Jump to content

Seb

Regulars
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    934

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Seb

    Continuation of $42,000 HT (have quote)

    in Home Theater

    Posted

    "Infact, when I was talking to them, one of the guys actually did the cupping of the hands and said, "So you like THIS kind of sound", imitating a horn. I did the hand infront of the face, "So you like THIS kind of music", he was pushing BOSE for our music room. He had a good laugh, and I had a good walk out of there."

    That is a good one!!

    You know what, you should do research yourself, and a lot, and listen to the knowledgeable people on this board, and then use the salesperson for two things: pricing and pricing.

    I am sorry to say that as a salesperson myself, however when one sees a $35,000 customer walk in, he thinks "ok I'm going to milk this guy for all he's got" most of the time. Of course, I wouldn't do that, but I'm not a regular salesperson.

    So what he'll do is push the equipment he gets the most money off of (whatever manufacturer offers the best margins), and sell you lots of accessories and gimmicks you don't necessarily need. Very often, in fact, I have seen some salespeople be jealous, and despise rich people, and then brag about how much they milked the customer in the back room. Not pretty.

    Therefore, I think you should trust the neutral but enthusiastic advice you can find for free here, then go to a salesperson, tell him "I want this this this and that", maybe ask him his opinion on a couple things you're less sure of, tell him you want a very good price (without telling him how much you can spend). Two advantages:

    1) you'll have neutral advice in hand and will be able to talk to the sales guy as an equal or even superior, and he won't try to milk you because he won't want to risk losing the sale.

    2) you won't ask any hard work from him putting together all the stuff and thinking of combinations. when somebody walks in and knows what he wants, 3/4 of the job is done. we are therefore much more incline to give the person a discount of sorts.

    oh, and try not to talk to the manager too much, there are exceptions but sometimes the manager is the best salesperson in the store. you don't want the best salesperson, you want the best advisor. two VERY different things.

    To be clear, I'd like to state what I would go for in terms of speakers:

    RF-7s for the front soundstage.

    RF-5s in the rear (if you want to save money, and who doesn't?).

    Twin CS-Ultra package for the subs.

    as for the amplification, I think good advice has been given here, you really can't go wrong with that ATI package, saw it in action at the Montreal hifi show... a dream come true!

    a good thing is to have a friend as the salesperson. however, please note that even that advice isn't completely neutral, as his recommendations will focus only on what is offered in his store. nobody will tell you "go to that store, they have a better product we don't have", not even a friend.

    The best would be to have a neutral audio/video specialist/installer, he would be most helpful. I have an idea and may eventually start a business such as that, with no affiliation to equipment manufacturers, completely neutral. Except I'm not sure people would really see the immense value offered by this. I don't know if you can find someone in your area like that, but I do know that the closest thing is this bulletin board. Do you really think you could go more wrong on any Klipscher's suggestion than on a commissioned dealer's?

    Since we are not seasoned videophile, I would advise posting on another specialized board, they will surely recommend a lot of equipment, pick the one that surfaces the most or that fits the bill best for you. Again, can't do worse than a salesperson's suggestions!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    John, I was thinking of you when writing that topic, as I knew your opinion on the subject matter. Now my question is this: what do you consider a "cheap" preamp?

    Would a 2802 or 3802 offer good enough preamplification, or do you think only dedicated pre/pros can offer good pre/pro performances?

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    thank you for the great advice guys.

    ttk, you say not to buy a 3-channel amp... why? is it because of some technical reason, or is it simply because you believe I should amplify all my channels separately? I'm thinking a 3-channel amp is enough, as I don't believe separate amplification beyond that of a receiver is needed for the rear channels. add to that the fact that I am still going to be using relatively cheap speakers in the back (for a while), and you have a definite case of diminishing returns on investment for the rear.

    or is my thinking flawed in any way?

    spending the $400 CAN it would probably cost me for the icbm doesn't seem like very efficient spending to me for now, as I will be using RF-3IIs, which don't need to be cut super low, and a good subwoofer (or two, depending on whether one PW-2200 is enough for the bigger room downstairs), and I have so many more things to spend money on before, like a better receiver, amplification, additional subwoofing, etc. it will be a definite must-buy once I graduate to RF-7s or Heritage, in a couple years maybe.

