Break-in period?
November 30, 2002
We have been running our stereo system with our TV/home
theater, but now we want to separate our music listening to another room. Presently, we
are using a Toshiba DVD player, NAD integrated amp, and Energy bookshelf speakers. We
brought home a Simaudio Celeste preamp and amp, and a Sony SACD player for a demo. We
moved our Energy speakers on stands to our living room (14' x 20') and hooked up this demo
system. We mostly listen to rock/pop and country. We really like the demo system with our
Energy speakers, especially for detail, soundstaging, and depth, but at the higher volumes
the system gets harsh (painful to my ears) on the high end and sibilance is pronounced. My
husband and his audio friends say the new components out of the box need a "break-in
period" of play before the system can be accurately judged on the high end. A fair
amount of money is involved in this purchase, and I'm not sure I believe in this break-in
process. What is your opinion?
Kathi
It sounds like you are stepping up significantly in
price, and should therefore expect a significant jump in quality too. I'd be pretty
critical in the audition stage -- keep listening until you are just knocked out.
As for the break-in process, you've hit upon a
controversial subject. Some swear by this process and hear a real transformation, while
quite a few believe that you are adjusting to the sound more than the sound
of the components actually changing. Perhaps it is a combination of both. Either way, for
my money, I want to be satisfied with the sound right out of the box. If it improves
further from there, great!
Choosing a subwoofer
November 26, 2002
I'm 16 years old and a big audiophile. I am looking into
upgrading my subwoofer. I only have a summer job, so I can't afford anything over 500
bucks (not including shipping). I don't like my current Kenwood 8" 100W paper sub
because it is the very thing I don't want in my next choice. I can't stand reverb. I like
punchy, clean bass from a subwoofer that will play exactly what the receiver tells it to
-- no washed-out bass. My room isn't very large, and I feel the sub I have now isn't good
because it doesn't sound good, not because it is not powerful enough. My floor is
hardwood, so down-firing is a possibility. After doing a lot of research, I stumbled upon
the Axiom EP125, Axiom EP175, and Hsu VTF-2. I noticed you have experience in listening to
subs from both companies. My room is only like 13' x 10', and I listen to a wide variety
of music (rock, rap, classical, punk, alternative, and trance). The sub also should be
able to perform well for movies (although music is my primary interest). Do you think the
EP175 and VTF-2 are overkill for such a small area? What subwoofer would suit my tastes in
music and pack good, clean punch? Thanks for your time.
Mike
The type of music you listen to does require a sub that
can belt out the bass when need be, not just provide ambiance. What you don't mention,
though, is what type of speakers you have in your system. A subwoofer's job is much easier
when it is not called on to reproduce frequencies too high for its designed purpose. So
assuming you have speakers that are capable of upholding their end of the low-frequency
bargain by playing into the 30-40Hz range (this may be a good alternative upgrade if not),
then I think either the Axiom or Hsu represents a substantial upgrade over the Kenwood you
have now. I don't think what you are considering is overkill at all; you dial in the right
amount of bass with the subwoofer's controls. It's better to have more capability than you
need than not enough.
Sorting out the sound
November 23, 2002
I'm looking for a budget integrated in the $350-$450 range
to go with a pair of Paradigm Reference Studio/20s. I'm planning on listening to Cambridge
Audio and NAD amps, among others. I've been reading a lot online about system synergy --
matching bright speakers with warm amps, for instance. However, I'm new to audiophilia,
and I'm not sure if I really know the difference between warm and bright, dark coloration,
and whatever's not dark. The skeptic in me thinks that everyone's using these terms
differently and that the conversations on Audiogon and here at GoodSound! are
really exercises in futility! This can't be so, can it? If it isn't all futile, can you
tell me if there are certain amps I ought to rule out, right off the bat, to go with my
Studio/20s? Or, is this a waste of words, as the ultimate proof is in the listening?
Josh
Let's cut to the chase: Ultimately, the proof is in the
listening. You have hit upon a very important point, and that is that each of us hears
differently, has different priorities and sensitivities, and tastes. Reviews and
discussions are there to provide you with others' experiences so that you can plan a
starting point for your quest for great sound. You can't, though, take someone else's
experiences and adopt them for your own and expect total satisfaction.
Now to your choices. Personally, I'd look hard at the
NAD amplifiers. They are well built and generally sound good across the board. They are
also powerful enough to accommodate demanding speakers. NAD is a good starting point for
your search.
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