December 16, 2001
I just purchased a pair of Acoustic Energy Aegis Two
speakers to go with a Rega Mira integrated amp and Cambridge Audio D300SE CD player. It
sounds rather thin to my standards (no richness to the sound). What would you advise on
this matter? Are the speakers a problem or CD, and do you consider this a good combo?
Thanks.
Branimir
This sounds like it could be simply a speaker-placement
issue. Smaller speakers can sound substantially more full when placed closer to a
boundary, which will reinforce bass response. Conversely, moving the speaker further out
into the room can make the sound a bit thinner, as you describe. I'd start by moving the
speaker closer to the front wall in small increments while playing music you are very
familiar with. Note how the sound changes as you move the speakers. When you notice the
sound becoming too thick or the bass too boomy, you've gone too far. This is the first
step, and something you want to rule out before proceeding further.
December 14, 2001
I read your equipment review of the NHT ST4 loudspeakers. I
can't seem to find any other references to these speakers anywhere on the Internet,
including the manufacturer's website. Is this a secret product?
Wilson M. Michaels
This is a fairly new model, but is currently at dealers
and can be purchased. You can see product details at NHT's online dealer, Crutchfield. I'm afraid the NHT
website has not been updated in a while, which explains the lack of online information
outside of our review.
You can also find additional information at our sister
publication, Home Theater
& Sound.
December 12, 2001
What's HDCD? Is is a new CD format? I've heard that it can
enhance the sound of ordinary CDs as well as provide better sound from HDCD-encoded music.
Can you tell me more? Thanks.
Rick
High Definition Compatible Digital is an
encoding/decoding process that is used to enhance the resolution of the CD, and it has
been in existence for a number of years. There are currently about 5000 CDs with this
designation, and you need a player with HDCD decoding to enjoy the improved sound quality,
although HDCD discs will play on any CD player. Microsoft Corporation purchased the rights
to HDCD in September 2000 and now has a comprehensive website explaining the technology: www.hdcd.com.
December 11, 2001
I am trying to find out about the bass-management features
of the Onkyo TX-DS494, mainly at what frequency (80Hz, 90Hz, 100Hz, etc.) do its high pass
and low pass work. I have been told by a local retailer that it routes bass away from the
speakers set to small at 220Hz, but this seems very high compared to units from Denon,
Yamaha, Sony and the like. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Aaron Carn
The crossover frequency is not apparent from the
owner's manual, which is available on the Onkyo-USA website in case you don't have a copy.
I would guess that you are correct in your assessment that the crossover lies somewhere
around the THX-specified 80Hz. 220Hz is simply too high and would yield poor results in
integrating the subwoofer with the main/satellite speakers. Therefore it is highly
unlikely that your dealer is correct in this instance.
December 10, 2001
I just purchased a pair of Wharfedale Diamond Anniversary
bookshelf speakers. The recommended power for these speakers is 50W minimum, 100W maximum
(average), 175W maximum (peak). Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1meter) is 89dB, and nominal
impedance 8 ohms. I plan on using these speakers with a Scott 330R stereo amp/receiver.
This is the only thing that the owner's manual says about the power output of the amp:
25Wpc minimum continuous RMS output power, both channels driven into 8 ohms from
20Hz-20kHz with no more than rated THD. THD at rated output is 0.08%. It says nothing
about maximum or peak output. So it appears my amp supplies 25Wpc (minimum), and each
speaker is rated at 50W minimum.
Can I use these speakers with my amp? Will it harm the
speakers? Will it harm the amp? Matching speakers to amp is very confusing!
Tim Murtaugh
Speakers are rarely harmed by feeding them with too
much clean power. They are, however, harmed by an amplifier clipping into the load.
Clipping sends damaging distortion into the loudspeaker and can easily ruin a driver. In
your case, this is the concern. I don't think you will harm your speakers by simply trying
the configuration. If, though, you find yourself pushing the volume control ever higher to
attain reasonable listening levels, you very well may damage your loudspeakers. If you
listen at low to moderate levels, you may be OK; but otherwise I would look for a
higher-powered receiver to match with your new speakers. As for damaging your receiver,
there is the possibility of overdriving it with a lower-impedance speaker. With the
Wharfedales' nominal impedance being 8 ohms, this is very unlikely.
December 9, 2001
I'm looking to put a home theater into my great room.
Although I'm a music lover and a bit of an audiophile, I don't require state-of-the-art
performance (I have another room where I keep a dedicated music system). My goal is to
have good surround sound without spending a fortune and without having physically large
speakers. The Gallo Micros look good to me, but I don't know if they would work out in my
large room (15' x 25' x 18' vaulted ceiling). How do you feel about the Gallos in this
setting? Can you give me some other suggestions? Thanks!
Paul
I have heard the Gallos in a fairly large room and they
do fine, providing plenty of output at most frequencies. One consideration for you is the
sheer volume of your room due to the vaulted ceilings. Rooms like yours tend to soak up
bass, which could be problematic in a home-theater environment. Luckily, a system like the
Gallo setup can be configured with two subwoofers. This would be beneficial for you
because it would provide more headroom in the bass and a greater overall sense of ease
under the crossover point. There are a number of subwoofer/satellite systems that would
work well, but just keep in mind the two-subwoofer requirement, or at least a very potent
single subwoofer to fill that huge space you have.
|
