Official A/V Thread

[greedostick]

OK, I installed my new tweeter today. Was incredibly easy.

However...

My left speaker still sounds muffled. I am lost at this point. After some tinkering, changing the ports on my receiver, and playing around with the balance, and treble, I noticed that the treble when adjusted, when all the balance is on the left speaker, seems to make no, or very little difference when compared to changing the treble on the right speaker when balance is all the way on the right.

Is this suppose to sound this way? Maybe it's just something I never noticed before.

If not I could use some suggestions.

 

[Neo Ash]

Vaccuum huh? Hmm...

Yup. Just be gentle. Make sure you don't use the full force; I typically have the hose on the edge and roll it toward the dent. Some people will use tape, but it can cause damage and leave adhesive material behind.

Latest setup pic and update:
View attachment 40137

Dog approved!

Currently running:
-Bryston 2BLP amp - thanks are in order to Ash for peeling a fresh one from his stack.

-Bryston BP6 preamp - had it for a couple of weeks now and this has really made a huge improvement. Before using the BP6 I was running my sources into a Marantz AV pre/processor and the BP6 blows that out of the water. I was skeptical whether it would make a big difference, when in fact I think it made the largest improvement to the setup yet! The difference was akin to a Soprano on Nutrisystem and one that eats a steady diet of cake. Crazy

-Rega Apollo CD Player- I've gushed about this before, now I'm using it as a transport which is maybe overkill, but looks very BA.

-Audio Research DAC5 - Another contribution from the OP. My first real venture into using a dedicated DAC and this one is solid as fuck. The Apollo sounds damn good on its own, but the ARC gives a lot more definition to both high and lows. With cymbal hits you could probably identify what brand of cymbal and their diameter. Kick and timpani drums authoritative and defined.

-Music Hall 5.3 turntable - Still good

-AcousTech PH-1 Premium phono stage - Built like a tank and large as a barge. I dig it and it brings a lot of bass out of records; it's a good thing.

Also added a Furman PST-8 Power strip - I felt obligated to up the game on the surge protector and this definitely fit the bill. Also good looking with good outlet spacing.

Speakers are still my Atlantic Technology AT-1 - No need for subwoofers with this pair. Best 900 bucks I've spent in a while. They just got better with the addition of the BP6 and DAC5.

Cables - mostly radio shack - their thicker stuff

Big thanks as always to Ash for his constant guidance with the hifi building

Much improved; that looks fantastic Ken. I've enjoyed helping you out with your system planning, it has been a lot of fun. Don't discredit the work and research you put into it.

K-2 and I, have done some gear loaning for comparison. For those that feel an awesome system is out of their reach, K-2's system is proof otherwise. That DAC5 is truly fantastic and offers a tremendous amount of bang for the buck. I had it in my system with a Yamaha CD/DVD player as a transport and did some comparisons. I had such a difficult time picking between the DAC5 and my reference player, a $4,000 Ayre, I had to get a second opinion. I made sure to block the gear in the shootout from view and brought my wife into my listening room with zero knowledge of what she would be comparing. The two sources were dB level matched. After three back to back comparison rounds a winner was determined....it was the ARC. She's no novice as I have dragged her from dealer to dealer and hifi shows over the years with opportunities to hear systems nearing the million dollar mark. She was blown away that the older 20bit DAC was the winner; ARC did a fantastic job on the analog output section of that DAC.. This is proof that specs and bits are not everything; you have to listen.

so how do you know when speakers need to be refoamed? because everyone and every site says my bose 601 series III are way past due, but other than a split or two in the tiny piezo horns on top, the 8 inch speakers have no signs of wear, and overall the whole set still sound perfect even at high volumes (BTW, should I 80's remedy the tiny speakers by sealing the splits with clear nail polish?)

I would keep the nail polish away. Regarding the woofer foam, there's no specific number of years at which a driver should be re-foamed; the environment the speaker is stored in can have a big impact. Are the surrounds cracked, split, or falling apart? Do they disintegrate when touched or are they still malleable? These are the main questions. As long as you're not experiencing distortion, I say let them play unless you just want to do it as fun project. Repair kits are out there and easy to install with a little time and patients.

