Speaker fussiness
April 7, 2003
I just bought a set of Nuance Grand Universe speakers (I'm
very fussy with them), and I was wondering just how fragile loudspeakers can be. Will your
ear pick up the slightest bit of damage to the voice coil if it is damaged by over
excursion? Or if it sounds good, it there then nothing wrong with it?
Franklin
Generally speaking, loudspeakers are very durable.
Speakers can be overdriven with too much power and that will damage them, as will
overdriving your receiver/amplifier, which sends damaging distortion through your
speakers' voice coils (this is called "clipping" the amp). Many times a damaged
driver will simply stop producing sound, which is more commonly seen with tweeters. Other
times, the driver will become noisy, with quite audible rubbing/crackling; it will still
play, but there is something obviously wrong. If the speakers sound fine, though --
everything's working and sounding normal -- you really have nothing to worry about.
Which format?
April 4, 2003
With a modest system (Arcam A65, AE EVO Ones), would you
recommend using the Sony DVP-755 for SACD and CD playback, or would that money (and the
extra cost of SACDs) be better spent on an Arcam CD62 player?
If I am building a music collection from scratch, would you
recommend investing in records (and a decent turntable), CDs (and a decent CD player), or
SACDs (and a decent SACD/DVD player)? Some people say that analog is the future, and
others insist that the huge existing CD base will keep CDs popular for many years. Still
more people say that SACD is a dramatic improvement over mid-tier analog and current CD
players.
Mike
Great question! The short answer: Analog is not the future,
CD will be around for a long time, and SACD is by most accounts better than CD. More
specifically, analog, in either the cassette or vinyl format, is not growing. Both will be
around for the foreseeable future, and they each have their proponents, but this is not
nor will it be a growth area in the future. SACD in the Hybrid configuration provides both
CD and SACD capability and represents a great way to start your collection whether you
have a CD player or an SACD player. If you buy a Hybrid SACD you can enjoy the CD layer
now, or in your car for instance, and the SACD layer in your home on your Sony DVP-755. I
see no reason not to go this route. One step further would be to buy a universal player
that plays DVD-Audio discs, too. You really have all your bases covered with this option.
Older gear
April 3, 2003
Yours is an excellent site. As I am severely budget
restricted, I would like to ask the following question. As one of your archived letters
states, there must be a lot of used high-end equipment out and about. When setting up a
system that will be strictly music (CD) based, do you have specific recommendations on
older amplifiers and speakers that may be available for a reasonable price?
Thanks for a great site -- I don't feel like I am being
spoken down to by the articles and reviews.
George
There is a ton of older high-end gear available on the
used market. As for a rule of thumb, I would stick with amplifiers and in some cases
speakers, while steering clear of digital components (too much improvement in the last few
years to look at used digital equipment) and processors (such as home-theater receivers,
for the same reason as digital). Classic products from companies such as McIntosh, KEF,
and Klipsch, as well as five-to-ten-year-old gear from companies such as Adcom, B&K,
NAD, and B&W can be had for very little money, but the performance still left in these
older components is quite good. You'll pay a premium if you shop on eBay; look instead in
local newspapers and pawn shops. I know friends who have put together complete systems for
under $500 with components that would cost thousands today if bought new. A few last
pieces of advice: Take your time, look under every stone, pay attention to condition, and
haggle on price. Do these things and you'll be rewarded for your efforts with fine music
coming from a classic system.
Budget questions
April 2, 2003
I am writing from India and can't tell you what a relief
it's been stumbling onto your site.
I am trying to get myself a great sound system that can
later be scaled up to a decent home-theater setup. I am not terribly knowledgeable about
tech-specs and hence am having trouble evaluating my options. All I know is I want good,
clean sound. I am not too much of a party person, either. Mostly will be listening to
rock, blues, Indian classical, instrumental, and fusion.
Have been thinking about investing in a Harman/Kardon DVD25
player due to reviews that have rated it very highly. Chief plusses are progressive scan
and good delivery on the sound front. The premium I have to pay is hefty considering a
Pioneer DV533 is available at 40% of the price and seems to have all the DVD exotica,
though I'm not sure of audio capability. The H/K will dent my total budget ($1000-$1200
for player, amp/receiver, and a pair of floorstanders), making me compromise on
amp/receiver and speakers. Is it worth it?
Venu
I've not heard or seen either player you mention, but my
initial thought would be to get the Pioneer and save the remaining money for your speakers
and receiver. Pioneer DVD players have enjoyed a good reputation for delivering excellent
performance for the money -- in fact, most DVD players from the major manufacturers have
reached a level of quality unheard of just a few years ago. I'm not sure the additional
outlay for the H/K would buy you that much more quality. However, an extra hundred dollars
or so tacked on to your speaker budget could make a world of difference to your overall
satisfaction with your system. In fact, I'd spend most of the budget on the speakers, with
the receiver coming next and the DVD player coming third. Good luck, and let us know how
it works out.
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