Thanks Kurt. A lot to mull over. The Onkyo looks good. The Technics-SL might be a bit more than what I want to spend, depending on the CDN price if I can find it up here.
An ex-co-worker recommended a visit to Peak Audio in Halifax. I should be able to at least hear some decent speakers before buying any. They have some Wharfedale Diamond speakers on clearance. Seems like all their turntable are belt-driven, though.
I have the summer to decide. I'm taken notes.
That shop looks pretty comprehensive. Wharfedales are dirt cheap right now for some reason. They have a great heritage name.
When you visit the shop remember to take some music of your own to listen to on their stuff. A couple of CD's that you really like the music and how it sounds and a couple of vinyl albums for them to play on their turntables. Back in the 70's and early 80's the album I took with me for listening tests was Aqualung. It demands a whole lot out an audio system and turntables / carts with especially tricky bass sections.
My thing about direct drive TT's is partly because they are the only kind I've ever had that I used on a regular basis over the years (I have a Dual belt drive as my third spare but never really ever used it) and the other is for my recording needs. There is nothing wrong with belt drive TT's. The majority of all TT's are belt driven. For me, the Technics is always going to either work or it isn't. The speed accuracy is the industry standard. It is what everybody else makes and tries to say theirs is just as good as. And they will hold their value over time. That is proven. I can sell mine for what I paid for it 3 years ago in a heart beat. I would predict that the used value of those two new Technics models would only be $200 less than new.
The advice I took to heart when I got my first stereo was to put the most money in the source reproduction end. It will make everything that follows sound better. It's the old garbage in garbage out thing. It is still my guiding principle. That said, I'm all in to vinyl. You are listening to CD's and vinyl so you need to find a balance and decide just how big a part vinyl is going to be in the rest of your life. If it's going to get bigger, then spend the money for it now. You'll never regret it.
It is my second Onkyo. I got it a year or two ago on sale for a price similar to the TX NR777 after much searching and fussing. What I liked about the Onkyo was all the inputs and not having all the proprietary dependent hardware that so many other receivers have such as Denon and Marantz. It is overkill since I only run it in stereo, but I can plug anything I have into it, except a turntable. That requires a separate pre amp which you should have anyway. But it will be forward compatible for many years to come.
If I had to buy a brand new turntable this would be it. The first one would be the least I would settle for. The second would be my first choice. Based on their history, they will last longer than you will. I am a direct drive guy. Belts are a pain in the ass. That and these turntables have all the adjustments you need to get the most out of your cart and vinyl. Or look for a used SL-1200 in good shape. Couldn't find any Canadian sellers for these at this time. I'm sure that they are out there.
The are many turntables out there for much less but they lack either the quality or the adjustments that the Technics have.
A pre amp for the turntable should be matched to the cartridge you select. I would get either an Audio Technica or an Ortofon. Me, I'm an AT person. Speakers ? That is the hardest one to sort out. So many choices. Then you need a sub woofer unless you get a 3-way speaker with the tweeter-midrange-woofer configuration. At the very least the speakers you already have will still work. You may like them even more with the new equipment powering them.
regardless of any of this, I'll always refer anyone to go to Crutchfield.com where you can find out what is what regarding many of the various choices out there with great explanations of various features with the ability to compare and in most cases view the owners manuals for all the equipment being offered. I do not believe that they do business in Canada, but again the information available makes it worth the look.
Reverb.com is a great place to look for turntables and other used audio gear. It is where I got mine.
Cheers !
Thanks Kurt. A lot to mull over. The Onkyo looks good. The Technics-SL might be a bit more than what I want to spend, depending on the CDN price if I can find it up here.
An ex-co-worker recommended a visit to Peak Audio in Halifax. I should be able to at least hear some decent speakers before buying any. They have some Wharfedale Diamond speakers on clearance. Seems like all their turntable are belt-driven, though.
yeah, one of the first things I learned was the difference between peak power and rms power.
It's funny what makes me ragey but I can remember in high school physics when Mr. Young, who never did me wrong until JUST NOW, said that RMS stood for something like Reference Music Standard or some bullshit. Root Mean Square. Do all high school teachers just make shit up? I'm sure when there was no internet, the answer was YES.
