DVD and CD and…?
January 30, 2006
Will all DVD players play CDs? I want to get a new DVD
player but want to make sure it plays CDs too.
Rita
All DVD players will play CDs. That functionality is
part of the specification needed to officially call it a "DVD-Video player."
You’ve touched upon a hot topic, though. For a hardware type to succeed in
today’s market, it must be compatible with a wide range of playback options. A player
type that limits the consumer’s ability to choose is not marketable to the widest
range of buyers. Make sure you double-check that the player you buy will play back all
types of recordable CD types and encoding methods such as MP3, but I doubt you could even
find a player at any of the major retailers that won’t play back anything you could
possibly have in your collection. CD is a given in each and every DVD-Video player on the
market.
Subwoofer dancing
January 27, 2006
I have a small Carver subwoofer that keeps moving across
the floor when the system is playing really loud. I don’t want to use spikes on my
tile floor, and I’m not sure it would help anyway. Do you have any other suggestions
that might help?
Pete
One solution to this problem is to have a piece of
granite or marble cut to fit on top of the subwoofer. The added weight will keep your
subwoofer from moving and vibrating while it’s pumping out the bass. I also suspect
that the added mass could have a positive effect on the sound, as the stone should damp
any audible cabinet vibration. Make sure you pick a heavy-enough stone to add the proper
weight. I don’t suspect the floor tiles at your local home store will work; better to
go with some counter-top material, which should be about 2" thick.
Pioneer Spec system
January 24, 2006
Do you know anything about older Pioneer Spec systems? A
friend of mine has said this equipment is a steal on eBay and has recommended that I buy
the amplifier to drive my JBLs. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.
Pat
I have also heard that the older Pioneer Spec amplifiers
are quite good for the money spent. A quick search on eBay did turn up a number of used
units, and although not dirt cheap, they are more affordable than comparable classic gear
from McIntosh, for instance. The amplifier appears to be built like a tank -- if
that’s any indication of quality. Although my first inclination is to warn you
against the unit due to the age and potential for wear-related malfunction, there are
Pioneer service centers in most big cities, and I suspect getting one of these repaired
would be no more difficult than some of the boutique brands that are out there. If you
find a good deal (don’t overpay; look closely at what they’ve sold for in the
past), just make sure you have a guarantee from the seller that the unit works and has not
been abused. Please let us know how it works out if you decide to buy one.
Carver and…?
January 20, 2006
I recently had the good fortune of acquiring a Carver TFM
35 power amp. It needed some work, but I have it up to specs and it sounds fine. I am
running it through a Marantz 2230 30Wpc receiver, which I probably should not be doing. I
really want to get a Marantz 3300 preamp. I have found one in excellent condition, and
although it is really expensive I want to get it as a match for the Carver. I can also buy
a Carver C-1, which is way more affordable. I would rather have the beautiful Marantz, but
it is pricey. What do you think would be a better match for the Carver power amp?
Tom Dunn
I’m a big believer in having a matching
amplifier/preamplifier setup. I think that in most cases components (amps and preamps)
made by the same manufacturer are optimized to work together. I would imagine you’ll
experience excellent performance with the Carver C-1 and the TFM 35, and since the C-1 is
more affordable than the Marantz, it seems like a no-brainer to go for the Carver.
NAD S-200 and a 4-ohm load?
January 18, 2006
Thinking of monoblocking my Thiel CS3.5s with another NAD
S-200. However, the S-200 manual suggests monoblocking to 8-ohm-or-higher speakers. The
Thiels are 4 ohms. Should I abandon this idea? Can you suggest an amp with sonic qualities
like NAD? Thiels are power hungry. I had Bryston on my Thiels for years, but that was too
harsh. Any ideas would be appreciated.
John Bland
I used an NAD S-200 on a pair of Dynaudio C2s for about
a year. They were rated at 4 ohms, not very efficient, and the S-200 never broke a sweat.
My listening even included some high-level home theater, so it had every opportunity to
get hot. This suggests to me that the S-200 bridged might work as long as the Thiels do
stay above 4 ohms (meaning the NAD would be "seeing" 2 ohms bridged). I
don’t want to be the one to suggest something that might fry your amp, however. As
for alternatives: to get more power than the S-200 and be able to drive a 4-ohm load, the
field narrows significantly. About the only amplifier I can think of is the Anthem
Statement P2, which puts out over 600W into a 4-ohm load. That should toss those Thiels
around pretty handily. And I hear it sounds really good.
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