2. amps-preamps
  3. 165540-159832

Dream Speakers = landed. Now I need to feed them!

So I scored a pair of Belle Klipsch (1987 models, AB crossover).  I would have gone for Khorns, but the room they were going in just wasn't going to work.  RIght now, I'm running a cheap little Sony (STR-DH190) stereo receiver on them, and even that sounds amazing, but I know I've barely scratched the surface of what they're capable of.  The dream is a pair of SET monoblocks (probably 300B type), though I'm worried about not being able to drive the bottom enough.  I listen to a wide array of music from classical and opera to extreme metal, though my wife is decidedly more of a rock person, so I definitely need something that will push those woofers proper. 

Due to lifestyle and logistics, a big piece of my source audio is going to be HQ feeds from my laptop via Bluetooth.  I know, not an ideal source, but until I build my HTPC, it's just going to have to work.  I also need to run optical out from my Sony Bravia (which I can't do right now because the receiver doesn't have optical in and the TV doesn't have analog out).  

Here's the hard part: Right now, I can't really spend more than $1k for the whole shebang.  So I started hunting.

At first I was sniffing around looking for a tube preamp that can handle both Bluetooth and Toslink, but all that seems to be out there are suspiciously cheap Chinese integrated amps that have no pre out for later use.  I also looked at some dedicated DAC's such as the Cambridge Audio DACMagic, that I knew I could pair with a BT-capable tube pre.  But I'm still sketchy about the cheap Chinese kit.  I've heard positive things about Dared, though, and I was thinking their 5BT would be a good foundation alongside the aforementioned DAC, because I could use its power stage for right now, and if I can't stay in the right now budget to get a good pair of monoblocks, then I could wait for a while and buy the right ones later. 

Thoughts? Opinions?  Alternative ideas?  


jerkface
jerkface OP
73 posts
 
Whatever you choose to power them optimizing the internals of the speakers will increase the apparent sound quality by as much a 50%. Putting in the best polypropylene capacitors (top Wimas are recommended) & Vishay resistors will do wonders. Better audiophile wire as well. Klipsch in the 70s put monster cable in their production speakers which meant it was Paul Klipsch's idea. Don't know how that progressed but it clearly points the way. You may need to double up on caps for their values to match what's in the xover. That might mean an exterior box. One thing's for sure, you'll be near staggered by the difference in sound quality.
Actually, I'm looking seriously at doing the full crossover upgrade from Bob Crites.  Not fully committed to swapping out the squawker and tweeter, though there are compelling cases to be made to do so.  

I'm definitely more into the idea of a fully assembled replacement over risking my poor soldering skills defeating whatever gains I was supposed to make replacing caps.  :) 


jerkface OP
73 posts
 
@jbhiller 

One fortunate thing about the Denon HEOS is that is can run either fixed or variable line output - so I can make the move on the power stage and wait until I've settled on the perfect pre.  

So you're saying you'd do the Carver 275 over the Quicksilver Horn Mono's (at 1500 a pair new)? 
jerkface OP
73 posts
 
@Whiteknee (not sure why this works for some users but not others...)

"Are you using your Sony’s tone controls or loudness feature to get your current ‘great’ sound?"

I am not using the loudness feature, and the only tone adjustment I made was +3dB on the treble to overcome what I believe is a reflection artifact from all the glass and hard surfaces in the space.  I'll have a better feel for that once I get the dampening curtains and a few panels on the walls.  The acoustic panels are definitely a sore spot for the wife, who has been otherwise completely supportive of every aspect of this adventure.  

I'm very pleased with the bass response to this point.
jb505's avatar
jb505
60 posts
 
+1 for the quicksilver recommendation. However he makes a killer integrated amp which comes up used sometimes closer to your budget. With the mono’s you’ll still need a pre amp.
jerkface OP
73 posts
 
@jb505 

That's the beauty.  The Denon HEOS can be run both fixed and variable out.  So it can serve as a preamp while I take my time and find the perfect pre to mate with the Horn Mono pair. 
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