Tape-recording information
December 21, 2004
I have not seen much in the way of tape-recording articles
from the GoodSound! writers. Is there a source of good information for those of us
that still record on tape? Is there another website that you know of? I like all of the
other subjects you cover but this seems to be one you're a little short on.
Carson Brondel
The best resource for all things tape that I know of is
Ian Masters. His Masters
on Audio/Video website, which is part of the SoundStage! Network, has many archived
articles pertaining to tape-recording practice and history. As of January 1, all of this
material will be moved to our newest site, www.SoundStageAV.com. You'll find Ian's older work there as well as
new material coming on a regular basis. Here is "The
Underestimated Cassette" to get you started.
Slappa in an aluminum finish?
December 17, 2004
I read your Slappa HardBody review, and the products look
very nice. Do you know if they are planning to offer an aluminum finish on these cases,
which is all the rage these days?
Pat
I don't see that offering on the Slappa website, but
perhaps you could make the suggestion to the company. They do offer some attractive
finishes, but I agree that an aluminum-skinned option would be cool.
Multi-zone loft system
December 14, 2004
I am new to GoodSound! and just getting started on
trying to put together a sound system. The system will be mostly used for listening to
music (of all kinds). My first dilemma is that I will be moving into a loft. It has lots
of windows, a concrete ceiling and floor, brick walls and lots of windows. It is at least
1500 square feet of open space and about 12' ceilings. There are a lot of hard surfaces to
bounce the sound around. Could you point me in the direction of the type of receiver and
speakers that I should use? And possibly placement of these speakers? I prefer speakers
that can be mounted in the ceiling or high up on the walls. About how many speakers would
I need to fill a the place with sound?
I am not looking for high volumes; I just want good sound.
Of course I would need a subwoofer. I would also like to have at least two zones, so that
I could listen without disturbing someone else in another area of the loft. It would be
great if the different zones could play different things. Say, I could watch TV while my
wife listened to CDs. I'm not a huge movie watcher, so I'm not necessarily looking for a
home-theater system. I'm not looking to spend tons of money right now. I just need to get
started.
Jay
Having two zones is a good idea. I'd pick two areas
that you can each treat as a smaller "room." In other words, two areas that
dimensionally would work as a rectangular room if you were to put walls in. Having these
room-like areas within the loft will help you with the selection of products and also
dictate placement of the speakers. (Obviously, where your furniture is placed will have a
great deal to do with this as well.) Assuming you want stereo sound in each zone, I'd
choose a fairly standard multichannel receiver with two-zone capability. It's important to
choose a model that will let you simultaneously monitor two sources at the same time. I'd
look at an Onkyo model for these purposes. As for speakers, you're a prime candidate for
something from the Omnisat family of products from Mirage. Two sets, including two
subwoofers, would do nicely. Their 360-degree-radiating soundfield will give you more even
dispersion in a large space without walls. The sound should be better when walking
throughout the loft than with a conventional ceiling-mounted speaker more optimized for a
conventional room. With these products, and a good DVD player, you'll be set.
Help for RCA home theater
December 13, 2004
I have an RCA home-theater system purchased about five
years ago. I am still using the stock speaker cable from in the box and was wondering if
there is any difference in buying a better-quality speaker wire. I am not too familiar
with speakers and sound, but I feel the surround speakers could play a little louder. I
believe it is a 500W receiver. Can you help me out with this before I waste my money?
Sean
You'd be better off upgrading another part of your
system and not changing the speaker wire. If your surrounds are not loud enough, first
look at your owner's manual for the system and determine if there is an adjustment you can
make to increase their output level. If so, this may solve your problem. If there is no
such adjustment, I'd bet that you have an older Pro Logic receiver, and not a Dolby
Digital model. If that's the case, you'd be wiser to upgrade the receiver to a newer model
that gives you more flexibility and control of your system. The processing capabilities
alone are enough reason to upgrade. You can buy a surprisingly powerful Onkyo, for
instance, with all of the latest processing features for under $400. Shop around online
and you'll be surprised at the deals you'll find.
Athena speakers high end?
December 10, 2004
I have been reading GoodSound! for some time and
like your suggestions and points. I have a simple question for you. I have the Athena
Technologies Audition-series system (AS-F2, AS-C1,
and AS-R1s), and I have been enjoying it for a while. I use a Denon AVR-3805 as my preamp
and an Outlaw Model 770 as the power amp. I was wondering if you would consider Athena
speakers, especially the AS-F2, as high-end speakers? Lately I have been thinking of
upgrading my system and have been hearing many different systems like those from Paradigm,
Definitive, Polk Audio, and Tannoy. I listen to them in a home-theater store, love them,
and come back and try to hear the same things on my system to determine if there is any
big difference. I find it very difficult to hear a big difference and find it difficult to
convince my mind to put out the extra dollars for upgrading my speaker system. So if you
would not consider AS-F2s as a high-end system, what is it lacking sonically to fall short
of being considered high end? I would really appreciate your professional opinion -- and
probably putting my mind at ease.
Shake
"High end" means different things to different
people. To some it's associated with price. By that definition -- high price equaling high
end -- the Athenas probably don't meet the criteria. To me, however, high end means a
concentration on performance and construction, at whatever price point the product happens
to inhabit. By this definition the Athenas are surely high end. The parent company, Audio
Products International, is driven by engineers looking to produce the best speakers they
can for the money. You'd be surprised at how much research and development went into the
speakers you own.
As for an upgrade, you can spend more money and get
better sound -- no doubt about it. But here's the most important point: Don't spend more
money unless you hear a speaker you like a lot better.
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