jjhaz@ont.com Posted October 8, 2001 Share Posted October 8, 2001 If you like SS how much wattage do you need versus Tubes? Can tube keep up with fast expolstions and car wrecks? On the other hand can SS sooth you with warm film scores that float about the room? Will tubes work for HT? JEff ------------------ Cornwalls Main fronts KLF-C7 Center IW-150 Rears KSW-12 200watt Sub Anthem AVM20 Preamp 5 Adcom 555s all mono BLK Toshiba 9200 DVD Sat. / Mit. VCR ----------------------- Project room Genelec Nearfield Monitors with Genalac Sub Alisis 32 channel board Joe Meek VC1Q Studio channel Art Power Plant Roland R8 Wave/24 24bit recording Aphex Comperesors And so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eq_shadimar Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 Very interesting thoughts. I would like to know this too. I would assume that you would have to "front end" the tube amps with a pre-amp/processor or use the 5.1 analog output of a DVD player. I hope one of the tube guys can help us out on this one. Laters, ------------------ FOR SALE OR TRADE COMPLETE R*3 SYSTEM FOR 3 HERESY'S Main System - Cornwalls (L/R main) RC-3 RS-3's (white) SVS 20-39CS Harman Kardon AVR 510 Hafler P505 (running sub) ProMedia 4.2 v400 for PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 Solid State would be my choice for Home Theater. Low frequencies are reproduced better by Solid State. It is also more economical and does not require the care and upkeep that tubes do. Tubes shine best with older speaker designs like the Klipsch Heritage series where they provide a warmth and musicality to the mids and highs to which SS often adds a mechanical artificiality. My solution is to use a very good SS receiver (the Outlaw 1050) for my Home Theater videos and DVDs. For music I use a modern upgrade of an old classic Dynaco tube design which also serves as a preamp for my records. I bypass the Outlaw preamp and run it through the Outlaws SS anp section. I get the advantages of tubes for the mids and highs and the advantages of SS for bass oomph. The wattage necessary is a factor of a speakers efficency. Klipsch speakers generally need very little wattage due to their high efficency. This is most true of the older designs like the Heritage series. HT-1 Klipsch Heritage System (music oriented) Klipschorns w/ ALK crossover upgrades 4 Klipsch LaScalas (surround & rears) Heresy components in custom cabinet /monitor stand (center) Panasonic 32 Monitor W/ component video input 3 Sony CX400 CD changers Sony CX-200 CD Changer MSB Technology Digital Director w/ jitter reduction Nirvis DXS digital controller (auto selection of whatever changer is playing) Nirvis Slink-e computer interface Nirvis jukebox software (downloads net cd info, album covers& lyrics- programs & controls changers searchable for songs, artists, albums). Nirvis CDJ (CD Jukebox Software) Monster 5000 Power Center Sony Viao Laptop Computer Sony S530D DVD Player Sony 798HF VCR Sony XA1ES CD player Sherwood HX-PRO dual cassette deck Dynaco PAS4 stereo preamp W/ Tesla Tube upgrades (also outputs to HT2) Technics SL3300 DD Turntable w/ Shure cartridges Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section) Perpetual Technologies P1A Digital Correction Engine (jitter reduction, 16 to 24 bit conversion, future speaker frequency correction, and room acoustic correction ) Perpetual Technologies P3A DAC ( plus 44.1k to 96k CD upsampling) Klipsch KSW-15 sub (for DVD LFEs ) Klipsch LF-10 sub Phillips Pronto TS2000 Programmable Remote Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal X10 computerized lighting controls Radio Shack Wireless Remote Control Extender Cables: Onix , MSB, Monster, AR., Iced Purple, RS Gold Monster Bi-wire speaker cables.