Oh F**K,whadda I do now?

Ali Tait · Post by **Ali Tait** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:42 pm

I got back to Leeds earlier this evening,armed with a KEL84 that I'd procured with the intention of creating a second (more room friendly) system up at my girlfriend's place in Scotland,along with my B&W P5's that I still have,and a spare cd player.Of course,I had to just try the kel on the statics.I wasn't really expecting much,just put it on out of curiousity.It sounds good.Really good.Drives them no problem at all.Maybe lacks just a little in air and space in the mid compared to the liang,but on initial impression,everything else is better.Does this mean that the liang is really in fact pants? Bollocks! Damn and blast!! Have I really been barking so far up the wrong tree? C'mon chaps,be honest,how did you think it sounded at Owstfest? I remember getting quite a few positive comments at the time.Or were you just being polite? Maybe it's that a PP amp makes a better job of driving the statics? Your thoughts would be appeciated.I'm sitting here quite gobsmacked to be honest,listening to how well a humble kel is driving these speakers.

Yours very confusedly,Ali.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:48 pm

Hi Ali,

I empathise. I've never seriously listened to a EL84 based amp but realise so many swear by them. You're prompting me to maybe explore a little.......I'm thinking about it

Best wishes,

Greg

richardcooper2k · Post by **richardcooper2k** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:04 am

perhaps you just need to take your time listening to both and see where it takes you

there's still a lot of people out there who prefer pp to se. its not like ones right and the other is wrong

the liang sounded good to me at owfest, but then it was'nt in your living room with your source and speakers. and my ears/head/nervous system/brain are slightly different to yours (luckily for you)

pre65 · Post by **pre65** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:19 am

Hi Ali-i know what you mean.

My S/E 845 lash up sounds very nice,but i also like the PP 832a, they both have their strengths and i suppose i could live with either !

I think that as the Quad ESL speakers were happy with Quad 11 amps then there is no reason KEL84 should not perform as they are of similar power output.

ed · Post by ed » Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:01 pm

I'll stick my neck out here...cos nobodies shouted at me for a while...but...I believe this has absolutely nothing to do with SE vs PP but rather illustrates a bit of synergy...

I've tried many SEs and one particular PP and they all sound bad in one way or another with my stats....My current PP sounds fantastic...so I don't see how anybody can bring any generalisation to bear......

sounds to me like your stats and the kel84 are just a good match Ali! doesn't mean the 845 is bad.

the more we think about it, the more chance for confusion....

richardcooper2k · Post by **richardcooper2k** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:48 pm

whoever invented synergy wants shooting

Neal · Post by **Neal** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:32 am

richardcooper2k wrote:....

there's still a lot of people out there who prefer pp to se. its not like ones right and the other is wrong

Crikey, you make it sound like people using PP have not seen the light and have yet to be 'converted' LOL!

I'll go with the 'synergy' thing as well.

richardcooper2k · Post by **richardcooper2k** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:22 am

sorry, should have missed out the word still perhaps

though i think i meant it is by no means inevitable that once you have tried se you will find pp lacking in some way as a lot of people don't

Ali Tait · Post by **Ali Tait** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:40 pm

Hi Folks,
Had more of a chance to listen today after visiting Nick's yesterday.Yes the KEL sounds bloody good still at home,but strangely sounded totally pants on Nick's baffles.I'll start a separate post on what we did at Nick's.I've found I'm running the KEL at near max volume to drive the statics,but don't hear any sign of clipping.Mo had a listen before he went home.I'll let him post his impressions.He did say though,"When are you putting the Liang up for sale?"

swampy · Post by **swampy** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:19 pm

Hi Ali...

I have a pair of electrostatics I bought off a friend. When I had a Mr liang 845 it would not even entertain them. Sounded quite flat and a little rolled off. I was quite surprised to hear that you was driving a pair with a SET, even a big un like the 845.

A good push-pull should always better a SET on a difficult load like a panel speaker. I am back on a transistor power amp and tube pre-amp to drive mine. Thinking about using a hybrid SET power amp at some stage, ie 300B with a mosfet o/p like the new Fusion, 50W but in theory with a SET sound.

swampy

Paul Barker · Post by **Paul Barker** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:06 pm

Ali Tait wrote:Hi Folks,
Had more of a chance to listen today after visiting Nick's yesterday.Yes the KEL sounds bloody good still at home,but strangely sounded totally pants on Nick's baffles.I'll start a separate post on what we did at Nick's.I've found I'm running the KEL at near max volume to drive the statics,but don't hear any sign of clipping.Mo had a listen before he went home.I'll let him post his impressions.He did say though,"When are you putting the Liang up for sale?"

so the old wad el84 pp is still a marvelous little amp.

nothing new yet then.

Ali Tait · Post by **Ali Tait** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:57 pm

Belated post,but I found what the problem was.Before I took the amp round to Nicks,I'd had some new jan 6ac7's in to put a few hours on them.I intended to put the best sounding pair I had back in,but managed to put in a pair of 6sj7's I had instead.What a numpty! In my defence,they look identical....

This was what caused the poor sound.When I found out and swapped back to the 6ac7's all was well again.Yes the KEL84 is still a very nice little amp,but better than the Liang? No. My faith is restored.

audio-talk

Oh F**K,whadda I do now?

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