Anybody driving Klipsch Cornwalls with their BH amps?

[Jim R.]

And if so, which amps?  I scored a local, mint pair of Cornwalls from the 70s that have never been tampered with and which work great, and I'm going to pick them up on Saturday.

I ask because I realize that the sensitivity is somewhere around 100 dB, but it's a 3-way with a crossover and I'm concerned how well a SET amp will handle the more complex load.  If I remember correctly, I think these speakers used an autoformer as part of the crossover to match efficiency of the drivers, so my guess is that the load may be quite inductive.

-- Jim

[jeffj]

Crazy,  I was just going to say the same thing. I also just scored a pair of 1976 Cornwalls in nice condition for $675! You will enjoy them. They sound sweet, are very efficient and go way lower than my BK-16s, huge enclosure though. I threw in Bob Crites cap replacement and encased the squaker in plummers putty(it took out some of the zing).  I am now driving them with a St-70, but would like to move to SET. Does the 2A3 Paramont have enough power to drive Cornwalls?     

Jeff

[Lee Hankins]

My main system consists of a FPIII, Seduction, and 300B Paramounts driving a pair of cornwalls.  I have also used Paramours, SEX, the Get-set-Go (6A3, 6B4G amp), ST35, and Eiclones, to drive the cornwalls, all sounded excellent; the Paramours, SEX, and Get-set-Go all have similiar power. 

[Jim R.]

Cool.  Well, as soon as my s.e.x. amp is done I'll give it a try.  Probably also my 2a3/45 before I sell it.

Just got home with the speakers and man, they are pristine!  Got a chance to listen to them before loading them up and they sounded very sweet indeed.  Grilles are like new with no pulls, very few small to tiny dents, and razor sharp corners and edges.  A little wood doctor and  some 6-0 liberon bronze wool and these things will glow.

I've passed up many pairs of these in the past, but this was the pair I was waiting for.  Let the games begin...

-- Jim

[Dr. Toobz]

While not exactly CW's, I'm driving Heresy III's with a C4S'ed Seduction, choke-loaded Quickie, and Enhanced S.E.X. amp. The two horns are the same between both models, IIRC; the Heresy has a smaller woofer and a decibel or two less sensitivity (i.e., 99dB/1W/m) than the CW III.

The combo is amazing! The Klipsches are easy to drive, present an easy load for the amp, and get LOUD with very little power. I don't dare turn the S.E.X. and Quickie all of the way up in a medium-sized living room with cathedral ceilings, oak floors and Indian (i.e., jute/chindi) throw rugs - my neighbors wouldn't be happy!

[Paully]

I was driving a pair of Chorus II with Paramounts in 2a3 configuration.  Chorus II was the successor to the Cornwall, until they discontinued it and brought the Cornwall back.  It is also a three way with something like 101db efficiency.  You will have absolutely no problem driving them to ear splitting levels.  I did put a S.E.X. amp on a pair of Cornwalls at one time when I was visiting a Klipsch officianado.  The S.E.X. amp even had absolutely no problem giving massive volume and great dynamics on the speakers.  You will be just fine.  Probably want to use the 4 ohm tap since from my reading the one bad thing about the Klipsch speakers are their brutal impedance curves.  Nonetheless, like I said you will be just fine with low power on all Klipsch Heritage speakers.

As a side note, just for fun consider a new Bob Crites crossover.  I did.  He makes a high quality crossover that can help make the speakers shine.  My two cents.

[Jim R.]

Thanks all, and yes, either the Crites xover or new tweeter and a few other tweaks will be considered when I get a chance to listen more closely in my space, and measure the various drivers, etc.  Not jumping into anything though.  Just going to listen and enjoy with a couple different amps first.

-- Jim

[Todd R]

Couple years back I drove some Forte II's with a SEX amp (Just enough power) and then later on with Paramounts which was more than enough power for deafening levels!