Colin

Years ago, Stereophile had a survey, which showed that most tweaking audiophiles spend about $6K on their movie and music reproduction system (and that most had equipment in the system that was a dozen years old.) I’ve heard that Energy is a very good value in a home theater package, but I believe that two really good main speakers and a sub (2.1) have better sonic performance than spreading the investment over 5.1 cabinets and drivers. The Klipsch RB-81 gives a very good representation of the crisp, cleat, wide and dynamic sound of horns, and doesn’t require an expensive, powerful amp; just a good, clean one. I was very impressed with Aperion’s Intimus towers: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1104/aperion522d.htm “The Aperion capabilities are not so much failings as they are notable strengths of the competitors. The Aperion Intimus 522D-PT are polite, elegant and well-dressed loudspeakers. Without sounding too critical, the slim Aperion ladies are perfectly good loudspeakers for home theaters not seeking elusive audiophile qualities. Because of their relatively low price, slim, unobtrusive good looks and powered woofers, when matched with the right amplifier, the Aperion Intimus 522D-PT are above-average values for HT systems -- four Blue Notes.” The bloated Definitive Technology bass I once heard only briefly was not impressive at all. Being a Minnesota boy, I heard Maggies decades ago and was very impressed with their huge soundstage and effortless mid-range. At the time though, amps with oodles of power, which Maggies require, were sky high in price. Now, something like the Pass X250 monster is about $2,600 used and doesn’t seem so unreasonable for such a powerful and smooth sounding amp: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0202/passx250.htm

"As a reviewer I get to hear lots of speakers, and I immediately forget most of them. It's not that they're bad, just unexceptional. Here's a Top 10 list and photo gallery of the very best-sounding speakers I've heard for less than $3,500 per pair. The brands may be unfamiliar, but each speaker is a stand-out winner. I will at some point do a Top 10 without price constraints. For now I want to highlight more affordable speakers that you can buy new.:" http://news.cnet.com/2300-17938_105-10000957.html?tag=mncol;txt Yes, the copper colored cones are there!

"I've been an audiophile for over 30 years, and from where I stand there's never been a more exciting crop of high-end speakers to choose from. The goal--to make as lifelike a sounding speaker as possible--is exceedingly difficult, but that hasn't stopped a slew of very talented designers from trying. This Top 10 list was created without price constraints and is presented in no particular order, the speakers are all exceptional performers (prices listed are for pairs of speakers). They are all currently available models, but I will soon do another Top 10 list of the best speakers of the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. I did the first "Top 10 greatest audiophile speakers" blog post last year, with a self-imposed price limit of $3,500 per pair (two were under $1,000). Most models are still available, so if you're looking for affordable options, please refer to that list. All of the companies on today's list offer less expensive models." http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20007800-47.html

they look really good, I think you will love them, price seems ok, trip seems long, but how often do you see somehting like this in your neck of the woods?

I done both and I like both

wow, though I love some of the classic bands, none of the album covers here really impress me that much!

Stand up and say hello - just like me in the morning! And I thought the link was going to show an iPad with pornography.

notice the inflated rubber tubes used for simple vibration isolation!

Mike is one of the best. He would never go sailing on his yacht during the worst environmental crisis in the U.S.! I had a great time at his house near Orlando, hope he does it again (hint, hint)

I think Penelope Cruz ranks higher #58 on the hot list (Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007). Why an actress, who won an Oscar in a Supporting Role, for Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), should need to do such a long topless scene in Broken Embraces (2009) is beyond me, but I am glad she did.

me too, sheets of styrofoam, at least two inches on all sides, and a plastic wrap to protect against water damage

KG and Chorus models are also often cheap to the market. I think used Khorns are easily worth twice the price of Cornwalls because of their much greater efficiency (104 vs. 100 dB/w/m), more linear and deeper frequency response, historical value, clearer and wider mid-range horns and more expensive to construct bass bin. The Cornwalls I loved for over a decade had a wonderful mid-bass (80 Hz) bump that added to music and movies. Either way the stock models have some problems that make them less than ideal. New crossovers and other measures however are well worth the investment to correct these sonic anomalies. I have heard a dozen superb sound systems (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/axpona_2010/flood/), and when these problems are corrected, Klipsch’s big ole horns can compete with the best of them; at a much lower cost. As the recent depression eases into mere recession, I think you will see less dumping of goods as people struggle to get by. Now is the time to buy hard assets (except for digital electronics).

KG models are also often cheap to the market. I think used Khorns are easily worth twice the price of Cornwalls because of their much greater efficiency (104 vs. 100 dB/w/m), more linear and deeper frequency response, historical value, clearer and wider mid-range horns and more expensive to construct bass bin. The Cornwalls I loved for over a decade had a wonderful mid-bass (80 Hz) bump that added to music and movies. Either way the stock models have some problems that make them less than ideal. New crossovers and other measures however are well worth the investment to correct these sonic anomalies. I have heard a dozen superb sound systems (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/axpona_2010/flood/), and when these problems are corrected, Klipsch’s big ole horns can compete with the best of them; at a much lower cost. As the recent depression eases into mere recession, I think you will see less dumping of goods as people struggle to get by. Now is the time to buy hard assets (except for digital electronics).

