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Bronze Member Username: Crl21Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 16 Registered: Mar-04 | I'm thinking of doing an upgrade to my system, but I'm not sure what would be the next logical step. I have a pair of Paradigm mini monitors an Arcam A65 plus amplifier and a Arcam 73 CD player. Should I step up the speakers, add a power amplifier? I'm relatively new to this world so I'm not sure what would be next. I could drop about another $1,000 give or take a bit. Thanks. |
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Gold Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 1139 Registered: Feb-05 | Personally, I would upgrade the speakers. As much as I like those speakers for their price point, I can see them being the week link in that system. can you give the dimensions of your room please? |
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Bronze Member Username: Crl21Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 17 Registered: Mar-04 | The room is relatively small and somewhat awkwardly shaped. It's 21' 10" x 13' 10". The speakers sit only about 9 feet from the listening area. You can check out the exact layout at this website (you may have to copy and paste this link). http://housing.umich.edu/northwood/overview/index.php?northwood=V&type=2bedroom& floorplans=1&typename=Two%20Bedroom The speakers sit about two feet from the wall one is very near the corner of the room with a sliding glass door on one side and the wall on the other. The other speaker sits at the bottom of a set of stairs. I've moved them out from the walls as far as possible, but I just don't have a ton of space. Of course I won't live in this place forever. I'm currently a student. I'll graduate in two years and then hopefully have a home with a much larger room. |
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New member Username: Tay81Post Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | I would add a sub. REL or era. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8451 Registered: May-04 | I do hate to be a nag, but this is yet another version of "upgrade-itis" with no goal in sight. If the system sounds correct to you, why change anything? If the system has flaws which you find undesirable, you have to identify what those shortcomings are. Then you must identify where you want the system to go and that will, in most cases, determine what needs to happen next to the system. Goals are not defined by, "I want tighter bass", or "The system lacks 'air'". I hesitate to ask, but what are you using as your target for the system? Is there a live music reference for the quality of sound you hear? Or, are you just assembling a series of components that sound any old way you prefer? If the former, you definitely need a concept of what is lacking and what might solve the problem. If the latter, you don't need our help at all. Just go into any audio shop and wave a thousand dollars in the air. Someone will sell you something, and it won't matter what until you know what you want. |
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Gold Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 1140 Registered: Feb-05 | if you add a reference quality sub to moderate quality speakers you are defeating the purpose... IMHO you are better off with replacing your speakers with good quality monitors like the Paradigm Studio 20's |
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Gold Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 1141 Registered: Feb-05 | I also agree with jans assesment of what are your goals. If there ARE no glaring faults to your system, leave it as it is... the way you have it set up now is a fine system. Yes, the studio 20's are better speakers, but if you are satisfied, why change anything. |
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Bronze Member Username: Crl21Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 18 Registered: Mar-04 | This is good advice. I haven't every really considered what my goals are. I am very happy with the system in general. I guess I haven't listened to many other systems as I have few friends into hi-fi and I haven't been into it all that long, so I'm really not aware of the possibilities. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 918 Registered: Dec-03 | I'll settle for $800. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8452 Registered: May-04 | You still miss the point. Or, at least my point. If you are only comparing your system to other systems, you have no reference. Take your system and place it in another room. It sounds different due to the room interaction. So which room/system is more correct? You can't even guess unless you have something to use for comparison. Using only the sound of another system isn't the way to build a well rounded system of your own. I know no one wants to use live music as a reference any longer, but you have to use something that doesn't represent just another interpretation of someone else's idea of what a system should sound like in their room or car. Go listen to some live music and then make some determinations about the quality of sound you hear at home. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4185 Registered: Dec-03 | "I know no one wants to use live music as a reference any longer" What else is there? crl21; you could consider adding a turntable.... |
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Bronze Member Username: Crl21Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 19 Registered: Mar-04 | Now I understand your point and it is well taken. I have considered a turntable. Being relatively young and unfamiliar with this medium, I'm a bit intimidated by it. I know very little about it and I would be starting a collection from scratch. On the other hand, it's always fun to learn something new and start something from scratch. |
