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July 15, 2007 - 4:52pm
#1
speaker/receiver advice wanted
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Are the questions too basic for this forum? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
The Outlaw is a good receiver at its price point. I've listened to it through a variety of speakers (but none you listed) and never have been disappointed. I know it will be difficult to get an audition, but if you can, the Human 66 is an excellent loudspeaker for $1200/pair. If you can swing it, I always like the Vandersteen 2Ce for $1700 new or often found on AudiogoN for $1000 or under. I think if you can get a listen to the Vandersteen 2Ce you mught see it is worth the little extra money.
It has been said from time to time...buy some Paradigm or Vandersteen and forgetaboutit. Although I find both a little snoring and boring for my taste, I cannot deny the inherent value and sound quality in either. I'd suggest you use the both as a long established reference and then compare from there, ultimatly choosing a sound you and yours prefer.
Sure you can run them on your existing NAD for a while, just don't expect them to sound like they did in the showroom.
As for two channel recievers it would seem to be slim pickins and I am unfamiliar with the models you inquire about. A whole new world of choices opens up if you will drop the FM requirement and consider integrated amps.
Good luck, have fun, and let us know how you enjoy your new system.
RG
Thanks for the replies. We were only able to listen to the Paradigm Monitor 7s, which didn't impress much. Others might have. From what I've read of the Vandies, I'm not sure they'd appeal - there's a guy in town who does private app't's, so we might give 'em a listen. I'm afraid I'd want the larger ones (2CE) though, which are beyond budget.
We traveled Thursday to two shops to hear more. Very impressed w/ the Triangle Heliades - I'd never heard that kind of holographic imaging - wow! - but wanted a tad more bass. Got to spend two hours w/ some Revel F12s & really loved 'em. Heard them w/ an Arcam A70, & then w/ a lower powered Integra receiver, & it was quite a noticable difference.
We've pretty much followed your advice about dropping the reciever & getting the best integrated we can afford (around $800). I'm assuming that I can use our old receiever's tape out jack into an integrated's line input & listen to the old NAD's tuner that way. Any problem w/ that set-up?
We're seriously considering buying a used Arcam or used Musical Fidelity, as that seems to get us into a higher class of electronics than the new stuff in our price range. Besides the lack of warranty, are there any big negatives I may not be thinking about?
Charls,
Sounds like your doing a fine job narrowing your speaker choices to suit your taste. Yep, the Triangles do midrange right, but if you desire even just a tad more bass you had damn well buy it now, or buy it again later, so...after you get your Revels' home
, set up and run in for a few weeks, order ya one of these Marantz PM7001 from MusicDirect. You can try it in the comfort of your own home, with your system, for 30 days and if you don't like it, return it and you'll only be out some shipping costs. I suspect it will get you 90% of the Arcams' performance for a fraction of the price, and you would have to strain to hear the last 10% the Arcam delivered. This is coming from a very satisfied biased ex Arcam owner! I love em, but they are expensive, and we all have a budget.
I'm not for sure if the FM/Tape out connection works, I think it will but hopefully someone else will chime in to confirm...but I believe you have pre-outs on your reciever which, although both are not ideal they will work. I think used tuners can be found on Ebay for as little as $100.00.
Have fun...Keep us posted.
RG
Well, we listened to a few more speakers & settled on the Revels. The old NAD receiver ran them ok, but was a little lackluster in the mids & over-all 'punch'.
I'd been looking at the Marantz along w/ the NAD integrateds. My first 'h-fi' bought in the early 70's was a little Marantz integrated that we ran almost 20 years (along w/ a $10 60's era tube tuner).
Wound up buying a used Musical Fidelity A3.2 & it's really making the F12s sing! I'm listening to the radio right now, running the receiver's tuner signal through the tape-outs (which unlike the pre-out bypasses the receiver's tone controls) & it's working just fine.
Now I need to research surge protection . . . it's been quite a while since I've looked at any of those products. Eeks!
I commend you for your final choices. Much better from what you were originally planning.
On another note, how can you listen to FM? Non stop commertials and self promotion had me spending way too much time diving for the volume control.
I love my XM radio. I get grief from people about spending money on it, but then I refuse to pay for cable/Sat TV with commertials. Either make it free and have ads, or subscribe with no ads. For someone like you that has their system going all the time it will really be enjoyed.
Unless of course you really like car commertials.
In two words: Pacifica r\Radio
In my instance, KPFA in Berkeley - non-commercial news, commentary & programming simply unavailable elsewhere at any price - I happily pony up during the fund drives . . .
A couple of music programs there that I've listened to for decades would be a major loss as well if I couldn't access them.
News and commentary with a couple of music programs?
Sounds really good on your system?
The classical public radio station in my area sounds much better than satellite radio, plus it has good programming. I also just sent in my donation.
Enjoy your system!
charls,
Thanks for dropping back in to share a great ending to your new system search. Soundz like a music maker to me! Enjoy, and please come back to share some wonderful music finds with us in the future.
RG