dolbyscat Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 hi all,first an update on my recently purchased RF5's,neither myself or my wife would consider ourselves audio-philes,so we can't tell you in technical terms what we think about these speakers,so we'll keep it simple, "FRIGGIN AMAZING"..I can't believe the big sound,especialy taking into account only 60watts from my h/k avr 310.Now to something else,we feel that maybe we could make some improvement with our cd player,it's a panasonic s35,at the $129 i paid for it i guess it's pretty much in the budget category.Does anyone think we could make significant improvements?The RF5's are being used for 2 channel only as we mainly listen to music.So a cd only player would be fine,and the panasonic would still do duty in our H/T system.Any advice and recommendations will sure be appreciated.Budget around $400.Thanx, john. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMB540C&product_name=Azur%20540C%20CD%20Player http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMB640C&product_name=Azur%20640C%20CD%20Player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwatkins Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 If you do look at a New CD player I recommend those with multibit processors - you will be able to notice a significant difference, althought they will be just a small premium over your price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 Thanks for the replies. Mdeneen-Do i take from your reply that i should be looking for a 2 channel amp rather than a surround reciever? or is it the lack of power that should be my concern? Please feel free to be brutally honest,any suggestions or criticism will be welcomed.As i said before i'm no expert,and i do'nt want to be throwing money out on equipment that wont give me any significant improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 22, 2004 Author Share Posted August 22, 2004 Mdeneen---thanx for the advice,been surfing around the net,just getting more confused all the time.I think after researching this site it would seem tubes are the way to go.Unfortunatly,like most of the general population i've become familiar with the offerings from the far east,i thought i had made a good move with Harmam Kardon and in fact could'nt be happier with it's performance.But from your comments it seem's i could be.If anyone could help by steering me in the right direction i'd be gratefull.The budget has been extended to something around $700,a phono input is a must have,we like our music LOUD,our tastes range from bach to nickelbach, celine to chopin.Even tho were both in our fifties our musical tastes are'nt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 ---------------- On 8/21/2004 7:31:02 PM hwatkins wrote: If you do look at a New CD player I recommend those with multibit processors - you will be able to notice a significant difference, althought they will be just a small premium over your price range. ---------------- Hmmmm, I've always felt the 1 bit processors sounded much better...oh well. With your cd player, is it actually a dvd player? I did a quick websearch hoping to find out if it had digital outputs. If your player has digital out and you really feel your cd player is hurting the sound, then I would suggest connecting using the digital out. This way, you will be using the reciever's DAC (digital to analog converter) instead of the cd player's DAC. The DAC is probably the device most responsible for the quality of the sound (when in the digital realm, their is no loss in quality). So all that said, I would suggest purchasing a digital cable and see if it sounds better to you; if not, then just go ahead and return it. (or just keep the digital cable because you'll need it for surround sound) One heads up about tube amps is that they are high maintenance...you're going to have to change out the tubes when they wear out which often involves some recalibration (depends on the amp). And then everytime you want to listen, the amps aren't going to sound good until they've been warming up for a good 15 minutes and then it's a good hour before they soudn their best (again, this willy vary on the amp). I'm not trying to say tubes suck, but they do have their own set of problems. For $400, I would suggest doing some acoustical treatment of your room. A few bass traps to even out your low frequency response and then some broadband diffusion and absorbtion on the walls to help control the room and make it sound even bigger. There's some links and tips over in the architectural forum that discuss some tips and basic concepts for acoustically treating a room. (It's a little bit more complicated than I'm portraying it, but I feel that treating the room is going to have the largest impact on your sound). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I want to upgrade my player as well but am undecided. Perhaps the Sony ES 9000? What should I do guys? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 DrWho--Thanx for your input,yes it is a dvd player, yes it does have a digital out,but i had a problem with it skipping the very beginning of tracks,after researching this forum i see other members have the same problem with H/K.I did'nt really notice any difference between the digital/analog out,but did'nt really do much of a comparison either,i,ll spend some time on it today and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch RF7 Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 A nice tube amp such as Harmon Kardon A500 rebuilt, or a Scott 299-C or D rebuilt would go very nicely with your RF-5's, Youll be able to listen to that new classical composer NickelBACH as much as you want!