Hey everybody. I currently want to set up a 2 channel system. I need two speakers, a power amp, pre amp or an integrated amp. My budget is around 3 grand and i'll be strictly listening to music with this system. Can anyone please help, there's a ton of different products out there and im really confused as to which would fit in best within my budget. Thanks all.

Hi there!

I'm not sure whether this is the proper forum for this particular question. I just bought myself a descent (used) starter turntable as well as came upon a very large collection of excellent records.

The only thing I was asked to do as a favour for the record collection was to do create a number of CDs from some of the records.

Which sound card and software would be appropriate for this type of conversion on the computer? My turntable is Music Hall MMF-5 and I have Mission Cyrus 1 amp (which I still love to this day) so phono jack isn't an issue.

It was a surprise to read of the sale of Audio Research. I didn't realize the company was in any difficulty. Surely Audio Research must be considered the American audio icon, along with Mark Levinson, Krell, Conrad Johnson, Rowland, and Pass Labs. My fear is that the company's dedication to service (they service everything they've ever made) will suffer. I still don't understand how this could happen, given the excellent Reference products of late. Oh well, as Queen would have it..'another one bites the dust'

So, I got a copy of Joe Jackson's "Rain" today on 180 gram vinyl (have not listened yet so no comments about sound or performance) but I noticed something interesting on the credits. For the first time I saw one mastering engineer/studio for the CD version (Bob Ludwig, who is usally excellent) and another for the LP version (Paul Gold, who I do not recognize).

Before I power up my new 2-channel system, it would seem prudent to have a quality surge protector. Recommendations? Thank you

Hola,

I just saw an ad for the Clearaudio Reference turntable, and saw the display panel. The speed is listed as 33.3 RPM.

What the Hell?

Now, I don't know about you, but I can hear the difference between 33.3 and 33.2 or 33.4 RPM.

For that kind of loot, we should be getting more "3's."

Even the Continuum Caluburn only goes to 33.33 RPM. I went to their website and they actually listed "33" as one of the speeds. That's only two "3's!"

Would you accept copper that was only 99% or 99.9% pure? Of course not, we want 99.9999% pure!

I am new to this forum and have an old Jolida 202 tubed amp. I have had it for 14 years without a tube change. It has perhaps 1000 hours on the EL34's.

Now my question...the system has begun to develop an intermittent crackling in the right channel. I have reversed the speakers, right to left and the problem moves with the speakers. I have also reversed the right and left on the source cables without any change in the problem channel which tells me it is in the amp. Assuming it is the amp, can failing tubes produce a crackling noise in one channel or is it another problem?

So remind me to try this sucker out when I'm in Japan: Esoteric A-100 triode tube power amp, which should have been just released. It can even be used as an integrated amp, b/c it has a volume attenuator & 3 RCA plus 1 XLR inputs. 45 watts @ 8 ohms, can operate in self-biasing or set. Retail price in Japan is 1,575,000 yen, which is, umm, $14,750. Yet another reason to go to law school! Can Stereophile review this model, please please please?