mdbrien Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hi, I'm new here, and I was wondering if someone could help me. I'm not interested in surround sound for watching movies. My interest is in play music. I have a pair of LaScalas and a pair of Heresys. I'm looking to upgrade to a new amplifier, pre-amp etc. Could someone help me with the best combination. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hi. Welcome. You need to post some details about your present system, room size, budget etc. You could drive the La Scala's with virtually anything, so there's other options rather than just pre/power combinations. What are you looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 Thanks for your response! Room size is 35'x20' Budget around $3,000.00 I mentioned amp/pre-amp. But basically looking for the best power source for LaScalas and Heresys. To play music, not really interested in movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Do you intend to have all four speakers hooked up to the same system playing at the same time? If so, this will affect your configuration/gear choices. If only one set of speakers would be hooked up to the system (which for 2 channel, the LaScalas certainly would be enough), I am tempted to suggest tube gear here.....but if you want to run all four at once, Solid State presents easier options in hookup and use (like switching back and forth between speaker pairs A, B, and both A+. Also, listening tastes will help clarify the issue some. If it were me, I would use the LaScalas and a good tube amp and preamp, in some way shape or form.....and given that you mentioned "where have all the rockers gone", probably an amp in a push/pull configuration. But your answers can tell us more, and thus, we can tell you more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homemade Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 I don't understand why you wouldn't want a terrific movie setup with your 4 speakers. It would be an ideal setup. Just add a surround reciever and subwoofer. I'm perfectly happy with my 5 yr old Yamaha bottom of the line surround reciever with a new Panasonic F87 dvd changer with builtin dolby digital decoder. I run the front channels into a newly acquired 15 band eq and back into the Yamaha in the 6 channel mode. I have the subwoofer and center channel turned off in the Panasonic F87 (running homebuilt khorns and small 4.5 inch fullrange rear channels) and usually run the unit in Dolby Prologic II mode. I gotta tell you, I enjoy movies as much as music but usually only collect cd's and not movies. I don't care to watch movies too many times. I go to the library and check out what they have for the most part. What are you running now for amp, etc. What's wrong with the sound now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 I plan on having all 4 speakers playing at the same time. I listen to all sorts of music. From jazz, country to rock-n-roll. My current power source is a Sony TA-F700ES intergrated amp that a purchased about 18 years ago. It still works fines, but I would like to purchase something new. When briefly looking around at the local Hi-Fi audio stores, I noticed just about everything today is centered around surround sound systems. With that said, is there something that someone out there could recommend to me, that is better for me to play my LaScalas and Heresys with. Or, do I do better just sticking with the amp I have. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 hello and welcome, i would like to suggest looking at quality vintage power amp and pre-amps, i am currently running a configuration close to what you are discribeing i have a pair of cornwalls, with a pair of heresys setting atop them, i run 2 vintage amps, with a mid 90,s model tube pre amp and the sound is incrediable, my amps get bashed abit here and there but the sound speaks for itself IMO, i have a pair of phase linear model 400 amps, and my pre amp is a vtp100i, can get as loud as you would ever want but puts out nice sound at low levels also, this also offers the best of both worlds i get solid state reliability and maintenance free power from the amps with plenty of punch, and i get the harshness cut out with the tube preamp that also enhances the sound enormousely, with your budget you could actually score a couple macintosh(one of the best amps produced and ouners are maticulas about the care of these overall)the mc 2505 or 2100 are both supposed to be great amps and put out around 100 WPC, then find a nice tube pre-amp, i actually wish i had the dough to get a couple mac. ampsanyway welcome and good luck Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Here's my advice for what it's worth. Forget the heresys (maybe use them in another system or sell them to help fund what I'm about to suggest) and buy yourself a pair of VRDs from Craig (NOSValves on the forum) which are push/pull mono tube amps (plenty of power) and mate it with either a Blueberry (if you play vinyl) or a Peach (if you don't play vinyl) tube preamp from Mark (MDeneen