2. amps-preamps
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Amp recommendation for Klipsch Heresy

A friend of mine just purchased some circa 1980 heresy's. I am trying to help him build out the rest of his system. What do you guys recommend for an amplifier? He would prefer something of 70's to 80's manufacture and we have a budget of around $400 dollars. I have never listened to any vintage klipsch. Do they do better with tubes or solid state? With his budget, I would assume tubes are out. Do any of you own heresy's? What are you using to drive them? Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

Andy
andyprice44
billbartuska
83 posts
 
I have a pair of the original Heresys in my workshop.
Drive them with a Knight KN-928 (Tube integrated) and play music on a Denon DCD-1560

Every time I hook up my iPhone to that set up I just wonder whether the designers of those components ever imagined something like that.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,067 posts
 
Having used the older Heresy quite a lot, I can also vouch for the use of tubes. The speaker will become oppressive with transistors and the tubes seemed to play the bass better. I used a modified Dyna St-70 on them and was never able to run it out of gas. I never had troubles with noise.
grinnell
1,127 posts
 
I have used 2 tube amps with my 97.5 db Klipsch Quartets. A 10 wpc Vista Audio i84 El 84 PP amp very nice sound not problem driving htem and now a Grommes PHI26 1.75/6 WPC TRIODE/PENTODE amp. 1.75 watts drives it well.

The vista Audio amp was about 400.00. I think you could find a nice EL84 amp that would make them sing
learsfool
1,215 posts
 
Though they are indeed efficient enough that you could drive them with almost anything, I would definitely choose tubes for sure. You have tons of great suggestions here. If he does want something newer, the PrimaLuna line works very well with the Klipsch. Another classic combo was Klipsch driven by McIntosh.
andyprice44 OP
133 posts
 
Thanks a lot guys. I am trying to talk him into tubes. It is just hard to find decent tube gear on his budget. Tube gear is bringing a big premium over SS everywhere we look. I would need a preamp and a tube power amp or a tube integrated. It is hard to make money stretch that far. Might have to save for awhile. The search continues....
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