Parasound review?
November 8, 2004
In a letter a while back you mentioned a Parasound
amplifier and preamplifier review that was going to be published. Did I miss it or has it
not been published yet? I have an older Parasound HCA-1000A and would like to buy the
newer version -- the Halo series -- but would like to know what you guys have to say about
it first. Newer isn't always better.
Ralph
The Parasound A 23/P 3 review is set to be published on
December 1st. Hang tight -- it's comin'!
Distortion
November 5, 2004
Generally speaking, should a component that produces less
distortion sound better than one that produces more distortion? This seems like an obvious
question, but I've heard from some gurus that the truth may not be that simple. Can you
give me some help?
Grant
To put it simply, your initial premise is correct. Less
distortion means a truer signal. The rub comes when you define the exact type and
acceptable amount of distortion, not to mention the tradeoffs undertaken to lower
distortion. Some folks will tell you that some forms of distortion are not musically
destructive. You'll also hear that lowering distortion means technical compromises
elsewhere in the circuit design. Further, there are those who live and die by distortion
numbers and go to great lengths to attain the lowest figures possible. So the complicated
answer is that folks disagree about the details of distortion. I sure wish I could sort
those out for you, but that debate has been going on for years.
Upgrading a 30-year-old system
November 2, 2004
Recently, I purchased an NAD 701 receiver at a local thrift
store. (I heard about the brand some time ago from a friend who was into hi-fi.)
Surprisingly, the receiver worked and the sound that comes out of it appears to me to be
much better than my previous combination of a 30-year-old integrated amplifier (Akai) and
tuner (Kenwood), which both, incredibly, still work!
A five-year-old Sony CD player is also part of this system,
and I am/have been listening to music on this system with a pair of 30-year-old Radio
Shack speakers (Nova 8B) along with newer Koss headphones (UR20).
From my research on the NAD brand thus far, I have read
that NAD is considered to be great equipment for the "entry-level" audiophile.
If this is indeed true, I would like to begin upgrading my stereo system to achieve a
better (and more modern) sound. At present, my budget for this upgrade would be between
$1500 and $2000.
Here are my questions.
(1) Is the NAD 701 receiver useful as one of the components
of a high-quality budget stereo system?
(2) What percentage of my budget should I allot to the
purchase of new speakers (assuming that my current speakers are not of sufficient
quality)?
(3) Who would be some of the better speaker manufacturers I
should consider as part of an upgrade of sound quality? Specific model recommendations
would be very helpful.
(4) Who would be some of the better CD/DVD-player
manufacturers I should consider as part of my upgrade?
(5) I have some albums as well. Who would be some of the
better turntable manufacturers that I might consider as part of my upgrade (assuming that
turntables are still being manufactured)?
Ed
Going through the GoodSound! archives
you'll find a number of speaker reviews that will be of interest to you. With your budget
in mind I'd look at Paradigm, Axiom, Energy, Rocket, Ascend Acoustics and Von Schweikert
speakers. Each of these manufacturers offer high-value, great-sounding speakers at various
price points. You'd be best served by spending the lion's share of your allotted budget on
new speakers, perhaps $800-$1000 out of your $1500 figure.
There's never been a better time to buy a CD/DVD
player. With a little shopping around you'll be able to stretch your dollar and get a
great player for $300-$400. The overseas companies will offer the best value here look at
Denon, Onkyo, and Sony to start. We do have some GS!-approved turntable reviews
(the first of a Thorens rig) on the horizon that should offer some alternatives that will
enhance your vinyl playback while staying within your budget. Stay tuned for those. In the
meantime, you might find some useful information in our recent article, "How to Decide if
a Turntable is Right for You." Lastly, with regard to NAD, I've fielded a number
of questions lately about their older products, which are indeed worthy components. Older
NAD products are excellent values on the used market, even many years after their
manufacture. NAD has a
section of their website devoted to information on discontinued gear. You'll find a
PDF brochure for your 701 on this page.
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