OK, I installed my new tweeter today. Was incredibly easy.

However...

My left speaker still sounds muffled. I am lost at this point. After some tinkering, changing the ports on my receiver, and playing around with the balance, and treble, I noticed that the treble when adjusted, when all the balance is on the left speaker, seems to make no, or very little difference when compared to changing the treble on the right speaker when balance is all the way on the right.

Is this suppose to sound this way? Maybe it's just something I never noticed before.

If not I could use some suggestions.

Did you replace the missing binding post jumper? If not that is a must as you will only get highs or lows depending on whether you connect the speaker cable to the top or bottom posts. A short section of basic speaker wire will work in place of the jumper. You could always run a pair of internal bi-wire cables or shotgun two cable pairs to each speaker and eliminate the jumper bars.

I always take the factory jumpers off. I'm sure I have plenty kicking around here. PM me if you need one, and I'll drop one or two in the mail to you for free.

 

[Neo Ash]

I'm finally going to give in and go more digital. It's 2017 and time to embrace the likes of Tidal. I recently demoed some streaming devices and was very impressed with the quality, so it's time to make the move.

Over the Christmas holiday, I gifted some gear to myself. In preparation to integrate streaming and digital playback, I have added a Bryston BDA-2 DAC to my system. Unbelievable performance and flexibility with a total of 8 inputs. I'm playing around with the USB input and a laptop, but will ultimately have a dedicated piece of hardware to fill that role. Obviously, I'm still big on physical media, so I have a Bryston CD player that I'm using as a transport over AES/EBU to the DAC.



One of the best changes in my system was moving up from my Bryston SST2 series amp to the new Cubed series of amplifiers. I went with the 2.5B3; due to the changes in the new series the difference in power from my 3B SST2 was insignificant. My previous amp was rated at 150 watts and tested at 169 watts, while the 2.5B3 is rated at 135 and the unit I received tested at 163 watts per channel. Way...way...more power than I need and the slight difference in power really makes no difference. This is one of, if not the best, amp I have owned. The clarity, detail, and insight into the music is shocking and takes the realism to a new level.


On the analog side, I've switched up my phono preamp to a Manley Chinook. In general, I prefer 6922 tubes, which the phono preamp has. The Rogue Ares I had was very nice overall; however, the Chinook excels in every way from circuit design, build quality, and overall performance. One of the best tube phono stage under $5K IMO. My only complaint is that the illuminated logo is on the bright side, but not terribly distracting. The Chinook still give me the ability to use any cartridge I want; there are two internal settings for optimal gain: 45dB for Moving-Magnet cartridges and 60dB for Moving-Coil cartridges. The back panel contains DIP switches for adjusting the input resistive and capacitance loading values. 31 possible options between 26 and 800 Ohms plus 47k Ohms and 7 capacitive loading choices between 50 pF and 350 pF provide flexibility to match any cartridge and fine tune the tone.


Lastly, I picked up a big beautiful pair of Vandersteen speakers. They are still breaking in, but sound astonishing. Obviously, the latest iteration that features the woven carbon-fiber midrange used in the 5A. This speaker contains four drives and the rear firing 10" woofer makes these speakers truly full range allowing them to dip down into the 20s. Like all their products, a 1st order crossover is used to ensure phase coherence and the drivers are time aligned. Finished with walnut end caps, that IMO gives them a classy refined look.

 

[terry.330]

Magnepans are replaced with Quad 23Ls and the Music Hall MMF 5.1 with an Ikura.

I'll get some pics soon.

 

[Kiel]

Y'all getting some serious gear lately

 

[terry.330]

Neo Ash as always is on a whole different level.

I needed a new cart for my 5.1 which was gonna be around $350. So I figured instead of just doing that and recalibrating it I'd just upgrade the whole unit and sell the old one and come out even in the end.

