Reliability
March 17, 2002
The following are three pieces of sound equipment which
have been suggested to me for purchase given my budget:
Sony STR-DE475 receiver
Sony CDP-CE275 CD player
Sony TCW-E475 or TCW-E675 casette deck
I have not purchased sound equipment in many, many (did I
mention many?) years. My questions revolve around reliability and longevity. I don't wish
to be replacing these components in three years. I am not an audiophile continuously
upgrading my system. I just want a good sound emanating from components that will last me
many years.
Richard
Sony equipment is generally reliable and good-sounding
in my experience. It's hard to predict exactly how long something will last, but you can
get an indication of reliability and longevity from your dealer. If a particular model has
had problems, they would certainly know about it. Sending units back to the manufacturer
for repair can cut into profits, so something that has proven to be a lemon typically
doesn't last long before a redesign or revision. This is where the experience of a good
retailer is invaluable.
Connecting speaker cables
March 14, 2002
I recently tried to upgrade the speaker cables in my home
theater, but I made the mistake of only changing the wires on the front right/left
speakers. Everything was fine until I tried a surround format and -- kablooey! The
repair shop told me that the difference in gauge likely caused a short in my receiver.
Your article about speaker cables doesn't mention this danger, and it might be that others
would know this already, but I thought it might be worth mentioning. I find your site very
enjoyable and informative.
Thanks,
Eric
Thanks for the note, and sorry to hear of your mishap. I
think you may be getting some questionable information from the repair shop though. I'm
not aware of any mechanism that would cause an electrical short due to a disparity in wire
gauge. The far more likely culprit is that when you were switching wires, you shorted
adjacent channels by allowing the wires to touch. Upon power up, or switching in these
speakers, the leads touching caused an electrical short. Many times the speaker
connections on receivers are cramped, and if you are using bare wire, which many receivers
require, it is hard to avoid. I know several people that have had similar incidents all
caused by letting the speaker wires touch.
Office system
March 13, 2002
First of all, thanks for the great site. I spent a lot of
time here when I upgraded my home-theater system. I started upgrading with Paradigm
speakers before you joined the SoundStage!
Network and just finished a few months ago with an Outlaw 1050. By the way the
Outlaw's 65W power rating is more than enough to shake my whole house.
Now that my home theater is complete, on to my next audio
project and my question. I am planning on getting a two-channel system for my office at
work. I spend 50 hours a week there, so I should have decent sound. My price range is
around $400. I am looking for a receiver and speakers. I will be listening to FM radio
most of the time. I may add a CD player in the future. I am looking at the Paradigm Atom
speakers because of size and reviews. What would you recommend for a receiver and
speakers? Any input would be appreciated.
Jim K.
You can certainly go the route of receiver/speakers,
but you would likely be wasting a lot of the receiver's functions/performance capability.
Most receivers are geared to A/V use, so with a little over $200 budgeted to that
component, it may make sense to look at alternatives, like the Swans M200 powered monitors
at $299 along with an inexpensive tuner or portable CD player. Having the lion's share of
the system's budget spent on the speakers and the amplifiers to power them, you can then
spend equitably on the electronics you would be using. I don't imagine you would be
setting up a Dolby Digital system in your office anyway, so why pay for the capability?
"How to" suggestion
March 11, 2002
I have been a regular visitor to this great site since I
discovered it sometime back. One subject on which there is little practical information
(with emphasis on real-life rooms) found on the Internet is speaker placement. It would be
great if you could cover that in your "How to" with examples on specific
compromises made in sound quality when real rooms vary from the ideal room (with several
common scenarios). Thanks.
Jagmohan Singh
Great suggestion, and one we will take to task. Look
for a speaker-placement article(s) in the coming months.
Subwoofer choices
March 10, 2002
I am wondering if you can help me decide which subwoofer
fits best with my five-speaker setup (three NHT SuperOnes and two SuperZeros). The usage
is split equally between music and home theater. My research has led me to three choices:
NHT SW2Pi, NHT SubOne and Hsu Research VTF-2. All of them can be had for around $500,
which is my budget. Thanks.
Minjing Wang
I would opt for an NHT subwoofer, not because the Hsu
VTF-2 isn't a fine sub, but because matching an NHT subwoofer with NHT satellites will
give you the best shot at integrating the speakers properly. In most instances,
manufacturers design subwoofers using their own speakers, thereby incorporating the
characteristics needed for proper blending (crossover frequency/roll off, phase
characteristics, etc.). Which NHT? I've heard great things about the SubOne, and since it
is the newer of the two, it likely incorporates NHT's latest thinking on subwoofer design.
Tuner/preamp?
March 9, 2002
Based on your glowing reviews, I recently purchased a
Cambridge Audio A500 integrated amplifier and a pair of Axiom M22Ti SE speakers. I love
the sound, but have missed having a tuner. Today, I came across a listing for a used Adcom
GTP-500II tuner/preamplifier. I'm a little confused about the advantages/disadvantages of
adding a separate preamp to my system. Would the Adcom be a good buy and, if so, why?
Thanks.
Jacob Levenson
In your system, the preamp is built into the Cambridge
A500. The Adcom would not benefit you. Essentially, the preamp does two things: it
switches the source (CD, tuner, aux, etc.) and provides volume/balance control. The Adcom
GTP-500II adds a tuner to those functions. In your case, it would be wiser to add a
stand-alone tuner. This would be connected to the Cambridge integrated just as your CD
player is. Adcom makes a fine tuner, and they are abundant used. You can likely find one
that is cheaper than the GTP-500II.
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