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Bronze Member Username: Crl21Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 20 Registered: Mar-04 | When I initially setup my system, I guess this is essentially what I was doing. I went to a couple of shops listened to several setups within my price range and then selected something that sounded the best (or sounded closest to live voices and instruments). Isn't that what we all ultimately do? Or am I still missing the point? Before, I went and listened I gathered plenty of information on what other people felt were "good" systems. I went into purchasing my system planning on something different than what I finally came out with. This was because my ears told me something different than what others had told me. At the same time, I'm still grateful I gathered others opinions. It gave me a good starting point. I guess the reason I initially posted this was that I might have a little "extra" money and I thought it would be nice to improve the system. I agree with you that improving the system is moving the sound closer to a "live music reference." I definitely don't plan on walking into a shop waving a $1,000 and saying sell me something nice. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 919 Registered: Dec-03 | The turntable suggestion is an interesting one. There are plenty of good starter turntables out there. In that price range you'll be looking at belt drives. Of course, once you select a turntable you'll need a phone stage (pre-amp), some way to keep your records clean, a good platform to set the turntable on and a stylus gauge. That should take care of your $1000. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1291 Registered: May-05 | crl - It sounds like you have a great system. Arcam and Paradigm make some very good stuff. Oddly enough, I haven't heard them together. I completely agree with what Jan said. However, your speakers are the weakest link in you chain IMO. The mini monitors are a great speaker for the money, but weren't designed to get the most out of the level of equipment you have now. It's like putting economy tires on a sports car. While the economy tires may be great for a compact car, they don't try to compete with racing tires for some very obvious reasons. My advice is to hear some live music if you don't have a good sense of what it sounds like. Then start looking at some speakers that that you feel most closely resemble your interpretation of what music should sould like. After that, narrow it down further by figuring out which speakers when combined with your gear most closely represent what you're looking for. The dealer where you bought the Arcam components most likely has a very good idea of what works best with it. I'm going to have to go out on a limb here and guess that he'll probably point you towards Totem. IMO Totem and Arcam are a very good match. Most Arcam dealers I know carry Totem. Also... Once you go vinyl, you never go back. On the outside it looks intimidating and high maintainence. In reality cleaning takes a few seconds. For the money, I think vinyl is so much better than CD. I've yet to hear a $500 cd player that can compete with a $500 turntable. It's not even close. My $500 TT in many ways sounds better than some $1000+ cd players that I've heard. But we'll save that for another time. |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 4012 Registered: Mar-05 | cr121, I agree with the recs for upgrading your speakers, especially Stud's. However I'd add that there's no substitute for an in-home audition of speakers so you hear how they sound with YOUR room acoustics and on YOUR gear, and also in direct comparison to your current speakers. If you are lucky, you may be able to find some local dealers who will allow you to take speakers home for a weekend (usually floor demos) and they hold your credit card info as a security deposit. The inevitable downside to this is that it's difficult not to feel guilty about NOT buying anything at all from such a dealer, especially if he/she's spent a lot of time explaining and showing you things. Or you might find a shop that allows full refunds on non-defective goods like Tweeter. (Best Buy and Circuit City do this too but those places have crap selection.) Personally I find that the best way to get in-home auditions is to order Internet-direct speakers. As long as you are ordering 12-25lb bookshelves instead of 50-100lb towers, return shipping only costs $20-30 and you have 30 full days to take your time and decide if you like it or not, as well as take them with you to local shops to AB against their inventory speakers if they allow it. The Internet speakers that I personally own and often recommend are Ascendacoustics.com but there are others like axiomaudio.com, av123.com, aperionaudio.com, alegriaaudio.com, etc. that many people on this and other forums have been very happy with. Google up those names, browse audioreview.com and other forums like avsforum.com and hometheaterforum.com and you'll get a good feel for these various brands. Aside from the 30-day trial period, the other clear advantage of Internet-direct speaker is that you are not paying a retail markup, i.e. all the considerable overhead involved in running a brick and mortar shop such that a $350/pair Internet-direct speaker often has the same quality construction, parts, and performance of a $600/pair retail speaker. |