vintage...

TroyD

Okay, I've spent the better part of the last couple days playing around with the Marantz 2238B / KLH 22's / Dynaco A-25's using my AMC CD8b and AR XA turntable.

I've been considering assembling in the computer room a 'vintage' rig so I've been doing a lot of comparing of the Dynaco's and the KLH's to see what I like better.

Let me preface this by saying that BOTH speakers are ultimately listenable and are worthy on thier own merits of being featured in thier own rig.

While the LOOK somewhat similar, the sound is totally different. The KLH from the midrange on down is just silky smooth. Bass rolls of nicely, very laid back smooth sound. The treble isn't as smooth. Hard to describe as it doesn't detract per se from the overall sound but it could be improved on. Overall, these are a VERY musical speaker and very fun to listen to. Props to Mr. Kloss for designing a speaker that, maybe not a 'purist' speaker in terms of flat response but is just a pleasure to listen to.

The A-25's are a horse of a different color. The treble on these is very clean, clear, accurate. In fact, you could say that about the entire frequency range. It may just be me or because or just because I'm comparing them to the KLH's but they seem to be almost a little forward sounding in the mid to higher frequencies. The bass is adequate although with a 10" woofer I expected more bass. The sound, overall, is very clean and dry, I expected the sound to be more like the KLH's or Boston Acoustics but instead is more in the vein of B&W, IMO.

On the whole, I'd give the edge to the A-25 and I think that I'll more than likely hang on to them for this rig. The KLH's aren't going anywhere just on principle and cool factor alone.

BDT

Tour2ma

Pics... we want pics...

shack

Originally posted by TroyD
Props to Mr. Kloss for designing a speaker that, maybe not a 'purist' speaker in terms of flat response but is just a pleasure to listen to.

Along the same line...last weekend I finished re-foaming my Large Advents (circa 1978) and have been getting to know them again over the past week.

Bass rolls off nicely, very laid back smooth sound.

There is definitely a lineage to the "New England Sound" which was associated with AR, KLH and Advent. ("soft highs, mellow midrange, and plump bass" - to quote Chip Stern). Mellow is definitely the operative word here. I put them in my system with the RT25i and PSW202 subwoofer with a little A/B switching on various types of music. The Polks are by comparison very detailed in the upper range and image much, much better. But...the midrange on the Advent is sooooooo smooth and well.....MELLOW. George Benson sounds great....early Spiro Gyra and Stanley Jordan are very nice. Most anything with acoustic guitar sounds good on these speakers. Handel's Water Music - The Music for the Royal Fireworks was wonderful...and... so was my SACD Messiah which quite frankly suprised me. While the orange tweeters aren't the last word in detail, they do the job nicely with no fatigue. I have heard some say that these speakers are "muddy" compared to some of the modern day speakers...I say they are very "listenable". Of course my first speakers were ARs and then along came the Advents so I guess I am a little biased.

I think that I may do a little A/B with the RT55is in the next few weeks just to see how one of my "old " favorites stack up to one of my "new" favorites.

Anyway...the 2 year anniversary of his death is not until Jan. 31 but since I'm on the topic anyway...here is a toast to Mr. Henry Kloss...and the "New England Sound" he helped to create.

Thank you Henry.

TroyD

As most of you know, I'm a cleft lip, cloven hoof **** that doesn't have a digital camera. I'll see if I can borrow one and take some pics, it really is pretty neat, I've got a HELL of a pile of gear set up in the cave right now. Dynaco, KLH, Carver, AR, Conrad Johnson, Marantz, B&W.....

BDT

madmax

With good cheap camera's available under $100 even the cheapest of ****'s I know have one. Might be time to treat yourself to the benifits of the 21st century...
madmax

TroyD

True enough......

The other part of the problem is having a computer to handle it. My 'puter is a 97 vintage pentium 200MMX and the monitor is going so most pictures just look like big blobs of black.

Seeing as that we just wrote a check for three grand for the furnace, the whole computer/camera thing gets pushed back even farther!

Chuck, I SWEAR I'm going to get you those tapes....

BDT

bikezappa

WOW the AR turntable! The test for this turntable was to put a 45 record completely off center on the platter. Place the tone arm on the 45 record and turn on the power. The sucker would track the F-in record!!
This sucker cost $79 in the 60's.