OPPO BDP-83 Universal Blu-ray Player - Benchmark Written by Adrian Wittenberg Thursday, 25 June 2009 00:00 Article Index OPPO BDP-83 Universal Blu-ray Player - Benchmark Page 2: The OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player Design Page 3: Features of the OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player Page 4: The OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player In Use Page 5: The OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player BD Live Performance Page 6: The OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player Benchmark Performance Page 7: Conclusions About the OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Player All Pages Page 7 of 7 Conclusions In a system with HDMI connections, the OPPO BDP-83 is an extremely desirable player to have because it's a fantastic Blu-ray player with a beautiful picture and speedy operation. Standard DVD processing is top notch as well and the player features high quality audio output for all the latest HI Def sound codecs as well as additional media types such as DVD-Audio and SACD in both bitstream and PCM output. Because the BDP-83's component video connections don't take advantage of the ABT2010 processor, the performance is not near as good and doesn't get quite the recommendation for systems limited to analog video connections. However, with the BDP-83's HDMI capabilities, its performance on the bench, the exceptional build quality, their continued support to their product line, and the inclusion of features such as BD-Live and additional media playback, OPPO has an out-of-the-ballpark grand slam home run. Highly Recommended.

In the excellent article, "Subwoofers under the Xmas Tree," (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_4/subwoofers-12-2001.html), you will find that in general subs that have more direct air movement and therefore more mid bass punch are often front firing, while subs . This is better for the violent special effects of movies and dance music. Subs that are down firing often use the floor to get extra low depth. This is better for deeper and more linear frequency response accuracy, and therefore serious music listening. Of course whatever sub you gets depends a lot on where your main speakers roll off their frequency response in your room (get test tones and a SPL meter). I have not updated my "bang for the buck" price/ performance ratio in quite some time, but I remember Epic and the largest Parts Express sub kits as having the highest value ratio. Because a powerful sub adds such an important dimension (tactile response) to your movie and music listening pleasure, while supplying the energy consuming low notes, it is important to get one that can match the SPL output of your main speakers. Don't skimp. Invest.

When you need to get your beat going, what songs do you load into your MP3 player or iPod for when you exercise? What songs really move you and get your tempo going?

don't know anything about scotch of any age, but my experience with 35 year babes is that they are beset by their lunar cycle and too emotional; they should be sampled frequently but with reservations

I am near Ocala, have small compact pickup truck and maybe space and can hold these for one/two weeks...

In the land of tweaking audiophiles, there is a little niche marketer, who is slowly building an avid following from some of the most golden ears you will ever meet. On Grizzly Bluff Road in the California Redwoods, five hours away from San Francisco, Mark Deneen ("DEN-EEN") makes sweet sounding tube amplifiers that have the odd but memorable names of Blueberry, Peach and now, Merlin. After spending about a year doing the development of his initial BlueBerry tube preamplifier, Deneen is shipping products for over 2 years. Many a die-hard tube lover graduates to his preamplifiers, never to move on again. http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1206/juicymusic_merlin.htm

great speaks, let us know what they are!

I had Cornwall IIs for decades, but once I heard the larger, smoother mid-range of the LS, I graduated to Khorns. The LS however have no mid and lower bass (below 40Hz), so you need a powerful and deep sub-woofer (to match their powerful and LOUD output. This is okay though, because it lets you combine a powerful solid-state amp driving the power hungry bass notes with a delicate tube amp driving the hyper-critical mid and high sound.

Although I revere Stereophile magazine for their unique combination of objective and subjective reviews of extreme high end and low cost equipment, I have recently been enjoying the glossy, high tone look of the free ToneAudio PDF. They seem to have a lot of articles that I like. Not just audio, but a healthy dose of high tech equipment and music reviews : http://www.tonepublications.com/ Tone publishes six times a year (Feb, April, June, Aug, Oct and Dec) around the 15th of the month. Once you sign up, you will get an email asking you to confirm. Because TONEAudio is a big file (about 40-50mb per issue) it will take a couple of minutes to download on a wireless connection. Fiber optic is only a few seconds.

yup, that is what they are there for, pre-amp out to power amp in lets you use pre-amp of receiver and outside power amp

Juicy Music of course, but also Antique Sound Labs, Cayin

cone guys are always so surprised by horns: I got the best results when staring straight down the barrels of the midrange horns. This meant that I had to push the speakers a bit farther apart, and closer to my sidewalls, than is usual for my room. Their final positions produced a remarkably wide and extremely stable lateral soundstage, with a tonal balance that had just the right amount of midbass warmth and low-bass thump. Here, the P-17Bs sounded much larger and more authoritative than their size might indicate. Its midrange was big, open, articulate, very low in distortion, and among the best I've heard from any speaker. In fact, I believe that the P-17B's low midrange distortion sets it apart from other speakers. Its horn-loaded inverted dome excelled at snare-drum strokes, finger snaps, and guitar plucks both acoustic and electric. However, what really surprised me was how rightly this driver rendered voices. Though the P-17B's midrange driver reproduced very few fundamentals of the human voice, it did pass along most of the overtones, especially in the area where the ear is the most sensitive. Hearing these overtones so clearly and correctly, and with so little distortion, allowed me to connect with singers in a profound way. Not only is Klipsch's Palladium P-17B a beautiful-looking speaker, it seems equally well engineered, and a genuinely 21st-century horn design.