Dream speakers
August 13, 2002
I currently have a small stereo system consisting of an AMC
CD player, NAD C340 amp, and PSB Image speakers. A local dealer has a closeout special on
my dream speakers, PSB Stratus Bronze. Does it make any sense to drive $1100 speakers with
a $400 amp? Will the amp even drive them well? NAD claims to have the same power at all
impedances, but I'm a bit skeptical. I'm happy with the system as is, so I don't want to
start any upgrade avalanches here.
Eric Russell
Your choice of speakers will be the largest determinant
of sound quality relative to the other components in your stereo system. You're correct
that you must pay attention to the speaker/amplifier interface, as it is critical that the
amp be up to the task of handling the speaker load. In your case, I think the NAD will be
fine. NAD builds beefy amplifiers capable of driving real-world speakers.
I'd say go for the PSB Stratus Bronze and don't look
back. You will have room to grow should you want to upgrade other components later, but
you'll likely have made the single best move possible in improving your system's sound.
Component choices
August 12, 2002
Which of the following is a better bookshelf speaker:
B&W DM303, PSB Alpha A/V, or PSB Alpha B? And is it better to use an NAD C350
integrated amp for these speakers, or will something cheaper like the NAD C320 suffice?
Ashish
Which speaker sounds better to you? It's tough to say
which is best in absolute terms. Usually different components (and especially speakers)
excel in different performance areas and applications. I've personally heard B&W- and
PSB-based systems that I've warmed too. Now as to the integrated amp question, I like
having more clean power than less, so I'd lean toward the C350 just to have the extra
headroom and to possibly accommodate future speaker upgrades.
Subwoofer cable length
August 10, 2002
I've noticed that most subwoofer cables are very short. I
have two subs of very good quality. One sits behind most of the audio/video equipment,
while the other is still not connected. I'd like to place the second sub either to the
right or left of my sitting area, but that would mean that I need a cable that is at least
ten meters long. Will using such a long cable deteriorate the sub's performance?
Rob
As a general rule, you want to keep all cables as short
as possible. Given the choice, you want to run longer interconnects than speaker cables.
In your case, the subwoofer interconnect is very long. How will this affect the sound?
That depends. A lot hinges on the input sensitivity of your subwoofer's amplifier and the
output voltage of your receiver, which you don't specify, so I can't really hazard a
guess. With most modern equipment though, long interconnect runs are no problem, but
you'll have to try it to know for sure. You would be advised to get a good low-loss cable
for the connection, perhaps even a cable designed for such an application.
Subwoofer crossover
August 9, 2002
I just bought a subwoofer, a Mission 7as1, which I would
use together with my mission 773e , 77c1, and 77ds speakers. According to the
recommendation of Mission, I'm to set the crossover frequency of the sub at the -6dB
low-frequency response of the main speaker, which is 43Hz. Now, the crossover dial of the
subwoofer is only from 50-150Hz. Does this mean that I have to set the crossover at 50Hz?
How do you really set the "right" crossover frequency of a sub to blend it well
with the main speakers?
Gilbert Simbol
I'd start with some good reading; our "Bass in
Place Setting Up Your Subwoofer" article will give you a good primer on subwoofers.
Placement and the phase control are critical aspects to subwoofer blending, which the
article will help you with.
According to Mission's recommended settings, I would
start with the crossover at 50Hz and listen for a while. If there seems to be a hole in
the midbass area, you can nudge up the crossover frequency some to compensate. Then if you
hear a slower, thicker sound, inch it back down. It takes experimentation and a lot
patience, but once it's all correct, you'll know it because you'll have deep bass but
won't notice the sound of the sub at all.
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