Power for Klipschorns

Sounds like you need an integrated amp with built-in phono stage. I'd look here on the 'Gon for what's available. With the speakers you are using, you have more options than if you were trying to drive power hungry speakers, so tube amplification is a viable option for you. 

Always a good source is to visit the Klipsch owners site. A lot of knowledge there .

David Pritchard

Thank you! I will check that out.

Thanks David, I do belong to that one and hadn't got around to posting to it yet but that is an excellent suggestion.  Should be a few folks with the same or similair set up I would think!

i used the Khorns with KG5.5 centers and rear with a Klipsch sub for years. I used the Marantz SR9600 using this set up. The Klipsch speakers don't require a lot of power so a modern Marantz avr might fill your needs

what would be cool is if you bought my Mac c-28 preamp this old Mac has a left, right ,and a center channel output. I use it right now with my K horns. Selling cheap!

How would I run the sub?  How much for the Mac?  Thanks!

there's always a couple of ways to run the sub I think a lot of people run it from the L. and R. channels threw the sub and then to the speakers. Check out the sub instructions. six hundred for the pre.

What is your Vinyl rig? If you go the route of a AVR, I believe few have phono stages. I don't see that as a problem as there are many quality budget ones available. Need one that best matches up with your cartridge. I believe Klipsch sound best with electronics leaning toward the warm laid back sound. I know the Marantz 2 channel amps ( at least those in your budget) tend that way, you might take a listen to their AVRs.

Visit the Klipsch owners site.

A small wattage set amplifier would be a great match.  2A3C is what I used when I had a pair of la scalas.   It was only 4 watts and powered them well at low/medium/ and high volume.  Would recommend something like that for 2 channel and get surround sound receiver or integrated for theater.

K-horns are just about the most efficient loudspeaker on the planet.  You can drive them with one of those under 10 watts single ended tube amps.  Back in the late 50's Klipsch decided that a center channel was a good idea, which is where people started using the Heresy, La Scala or Cornwall.  Some of the receivers, integrated amps and preamps of the day had line-level center channel outputs.  You'd feed that to a mono power amp to drive your center channel loudspeaker.

$1500 will certainly get you some decent solid state gear though it's going to be hard to find a solid state piece with a mono output for center channel.  You could look to score something like a Fischer integrated tube amp or 500C receiver (they'll have a mono output)  and add a mono tube amp.  You could probably do that within your $1500 budget.

You could build a preamp equal to anything sold here on Audiogon from Glass-Ware Audio for about $500 in parts.  But you'd have to know what you were doing or know someone who can coach you.

But by all means, remember that you don't need more than about 3 watts to drive K-horns.  3 watts into K-horns is like 200 watts into most any other loudspeaker.  Efficient, remember?