The speakers served me well for 5 or so years but the midrange went out and Magnepan does not cover that under their warranty so it was time to retire them. The Quads were on sale from $3k to $700, so yeah.

So the hi-fi gear lineup is:

Peachtree Nove 125SE integrated amp
Project Tubebox phono amp
Rega Apollo CD player
Music Hall Ikura turntable
Quad 23L Classic speakers
REL T1 subwoofer
Sony MDR-7506 headphones

My AV setup is just a hodgepodge of midrange consumer shit

 

[ki_atsushi]

Neo Ash as always is on a whole different level.

I needed a new cart for my 5.1 which was gonna be around $350. So I figured instead of just doing that and recalibrating it I'd just upgrade the whole unit and sell the old one and come out even in the end.

The speakers served me well for 5 or so years but the midrange went out and Magnepan does not cover that under their warranty so it was time to retire them. The Quads were on sale from $3k to $700, so yeah.

So the hi-fi gear lineup is:

Peachtree Nove 125SE integrated amp
Project Tubebox phono amp
Rega Apollo CD player
Music Hall Ikura turntable
Quad 23L Classic speakers
REL T1 subwoofer
Sony MDR-7506 headphones

My AV setup is just a hodgepodge of midrange consumer shit

If you're going to upgrade any of that, do the headphones first.

The 7506's are decent especially for the price, but after trying AKG's and Grados in the ~$200 range I never looked back.

 

[terry.330]

I had Grados and they were great sounding but they blew out and were super uncomfortable imo. My buddy uses the same MDRs in his recording studio, plus I don't use them too much so I didn't want to get anything crazy. I was going to get some AKGs but the Sonys were on sale.

I'm happy enough with them for the time being.

 

[K-2]

Ash your setup is sick sick sick!

The Bryston stack of BP26 with the MPS-2 power supply and the new BDA is lovely. And that new cubed looks gorgeous. How's the Bryston transport? Is that the BOT that will rip cds?

 

[K-2]

Whoops, double post

 

[Neo Ash]

How's the Bryston transport? Is that the BOT that will rip cds?

It's a regular CD player with RCA and XLR analog outputs plus the digital outputs.. Honestly, it's stupid overkill. When using a CD player with an external DAC, the CD player is at best only 10 to...maybe.. 20%...at most of the sound. It's more about loyalty to the brand, cosmetics, and visually matching everything else. A typical decent DVD player would have worked just as well. The BOT is about a 1/3 width chassis with just a USB port and can only be used with the Bryston digital players.

Thanks for the compliment. For good or bad, my wife keeps me in check...otherwise I'd be off the deep end.

 

[Wachenroder]

hey super noob question.

i have a SONY TA-AV601 amp and 4 x 8 ohm speakers

2 SS-U701AV Rated 170 WATTS
2 SS-U901AV Rated 270 WATTS



and



it has 4 main channels. 2 for A and 2 for B. it says accepts 8 - 16 ohms

does that mean 8 to 16 ohms per channel or is that the total load?

also as you can see, it says 8 ohms loads both channels driven. so does that mean each channel wants 8 ohms per channel or 8 ohms total both speakers.

it also says 150 watts per channel....is that enough power for what i have or am i gonna have to rework some of this?

 

[Neo Ash]

hey super noob question.

i have a SONY TA-AV601 amp and 4 x 8 ohm speakers

2 SS-U701AV Rated 170 WATTS
2 SS-U901AV Rated 270 WATTS

View attachment 42282

and

View attachment 42281

it has 4 main channels. 2 for A and 2 for B. it says accepts 8 - 16 ohms

does that mean 8 to 16 ohms per channel or is that the total load?

also as you can see, it says 8 ohms loads both channels driven. so does that mean each channel wants 8 ohms per channel or 8 ohms total both speakers.

it also says 150 watts per channel....is that enough power for what i have or am i gonna have to rework some of this?

