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whell

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Posts posted by whell

  1. A very nice looking amp with clean lines for sure. Thanks for the tip on something to power the RF-7's.

    So it's solid state class 'A', I wonder if it's one of those chip amps...or whatever they call them? Maybe use two of them as monoblocks to bring out the bass.

    I don't think its a chip anp. I've heard a couple of those (owned a Carver Pro ZR-1600 for a while), and this doesn't sound like Tripath. Besides, it does get a bit warm, though nothing at all like the "fry an egg on top" Class A amps that I've been around.

    As far as bi amping for bass, right now I don't see a need. It rocks my RF-7's with some authority, though I'll admit that I don't turn my system up to concert hall decible levels.

  2. Hey, why are they closing out such a nice amp?

    It does

    seems somewhat ironic, that they devote a whole paragraph

    to this *IGM* volume control, and that is precisely

    where a problem has arisen. Hmmmmm.

    No, this was a display model and I think some **** found its way into

    the control I'm not anticipating that this will be an issue.

  3. Well, at least I'd never heard of it. Its the CEC Amp 3300. Here's their web site with some info about this little gem:

    http://www.cec-web.co.jp/products/amp/amp3300_e.html

    I've been selling off my HT set up, need the funds and not really getting as much as I wanted to out of the whole "HT experience" anyway. This little amp was brought to my attention by a retailer over on AudioKarma, who was selling his last, display model of this amp. He allowed me to test drive it in my system (allowing in-home auditions, to me, is the hallmark of a great audio retailer). If I choose to keep it, I'll be looking at a sweet deal on it since it is a close-out. Right now, I don't see myself parting with it (little issue with some crud that somehow got into the volume control, but I think that can be addressed pretty easily if I decide to keep it).

    What a great combo this is with my RF-7's. The sound is clear and "sweet": strings sound just "to die for". I've been listening to a good bit of classical lately on WCMJ, a relatively new public jazz/classical station here in Detroit, and the sound is phenominal. The twins have not allowed me alot of time to pay CD's, but I was playing Lyle Lovett's "Joshua Judges Ruth", and it sounded like Old Lyle was right there in the room. Bass is detailed and authoritative for a 60 wpc amp. Highs are extended, and grain free.

    This is nothing like any solid state amp I've ever heard before. It has its own, very involving and immediate sound quality. I've had my RF-7's hooked up to Craig's VRD's before, and truly the RF-7's haven't sounded as good to me as they did when they were being pushed by the VRDs.....until now. I won't pull out the worn out phrase "it sounds tube-like", since I don't have enough experience with tubes to make any qualitative judgements. However, I can say that I've listened to plenty of offerings from solid state manufacturers, even "Class A" set ups from Monarchy (SM-70 Pros). Those were fine amps, but this to me is a stand out/stand alone product.

    I heartily reccommend you check it out. Distribution is pretty limited here in the States, but it is available on line from some overseas retailers. Also, if you've got the scratch, there is a TOTL model, and it does cost significantly more.

  4. Craig--I can understand having some issues

    with her vocals--personally I think she sings OK, but DAMN--this woman

    can PLAY the piano. I've sat three feet from her in a bar and

    watched and listened to her intently--she really is very good.

    Yes, she can, but not for very lengthy stretches. It was after I saw her in concert that I became less of a fan.

    My wife and I went to see her when she came in concert to Detroit

    earlier this year. She was on the stage for an hour and (maybe)

    10 minutes, and she yapped for about 10 - 15 minutes of that

    time. So, less than an hour on stage actually playing the piano, and I can tell you those

    tickets were NOT cheap!

  5. Hi, i need advices to buy a new cd player.

    My audio components are:

    -a old nad cd player

    -Jolida 502b amp

    -Klipsch Rf3 speakers

    I'm

    living in a distant area in Canada. The choice at the local audio store

    is very limited and i know i will have to order the cd player

    on the internet so it's impossible for me to listen

    before buying. Actually, i like my RF3 but i do have listening

    fatigue and i think my cd player is the problem. Is there someone

    who have similar audio components and i want to have advices for a new

    cd player. What i want is a clean sound with no listening

    fatigue, is it possible? I whish.