So now I'm hesitant to assert that the 110/220 watts difference in your amp's specs isn't RMS/Peak, but typical stereo speakers are 8â¦, and that would give you the 110W number. If you hooked up 4 speakers in a stereo system, the resistance of each would be lowered by half, allowing 220W into each. I don't understand electrickal nonsense but that's the gist of what I remember. And some stereo speakers were 4ohms right out of the box, like PA speakers or something? So that's the justification Amp makers used for using the higher number.
edit: From the specs on the listing you posted: 220 w per channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 10% THD, 1 channel driven); 110 W/Ch. (8 ohms, 20 hz-20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 channels driven, FTC)
=====
The "1 channel driven" must mean the sub? and 10% THD... typo or maybe they don't bother making subwoofer channels do anything but go boom?
It's 110 watts per channel, not the stated 220 wpc.
I can't believe they're still {getting away with} presenting it that way. Isn't it, like, if you have 4 ohm speakers (which nobody sells) it's 220 watts? Or if you plug 2 speakers into one jack, etc. I think there used to be a way for them to justify *saying* the amp put out double the watts that most people would actually get. So they'd buy hi-wattage speakers and clip the tweeters with an underpowered amp. NOT THAT THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME but let it be known that if your crappy amp keeps blowing fuses, it's not a good idea to use one of your sister's bobby pins instead of a fuse.
yeah, one of the first things I learned was the difference between peak power and rms power. The latter being the meaningful one. My first receiver was a 1978 Marantz that only had IIRC 28 watts rms. It was either Class A or AB power, I forget which, but it sure as hell could drive my 3 way Cerwin Vega's loud enough to piss off the neighbors if I wanted to and did occasionally ...
Now we have so many power rating classes with Class D being the one most commonly used for powered speakers. I used to know all this stuff. I'm still really grateful that I was able to keep my old fashioned unpowered Realistic passive subwoofer working. I went batshit crazy trying to figure out what to do for a powered sub when the surround finally blew out. It motivated me to risk $15 for a DYI refoam kit. So glad I did. I remember when you did your Vega's. I still have mine and may drag them out and see iffen I'm still up for another refoaming attempt. The wife would be really pissed if they do work because they are so big ...
My last journal and the last journal entry ever was about refoaming the sub.
It's 110 watts per channel, not the stated 220 wpc.
I can't believe they're still {getting away with} presenting it that way. Isn't it, like, if you have 4 ohm speakers (which nobody sells) it's 220 watts? Or if you plug 2 speakers into one jack, etc. I think there used to be a way for them to justify *saying* the amp put out double the watts that most people would actually get. So they'd buy hi-wattage speakers and clip the tweeters with an underpowered amp. NOT THAT THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME but let it be known that if your crappy amp keeps blowing fuses, it's not a good idea to use one of your sister's bobby pins instead of a fuse.
It is my second Onkyo. I got it a year or two ago on sale for a price similar to the TX NR777 after much searching and fussing. What I liked about the Onkyo was all the inputs and not having all the proprietary dependent hardware that so many other receivers have such as Denon and Marantz. It is overkill since I only run it in stereo, but I can plug anything I have into it, except a turntable. That requires a separate pre amp which you should have anyway. But it will be forward compatible for many years to come.
If I had to buy a brand new turntable this would be it. The first one would be the least I would settle for. The second would be my first choice. Based on their history, they will last longer than you will. I am a direct drive guy. Belts are a pain in the ass. That and these turntables have all the adjustments you need to get the most out of your cart and vinyl. Or look for a used SL-1200 in good shape. Couldn't find any Canadian sellers for these at this time. I'm sure that they are out there.
The are many turntables out there for much less but they lack either the quality or the adjustments that the Technics have.
A pre amp for the turntable should be matched to the cartridge you select. I would get either an Audio Technica or an Ortofon. Me, I'm an AT person. Speakers ? That is the hardest one to sort out. So many choices. Then you need a sub woofer unless you get a 3-way speaker with the tweeter-midrange-woofer configuration. At the very least the speakers you already have will still work. You may like them even more with the new equipment powering them.
regardless of any of this, I'll always refer anyone to go to Crutchfield.com where you can find out what is what regarding many of the various choices out there with great explanations of various features with the ability to compare and in most cases view the owners manuals for all the equipment being offered. I do not believe that they do business in Canada, but again the information available makes it worth the look.
