My "new to me" Klipsch Heresys

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Very nice looking Heresys!

Here's a good post on DIYAudio regarding modifying the E2 crossovers, if you're interested:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/245308-amp-klipsch-heresy.html#post3691824

If you'd like me to stop over with any of my tube amps, let me know!

From that thread...

The mid and high section are at least +8db over the woofer section : that's what I measured on 2 pairs of Heresy 1 of the early 80's (both fitted with the k-77, k-53 and k-22 speakers, and E2 crossover).

Here is the mod, which introduces resonances damping of the mid / high / transformer horn sections, giving a quasi-linear frequency response, according to the measurements I have made on MLS signals :

Their "solution" is to pad them down 8db?   Seems to me that one of their great values with tube amps is their high sensitivity.   They just took a 96 db speaker and turned it into an 88 db model.   My solution with the Marantz 2230 I am playing them on now is to hit the loudness button.   They sound quite nice this way.   I know, it's not an "audiophile approved" solution, but it sounds really great to me.   Played flat with the Marantz, they demonstrate amazing clarity but lack linearity.   With the bass boost, they have both.   They are especially amazing in the "sweet spot".   Lots of the sound wasn't coming from the speakers.   Some of it was in other parts of the room and some was right in the middle of my head.   That's what I love about horns.   So I have to use some eq (the loudness button) to make them sound like I want them to.   I'm okay with that.

I suspect (as you said IIRC and I have read from others) that a 6V6 amp is voiced with a bass emphasis, and these should pair well with one.   When my SC is done, I look forward to trying it with them.   In the meantime, this is working for me.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Ron, that link gives the schematic for the xover if it helps you at all.

[SunnyDaze]

Well, L-Padding would be a fix to the bass deficiency! It's a compromise, for sure. One that, as you correctly say, would ruin the low powered tube magic of the Klipsch Heresy.

I prefer the 6V6 amp with the Heresy I's because the overall tone of the 6V6 seems to play to the Heresys strength; that golden midrange. The 6V6 amp doesn't have the aggressive highs and punchy bass of the EL84 Maggotbox in stock or semi-stock configuration.

Subjectively, I tend to take the "appreciate it for what it is" approach to gear as of late so long as all components are performing up to par. I accept what the Heresys don't do well; the Heresys strengths go far above and beyond making up for the lack of bass output. While the EL84 amp may be more balanced overall, that balance doesn't create the same synergy with the Heresys as the 6V6 amp.

I'd be more than happy to bring both amps over along with an A/B selector to illustrate my point. Then again, your ears may completely disagree with mine.

 

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

I'm planning to do some A/B-ing with the Leak (EL84) and the Stromberg (6V6) as soon as I have the Stromberg up and running.   I figure the "winner" will get paired with the Heresys and the "loser" will have to settle for the University coax in the barzilay cabinets that Scott gave me.   I also need to find another pre for the Carver to duke it out with (I'm not sold on the Leak Point One) and another sub to go head to head with the Velodyne that Jim gave me.

With Jerome in the house, I wouldn't dream of having you bring tube amps over.   I can't have you risk it, and I am going to have to be very creative in how I set mine up.   If he smashed a vintage Mullard I might cry!

8W, did you recap your Heresys?   If so, did you find significant benefit?   What's your opinion of the caps I linked above?   They seemed to me to be best "bang for your buck".   I didn't want to go $50 each boutique caps, but I didn't want to go generic either.

[SunnyDaze]

I haven't gotten to the Heresys yet. They need a recone (cosmetic) and a recap. Also, the cabinets need refinished. I'll probably be getting to them around the end of July.

For what it's worth, Rural Tom bought the recap kit for his Fortes from Crites. We recapped them and found no difference.

As far as which caps to get - I think any good cap will suffice. Capacitance is capacitance. They either do their job or they don't. In terms of sound quality - If you ask 15 different people, you'll wind up with 15 different answers. The theorists and geeks will tell you that capacitors of varying construction will behave the same so long as they have the same parameters. Audiophool types will tell you that PIO caps or some sort of magic big dollar caps make all the difference the world. You are best off here to do some digging around on your own and see where the truth actually lies.

For what it's worth, when I do get around to mine, I'll be using poly film caps similar to what you plan on going with.

[RuralTom]

Nice looking Heresys, STaL!  They certainly look like they've been stowed away for a long time.

I found mine took at little getting used to... the right pairing of amp and room, in my case.  They do seem to sound better/best with 6V6s or SS amps that run towards the darker side.  They sound rather nice now in a smaller room, right up in the corners with an older Nak receiver.

[AdamG]

As far as which caps to get - I think any good cap will suffice. Capacitance is capacitance. They either do their job or they don't.

"If you can't measure a difference, there is no difference"
Glad to see common sense proliferating into the hifi world.

[EmperorNorton]

Common sense in the marketplace would be a rare thing.

[schwarcw]

Jentzen makes some very nice caps for the money.  I think they are the house brand for Parts Express

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

I thought Dayton was the house brand for PE.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

BTW, I was so busy with listening impressions that I didn't tell the story of finding these.   Since I was headed to Reading this past Saturday, I had been watching their CL.   I found the ad, with Klipsch mis-spelled and no pictures.   I suspect this slowed down some prospectors and people who use third party search engines.   

So I called him and he sent pics to my phone.   He said he had only one other response, a guy from Philly who couldn't make it out until Saturday morning.   He said that the first person to show up with the $250 was going home with them.   Well, I knew that wouldn't be me, so I called my brother in Williamsport.   He agreed to drive to Sunbury (IIRC) about 45 mins each way to meet the guy.

This is where the story gets a bit interesting.   Seems this guy was selling them for an eccentric uncle.   When ever the nephew (the seller) has a birthday or goes on vacation, the uncle gives him something of value from his storage and has him research price.   Then the uncle picks out an arbitrary price and tells the nephew that is what he has to sell them for.   The reason he had to have them gone by Saturday morning is because he and the wife needed casino money for Jersey.

So I asked the seller after hearing this story if there was any more audio gear.   He said that there is lots of different things and he really had no idea what all was there, but he had sold art and furniture before selling these speakers.   I of course told him that if he wanted to save the hassle of running CL ads and deal with a known buyer to save my number.   He said he would and seemed sincere.   After all, he is working from a set price via his uncle and knows that this transaction went smoothly.

I wonder if this contact will yield any other goodies?

[Resident]

Those are some gorgeous cabinets, and as you said if it sounds good to you the way you play it then why mess with anything.  Recap them and enjoy them on the system you choose to pair them with.

Remember you are the one that needs to be happy with it, no one else.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Remember you are the one that needs to be happy with it, no one else.

True that, and I am getting happier the longer they play.   I do think they were loosening up for the first couple hours especially.

[schwarcw]

I thought Dayton was the house brand for PE.

You are correct!  I am having mind farts today!  Mondays sheez!  Daytons or Jantzens are good value caps.

[rgpit]

STaL
I think any any decent quality polypropylene will be fine. I would also replace the dual wound iron core choke with 2 air cores. I can measure the values if you bring it over.

Ron