December 31, 2002
Subject: Active speakers
Hello Wes,
I recently purchased a Lexicon MC12B, and I've been seeking
a good power amp and good surround speakers. Well, until yesterday, I've been under the
impression that I'll need at least one power amp to complete a home theater. "How
about something unusual?" said my friend when I talked to him about my situation.
"Since you've already got balanced outputs on your preamp, you could try placing
active speakers instead of passive ones." My friend later said this option is a lot
cheaper than the one I'm considering. Now I'm more confused than ever. Should I go for the
unusual instead of the conventional?
Thanks for your time
Alex
Your friend is right -- he is proposing a solution
that's unusual, but it also makes a lot of sense. For a lot of reasons it is better to run
long runs of interconnect than of speaker cable, so active loudspeakers make a lot of
sense in terms of signal transfer. (Another option is to use monoblock amplifiers placed
near the speakers.)
Of course, audiophiles have tended to resist the whole
concept of active loudspeakers, so you don't have a lot of choices, but there are a few
good'uns out there -- especially in the pro-audio world. And you'll need to make sure that
you have power outlets near all of the speakers.
I do feel, however, that as much as I think active
loudspeakers make sense (your friend, too), most people find the concept somewhat strange.
If you're the kind of consumer who buys a system and keeps it until it doesn't work
anymore, you won't really care -- but if you like to trade things around, you should give
a thought to resale value. Active speakers aren't generally as sought after as
"regular" models, so you could take a bigger hit when you want to trade
up....Wes Phillips
December 28, 2002
Subject: Component video
Wes,
I've finally got a TV that has component-video input (Sony
KV-32HV600). I have an old Toshiba DVD player with component-video output but have never
used them (because until now I haven't had any TV that would accept it). First, is
component video worth it if my DVD player is a rather low-end model? Second, if so, what
cables would you recommend (there are a ton out there for all prices)?
Thank you,
Roger Fukai
First, let's talk about what component video is. A video
camera stores data in RGB (red, green, blue) form, but real RGB is bandwidth-intensive, so
RGB is converted to component video for home use. Like RGB, component video is composed of
three signals. The first is called luminance (brightness or black & white
information), which is the "Y" component. The other two parts of the signal
reveal "color difference" or the relative amount of blue and red relative to
luminance. The blue component is called "B-Y" (blue minus yellow) and the red
component is "R-Y" (red minus yellow).
Sounds as though there's not enough information there,
doesn't it? A certain amount of data is implied by the data that is present. Green,
for instance, doesn't have to be transmitted as a separate signal, because it can be
derived from the information combined in "Y, B-Y, R-Y." This reduces bandwidth
by about one-third.
DVDs are encoded in component video, unlike NTSC broadcast
or VHS, so even a " rather low-end model" can take advantage of it. So, go ahead
and take advantage of it.
BTW, component connections are usually RCA jacks
color-coded green, blue, and red, but they can be labeled several different ways Y, B-Y,
R-Y or Y, Pb, Pr or Y, Cb, Cr -- they all mean the same thing.
I haven't compared composite-video cables, so I'm not a big
help. However, you can buy inexpensive component sets from pro shops for very little money
-- like this 50' set made from Belden cable for $39.95 at Markertek. If
you feel the need to upgrade later, you'll have established a yardstick for
comparison....Wes Phillips
December 24, 2002
Subject: Under-$500 receiver
Hello Wes,
I am looking for a budget home-theater Dolby Digital
receiver, something under $500. Sound quality is the most important feature. What brands
and models should I look at?
Thanks,
Cody
That's probably the part of the market where the big
multinationals are most directly competitive -- if one company offers a feature that
distinguishes its line from the rest, the others will also add it immediately. Check out
the usual suspects: Denon, Panasonic, Yamaha, and Sony. All offer a lot of A/V receiver
for the money at that level....Wes Phillips
December 19, 2002
Subject: Speaker system
Hello,
I've been shopping for a home-theater system for a few
weeks. I'll be connecting this to a dish HD satellite system, a 55" Mitsubishi HDTV,
and a progressive-scan DVD player. Just looking for an opinion on the Klipsch Reference
series -- RF-3, RC-3, RS-3, and RSW-12 -- with an Onkyo or Denon receiver. Which receiver
would be better for that system? The other option would be the Cambridge SoundWorks Newton
Theater T300 -- T300, MC300, S300 -- and Marantz 7200 receiver. They're similarly
priced, but I wanted to get your opinion on a better package for the money. I'm a musician
and listen to lots of music (loud) and also want power for movies. The room is 15' x 10',
carpeted with an attached kitchen with Pergo floors, which adds about 20' x 10' of open
space. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for the best sound for the
money. Budget is a factor.
Sten
I haven't heard the Cambridge system, but I have heard the
Marantz receiver and it's a good 'un, but so are the Onkyo and Denon. And, while it's been
a few years since I last heard a Klipsch HT system, it had all the Klipsch qualities
(clarity, projection, strong bass) at a fair price. It sounds to me like you're doing just
fine without my help, if those are your choices....Wes Phillips
December 16, 2002
Subject: DVD connection
Hello,
I need a little basic help. I have recently bought the
Panasonic SC-DK10 (at least, I think it is the 10, as the 20 has a subwoofer and I don't
have that). The problem is that I am unable to watch DVDs due to the fact that I have a
30-year-old-TV that I can't plug the DVD straight into. I have attempted to go through the
video recorder but that doesn't work either. I am aware that there is a code that can be
programmed in so that I can watch DVDs through my video recorder, but I have no idea where
to go to get my hands on it. I cannot afford to upgrade my TV for about one year! Any
thoughts on where I could go for this information?
