Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[Analog Addict]

Originally Posted by Beatlebum

AA,

Please tell me more!

Well, I had three pair of Klipsch at one time Cornwalls, Chorus Is and Forte IIs, and I basically sold/traded them to acquire my Khorns and haven't looked back. Others will tell you that the Jubilees are even better than the Khorn and I can't comment on that, never having heard them. But, if you like your Chorus IIs you will love Khorns. And, my main system, composed of 1950's Altec VOTTs blows the Khorns away. But not everyone is as lucky to have the kind of space I have...

Now imagine the 45 amp/sound, but with more depth, power and bass control, but retaining all the sweetness of your amp. Play some Diana Krall, and it sounds like she's singing while sitting in your lap. That's the benefit of going to a Parallel Single Ended 45 design. I'm hoping Dennis will build one shortly.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by Waterclocker

Great info!! I think I'll be trying some vintage Klipsch in the future with my KT150 Hotrod.

I love the sound with my current speakers, but the bass is just not there for rocking out (Seas A26 88db). I'm missing that deep room filling bass on Zep II RL and DSOTM. I was gravitating toward lighter music, till I hooked up my old Pioneer SX-880. That Pioneer reminded me of what I was missing in the bass, but then I lost the sweet tube sound

Another viable $ option exists for "more bottom end..rather than chasing different efficiency main speakers around. I recently tried pairing one of my custom built Scanspeak subwoofers (from another system) up with a pair of 91db custom built main speakers powered by the Hot Rod KT150 amp.

Very musical. The mains image well, blends well, sounds full, has bottom end. Seems to pair up particularly well with my ported (not passive radiator) Scanspeak sub. For store bought subs, maybe buy-try a Rel T/9i and return it if you don't like it. A buddy tried it too, kept his main speakers, and never looked back. What I like the best is being able to listen to it at very low volume at night and still have very full and musical sound.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Beatlebum

With all of the usual clarifications applying (my ears, my room, my system, etc.):

For me, the Klipsch Chorus II's with new crossovers and titanium tweeter diaphragms are the best sounding speakers I have owned over my 20+ years in this hobby, and I've got around $1,000 in to them all total.

I've done the low powered SET/high efficiency speaker setup previously but did not enjoy the performance no where like I do now. Probably due to my lack of knowledge, room, components, etc. at the time.

Now, Dennis' 45 Inspire amp mated with these Chorus II's provide me with startling dynamics, sweet extended highs, detailed and full bass, and fleshy midrange. Almost a three dimensional experience for lack of a better term.

And I get to deal with a really great fellow!

Tim

Originally Posted by Analog Addict

Believe it or not, you have just begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities....

AA is spot on. You could go on endlessly in this pursuit. Only you can decide where the end is.

Try some of the Supra tinned copper wire and you may forget about Nordost etc. When your wallet heals spring for a pair of the EML solid plate 45's before chasing more old production 45's. Enjoy your new amp.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

...
Try some of the Supra tinned copper wire and you may forget about Nordost etc. ...

Agree, and reasonably affordable too. Once you get the rest of the system pretty dialed in (and can actually hear differences with changes), it's amazing what simple interconnect and speaker wire changes can make. I've used the same Co brand Supra for internal wiring on some of my custom speakers before, and over the past few years using similar Aperature JJ silver-over-copper wire for speaker cables. Recently been comparing back and forth with some of the pure copper Cardas wire, interconnects. Its fun to swap and hear notable differences in tone, sound stage, warmth, and detail. Easy and can be rewarding too.

[Waterclocker]

Originally Posted by decooney

Another viable $ option exists for "more bottom end..rather than chasing different efficiency main speakers around. I recently tried pairing one of my custom built Scanspeak subwoofers (from another system) up with a pair of 91db custom built main speakers powered by the Hot Rod KT150 amp.

Very musical. The mains image well, blends well, sounds full, has bottom end. Seems to pair up particularly well with my ported (not passive radiator) Scanspeak sub. For store bought subs, maybe buy-try a Rel T/9i and return it if you don't like it. A buddy tried it too, kept his main speakers, and never looked back. What I like the best is being able to listen to it at very low volume at night and still have very full and musical sound.

That sounds like a nice option also. I just received my LP-3a back from Dennis yesterday and realized how much better it drives the amp than what I was using to get by. The bass is much much better now, I had not realized this before. I will soon have a dedicated area for my setup, rather than all these separates and TT spread across 2 dressers I need to get a baseline in that room and then go from there. So much gear and speakers that I want to try, I love this hobby!

[Rosco65]

Originally Posted by decooney

Agree, and reasonably affordable too. Once you get the rest of the system pretty dialed in (and can actually hear differences with changes), it's amazing what simple interconnect and speaker wire changes can make. I've used the same Co brand Supra for internal wiring on some of my custom speakers before, and over the past few years using similar Aperature JJ silver-over-copper wire for speaker cables. Recently been comparing back and forth with some of the pure copper Cardas wire, interconnects. Its fun to swap and hear notable differences in tone, sound stage, warmth, and detail. Easy and can be rewarding too.

Louis Ochos uses Supra in his speakers, which turned me onto the cable a few years ago. It’s pretty inexpensive and easy to use.