Reverb.com is a great place to look for turntables and other used audio gear. It is where I got mine.
Looking to replace my old-no-longer-used stereo system this summer.
Turntable, receiver, CD player and speakers. All wired. Got enough wifi/Bluetooth going on as is.
Don't need high-end, but ideally better than mid-range.
Any input would be much appreciated.
www.accessories4less.com has some good deals...a lot of the pieces are refurbished, but scrubbed by the manufacturer to ensure in A shape, with full warranty. Not sure of the budget, but I like going the used route. You can try www.audiogon.com A lot of ridiculously priced stuff on audiogon, but if you know what to look for can get some good deals.
I've got a really nice set of JBLs, paired with a B&K pre and amp for a very reasonable price if you're in the NY area, ha.
Wow. Looking at some of those prices ($25,000 speakers!?!) makes me think that even mid-range would be out of reach budget-wise. :-)
I guess it's been a long while since I shopped for a home audio system. Ideally I want a package rather than piecing it, but either way is fine. And I can handle 2 grand, or thereabouts. The accessories4less site is interesting, thanks!
The Marantz receivers on accessories are a good buy. But not sure if you want Audio and Video, or just 2 channel audio. Also Wharfedale Diamond series speakers are a very good deal, but dont believe they are on accessories. Go down to a local shop and listen to see what you like first.
Looking to replace my old-no-longer-used stereo system this summer.
Turntable, receiver, CD player and speakers. All wired. Got enough wifi/Bluetooth going on as is.
Don't need high-end, but ideally better than mid-range.
Any input would be much appreciated.
www.accessories4less.com has some good deals...a lot of the pieces are refurbished, but scrubbed by the manufacturer to ensure in A shape, with full warranty. Not sure of the budget, but I like going the used route. You can try www.audiogon.com A lot of ridiculously priced stuff on audiogon, but if you know what to look for can get some good deals.
I've got a really nice set of JBLs, paired with a B&K pre and amp for a very reasonable price if you're in the NY area, ha.
Wow. Looking at some of those prices ($25,000 speakers!?!) makes me think that even mid-range would be out of reach budget-wise. :-)
I guess it's been a long while since I shopped for a home audio system. Ideally I want a package rather than piecing it, but either way is fine. And I can handle 2 grand, or thereabouts. The accessories4less site is interesting, thanks!
Looking to replace my old-no-longer-used stereo system this summer.
Turntable, receiver, CD player and speakers. All wired. Got enough wifi/Bluetooth going on as is.
Don't need high-end, but ideally better than mid-range.
Any input would be much appreciated.
www.accessories4less.com has some good deals...a lot of the pieces are refurbished, but scrubbed by the manufacturer to ensure in A shape, with full warranty. Not sure of the budget, but I like going the used route. You can try www.audiogon.com A lot of ridiculously priced stuff on audiogon, but if you know what to look for can get some good deals.
I've got a really nice set of JBLs, paired with a B&K pre and amp for a very reasonable price if you're in the NY area, ha.
so you're hard wired to be hard headed and hard headed about being hard wired?
ok, sounds like we've got a lot in common...
i just don't have any place to hide wires
if possible i'd like decent sounding gear that's smart and wireless
supposedly sonos is coming out with google assistant built in very soon (they currently have alexa)
i think the cost is like $35-40 more per speaker, similar to what i'd pay for googlecast (an external eyesore)
if i ever build again, i'm going to wire the hell out of mi casa
Ha! Yes indeed. We're on RP, where everyone is strange but not a stranger...
Yes, we moved to a much larger house, it even has a dedicated audio closet. I bought a used server rack and some shelves, so I can turn the whole thing around, wire it, and rotate it back. Haven't pulled the trigger on any modern gear yet though, S-Video is the most sophisticated input on my old Yamaha. Our audio friend recommends a Denon receiver, but I haven't checked the specs. Seems like audio quality is a moving target anymore, more so than in the past.
The attic is spray-foamed on the roof side, and the A/C-furnace partially conditions it, so the attic is pleasant even on a 100-degree day. And not cramped at all: the house looks two-story but it's actually just attic. Running wires will be a snap.