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I would not be too concerned about maintenance of tube amps. Yes, eventually tubes have to be replaced, but there are enough vintage amps around where at least some of the tubes are still going strong, plus a lot of amps (especially in the price range we are talking about) do not require biasing when you swap output tubes (just a properly matched quad). I have not heard your speakers, but I find the sound of tube amps more to my liking. Possible amps: If you do some research you'll find a lot of people around here being happy with their different Scott integrated amps or the Eico HF-81 which I like. Just remember that vintage amps should be checked by a competent technician before being used (for example NOS Valves is a regular contributor here whom you can contact). Modern brands used and reported on are Cayin, ASL and Jolida. I am sure that a search will offer you more than enough information. Good luck hunting. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 MDeneen---Thanks once again,after reading some of your knowledgable posts it seems you should be able to pass on some recs to me.I realize that you have an interest in your own product but i think that would be way outside my budget.If i'm wrong on that count then somebody jump in and suggest something.Also since my last post i,ve changed to the digital/optical out on my cdp the skipping has'snt re-occured,not sure if the sound is improved but it is different,i'll spend some more time listening. Hey i guess thats the whole reason we have all those wires and blinking led's running the length and breadth of our living rooms huh ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolbyscat Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 Thanks all,i guess i've got some surfin' and maybe some shoppin' to do.i'll get back to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 If your source sucks, then all of the best amplification in the world will only suck, too. That is not to say that the quality of the amplification doesn't matter, after all, everything in the chain matters, but if the source is not-up-to-snuff, then nothing you can do will make it any better down the line. Start with a good source unit, and IMO, that means NOT-JAPANESE OR ASIAN! Stay away from PAC-RIM consumer electronics (again IMO) for high quality audio! DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriven Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Dolby, Welcome to the forum! First you have to decide if you want to make the jump to tubes. If you want to stick with solid state you should consider looking for a McIntosh MC 250 on ebay or Audiogon. They sound good on Klipsch speakers. (I have one driving my Khorns right now.) The price range is all over the place depending on the condition but you could probably pick one up for your $400 budget. That would leave you with some $ to put toward the CD player. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50593&item=5716130721&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67786&item=5705039232&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50593&item=5716157158&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=71548&item=5716491027&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I have a near mint Scott 233 available. I am shipping back to Craig this week for a check-up, also I have an extra quad of near new 7591's for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 $ 400 is a bit of a pinch It is implied your AV receiver converts all anaolg to digital and back to analog inside the receiver. This is not a good thing for musical detail and soundstage. Marks options are nice. Also consider A classic 1970s or early 80s Solid state integrated amp or receiver -HK -Denon -Marantz less than $ 150 delivered off of EBAY and Used DAC off E BAY for $ 250 ++++++++++++++++ Than save up for a used tube integrated from the early 60s to send to NOS Valves. A good one(Scott, Pilot, Dynaco) with a very thorough rebuild for about $ 500-800 (maximum including shipping) depending on popularity of the unit and extensivenes of rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Assuming Nickelback is not a classical group, actually it is a Canadian rock group, then you might like to look at the Scott 299C or D because they will produce up to 35 W per side as opposed to the Eico HF-81 with produces 14 W. Just in case you might want to turn up the volume. Actually they don't sound too bad, I am listening to the radio section of their website right now, http://www.nickelback.com/hbindex.html You might also want to look at a pair of silver interconnect cables between your cd player and amp. It should produce more detail in the sound, it did for both an inexpensive Nakamichi unit I once owned and my current Teac VRDS-10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Sorry I missed the $ 700. My eyes go buggy reading all day. It helps when People make short paragraphs or double space. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Trying a vintage integrated that is rebuilt properly is a sound investment. Then you can more easily listen to the limitations in your CD playback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsl Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 I own both a NAD C542 and a Dennon DVD 2900 and the C542 is the better sounding unit to me! You can find one between $400-500. I am using a Luxman preamp with a Cayin integrated tube amp(35 watts). Jolida makes a CD player that has gotten very good reviews but it is around $900. You might go ahead and get a good integrated tube amp this year and next year upgrade your CD player. Once you narrow your choice down to 2 cd players find dealers and ask them if you can take the demo model home. My NAD dealer let me do it and I just found a Jolida dealer that said he would let me demo the Jolida cd player at home also. Xman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.