The A/B output is typically used to allow for speakers to be placed in two rooms (Ex Zone2). Some people will use the A/B to "stack" a matched pair of speakers. With your particular configuration I wouldn't really recommend using both pairs together in the same room for a 2-ch listening setup. There will likely be noticeable timbre and phasing differences due to differences between the pairs.

Typically, the A and B output when used together, will place the connected speakers in parallel. What the information on the back of the receiver is telling you is a range of acceptable speaker independences. With 8 ohm speakers in that configuration the amp will see a 4 ohm load as a result of impedance halving. You will want to consult the owners manual to insure you're not exceeding the capabilities of the receiver. It will probably by OK, just check and monitor the operating temperature until you "know" everything is good. The load presented to the amplifier is more of a concern than watts. Most of the more entry level focused amplifiers and receiver skew and misrepresent watts and other performance factors in favor of looking good from a marketing perspective. Also, be aware that some receivers will caution against or physically not allow both the A and B selection buttons to be enabled at the same time. It would look cool to have both pairs up and running; however, if just for 2-ch listening, I would encourage you to pick the pair that sounds best to you and just go with that.

 

[Wachenroder]

The A/B output is typically used to allow for speakers to be placed in two rooms (Ex Zone2). Some people will use the A/B to "stack" a matched pair of speakers. With your particular configuration I wouldn't really recommend using both pairs together in the same room for a 2-ch listening setup. There will likely be noticeable timbre and phasing differences due to differences between the pairs.

ok yeah i was just trying to use everything i have since i already have it and just sitting there, i figured i might as well use them. essentially its super overkill because my setup has a Panasonic dvd subwoofer setup that comes with 4 main speakers and a center speaker. all the channels are on the subwoofer.



The dvd player is the control panel so the RCA cables go from that to Amp.

The thing is my amp itself has all those empty channels. 2x for side A 2x for side B, then 4x for surround and 4x for DRLC.

im not using anything but the A and B at the moment and i dont plan to, but i kind of figured i might be overdoing it based on what i read in the manual.

Typically, the A and B output when used together, will place the connected speakers in parallel. What the information on the back of the receiver is telling you is a range of acceptable speaker independences. With 8 ohm speakers in that configuration the amp will see a 4 ohm load as a result of impedance halving.

Believe it or not, that was exactly what i was wondering. That if both A and B are pressed, does that halve the impedance by putting them in parallel or something.

i did notice a significant drop in audio clarity when both channels are active.

You will want to consult the owners manual to insure you're not exceeding the capabilities of the receiver. It will probably by OK, just check and monitor the operating temperature until you "know" everything is good. The load presented to the amplifier is more of a concern than watts. Most of the more entry level focused amplifiers and receiver skew and misrepresent watts and other performance factors in favor of looking good from a marketing perspective. Also, be aware that some receivers will caution against or physically not allow both the A and B selection buttons to be enabled at the same time. It would look cool to have both pairs up and running; however, if just for 2-ch listening, I would encourage you to pick the pair that sounds best to you and just go with that.

i see. well the 270 watt speakers definitely sound better. i have been mindful of the thing over heating or tripping and i havent noticed anything so far.

so when it say 150 watts + 150 watts, that doesnt necessarily mean it cant hand the pair of 270 watt speakers?

 

[joe8]

Does anyone have electrostatic speakers (for example- Martin Logan speakers, QUAD speakers- ESL-57, ESL-63, ESL-63 USA Edition, ESL 989, ESL 2805, ESL 2812, ESL 2905, ESL 2912)? Which is the best electrostatic speaker to get? It would preferably be neutral-sounding (not too much bass, but a lot of dynamic range), and be able to take a high power load.

 

[Neo Ash]

i see. well the 270 watt speakers definitely sound better. i have been mindful of the thing over heating or tripping and i havent noticed anything so far.

so when it say 150 watts + 150 watts, that doesnt necessarily mean it cant hand the pair of 270 watt speakers?

