audio equipment-what's your gear

[andyr]

I did have 28 year old Linn Kan speakers, which I needed to replace recently. I bought Epos Epic 1 speakers. I recommend both. I also bought a Rogue phono preamplifier.
The rest is a 28 year old Rega Planar 3 turntable and a 17 year old Sony CD player.

[Barbiere di Figaro]

I would totally recommend getting a DAC with a USB input to run between your computer and your headphone amp. Especially if you store your music as WAV files or some other "uncompressed" form. It will give you much better audio quality. Cambridge Audio makes the DAC Magic Plus, which is very reasonably priced. There are others, that one just came to my mind first. This will also work by plugging an iPod dock into it for when you use your stereo.

That's a good advice, to be able to use the advantages of your PC with the qualities of your hifi / high end set.

I have an older pre power amplifier from Arcam (delta 110 - 120), and the pre-amplifier has a built-in DAC with toslink input. Most PC's have toslink as an output on their motherboards so that really is a nice feature.
Speakers are Dutch: Translator Reflexion. Old but very nice. I also have two "home-build" pied pipers, but maybe they have never been introduced to the US?
And a Phlips CD 951 and even an old laserdisc player. This was really built up over several years and hasn't been upgraded for the last 10 I think.

Some more recent stuff for home cinema with a complete Dali set and a Denon AV amplifier. The most important thing in the home cinema is a $ 120 eminent mediaplayer, hooked up to our network.

[Ethan.Bassist.]

Alright guys. You all seem to know your stuff. I got a pair of cheap no name speakers... and a cheap 100W receiver for my new apartment. And when I say cheap, I mean it was $12 for a tuner, tape player, and receiver at a thrift store. I don't have money to blow on home audio... and besides, I don't want to wake the neighbors.

Anywho, I got it all set up and working and noticed it lacked low end. We're talking sub bass kind of stuff here. The low part of the spectrum that really fills out electronic music. Is it the speakers or the receiver that is the limiting factor here? Or both? Eventually, when I feel the need to upgrade (and don't want to spend too much on brand new pieces) would I upgrade the biggest speaker in the cabinet (I don't know if it's technically called a sub woofer in this case) to one with a greater (and lower) freq response? Or would I upgrade to a new (or different) receiver? I noticed in the EQ section of the receiver, that first slider is 100Hz. The Freq Response of the speakers is listed at 43Hz to 25khz. That makes me think that the receiver is the limiting factor here...

Thoughts guys?

[Jawaburger]

It may be both, but it is most likely your speakers, especially if they are smaller speakers. You can add a subwoofer to your system. Most subs have their own "volume" or gain control, so you can have it set pretty low, but still allow the low notes to be heard by you and not your neighbor(s). One of the brands of subwoofers that I really like is REL. They sell a sub that is under $500, which is expensive compared to the rest of your system, but it is hard to beat price/quality wise. Most speakers, even large ones, have a hard time playing deep base accurately. Even though your speakers claim a frequency response down to 43 Hz, I would be surprised if they actually went that low. It is possible that your receiver does not have enough power to drive deep base. Base does take more power to create than other frequencies.

I would recommend bypassing your EQ. There is often a toggle button that will turn it on and off. You will get a more "accurate" sound, in many cases, if you accept that the people in the recording studio knew what they were doing when they mastered the recordings. The EQ may only have sliders for the frequencies at and above 100 Hz, but that means you can adjust those frequencies, it doesn't mean it can't produce lower frequencies.

Anyway, I hope that helps. I may have over simplified a couple of things to save time and space. Feel free to send me a message or just ask you questions on this forum. There are a lot of other people with vast knowledge on here.

[DeusVult]

Missed this thread earlier. I've got all JVC equipment, and I like it very well. Bad thing happened though, a few years ago. A lightning strike damaged my receiver and now it's got a few glitchy things. I've got Infinity speakers; it seems they'll last a lifetime. I always heard you should spend as much on your speakers as you spent on the rest of your equipment together. I took that advice. Mine stuff is all from the early 90's, so I don't know about JVC today, but what I have I like. Looking for a replacement receiver on the bay.

[Ethan.Bassist.]

It may be both, but it is most likely your speakers, especially if they are smaller speakers. You can add a subwoofer to your system. Most subs have their own "volume" or gain control, so you can have it set pretty low, but still allow the low notes to be heard by you and not your neighbor(s). One of the brands of subwoofers that I really like is REL. They sell a sub that is under $500, which is expensive compared to the rest of your system, but it is hard to beat price/quality wise. Most speakers, even large ones, have a hard time playing deep base accurately. Even though your speakers claim a frequency response down to 43 Hz, I would be surprised if they actually went that low. It is possible that your receiver does not have enough power to drive deep base. Base does take more power to create than other frequencies.

I would recommend bypassing your EQ. There is often a toggle button that will turn it on and off. You will get a more "accurate" sound, in many cases, if you accept that the people in the recording studio knew what they were doing when they mastered the recordings. The EQ may only have sliders for the frequencies at and above 100 Hz, but that means you can adjust those frequencies, it doesn't mean it can't produce lower frequencies.

Anyway, I hope that helps. I may have over simplified a couple of things to save time and space. Feel free to send me a message or just ask you questions on this forum. There are a lot of other people with vast knowledge on here.

Thank you for the input (pun retrospectively intended... because it's an audio thread)! The speakers are of decent size... the biggest driver in the cabinet is probably a 12in. I don't think the receiver has any outs for a sub, so I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for a newer receiver that has outs for a sub and more power. I play bass, so I know it's important to have ample power... not just enough for the speakers you have.