    so for now, I am thinking a 2802 or 3802 with a good 3-channel amp would be enough to keep company to my RF-3IIs, then it's on to upgrade the rear soundstage, and then either separate amplification, additional sub, and the icbm.

    you guys have been real helpful, keep it coming if you feel I'm missing something!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    thanks guys.

    however, going the fully separate route might be difficult for me.

    so what about using a 3802 and the A200x3 for the front three channels, using the receiver's amp to drive the 4 rears?

    the only problem would be the lack of a properly adjustable xover, but I think I could live with that, given I'm only going for RF-3IIs for now.

    good idea, or will the preamp section and/or int's interference with the receiver's amp section be a bad match quality wise to the Acurus? IOW, would I gain more from upgrading the preamp side of things than the amp side of things?

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    where can i find more info on Acurus amps?

    I have seen them discussed everywhere, but can't find an official website here...

    Also, are they still in production?

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    This message has been edited by Seb on 04-27-2002 at 03:06 PM

    Re-issued KLF series? Look at this KLF-20

    in General Klipsch Info

    Posted

    well, doesn't EBay have some kind of enforcing authority that can cancel misleading auctions?

    I mean, this is a pretty clear case of wrong information given on a product. if someone was waiting for those nice-looking cerametallic cones and doesn't get them, they will be pretty pissed, no?

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Continuation of $42,000 HT (have quote)

    in Home Theater

    Posted

    IMO, for that kind of money, I would go with separates, without even thinking twice.

    I know Klipsch speakers are very efficient, but I personally think that going with something like 3 RF-5s in the bakc instead of 3 RF-7s and spending the extra money on a quality pre/pro and separate amplification would yield a better return on your investment.

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Harman Kardon AVR 8000 vs Denon AVR-4802

    in Home Theater

    Posted

    apparently not many people have tried BOTH of these top-end receivers...

    wonder why...

    maybe it has something to do with the amount of money they cost?

    post links to the specs and maybe someone might be able to tell you.

    besides, I don't think it's straying off topic to suggest separates at that kind of price point.

    cwm5.gif

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    no, I was rather considering something like a 3802, or even 2802, with the POA-5200, or the 4802.

    given that the 4802 has other benefits (like adjustable xover), if the amp sections are comparable, it wouldn't be worth it.

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Why run video through the receiver?

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    it may reduce quality, especially with large-bandwidth HDTV signals, but it allows you to plug everything in the receiver, and only one cable to the TV, then swithc with your receiver instead of switching the TV's input every time.

    also, as stated before, it allows you to use the On Screen Display, of course.

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Dual Paradigm PW-2200 Question

    in Home Theater

    Posted

    Talon,

    people stack subs to make their lives easier.

    when you place subwoofers at two different locations in a room, they start to interact with each others, and you run the risk of having some bass frequencies reinforced and others cancelled.

    however, and if you use A LOT of patience, maybe a computer program or two, and careful experimentations, you can also place subwoofers in different spots of your room so that their interaction is beneficial, meaning it will alleviate some cancellation/reinforcement issues you had while using only one sub. you will also need luck for this, and there probably is no perfect combination.

    therefore, if you really wish to tackle standing waves and iterference issues, my approach would be to stack the subs in the middle of the front wall or in the back, somewhere symetrical like that, to ensure that there will be no directionality issue (some people claim that bass is still directional under 80Hz, and since the crossover in your receiver is progressive, even if it is at 80Hz or lower, you will still have a good deal of above-80Hz, directional material playing through the sub), and then use a parametric equalizer to smooth out the peaks (NOT boost the nulls, that could be harmful/demanding to your subs' amps).

    of course, that's no easy or cheap approach, and an even better one would be to use big speakers at all locations (center, left/right, surrounds) and use an adjustable xover at a setting much lower than 80Hz, say 60Hz, which would then mean no directional bass through the saub, then stack them in a corner, then use the parametric equalizer approach.

    I have no experience with car audio, but my guess is there are much less issues with standing waves in such a small environment!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    Denon poa5200 vs. 4802 power supply

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    guys, I'm in need of your expert advice to compare some Denon stuff. I am no technical expert, and the following puzzles me.

