Fixing scratched CDs

February 28, 2010

I have a CD that my son scraped along the floor. Now it’s so scratched up that it doesn’t play properly. What products do you recommend to fix it?

Walter Grail

I’ve tried a couple of the inexpensive CD repair kits, but they haven’t worked too well. They remove little scratches but not big ones. However, my local Blockbuster has an "industrial strength" polishing machine that resurfaces CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, etc. It works remarkably well -- when the discs come out, they look and play like new. They charge $3 per disc, which I think is worth it since it fixes them so well. You might want to search for something like that.

Unleashing the Ushers

February 24, 2010

I bought the Usher S-520 speaker some time ago and always wanted to upgrade my amplifier. What amp would unleash the full potential of the Ushers?

Julio Irizarry

Usher rates the speaker’s sensitivity at 86dB and the impedance at 8 ohms. Basically, a reasonably easy load. Most telling is the power handling: 50W. That’s a little on the low side, and while that’s no problem in itself, it is an indicator that you certainly won’t need too powerful an amplifier with them, or you might damage the speaker. So, a well-designed solid-state or tube power amplifier that delivers around 50Wpc should do just fine.

Speakers for $350-400

February 22, 2010

I am looking for a pair a bookshelf speakers that will be placed on a 12"-deep, solid-wood mantel in my living room. I have a tight budget ($350 to $400 max). I love classical music, jazz (especially female vocalists) and tango but also enjoy a small dose of heavy rock from time to time.

There seems to be a good choice of quality speakers in that price range, but I can't seem to find comparative reviews of the top contenders. Can you offer some advice, particularly regarding the newer Energy CB-20 and the Axiom Audio M3? Thank you.

Frédéric Brosseau

You're right, there's a good choice of quality speakers in that price range. We've reviewed the Energy CB-20 and the Axiom M3, but haven't directly compared them, so you have to simply look at the reviews. If I were you, I would also hold off on any purchase until at least March 1 when we publish a review of Polk Audio's RTi A1 on SoundStage!, our sister site.

Paradigm Signature S2

February 17, 2010

I have a chance to buy a pair of Paradigm Signature S2 speakers for $800. They’re the original models and I think they have a new version out. Is this a good deal?

Troy Simmons

They’re actually on the third version of the S2 right now. In fact, Jeff Fritz will actually be writing about S2 v.3 on Ultra Audio, our sister site, next month. But that doesn’t mean the original S2 isn’t a good investment. Providing the speaker is in good condition and hasn’t been misused at all, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better-performing speaker for that price. Definitely consider it.

Change the phase

February 13, 2010

My speakers are about 6’ apart and I sit about 7’ away. I get no center image whatsoever. Voices sound like they coming from everywhere but the center. I’ve tried knobs on my receiver and nothing helps. Any suggestions?

Trent Beauregard

It sounds like your speakers are wired out of phase, meaning that the positive and negative leads are hooked up correctly on one speaker, but are reversed on the other. This can happen either at the amplifier or the speaker connection. Simply check all the connections and make sure everything is correct.   I suspect when you do that, though, you’ll find one connection out of place.

Choosing a subwoofer

February 9, 2010

I'm interested in purchasing a subwoofer but don't really know where to begin. I was hoping you might be able to help.

I have an older NAD 7240PE receiver, which I purchased long ago. It still works and sounds fine. The unit has preamp-out and main-in jacks that I've been told can be useful for adding a subwoofer. I currently have two Spica TC-50 speakers connected to the NAD. They sound great for jazz, classical, etc., but are quite weak in the bass. I'd like to add a subwoofer. I'm not sure if you're familiar with any of the equipment I have but I'd welcome any suggestions on choosing a sub.

Thanks,

Jim Rennman

You can certainly use the preamp output jacks on your NAD to feed a powered subwoofer that has line-level inputs and a built-in crossover. So you’re all set as far as that’s concerned. As far as choosing a model, a lot will depend on your budget and the size of your room. It doesn’t sound to me as if you need a monster subwoofer to fill a massive room with home-theater-type bass, but that you simply want to augment a pair of moderately sized bookshelf speakers. I’d therefore look for a subwoofer that has a 10" or a 12" woofer. Paradigm has quite a few models that would likely suit your needs.

Emotiva?

February 3, 2010

I am curious to know if you plan on reviewing any Emotiva products in 2010? Many people consider them to be the cream of the crop as far as performance-to-price goes. I definitely consider them in the category of "affordable high-performance audio."

Kelly

We browsed their room at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and asked to review some of their products. We were told that they’d love to send them, and inquired again after the show. But we have not heard back, at least not yet.