Best amplifier for my Klipsch?
default -- Sat, 07/11/2009 - 21:12
I resently purchased a new pair of Klipsch P37F's and wanted to get the right amplifier/preamplifier combo to match. I would like to stay under $10K so any suggestions would be helpful? I did listen to the McIntosh Integrated and all though it was very nice I wanted to see what other options where out there.
Thanks!
Bill
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Hello,
I would never suggest which amplifier is best for anyone as that is your choice, not mine. However, several do come to mind that you may find of interest; be it one at a time or two at a time; two being ... either true mono blocks or two being ... two stereo amp's with each one vertically biamped on each channel or two being ... two stereo amp's with each one bridged mono if they are capable. The last two set ups can offer massive power and headroom on tap and still make great use of only a moderately costly amplifier. Ideas are as follows:
(tubes would sweeten up and tame those horns a bit perhaps if matched right to your tastes (not the sales persons's)
Bryston 4BSST with the new subscript "2"
Atma-Sphere MA60MKIII's full range since the Klipsch's are so sensitive ... or ... with the above amp(s) or two Parasound Halo A21's or two Parasound JC1 mono blocks with the tubes on the mids' and tweets' and all that Bryston or Parasound SS power for the woofers / bass ... the Atma-Sphere's are OTL's and are incredibly fast and incisive, transparent, and potently engaging and would by no means be slow in comparison to the Bryston or parasound SS power on the woofers.
Audio Research VS115 or Ref 110 (both are magnificent) (visible tubes or concealed and sound quality one vs. the other)
Cary Audio CAD120S (or two of them vertically biamped) all those tubes would look incredibly cool
Mark Levinson #431 or 432 (the one that's 400WPC) ... I may be off on the model or cost, sorry if so.
Conrad Johnson LS66 or bigger (sorry but I do not know that model #)
Keep in mind that you can get fantastic buys on Audiogon and EBay but without a warranty, etc. most likely and save yourself some serious money that could be invested in other parts of the system such as proper and adequate acoustic room treatments. Horn driven speakers have a real tendency for slap echo and that makes for fatigue in short order.
Enjoy and God bless,
Tom Farrington
Oh yeah, perhaps some of the Pass Labs amp's. in the new X30.5 or X60.5 series would be a good match for you and within your price range. Again, I may not have the exact model numbers correct, but i am trying for you. The power output may be only 30 or 60WPC, (as the Atma-Sphere MA60MKIII mono blocks are) but they would be class A and oh so smooth sounding as Nelson Pass's amplifiers are. They often get reviewed as having "tube liquidity and warmth" and so on but with the capabilities of exceptionally good SS.
What kind of sound are going for or what kind of sound floats your boat ? I know fom having sold Kilpsch years ago in Richmond, VA. that they are very lively and dynamic speakers in general, and now have a much more refined mids and treble with new horn drivers, woofers, etc. Do you want rock concert levels with tactile impact and sheer kahunas behind it or do you want to the sound warmed up, smoothed out, made a bit more silky, more airy, harmonically rich, etc. ? The tubed amps will (generally speaking) give you more bloom and palpable imaging and breath / air around the instruments and musicians along with a midrange that (PWK was intently focued on in his horn designs especially for very lifelike mids) will liven up your listening with clarity and openness that should bring the whole band or orchestra into your room and then some. (I hope for you).
Perhaps some of the Musical Fidelity amps would be a good choice too. The KW550 are on sale at Audio Advisor and Music Direct for about half of actual retail asking price and are brand new or dealer demo's with full warranty. While not sure about the bigger KW750 in price, it is reviewed as being much more open sounding than the KW550. Maybe a call to www.audioadvisor.com or www.musicdirect.com would be of good fortune for you.
I hope this helps you choose or find the right amp(s) for you so that you can and will enjoy your system as much and as long as possible.
Tom
If you liked the McIntosh sound and looks, perhaps a pair of the MC275 tube amps would do the trick for you. I am not sure of the price, but they are stereo amps. of 75WPC with visible tubes. A local dealer here in PA demo'd them to me with one in use as described, and then with the two of them he had bridged in mono for 150WPC (what he said it is when bridged), and that was excellent and then some as it tightened up the bass and midbass and the sheer presence of it just came to life. That may be a killer combo for you if the price is within your range.
Tom
Thanks Tom,
Thank you for taking the time to reply back to me. I did go listen to more McIntosh equipment this last week and was again impressed but just not "blown away". I guess I just want something that goes the extra mile and brings my new speakers to life. I have enjoyed the Pass Labs equipment in the past and I do hear good things about them so I will find a deal local that has them to demo. The XA series with either the 50 or 100 would be more than enough power. I will let you know how it goes. When doing some internet surfing I found one of the larges Klipsch dealers in Denmark or something like that and he shows them with a product called Aaron and another called Sovereign. I tried to find out about these companies but there is little information expecially on the Sovereign. Just a price list. I did find some reviews on the Aaron products and there looks to be a distributor so I will take a look into that also. The Denmark dealer or whatever strongly recommended them to me when I called. I found this photo also.
