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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 24 Registered: Jan-07 | I have the chance to buy a pair of Paradigm Titan V.3 from a friend for $130 or buy a new pair of Atoms for about $250. I'm not sure which to go with. Any suggestions would be much appreciated |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9663 Registered: May-04 | . Spend less, buy better stands. |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 25 Registered: Jan-07 | okay, so how much should one spend on stands, and where can i find a good price in the DFW area Jan? |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 303 Registered: Apr-06 | A pair of these would probably do the trick... http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=240-742 Fill with lead shot/sand, and blue tack at the top, and you're good to go. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9667 Registered: May-04 | . Those would probably do just fine. Stands are like any other component, you generally get what you pay for but there are diminishing returns which set in quickly after a certain level has been reached. In other words, the more money you put in will return less and less incremental improvement. A $299 stand might not be worth the money over an $89 stand if you are on a budget. Certainly if you are not going to set the speakers up with the utmost precision would I receommend anything mero than the Parts Express stands. "Utmost precision" involves tape measures and laser levels and means the speakers are set in place where they sound best and not just where they fit. Call around, there aren't many dedicated audio shops in DFW, most have gone to HT systems. This means they wil have something to hold the speaker upright but not necessarily to make it sound good. Marvin's might have something as might Audio Concepts. My choice would be to mail order a set of Sound Anchors but they are not cheap and you might not notice the improvement. http://www.soundanchors.com/ . |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 837 Registered: Oct-04 | I own a pair of Tri-Tube stands from Parts Express and can testify to their quality. I imagine the Medium-Mass model is of similar quality and will improve the sound of those Titans. I originally bought a pair of the "High-Mass" stands, but (stupid me) didn't measure the top platform, and it turned out to be to large for my Mission M32i. They were too heavy to ship back, so I sold them locally. I also own a pair of the Adjustable Satellite stands, they're great too. Parts Express really does build some great equipment at a very reasonable price. Keep an eye out for sales, I picked up those Satellite stands of $29 on sale. |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 26 Registered: Jan-07 | thanks for all the advice. |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 308 Registered: Apr-06 | I picked up the tri-tubes for 27 so nah! Of course I was a SOB and filled the third tube that was meant for hiding wire with sand too and taped up the holes. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 842 Registered: Oct-04 | I don't know how much I paid for the Tri-Tubes? But, I'm pretty sure it was more than $27, well done. Does the sand really help? |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 309 Registered: Apr-06 | Not notably. More for trying to keep it stable than actual sonic improvements. Of course I'd still like to add some weight to the bottom somehow....Any ideas? Of course in the news front, my s/o has authorized the purchase of a subwoofer at some point. I'm looking hard at the Martin Logan Dynamo and some Velodyne models. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 843 Registered: Oct-04 | Congratulations on the subwoofer authorization. Maybe Tim will start selling the Tom as a kit soon. I've heard of people using lead shot or ball bearings instead of sand. You might just want to upgrade to the Medium or even Heavy Mass model. |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 310 Registered: Apr-06 | Yeah I tried getting shot, but had no luck... Even the pawnshop with 50000 guns in the back room didn't have any. Of course for the cost of the upgrade I could get those 5kg weights...I'm thinking a trip to the hardware store might yield some heavy metal object suitable for the task. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 845 Registered: Oct-04 | You've got me? |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 312 Registered: Apr-06 | Ehh I'm hoping for a thick pipe or something that I can fill with something heavy! |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 28 Registered: Jan-07 | i'm going to pick up the titans later today. im pretty excited having never had anything more than a sony stereo system. i hope they sound good with my h/k. thanks to everyone who helped. |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 165 Registered: Nov-06 | I myself like the atoms better than the titans, but your mileage may vary. I feel that they have cleaner midrange and smoother bass due to the cabinet size and construction. The titans IMHO have bass that is a little too fat for my taste. You can also hear resonance in the midrange from the cabinet. This is much less of an issue with the atom. BUT... and this is the BUT... The titan will play lower in the bass, even though to my ears it is