December 26, 2001
I am from India, and I am interested to know if there are
any speakers manufactured with powered front models as I would like to use them in a
separate room without an amp, and just hook up to my CD player. Thanks and best regards.
Noel
Now that Paradigm's Active series has been
discontinued, there are fewer choices available to you. You may, however, be able to find
some old stock from some of their dealers, which you may pick up at a reasonable
price. Paradigm will service them from what we have been told. Beyond that, I would look
into the Meridian DSP33, which is a two-way active monitor that would fit your
requirements. By GoodSound! standards, these are still a bit expensive. If you
look into the professional market, there are still a number of relatively low-cost
alternatives from companies such as Mackie, Genelec, and JBL. These are surprisingly good,
available in most areas, and provide excellent value for the money. They may just be the
best bang-for-the-buck of any active speakers available today.
December 24, 2001
No questions, just compliments today. I just finished
reading your review of the BetterCables cables and enjoyed it. But what most caught my
attention was the fact that you used gear that most of us mortals can afford and use in
our systems. Being a compulsive review reader, I grow tired of reviews that connect a
piece of equipment or cable to a system that most of us will never own or really feel the
need to own. Thanks for recognizing us mere mortals!
Carl Drake Jr.
December 21, 2001
What does the notation Mk II stand for, and what does it
mean?
Daren
Mk II denotes the second generation of a particular
product within a manufacturer's line. This only tells part of the story though. For each
manufacturer that uses it, the designation varies. For example, a slight revision might be
enough to denote a Mk II status in Manufacturer A's product, while this may be a running
change to Manufacturer B, which never garners a change in model number. Sometimes it may
be a complete redesign and is altogether a new product. The only way to know for sure is
to ask the manufacturer what exactly the difference between the original and Mk II product
consists of.
December 20, 2001
I recently purchased a Luxman 363 power amplifier that had
been a demo and was on a shelf in the store for several years.There was no paperwork on
it, and the dealer didn't remember the specs. I'm using it to drive a pair of Magnepan
1.6QRs. Although it does quite well, it seems a little short on power since I see the
clipping lights blink when I crank the volume up to a loud, but not blasting, level.
Do you know the specifications for this amp? And frankly,
is it any good. Although I don't have any real complaints about it, my 25-year-old
McIntosh 2105 seems more powerful. If you have any info, I'd appreciate it.
Al Havemann
From a bit of research, I did find that the Luxman M-363
that you have is rated at 125W into 8 ohms. This should be plenty of power for the
Magnepans in most situations. The fact that the clipping indicators are showing signs of
the amplifier's limitations is normal. Since most amplifiers do not have clipping
indicators, most users have no idea how common clipping actually is. The Luxman is a
high-quality amplifier from my experience. A close friend uses one to this day and loves
it.
Your McIntosh 2105 is a fine amplifier too, even by today's
standards, so don't discount it simply due to its age. The MAC amps are built like tanks,
evidenced by the fact that your 25-year-old unit is still operating at a high level. If
you prefer it, I'd use it without hesitation. The 2100 (a 2105 without the meters) was my
first high-end amplifier back when I was a teenager, and I still have fond memories of it
driving my Klipsch speakers.
December 19, 2001
I stumbled across your site just recently. My whole system
is old and outdated (SAE two-channel amp, etc.). Anyhow, after Christmas I intend on
cleaning house and starting all over. I have been looking at an Onkyo receiver (TX-DS787),
and I like the sound of Phase Technology speakers (Teatro 4.5) and then probably a DVD
unit. I would like to eventually turn the system into a 5.1 surround system, but I need to
start with the receiver and speakers. Any advice that you could give would seriously help.
Thanks for your time.
John Lehman
Your plan is logical and will yield good results if you
make your buying decisions carefully. By buying your front speakers first, you can place
the most emphasis on them, which is preferable to a mediocre 5.1 system. The Teatro series
will give you a place to return to when the time comes to add surrounds and a
center-channel, assuring you of matched performance all around the room. A DVD player does
make a good source for a two-channel system and will morph into your video source too,
making it the most cost-effective choice for a dual-use system.
The one suggestion I would make is to hang on to your
SAE amplifier. The Onkyo has preouts, which allow the use of an external amplifier with
the receiver. You may find this sounds better. And when you add additional speakers, you
could still use the SAE for the front channels and let the Onkyo power everything else.
December 18, 2001
I currently have an NAD C740 receiver, NAD C523 CD changer,
and Vandersteen 1C speakers, which your site turned me on to about a year ago when I was
looking to build my system. I've got the bug to upgrade and was toying with getting a tube
component. I'm currently looking at getting an Audio Electronic Supply AE-3 preamp and
only using my C740 as my amp. Do you feel that I will get a noticeable impact from this
setup, or would I be wiser to go after the amp or a different integrated amp? Thanks!
Deyvid Green
The first thing you have to do is seriously what aspect
of your system you wish to improve. Using generalizations for the sake of discussion,
tubes may impart a warmer, more lush sound while solid state, conversely, would be more
controlled and focused. Think about how these two descriptions would interact with your
system as it stands now.
You also have to consider the type of music you listen
to, the size of your room, etc., before you move to a significantly lower-powered
amplifier. If you like rock at high levels, you may be disappointed with a low-powered
tube amp. In this case, you might be better off with the tube preamp.
As you can see, there is no short answer. You have to
listen to what you can in your system and then decide. Having a clear idea of what you
wish to accomplish before you spend your money is one key to being happy with your
purchase over the long term.
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