January 31, 2002
I was wondering if you are familiar with Merak speakers,
and if so, what your opinion is as far as their sound quality is concerned. I saw a
center-channel speaker, called a Merak MC6H, made by Colquhon Audio Labs for sale on
uBid.com. I'm looking for a great deal on a good center-channel speaker, but I'm
unfamiliar with this brand. Also, I've never seen a Compression Horn Tweeter used in a
center-channel speaker. Is this a good speaker for under $100, or do you have any other
recommendations? Being a graduate student with no money but a picky ear makes it difficult
to buy audio equipment. Thanks for your help.
Aaron Hernday
The Merak brand is produced by the same company that
produces Axiom Audio speaker products. This brand is priced under the Axiom lineup and is
available in Canada at Radio Shack stores. As for the Compression Horn Tweeter, this is,
according to the description, a way to increase efficiency. Horn drivers are known for
being very sensitive -- able to play loud without tons of power. If the specifications are
correct, this speaker may work well with low-powered receivers.
January 30, 2002
A number of years ago I purchased a
Paradigm SB-100 passive subwoofer in a misguided effort to fill in the bass that an old
pair of speakers was leaving out. I later upgraded my speakers to a pair of KEF Q60s, and
I have been in love with them for a long time now. I've been driving the Paradigm and the
KEFs with a small Yamaha integrated amp for years, but I have very recently moved to a
Marantz SR-5200. I've long felt that individually the KEFs and the Paradigm subwoofer were
great units, but I really didn't have the setup necessary to get the most from both. Now
that I've got the Marantz, I feel like I should do something about my speaker setup.
Since the Paradigm subwoofer is a passive unit, what can I
do to control and balance the (rather impressive) bass I get from it? Previously I could
only tweak the bass and treble defeats on my Yamaha, but that never gave me enough control
to make me happy. Is there any economical solution, or should I just plan on getting rid
of the SB-100 and replace it with a new, powered subwoofer like the Hsu? Thanks.
Michael Horstmanshof
There is a simple and economical solution tailor made
for your situation. Paradigm makes the X-series subwoofer control units specifically made
to mate with your subwoofer. The X-10, X-20, and X-30 all offer variable levels of control
functions to suit a system's needs. You will be able to select the crossover frequency and
phase (X-20, X-30) that best blends the subwoofer with your mains. My guess is that you
will experience a whole new level of performance from your system when you achieve perfect
integration of the SB-100 with your KEF speakers.
January 29, 2002
Many thanks for your wonderful website. I am looking for a
good stereo receiver ( I have a pair of B&W DM 601 S2 speaker) and have two options:
Harman/Kardon HK 3370 (new in some audio store) and the Carver HR-895 ( in mint condition,
with the instruction manuals, in a serious store and the price is the same as the
Harman/Kardon). Which equipment do you consider the best choice? Thanks in advance.
George
There's always a tradeoff between buying new gear and
receiving full manufacturer's warranty, with the peace of mind that the component has not
been abused or modified, versus buying used. The other side is that you can stretch your
dollar further by buying used or demo gear, and likely end up with more equipment per
dollar than otherwise possible. I would start by asking the dealer selling the Carver if
he originally sold it. If so, perhaps he can offer some limited warranty just to get you
past the first 90 days or so. You can also call Carver Corporation (425-335-4748) to find
out if service is available should something happen to the unit. With these safeguards in
place, it makes buying used more attractive.
Finally, if you have return privileges on both, perhaps
you can bring both home and give them a side-by-side comparison. This is the best way to
know for sure which you will prefer in the long run.
January 27, 2002
This is my second time writing, and, again, I would like to
commend you on a great site. My question involves the future of "active" speaker
systems. I recently made an upgrade from the Paradigm Reference Studio/40s to the
Active/40s. And certainly, the difference has been wonderful, even though my bank account
may not feel that way. Unfortunately, Paradigm has recently announced the discontinuation
of their Active speakers due to less-than-stellar sales. This is the response I received
directly from Paradigm. For me, this is a shame because active speakers have a lot to
offer. I won't enumerate the benefits here, but I think you understand my point. I was
just curious about your thoughts on this matter (the viability and the future of active
speakers). I know Meridian does a great job with their series (albeit at a high cost).
Thank you for your time, and continue the great work!
W. Chung
Wes Philips reviewed the Paradigm Reference Active/40s
on onhifi.com, and I believe he summed
it up best with the following statement: "No matter how good they are, no matter how
convenient, logical and sensible they are, I know that audiophiles won't buy 'em, because
audiophiles don't buy active loudspeakers. And non-audiophiles won't buy 'em because
non-audiophiles don't buy $2000 loudspeakers." You should enjoy your system knowing
that many people agree with you and feel active speakers offer lots of performance and
value for the dollar. Even if they aren't viable in terms of sales, this does not diminish
the quality of the product.
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