Speakers don't have watts. What you're seeing is a reference to the peak recommend power. You can't think of a speaker like a light bulb that's 60, 100, or whatever watts when you flip the switch. Increasing the volume control increase the amount of power being sent to the speakers. You'll be fine. There's also no problem with using a more powerful amp than what is recommended; however, you have to respect the power and not go nuts with the volume control.

Does anyone have electrostatic speakers (for example- Martin Logan speakers, QUAD speakers- ESL-57, ESL-63, ESL-63 USA Edition, ESL 989, ESL 2805, ESL 2812, ESL 2905, ESL 2912)? Which is the best electrostatic speaker to get? It would preferably be neutral-sounding (not too much bass, but a lot of dynamic range), and be able to take a high power load.

I've listened to about ever planar speaker out there. One of the best I have experienced is the Model 10 by Sanders Sound Systems. A full on setup with their electronics is hard to beat for the price. They're not exactly cheap, but it fits exactly what you are looking for.

http://sanderssoundsystems.com/products/model-10-electrostatic-speaker

As for the current Quad ESL speakers, I would stay away as they have shifted manufacturing to China. The old Quads are very nice and the ESL-57 is a true classic. You will need to be cautions on the amplifier selection for the early ESL as they lacked any built in protection mechanism. Consequently, you can have issues when using very powerful amps, or at the other end of the spectrum, amps that are lacking in power. They will perform great with tube amps, and 25 to 75 watts is plenty. Just make sure it's a quality amplifier with beefy output transformers; depending on the exact model speaker, the amp will likely see some wild impedance curves.

I like Magnepan speakers because they represents great quality and value, plus they are made in the US. Unless you are buying one of their large speakers, be prepared to also purchase a couple of subwoofers. Magnepans, while having a very tuneful bass, don't have much low end grunt. You'll need to make sure you have an amp that will handle a 4 ohm load. They are also famous for sucking amps dry of all the power they can dish-out. They pair well with Audio Research tube amps and Bryston solid state amps. Do not use them with the $99 special from a big box store.

Martin Logan uses a hybrid design with a panel and woofer combo. You'll get better low end from a Martin Logan, and depending on the model might not need/want a subwoofer. But like Quad, Martin Logan has shifted a large portion of manufacturing to China. Their top models are still made in the US. Overall, I have personally never really cared for Martin Logan; but that doesn't mean you should not give them a try.

Audition as many speakers as you can and don't let me personal preferences sway you.

Finally, setup on this type of speaker is critical. They need proper room placement and room to breath in order to reach their full potential. Wall proximity must be taken into consideration as these are dipole designs and sound radiates from the rear of the speaker.

 

[joe8]

Speakers don't have watts. What you're seeing is a reference to the peak recommend power. You can't think of a speaker like a light bulb that's 60, 100, or whatever watts when you flip the switch. Increasing the volume control increase the amount of power being sent to the speakers. You'll be fine. There's also no problem with using a more powerful amp than what is recommended; however, you have to respect the power and not go nuts with the volume control.



I've listened to about ever planar speaker out there. One of the best I have experienced is the Model 10 by Sanders Sound Systems. A full on setup with their electronics is hard to beat for the price. They're not exactly cheap, but it fits exactly what you are looking for.

http://sanderssoundsystems.com/products/model-10-electrostatic-speaker

As for the current Quad ESL speakers, I would stay away as they have shifted manufacturing to China. The old Quads are very nice and the ESL-57 is a true classic. You will need to be cautions on the amplifier selection for the early ESL as they lacked any built in protection mechanism. Consequently, you can have issues when using very powerful amps, or at the other end of the spectrum, amps that are lacking in power. They will perform great with tube amps, and 25 to 75 watts is plenty. Just make sure it's a quality amplifier with beefy output transformers; depending on the exact model speaker, the amp will likely see some wild impedance curves.

I like Magnepan speakers because they represents great quality and value, plus they are made in the US. Unless you are buying one of their large speakers, be prepared to also purchase a couple of subwoofers. Magnepans, while having a very tuneful bass, don't have much low end grunt. You'll need to make sure you have an amp that will handle a 4 ohm load. They are also famous for sucking amps dry of all the power they can dish-out. They pair well with Audio Research tube amps and Bryston solid state amps. Do not use them with the $99 special from a big box store.

