Hello,
Well the system is together(check my other thread ...calling all users)for the crazy system I have put together.

Let me start buy saying I have done this in stages trying to get a feel for the improvements.

Stage1:I added a BagEnd sub system to my Shannling EL34/PP Klipsch La Scala system.Very impressive!(La Scala's are known for steep rolloff at @ 60hz)The BagEnd system consists of 2x18 sealed encloser passive subs and an EQ/integrator component.They biuld sealed enclosures to have a resonent freq. at 60hz with the corresponding 12db rolloff per oct. below that(phisics at work)and add gain to the signal in proportion to that rolloff with the integrator.WOW this sub system blends very well,seamless with impact at low volumes,clean,detailed and fast like the bass signature of the LAS(sealed enclosure also).When you stand on the volume...well there are 2 18's,can you say IMPACT...OMG like when I go to the local bar and hear it live....

Stage ll:Enter the Decware monos,Swapped out the Shannlings for these jewels(a friend said they were ugly little basterds LOL,I said wait till you hear em...he was a believer about 20 min later...and so am I)At this stage I am driving the LAS full range with the BagEnd's and for the first 20 min or so I was not really impressed(but hey this is tube gear...give it some time),about 15 min later WOW everything just blewup,the soundstage,the clarity of the presentation,the inner detail,the bass was full(not really much impact)and had great tone,very pleasing.I listened to this stage for about 3 days not wanting to throw the big ol Altec horns and other gear into the system.The stock horns on the LAS's have always been a bit harsh/irritating though much better with the Shannling PP monos.The Shannling gear only sound hard at high volumes not so with these Decware monos...hell I was standing on the volume and it NEVER got irritating or fatiguing just smooth.So this is what SET sounds like,and 4 watts or so can drive this big LAS speaker 15in woofer and all....WOW were talking about 110db before the amps sounded like they were gonna give out.I have struggled with that 5 watt hurdle for about 2 years.My mind knows what a LAS can do with one watt and then only 5 watts to work with...it gets better.

Stagelll:Enter the big ol Altec 511B/902 combo conected directly to the Decwares w/an outboard 2way x-over accepting everything from 500hz to 20khz(wow what a driver that 902 is)the bass bins in the LAS are driven by a Bryston3B SS amp and fed everything below that down to about 90hz then the BagEnd system takes over.The 511/902 blows away the stock mid/high horn by Klipsch.Most people on the Klipsch forum agree the best upgrade to a LAS or K-Horn is the mid horn and better yet the driver.There are many to choose from,I chose horns from Altec VOT(voice of the theater)horns and drivers.All I can say about these horns is that the improvements I heard in stagell are magnefied and the amps connected directly with no passive x-over to rob power I am getting the most of these jems...WOW,lots of headroom.

I have only had em in the system 2 days now and am impressed.I really like what the Shannling monos do for my system.They are very good sounding amps(especially with the mods done by Chris Johnson former Founder and prez of Sonic Frontiers)and maybe not well known and underrated.I feel they are a great PP amp and have served me well....BUT the more I listen to this SET stuff the more I like.I have always believed the simpler the signal path the better it has to sound.I have struggle with adding an outboard x-over, another amp,more godamn interconnects,just more between me and the music.The Decware monos help to allieviate some of that garbage in the signal path if not downright make them irrelavent.

Well I have been typin way too long...got some music to listen to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greg

Chevelle,
 
             The bagends seem like overkill till you look at the eff.of all the drivers involved.The LAS is rated at 104db/1watt.The bagend system has a gain control and right now it is set at unity or 0db.The bagend system requires an outboard amp and lots of watts to do its thing.At 0 it it blends seamlessly with the LAS bass bin,now if you want to stand on the system then it starts eatin power to do its thing.Its not really overkill...hell why ask 2 10's to keep up with LAS's when 2 18's just cruise with bass power in reserve,and they are very clean and integrate well(probably because of the integrator unit and its built in x-over)

Greg

one more note,it took me about 12hrs to get it all balanced and I have been playin with the bagends for about a week.the 12hr problem turned out to be too much gain on the 3B,once i backed off there the system fell into sync.before that everything above 500hz was totaly distorted,the bass bins got way too much signal level and ruined everything.i know bass can muddy up everything above but what i was hearing was extreme.
Greg