Center-channel speaker or not?
March 24, 2002
Do you consider a center-channel speaker mandatory for a
home theater with which a lot of the listening is to music? I have good stereo speakers
(Spendors) and don't really want to add a center-channel.
John Masters
If you enjoy your system without a center-channel, then
by all means avoid adding one. A center-channel speaker is important to home theater if
you need to anchor dialogue to the monitor for viewers/listeners that are considerably
off-center. For one or two people, though, a well-arranged pair of stereo speakers will
produce a good phantom center image, and accomplish much of what a center-channel would
anyway. I personally prefer not having a center-channel, and with two centrally seated
viewers/listeners, it poses no problem at all. The fact that most of your listening is to
music only reinforces this recommendation.
A genuine resource
March 22, 2002
I just "Googled" over to GoodSound!, and
am glad I found it. I read some archived "Ask Me" responses and realized that
you folks are a genuine resource. And the note linking over to www.onhometheater.com got me to an
equally informed site. Kudos! Best regards!
David
Thanks David! Be sure to check www.soundstagenetwork.com for
a complete listing of all our sites and publications. You'll find regular updates
throughout the Network on a variety of audio/video subjects.
Cleaner power
March 20, 2002
Novice on stereos here. I live in a small apartment in
Manhattan. I finally put some money into a nice Arcam integrated amp, the only piece of
nice stereo equipment I have. The amp and everything else are plugged into a cheap ($10)
power strip. Every time the refrigerator goes on, you can hear the "pop" of the
current going straight through to the speakers. I'm looking to upgrade the whole system.
What should I replace the power strip with? A line conditioner? A Monster power strip? Am
I damaging my Arcam amp presently? I have scoured the websites for this issue, but am
finding no category for the power supply/converter. Any advice would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks!
George
I'm assuming that having a dedicated electrical circuit
installed by a electrician may be impractical where you live, but that would be a good
option and one I have always found a wise up-front investment. A line conditioner/surge
suppressor would also be a good option in your system, though it is advisable to try out a
demo model (of each type/model available to you) to make sure you solve the problem before
spending your money. With the myriad type available, and as pesky as some electrical
problems can be, it would be hard to predict exactly what you need without some
experimentation.
Integrated amp for B&W speakers?
March 18, 2002
Can you suggest to me what to look for in an integrated
amplifier to get the most from the B&W CDM 1NT speakers? Thanks.
Daniel T.
The B&W CDM 1NT has a 88dB sensitivity as specified
by the manufacturer, which if accurate is fairly high. However, they also have a specified
4.6-ohm minimum impedance. This may make some integrated amplifiers unhappy if they are
not designed to drive such a load. I would therefore look for an integrated specifically
rated into a 4-ohm load. B&W speakers also have the reputation of thriving on power,
so something on the level of 60Wpc or better would be advisable. These guidelines will
vary with your personal listening habits, room size, etc.
|