Oh, and I was just thinking, I'll plug it into my cd player that has external speakers and see what I come up with there bass wise. It definitely doesn't have more power... but it'll be a fun experiment.

And I'll do some more comparisons with EQ vs No EQ. It does indeed have a button to bypass it. I've only tinkered with it for a few minutes just to confirm everything worked.

Thanks again Jawaburger!

[Jawaburger]

Many subs have a high-level in/out so you can run speaker cables from your receiver to the sub, which utilizes the sub's built in crossover, then you take speaker cables from the sub out to your speakers. This way the sub takes the low frequencies and sends all the mid and upper frequencies to your speakers.

If your speakers are pretty sizable, which it sounds like they are, your receiver may not have enough power to fully power your speakers.

[Ethan.Bassist.]

Many subs have a high-level in/out so you can run speaker cables from your receiver to the sub, which utilizes the sub's built in crossover, then you take speaker cables from the sub out to your speakers. This way the sub takes the low frequencies and sends all the mid and upper frequencies to your speakers.

If your speakers are pretty sizable, which it sounds like they are, your receiver may not have enough power to fully power your speakers.

Ah, very interesting. That's a great feature, I'll have to look out for that when I'm on the prowl for a sub. And that's very possible that my receiver isn't powerful enough... but it'll keep me going until I find something that I can afford that suites my needs.

[Griffo]

I've got 2 systems as I spend my time split during the week

Wales system
Michell Orbe SE/technoarm with one of either Denon DL301ii, Lyra dorian, Goldring Elite carts
Linn Majik/LK100/LK140 tri-amped and active in to Linn Keilidhs
PS3 using Sony's msuic Unlimited service hooked up to the netwrok for digital
Magnum Dynalab FT101a tuner

Southend system
Audio Analogue Maestro MK2 CDP
Denon DVD2900 for SACD duties (and for DVDs as well), this is hooked up to the AA Maestro for playing DVDs and some CDs using the Maestro's digital input
Denon amp
Totem Dreamcatchers
Humax 9300 Freeview PVR for the radio and using the hardrive to record concerts on the radio.

[Drybonz]

I have never had a super high end set-up, but have simplified and sold most of my stuff. What remains is a Yamaha receiver and Paradigm bookshelf speakers. I have had the Paradigms for over 10 years, and I would have to say it is one of the best products I have ever purchased. I have never really had the money for anything higher end than this, but it is all I have ever needed anyway.

[andyr]

I like the sound (pun intended) of your systems.

[packersfan117]

I have a pioneer audio receiver with 5.1 surround...it's over 6 years old, but functions great...

I love your screen name. I saw Dream Theater earlier this month...it's a shame Mike left, although I understand where he's coming from. I have seen them play with Mike Portnoy and Mike Mangini now.

But anyways, my audio equipment is in my car. I once worked at Best Buy in college, so I have a Pioneer head unit with a built in iPod jack that's hard-wired through my center console, 6.5" Pioneer 3-way coaxials up front (I have some Alpine Type S two-way components, but I'm not sure if I want to switch them), Pioneer 6x9" 3-way coaxials out back, and a Boston Acoustics GT-2125 amp and a Boston Acoustics 10" reference sub. It's not enough to rattle windows, just enough to make my music sound the way the artists wanted it to when they recorded it.

[Agravic]

All components circa 1990s:
Speakers - B&W Matrix 802s3
Amps - HK PA 2400 x 2
Preamp - HK PT 2500
CD player - Rotel RCD 991

No mp3 nonsense here!

[closer]

I have never had a super high end set-up, but have simplified and sold most of my stuff. What remains is a Yamaha receiver and Paradigm bookshelf speakers. I have had the Paradigms for over 10 years, and I would have to say it is one of the best products I have ever purchased. I have never really had the money for anything higher end than this, but it is all I have ever needed anyway.

I had a pair of Paradigm Titan speakers (bookshelf) powered by an NAD preamp - really liked how that sounded. I gave the setup to my brother, he still uses them. I currently have NHT 2.5i speakers, NHT M6 center, and smaller NHT rears powered by an Onkyo 805 receiver. Sony sacd player and a cable box provide the source. Also a Rythmik down-firing subwoofer.

[Sawblade]

M-Audio AV40s w/ Nichicon gold capacitors
Decware Deathbox (built from plans) w/ Dayton ST255-8 10" sub and Bash 300w amp
Audio-Technica AT-LP60 Turntable
Audio-Technica ATH-A700 Headphones

I also have a Denon AVR-1507 receiver and Infinity Primus satellites, but I don't have a living room to put them in here.

[duotone]

Treated myself to a pair of B&W P5's in the middle of January, they still aren't comfortable and I can't wear them for long periods but I do enjoy their sound.

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

In our house, our audio gear is a older model (no longer sold), Samsung Home Theatre System Ht Tq22.

Read More: http://biow.post1.org/samsung_lcd_tv/ht_tq22.asp1.htm

"Listening to music can chase away the stress". Author Unknown

[BrewCommando]

Arcam AVR350
Kef Speakers
- 2x iQ9
- 2x iQ5
- 1x Q9C
MJ Acoustics Reference 100 Sub
PS3 for Blu-Ray
Sony 52"XBR3

My old living room where you can just see the Arcam in the ubiquitous Ikea Oppli cabinet :-)

[rivieraranch]

I have quite a few vacuum tube amplifiers, speakers and gizmos from DECWARE and am very happy with everything I've had from them. I have a system at home and another one at the office. All DECWARE all the time.

[rassage]

i have a high end system. levinson,sonus faber etc. i have a redbook front end. esoteric and lavry. an engineer at cambridge audio who i know told me a pc will kill my redbook. do you guys think that is really true?