charley22 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hey Guys....brand new to the forum. Lot of members in here that seem to know their stuff. I've got a couple of questions.... First, I'm the proud owner of some vintage Klipsch La Scala's. Best speakers I've ever owned or heard. Question is...what is the best brand of amp or receiver, to go with them. Looking at Carver and NAD. Currently running them on an old SAE Two Receiver, sound great but I expect the receiver to blow up any day. My second question, is if I were to purchase a receiver with pre amp out and main in capability, can I hook my receiver up to a basic amp and ramp up the power? Have looked at a NAD for example, 45 watts per channel (2 channel only) with the pre amp out. Could I run the NAD receiver into a basic amp (say, 50 watts a channel) and then be hitting 95 watts a channel? Is this an ok thing to do or am I stupid? Any help appreciated....Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Welcome to the Klipsch Forum! Congratulations on the La Scalas. How big is your listening space, what kinds of music, and how loud? What year La Scalas, what crossover type? Just digital source or do you want to hear records? If you will provide this info that should get the ball rolling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 if I were to purchase a receiver with pre amp out and main in capability, can I hook my receiver up to a basic amp and ramp up the power? Have looked at a NAD for example, 45 watts per channel (2 channel only) with the pre amp out. Could I run the NAD receiver into a basic amp (say, 50 watts a channel) and then be hitting 95 watts a channel? Is this an ok thing to do ...? Yes, with pre outs you can use an external amp. No, if you use an external amp, you bypass the integrated amp and instead use the external amp, you do not sum them! With th efficiency of the LaScala, I wouldn't worry about any of the environmental concerns. Your limits will be the speaker itself, not the amp. Any moderate to high power amp that you like will do fine. If your budget runs as high as $499 delivered, I would look at a Crown iTech Xti 1000 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Crown-XTi-1000-Power-Amplifier?sku=481588 or, for $391 for a cosmetically blemished unit with full 3 year no-fault warranty http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Crown-XTi-1000-Power-Amplifier?sku=481588X or a Crown iTech XTi 2000 for $549 delivered http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Crown-XTI-2000-Power-Amplifier?sku=481589V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheis Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I'm partial to B&K amps. There is a B&K ST 125.2 on ebay now with with a "Buy it Now" of $249.99. Super 125 watt/channel amp, made in the USA. I've got 4 of these amps in my system. If I wasn't broke at the moment, I'd pick it up myself. B&K sounds great with Klipsch. http://cgi.ebay.com/B-K-ST-125-2-STEREO-AUDIOPHILE-POWER-AMPLIFIER_W0QQitemZ330145058366QQihZ014QQcategoryZ39783QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 You might wanna check these guys out: http://www.outlawaudio.com/ If you're gonna go with a dedicated amplifier, you might as well get a dedicated pre/pro. No sense in buying amplifier that you'll never use. Another reciever you might look into are the old HK430, 630, 730, 930 twin powered recievers. You can usually find em for around $100 on E-Bay. They're one of those rare gems that just happen to sound great with Klipsch heritage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 The specs on those Crowns gives me the willies... For home use the La Scalas need a fine first watt and then just a couple more for headroom. Those Crowns are pro gear made to be turned up... how do they sound pushing less than one watt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 The specs on those Crowns gives me the willies... For home use the La Scalas need a fine first watt and then just a couple more for headroom. Those Crowns are pro gear made to be turned up... how do they sound pushing less than one watt? This irrational fear is completely absurd. Who cares what the maximum speed of a BMW is? But you had best not buy one because you will be unable to control yourself and you will be driving 140 mph through school zones! And if someone offered you a top of the line Mercedes for the price of a Kia, I would worry that the Mercedes can go fast too! Or would you refuse it because you can actually fit 3 adults into the rear seat and you are single? Right... Thee guys with their adolescent fears sound like kids who determine the character of a woman based upon bust size. [] OooooH It has 'too many watts". Oh my! Like the maximum power has squat to do with the quality of operation at lower levels; except that you will never have to deal with clipping! If you cannot control yourself with a volume knob, I would recommend seeking psychological help and not blame the amplifier. Next we will hear objections based upon the color of the amp! The Crown will deliver rock solid performance, first watt or last watt for a lifetime. PERIOD. And yes, they are over-designed for professional performance where the others are not. You get more rather than less. I guess that is why so many studios are afraid of them as well. Not! "willies" indeed! But I would suggest it is a result of emotion rather than any fault of a Crown amp! The only grounds for "willies" are that the top of the line Crown amps over-deliver rather than over-promise. What was that about "experts"??????????? These guys are too smart to be making such silly comments. [] Isn't it time for the tube Taliban and the SET jihadists to show up? Bottom line: there are MANY amps, both solid state and tube that will work great. It just depends on what criterion are most important to you. But some just can't deal with this fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I experienced additional irrational fear when I