Eico HF-81 with Klipschorn


I recently brought Eico HF-81, intergrated tube amp. After hooking up with my Klipschorn with Sony SCD xa777 es. My interconnection and speaker cables are MIT. 14 Watts rocks my Klipschorn with new level of true sound that I've ever heard before. I only turned volume to 2 and sound is very warm, sweet, with mid range and base. I enjoy every night before bed time. HF81 is excellent choice for "wife factor."
sanjose_audio_guy
Thanks Dfhaleycko for your information. I love my true system very much. My wife is happy with my expense after selling Mark Levinson No. 23 and 28 and B&W 801 Matrix series 2. I am surprising that using old MIT Tube MH750 speaker cables (costing $150) making Klipschorn singing with different level comparing Transparent MWS10 Super Speaker Cables. For pure analog, my Linn Sondek LP-12 makes Klipschorn singing more warm, light, and soft vocal, especially Partial Barber and Diana Krall. I am thinking about upgrading my Klipschorn crossover AA. But right now I am short cash for my remodel my house and wife factor controls finance. I can only afford buying crossover less than $150 sale including shipping. I can wait for right moment looking at used AA crossover for sale.
I recently upgrade new Cap 12uF and 2uF for crossover ($80 for upgrade crossover kit). I followed procedures on www.critesspeakers.com/crossovers.html. The sound is big difference when I play LP with more details on vocal and bass deeper than before. I hooked up Klipschorn with Dynaco ST70 and PAS3. Sound is much warmer than Eico HF81. For vocal, HF81 is winner as EL84 but ST70 with EL34 is classical symphoney.
I am surprised somewhat by your findings.

I know the Dynaco sound very well. I still own the Dynaco ST70 I built as a kit in 1968. Mine has been in continuous use up until 2005 when I had to rebuild it due to deteriorating circuit boards and dying electrolytic capacitors. It sounds very pretty, but is not up to the standard of many of today's best amplifiers. On the other hand, the HF-81 can be very competitive if it is working correctly!

When I upgraded the power supply electrolytic capacitors in my Eico HF-81, one of the main improvements was much more powerful bass. I would expect the HF-81 to sound sweeter than the Dynaco pair.

Anyway, I think the warmth you hear may be a combination of weak mid-bass output of the HF-81 due to weak power supply caps and the very round sound that the PAS3 produces. I like the phono section of the PAS3, but it is not really all that good a line section, especially for extended treble or deep bass. On the other hand, the Klipsh speakers may be a perfect match for that combination. You may have discovered something.

Whatever works best for your ears is exactly right! Enjoy the music!