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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | I'm in the Boston area and I'm trying to put together a sound system for my college house in montreal. I'm rooming with 2 girls so I'm going to need something durable and can get pretty loud. For the subwoofer, the priority is on response rather than bass. I'm a college student so I'm not looking to spend a grand. The system will be in a large room and would like to hook it up to mp3 players and/or dvd player. Any advice would be great. Should I go for floor speakers, or smaller speakers + subwoofer (what I'm leaning towards now)? Any recommendations for stores in boston or montreal, or internet sites (US or Canadian)? Any recommendations on brands? Paul |
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Gold Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 1148 Registered: Feb-05 | what type of music do you listen to? |
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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | I listen to rock but also techno and such if I'm going out to a club that night |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 4016 Registered: Mar-05 | Well for your specific needs and situation, I'd look at this combo: 120wpc HK stereo receiver plus Cerwin Vega party speakers http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001H0QBK $700 and you should be set...probably will not even need a subwoofer for music. Later on you can always add a used Crown pro amp for around $300 and REALLY make some ears bleed. That HK receiver can be had on eBay for about less, the CVs likewise. |
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New member Username: Tay81Post Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | Audio Stores in Boston area: Goodwin's High End- in Waltham on Rt 20 Spearit Sound- on Comm Ave between BU Bridge and Nickerson Field |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1375 Registered: Sep-04 | Rooming with 2 girls? You lucky so-and-so... |
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Bronze Member Username: Nottingham365MA USA Post Number: 27 Registered: Mar-06 | Tay81: I don't think Goodwin's High End would offer the products or prices that Paul seeks as a college student. Paul: You might try Q Audio ( http://www.qaudio.com/ ) in Cambridge. I figure many MIT students purchase basic setups there. |
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New member Username: Tay81Post Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | I believe Goodwin's is the best audio store in the Boston area, and it would be educational for Paul to go there to listen to different equipment and to speak with their sales staff. You are correct in that they will probably not have what Paul is looking for, however they may have some used gear that would be good...such as the era design 4 they have on their website now. |
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Gold Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 1151 Registered: Feb-05 | ahh damn. I would love to get my hands on a design 4 system. I have read a couple of rave reviews of that system that state that they are an audiophile's dream come true if you hate big speakers, that they truly have the big system, small box thing down. |
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Bronze Member Username: Divin11112000Michigan Post Number: 82 Registered: Dec-04 | I think the real reason he posted was because he wanted us all to know he's rooming with two girls |
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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | ahah, yea, that's it :P Thanks for the feedback. Tomorrow after my dentist I'm going to head over to Goodwin and ask them. So tower/floor speakers are the route I should take? I had Cambridge SoundWorks speaker/sub system in my dorm and they sound really strained at mid-high volumes now. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 926 Registered: Dec-03 | If you want high SPL you'll most likely want to consider something with a minimum 6" mid-woof. There are a lot of very nice 4" mid-woofs around (including one I'm very familiar with) but they are too easy to over-drive if you're into higher volume levels. Physics wins again. |
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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 4 Registered: May-06 | 2 questions, SPL? and why would I need a 6" mid-woof? The Cerwin-Vega CLSC-10 recommended above comes with a 10" subwoofer built in. By 6" mid-woof do you mean 6" subwoofer built in with the speakers? From my experience with car audio, 10" subwoofers is actually exactly what I want. Does anyone else have any recommendations on speakers or receivers? I only found one review for the Cerwin Vega but it was a very positive review, but I want to hear from others before I make a decision. Also, what advantage is there to getting the amp? I thought amps only regulate power distribution? "Later on you can always add a used Crown pro amp for around $300 and REALLY make some ears bleed. " What kind of cables, if any, am I going to need to buy in order to hook iPODs and such to the receiver? |
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Bronze Member Username: JethroLansing, Mi Post Number: 88 Registered: Jan-06 | For what you are trying to accomplish, Edster seems to have hit the nail on the head. Listen to whatever you want, but at your price range for loud and bass, you can't beat the vegas. I can't comment on that specific 2ch receiver except for HK has a good reputation and make good equipment. GO FOR IT. It's exactly what your looking for. |
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Bronze Member Username: JethroLansing, Mi Post Number: 89 Registered: Jan-06 | for the amp, i believe he was talking about adding an amp later on if your heart desires more clean power than that receiver will deliver. You can "plug" the amp into the receiver you have to utilize the extra power of the external amp and bypass the amps in the h/k altogether. You would then use the harmon kardon as only a pre-amp. I don't personally think you would ever need this with the cerwin vegas, but down the road if you switch to some more power hungry speakers, you may. For an IPOD, you need to buy a simple cable that goes from the headphone jack and splits to a red and white "patch cord". You can find a cheapo at best buy with all the ipod accessories. You do not need expensive cables whatsoever. 14 or 12 gauge speaker wire will be fine, don't buy the good stuff, you won't hear a difference. For a sub, hold off until u listen to your setup and decide from there if you actually need 1. |
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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 6 Registered: May-06 | appreciate the input from everyone. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 927 Registered: Dec-03 | SPL = sound pressure level i.e. "volume" When someone says they listen to loud music, especially techno, a 4" mid-woof is not likely to meet their expectations. To move that much air in a controlled fashion requires more displacement than a small driver can produce, hence, the 6" minimum I gave. Even then, very few 6" woofs can produce the levels I think you're looking for. The Cerwin Vega doesn't come with a built in subwoofer. It comes with a 10" woofer, a 6.5" midrange and 1" tweeter and may better meet your expectations, at least, in your price range. Mid-woofs are the main driver in 2 way systems. I brought it up because someone suggested a two-way speaker with a 4.5" mid-woof. I don't think that's what you're looking for although it probably is a good match for others. |
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New member Username: Pj87Post Number: 7 Registered: May-06 | What's the difference between a subwoofer, mid-woofer, and woofer? |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 928 Registered: Dec-03 | It's become rather clouded under marketing hype but the easiest definition is to say a subwoofer is a separate unit that handles the lowest octave of the typical frequency range where many home speakers don't play. This should mean below 40Hz but with the advent of little tiny satellite speakers the term "subwoofer" tends to get applied to any sort of bass unit, even if it plays up to 150Hz. When a separate box is used for bass in a system that crosses to satellites that high and it in itself can only play to 40Hz that is a "bass unit" and shouldn't be referred to as a subwoofer. One of my designs uses a separate bass unit that plays from 30Hz - 250Hz. I would never call it a "subwoofer". Mid-woofer is the main driver in a two-way system because it is responsible for the bass response and the majority of the mid-range as well. A woofer is typically found in a 3-way (or more) system and is limited to the lower range only. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 2612 Registered: Dec-04 | Good definition Tim. I consider a sub below 100Hz and reaching as low as is possible given the design and requirement. Keeping in mind the bowed out roof of the car you mentioned, Tim. Quote"yikes". |