Equipment reviews for older gear
February 20, 2003
Love your site -- fantastic. I am trying to locate a
website that gives reviews and specifications on audio equipment that is not new. There
must be a heap of used high-end components out there, but when I find a component which
seems to meet that criteria, I find it impossible to find any reviews or specifications on
the web. Is there a site where I can find this type of information?
Kevin Havers
The SoundStage! Network has a huge database of equipment reviews located
at www.audiovideoreviews.com.
You'll find an archive that includes reviews from all of our publications, sorted by date
and component type. We're adding to it every month, so if you miss a month or two when the
reviews are first published, you can always go there and catch up. And as you say, it
makes purchasing used gear that much easier when you can dig up good information on it.
HTIB alternatives
February 19, 2003
I'm looking for a one-box solution to my audio and
home-theater search. I like the idea of having a simple system that I can get in one place
without having to resort to component shopping. However, the home-theater-in-a-box systems
look kind of cheesy from a quality standpoint. Are there any other things I can consider?
Gary Kearny
There are some one-box solutions that are pretty good.
Onkyo makes the LS-V500C system, which can be purchased with or without speakers (without,
refer to model number DR-C500). I have recommended this to several friends, and they seem
very happy with the results. Also in that same realm, though a bit more expensive, is the
NAD L70. Both of these products feature a surround-sound receiver and DVD-player
combination that'll also do justice to your music collection. I would opt for a standalone
unit like this, then add a speaker system from brands such as Axiom, Paradigm, Polk Audio,
or Mirage. It's not quite one-stop shopping, but the performance is well worth the
trouble.
Scientific proof?
February 17, 2003
Have there been any tests done to measure differences in
sound before and after speaker break-in and cable burn-in to prove that they actually
exist? I certainly feel that these things have made audible differences in my system, but
there are a lot of skeptics who say otherwise -- and also believe that all cables are the
same. Shouldn't there be some scientific evidence to end the debate once and for all?
Eugene Lee
Just as you have scientists from around the world
debating all sorts of issues, each claiming with absolute fervor that they are correct,
you have varying opinions as whether burn-in and break-in occur to any significant degree.
Most industry professionals do concede that there are some electrical and physical changes
that place when a signal is sent through a device, but the real questions are how much
difference it actually makes, and how long it takes. For example, some manufacturers will
tell you that a few hours is enough to break-in the drive units of their speaker, while
another will say that it takes at least 500 hours of playing before you really hear the
sound. All this is complicated by our own adaptation, over time, to the sound we're
hearing. It has prompted many to ask whether we're the ones actually "breaking
in" to the sound. So the debate will continue, without any absolute proof one way or
another.
7.1 power
February 14, 2003
I am looking for a receiver that has 5.1 amplification but
with the option to upgrade with future amps to 7.1. I want to be able to add my own amps
to power my front mains for better music but still be able to integrate them into a 7.1
home theater. So far the only receiver that I found that can do this is the Harman/Kardon
AVR 520. Are there any other brands that can do this with the price range of the AVR 520?
Thanks,
Tu
Receivers that have facilities for Dolby Digital Surround
EX and DTS-ES will most likely all have seven-channel power on tap. No receiver I'm aware
of requires you to buy an additional amplifier to utilize the included processing
features. The good news is that more and more receivers are including preamplifier outputs
for the main channels, and sometimes all the channels. I don't think you'll have any
problem finding that feature in the less-expensive Onkyos, Denons, and Yamahas of the
world.
Micro system and sub
February 11, 2003
I want to know if I can connect an active subwoofer to a
normal micro hi-fi system? I would like to know because I want more bass, and I am
thinking of getting a sub. Please help me.
Martin
It depends on the connections available on the micro
system. If you have speakers that are conventionally connected, meaning positive and
negative legs (+/-) from each channel, then you could connect a subwoofer using these.
This is called a speaker-level connection, and what you would be doing is sending a
full-range signal to the sub via the speaker cables, letting it "subtract out"
the bass and reproduce it, then sending along the high-frequency portion of the signal to
your regular speakers. If the speakers are permanently connected to the system, or
"hard wired," you can't use this option.
The second connection method would be to use RCA outputs
from the micro system into the RCA inputs of the sub. This is called a line-level
connection, and does not affect your main speakers or their sound, at all. Some micro
systems have this output, while others omit it. Chances are, if you don't have the
speaker-level connections available to you, you won't have the RCA outputs, but look for
both to see what your options are.
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