    Thank

    You might consider a Philips DVD 963SA. You can find them used on

    Audiogon or eBay for around $200 now. The it can play DVD's,

    SACD, and CD's. It also has an upsampling feature for CD play

    back, which can really smooth out and warm up CD audio quality.

  6. I've got one for sale. Thought I would have this forever, and didn't keep the original box. I'll package for sale arrival, however. I'm contimuing to sell off equipment as I go from a full blown HT set up back to 2 channel. The arrival of twins does change one's priorities!

    These seem to be going for $190 or so on eBay if they are in good condition, so I'll ask for that amount or best offer, plus shipping.

    If you're near the metro Detroit area, we can arrange local pick up.

  7. I'd love to hear them, but they strike me as a product in search of a market. They're almost as expensive as an RF-7, and take up as much floor space if you're going to put them on stands. 2 channel fans might just opt for the RF-7 anyway. I'm not sure how the HT crowd would fancy this model, but it seems like they're not quite the right fit for that segment.

  8. When I first got my HK 730 about a year and a half ago, the first thing I noticed was that the FM reception was much worse than I expected, and much worse than any other reciever of similar vintage. My Marantz 2020b ran rings around it. However, i did not regard this as "normal performance", and decided to have it checked by a qualified tech.

    Since returning from service, and a full alignment, the FM reception is MUCH improved, and nearly equals my Sansui 9090 which has a 4 gang tuner section.

    If strong FM performance from your 730 is a requirement, I suggest seeking out a specialist in FM tuner service and repair, and have the receiver checked out. You might be quite surprsied by how well that unit is capable or performing.

  9. Another alternative would be to find out if Lynn's family had a favorite charity, and make a donation in his name from the forum members. Even a donation to the American Cancer Society or similar organization might go a long way.

  10. A couple other notes about Maggies, and I suspect this is true of other planars: They sound great, but only within an awfully small (or so it seemed to me) sweet spot.

    Also, within Leok's post, he mentions that his Maggies were effective above 100 HZ. There were some Maggies that were designed for HT, and required the use of a subwoofer. If these were the speakers he had, that may account for the high rolloff. However, don't expect ANY Maggie to be the last word on bass response.

  11. I remember he also has a tape deck player to. U just put the tape right on the front and it plays. It doesn't close like ones do now a days. It's wild from what i saw. I am going to have to get to my pap's soon and check this stuff out. I'm still waiting for a response from my uncle, so i'll let u guys know as soon as i hear from him. So do u guys think i can try the receiver out without doing anything to it. Would it hurt it to do that?

    It would hurt absolutely nothing to pull it out and fire it up. While capacitors may have deteroirated over time, the unit will still operate, and may operate quite well.

    The key to getting the unit to operate in top form may just be limited to giving it a good cleaning. I've seen folks that have given older receivers or other gear up for dead, only to have someone else take it, give it a good cleaning, and the unit springs back to life. A cleaning might consist of opening the unit up, blowing out the insides with compressed air, blowing the dust and dirt our and away from the controls, and then giving the controls a healthy spray down with De-Oxit. If you have a scratchy volume control or tone controls, and intermitent channel, etc., it may be remedied simply by cleaning.

    Post your results and findings!

  12. ALOT of folks really like the sound of the Panasonic HT receivers with digital amplification paired with their Klipsch. I've not heard them paired, but you can search this forum and find a few threads that discuss forum members experiences with this combo. Great sound, plus it fits within your price range.

    Here's an example:

    http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=201995665&SearchEngine=Froogle&SearchTerm=201995665&Type=PE&Category=Elec&Gad=0&dcaid=17379

  13. ..."One thing I

    noticed was that it got up to speed incredibly fast. No wonder they

    sold so many of them."