noticed that those Crowns use cooling fans. Now for DJ 'ing outdoor sock hops the Crowns might be great. For home listening, the La Scalas might sound best with tubes. I like them with SETs. This forum is an excellent place to find out what others have used and liked with the LS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I experienced additional irrational fear when I noticed that those Crowns use cooling fans. Now for DJ 'ing outdoor sock hops the Crowns might be great. For home listening, the La Scalas might sound best with tubes. I like them with SETs. This forum is an excellent place to find out what others have used and liked with the LS. They are proportional fans! They only come on if the unit is running hot and the speed is dependent and controlled by the temperature of the amp.. If you can get the fan to come on in home use, not only would I be shocked, I would remove the dollies and plants, and the cat, move them out of the window with exposure to the direct southern afternoon sun, and stop using them as a heating vent stop! I run tubes and SS. The notion that only one format is acceptable or best is complete nonsense. Please explore and buy what you like. Have fun. There are PLENTY of quality amps available in all formats and at all price points featuring a wide variety of maintenance and continuing costs of operation. But please don't fall victim to any of the special interest jihadists who claim that only one format will do! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley22 Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hi Guys, well, to KIND of answer your questions....right now I have them in my bedroom......maybe....30 x30. They're just two big to put into my living room without losing say.....a couch (which I debated on). When I got these speakers I was more or less "planning". Wife in nursing school, when she graduates, buy big house.....FOR my speakers. Anyways... I'm really into a broad range of music. Old rock.....Pink Floyd, Van Halen, stuff like that. Also listen to some classical, and then have an assortment of dance, heavy bass stuff. Not exactly sure of the year.....70's....where do I find the info?, crossover type shows "AA", and the only thing I'm playin is compact discs, don't even own any records anymore. OH yeah, usually LOUD is how I listen to it. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 You have a 30' x 30' bedroom? And you like to play loud? I'd guess 100 watts per channel would be a good starting point. La Scalas make plenty of volume without a lot of amplifier power, but you want plenty of headroom so the amp's not working too hard. Heritage speakers like Scalas are very revealing, both of what's in the music and what sort of noise your components are feeding them. A clean-sounding amp is more important than a powerful one, but power doesn't hurt. As for the year, check the label. If they're pretty old, it may be faded and hard to read, so look for some numbers and letters stamped into the top edge of the back panel near the crossover. You can check it out on this list: http://www.progressive-engineering.com/klipsch/klipsch_date_codes.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I was shopping around for an integrated tube amp for a friend and found this great Rouge Audio Tempest for only $790. Seems to be good bang for the buck it also has a phono pre built in. http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1189275502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Better check so see who has dibs on that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Better check so see who has dibs on that one... LOL ewps my bad! I My friend decided on a rotel instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 What about the VRD monoblocs, built by Craig (NOSvalves)? From what I've seen, these are uniformly and universally praised here on the forum. See http://www.nosvalves.com/vrd.htm. Great match with Mark Deneen's Peach or Blueberry Xtreme (the Peach recently got a Class B recommendation from Stereophile mag). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley22 Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hey...been emailing back and forth with Bob Crites. They're made in 1980. Yup, sending him my crossovers. What you think bout Nakamichi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Getting Bob in the loop is a great step. I like his type A crossovers very much. I notice the ones you have are AA, which some believe sound great at moderate levels but not as great at loud levels. If you like it loud you might discuss with Bob some alternatives and see what others here have experienced. As far as amps, for loud listening solid state on big Klipsch everyone seems to love the old HK machines as an inexpensive SS path to great sound. That might be a good path for now; inexpensive, well liked if you want to sell it later to get a tube amp or a superior SS amp, and they have the phono EQ if you want to try records. There are lots of fine quality amps out there that may not be particularly great with the super high efficiency big Klipsch. It's important to get a good match and that is where the experience of the forum members can pay off big. Many dozens here have tried almost every combination over the years and a few seem to work for everyone - the SS HKs are in this class, as are the couple of vintage and the new handmade tube amps mentioned here. And SETs for those of us that listen at moderate levels. Here is an HK430 on ebay with no bids, $9.99, and just 90 minutes left on the auction. http://cgi.ebay.com/Harman-Kardon-430-Twin-Powered-Receiver-DECENT-FIND_W0QQitemZ190130815658QQihZ009QQcategoryZ3279QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Charley22, I sent you a PM on this... edit -10 minutes... edit - it sold to the single bidder for $9.99... "Don't you want any of these?" ...Captain Beefheart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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