Component life
February 28, 2003
I am about to spend a lot of money (for me, anyway) on a
new amplifier, but I am concerned that the amp may not last as long as it should. I know
I'm just trying to justify my purchase here, but how long will a good amplifier in the
$1000 price range last?
Becky Joseph
If it is taken care of, a competent, conservative design
to begin with, and placed in a well-ventilated area of your home, it could last a very
long time indeed. Most manufacturers will tell you that the first things to "go"
on a solid-state amplifier are the power-supply capacitors. Even so, these typically last
anywhere from 10 to 15 years, and are easily replaced by a technician once their life span
has ended. My first real experience with high-end electronics was with a McIntosh MC-2100.
At the time, in my late teens, the amp was almost 20 years old (the MC-2100 was produced
from 1969 to 1977), and it had not been serviced, ever!
CD-player options
February 26, 2003
For my CD player purchase I am trying to decide between
getting an NAD C541i or a 400-disc Sony changer with CD text display and MP3 playback
along with an MSB Link DAC II or III. It would be really nice to have the versatility of
option two, but I don't want sound quality to suffer. What are the drawbacks of an
outboard DAC with a cheap transport, if any?
Eugene Lee
There are those who will argue both sides. On one hand,
the DACs in the MSB may be superior to those in the NAD; on the other hand, a one-box CD
player does not have the digital-interface complexity that the two-box solution has (which
raises issues such as jitter). So, from a sound-quality standpoint, I can't tell you which
will sound better. I suspect, though, that there are other factors at work here -- you
mention the disc capacity and MP3 playback. Only you can decide how much weight to give
these features in making your final decision.
New system
February 24, 2003
I live pretty far away from most high-end-audio stores, but
I want to start building a mid-fi-to-high-end audio system. I can spend up to $1500, but
it will be really hard to listen to anything before I buy. I am buying on reputation and
reviews.
My options are to order from Audio Advisor (a Creek amp and
CD player, Wharfedale speakers), long-distance specialty audio dealers (Rotel amp and CD
player with Paradigm Atoms; or Arcam amp and CD player and AE speakers), or Crutchfield
(Sony ES receiver, Sony SACD/DVD player with a partial set of Polk speakers, probably the
fronts and subwoofer).
Given that comparison listening is virtually impossible, do
you have any recommendations? Is it worth a eight-hour round trip to visit the closest
town with Rotel, Arcam, and Creek dealers, although direct A/B comparisons would be
impossible?
Mike
First you have to decide on what you'll use the system for
-- now and in the future. If you are only interested in two-channel CD playback, you'll
undoubtedly get the best performance from one of the integrated amps on your list. This
would disqualify the Sony receiver. Since it appears that you are leaning that way, let's
approach it from that standpoint.
If you choose the Paradigm or AE speakers, you'll have a
fine set of bookshelf speakers that will likely work with any of the integrated amps you
mention. With the Polks, though, you mention a subwoofer. If you want full-range sound,
you'll need a sub with any of the speakers on your list, so keep that in mind.
As for the digital front-end, all of the options you
mention are reasonable choices. The Sony player, though, would give you playback
capability for DVD-Video and SACD. If these options appeal to you, then go that route. The
Arcam and Creek CD players are capable of CD playback only, but will likely deliver the
best sound in that medium and potentially beat out the Sony (with CD).
Sonic considerations aside, you also have to look at
features, ergonomics, cosmetics, and of utmost importance, the dealer you buy from; make
sure whoever you buy from will service you after the sale, provide a warranty in writing,
and be approachable in the long term. Lots of considerations I know, but they are all
important and have to figure in your final decision.
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