February 15, 2002
I'm looking for a set of speakers for my NAD T760 A/V
receiver. After searching for some speakers affordable to me, I decided to choose between
three configurations: Infinity Alpha, Tannoy Mercury or Revolution, or Polk Audio.
What do you think about these brands in a home-theater
configuration? I listen to more music than movies, and my room is about 25m square. I
canīt use floorstanding speakers. Thanks in advance.
Alejandro Pastrana
Make sure you check Home Theater & Sound, Audio Video Reviews, as well
as the new onhometheater.com
with Wes Phillips. We have Tannoy and Polk reviews located there for your perusal. Our
writers have been favorably impressed with both Tannoy and Polk, but they do sound
different. The NAD is a notoriously capable receiver, so I cannot imagine you having any
matching problems with any of the mentioned brands. Try to listen to all three contenders
to get a take on their sound; examine the warranties, dealer support, and finish options.
Combining all the various factors is the best way to determine which system will satisfy
you long term.
February 14, 2002
Is there any chance of you or your staff of doing a review
for the Klipsch Quintet? My friend recently bought the speaker system and is constantly
raving about it. He lives out of town, so I'm not able to go over to his place to have a
listen for myself. After reading a few of the well-written reviews on your website, I was
hoping someone would do an in-depth review on the Klipsch Quintet speakers. Thanks.
Bailey
We're always looking for tips from our readers on hot
products they would like to read about. After researching your suggestion for the Klipsch
Quintet, I can say it surely fits our criteria. We'll see what we can do about getting a
review pair in for evaluation. Thanks again for the suggestion!
February 12, 2002
I am new to the home-theater world and I have an old
subwoofer that I believe to be of good quality. I was given this subwoofer by a friend. I
recently got a Sony STR-DE975 receiver. My problem is that the new receiver has a single
RCA-type output, but the subwoofer has an input of two sets of regular speaker wires. I
assume that it was made before the separate subwoofer output was added to receivers. The
sub is not powered. Is there any way to hook it up to my new receiver? If not, will you
recommend a medium-priced ($200-$500) subwoofer that I could purchase. Thanks in advance
for your help!
Jay Nunn
What you would need to do is purchase a separate
amplifier to power the subwoofer. You want to use the LFE (low-frequency effects) output
on the receiver (the RCA connection you mention), but you do need to power the subwoofer.
As well, it is unlikely that the subwoofer has a passive crossover built in, which would
mean you need to use the receiver's filtering to get the right signal to the subwoofer.
A single mono amplifier like those available from
Marantz or Accusonic would likely do the trick, and you would still come in at less than
most new subs. Check into the receiver's crossover functions though, as this may be a
somewhat limiting factor. If it is adjustable (frequency), you will likely be fine. If
not, you may run into some subwoofer-integration issues that would be avoided with a
powered sub that has onboard adjustments.
February 10, 2002
I own an extra pair of DH Labs speaker cables, and decided
to "double up." I hooked both sets up to the amp and speakers. With two cables,
everything "seems" to have improved, from better bass to sweeter highs. Does
this make sense?
Charlie
What you have essentially done is doubled the number of
conductors used to transfer the audio signal from your amplifier to your speakers.
Manufacturers and designers will give you various opinions as to the potential benefit of
this configuration. From a technical standpoint, you have lowered the cable's resistance
(a good cable is generally regarded as one with low inductance and resistance), which is a
positive attribute. This is a safe method for increasing an audio system's performance in
some instances, which in your case has been confirmed by the increase in sound quality.
February 9, 2002
I'm planing to purchase an A/V receiver and a DVD player.
Which DVD movie in your opinion should I play to test the sound of Dolby Digital and DTS
surround as well as the picture quality of the player ?
Rahul
Within our sister publication, Home Theater & Sound,
we have a "Reference DVD" article with a listing of which movies possess great
audio and video. There are a number of really good demo discs detailed there. You'll see
more added to that article on March 1 and thereafter, so check back often.
February 8, 2002
I am currently using a pair of Mission 731i (from my Denon
DM-10 minisystem). A Denon AVR-1801 is used for home theater, and an Adcom GFA-535 is used
to drive the Mission speakers. I have read some rave reviews about nOrh and Axiom
speakers. Are they worth the upgrade for me? Either nOrh 4.0 or the Axiom M3Ti SE? Thank
you.
Regards,
Albert
To determine whether upgrading your speakers is
"worth it" to you, first you must decide what it is about your current speakers
you wish to improve. If you want a cleaner midrange, for example, the Axiom line is known
for this quality. If you want deeper bass, a larger speaker may give you just that.
Improvements across the board may require you to look
at a slightly more expensive speaker, upping your budget $100 or so. The Axioms or the
nOrhs may be just what you are looking for, but to know for sure, narrow your focus before
you buy. That way you know when you have accomplished your mission. Good luck.
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