What stereo(s) do you listen to? What do you want?

Originally Posted by audiophilia

Click to expand...

Cheers. One of my guys took it. I'm a useless photog.

Well you have good people.

Some very nice systems. Opinions on Harbeth speakers, esp. the P3 and the C7? I'm looking at the P3 because I think the C7 might be a little too big for my studio.

That's easy...Harbeth = some of the best midrange around. Pricey but superb sound quality.

Originally Posted by jakejake

Click to expand...

Some very nice systems. Opinions on Harbeth speakers, esp. the P3 and the C7? I'm looking at the P3 because I think the C7 might be a little too big for my studio.

They are dark sounding speakers, meaning the treble is rolled off to sound pleasant.

Originally Posted by Pezzaturra

Click to expand...

They are dark sounding speakers, meaning the treble is rolled off to sound pleasant.
I don't find that at all. The highs are not rolled off; open and clean sounding.

I've many questions, but I'll start with a simple one.

Right now I've got a 5.1 setup with B&W 602's as the front and B&W 601's in the rear. Currently, I have the front covers on all of my speakers. In your experience, does it make a difference in sound quality if you leave them on or not?

Thanks!

Yes. Off, unless you own Sonus Fabers.

Originally Posted by Biggskip

Click to expand...

I've many questions, but I'll start with a simple one.

Right now I've got a 5.1 setup with B&W 602's as the front and B&W 601's in the rear. Currently, I have the front covers on all of my speakers. In your experience, does it make a difference in sound quality if you leave them on or not?

Thanks!

It depends. It matters for some, but not for others. Have you tried it both ways to see if you can hear a difference? The usual thing caused by grills is high frequency roughness.

--Andre

Here are the results of an all Craigslist/ebay project I embarked on last weekend during a day of boredom. Components: Martin Logan Aerius Is - found on Craigslist for $600, picked them up. Nakamichi TA-4A - Craigslist for $75. All it needed was its volume control cleaned. Took me a half hour and it is perfect. This is considered by some to be the best sounding receiver ever made and can catch $400 on eBay. It has a Threshold-inspired (Nelson Pass "designed" though I have read on the forums he was never a fan of Nakamichi's implementation) STASIS amp section putting out 100WPC with a very high damping factor. Retailed for something like $1500 in the late eighties. Just a badass piece of equipment for the money. Lenovo T61 - had one sitting around. Software: SqueezeSlave (http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeSlave) on the T61 Logitech SqueezeCenter on the T61 iPeng on my iPhone and iPod Touch Allows remote control of music from anywhere in my condo. Next step is EQ and digitial out of laptop (M-Audio Transit 24/96). I bought a used Behringer DEQ2496 - found on eBay with the matching mic. Will use it as an RTA with the Auto EQ based room correction to compensate for placement problems with MLs. I would like to mitigate low frequency modes and correct some of the (currently significant) HF roll off I am hearing. All in all, a nice looking (guests seem to really like the MLs) and sounding system for under 1K and a bit of effort. One of the cool features is I can select any internet radio station from around the world on my iPod/iPhone and it will instantly start playing. As jaded as I am tech-wise, the first time I did that was a *WOW* moment. My entire music library is in lossless AAC so I am not worried about quality.

Originally Posted by audiophilia

Click to expand...

Yes. Off, unless you own Sonus Fabers.

Originally Posted by A Y

Click to expand...

It depends. It matters for some, but not for others. Have you tried it both ways to see if you can hear a difference? The usual thing caused by grills is high frequency roughness.

--Andre

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

Next question, how important is the quality/guage of the spearker wire that I use?

Currently I am using some specific length Monster Cable that is about 1/4" to 1/2" in dia and has the variable screw top endings (so you can switch out wire endings with banana plugs). I feel that that should be sufficient, but I've got cable running all over my living room and if I ever want to explore the possibility of custom instalation I want to make sure that I use the right wire.

Originally Posted by Biggskip

Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

Next question, how important is the quality/guage of the spearker wire that I use?

Currently I am using some specific length Monster Cable that is about 1/4" to 1/2" in dia and has the variable screw top endings (so you can switch out wire endings with banana plugs). I feel that that should be sufficient, but I've got cable running all over my living room and if I ever want to explore the possibility of custom instalation I want to make sure that I use the right wire.

You're welcome. As long as your speaker wires are thick enough (12 gauge is plenty thick unless you're going over 50 feet or the impedance of your speakers is below 1 Ohm), and the ends that connect to the speakers are clean and not corroded, and securely fastened (bananas are fine), you'll be fine.

--Andre

Given that I have an 5.1 AVR (it's an Onkyo tx-sr801) and don't really plan to upgrade, what would be the optimal source for music? Should I consider a turntable? Is a high quality CD player the best route? As for inputs on my AVR I have RCAs, Coax, and Optical inputs.

Also, given that I have the 5.1 setup, am I going to get better performance playing music back in 2 or 5 channels?

Originally Posted by username79

Click to expand...

Here are the results of an all Craigslist/ebay project I embarked on last weekend during a day of boredom.

Components:

Martin Logan Aerius Is - found on Craigslist for $600, picked them up.
Nakamichi TA-4A - Craigslist for $75. All it needed was its volume control cleaned. Took me a half hour and it is perfect. This is considered by some to be the best sounding receiver ever made and can catch $400 on eBay. It has a Threshold-inspired (Nelson Pass "designed" though I have read on the forums he was never a fan of Nakamichi's implementation) STASIS amp section putting out 100WPC with a very high damping factor. Retailed for something like $1500 in the late eighties. Just a badass piece of equipment for the money.
Lenovo T61 - had one sitting around.

Software:

SqueezeSlave (http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeSlave) on the T61
Logitech SqueezeCenter on the T61
iPeng on my iPhone and iPod Touch

Allows remote control of music from anywhere in my condo.

Next step is EQ and digitial out of laptop (M-Audio Transit 24/96). I bought a used Behringer DEQ2496 - found on eBay with the matching mic. Will use it as an RTA with the Auto EQ based room correction to compensate for placement problems with MLs. I would like to mitigate low frequency modes and correct some of the (currently significant) HF roll off I am hearing.

All in all, a nice looking (guests seem to really like the MLs) and sounding system for under 1K and a bit of effort. One of the cool features is I can select any internet radio station from around the world on my iPod/iPhone and it will instantly start playing. As jaded as I am tech-wise, the first time I did that was a *WOW* moment. My entire music library is in lossless AAC so I am not worried about quality.

That's a very good system for reasonable money. Look into getting an Oppo BD-83 down the road. Terrific BluRay video and sound quality.

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Click to expand...

That's a very good system for reasonable money. Look into getting an Oppo BD-83 down the road. Terrific BluRay video and sound quality.
Thanks. I am listening to a MFSL->LAAC rip of the Doors to start my morning. Started the music while checking e-mail on my iPhone still in bed. Enjoying the sound quality and the remote control. I am not sure why you recommended a Blu-Ray player for a setup which doesn't even have a TV (nor will), since I have a separate home theater room, but OK!

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Click to expand...

That's a very good system for reasonable money. Look into getting an Oppo BD-83 down the road. Terrific BluRay video and sound quality.
What's the best way to transmit the signal from the player to the Pre/Pro or AVR?