    And continue to do so still today

    with the latest Technics models designed primarily for pro DJ use. The

    Guitar Center I work at can't always keep 'em in stock half

    the time. And since they're derived from the old consumer SL-1200

    and later 'tables, even with beefed up pro motor drives, they're more

    than capable of being excellent consumer 'tables today (without

    the DJ cartridges from Stanton, Ortofon, and Numark).

    Actually mine is the "elder statesman" SL-1200, the original w/o the

    incrediby high torque of the "pro" versions. Still, it has the

    super dense, heavy base, brushless DC motor, and a pretty darn nice

    tonearm.

  14. Jazz is the greatest cultural contribution America has made to the world and it's really a shame that so few people are clued in.

    Thanks for listening!

    Here, here!

    While I've yet to dive in as deeply to this genre as others, I've certainly found myself listening to, and buying, albums and CD's that I never would have considered even 3 - 4 years ago.

    For example, I can remember as a kid growing up the tune "Girl from Ipanema" played to death on the radio, and learned to hate it. However, I recently came to appreciate the history and interest in the '60's bossa nova craze, and luckily found a 20 bit reissue CD of the Getz/Gilberto album that "started it all", bought it used from a local music store for $6. Its playing on my CD player here in my office as we speak. I have a couple of other records that I've acquired from this era, both in great condition, and both classics.

    Thanks to you and others for sharing your insights, keep it up!

    Fun stuff!

  15. After living with my Thorens TD-125/SME combo, I went a different direction altogether. I bought the Technics SP-10 II. Perhaps some of you remember their demo which included standing on the platter (yes standing on it) and showing how the wieght of a full grown man did not negatively impact the start up time!

    I never saw that demo, but would have loved to have seen it. Must have been hilarious.

    Max - Which old Kenwoods are you referring to? The line of Kenwoods with the bases made of that funky composite?

  16. I picked up an old Technics SL 1200 TT on the cheap over the weekend, and have had a chance to play around with it. This is not the 1200 MKII or any of the "DJ updated" 1200 series tables. As I understand it, the original 1200 came out in (approx) 1972, and the MK II's didn't appear unitl 1979 or so.

    In contrast to the above, this was something of a sentimental buy for me. My buddy and I used to be mobile DJ's for a whole bunch of years, and at the center of our set up was a pair of Technics SL-1200 MK II's. I always thought that these were great tables for what we used them for, but I never seriously listened to them outside of a banquet hall. I thought it would be cool to grab the original 1200, for nostalgia if nothing else.

    The Technics has some issues, mostly cosmetic. It also has a intermitent power switch. During initial listening, the table couldn't quite hold its speed either. I suspected that the constancy of speed and the intermitent switch were related issues. So, shot the power switch with compressed air, and then gave it a bath in Deoxit. As I suspected, this cleaned up both the fussy switch and the speed issues.

    I pulled out my trusty Thorens TD 145 and dropped the Technics in its place. First impression: garbage! Everything sounded compressed and staticy. The pickup was the lowest cost Shure cartridge that you can buy, and suspected that this might have something to do with it. Duh!

    Pulled off the Shure, and mounted a Sumiko Pearl that I had sitting unused. Aligned the cartridge, and dropped a record on. MUCH better, but still not quite up to the level of the Thorens.

    So, I thought I'd even the playing field. I pulled the Shure V15 III of my Thorens, and mounted it on the Technics. I dropped a record on, and... Oh my Gawd! So far, my impression is that this table is better than the Thorens in almost every way. I'm pretty darn confident that the Thorens was set up right, and alignment, etc was up to snuff. But this is just about the most pleasurable vinyl listening experience I've ever had. I had in no way thought that the Technics would approach the performance of the Thorens, much less best it.

    What's up with that!?!

    Unless I can figure something out soon, the Thorens is going on the selling block! [:o]

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