Underhanded Penguin

I like the sound of all the new Arcam units. It's definitely sound quality over features. In my personal listening tests comparing integrated 2ch amps from Rotel and Arcam, I preferred Arcam because of it's smoothness. Rotel was a bit harsh in comparison in the upper frequencies. Sure they are a bit expensive, but I could not get the same sound quality from a receiver with the same price that I paid for my integrated. Also, I like the simplicity of its design and button layout. If I were to buy receiver again I'd put Arcam on the short list.

---------------- On 2/23/2005 8:23:35 PM GeorgeV wrote: Following this, it is impossible to find another speaker that sounds as good as the RF-7's in it's price range. ---------------- To each his own my friend. To each his own... I for one know of several speakers that sound better than the RF7 and costs less. I also own speakers that cost a lot more are a lot smaller and I still think they sound better than the RF7. That said, the RF7 is a great speaker for the price. There's just so many different speakers out there to make such a final statement like that. Just my 2 cents.

Don't worry Steve. The difference really isn't night and day. Trey the mod even mentioned how similar sounding the F3 was to the RF35.

Drivers aren't the only design factor to affect how low the fequency range of a speaker is. There are many designs with 10" drivers that can play very low. Even lower than some 12" driver designs. It's what the speaker design is tuned to. I'm sure they could have made the RF-7 with a lower frequency extension. They would have had to make other design trade offs though such as (possibly): increased internal cabinet volume, additional cross bracing, increased cost, larger motor structure 'better' 10" drivers, compromising midrange quality, different crossovers, etc etc...

I'd get one of these puppies. But that's me and I'm a Dynaudio fan boy: http://www.dynaudio.de/eng/subwoofer/sub250.htm

I don't know anything about the market value of LaScalas but I'd bet the finish you put on them put's them at least at 50% above what people would pay for a mint pair of LaScalas in their stock finishes. Not that you would sell something like that. Works of art are not meant to be sold =)

Just so u know Griff, I wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, even though in real life I am a jerk.

3) Yes, you need a honkin' video card for this system. You apparently didn't read the part about my "Radeon 9200" - two steps down from the current top-of-the-line, and it's barely keeping up. Where do you get that the Radeon 9200 is 2 steps down from the current top of the line? There is the 9600pro, 9600xt, 9800pro, 9800xt, x600, x700, x800pro, x800pt, and more in between those that are all higher than the 9200 in performance. I guess my point is, you do need a good quality video card, but nothing top of the line as those are built more for 3d performance, which you would not be using in a HTPC.

I think that 24hz is bs. I mean sure 24hz at -60db maybe.

I was just poking fun archady. Congrats on the girlfriend. You know what they say about younger girls: They're hotter than older girls.

I cannot even begin to try and comprehend everything that you said in that incredibly long and convoluted run on sentence.

I find this differentiation of Paradigm being "cone speakers" kinda funny. Because if you're talking about any of the newer designs from klipsch, the only thing that's horn loaded is the tweeter. Midrange, woofer, and subwoofer on all new reference and synergy are not horn loaded. But both Paradigm and Klipsch are box speakers that use conventional cone drivers to produce sound. Just stating the facts, which you guys are well aware of already to make a point.

My bad. I should read the entire thread before posting.

Max, the speakers in pic 2 are JM Lab Grande Utopia Be's and not JBLs. They are somewhere upwards from $80,000 USD for a pair.

I just got to the Ravenholm level. Everything is on track to be the best game I've ever played. This game is too good.

But seriously. This is in my opinion just as groundbreaking of a game as half-life was when it first came out. The facial animations and phsyics system alone is incredible. The fact that they managed to roll that into a package that includes awesome gameplay, a cohesive and immersive world environment and a decent story (ignore gamespot's review) is really amazing. Sure there are questions left unanswered. But who gives a damn. That leaves room for a sequel and the enjoyment is in the act of doing more than the end result.

Two words: Halo who?

Just got the collector's edition. Went home for lunch to check it out. Steam's a bi@tch though... Can't wait to play.

I don't know that I could wait another 24 hours for this game. Halo 2, which will be nowhere near as good, received massive marketing and a huge launch, making half-life 2's launch understated in comparison. This is torture.

like Theear said, try looking for an old second hand h/k receiver or one of those h/k citations. On a 300 dollar budget I might also look at new and used Cambridge Audio integrateds. Good luck.

I'm using 65 quality watts and it get's too loud to listen to when I turn it up. I've heard the 52 special editions on the 40 watt Arcam A65plus and it got plenty loud.

New synergy looks way better than the new reference. WAY better.

Well well ma friend, my more expensive stuff I bought after I started working 3 years ago. Let's just say my 2 channel rig more than doubles the cost of my Klipsch HT rig. (Not including the HDTV of course.) But you, aren't you still in school? When I was in school I had promedias. Nuff said. -UP

I dunno about sound but I personally think the new synergy looks better than the new reference. It has a cool stark industrial style to it that I really dig. The new reference by comparison just looks cheesy. Especially the RW subs. God those feet are ugly. Then again maybe I'm just being picky because I come from a design background. Kudos to Klipsch on the new synergy styling.

Nicholti what do you do at the tender age of 23 that you can afford that kind of gear?