Receiver for Forte IIs?

I just picked up a pair of used Klipsch Forte IIs and was wondering if anyone had a receiver recommendation? i've heard great things about tube amps with these speakers but i wouldn't know what to buy, especially since i don't want to spend any more than 500 dollars max. I was thinking a refurbished NAD C720 BEE 50 wpc for 430 or a Harman Kardon HK3485 120 wpc for 250 on sale, any other suggestions in my price range?

thanks for any help you can give.

Dan

Well, I don't know what would fit within that budget too well, but you could probably get the Parasound Halo A23 used for about $500, which is a great 2-channel amp or the NAD is a good unit too. I would pick the Parasound over the NAD though. Are you looking for receiver, amp or int. amp though?

hey PeruvianSkies, thanks for the reply. I was looking for a receiver and actually the guy who sold me the forte IIs gave me an old luxman R-115 stereo receiver so when i get the cables tomorrow or the next day and hook it all up and see how it sounds but i'm not expecting big things because he told me it wasnt in the greatest shape... so a receiver is preferable unless this one exceeds my expectations in terms of its condition. i just probably need something that has a warm sound although i'm not sure how bright the fortes will sound compared to the new reference series stuff... heard NAD had a laid back sound that might match well. thoughts?

dan

the fortes are rated at 100wrms/500 peak, would the NAD be underpowering them at 50 wpc? i heard their ratings are conservative like many HKs...

Hi. I own the NAD C720BEE. I have it paired with two pairs of the Cambridge Soundworks Newton M80 speakers. My speakers have a sensitivity of 86 db and are rated at 8 ohms. Granted, I don't play loud music, but I have never gotten the receiver above the 11 o'clock position. Most Klipsch speakers are known for being very efficient. According to the Klipsch website, your speakers have a sensetivity of 99dB @ 1watt/1meter. Between the efficiency of your speakers and the conservative power rating of the NAD, I don't think that you would be underpowering your Klipsch speakers. Good luck.

so how did the Luxman do with the Forte's?

if a receiver is not an absolute must, i would seriously consider the Trends Audio TA-10.1. about $150 to your door and is a very refined and excellent sounding little amp. the Fortes are efficient enough to make a very good match with the TA-10.1.

well from the guy's description it takes a few minutes for the channels to warm up sometimes, which i've heard has been a problem for these receivers in one or two other forums when i searched the receiver... and i couldn't find the cables i wanted in any stores around me so i ordered them online. might not be able to let you know how it all works until sometime next week depending on how fast they ship... i've been looking into a tube or a hybrid on audiogon in case it doesn't work out.

although i'm thinking of buying a kavent A-210 integrated hybrid amp from a guy on audiogon... can't find out much about this amp online, but the limited resources i found seemed to speak favorably of it... i think i might wait until my cables come and see how the luxman treats me.

so i have a semi-budget system with my forte II's powered by an Onix RA-120 dual mono integrated amp 120 wpc rms and some acoustic research master series 10 gauge speaker wire. sounds pretty amazing, might add a sub if a come across some extra money but the bass sounds good right now except down in the deep <35 hz range it drops off... but i'm really happy with it and it plays LOUD and clear! ended up not using the luxman one of the channels had a delay before it started workin and i didn't want to risk hurting anything... probly will sell it for like 30 bucks on ebay to someone who wants to work on it or something... so can't speak about the luxman...

Dandre,
These Klipsch speakers are amazingly efficient.In basic terms they will go about ten times louder than average speakers for the same power input.
This means you only need an amplifier about 10 watts per channel.Ignore the power ratings.This only tells you how much power they can handle not what is best siuted.

They would be a great match with a simple tube amp and are likely to sound much nicer than with an old transistor amp[probably any transistor amp really].Klipsch and tubes just go together.