Martin Logan uses a hybrid design with a panel and woofer combo. You'll get better low end from a Martin Logan, and depending on the model might not need/want a subwoofer. But like Quad, Martin Logan has shifted a large portion of manufacturing to China. Their top models are still made in the US. Overall, I have personally never really cared for Martin Logan; but that doesn't mean you should not give them a try.

Audition as many speakers as you can and don't let me personal preferences sway you.

Finally, setup on this type of speaker is critical. They need proper room placement and room to breath in order to reach their full potential. Wall proximity must be taken into consideration as these are dipole designs and sound radiates from the rear of the speaker.

I was thinking of getting an ESL-63 in pretty rough condition, and then getting a local speaker repair shop to fix it (replacing the mylar, etc). I would only get electrostatic (rather than planar magnetic).

Which are the last ESL's made in England- the ESL-63, or the ESL-63 USA Edition (which I think is the QUAD PRO-63)? I don't think I would buy an ESL that's made in China. I would tend to go for the ESL-63 as they are smaller in size (compared to that Model 10, for example).

Which amps can you use for an electrostatic speaker like the ESL-63 - can you use the same amps as you would use for dynamic speakers, as long as they are the right wattage? The ESL-63 goes up to 100 watts. Can you recommend a few amps that would suit the ESL-63 and ESL-63 Pro?

 

[Late]

I'm looking for a listening turntable, nothing fancy, I'm leaning towards the Beogram 4500, for the built-in pre-amp and that it'll match my stereos stylistically.

 

[Neo Ash]

Which amps can you use for an electrostatic speaker like the ESL-63 - can you use the same amps as you would use for dynamic speakers, as long as they are the right wattage? The ESL-63 goes up to 100 watts. Can you recommend a few amps that would suit the ESL-63 and ESL-63 Pro?

Planar is often used as a catch all term for this type of speaker and includes electrostatic, magnetic, ribbon, etc...

Not sure what sort of budget you have. Honestly, if I were purchasing these, I'd mate them with a good tube amp and would likely go for a pair of Manley Snapper's. Older Manley/VTL amps (yes, there's a connection between the brands - Google it for details), like the VTL Compact 100, would be excellent if you're on a limited budget. If the budget is really tight, a solid state Quad 909 amp would serve you well and they are very inexpensive. Add the Quad 99 preamp and, minus sources, you're done.

The Quad ESL speakers, in my opinion work best with tubes. Unfortunately, I have not had a Quad dealer remotely near me for some time. Quad was purchased by IAG about 6 years ago.

 

[joe8]

Planar is often used as a catch all term for this type of speaker and includes electrostatic, magnetic, ribbon, etc...

Not sure what sort of budget you have. Honestly, if I were purchasing these, I'd mate them with a good tube amp and would likely go for a pair of Manley Snapper's. Older Manley/VTL amps (yes, there's a connection between the brands - Google it for details), like the VTL Compact 100, would be excellent if you're on a limited budget. If the budget is really tight, a solid state Quad 909 amp would serve you well and they are very inexpensive. Add the Quad 99 preamp and, minus sources, you're done.

The Quad ESL speakers, in my opinion work best with tubes. Unfortunately, I have not had a Quad dealer remotely near me for some time. Quad was purchased by IAG about 6 years ago.

Are the QUAD ESL-988 (I think the 988 and 989 were still made in the UK) as good as the ES-63?
Do you think the ESL-63's are too fragile to have sent from overseas?
I guess I could decide which amp to get later on.

Finally, setup on this type of speaker is critical. They need proper room placement and room to breath in order to reach their full potential. Wall proximity must be taken into consideration as these are dipole designs and sound radiates from the rear of the speaker.

Can they give good sound in a small room, or do they absolutely have to be in a large room?

 

[smokehouse]

I know that this thread has mostly gone to the audiophiles...but I thought I'd pop in about some video findings.

