Best connection
July 11, 2003
Should I look for a specific connector type on the speakers
I buy? Will the type of connector make a difference in the sound?
Frank Roth
Most speakers accept multiple input types. The most
common types include banana plugs, spades, and bare wire. They're all perfectly acceptable
and will provide good performance and a reliable connection. While I think banana plugs
are the most convenient (reviewers switch connections often), I don't think your choice of
speaker should be influenced too much by what connectors the speakers accept. For more
information on the subject, see "What You Need to Know About Loudspeaker Cables."
Receiver choices
July 9, 2003
I'm looking at receivers from companies such as Yamaha,
Denon, and JVC. I know these components are not super high end, but how can I be sure I'm
getting something that will last at least a few years and make me happy? I'm not one to
upgrade often and don't want to be unhappy with my purchase within the first few years.
Daryl Harris
I'd search out a good specialist dealer that can
provide service if ever something went wrong with your purchase. You may pay a fraction
more dough than you would at a huge emporium-type store, but in this case spending a bit
more may be the GoodSound!-approved method to happiness! A good dealer will take
care of any issues of reliability for you, and hopefully take the hassle out of the
shopping-to-setup experience. When (if) it does come time to upgrade, you'll also get
better advice, which actually maximizes your budget; you'd be surprised how many
"upgrades" are simply lateral moves pressed upon the consumer to sell more
boxes. So to sum up: Find someone that can give you solid advice about the lines he/she
sells, has had good luck with the reliability of the line you're considering, and can then
help you get the most out it for as long as you keep it.
Preamp shopping
July 7, 2003
I'm thinking about a new preamp and have a few criteria
that I want to fulfill. First and foremost, I want great sound and would like to improve
upon my Parasound P/HP 850, which I like quite a bit. I would like a bit more sweetness
and air while retaining the clarity and bass wallop I already have. I know there are a
number of good-sounding preamps out there that I could audition, but I also want some
specific features, namely remote control, at least five inputs (one with phono), and tone
controls (I listen to a lot of bootleg recordings). Who makes a great stereo preamp that
doesn't cost much more than $1000 (even better, less than $1000) and has the features I'm
looking for? If I had the money, I'd probably listen to McIntosh, but even used, that's
some pricey stuff. My other components are a Citation 24 amp, Ruark Templar II speakers,
NAD 512 CD player, Pro-ject 1.2 turntable that I've modified, and a Benz-Micro Silver
cartridge. I am planning on upgrading the CD player before the preamp, but figure the
preamp search will be more difficult.
Thanks for any suggestions. One other thing, GoodSound!
is fantastic. Honest reviews of equipment that the majority of us can actually afford.
Eric Jordan
We have a review of the Anthem TLP 1 coming soon.
I've heard some good things about that particular unit, and I think it meets your criteria
and then some. The B&K
PT-3 has also garnered favorable response from our reviewers and is worth a serious
look. If you really like the Parasound brand in general, and it sounds like you do, you
could also check out the Halo P 3. These three preamps are all under your price cap,
and likely candidates to audition. Regarding McIntosh, give www.audioclassics.com a look.
These guys have tons of used McIntosh gear, all tested and ready to ship. Good luck in
your search.
Active crossover?
July 4, 2003
I have an older pair of McIntosh speakers and have heard
that I can add an active crossover to improve their sound quality. What type of crossover
would I need and how much would it help? What frequencies should I look for?
Fred
Active crossovers are used in place of passive
crossovers, working with the lower line-level signals from, say, a preamplifier, instead
of higher speaker-level signals from a power amplifier. Speakers that use active
crossovers are usually designed for them from the beginning. Adding an active crossover to
an existing speaker would be a very hit-and-miss proposition, so I would generally not
recommend it. The only case where I'd consider such a move is if you're adding a powered
subwoofer and wish to send a high-pass signal (midrange and treble) to your loudspeakers
and a low-pass signal (bass) to your sub. This is fairly common today, most often in
home-theater systems, and usually works just fine.
Clicks and pops
July 2, 2003
My problem is clicks and pops on two particular CDs. I've
exchanged the discs several times and have played them on other systems with no problems,
but on my NAD 520 with Audio Alchemy DAC the clicks and pops are audible every time at the
same place in the songs. Is this a frequency problem? The noises occur at the same place
on the same songs every time -- not randomly. Rest of system comprises a Roksan Caspian
amp and Ruark Prelude speakers. Any advice would be appreciated.
Sean Davies
I would guess that there is an error in the disc, a
dropout perhaps, that other players are correcting for during playback. Just as a
scratched disc can be played without audible problems, error correction (within the other
players) may in this case be compensating for a disc defect. This defect may be in a
certain batch of these discs, or inherent to all of that particular recording. Let us know
if you get to the bottom of it.
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