The Entry Level

The Entry Level #4 Contacts

Sidebar: Contacts

PSB Speakers International, 633 Granite Court, Pickering, Ontario L1W 3K1, Canada. Tel: (888) 772-0000, (905) 831-6555. Fax: (905) 837-6357. Web: www.psbspeakers.com.

Rega Research Ltd., 6 Coppers Way, Temple Farm Industrial Estate, Sothend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 5TE, England, UK. Web: www.rega.co.uk. US distributor: The Sound Organisation, 1009 Oakmead Dr., Arlington, TX 76011. Tel: (972) 234-0182. Fax: (972) 234-0249. Web: www.soundorg.com.

Wharfedale, IAG UK Ltd., IAG House, Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 6XU, England, UK. Tel: (44) (0)1480-447700. Web: www.wharfedale.co.uk. US distributor: Wharfedale USA/Sound Imports LLC., 14A Rosenfield Drive, Hopedale, , MA 01747. Tel: (508) 422-9788. Web: www.wharfedaleusa.com.

COMMENTS
zachisawesome's picture
Submitted by zachisawesome on April 10, 2011 - 7:28pm

Do you know where they sell wharfedale speakers online in the US? I'm really interested in a pair of the 10.1s after reading this because the nearest dealer to me is outside Philadelphia which is about 3 hours away. I couldn't find anything online in my searches.

I was also wondering if you had any plans to switch out the Cambridge Audio Azur 340A, for a different integrated like the Marantz pm5004? As a fairly poor recent college grad I really dig these "Entry Level" articles, because they cover products within my price range, some of which I own, like the RP1.

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias on April 11, 2011 - 5:49am
Hey Zach.
Thanks for reading. I'm glad you're enjoying the column.

Music Direct is selling the Wharfedales for $299/pair. In the July issue, I'll be discussing the NAD C316BEE and Jolida FX 10 integrated amplifiers.

zachisawesome's picture
Submitted by zachisawesome on April 11, 2011 - 9:54am

Thanks, I don't know why music direct didn't come up in any of my searches.

I'm excited I'm really interested in the Jolida, are you going to be pairing it with the wharfedales?

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias on April 11, 2011 - 10:20am
No, I no longer have the Wharfedales on hand -- Bob Reina is using them and will provide a complete equipment report in an upcoming issue. I'll pair the Jolida with the Klipsch Synergy B-20 and PSB Alpha B1 loudspeakers.
zachisawesome's picture
Submitted by zachisawesome on April 13, 2011 - 8:39pm

I was really curious to see if the jolida could drive the wharfedales since they don't seem to be particularly efficient speakers. Did the Azur have enough power to get a decent volume level?

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias on April 14, 2011 - 11:43am
Did the Azur have enough power to get a decent volume level?

Yes, it did. The system played very loud with no sense of strain in my small (13 x 11 x 8) room.

maxmelvin19's picture
Submitted by maxmelvin19 on July 18, 2013 - 7:40am

Hi Stephen,

In a comment I left under one of Michael Lavorgna's articles over on audiostream, he suggested both your Entry Level column and contacting you with respect to my question. I know your time is limited, so I don't want to waste it, but I have done my best to find the answer to this question from respected online sources but I'm not getting a very clear picture at all. Here goes:

In the budget hifi arena (say sub $400 for a speaker/amp system in your money) does one get better sound from an active/powered desktop speaker or the traditional bookshelf passive and separate amp? (That is, keeping the variables to a minimum.) I'm making my first foray into high fidelity and I my research gives me the following options:

1) Audioengine A5+

2) Tannoy Mercury V1/Q Acoustics 2010i & Marantz/NAD/Yamaha lowest end amp

Lots of erm...impassioned forum members have been pushing low end professional studio monitors but I'm after smooth, tone-centric, detailed and *forgiving of track/mix quality* speakers so I assume home audio audiophile products are the way to go?

Btw, I won't be listening nearfield but in a small attic (loft) flat (apartment) with the speakers on the edge of a counter top or on a bookshelf with some space behind it (because of the slanted roof) and my gf and I will sit 6-8 feet from the speakers. My sources are just a laptop and maybe the TV and I hope to get a DAC lile the HRT microstreamer in about 6 months time.

Any advice/direction would be very much apprecieted. I care about listening to music and money's very tight (I have a useless masters degree to thank for that!) so I want to make the right descision.

Thanks,

Max

SNorene's picture
Submitted by SNorene on April 12, 2011 - 6:14am

I have a 7.1 system using the PSB Alpha 1's - T1 x2, B1 x2, C1 x1, LCR x1 and an i5 PSB Sub. Absolutely amazing quality and sound for the money. I listened to a lot of speakers, and was very tempted to buy Definitive Tech's, but was twice the money for not much of a difference. I do wish to audition the new Golden Ear surround setup...but would keep the PSB's just move them into the bedroom.

LOVE PSB's !!!!

ack's picture
Submitted by ack on April 13, 2011 - 7:58am

Very excited to see a review of the Jolida FX 10 and looked at buying the NAD C316BEE before someone gifted me a Marantz receiver.

Any plans on reviewing any of the entry-level universal disc players?

This might make sense for someone in a smaller space who uses a 2 channel system for playing music and enhancing their experience watching movies.

I am seeing people in the forums doing this more and more out there in that real world space.

Stephen Mejias's picture
Submitted by Stephen Mejias on April 13, 2011 - 9:39am
Any plans on reviewing any of the entry-level universal disc players?

I really haven't thought much about the smaller variety of discs at all, so I have no immediate plans to cover any universal disc players, but, in the future, I'm sure I'll get around to it.

ack's picture
Submitted by ack on April 13, 2011 - 6:10pm

Then I should point you to Needledoctor.com for their new Pro-Ject Essential for $299 which Pro-Ject to my knowledge never sold in the USofA before. Entry-level phonographic goodness.

TNtransplant's picture
Submitted by TNtransplant on April 19, 2011 - 6:19pm

If you're exploring the music of Robert Wyatt, presumably you've already come across his excellent first post-accident album "Rock Bottom" and even ventured further to discover his shortlived post-Softs group, Matching Mole (the first album was excellent ... I'm less inclined to recommend the second). If you want to check out some off-the-beaten track releases, a 2009 CD from France's Orchestre National de Jazz called "Around Robert Wyatt" is a fascinating collection, including the participation of Wyatt and a few other notables. Wyatt's also prominently featured on several Carla Bley and Michael Mantler albums and (Pink Floyd drummer) Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports album, which was really a Carla Bley set under the PF's drummer's name.

BlueSteelAudio's picture
Submitted by BlueSteelAudio on April 25, 2011 - 12:50am

If you're aching to replace those speaker cables, I have heard good things about Paul Speltz's "Anti-Cables." A six-foot spade-terminated stereo set costs just $60, so I assume they're fair game for review in The Entry Level. I am also very curious about the Anti-Interconnect (with Eichmann Bullet Plugs), but I don't know anyone who has them. Any chance you'll check them out?

http://www.anticables.com/

MrWatermelonMan's picture
Submitted by MrWatermelonMan on December 13, 2011 - 4:44pm

Hi Stephan,

I enjoyed your review. I'm interested how you thought the RP1 stacks up against the P3? I'm currently thinking of purchasing the RP1, but I'm also considering buying a clearance P3-24 that I've seen for GB£75 more (without a cartridge) but not sure if I can justify the extra expense (especially to the Mrs). I'm also aware of a second hand P3-2000 (I think) being sold privately that I might go check out. Any thoughts?

Thanks

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