Klipsch speakers love tube amps. PWK used a Brook 12A PP 2A3 amp as his reference. He had a special version made with separate output transformers for the woofer and compression driver (the original Khorn was a two way with predominantly Stephens drivers.) I have a Marantz 2245, but my Klipsch speakers sound much better with tube amps. Be careful, most new tube amps are made to drive modern, low efficiency speakers, and are too noisy, powerful and indelicate for horn systems. Horn speakers can act as a microscope, revealing all the warts in the source and amplification components, and rarely need more than a few watts to come alive. Definitely try analog sources, say a good turntable. You'll be amazed at how good records can sound. Most modern inexpensive turntables are dreck, and most vintage models are overpriced, but if you don't mind a little work, an Empire 208 can still be had fairly cheaply and be made to sound really good. Klipschorns may be more than a 50 year old design, but it's still in production for more than just sentimental reasons, It does some things better than ANY newer production speakers.

hornblower April 09, 2005 14:37