DIY a savings?
December 31, 2003
Would a do-it-yourself (DIY) speaker kit give me better
sound for less money than a comparably priced speaker from a manufacturer such as those
you write about in GoodSound!?
Bard
It depends. Some of the kits are better than others, and
it depends on which model kit you're comparing to which model speaker. There's no blanket
answer. Some of the speakers we write about in these pages are truly bargains, as they
utilize the manufacturing efficiencies these companies have perfected over the years. Once
you get into the more expensive commercial brands, that's where DIY kits begin to make
sense as an alternative based on price. The best reasons to try a DIY kit is the enjoyment
and satisfaction you'll have assembling your own set of speakers. If that appeals to you,
go for it. If you're basing your opinion solely on price, I'd weigh the real savings
carefully before committing.
Phantom center channel
December 29, 2003
I prefer to have my 5.1 processor defeat the center signal,
thereby letting my main speakers play the dialogue on movies. Am I losing anything by
doing this? I really don't want to use a center-channel speaker and have no problems with
center imaging.
Roy Coleman
I like using a "phantom" center as well. Your
processor will route all center information to your left and right speakers, so you'll
lose no signal; you should hear everything on the soundtrack. What you lose is the ability
to adjust the center's balance (output level) compared to the rest of the system. This
could cause a lack of dialogue intelligibility on poorly recorded soundtracks where the
center signal needs some goosing. Assuming you have no problem there, it's smooth sailing.
Which receiver?
December 26, 2003
Please give me your opinion on which receiver you would
recommend. I am looking to upgrade to a seven-channel system. I have three choices to
decide on: Onkyo TX-NR801, Sony STDRA-3000 and Yamaha RXV-2400. I would appreciate your
knowledge on these selections. Also, I will be upgrading my speakers; so far the Athena
Audition Series stands out.
Jon
All three of these receivers should provide good sound
quality and the functionality you want. Much of the differences come down to exact
features, the dealer's service and warranty, and user interface (how easy is it for you
and your family to operate).
As well, I don't see an issue with you driving the
Athena speakers with any one of these receivers. They have a highish sensitivity and the
larger ones are quite full range -- this means you don't need tons of power and won't be
fighting with the processing features on the receivers to get the detail and bass response
you'll want. If pressed to make a choice, I'd lean toward the Onkyo or Yamaha. Those two
companies seem to update their receivers a tad more often than Sony.
Subwoofer power ratings
December 23, 2003
How important is amplifier power when looking at
subwoofers? I see anywhere from 150W to 2200W! Does this translate into better sound or
just greater loudness capability? What's the deal!?
Joey Clark
Great question. A subwoofer's amplifier power is a poor
indicator of both sound quality and overall loudness capability. In fact, I'd say that in
and of itself, it's a useless specification. There are so many other factors that come
into play such as the amount of equalization used (EQing a driver soaks up power like
crazy), the size of the enclosure (a smaller enclosure generally means lower efficiency),
class of amplifier operation, not to mention the driver itself. I've found that larger
enclosures with larger drivers, and less equalization and power, actually provide better
sound quality. So to sum up, subwoofer amplifier ratings should be ignored for all intents
and purposes.
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