phild
Responses from phild
| Budget system recommendations From what I've heard, the Cambridge D500 CD player is really worth checking out. As another option, I'd recommend a Stan Warren modded Pioneer DV333 ($450 total) or a used Pioneer DV05 ($350-$450)...that way you can also watch movies or play 24/96... | |
| Question about older stuff I agree...older stuff can sound better for the money, but like usual, there are exceptions. Old receivers are a good buy for a cheap 2nd system. I think preamps have improved over the years, but I say that based on my experience with an old Luxman... | |
| Best Tuner under 500? If you don't mind your tuner looking older, and being analog, I'd recommend checking into something used from the 70s. An old Luxman, Onkyo, etc. Most companies were making tuners that are much better than their current tuners, and they'd be much ... | |
| Vote for the best center speaker here Ideally, the center speaker should be the same brand as your front speakers, or at least have a very similar sound as your speakers. That may be more important than the actual brand name...unless, of course, your front speakers suck. | |
| DVD Audio vs SACD? SACD may live, but I don't think it will replace consumer CDs for the same reasons mentioned above. At best, I think they'll be able to win over the audiophile market. They may win a larger market, but I don't see that happening for years...maybe ... | |
| EVS Millennium DAC II I just received mine on 4/12 and am burning it in now. | |
| Calling all Recording Engineers Frap and ALbert both make valid points. Everything was very simple back then...the recorders were usually 2 or 3 track, not 4,8,16,24,48, or in the digital realm, 100+. A 2 or 3 track, 1/2" or 1" tape devotes more space to each track than a 1/2" o... | |
| Merlin BAM connection problems I agree with the above...it's tough to use the BAM with an integrated that doesn't have a tape loop. You probably will have to decide between committing the BAM to one component, constantly switching cables, or replacing the integrated. | |
| Point of Diminishing Returns? Sony is coming out with many more SACD players in many different price ranges. The above suggestion for the 9000 may be a good one. Stan Warren, Ric Schultz, and Dan Wright are all beginning to work on modifications for those units. Once they figu... | |
| Pass Aleph 3 or 5 for Proac 1sc The Aleph P preamps match very well. I think the 5 may have balanced inputs...I'm not positive...but the 3 doesn't. You might want to try a tube preamp with the Aleph amps. They sound great, but they do lack that certain tube magic. One tube would... | |
| SACD dealers in Chicago I think Holm has a short webpage at www.holmaudio.comAnd Eric...if you only have the afternoon to spend, you'll probably end up having to skip Holm (or make that your only stop)...they're about a 45 minute drive from downtown. The Little Guys are ... | |
| Counterpoint SA-11, worthy looking for? I've heard great things about their preamps...especially the top models, like the SA-11. Mike Elliot is still doing repairs and upgrades to the old Counterpoint gear, so it's a pretty safe buy. (www.altavistaaudio.com) | |
| Best Amp/Pre-amp Combo for 1500 I agree with the above...in that range, check out the integrateds. Popular opinions have seemed to change over the last few years. Many people are now saying that integrateds can be better than seperates. Apparently, the shorter signal path is now... | |
| So many choices what to buy? I agree...try and limit your choices, and then demo them in your own home. I can almost guaranty that they'll sound very different in your place...maybe better, maybe worse, but different. | |
| Adcom? I've never seen anyone abuse them here. Adcom spends a lot on advertising...I doubt they'll ever get bad reviews. I think most people accept them for what they are. They're a company that prices their products at the entry level for hi-fi. Their p... |