"Basic system" for home theater?
November 18, 2005
I am looking to set up a basic system, consisting of only
two channels, for home theater. I know that most surround-sound movies are 5.1, but will
they still sound good over a simple stereo? Am I wasting my time and money?
Peter
Home-theater soundtracks can sound fantastic on a good
stereo system. In fact, I would say that most of the benefits of a good movie soundtrack
can be enjoyed through stereo: clarity, dynamic range, envelopment, and output levels are
all enhanced by a good stereo, especially when compared to sub-par television sound. So
not only do I think you're not wasting your time, but I am sure that you are going to be
thrilled with the result if the system is set up properly and you choose the components
wisely. Most of the components you read about in the e-pages of GoodSound! will
work fine for movies as well as music.
Speakers that rock
November 16, 2005
I have an NAD C272 amplifier (150Wpc), and I need to buy a
pair of loudspeakers to match them regarding quality and price. Can you tell me what kind
of speakers are the best for my amp? I only listen pop/rock music.
José Melo
I'd go with speakers from Axiom. I have heard from several
folks that I trust -- at least one of which has visited the Axiom factory in Canada --
that the company torture-tests its speakers with really loud, bass-heavy music. I know
they can take anything Korn, Nickelback, or Eminem can dish out. They also sound great
too. You're wise to research this purchase thoroughly. Many "audiophile"
speakers just can't rock. Axioms are one exception.
Likes NAD review
November 14, 2005
I really liked your review of the
NAD C320BEE integrated amplifier. The C320BEE, maybe more than just about any other
piece of equipment I own, represents great value. I have it paired with Axiom speakers and
it seems to have more than enough power. I especially liked the analogy to the Honda
Civic. Keep up the great work on GoodSound!
John Field
Amp "blown up"
November 11, 2005
Last night I bought new speakers. Today my amp appears to
be blown up. I have an NAD 314 integrated amp connected to two large Pioneer 8-ohm
speakers and two new Icon Model CM600 8-ohm speakers. As well, I've connected a Mirage
powered sub. The two Icons are on the second channel with the sub. Prior to the Icons I
had some cheap JBL bookshelf speakers, but one died so I replaced them. I have always run
two sets of speakers with the sub without a problem. A couple of times in the past the amp
shut down, but after cooling it powered back up. I am aware of the amp's ability to remain
stable at low impedances, so I wonder what happened.
Should I take it to the repair shop or face the inevitable?
I now know that there are no fuses in my amp.
Update: I just read your answer, "Connecting a
subwoofer," from Oct. 17 2005. This may have answered my question as I've attached
the sub to the speaker outs on the second channel with my new speakers, as was recommended
by the sales person and the instruction manual. It did work fine for five years.
Rich
The problem is that your Pioneer speakers, when coupled
with your new Icon speakers, is presenting a very low-impedance load to the NAD amplifier.
The subwoofer, in this case, is powered, and therefore not causing the issue. Your NAD
could very well be seeing a 2-ohm load (or even lower), which even as robust as it is, is
simply too low. If you want to run more than one pair of speakers I would suggest a
multichannel amplifier instead of a two-channel model. This is the ideal configuration for
driving multiple speakers. You would simply connect duplicate stereo signals to two pairs
of inputs on the amp. If you choose to get the NAD repaired, do not try the same setup
again as you'll surely meet with the same result.
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