Connecting Stereomour to Plate Amps (Augmentation)

[zs1962]

Dear BH forum members,

I am trying to make my mind on the best way to connect to plate amps (Keiga with Hawthorne Augies).
Two options come to mind:
1 - from my Stereomour speakers output to the high level input on the amp (parallel to the main speakers)
2 - to add a ForplayIII that will feed the Stereomour and the plate amps to the low level input
Also, I wonder if the Paramounts (2A3) have any advantage on Stereomour in that case.

I read various opinions, but not many are based on real experience
Your advise and experience sharing is most appreciated so I can go ahead with the right decision and spendings

Ze'ev

[Paul Joppa]

Option 1, using the speaker outputs, is by far the easiest. The advantage is the best sonic consistency or integration; the disadvantage is the potential for hum because Stereomour uses AC heating on the 2A3s. I would try this first, and look no further unless the hum becomes an issue.

[InfernoSTi]

Ze'ev,

I have mine connected exactly as Paul has said...no hum that I can tell and the integration is really good. 

Now I know some who like to take them off the second set of RCA outs on their Warpspeed Opticoupler (Johnnycopy on the Hawthorne Audio Forum, perhaps, if I recall correctly)...that is a particular pre amp, by the way.  I didn't like that sound as well once I tried it, however (I have the same pre amp as he does).  My theory was that the Stereomour sounded so good and had excellent bass extension so that it married very well where perhaps he didn't have such an amp and got better results bypassing his amp.

I, based on experience with the Stereomour, recommend speaker level connection.

Best,
John

[Grainger49]

I use option two but have to add a pot to shed some signal because the gain in the sub amp was too much.  I have no hum from this set up.

[Tubejack]

I have a pair of Hawthorne Sterling Silver Iris + Augie's in OB.  I drive the Augies with 2x200w mono SS amps, through a DBX 234 set up as a 2-way active crossover, which allows me to set the xover point and gains as needed.  I am working on a pair of SET 45's, which when completed I want to try using the DBX as a 3-way, with the 45's on the HF coaxial and the 300B SET's on the mids.  My guess is the 234 may not be up to the task, and I'm considering the RANE 23S if I decide to keep a 3-way setup.

I do use a linestage into the 234, usually an Extended FP III, but I also use a DIY Pass B1 Buffer preamp / Silk TVC combo.  I have no hum issues.

What I'm really looking forward to is the Bottlehead 300B linestage .....

My mono LF amps take XLR inputs from the 234's XLR LF outputs, but I modified the rest of the 234's XLR I/O's to singled ended RCA's.