Previous owner put Polk speakers in the walls and ceiling, but only in the main room. Good but not fantastic. I'm looking into adding boxes over the ceiling speakers to improve the bass. Some say it helps, others say it depends on the speaker design. Easy to try though, I might just drop a home depot bucket over one and see how it sounds. Others have made MDF boxes and sealed them tight to the drywall, so I may try that whenever I get the table saw set up again.
But yeah, if we were still in the old house I'd be looking at wireless. The new digs are great. We miss the old house but it was time to move on. c.
if i recall you have audioengine speakers, right? they have a very good, "cd quality" wireless setup. I currently use that setup for my backyard...works nice although there is the occasional drop out. I think its about 150 for one sender and receiver, and then maybe 80 more for each other receiver...of course they also have wireless speakers.
yes i do
they're wired to home pc rig in my spare bedroom/office/man space
powered A5s and they do rock
and i'm aware of their wireless (it got great reviews)
i'd like to think i'm looking from a convenience, cost and convergence standpoint
the quality and portability are nice too
i do remember reading one thing about the google casting tech - it's a fully formed giant killer
google's speakers, not so much
sonos has made the decision to partner not compete with amazon, google, etc. on this particular tech
i think others will follow (if they haven't already)
so you're hard wired to be hard headed and hard headed about being hard wired?
ok, sounds like we've got a lot in common...
i just don't have any place to hide wires
if possible i'd like decent sounding gear that's smart and wireless
supposedly sonos is coming out with google assistant built in very soon (they currently have alexa)
i think the cost is like $35-40 more per speaker, similar to what i'd pay for googlecast (an external eyesore)
if i ever build again, i'm going to wire the hell out of mi casa
if i recall you have audioengine speakers, right? they have a very good, "cd quality" wireless setup. I currently use that setup for my backyard...works nice although there is the occasional drop out. I think its about 150 for one sender and receiver, and then maybe 80 more for each other receiver...of course they also have wireless speakers.
Maybe I'm just too old-school, but I want my audio hard-wired. Mostly because I cannot STAND dropouts while I'm listening. I'll sacrifice some audio quality if necessary, but random dropouts drive me nuts. I know Bill works hard to keep RP rock solid, I appreciate it.
Fortunately, at a recent house-cleaning sale, I scored a Niles whole-house distribution amp. And our attic is not only easily accessible, but partially conditioned as well. I'm going to gradually add speakers everywhere. Parts Express carries Dayton, they are a good value for places like patios, workshops, etc. where audio quality will never be that great no matter how much you spend.
I finally hooked up the B&O mini-towers my folks left when they downsized, I'm running them in my office off the computer. They are self-powered and cool-looking, good audio. I'm trying to figure out if I can use the proprietary B&O cabling to daisy-chain the B&O subwoofer into them. B&O is a bit too proud of their stuff, but I got it for nothing so I can't complain. But sometimes I still do. c.
so you're hard wired to be hard headed and hard headed about being hard wired?
ok, sounds like we've got a lot in common...
i just don't have any place to hide wires
if possible i'd like decent sounding gear that's smart and wireless
supposedly sonos is coming out with google assistant built in very soon (they currently have alexa)
i think the cost is like $35-40 more per speaker, similar to what i'd pay for googlecast (an external eyesore)
if i ever build again, i'm going to wire the hell out of mi casa
Maybe I'm just too old-school, but I want my audio hard-wired. Mostly because I cannot STAND dropouts while I'm listening. I'll sacrifice some audio quality if necessary, but random dropouts drive me nuts. I know Bill works hard to keep RP rock solid, I appreciate it.
Fortunately, at a recent house-cleaning sale, I scored a Niles whole-house distribution amp. And our attic is not only easily accessible, but partially conditioned as well. I'm going to gradually add speakers everywhere. Parts Express carries Dayton, they are a good value for places like patios, workshops, etc. where audio quality will never be that great no matter how much you spend.
I finally hooked up the B&O mini-towers my folks left when they downsized, I'm running them in my office off the computer. They are self-powered and cool-looking, good audio. I'm trying to figure out if I can use the proprietary B&O cabling to daisy-chain the B&O subwoofer into them. B&O is a bit too proud of their stuff, but I got it for nothing so I can't complain. But sometimes I still do. c.
