Are active crossovers better than built-in speaker crossovers as a matter of course regardless of implementation? In other words are you better off with an active crossover no matter how good your built-in speaker crossover may be and one should consider an external active crossover and bi-amping if the speaker design and funds allow it? Aside from the flexibility that an active, external crossover allows, what makes a crossover good or bad from a sound quality perspective? How does one decide which is a good xover (active or passive) and which isn't?

Thanks

I just turned my boob-tube on & discovered they're doing Mozart's Magic Flute! It's the shortened version of Die Zauberflote, but that might be a good thing for some of you And it's in English! I usually cringe at English-ified versions of operas, but this version is excellent; the libretto translation was done by J.D. McClatchy, whose poems I like very much. And the set design by Julie Taymor is whimsical & spectacular...

Whilst there are dynamics of credit crunch, banks in trouble, devalued stock portfolios

I wonder if a small room, properly treated and set up can give real good sound? Can anyone comment on this. Surely Ethan has some experience with this. What say you folks?

I should add I am speaking on the order of 10 x 10 or so.

Does anyone have experience with the recent remasters of Nick Drake's 3 albums, the ones collected in the Fruit Tree boxed set this year? I think they also may have been originally released 5-7 years ago.

Anyway, I have the original CD version; I'm wondering if the new ones are the good kind of remastering or the bad kind (no dynamic range, etc.). Wondering if the set is worth re-buying...

Thanks!

Hi all, first post here.

Here's the situation: I'm starting to put together a home theatre system, and I'm looking for some advice from the great collective wisdom of the interweb. I'm an audio engineer by trade so I'm used to exceptional sound quality, but I'm not into spending huge money at home, at least not yet.

I've been looking to upgrade for a few years. I've a 1980 Phillips 7183 20 watt receiver that I've found impossible to beat. Seems new equip spreads itself thin on home theater stuff.

If this is the case, can anyone recommend a pair of book shelf speakers that can beat my 1990's Boston Accoustics CR-8's for under $700?

I appreciate your expertise since I have none.

Charlie

I have read a lot of forums on this, but for me, all the solutions given have not worked for me. I keep getting oud buzzing noise in my right speakers. Here is my scenario. I have a Macintosh Powerbook.

The audio out of the laptop goes into an M-Audio MobilePre (Audio Interface)

From there, White/Red RCA output cables WITH a ground-loop isolator connect to my Onkyo receiver.

From there the Onkyo receiver connects to 2-sets of speakers. Speaker set A and B.

I'm attempting to build my first stereo system with a little help from you guys. Up until now hi-fi has always meant hitting the road with my Sennheiser's, ipod and portable amp, but I want to be able to come home, take my ipod out of my bag drop it into a system that sounds as great as my 'phones.

I'm new to the hobby and want to spend about $1000 (pretty typical from reading this forum). I've read many of the posts on this forum and this is what I'm thinking at the moment: