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Q&A - #10 -
April 28, 1997
Q My wife
Kathleen and I are looking at some high end speakers. We
initially went out to audition the Martin Logan reQuests. They
were very nice. But, the same store had a pair of Aerial 10T
speakers in the same sound room. So, we had them hook them up.
Low and behold, we liked the Aerials a lot more. They sounded
very nice, but we are not audiophiles, and we do want to buy
something that is recognized as a fine piece of equipment.
I'm hoping that you might be able to pass on a thought, an
experience, and/or an opinion about the Aerial 10T speakers. At
$6,500, we want to buy wisely. We would run these as our HT
system with their CC3 center channel speaker, a pair of Def Tech
BPX surrounds, and a Def Tech Powerfield 1800 subwoofer. The
power source is a Sunfire Cinema Grand Amplifier, and the brains
of the operation will be a Theta Casablanca. We're looking at a
Meridian 500 CD transport and a Theta Pearl CD transport.
Eventually, we'll look at the Theta and Runco combi players that
are due out this year.
Can you provide us with an opinion on this proposed system?
Please hold no punches. :-)
A "Audiophile" simply means,
"loving sound". From the system you propose, you
definitely fall into that category. The Martin Logans are
electrostatic speakers. Very fine equipment, but they are
dipoles, which means they are difficult to place just right. The
sound from electrostatics is very much affected by what is behind
them. They have to be out from the wall quite a bit. The Aerials
on the other hand are more easily placed, and are monopoles,
which are generally recommended for home theater. This particular
model is massive and will give you endless pleasure, I'm sure,
with movies and for CD listening. The most important thing,
though, is that you liked the Aerials the best, not whether they
are recognized as a fine piece of equipment (which they are).
Right there, you have the answer to your question. Get the
Aerials! All the other equipment you listed is top notch too.
However, be careful about the tonal matching between the front
and rear. Mixing different brands is tricky. Consider the
possibility of using smaller Aerials, such as the Model 7, in the
rear. You might also look at the Velodyne F-1800 and the M&K
MX-5000THX subwoofers, which are real cannons. I wish we
all had your decision problems. Sounds like you have indeed
chosen a short list wisely. So, enjoy!
Q Will
the SONY DVD player handle dual layer DVDs, even though the dual
layer DVD titles are not yet being produced? No one can seem to
answer this. Help!
A Yes, the Sony and ALL other DVD players will
play dual layer DVDs. "Goldeneye" is a dual layer DVD,
and also "Species", I believe.
Q Have
you ever heard of Audio Technology studio monitor speakers? I was
stupid and bought some off a guy who was selling them out of a
van in Oakland. When I got home I realized that they were not
what he said he was selling me, but I guess I'd like to know how
bad I got ripped off. I can't find any mention of the company
anywhere. They are series 3312 with carpet exterior, polypro
woofer, and have a tweeter and midrange too.
A Yes, I am afraid you played into the hands of an
old scam. The "White Van" trick has been used to rip
off many, many unsuspecting, individuals over the years. They
will stop you in a shopping mall parking lot, driving what looks
like a delivery van. The usual come-on is something like follows:
"Hey buddy, do you want a good deal on some speakers? I was
delivering some and I have more than I was billed for. I can give
them to you cheap?" They show you something that looks
impressive, and tell you that they are worth a thousand or so,
and you can have them for a few hundred. They will bargain the
price down from there if need be, because they are only worth
about $50.
Q Last
night I purchased Sony's new DVD player. I also traded in my
Nakamichi CD player towards it. My reasoning was since I used an
outboard D/A converter (Rotel) for the Nak anyways, it wouldn't
hurt to use the Sony as a CD transport.
There are two digital outputs on the Sony: coaxial and Toslink.
They are side by side and labeled AC-3/PCM.
I hooked up the Sony via the coaxial output to my Rotel Dolby
Digital processor (RDA980). I also connected the Sony to the
outboard D/A via the Toslink connection.
This setup works fine. Yet in reading the manual carefully, it
says that the set-up menu must be set to PCM rather than AC-3 for
CD playback via the digital outs. However, I have not had to do
this. The menu is set for AC-3. It warns of loud distorted noise
that will damage my speakers. Yet the CD playback is flawless.
Perhaps the distortion that is forewarned will only happen if I
try to play back AC-3 through my D/A converter accidentally
instead of the DD Processor? Also, is it uncommon for both
digital outputs to be active simultaneously? Isn't it usually
limited to digital output or another...not both? The "damage
your speakers" quote has me a bit leery.
A The AC-3/PCM switch seems to only apply to the
DVD software. When playing normal CDs it does not matter which
setting the switch is on. The Toshiba SD-3006 has the same setup.
From what I have experienced, both the Optical and Coaxial
digital outputs are always active.
Yes, the noise is referring to playing back a Dolby Digital
(AC-3) soundtrack through your DAC. Dolby Digital contains flags
that are supposed to mute the DAC if it detects it, thought it
might not always work. DTS does not use such flags and will
always present a loud noise (assuming you have the volume turned
up) if played back through your DAC. It sounds like white noise.
Because there are so many new technologies that are emerging
through outboard processors, we recommend turning the volume
control down each time you switch modes. We also turn the volume
control all the way down when we turn the system off. Then, the
next time we turn the system on, we set the mode (Pro Logic,
AC-3, DTS), put the disc into play, and THEN bring up the volume.
That way, if the wrong mode is in operation, we will hear it at
low volume. It is likely that future receivers having all these
modes will automatically mute the sound when you try to play one
through the wrong input, but for now, caution is the safe bet.
Q My
questions are about ohms and watts. I am a very confused beginner
audiophile. ( #1) I understand that 100 watts from a low quality
amp versus 40 watts from a high quality can sound near the same.