(Khorns) HT#2 Klipsch THX System (movie oriented) 4 Klipsch KT-LCR THX Speakers 4 Klipsch RS-3s (side & rear surround) 2 Klipsch KT-DS THX Surrounds 10 Linaem Tweeters Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section) Monster 3000 Power Center Sony X111 ES CD Player Sony 775HF VCR Sony STR-G3 (supplemental amplification for extra speakers) Toshiba 61 High Definition TV Sony NS700 Progressive Scan DVD Toshiba 4205 DVD/ CD Changer Klipsch SW-12II Sub Klipsch LF-10 sub Sony AV2100 remote Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal X10 Computerized Lighting Vibrapods (vibration isolation) RS Gold , Monster, Iced Purple, AR Cables This message has been edited by soundog on 10-09-2001 at 05:14 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 I don't have DVD, just cable - but I do have tubes for my big old horns, and they make movies sound, well, umm, okay - but what really makes you sit up and take notice on a cable movie is the low notes, especially the ominous tones and the explosions, the KSW200 was very good for that, I liked it and wanted more - now, combined with the Klipsch LF10 sub-woofer, the movies are great and so is the music, I can't imagine wanting more bass, but then I have yet to hear something like The Ear's set-up - I heard the Krell monster reference sub and while it was wonderful, it was also the price of a small BMW sedan - the wonderful thing about tubes for your big old speakers is that they free you to add SS powered sub-woofers - or should I say - the wonderful thing about SS powered sub-woofers is that they free you to add tube amps for the mid-sections - I would certainly go for it, you have not heard those big old babies sing until you have heard them with with tubes - in case, you haven't heard - HORNS love tubes ... ------------------ horns & subs; lights out & tubes glowing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 TheEAR(s) says... Tubes can sound full and punchy,it depends on the design and output power.As you all must know all tube amps are not created equal,some(most)sound mellow(even too mellow,most dont have the output power to drive speakers below 95dB 1w@ 1 meter.Most tubes need large horn loded speakers to shine. Some tube amps like BAT,Audio Research Reference,the huge Jadis muli chasis power amps can sing with even Dynaudio,Wilson Audio,JM Lab(Focal)speakers.They can drive 4ohms loads well(thanks to the all important output transformer).I heard the BAT(bridged mono) on Wilson Audio WATT/PUPPY driven to realsitic levels and the sound was breathtaking!Nothing less then musical extacy.The problem was the HUGE price(over $30000 for the speakers and amps!)And this is not a big setup. You could take a set of Wilson Audio,Dynaudio,Klipsch RF or JM Lab speakers and buy five BAT VK-75(bridged mono)and end up with a musical and powerful HT system(also not to practical because of the heavy pricetag). Check out http://www.balanced.com/ the amps they make are world class in every respect,cost less then Krell,Mark levinson and perform at the same level!Maybe even more musical,the VK-6200 HT amp is a musical and power wonder(I am saving towrds this beast). Solid state at its finest can match tube magic and is the logical choice to me.The best SS amps sound smooth with horn loaded speakers(the SS agressive sound is a false fairy tale).To anyone who claims SS has no life and sounds agressive I dare you to listen to Celeste MOON amplifiers,BAT solid state amps and PassAleph (PassLabs).You will know its no ordinary SS amp.And they can drive about any speaker you can imagine. Krell,Mark Levinson and Bryston while great sounding are built around a HUGE power supply,this gives them the awesome bass.The Krell MRA should be the perfect SS amp(ability to double to 0.5 ohm!,can be matched for any speaker)and bass to make BASS boost knobs obsolete. And SS amps are ideal for subwoofers(the high damping helps)and very compact.The SS amp performs much better on the test bench,and is more accurate then even the best sounding tube designs. My choice would be SS almost any time over tube,only on some acoustic music the tube magic is too much to resist.And this is why some spend up to 250000 USD for a pair of 45W RMS monoblocks!These are made by a master in Japan.The name is Audio Note and the model is Gaku On.Dream dream,all high-end Audio Note are hand made by the master himself and the transformers use pure silver wire!talk about price is NO object. These will not impress the dB audience but will astonish the owner of K-Horns or some other exotic horns.I heard the low end Audio Note(50000 USD)and the sound even with Dynaudios was pure beauty.There is this life in the music that no SS could touch(PassAleph and BAT came close). I still prefer overall my Krell,Carver,Celeste and ATI amps,they give me quality,accuracy and CAN HIT HARD when I pump up the volume.This to me is perfection. This is it!Not too long a post after all. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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