randyd3 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 good afternoon...would like to buy a new power amp that would match up with my cornwalls. I am currently using a Yamaha mx-600u power amp and I was wondering about the Yamaha M80 or M85 having class A. 20 years ago I had a different pair of cornwalls and a Nakamichi 620 power amp and I found that to be more pleasing. Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks in advance Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigbyt Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Welcome to the forum!! I'm kind of in the same boat as you, i just got a pair of cornwalls on wednesday and now looking for an amp. i'm torn between a tube amp or something like a parasound 1205a or rotel 5 channel amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HudsonValleyNoah Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I will tell you what I am running with my Cornwalls. McIntosh 2100 solid state vintage 1971, running at a conservative 105 watts RMS per channel. This is an amazing match to the 105 watt rated Cornwalls. It did not sound perfect with my Yamaha's (any of them) as pre amps. Perfect arrived with the use of a same vintage McIntosh C-26 Preamp. Both Mc units re caped by Terry De Wick in TN. The music has never sounded better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Welcome as Gbyte said. You will find there are, generally, two "schools of thought": the tube folks and the solid state folks.... As often as not it's WW-III between them, but both "sides" have very valid points as to what's "best". I won't get into that "discussion", but, suffice to say, there are certain good things to look for, regardless of the "mode of delivery".... "Headroom" or the ability to handle transient peaks... and low distortion, Cornwalls, like K'horns are brutally accurate - crappy amp (and source material) and you'll hear it... While you really only need 20, maybe 40-50 watts RMS, the amp should be able to easily "peak" at 100+ without clipping. That why so many folks have old vintage tubes or solid state with nice hefty output transformers.... Best way is to really make the choice is to "borrow" different amps and test them; always with the same source music that you are familiar with. Whenever I test an amp or a pair of Klipsch that I've rebuilt, I always use the same couple of CD's so that I know what I should be hearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 good afternoon...would like to buy a new power amp that would match up with my cornwalls. I am currently using a Yamaha mx-600u power amp and I was wondering about the Yamaha M80 or M85 having class A. 20 years ago I had a different pair of cornwalls and a Nakamichi 620 power amp and I found that to be more pleasing. Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks in advance Randy Go to audiogon.com. Go to integrated amps tube. Look for these items: Fisher KX-200 nos valves upgrade Item # 1188516415 Scott Classic L-K 48/299b Item # 1188392026 HH Scott Classic 222b Item # 1188391303 Eico HF-81 Item# 1188347963 Buy one of these vintage amps. Trust me you wont be sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsched with Yamahas Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Running Yammie separates myself, and while they are OK, I would recommend TUBES, now having had the chance to compare SS vs. Tube components. Nothing that money can't fix.......[*-)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomad02rider Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Is there a some kind of switching device I can use on my cornwalls to go between a vintage amp and and my avr so I can leave them both hooked up? One of these vintage amp is very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Yes, I think it's called a Niles (at least for one brand) I've got one and it's two inputs to a single output so you could put two amps on one pair of speakers. http://www.nilesaudio.com/products_niles.php Well drats... I was looking and can't find the one I have... I wonder if they make it anymore? Perhaps someone else will chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertop Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I agree with the 2 schools here. For 20 years ran mine with a Yamaha P-2200 pro and a tube pre,did sound very nice. Have since moved to VRD ST with the same pre. The tubes" to me" are smoother, cleaner and crisper. You might want to think about replacing the Corns caps (if no mods have been done already) a cheap date. Regaurdless no matter what you choose, it will sound great they are Cornwalls. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyd3 Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 thank you all for the replys...sounds like a lot would favor tubes...anyone know how a vintage Marantz 2200 or 2300 series would sound on cornwalls? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Randy, The obvious question (before folks start chanting: "tubes, tubes, tubes ...") is what do you like & not like about the Yamaha, and what did you like and not like about the Nakamichi? Also were there any special problems when playing the CWs at low levels or at particularly high levels? There are many, many alternatives. Good Luck, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyd3 Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 thanks Tom.I find that the mid horns are very harsh with the Yamaha...I use an eq and lower the mid levels alot....don't know if my ears are just getting old or if I could improve on my amp....thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertop Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 While waiting on the vrd, bought a 2230 for the start of my step daughters 2 ch. system and ran it a couple 3 months. Excelent sound but limted on the top end. Sweet at low levels but falls off around 50%. Just what I hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 thanks Tom.I find that the mid horns are very harsh with the Yamaha...I use an eq and lower the mid levels alot....don't know if my ears are just getting old or if I could improve on my amp....thanks Randy, We are getting closer. BTW was the harshness occurring at all volumes? There are two schools of thought on this topic. I am in the school that thinks that changing amps is a rotten way to implement a tone control. I am also assuming that your current setup and harshness is not simpling reflecting that the system is clipping or there is an over-driven amp or speaker. With those caveats, let me suggest the following. 1) Have the caps in the crossover ever been replaced? (probably not the cause of harshness...but simple enough to refresh). Personally, I found the original CWs to be a bit "nasal" sounding (this was minor complaint, since overall, I have a favorable impression of them). An alternative crossover design could be a solution, but that is premature at this point. 2) Is there an autoformer on the crossover and is at the the correct tap setting (this regulates the gain to the mid-range and could explain the symptoms)? Someone may have "improved" this setting at one time. 3) Is the amp or speaker being driven into clipping? Good Luck, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyd3 Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 piont 2 is interesting....wasn't aware of a setting to control gain on the crossover...have had these opened many times though....what do I look for? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyd3 Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 I guess I didn't answer all...yes I believe it is harsh at all volumes....thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Any of the amps now for sale on this forum, would be a nice addition...3 or 4 for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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