2. amps-preamps
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Help with very low noise, SS amp for La Scalas?

I just bought a pair of Klipsch La Scalas and like them enough to build a system around them. I need some suggestions regarding the appropriate amplifier.
I really don't want to get into the tube amps. I've had them before and they are nice and warm, but I want to keep it simple and not mess with them. I also want the extreme clarity that clean, natural solid state will provide.

I need a SS amp that will provide 50-85 WPC and have a S/N ratio of >= 105 dB. The La Scalas are very efficient (104dB/W/m) so I don't need a lot of power at all, but I still want as much as would be prudent. I was looking at Bryston amps, the 3B-ST and 3B-SST but they are a little too powerful for my speakers, at 120 and 150 W/Ch. They have excellent noise floors though, at 105 and 110 dB above the noise floor. I'd like to get a very neutral, non-grainy amp that will pair with my Muse Model One preamp. I need to replace my CD source, but plan on getting something mildly musical and warm, like a Muse 296/8 pair, McIntosh MCD 7010 or Myryad player.

What other amps are out there that will have such a low noise floor and neutral presentation?

As an aside, I'm really impressed with the La Scalas after listening to them for only a few days. I can see they have the clarity, imaging and detail that approaches my previous ribbon speakers. I had Apogee Stages and some tall Maggies and have always looked for something that will mimic their detail and soundstage, but be less finicky and require less maintenance. Once I get the correct components and I replace the crossovers with the ALK design, I expect these to image as well as ribbon speakers with much more dynamics. The only weaknesss I see in these speakers, when properly set up, is that the bass does not extend very far at all. That doesn't bother me because I'm not a bass-o-phile, but it is noticable.
geojap
sean
6,231 posts
 
Bare in mind that, due to their high efficiency, you'll only be using a watt or two at the very most for most listening unless you're listening to a recording that is very dynamic and / or you are "trying to raise the roof" and jamming. As such, you need something that is biased above this point. Otherwise, crossover distortion will come into play and the system will become more fatiguing than it should be.

Having said that, i would think that the Ayre and Pass suggestions above would be excellent candidates. I know that Bob Bundus is currently running an Ayre amp with his Belle Klipsch ( fancy La Scala's in beautiful cabinets ) and seems to be very happy with it. You might also think about a Muse amp too, even though i've never heard them. They are supposedly very well built and combined with your Muse preamp, i would imagine that there would be a relativey good amount of "synergy" taking place. Personally, i don't think that Bryston and Klipsch make for a good match.

As far as having "too much power", you can't have that. That is, so long as the quality remains consistent over the quantity delivered.

As a side note, the La Scala's are capable of sounding SO much better than how they work out of the factory. In order to achieve this though, you almost need to build a new cabinet or do some rather radical modifications to the existing cabinet. Sean
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lonestarblues
25 posts
 
Hello Geojap. I own 1977 & 1983 pairs of KlipschCornwalls. Mcintosh autoformer amps match up very well sonically with Klipsch Heritage speakers in my opinion & others at the Klipsch Forum. I first used a Mcintosh MC7150 (150 watts x 2-early 90's vintage) autoformer amp with the 1977 Cornwalls with a Mcintosh C38 preamp, Mcintosh MCD 7009 cd player, Pioneer Elite PD 65 cd player, Mcintosh MR 77 tuner. Last July, 2002 I bought a mint 6 month old pair of Welborne Labs SET 2A3 Moondog amps with the Ultimate upgrade package off of Audiogon. Bought a mint Welborne Labs Revellie tube preamp this year from Audiogon. SET amps sound fantastic with Heritage Klipsch speakers. Several months ago I bought a mint Llano Phoenix mosfet/tube hybrid amp (300 watts x 2 @ 8 ohms-600 Watts x 2 @ 4 ohms) off of Audiogon. The Llano Phoenix is a Class A, 2 gain stage amp & uses no negative feedback. It uses separate boxesfor the current (mosfet output) & voltage sections of the amp. My LLano Phoenix has the VA2 voltage box which uses 6SN7, 6SL7 & 12SN7 tubes. I have JAN Slyvania 6SL7 WGT, GE 12SN7 GTA, Raytheon 6SN7 GTB & Sylvaia 6SN7 GT tall tops. Rolling tubes does change the sonics of the amp. I like the Llano Phoenix better than the Mcintosh amp. Better dynamics-low end bass response is stronger & it also has better high end extension in the treble. Way overkill in power for the Cornwalls but it sounds very good to my ears. I have a harem of old speakers that I also switch in & out that can use the Llano power-double Advents-1979 & 1980 vintage, JBL LX 55 speakers-1992 vintage 3 way large bookshelf speaker- 10" woofer-5" midrange-1" titanium tweeter. I have the JBL's hooked up now & they sound very good with the Llano Phoenix amp. And several other speakers. I am going to buy a third preamp sometime in the future so I can set up a third system with my old Mcintosh MC 7150 amp. Check out the Klipsch 2 channel forum. Regards, Mike
lsu_rocks2003
1 posts
 
I have a pair of Klipsch Hersy's. I love the horn sound BUTTT I find that due the Heresy using a 12" woofer that I seem to be missing some of the mid range. Id love to keep the horns and find an efficient midrange or rather find a 6-8" woofer and use my earthquakes for the LOWSSS.. Any suggestions on upgrading my Heresys or am I wasting my time?
Thank you
bemopti123
303 posts
 
I have heard about upping up the frequency in the extremes, in the HF section, with tweeters or the bottoms with low cut subwoofers, but never, trying to ameliorate the midrange. Unless you can get a DSP equalizer, I doubt there can be much done for what you perceive as missing midrange. Sell the Heresy and get a get end Klipsch? Maybe that will be the option.
PS: Perhaps, you can run them with warm sounding SET tube amp that will fill the midrange somewhat.
bemopti123
303 posts
 
Sell the Heresy and get a get end Klipsch? Maybe that will be the option.>corrected sentence: "Get a higher end Klipsch?"

PAUL
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