoid a return to solid state on the basis of one criteria alone. There's just something about that Jolida. It is great in everything except the bass. I wonder if I just got a bad one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 I'm running my '88 Cornwall IIs with an HK 630 and it has plenty of bass. For the price that you can get these for (under $100 on eBay), either the 430 or the 630 is a cheap experiment. Scott 299D is really in a different league. I'm running it on my Cornwalls. The detail and imaging is superior to any SS that I have personally used. It does well in the bass area also. You will probably have to shell out about $700 - 800 to find one and get it rebuilt. The 34 wpc that it produces is all that I need for my Cornwalls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Danny, When you turn the loudness button on and turn the bass control up on the Yamaha your not getting a true bass reproduction from the recording. You may like this sound and be very much used too a boosted bass response. The drawback with your Jolida is you do not have this option. If your Yamaha has preamp outs just for giggles run them to the Jolida and play with the bass boost into the Jolida from the Yamaha. I think you will be surprised that all the sudden you find the Jolida does have the bass your used to hearing and maybe even better. If you can't live without this bass boost your two affordable option would be either sell the Jolida for a vintage integrated with quality loudness and tone control circuits to allow you to EQ the sound to your preference or employing a active EQ in your system. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Bottlehead's "Paramour" single-ended 2A3 monoblock power amps go awfully nicely with "original" Cornwalls (well, horizontal-horned Cornwalls from 1974, at least). I reckon they'd complement Cornwall II's, too. Great value as well, although they're supplied as kits, so you have to build 'em (or ask someone to build 'em for you). http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobespc/Paramour/paramour.htm Nice pictures of a pair of 2A3's glowing down below in this very forum at: http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=52980&sessionID={76B118F9-9493-47D7-AC61-4DA8102A37D9} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Mark, A guy complains about lacking bass response and you recommend a 3 watt SET amp &^((%(* I'm sorry but I just couldn't help myself on this one you baffled me Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 There's no relation between bass response and power. My 2.5 watt Wavelength amps and previous 8 Watt, Airtight amp have better bass than many PP amps, and especially better than these budget vintage integrateds. edit: they may go out of steam earlier but the low bass is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 There's no relation between bass response and power. My 2.5 watt Wavelength amps and previous 8 Watt, Airtight amp have better bass than many PP amps, and especially better than these cheap vintage integrateds. +++++++++++++++++++++ Like a Knight or an Eico? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 ---------------- On 8/9/2004 8:05:24 PM Guy Landau wrote: There's no relation between bass response and power. My 2.5 watt Wavelength amps and previous 8 Watt, Airtight amp have better bass than many PP amps, and especially better than these cheap vintage integrateds. edit: they may go out of steam earlier but the low bass is there.---------------- Guy I see your headed right down the same old boring path !! Please think before you post you really sound silly sometimes. Craig PS I suppose this is why people that Bi-amp and Tri-amp always put the strongest amp on the bottom end hmmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 ---------------- On 8/9/2004 9:21:58 PM NOSValves wrote: Guy I see your headed right down the same old boring path !! Please think before you post you really sound silly sometimes. Craig PS I suppose this is why people that Bi-amp and Tri-amp always put the strongest amp on the bottom end hmmmmmmmmm ---------------- edit: Craig, You can disagree. That remark was unnecessary and you're more than welcome to supply a proof of me being wrong here. How exactly can you know if an amp can have low bass? from it's specified output power? give me a break. You're putting things out of context again. We're not talking Bi or Tri amp. Haven't you seen Bi-amp using the same kind of amps for both high and low frequencies? I surely did. Assuming an amp is properly designed, there's no reason that a 2.5 watt amp will have equal or better bass than a higher power amp (no matter if it's a PP or SET) and that's a fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Danny----Consider a DIY gain-clone, should cost about, oh, 50 to 100 bucks. One of the fellas who participates here is using the g-c that Kurt Chang made me with his Cornwalls and is floored by the thing; last time we talked he liked it much better than the tube stuff he's used which includes a rebuilt Scott and some expensive SETs, and conventional SS stuff. Several hornys of my aquaintence have thrown-over tubes and conventional SS for gain-clones, using them on Altecs, JBLs, "real" Klipsches, Supravoxes and Edgars among other things. Kurt Chang, a VERY astute DIY speakerbuilder and horny, owns a couple of tube amps including a Audio Note 300B SET and hasn't used any of them since he started building gain-clones. Doesn't use his Monarchy class A SS amps anymore either, just gain-clones and a Tri-Path. He built a 6-channel g-c to run his tri-amped JBL Pro theatre horn system; hubba-hubba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.