I have to say that for now, I'm dropping the 4K player search.

I've been reading and watching videos about player/media/display concerning 4K and truth be told, I don't think I'd even know the difference. I have a middle of the road 49" LG 4K set...it's really the largest thing I can put in my small living room and even with that, I'm sitting 10' or so away from it. With an ok display coupled to that "small" of a screen...I don't think 4K will do me any good.

I'll have to replace my ever aging PS3 here sooner or later (bought in early 2008), but when I do, I'll probably just pick up a quality BR player.

 

[Neo Ash]

Do you think the ESL-63's are too fragile to have sent from overseas? For example, via EMS?
I guess I could decide which amp to get later on.


Can they give good sound in a small room, or do they absolutely have to be in a large room?

There's no way I would consider shipping them that far without having them packed in custom wooden crates. I recently almost purchased a difficult to come by pair of speakers from Japan. Thankfully, I came to my sesnes. With that amount of distance you're asking for trouble shipping any item of that nature. Make sure you do your research. Older Quad ESL speakers can be a money pit. For a professional full on refurb, expect to spent $1,500 to around $2,000.

Yeah, like other planar speakers, they can still be enjoyed in a smaller room. But bigger rooms allow for better placement. You'll want to study up on room acoustic treatments. While not required, the treatments if properly placed will be a big improvement. Be mindful of what is referred to as early reflection points in the room and absorption for the rear wall. Because of the design, you can get away with having them a little near the side walls.

I know that this thread has mostly gone to the audiophiles...but I thought I'd pop in about some video findings.

I have to say that for now, I'm dropping the 4K player search.

I've been reading and watching videos about player/media/display concerning 4K and truth be told, I don't think I'd even know the difference. I have a middle of the road 49" LG 4K set...it's really the largest thing I can put in my small living room and even with that, I'm sitting 10' or so away from it. With an ok display coupled to that "small" of a screen...I don't think 4K will do me any good.

I'll have to replace my ever aging PS3 here sooner or later (bought in early 2008), but when I do, I'll probably just pick up a quality BR player.

Thanks for posting dude. Always good to get more video discussions here; I wish we had more on this topic and HT.

 

[joe8]

There's no way I would consider shipping them that far without having them packed in custom wooden crates. I recently almost purchased a difficult to come by pair of speakers from Japan. Thankfully, I came to my sesnes. With that amount of distance you're asking for trouble shipping any item of that nature. Make sure you do your research. Older Quad ESL speakers can be a money pit. For a professional full on refurb, expect to spent $1,500 to around $2,000.

Yeah, like other planar speakers, they can still be enjoyed in a smaller room. But bigger rooms allow for better placement. You'll want to study up on room acoustic treatments. While not required, the treatments if properly placed will be a big improvement. Be mindful of what is referred to as early reflection points in the room and absorption for the rear wall. Because of the design, you can get away with having them a little near the side walls.

I don't think I would be able to specify the type of box they are shipped in (probably would be cardboard, with packing). How exactly can they be damaged? I thought they here like electrostatic headphones, the main issue is preventing dust getting into them.

I could possibly get the newer ESL's (like the 988, which is made in the UK). The 989 is also made in the UK, but it's too big. I think the latest series, like the 2912, are made in China. But the older ones, like the ESL-57 and ESL-63, are like hen's teeth. And they would probably have to be sent interstate, which would be by a courier van/truck or a plane. So whether that's a better option, I don't know. You might still get courier guys throwing them around. You have to pick them up personally to be sure things will go ok.

 

[terry.330]

I got my new Quads all setup the other day. My friend who is a professional audio engineer came over and helped me match to my sub which was still set up for the Magnepans, when I first set them up they were super out of phase but with a second pair of ears, some crossover adjustment and last but most important a little tiny phase switch on the back of the sub... boom tight as it gets. Now to really start breaking them in.

 

[kernow]

22L or the new Z series?

There's been a few hi-fi upgrades at mine