Acoustic Energy and
Arcam
December 19, 2002
I have the opportunity to purchase an Arcam A65, Arcam
CD62, and Acoustic Energy EVO One system. My wife and I listened to the Arcam equipment
with Dynaudio Audience speakers, as the store did not have AE products in stock. While I
enjoyed its sound, my wife complained that it sounded too bright. This prompted two
questions.
First, could the speakers' position introduce brightness?
We were standing about four feet from the floorstanding speakers, so the tweeters were
directed at about waist level.
Second, we could not hear a major difference between the
Arcam A65 and Arcam A85 in limited listening. Is it worth it to spend $800 more on the A85
in the hope that our ears will "mature" over time to appreciate the (supposed)
superiority of the bigger amp?
Thanks,
Bill
You should audition components in much the same fashion
you'll use them, so you may have gauged the sound of the system a little unfairly due to
the fact that you were standing up. Speakers, for the most part, are designed to be
listened to in a seated position. It is quite possible that what you heard was due to your
standing position (your ears would be way above the tweeter axis). Similarly, the larger
Arcam amplifier may or may not be an added benefit to you -- it all depends on how you
listen at home and what type of space you have to fill. If you have a large room (or one
that opens into another room) or listen to fairly loud music, it may be a good idea to
purchase the more powerful amp. Conversely, in a smaller space at modest levels the
lower-powered amp would likely be just fine. Take into account your habits and the answers
to your questions will become more clear.
Bose reviews?
December 17, 2002
I recently had a chance to listen to the small ( 2"
cube) Bose speakers in a Bose showroom, and they sounded very impressive, although a bit
expensive. I have never seen any comparative evaluations in the magazines -- why not?
Gareth
Reviews, or "press" as the industry terms it,
is set up between manufacturer and publication in order to accomplish two goals. From the
magazine's perspective, it is to inform their readership. And having said that, we'd love
to do some Bose reviews. From the manufacturer's point of view, press is there simply to
create interest and drive sales. As you can see from the size and success of the Bose
Corporation, they have no problem with sales or interest -- in fact many believe their
marketing department to be the industry standard. To put it bluntly, they don't want or
need reviews. So as much as I'd like to tell you that we will contact Bose about some
review samples, I just don't think it will happen. The few Bose reviews I have seen over
the years have come via samples purchased by the reviewer.
Luxman
December 16, 2002
I have a Luxman R-115. It has been an outstanding receiver
since 1989. Recently the left and right channels take more than the regular warm-up period
to come on. Sometimes the right channel takes five minutes. Is it just additional warm-up
needed for faulty channels? How and where can I get this fixed? Can the channels be
exchanged from another Luxman unit?
Thanks for the input.
Richard Emery
This is where we need the help of our readers. I
recently tried to help a friend find a repair shop for a mid-'80s Luxman receiver and we
came up empty. Luxman is still going strong in Japan, and they have even introduced some
new products in the Asian market. For all of those who still have some of their older
gear, which was outstanding I might say, it would be helpful to know if there is a current
North American distributor or any repair facilities that specialize in Luxman gear. If you
have any information that would be helpful, please forward it and we'll print it right
here on GoodSound!.
Speaker choices
December 14, 2002
How would you rate a Bose AM15 system against a B&W or
a Polk system in terms of quality of sound?
Deepak
I've had much better experience with B&W and Polk
Audio in terms of sound quality, build quality, and really every other category you care
to name. In fact, I just had the opportunity to stop in a Bose outlet store while
Christmas shopping, and I gave several of their models an opportunity to impress me.
Suffice it to say I came away less than impressed, especially with their subwoofers.
Bluntly speaking, stick with Polk and B&W over Bose and you'll be much happier in the
long term.
System building
December 12, 2002
I'm trying to put together an entry-level higher-end
system, if that's possible, for two-channel-audio use (turntable and CD) in a roughly 10'
x 12' second-floor room with hardwood floors. I want to keep a budget of $1500 to $2000
for all components, I would love to have recommendations from you on the components
(receiver, CD player, and speakers).
Locally I've heard a Rotel RA-1070 through B&W 601 S3s
with a Velodyne sub and an H/K 3370 through Paradigm Titans. I liked the
Rotel/B&W/Velodyne combo, but the RA-1070 Rotel is overkill for what I want/need
(possibly the RX-1050 would work, but I haven't heard it). The H/K/Titans combo sounded
pretty good for a $500 match. I don't need to go with a sub/sat setup for speakers, so I'm
open to all suggestions. Locally I have access to Rotel, B&W, H/K, Paradigm, and
Definitive lines, and I think I would prefer to purchase locally. For the turntable I
think I'm going with a Music Hall MMF-5. If you can guide me in any way I would be
grateful.
Jeff
You're quite fortunate in that you have access
to some of the best brands for building a budget system. If only everyone had your
selection it would make things much easier for the GoodSound! readership.
Now to your question. You've heard both B&W and
Paradigm loudspeakers -- two great choices. I'd make sure you listen to more than just one
model in each respective brand's lineup. This will give you a good idea of where you want
to be in terms of your speaker budget. It's good to decide on speakers first because then
you can match electronics to them, and they are the most pivotal component with regard to
sound quality. I think the Rotel gear is great value for the money and would nicely drive
either brand quite well. And then throwing in a Velodyne sub and a good source (perhaps
the turntable you mention and a DVD-A or SACD player) -- you'd be set!
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