How do we know the difference from one piece to another?
Specifically, I have a Pioneer 505s and an AMFI 1 receiver. The
Pioneer claims 165wx2 - 135x4. The AMFI claims approx 75x2 and 30
in the rear and center. The numbers make the Pioneer seem like a
much better deal right ? I know that it is not right, but how can
I tell for sure? If I compare HK's AVR MK2 and the AMFI, they
both have high current amps but are they the same or is one
better than the other? I do not care about the numbers. I just
want to have the most realistic sound at a decent volume for both
stereo and movies.....
(#2) I have a pair of Sound Dynamics 300 TI loudspeakers rated at
6 ohms. What are the advantages and disadvantages to the
different ohm ratings of speakers. I have heard that if I have
100 watts into an 8 ohm speaker, a 4 ohm speaker will give me 200
watts. This does not sound right. By that theory, I could plug a
little black box into my wall that requires 1 watt and get enough
power to run my whole house.
A It is all part of the "Specsmanship"
game that manufacturers play. Ohms and watts are based on
definitions, but it is how they are measured and presented in
specification sheets that causes the confusion. What you need to
do is read the fine print. Specifications should be in terms of
watts rms continuous into 8 Ohms from 20 Hz - 20 kHz. If the spec
sheet says "at 1 kHz", then it is stretching the
specification. Another thing to look for is the 4 Ohm rating
compared to the 8 Ohm rating. The best amps double their rms
power output in 4 Ohms compared to 8 Ohms. Mass consumer products
are not made to this kind of specification. Some high end
products are. If the amp spec sheet says 100 watts per channel
into 8 Ohms and 130 into 4 Ohms, it does not mean it will sound
bad, but it does mean the power supply is not heavy duty. You
could only get 200 watts into 4 Ohms, compared with 100 into 8
Ohms, if the amplifier is capable of delivering that much power.
This is according to Ohm's law which is E = IR or Voltage =
Current x Resistance. For a given voltage, the current doubles
when the resistance is halved. Power = Current x Voltage, so for
the same voltage, doubling the current doubles the power. Whether
one amp sounds better than another depends a lot more than just
the power rating. It depends on how much circuitry is in the
signal path, how clean the power supply is, what class it is
running in, and other things. But if you look at the
specification sheets of the products you mentioned, and use the
criteria I listed above, you should be able to tell what kind of
quality you are dealing with.
Q I
found your web site just few days ago.This is really a good job!
Please, give me advice about which speakers (main) are better to
have with Yamaha's RX-V2090 receiver in order to use them
fifty/fifty for Home Theatre & music. I live in St.Petersburg
(Russia) and there's a lot of to choose from: Polk, Dynaudio,
B&W, Kef, Castle, Mirage, Mission, JBL, and some other
producers. I plan to spend about $1000 for this.
A For mass consumer receivers, it is best to stick
with 8 Ohm speakers that have high sensitivity (> 88 dB/w/m).
The brands you mention all have models within your price
constraints. Just pick out several with the ratings mentioned,
and then select your final choice based on the sound quality you
prefer.
Q I
own a B&W AS6 sub which I want to connect to an integrated
amp. The connectivity has to go, according to the manual ,
through the speaker cables from the amp to the sub and then from
the sub to the speakers. The thing I need to clarify is whether
the speakers are going to be powered, after the proposed
connection, through the integrated amp or through the built-in
amp of the AS6.
A Whether
you use the line level inputs or speaker level inputs to the
subwoofer, your other speakers will be powered by your integrated
amplifier. In the setup you propose, the integrated amplifier
passes its power through the subwoofer, and the low frequencies
will be sent to the subwoofer's amplifier, while the integrated
amp's signal is then passed to your other speakers, with the low
frequencies removed. The frequencies that are sent to the sub
depend on the crossover setting on your subwoofer. Try setting it
at 50 Hz and then adjusting the control up from there until the
sub sounds boomy, then drop it back a notch.
Q Let
me begin by thanking you for your advice on the Yamaha RX-V990 as
a preamp. I managed to find one for $750 and am very happy with
its performance. I have a few questions about CD players. I was
thinking about purchasing a 5-CD player, and wanted to get some
of your thoughts. The first is a specs question. I've noticed a
spec called "channel separation," and was wondering
what exactly that was? The second is a practical one. I've kept
in mind your recommendation for upgrading to DTS in the future
and am therefore looking at players with optical digital outputs.
Even so, I've noticed the price can vary widely with these
players. There are some as inexpensive as $200. I think the most
I'd like to spend is between $600-$800; now the question is, do
you think that in this price range, the sound quality between a
$600 player and say a $200 is significant? Also is there a player
that you can recommend in this $200-$800 price range?
A Channel
separation means how much (actually, how little) of the sound
from one channel gets into the other channel. If it says "60
dB", that means one channel is 60 dB louder than any info
that "leaks" into that channel from the other channel.
For CD players in the $200 price range ($139.95 - $199.95), it
really is pot luck. They are designed as entry level players, to
last you until you decide that CDs are worth while and are
willing to get a good player. For most, if not all, hi-fi
components, there is a rapid rise in performance as you go from
the $199.95 items up to about $1,000 and then a slower increase
in performance as the price goes up from there to the really high
end (high performance) components. So, yes, there is a noticeble
change in performance from the entry level CD players to the $600
ones. What you will find with the better players are (1) they
will last a lot longer; (2) smoother mechanical operation (CD
tray moving in and out for changing discs); (3) more programming
features; (4) less harshness in the high frequencies, and
possibly deeper bass. We recommended two $500 CD players in
Q&A # 8, a couple of weeks ago. Check there for the model numbers.
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Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
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