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Best integrated amp for Heresy IIIs?


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Tube or solid state, it doesn't matter. I have a small listening room, and don't have room for a lot of components or bigger speakers. I am definitely buying new H3s, but I need some input on a high quality integrated amp. I am looking for an amp with some good bass to get the most out of the H3s - in a small room.

I have been considering the Cayin A-70T, the Unison Research Unico, Manley Stingray, Rega Mira, Naim Nait 5i, and possibly even NAD.

I listen to mainly heavy metal music, with some Grateful Dead thrown in.

What's the best system synergy for the H3s?

Thanks!

Mike in NE PA

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There's a lot of good things written and said about the Unicos.

I know the Unico paired very well with Totem Arros and Meadowlark Kestrels. Of course, those speakers are nothing like the H3s, except for the price.

Anyone ever hear the Unico with the H3s?

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Tube or solid state, it doesn't matter. I have a small listening room, and don't have room for a lot of components or bigger speakers. I am definitely buying new H3s, but I need some input on a high quality integrated amp. I am looking for an amp with some good bass to get the most out of the H3s - in a small room.

I have been considering the Cayin A-70T, the Unison Research Unico, Manley Stingray, Rega Mira, Naim Nait 5i, and possibly even NAD.

I listen to mainly heavy metal music, with some Grateful Dead thrown in.

What's the best system synergy for the H3s?

Thanks!

Mike in NE PA

A warm sounding amp would be best. I have an old Marantz 2265B model powering my HIIs and it sounds very good and is inexpensive.

One thing to think about:

You may probably not be very happy with a amp without tone controls. HM music isn't always recorded well so you may want to ajust the sound to your liking.

I found the tone controls on my Marantz very useful. Flexible and easy to use. I would never go without it.

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An older Scott is not out of the questions. Finding one in good shape isn't very easy. I'd want one that's intact, meaning I would want the cover with it, and the faceplate would have to be readable - little things, I know. And yes, tone controls are important to me. So is a remote control, which it lacks, and I am lazy.

Is it possible to "hot rod" one of these Scotts? I mean, make it more suited for heavy metal music?

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Not really "hot rod", but Craig does great work on these things. As long as you're not into headbanging volume levels the Scott will do great -- it'll certainly get "loud enough". Of course, we all have a different idea of what loud or loud enough is -- so it's a tough call. It will however sound really good, which is where the emphasis should be anyway.

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Not really "hot rod", but Craig does great work on these things. As long as you're not into headbanging volumes levels the Scott will do great -- it'll certainly get "loud enough". Of course, we all have a different idea of what loud or loud enough is -- so it's a tough call. It will however sound really good, which is where the emphasis should be anyway.

He did say he had a small room. "Loud enough" for me is when the soundstage smears, it has a multitude of definitions.

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Last week when I picked up my new Heresy III I had the opportunity to listen to them connected to a Cayin A88T tube amp and a Cayin CDT-17A tube CD player. To my amazement these H III sounded totally different to when I had them hooked up to my Denon 5803. It sounded like there were Subs in the room, I couldn't believe the depth and loudness of the bass, neither could the store manager. The sound was floor to ceiling and wider than the room with absolute detail and you couldn't detect where the speakers were placed.

ATM I have them hooked up to a Onkyo SR701 and they sound good but nothing like when they were connected to the Cayin tubes.

I didn't play any heavy metal so I can't comment on that.

So it looks like its tubes for me in the near future. Is anybody on the forum using Cayin amps or CDP?

Regards Skeg.

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I just bought Heresy IIIs off AG they arrived Sat. and I am using a Sam Kim modified Heathkit 151 integrated 12 watts per channel 4 El 84 tubes and it sounds fantastic.

http://www.samsaudiolabs.com/cgi/sales/sales.pl?record=6

Now these are the first pair of Klipsch speakers I have owned so I am no expert.

Another int to look at is Wright Sound George Wright amps are some of the best sound and good value

http://www.wright-sound.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=23

Enjoy music,

Glenn

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Last week when I picked up my new Heresy III I had the opportunity to listen to them connected to a Cayin A88T tube amp and a Cayin CDT-17A tube CD player. To my amazement these H III sounded totally different to when I had them hooked up to my Denon 5803. It sounded like there were Subs in the room, I couldn't believe the depth and loudness of the bass, neither could the store manager. The sound was floor to ceiling and wider than the room with absolute detail and you couldn't detect where the speakers were placed.

ATM I have them hooked up to a Onkyo SR701 and they sound good but nothing like when they were connected to the Cayin tubes.

I didn't play any heavy metal so I can't comment on that.

So it looks like its tubes for me in the near future. Is anybody on the forum using Cayin amps or CDP?

Regards Skeg.

Garden variety HT and many commodity non HT receivers look good in the specs but lack bass weight and other necessities of music realism. With me 5 years ago I kept trying to get more bass weight by more watts and associated SPL.

Now I get well defined bass at lower SPL with an ugly 40 + year old tube amp and shun SS.

I am not saying it makes a ton of logical sense to shun SS, but my tubes sound awesome. Of course the rebuild of the amp and Belle networks were executed very well to enable this level of performance.

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the Heresy IIIs are superior to my Heresys but I have listened to mine through the following with good results:

TUBES: NOSValves VRDs and JMA BlueBerry MkI, EICO HF-81

SS: Nakamichi TA/2A STASIS, McIntosh MAC1900, McIntosh MA-6200...good luck with your choice.

Bill

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$35 $35 Sonic Impact 5066 Class T digital tripath chip amplifier

$50 150 70's vintage HK 430 to 930 (dual transformer) solid-state receivers

140 advanced Sonic Impact or Trends TA-10 digital amplifier

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$500-1,000 low-cost, refurbished, integrated tube amplifiers from fellow forum poster NOSvalves and others like him. I think that vintage equipment must be re-checked before judging it. Just like an old car that you are putting back on the road, many of the worn parts need replacing.

These vintage integrated amplifiers have a lot more going on in them, and much more to offer than any of the modern integrated amplifier. You get a <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />REAL preamp section, with a PHONO stage, FIXED bias which runs the output tubes properly, tube rectification, a balance control and tone controls.

$1200 copper-faced Cayin TA30 integrated tube amplifier or ASL AQ1003DT; competent, good, solid performers with no obvious shortcomings for big ole horns.

After a wonderful listening day with modified LaScalas at Mike Lindsays 2006 Florida get-together, I strongly recommend investing in NOSvalve KT88 VRD monoblocks.

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