CJ PV-2ar or PV-7 or ARC SP-6 for Klipsch Heresy?

If an original set, you really want to think about a tube amp too- the crossovers in that speaker don't work so well with amps with a low output impedance- as a result the horns can be operating out of band, part of the reason for the 'shoutiness' or 'cupped hands' aspect for which many older horn systems are undeservedly known.

I'm pretty sure the Transparent cables will not be a good match as well- they work better with solid state.

Why those particular preamps?? Just because they are tube?

How bout getting just a good vintage tube integrated, restored and ready to go?

Thanks so much guys, hooked up a near mint, unmolested Heathkit AA 151 integrated. I set the tone controls strictly by ear. I'm a musician so my sense was that was the only way. With null at 12:00 o'clock, Treble ended up at 9:30 (!) and Bass at 2:00 o'clock. Sounds great on jazz vocals like Diana Krall and Steve Tyrell. One woofer seems to pull back (recede) a bit on deep plucked bass notes. Sounds fine, but looks odd vs other woofer's behavior. Flipping the AA 151 Invert Phase switch, the sucking motion continued. Flipping Stereo Reverse made no difference either. Is it the 40 year old crossover?

What power amp? I had a 2AR and liked its sound but if you have a sensitive high input impedance power amp with a lot of gain say 27db then you'll hear a big noise floor with the cathode follower circuit of the 2AR and seldom get the volume past 9 or 10 o'clock.

ET

For now I intend to use my custom 7591/6sn7, fixed-bias, push-pull amp which uses a Pilot 410 input and phase inverter circuit built on a stripped Heathkit AA100 chassis retaining the great transformers. With this venture into high-efficiency horn speakers, at some point I tempted to try a 2A3 or 300b triode amp. The ALK Engineering site though highlights the seriously flawed crossover impedance curves of vintage Klipsch designs and my sense is that would not make a mini-watt triode amp happy. Should I get serious, an investment in the brilliant, but not-so-inexpensive ALK crossovers would be the next step.

I once paired a pair of horns to cj and it didn't work. The noise floor of tubes, in general was too high for speakers with about 100db sensitivity.
Just something to think about.
Larry

A cj might have too much gain to use with high efficiency loudspeakers.

But to say that the noise floor of tubes in general is too high for speakers of 100 db or more is untrue. The proof of this of course is that most horn speakers are used with tube amps, not solid state. My speakers are 98 db and I have to put my head in the mouth of the horns to hear the noise floor.

I agree with Atmashere about "noise floor". With my Tube Technologies CD driving the Heathkit AA 151 into the Klipsch Heresy 1's, it is dead silent between cuts.

I'm not surprised that you have to use the tone controls set they way you do, as Herseys are extremely colored with a balance that leans towards the mid and upper mids. Nice speaker late at night and at low volumes but they fall apart when pushed and have no usable frequency response below 45hz and that is being generous.

They do respond well to tweaks and can be tamed. The caps probably need to be replaced in the crossovers, which may further throw the balance off. While you are at it you can change the internal wiring and stuff them with acoustic insulation, to get another 4-7 hz of bass.

Getting them off the floor at least 18 inches will dramatically improve the soundstage. They are a fun speaker to have a fling with but I found them to not meet my needs for a long term relationship. Your feeling may differ, though.

If you can pick up a Melos SHA1 I found it to work well with them. YMMV!

Enjoy.

As I have mentioned in other threads, dampening the mid horns, and tweets, as well as the inner front panel of the Heresy, makes them a much better music reproducer, especially at higher listening levels. It is the most bang for the buck "mod" one can make to any Klipsch. I modified many pair of Heresy's, and, my customers, and friends, were, and still are, delighted with the positive changes. MrD.

Raymonda these are all substantive recommendations and worth my pursuit at my "fling" stage with the Heresy's. One mod you mention is the first I considered immediately upon opening them up, replacing the "zip chord" internal wiring. Curious that Klipsch modifier blogs I've read suggest accoustic stuffing, cabinet gasket/sealing, crossover upgrades, porting and replacement drivers but don't comment on the internal wiring. Paul Speltz said he'd sell me Anti-Cable buy the foot for that purpose.