sloppier sounding. It will also play louder. Therefore if you are planning on using it in a larger room without a subwoofer, the titan may be a better fit. |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 29 Registered: Jan-07 | i'm listening to them right now and they sound great in my apartment |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 188 Registered: Nov-06 | titans or atoms? |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 31 Registered: Jan-07 | the titans. i got them from a friend for about $130. the atom v.5 sounded great but for a college kid on a budget a $120 less for the titans was deal i couldnt refuse. the atoms might sound better if they were sitting next to my titans but im completely satsified with my purchase. now i just need some stands for them. |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 32 Registered: Jan-07 | do you have any suggestions for a cheap cd/dvd player? |
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Bronze Member Username: AudionewArlington, Texas Post Number: 33 Registered: Jan-07 | do you have any suggestions for a cheap cd/dvd player? by cheap, i mean less costly |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 351 Registered: Apr-06 | What kind of price range did you have in mind? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5651 Registered: Dec-04 | Onix. |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 190 Registered: Nov-06 | Onix makes a great CD player for around $300. But, for a great DVD player, if you want a DVD player to also play CD's, look at NAD if you want to do double duity. Keep in mind that until you get in the high end, a dedicated CD player will outperform a DVD player for playing CD's. Even then, some audiophiles will still state that a dedicated unit is still the way to go. |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 191 Registered: Nov-06 | there was a thread in here about a year ago mentioning the audio performance of a certain inexpensive DVD player. For some reason I want to say it was a toshiba model. Does anyone remember this? |
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Silver Member Username: StefanomVienna, VA United States Post Number: 353 Registered: Apr-06 | Yeah it was a Toshiba model that Edster was talking about. Of course I think it might have been modded too... |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 193 Registered: Nov-06 | OK, thanks Stephen. For a moment I thought I was thinking things up. It may have been modded, but I'm honestly not sure. Eddie doesn't stop in anymore, so we can't ask him to be sure. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 3879 Registered: Feb-05 | "until you get in the high end, a dedicated CD player will outperform a DVD player for playing CD's" And even then, all things being equal a dedicated player will outperform a DVD or Universal player for redbook playback. |
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Silver Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 197 Registered: Nov-06 | Art... "Even then, some audiophiles will still state that a dedicated unit is still the way to go." implying that a dedicated player will still outperform a combo unit. |
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Silver Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 113 Registered: Mar-06 | Wasn't this Marantz mentioned too? http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/item/MARCC4300 |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5697 Registered: Dec-04 | Srinivas, that unit was a fav of Art's way back. For a changer, it goes a long ways. For a changer. |
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New member Username: ChicomoralessxmDutch islesCaribbean Post Number: 4 Registered: Feb-07 | Just a question what about the denon dcm390 changer is it inferior to the marantz?? |
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Gold Member Username: KanoBC Canada Post Number: 1138 Registered: Oct-04 | http://www.oppodigital.com/ |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9714 Registered: May-04 | . "Inferior" is such an ugly word. You must be a Republican, all black and white. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5758 Registered: Dec-04 | How about 'sucks for the money'? Better? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9717 Registered: May-04 | . "How about 'sucks for the money'?" Very Republican, sounds like they know Jack Abramoff, "Duke" Cunningham and Tom Delay. . |
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Gold Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 1062 Registered: May-05 | Cambridge Audio makes a nice little CD player for around $110-$150 and it will do fine with what you're using. Good luck, Dave. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChicomoralessxmDutch islesCaribbean Post Number: 15 Registered: Feb-07 | Well let me recant on my last post. Would one conclude that the dcm390 might have some disadvantage in performance and sound quality when audition with comparative changers eg the marantz??? sounds more liberal lol |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 135 Registered: Mar-06 | I like the Cambridge Audio 540D dvd player. The Absolute Sound just gave it a favorable review in their recommended components issue. I think it sounds very good with cds. You can get one for 230 from spearitsound.com |