Mission or...?
April 19, 2005
I am about to change my old JBL LX2 main speakers for a
floorstanding model. The system also includes Mission M31 rears and a Marantz SR5300
receiver. The logical step would be to buy Missions for the front, but I also am
considering buying Infinity Alpha 30s at an absolute steal of a price. What would then I
do with the center speaker, as in my country at this time I cannot buy the Alpha center?
These brands are available here at the moment: Mission, Monitor Audio, KEF, Yamaha,
B&W, Dali. Or it is better to stick with the Mission brand and make a whole system out
of them? I am grateful for your advice.
Vlada
If you like the Missions you have it's a no-brainer to
go with them throughout. You'll certainly end up with a better-matched system, sonically
speaking. If you were to go with the Infinities, I'd choose no center-channel at all (a
"phantom" center) until you can buy the Alpha. In my experience it is imperative
to match the center-channel speaker with the mains; it's preferable to match the
surrounds, too, but I have heard good-sounding setups with mismatched (brand-wise)
surrounds. So my advice is simple, buy the Missions and don't look back.
Upcoming reviews?
April 18, 2005
Can you tell me what reviews you'll be writing about in the
next issue? GoodSound! is a wonderful reference. I really enjoy the level-headed
writing. Hope to keep reading for a long time to come.
Brad Justice
The next review is of the Samsung HD841 universal
audio/video player. With a $99 street price, the ability to play SACD, DVD-A, DVD-V, CD,
and also as a bonus for our video systems, a DVI (Digital Video Interface) output, you
just can't get more features for less money. You'll read about this player on May 1.
Kit-based CD player?
April 15, 2005
I have seen several kit-based CD players for sale on the
Internet and was just wondering if you guys have had any experience with them. How are the
parts, how do they sound, and are they hard to assemble?
Froggy
We have been in contact with one manufacturer/seller of
a kit-based CD player and are actively pursuing a review sample. From what I know, the raw
kit we're considering reviewing takes about 20 hours to assemble, which does include
stuffing circuit boards as well as chassis assembly, subassembly installation, and wiring
it up. So there is a fair amount of construction time if the kit is not partially
assembled -- I'm told this is a "medium hard" project for an experienced
do-it-yourselfer. I'm sure there are varying levels of skill required depending on the kit
you're considering. And although I can't comment on the sound of any of these kits, I can
tell you that the one we're attempting to acquire includes a very robust Philips Pro
transport and an all-aluminum case for only $699. We'll hopefully be able to let you know
more detail about this player in the near future.
Cabinet material
April 13, 2005
I was wondering if you could tell me what the basic
material used for building speaker cabinets is. I've heard plywood is often used. I'm
thinking of building my own cabinets for a set of drivers I have.
Paul R.
The most common material I see used is medium-density
fiberboard. MDF is wood fiber that is glued, heated, and pressed into sheets. It's popular
because it is consistent, easy to work with whether you're using hand tools or power
tools, cost effective, and has excellent damping/acoustical properties for use as
loudspeaker cabinets. I have seen birch plywood used as well, but this seems much less
common today. It seemed to be quite popular with some of the horn systems of yesteryear.
If I were you I'd choose MDF, which you can find at your local home store near the
plywood.
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