Home-theater options
June 10, 2003
I've been delaying the purchase of a home-theater system
until I build my new home and can build a system RIGHT. For now I would like to purchase a
"budget" system to hold me over until that time. I've been looking at three
options to fill the void. The first is the Polk DS7200 all-in-one system, which received
great reviews. The second is the Harman/Kardon AVR525 with the Pinnacle Quantum speaker
system and my current DVD player. The third is the Bose Lifestyle 35 system.
What are your thoughts on which system you would recommend,
or do you have a better idea for $3000? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Don
I'd go with the Polk system over the Bose -- that's an
easy choice. Whether to buy a separate receiver with speakers from another manufacturer as
opposed to the Polk all-in-one is a much harder decision. If space is at a premium, I'd be
hard-pressed to pick a manufacturer that does so much with so little as Polk Audio. But if
you have the space, larger speakers from Polk, Axiom, Paradigm, or Mirage come to mind as
great-sounding products that will outperform the little guys in most respects. So it
really comes down to space and what you and your home can accommodate.
Receiver choice
June 9, 2003
I've narrowed my search for a receiver to the Onkyo SR601
or the Denon AVR-1803. My priority is high-quality sound for listening to music, although
I will use it for home theater as well. What's your opinion on the better of the two? What
about the merits of Onkyo versus the Denon AVR-2803 if I decide to spend a bit more money?
Kevin McIntyre
As you go up in price in the receiver market the
processing becomes more sophisticated and the power output higher. Both of these translate
into better sound in most cases; sometimes you get what you pay for. Between the similarly
priced Onkyo and Denon models you mention, I'd be hard-pressed to pick a winner. They're
both solid products that would make a fine anchor to a home-theater system.
Adding a sub to a new system
June 6, 2003
I recently bought a nice pair of stereo speakers, but I am
thinking of adding a subwoofer to round out the bass. Does anyone make a good two-channel
stereo receiver with a dedicated subwoofer output? Or do I have to wire any sub into the
main-channel terminals? I already have a home-theater setup, so I would rather put my
money into the best two-channel receiver I can for music only in another room. Thanks.
Dennis Smith
I'd take a look at an integrated amplifier as opposed
to a receiver. Almost all current-model receivers are multichannel, which would be wasted
in your system (due to the unused amplifier channels and surround-sound processing). It's
quite easy to configure a set of "pre-outputs" to drive a subwoofer -- and many
integrated amps are designed for this function. Just be sure that the main amplifier
channels remain active when the pre-outs are in use (ask your dealer or consult the
owner's manual). Also make sure the subwoofer you are considering has two-channel inputs
(and not just LFE) for the cleanest, simplest possible connection.
Crackling car stereo
June 5, 2003
I have just installed a car stereo (all Pioneer) and I am
getting a "crackling" out of the left channel in the amp. I have done the
process of elimination by removing the amp, speakers, CD player, and connecting everything
one at a time. What it comes down to is a crackling out of the left channel. I’ve
changed the wiring and changed speakers to rule them out.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Waco
It sounds like either a bad amplifier channel or noise
from your head unit being amplified by your power amp. You can easily determine which is
the culprit by doing the following: Switch the RCA inputs on the amp thereby reversing the
head unit's left and right channels. If the noise moves to the opposite channel after you
make the change, it's your head unit at fault; if the noise stays put, then you have a
malfunctioning amp. Be sure to have the amplifier turned off when you switch the RCA
cables to avoid a large thump. Good luck.
Sensitivity training
June 3, 2003
I see specifications that say 86dB, 88dB, 91dB, and the
like. Is this important? Is this something I should look for in a loudspeaker?
Mike McCann
What you are referring to is the sensitivity
specification. What it refers to is the output level of a speaker in decibels (dB) with a
standard input -- usually either 2.83 volts or 1 watt. It's not a factor that determines
speaker quality. For example, a speaker that has 86dB sensitivity can sound just as good
as one that is 91dB. What it refers to is the amount of power it takes to produce output
and how powerful an amplifier you need. The higher the sensitivity figure, the louder the
speaker will play with the same amount of power. With our example, 1 watt will produce
86dB and the other will put out 91dB with the same amount of power.
|
