Klipsch Heresy: Inexpensive Int. Amps or Receivers


I just helped a friend pick up a pair of Klipsch Heresy's in good condition, now it's time to select the right amplification. They like a full range of music - and want to experience both rock with all its power to the sweetness of vocals. They are not averse to tubes, but need something with multiple inputs. They don't have a lot of money, so $450 would likely be tops. Right now, my short list includes:

- Jolida 102b
- Restored tube integrateds from Eico or Scott
- Older Marantz receivers (e.g. 22xx series, low power)

Thoughts on these candidates? Other recommendations? Thanks very much in advance. Peter
peter_s
With any Heritage model, remove the horn lense of any from the cabinet and thoroughly coat the rear of it with 1/4 to half inch layer of silicone caulk to tame the brightness or 'shoutiness' and you will be happy camper. Biggest tweak you can do and it is a breeze.
Indeed the Heresy in not a bookshelf. I happen to own 1976 1s but owned a pair of 2s at one point just to see what the bferrite vs th alnico magnets did the sound.Surprisingly they sounded very much alike.The Luxman sounds like va good match due to the cashmere blanket smoothness of the Lux to counter the easy to induce shrill hashhy shouty no bass oops I used to love my speakers they were my first audiophool pair bought for $550 grills were another $50 I couldn't afford. Guess what I still have them but don't play them often. About 5 years ago I fulfilled my dream speakers , the one I really wanted 1976 a pair of LaScalas.
I bread that the unlikely combination of a Mac Power Amp and Klipsch had great synergy. So I bought a cheap I have no idea how old 2505 Mac with a minimal output of 50wpc. I had auditioned the LaScalas with a Bottlehead 2A3 amp and it was loud but the bass was MIA. these have 15' woofers that you can't see unless you break some kind of hermetical seal but reportedley fire stright into the wooden coner that is in the middle ofg the bass cabinet.
It was va completely different sound the woofers came alive and balance was back to something sort of normal.
The point is that better crossovers would in my mind direct much of the energy at the woofer and yes bass reiforcement from a solid floor does a great deal achieve a better tonal balance.
Even though I used the Heresys for 25 years and thought why get anything else. When my equally old amp died one of students told me stereo was audio and the reason I couldn't find a store to replace my integrated Japanese amp was because it had become a very low key and holy mother of pearl insanely expensive hobby called high end.
Wow like many who enter those gates the addiction grabbed me buy the---where had I gone in these last 7+ years a slippery slope ideed. Monoblock Tube power amps a tube collection of over 150 pairs of 6SN7s by themselvesJM/Focal Electra Speakers Oh yes the waf system only a Jadis DA-60 I could go on.
My Heresy IIIs I picked up the other day have plenty of bass. Being driven by a Cary 120S tube amp. I had Heresy Is in the 80s and they could never seem to get enough power for the bass. I think the problem as mentioned in another thread was they were designed to be on the floor. My IIIs have the risers and sound quite good.
The more power the better. Klipsch woofers just don't get going until they are fed power. Use warm cables to cool down the shouty midrange.
I picked up a pair of Heresys and a Luxman R-1050 (55wpc) reciever this weekend. I was floored at how good the pair sounded. The Luxman has a very tube like sound with the grip of a SS amp. More detail and clarity than I was expecting. Very life like presentation. More than enough power to drive the Heresys to concert levels. Don't overlook using vintage equipment. Plus the wood grains on the vintage equipment looks so cool. I have also had Cayin and Prima Luna products and would recommend them.

Good luck and have fun...great speakers.
Jolida for the price, and power range is a very good choice.. Can be found used for good deals too. However only reason to go with any vintage gear like a sansui or a marantz is that you want some tone controls to boost bass or tame down the horn. Other than that the jolida should be a one stop solution for matching pretty well.

Tone controls can be nice for these speakers as they are not perfectly well balanced, but are a great design as a platform for tweaking and cheap enough to do it with good results.
I would be partial to the Jolida, matter of fact I have a 502a and have considered of maybe trying to find a pair of Heresy's to add to my system at some point (also considering a pair of Large Advents).

Also, for the $450 price point, you might want to check out some vintage MacIntosh or Scott or even Dynaco gear. Just going to the Audiogon sales listing I found these candidates.

Mcintosh MAC 1700 Receiver - which was $495 (already sold)
Scott LK-72B Tube Intergrated - $475
Scott 299B Tube Intergrated - $399
Dynaco SCA-35 Tube Integrated - $325

Btw, I love when people put together a good sounding vintage system.
Only going by what I have experienced but the Sansui Au series was a real good quality Int.Amp..I am using ( basement system ) the Au 517 int. and TU 517 tuner..They worked very well with Klipsch ...KG4 and Forte 2 ...I would have loved to try the Cornwall ..but never got around to it..You may be able to find a used pair of Fortes' for around for that $$$...Also the Klipsch Hereseys ( need stands ) are also a possibility..
Thanks Thorman. Any particular models? Do any of the Sansui receivers share the same synergistic qualities?
The ( 70s ) Vintage Sansui ( Au series ) Integrateds work very well with the Klipsch..A touch of sweetness from the Sansui is a nice fit for the Klipsch....