Time to Upgrade
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-07 | Hi all, This is my first post here and would appreciate any help you can offer. I'm currently in the market for a new setup. I'm an HT guy mainly. Traditionally, I have always gone with Harman/Kardon receivers as I like their sound. I'm now looking to move up into a better league of equipment. I plan to spend about $2k for both an amp and preamp. I know NAD, Rotel, and some others have equipment in this range, but I'm afraid my information and experience is a bit outdated. I will be listening to many setups, but won't be able to do back-to-back comparisons as stores don't carry everything I will eventually want to compare. In any case, I've always liked HK sound. The low-ends, dark sound, won't distort, and thick/deep sound has always suited me well. What other manufacturers exhibit sound qualities similar to HK? I've heard B&K does, but wondering if any others do. Thanks for the help. Robert |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 5054 Registered: Feb-05 | I was thinking B&K all the way down your post and then read it...I think that B&K fits your description relative to what you are looking for. |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-07 | I'm just exploring any other possible options. What speakers typically go well with B&K? |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 158 Registered: Feb-07 | What's the budget? Are you looking to upgrade to just a better A/V receiver or would you want to move up to a processor and separate amp(s)? |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 159 Registered: Feb-07 | Whoops, should have read the post more closely. For 2k you could have a pretty good system. You should check out Outlaw gear, especially if your main focus is HT: http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/index.html |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 5060 Registered: Feb-05 | What do you have now for speakers? Since it's primarily for HT what are you looking for from the system? Budget? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 5061 Registered: Feb-05 | By budget I meant for the speakers, or do you already have the speakers that you are going to use with this system? |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-07 | I'm going with an entirely new system from scratch so everything is on the table. I'd say $2k is my limit for the amp/preamp and I'd probably spend the same on speakers. Thanks. |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 4 Registered: Jun-07 | I'd say my upper limit for everything would be $5k. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 5062 Registered: Feb-05 | 5K including 5.1 speakers...hmm. I would look at Outlaw for the pre/pro and multichannel amp and PSB, Paradigm or Tannoy for speakers. Hsu makes a very good sub for HT. http://www.outlawaudio.com/ http://www.tannoy.com/MercuryFOverview http://www.psbspeakers.com/series.php?sId=3 http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/news/ http://www.hsuresearch.com/subwoofers.html For a source I would consider a universal from Denon or Integra. Just a starting point. For a balanced system your budget doesn't allow for B&K. |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 5 Registered: Jun-07 | Someone I know did mention the Outlaw stuff and I've never heard their amps, but have read up a bit. From what I've read, people seem to say that the Outlaw tends to be "cool". I know what bright, warm, dark, and several other terms mean, but not sure what cool means. Here are my general assumptions for some amps: B&K = Dark H/K = Dark Adcom = Bright NAD = Warm (although I always thought they were bright, but that was years ago) Rotel = Neutral Outlaw = Cool? I have heard Paradigm and liked them, but it seemed they need serious power to sound good. |
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Bronze Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 21 Registered: Jun-07 | If you buy Paradigm Monitor Series, they are actually pretty easy to power. If you have any pre/pro in the 2K range that would be plenty. If your looking for that Dark sound, then B&K is probably your best bet. For price to performance value though probably NAD or Outlaw. Nad is warm. Outlaw has a cool/stiff sound to it. Both sound great though. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 161 Registered: Feb-07 | Outlaw is cool, but its also good. I can't comment on their processors, because I've never used one, but their amps are very good. The sound is crisp and up-front without being harsh. |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 6 Registered: Jun-07 | Thanks for the replies. What do people think of Emotiva? I've never heard of them, but I hear they make some good low-cost amps. How do they sound? Thanks! |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 7 Registered: Jun-07 | I should say I never heard of them till recently when someone mentioned they make similar products to Outlaw. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 166 Registered: Feb-07 | I was looking at trying out Emotiva, until I found out all their is manufactured in China. Not that there's anything wrong with that in itself, just that to import into Canada it will cost me an arm and a leg (stuff made in China in not NAFTA exempt and results in heavy customs fees). Some of the Outlaw stuff is manufactured in China (the 2200, for example), but some of their other is made in the USA. I have corresponded with the sales and support dept of Emotiva and I must say their service is top notch. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 7787 Registered: Dec-04 | Same opinion of Emotiva, but I thought they built in Colombia for some reason. I have mailed and called the Outlaw guys, and Scott there is a heck of a guy. Jan has a 970 pre, wanna comment on it JV? John Boros here also got a 970, on my tip, and is very happy with it. He has an adcom power amp and Dalquist DQ10 array speakers. The processor, with dual bass managers, looks to be very flexible, but appropriate for solid stereo. Not sure about the phono. I have not heard anything from Emotiva owners, lemme look. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 7788 Registered: Dec-04 | http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33077 Theres this... |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 8 Registered: Jun-07 | Looks like the Emotiva might be my best bet. Now I just need to decide on speakers. I hear PSB makes some dark-sounding speakers. Any other brands worth looking at for that kind of sound? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 7794 Registered: Dec-04 | RN, do you want that dark, brooding sound? M&K is your shop. M&K will play the Doors forever. The End. If you get any darker, then it is the soundtrack from 'The Crow'. I have cycled a lot of Psb speakers and never found any of them dark. In fact, with the metal domes, they can be rather forward, especially with soft power. The B25 standmount can play with authofity, but only with 200 wpc behind it. The stratus silver i (I have without the i),is far better than the numbers say. Again, I am driving them with a single stereo amp, a Classe, and they do not bend let alone break. The Psb Stratus Silver speakers are as close to bullit proof as most gearheads need. I have beaten these speakers far beyond what they were meant for. Like, a lot more. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 167 Registered: Feb-07 | The Emotiva LPA-1 (the one I was interested in purchasing) is indeed made in China. From the email I received from the Emotiva sales department I got the impression all of their gear is manufactured in China. PSB speakers have a warm sound, but overall are very well-rounded sounding speakers. In fact, when I upgraded my stereo rig in the basement from ancient Yamaha NSX-30's to (the much smaller) PSB Alpha's I was floored by the sound quality improvement. |
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New member Username: RnatalliPost Number: 9 Registered: Jun-07 | I was actually aware of M&K, but they've closed their doors  Too bad really... Thanks for the thought. Any other suggestions for dark-sounding speakers? |
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Gold Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 1083 Registered: May-05 | Robert, I have an Outlaw 970 pre playing with an Adcom 7.1 amp, 125 wpc. I play them into a 7.1 set-up of Ascend speakers for HT only with a M & K sub. It's about a $4,000 set up and will knock your walls down. But, it's not great for music, I prefer my stereo set-up there. And, if I were doing it all over again, I'd probably look at the Paradigm set-up for my surround and keep the M & K. IMHO anyway. Dave |
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