on the forum). You can't even imagine how much better your system will sound. It's just over $4k all together but if you get $400 to $500 for your heresys, you'll only be a little over budget. That's what I'd do if I were in your situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 What Gary said. If you're doing 2-channel this would be an excellent course of action. You'd have new, top quality gear with the designers and builders directly available to you. The VRD power amps will drive your LaScalas to insane levels without breaking a sweat. It so happens that Craig (NOSValves) the creator of these amps uses LaScalas himself and listens to some loud stuff from time to time. Mark Deneen, creator of the Blueberry/Peach pre-amps is a well respected long time member of the quality audio industry, I believe he used to either own or operate Paradigm, a brand of well respected audio gear. Sometimes Mark has a refurb unit available for a substantial discount. see Craigs NOS Valves site and Marks' site you can't buy this stuff in stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 Thank you all very much for the feedback. If you would, could you comment on the Macintosh line. MC2102 Vacuum Tube Power Amplifier C-2200 Tube Pre-Amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Last year I was in exactly the same spot you are in now. I got a lot of good advice and I found a very nice original Dynaco ST70 and a old McIntosh C11 Pre amplifier. Now I'm the first to admit that I'm a neophite interms of two channel stereo, but hooked into my La Scalas it sounds out of this world. My opinion. But the guy from one of my local high end hi fi shops has come over to the house and told me he understands why I went the route I did when looking for the best sound I could find,...for the money. Total cost $2100.00. Then I found a very nice Rega Planet and I just can't see how a guy could go wrong,...for the money. Recently I had a Scott 299D completely redone by Charlie at Vacuum Tube Valley. What a great integrated amp/pre!! There's so many good deals if a guy is trying to put together a nice system and is on a budget. This site is a wealth of information for someone who seeks good to great sound and is on a budget. Good luck, Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 keep your current amp and get yourself some good subwoofers. You ain't rocking until you can feel the air blowing your pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 ---------------- On 3/5/2005 8:51:01 PM mdbrien wrote: Thank you all very much for the feedback. If you would, could you comment on the Macintosh line. MC2102 Vacuum Tube Power Amplifier C-2200 Tube Pre-Amp ---------------- Heed the advice of Gary and Tom. They have been there and done that. I recently unloaded serious greenback because I had a bug in my butt for the McIntosh name. Don't get me wrong, the system sounds wonderful, and I'm glad I have it. But there are other significant cost considerations you may have not considered...($ERVICE, TUBE$, MORE TUBE$, $HIPPING WORRIE$, ETC.). It's more than you may realize, trust me. Listen to the old tube heads (sorry Gary, sorry Tom). Your $3000 budget won't put a dent in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Listen to Gary and Tom. seriously! except... keep the Heresys for a second system and score an old Harman Kardon 430 integrated to run them. 75 bucks tops and it *really* does them justice. Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I would use the LaScalas, get an integrated vintage tube amp from NOSvalues for less than $1K and a powerful sub-woofer, like the Parts Express Titan kit for $700 - without a sub you are not only missing movies, but also the music (ever heard of a thing called a piano, or a kick drum?) then run the video through the tube amp and the subs- when 5.1 channel tube receivers come along, then use the Heresys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Basically what Tom and Gary said, a Peach or Blueberry, a set of VRD's and your La Scala's and oooooooh I hear a match made in heaven. You will need to save a little first as I think $3K is shy of that but well worth the expense. Not sure what is in your La Scala's or what year they are but I'd consider ALK'ing the crossovers too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaffstone Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 With your room size and equipment, you might consider using the Heresys in a center chanel configuration. Build a 3rd channel box as suggested in the Free the Dope From Hope thread and get an amp which can handle both Heresys either in parallel or in series for the 3rd center channel. Stack them tweater to tweater as suggested above. You'll need a second amp for this scheme though. Maybe use your existing bridged at the input for the centers and get some tube equipment to drive the La Scalas. Balancing might be a trick due to different power levels, but it could be worth a shot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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