Price-point differences
June 15, 2002
I always enjoy your reviews very much. I am currently
thinking of putting together a home-theater setup for my living room. As I was researching
a nice and relatively inexpensive receiver to begin with, I couldn't help but to ask a
question. There seems to be a price point around $1000 where respected amplifier makers
such as NAD, Rotel, and Arcam introduce their budget models. Are these receivers really
better than the ones that are offered around $500, such as the units reviewed here on GoodSound!?
If yes then what are the differences (especially in sound) that I should even consider
doubling the cost? Currently, I drive a pair of Vandersteens with a Rotel integrated
amplifier.
Gene
There is no easy, across-the-board answer to your
question. There are some excellent values in the $500 receiver market. The larger
manufacturers can produce a lot at that price due to the economies of scale. They make a
ton of these units, and sell them too, so they can make them more cheaply. When you get
into the specialty companies though, there are advantages. Rotel, NAD, and Arcam all have
excellent reputations. I'd say the one overriding difference in philosophy between these
companies and the mass-market guys is that the former tend to concentrate on sound quality
over bells and whistles. If you want the latest-and-greatest processing modes, you can
find them in $500 receivers with no problem. The smaller companies are usually one
generation (or so) behind in that regard. But they more than make up for it with greater
attention paid to sound quality.
New DVD player for CDs
June 14, 2002
I would like to upgrade -- if that is the right word --
from my aging CD player to a DVD player that will offer very high CD audio quality. You
might say that I am looking for a new CD player that will also play DVDs, and perhaps HDCD
and DVD-Audio as well. I'd like to accomplish this for less than $500. What are the most
important features of a "musical" DVD player? Are the Burr-Brown DACs as
critical as many reviewers argue?
Rob Darst
There are a few things I look for, before even listening
to the player. I generally recommend looking for a single-disc player as opposed to
multi-disc units. This would be my first criteria for a good-sounding player, as the
single-disc players seem to have more stable transports. Next, some players are just
flimsy with lots of mechanical noise; a solidly built player will likely sound better, and
inspire more confidence in day-to-day use. And, of course, as you mention, better parts
will likely translate into better performance and indicate that the manufacturer paid
attention to design elements that would affect sound quality. And I definitely would
choose a player with DVD-A capability. There isn't much price premium for the feature, but
it opens up a whole new world of possibilities, now and in the future.
Bookshelf speakers in a bookshelf
June 13, 2002
I actually want to use bookshelf speakers in a bookshelf. I
understand there would be problems with a rear-ported speaker, but would there be any
similar problems with a front-ported speaker? Also, if you plug the rear port for use in a
bookshelf, aren't you negating some of the engineered value behind that speaker?
John Kelsey
As a general rule, speakers will react to boundaries.
Walls will typically reinforce bass frequencies to a greater or lesser degree depending on
the speaker's design and bass extension. Some bookshelf speakers are actually designed to
be placed close to boundaries or enclosed, while others are actually designed to be
stand-mounted and placed out into a room in much the same fashion as a floorstanding
model. A rear-ported speaker may in fact have greater boundary interaction than a sealed
design, but again, this is model dependent and is in no way an absolute rule. Your best
bet is check with the manufacturer. I would not buy a speaker intended for use within a
bookshelf unless the manufacturer expressly told me the speaker was designed for that
application. Don't leave it to chance. If plugging the port doesn't work, you may be stuck
with a poor-sounding setup.
DVD player or dedicated CD player?
June 12, 2002
Currently I have a Toshiba DVD player, and I am looking at
buying a dedicated CD player like the NAD C521i. Is this a wise move or am I better to
save the expense (DVD player for CD music vs. CD player)?
Dave
This is really a question that will come down to
listening and comparing to the two. I recommend DVD players for all-in-one source units
all the time, and most folks find that it is a cost-effective way to allocate their
budget. At the price point, there are some really good DVD players out there and scant few
CD players to compete. The NAD happens to be one of the good ones though. It would be at
the top of my list if I had no interest in movies and wanted something strictly for a
music system. Will it improve over the Toshiba DVD player? I'm not sure, but you can be
sure if you can arrange a side-by-side comparison in your system. Let us know how it turns
out.
Boundary interactions
June 11, 2002
How seriously will the sound quality of a rear-ported
speaker be affected if the speaker is placed close to the front wall?
Daren
If the speaker is a small bookshelf design with limited
bass capability, then it will obviously have less impact due to its inherent frequency
response (bass will taper off sooner). When the speaker plays deeper, in the case of a
larger floorstanding model, there is greater cause for concern because there is simply
more bass to potentially interact with boundaries. If placement very close to a wall is
unavoidable, I'd consider a small bass-limited speaker to begin with. You can augment bass
response with a subwoofer too.
Subwoofer questions
June 10, 2002
Among the powered subwoofers available on the market, some
are downward-firing while others are front-firing. I wonder if there are placement
restrictions on each type of design. For example, will carpet absorb a lot of energy from
down-firing models?
Bruce Tai
The short answer is, it depends. Care must be taken with
the placement and crossover frequency of front-firing subwoofers. If they are crossed over
too high, they can become localizable, which can become distracting very quickly. This is
due to too much midrange being reproduced by the subwoofer. A lower crossover point and/or
very close placement to your main speakers can improve matters greatly. Some believe that
downward-firing subwoofers "couple" better to the room. This has not been my
experience; I've found good (and bad) performance with both types of designs. Lastly, as
much depends on your main speakers and how well they are matched to the subwoofer in
question than to the orientation of the driver. Integrating a sub and mains can be
frustrating, and it is why we often recommend buying both from the same manufacturer. In
this case, most of the homework is done for you.
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