What amplifiers/integrateds do you like with Cornwall IVs?


I sold my Forte IIIs and moved in Cornwall IVs.  I have 3 amps to play with, but because I'm doing break in and running them for long periods, I'm using a Class A Music Hall Mambo.  It sounds pretty sublime.   Later I'll try the 300B and PP KT150 integrated.  

What do folks like to pair Cornwall IVs with?  This Class A amp makes me think I should beg Santa for a Luxman Class A!
128x128jbhiller

Showing 4 responses by boothroyd

jbhiller - seems like you’ve got yourself a few winners there! I’m not surprised the PL lit them up, but the SS Mambo is a definite bonus 👍
Lots of outstanding SET amps out there, but some HE loudspeakers require more drive. I'm no engineer (maybe someone else with better chops could explain), but it seems like a big impedance swing across the spectrum can tax many flea-watt amplifiers making the system sound anemic.
I understand a Jadis DA80S will bring down the house with the Cornwall IV. Jadis has a pair in France and A/V Therapy in NH mentioned the combo was positively stunning.
First off, I was never a Klipsch fan back in my retail daze until I heard the mid-’80s version of the Cornwall II hooked up to a Kyocera stack w/an R861 receiver. All Walnut side panels in CWD walnut audio furniture & those walnut CIIs. A George Straight CD (happened to be handy) inserted/played to make sure all was working and OMG ~ Glorious midrange, real bass and overall tonality to die for!

That version ’85 Cornwall II made a closet Klipsch believer out of me!

Fast forward 20 years and the Klipsch Heritage Series is being (re)introduced. As bad luck would have it, my favorite Cornwall, now in version III, featured a cost savings Heresy midrange assembly as the factory had lost the tooling for the original midrange horn and wouldn’t spend the $$ on a new die. These Heritage products were expertly birthed & voiced by Mark Kauffman when he was with Klipsch.

It now appears that since the Klipsch Heritage series is a success, Roy Delgado has revamped the entire lineup along with the addition of a Forte III model, and horn technology more inline with his proven beliefs - hence the Cornwall IV featuring their (finally) purpose built Tractrix® midrange horn.

Jadis tube amplifiers, recognized for their seductive tone and musicality, have twice been placed on my radar screen recently with the DA88S and the Klipsch Cornwall IV pairing specifically.

While I personally have not experienced the DA88S ($14,995 US) with the Cornwall IV, I was told firsthand that the combo is a easy favorite at the Jadis Factory along with the French importer of Klipsch. On a 2nd unrelated encounter I discovered the guys at A/V Therapy had stumbled into the same exact pairing discovery in their NH store. I would suggest reaching out to them. John Rein is their ring leader whom I sure would be happy to share his enthusiam.