Many thanks,
Jacque R.
The reason your DVD player won't work through the VCR is
that DVD is copy-protected and its output interferes with a VCR's circuitry -- even when
using it as a pass-through. Some players probably do have hidden codes that defeat this,
but I can't help you with that -- besides, that's what the Internet is for.
However, I can suggest a legal solution to your problem. In
fact, it will help you with a problem you don't mention -- being able to connect both the
VCR and the Panasonic to your TV at the same time.
You want a Radio Frequency (RF) modulator, which will
convert the video (and/or audio) output of a DVD player (or camcorder or video game) into
a signal you will then receive on channel 3 or 4. Recoton makes a good, $49 RF modulator
(model DVD649), which accepts both the DVD's output and that of your antenna (or cable
system)....Wes Phillips
December 9, 2002
Subject: Speaker placement
Hello Wes,
I am about to purchase a custom-built entertainment center
(built in and I decide where everything goes). I am looking at the 40" Sony tube TV
and a Sony DVD surround-sound system. After reading your speaker-placement article, I have
some questions. I see by your diagram that the center-channel speaker goes over the top of
the TV; however, I was going to place the front left and right speakers in the
entertainment center above and just to the left and right of the TV. Is this a bad idea?
I want the best sound, but I have to meet my wife halfway
and not have speakers all over the living-room floor. Is this really going to make a huge
difference? I will be able to use rear speakers. Can you tell me how to place these rear
speakers -- for example, right behind the couch, or up on the wall?
Thanks for your time.
Ralph
I don't quite understand your questions. First, the
"center" channel has to be placed close to the TV because that's where all the
dialogue and sounds related to the action on the screen emanate. Most people put the
center-channel directly above or beneath the television to better glue the sound to the
image.
And you could put the left and right speaker just
above and to the sides of the TV, but that will severely limit the illusion of scale you
get from them. The whole point of surround sound's three-front-speaker array is to allow
you to move the left and right speakers away from the television, so you get big,
expansive sound without pulling the dialogue away from the set -- otherwise, why not just
listen to the speakers inside your TV set?
If not "having speakers all over the floor" is an
issue, you should probably consider speakers such as Mirage's OMNISATs, which are small
and can be placed on any handy flat surface or even wall-mounted. Don't cripple the very
thing that makes surround sound work -- big, expansive sound is one of the most important
things that distinguishes home theater from plain old TV.
The very best place to locate the surround (frequently
called "rear" speakers) is about two feet above ear level and to the sides or
slightly to the rear of your favorite viewing location. Again, consider wall mounting if
the floors aren't practical -- I've always had mine wall-mounted and my wife is extremely
tolerant of speakers all over the floor.
Hope this helps....Wes Phillips
December 6, 2002
Subjects: Pre-out and power conditioning
Wes,
I just found your site while doing some research on A/V
equipment. I've always had a set-up question bothering me and don't know where I can turn.
Now I have found your site and hope you can give me some advice.
I recently purchased a Denon AVC-A1SR surround amp. Also, I
own a old Aragon 4004 power amp, a PS Audio 5.0 preamp and a pair of Kef 105.4. My
question is should I "pre-out" the main channels and drive them through the
Aragon/PS Audio or directly through the Denon?
Also, I am looking for a power conditioner and have a few
in mind: Monster Power 5100, Audio Prism Foundation III, and PS Audio Power Director (last
year's model where I can get at relative low price). What is your preference? Thanks a lot
for your help.
Andrew Lau
I'm not sure what role the PS Audio preamp would play if
you chose to "pre-out" the Denon, but you might possibly prefer the sound of the
Aragon driving the front left and right speakers -- and all it will cost you to find out
is the effort of trying it and a pair of interconnects, which you presumably already have
if you own a preamp/amp combination. You may not find this discernibly different for
surround-sound applications, but it might offer sonic benefits for stereo music playback.
Or possibly not, but you already have it all, so why not check it out?
As to power conditioners, I thought well of Monster's
HTPS-7100, but I haven't auditioned the 5100 or either the PS Audio or Audio Prism units.
All have good reputations, but my experience with power conditioners is that people have
very wide-ranging responses to their effects, based on taste, expectations, and
system/power-grid interactions, so you really need to "suck on it and see." Good
luck!...Wes Phillips
December 2, 2002
Subject: Component-video input
Dear Wes,
I recently bought a JVC 723GD progressive-scan
DVD-Audio/Video player and a Pioneer VSX-D511 receiver to hook up to my Mitsubishi 55311.
I did not realize that the Pioneer receiver did not have
component-video inputs. Can I still connect the JVC to the Mitsubishi and enjoy
component-video output?
Thanks,
Robert Kaplan
Yes, it is surprising that a component as well thought out
as the D511 doesn't have component-video inputs and outputs, isn't it? But, as you've
already figured out, you can connect the DVD player directly to your television and
use the TV's video-switching capabilities -- and it's even possible that this direct
connection will be clearer than using both another set of interconnects and a receiver's
video switcher (just so you can feel good about something). You'll probably forget
you've hooked things up this way, at least at first, but you'll get used to it in time.
Some programmable remotes let you program "sequences" -- if you have one of
them, just set up a sequence where pressing DVD play automatically switches the TV to the
proper input....Wes Phillips
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