Recent Acquisitions

[Old Kyle]

For some reason tube watts seem to sound louder than solid state watts.  Compare a 25 watt Fender deluxe amp to a "100 watt" stereo system sometime.

I don't know why this is the way it is or if it is a misperception on my part or just the vagaries and lack of consistency in what companies report as wattage on things, but I've definitely seen it. 

When output tubes are being pushed and really working, if in a well engineered system, they will produce a sweet, musical sound because there is natural compression that occurs and they naturally emphasize the even ordered (or maybe it's the the odd ordered, I always forget which) harmonics in the music which are the harmonics your ears want to hear.  This happens whether the amp is a 40 watt amp, a 10 watt amp, or a 100 watt amp.

Also, the efficiency rating of speakers is very significant in how good/loud you hear things.  After all, it is the speakers that you actually hear.

[CollectorScum]

Guitar amps and stereo amps are very different beasts.  To grossly simplify things, wattage has to do with how loudly you can play something before the signal gets distorted.  On a stereo amp you do not want distortion, whereas most guitar players are aiming for it.  But for both, people tend to prefer how a tube amp clips (distorts) versus how a solid state one does.

New McIntosh equipment is ridiculously expensive, but that's true for anything designed and built in the US to a very high standard today.  Not that the used stuff is exactly cheap, but there are much better deals.  My amp is a MC2105 which was made from 1967-1977. It is one of their earliest solid state amps, and apparently the circuit is closer to the tube amps of that time, which is seen as a plus.  It's conservatively 105 watts per channel and weighs about 60 pounds.  It's their earliest amp with the blue power meters which is the look they still have today, but you can get one for $500-$1000 versus $5000 for a MC252, which is their cheapest 2 channel solid amp today (beefier at 250 watts per channel, but still.)

[scott b]

New McIntosh equipment is ridiculously expensive, but that's true for anything designed and built in the US to a very high standard today.  Not that the used stuff is exactly cheap, but there are much better deals.  My amp is a MC2105 which was made from 1967-1977. It is one of their earliest solid state amps, and apparently the circuit is closer to the tube amps of that time, which is seen as a plus.  It's conservatively 105 watts per channel and weighs about 60 pounds.  It's their earliest amp with the blue power meters which is the look they still have today, but you can get one for $500-$1000 versus $5000 for a MC252, which is their cheapest 2 channel solid amp today (beefier at 250 watts per channel, but still.)

I think 100 watts would be plenty of power.  According to the Klipsch site the cornwalls have a 100w max (1000w peak).  I have been snooping around the klipsch forum and another audio forum and i have seen guys run these with a lot less power (but they are listening to mainly jazz and soft rock).  So I think I have a lot of options and a buyers market to pick from.

The Mac guy was showing me the top of the line gear.  He was showing seperates for solid state, and when I asked about tubes he showed me the ma2275.  I guess it's their tube integrated amp.  Looked awesome, but not $7,000 awesome.

[dS]

I have been snooping around the klipsch forum

I was looking at that yesterday after our exchange about speakers.  There's some pretty intense speaker people on there.

[yanni805]

Just got The Dickies Paranoid/Hideous/You Drive Me Ape 10" for $3.95 at Rasputin. Call letters are on the record and cover but whatevs. Anyone know what this tends to go for? Didn't see it up on popsike.

Also got original Roxy Music s/t and For Your Pleasure for $4.

Miles Davis- ESP $5

Fugazi s/t & Steady Diet of Nothing $6

John & Alice Coltrane- Cosmic Music $20

I passed on this band called sexual investigation or something like that? It's three words. Does this ring a bell to anyone and am I an idiot for not getting this?

[dS]

Human Sexual Response?

[scott b]

I have been snooping around the klipsch forum

I was looking at that yesterday after our exchange about speakers.  There's some pretty intense speaker people on there.

yea they are intense.  people at audiokarma.org are even more intense.  i think i might take up some of the offers these guys made in having folks come over to listen to their systems. 

i love this thread: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145059
such awesome turntables and set ups.

this one is crazy:

[yanni805]

Yeah that's it. Human Sexual Response.

[clayton s]

AW MAN, you fugged up. Super rare.

[yanni805]

Well, it's at Rasputin on the floor right now. Some Termbo should go get it.

[Kiss My Machine]

Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody 45. Just won it for $19.58

[teenagegurls]

Television, Double Exposure ELL PEE (living the dream on a dollar a day!)

[nickg]

Rahsaan Roland Kirk--"Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata"

ooooh yeah.

[Shaun A]

just got a bunch of 7"s while dropping off a rug to a charity shop

Devo - Be Stiff
three Male Nurse singles
Bananamen play songs made famous by The Cramps
Scritti Politti - Sweetest Girl
a single by the Shirts

all for 25p!

[bazooka joe]

just got a bunch of 7"s while dropping off a rug to a charity shop

Devo - Be Stiff
three Male Nurse singles
Bananamen play songs made famous by The Cramps
Scritti Politti - Sweetest Girl
a single by the Shirts

all for 25p!

don't you mean... CHAZZA?

that bananamen is SICK!!!