Hi Bill,
You're welcome. Honestly, when my wife and I listened to the McIntosh MC275's, they were powering a pair of B&W 802D's.The system made a generally nice sound, but it did not move me or engage me emotionally one bit, or my wife, and she is a music lover and audiophile too. Yes, really. Then again, I have never liked even one pair of any B&W speaker. (very dry, static monitor like sound, etc. ... just not me at all) Anyway, ... I would recommend strong caution with the overseas brands as they may or may not have USA based and valid importing, distribution, and dealerships; let alone physically close to you with a good business track history if something goes wrong. With your stated dollar limit of $10,000, that can buy great quality and powerful amplification, as can less too if purchased with proper auditioning and monetary shrewdness. When you say that "I guess I just want something that goes the extra mile and brings my new speakers to life," what exactly do you mean please ? Perhaps if you elaborate on that concept with specifics, I may be able to help. For example, what kinds of music do you listen to (the most at least), how loud or soft are the listening levels ? What emotional engagement or involvement do you seek as you listen ? Do you listen mostly to studio recorded music or live recorded music with the concert or arena ambience ? How do you like the bass, midbass, midrange, and treble to be like (each) etc. ... What matters most to you, and why ?
Tom
Tom,
Wow a wife that is an audiophile too. You are a lucky guy. I have listened to the B&W's a few times and I do like the look/build of them but I have never felt they provided enough punch. Dry punchy bass that kicks you in the chest was always lacking; even on the 800D's. I have been pretty carefull in the past of buying overseas brands but nowdays it seems like everything is made over there. I found the distributor for the Aaron products in the US and it seems as though there is a dealer not too far away from me; so I will have a listen. When I say "I want something that goes the extra mile and brings my new speakers to life" I mean: I want to plug in my new amplifier and put in my favorite CD sit back and be wow'ed. I want the synergy to be just right. What I listen to is all types of music. I know you where asking for the "most" but for instance if you look at what I have on my media player you would find: B.B. King, Breaking Benjamin, Brian Culbertson, Creed, Chris Botti, Dave Matthews Band, Diana Krall, Tiesto, Eagles and Evanescence .....etc. Just to give you an idea of my daily mix. I like to listen to my music at louder levels than the most probably do. I like to listen for things I never heard before when listening to the music. Sometimes I just read a book well sitting in front of my system. The main idea is relaxation. I have a very stressful job. I like live music with the concert or arena ambience. I really enjoyed getting to hear Justin Timberlake on blueray DVD live. I like dry punchy bass with detailed midrange and a more rolled off treble. I listened to a speaker with the ring revelator tweeter and although it was very detailed my ears hurt after 30 min. I like softdomes and horns. The Klipsch has a little brightness to the horn and I think a little warmer amplifier would be good. What matters most: something that sounds good, has easy functionality and is reliable. When I want to listen I can. If I want the music loud it can give the power. If I want to listen more detailed like then it should be able to reproduce music with low distortion. Maybe I'm crazy but I just want the perfect amplifier. Some people say $10K is not much for what I am looking for or that I have too high of expectations but I saved for 4 years to buy my perfect amplifier and I will find it.
Bill
Hi Bill,
What stands out to me about your last reply is this: you want dry, punchy bass with detailed midrange and a more rolled off treble. Cary Audio comes to mind very much as their gear has those traits in spades provided that it is not single ended as they usually tend to have very soft, muddy, bloated bass, are sluggish, dull, lifeless, and boring with the most rounded off highs / treble that I have ever heard with CJ being second only to them. However, their new CAD120S would probably be a good match for you as it is a push-pull and ultralinear operation amplifier. KT88 tubes have a tight, visceral, punchy bass that goes deep, a warm, punchy midbass, wonderful rich and open mids and a treble that is extended but not like a Spectral or MBL SS amp with bandwidth into the megahertz. Despite the fact that when I worked at Cary in 2004, they are no longer my favorite people to be quite kind, they do make very good gear that may be what you find a great fit with. Otherwise, try the Bryston 4BSST with the new version's subscript "2" as they have what you say you want but admittedly without the rolled off treble.
Here is an idea that just came to me ... try a Paraound A21 (or two of them) or a pair of their JC1 mono blocks across the woofers (be it vertically biamped or what have you) and a CJ Premier 350 across the mids and tweets, or something similar to this model by CJ. That will get you your sound as requested. The CJ's (SS even) have a very rolled off top end / treble many times, detailed and wonderful and somewhat rich / warmed up mids, and since you would not be using the CJ amp / sound for powering the bass, the CJ would not influence them since the Parasound amp(s) is(are) on the woofers as mentioned.
Hope this helps.
Tom
Bill,
If I may so inquire ... did you get an amp yet, and if so, what did you go with ? How is it working out ?
Tom