[decooney]

re: Break-in time for Hot Rod KT150 amp, ?

Last night I swapped my Inspire Hot Rod KT150 back in for some play time this week. It's been out of rotation for two weeks. It was playing for about three hours, and I started playing some tracks I'm very familiar with. I noticed a definite change to the sound compared to the last few times I listened to it at length. Right now, I'm only at 40hrs max on the amp and realize its going through it's normal paces and melt in time on a new amp and new tubes. It was so evident, I kept thinking I had the wrong interconnects this time for pre/amp and source, nope, same ones as last time. It's running the stock brand new TungSol KT150s and JJ 6SN7, JJ 5AR4 tubes. I plan to keep running it with these tubes for a while to track changes and see how it goes.

Difference:
Notably after it got good and warmed up this time, at about three hours of warm up some of the top end smoothed out even more, as if the highs became a tad more rolled out. Not sounding bad, just different. With highs less evident, I could hear a bit more in the midst and lower mid bass region too. Again, highs rolled off enough I wanted to grab some other interconnects that tend to be a tad brighter, but resisted. I may play it like this up to 100hrs.

Thanks in advance for your replies. Hope to hear form folks actually using Inspire amps vs. others. I have other tube amps, but my question is specific to Inspire only.

Question:
Have any of you noticed this type of (smoothed out and rolled off highs) type of change with your inspire in the early 50-100 hour period? What other changes might I begin to experience as I get into the 100-200hr mark?

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by decooney

re: Break-in time for Hot Rod KT150 amp, ?

Last night I swapped my Inspire Hot Rod KT150 back in for some play time this week. It's been out of rotation for two weeks. It was playing for about three hours, and I started playing some tracks I'm very familiar with. I noticed a definite change to the sound compared to the last few times I listened to it at length. Right now, I'm only at 40hrs max on the amp and realize its going through it's normal paces and melt in time on a new amp and new tubes. It was so evident, I kept thinking I had the wrong interconnects this time for pre/amp and source, nope, same ones as last time. It's running the stock brand new TungSol KT150s and JJ 6SN7, JJ 5AR4 tubes. I plan to keep running it with these tubes for a while to track changes and see how it goes.

Difference:
Notably after it got good and warmed up this time, at about three hours of warm up some of the top end smoothed out even more, as if the highs became a tad more rolled out. Not sounding bad, just different. With highs less evident, I could hear a bit more in the midst and lower mid bass region too. Again, highs rolled off enough I wanted to grab some other interconnects that tend to be a tad brighter, but resisted. I may play it like this up to 100hrs.

Thanks in advance for your replies. Hope to hear form folks actually using Inspire amps vs. others. I have other tube amps, but my question is specific to Inspire only.

Question:
Have any of you noticed this type of (smoothed out and rolled off highs) type of change with your inspire in the early 50-100 hour period? What other changes might I begin to experience as I get into the 100-200hr mark?

If you have some other 6SN7's on hand try them. You are probably 'hearing' the tubes settling in. Give it more hours and try not to listen critically.

[Bombadil]

I've tried several new tubes in my Inspire and for the most part haven't heard a lot of break-in after about 5 hours. I think "I" have broken-in a bit over time, learning to appreciate the characteristics of the amp.

I do hear differences in power tubes but when working with a particular tube type, the biggest differences I've heard has been in swapping the 6SN7. Most sound good but some produce a more natural, open, airy sound than others. The one I liked least was a brand new reissue Russian Tung-Sol. I've never heard a JJ 6SN7 but did have a JJ 6DJ8 and didn't like it. I have liked the JJ KT77 and Tung-Sol KT120, so it isn't that I'm against T-S or JJ.

[decooney]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

If you have some other 6SN7's on hand try them. You are probably 'hearing' the tubes settling in. Give it more hours and try not to listen critically.

Originally Posted by Bombadil

.. the biggest differences I've heard has been in swapping the 6SN7. Most sound good but some produce a more natural, open, airy sound than others. The one I liked least was a brand new reissue Russian Tung-Sol. I've never heard a JJ 6SN7 but did have a JJ 6DJ8 and didn't like it...

Found it, and I caused it by not using more neutral interconnect cables. Yep, it was my interconnects between the preamp/amp. First, I swapped in a 50s Sylvania 6SN7 same as I use on on my Cary SLP-98 preamp. Nope, not it. Swapped out higher end pure copper Cardas Golden Cross interconnects (known to be laid back / soft sounding in the Cardas line, normally used in my main system) in favor of a spare set of Apature JJ silver-over-copper interconnect cables. Instant change. Now it's more open, detailed, bass tightened a bit. Discovering the sound stage can be huge with the right synergy between interconnects at the source and between amp/preamp I'm finding out. The difference with interconnect cables is more noticeable (positively/negatively)with this amp as compared to others I've owned or demo'd. And with the cable change, my 91db speakers are plenty loud right now with this little Inspire [now] the top end opened up a little more. Also, tried the inspire with streamer direct and the SLPl-98 preamp in/out of the loop. I've concluded the Inspire definitely likes a good tube preamp in front for it to sound it's best. Discovering there are a few different things to mess with for tuning the sound outside of tube changes.

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