    Here are the specs for the POA-5200 2-channel amplifier:

    120W, 8ohm, 20-20,000Hz, 0.02%THD

    200W, 4ohm, 1KHz, 0.5%THD

    already, pretty confusing, since basically you cannot directly compare both values, due to the different freq response figures and THD figures.

    Here are the specs for the AVR-4802 receiver:

    125W, 8ohm, 20-20,000Hz, 0.05%THD

    150W, 6ohm, 20-20,000Hz, 0.05%THD

    much better figures, as you can compare them together, however, no 4ohm rating, so you cannot compare with the POA-5200 figures... Manufacturers should really get their stuff straight, I mean, we're talking about two products from the same company with two different methods of measurements...

    now, my question is, is there a way to determine which amplifier is better, the POA-5200, or the AVR-4802's amp section.

    seems to me the 4802's ratings are a bit more honest, which would tend to give it an edge. for example, the 3802, with its relatively inferior amp section, is rated similarly to the POA-5200, with a 6ohm rating and a higher THD for the 6ohm rating. however, the 5803 is also rated that way, with the exception that the THD figure stays the same.

    since I'm no technical expert, and don't fully master the rules surrounding those ratings, I would like somebody more knowledgeable to tell me whether those figures can be compared, using some kind of relationship to extrapolate similar ratings, and if it is possible, to tell me which amplifier section is better.

    the 4802 seems to be using high-quality toroidal transformers, which, as far as I can tell from what I've gleaned up to now, seems to be a good indication of a high-quality amp design. I don't know what the insides of the POA-5200 look like, but I know that its price isn't cheap, that it uses two separate amplifiers for both channels, and that as a standalone amp, it should be expected to perform adequately, at least as well as the 4802's internal amplifier... no?

    anyways, thanks in advance for the help guys!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    This message has been edited by Seb on 04-26-2002 at 12:43 AM

    Speaker level adjustment

    in General Klipsch Info

    Posted

    as for your last inquiry, there should be a "compression" or "dynamic range" setting on your receiver, which will do exactly what you want. it should be adjustable, set it at the highest level for the most noticeable effect. even then though, I don't know whether it'll be enough for your wife!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    OT: Nikon Coolpix 995-opinions?

    in General Klipsch Info

    Posted

    HornEd, fini, Clipped and Shorn,

    I am no photography expert, but I am a salesperson. So while I cannot help you on the gritty technical details, I know what people like, and what people dislike, and having tried many different models, I know what to look for in a camera.

    1) Resolution is important. However, it is not the be-all, end-all of digital photography. You need a camaera with a layout and features that you like, and especially if other non-techno people are going to use it, you need it to be intuitive and easy to use. No one likes user's manuals.

    2) Sorry HornEd if it seemed like I put down your opinion, it wasn't my intention. I didn't know fini or Clipped and Shorn had arts background. In that case, as I actually mentioned, I concur with you, they need to go with something good the first time around.

    3) If however, you really only use the camera for daily practical tasks, then 2.1MP digicams are more than enough. Remember however, that 2.1MP cameras are likely to have much less features as well, so if you need a certain degree of control over your pictures, even without using a high resolution, you'll probably have to go with at least a 3.1 model.

    4) EBay... I wouldn't touch used cameras with a tne foot pole. I have seen what people do to them, and it'S not pretty. Remember, it'S not just a big black box sitting in one place, where the user at maximum presses buttons, it's a portable object that the user manipulates all day long. So unless you find one new on EBay or Ubid or wherever, buy in a store.

    5) Try the cameras out to get a feel for them in a store or from a friend. No better way to determine whether you like the camera, or only its features. A camera is a package. You can put all the bets features in a camera, but if its design is crappy, you'll still get a crappy camera. For example, the QV4000 has amazing features for the price, but it is hard to use and get used to, and some aspects of it are kind of quirky. Still one of my favs though, once I got used to it!

    ------------------

    http://members.fortunecity.com/sebdavid - go laugh at my crappy website/equipment

    http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mc.asp?alias=Sebdavid - go laugh at my puny little DVD collection

    This message has been edited by Seb on 04-21-2002 at 03:58 PM

×
×
  • Create New...