Wiring for surrounds
July 31, 2003
Would it be easier to wire my surrounds through my crawl
space under my house, or in the attic, all other things being equal?
Gary Bartlett
It depends on the accessibility of each location. Do
you have enough space to work efficiently in either your attic or crawl space? You'll
definitely want enough room to properly route and secure wires. The other important
consideration is the type of surround speakers you'll be using. If you have floorstanders
you'll be better off terminating through a wall plate placed at the same height as your
electrical outlets (access through the crawl space). This will look the best and blend
into the room, as well as be convenient. If you have wall-mounted surrounds you'll want to
terminate behind where the speaker will be placed. This wil be the easiest location to
access through the attic and be more décor-friendly to your room.
Sherwood
July 14, 2003
Dear Wes,
I am a newbie when it comes to home theater, so naturally,
before I shell out my hard-earned dough (maybe peanuts to some), I have to be very sure
about my purchase.
My price range definitely rules out separates, so I'm
looking at receivers, and I'm intrigued by the Sherwood Newcastle R-863, which is on sale
at 50% off the MSRP of $1200. The feature set is reportedly incredible. But I cannot get a
comprehensive handle on the sound because of the unfamiliar surrounding and ancillary
equipment.
I would like to ask your advice on whether to go with the
purchase. Sound quality is my first and foremost concern, since I listen to stereo most of
the time -- and for extended periods of time. I have Tannoy MX2s, and I intend to buy the
rest of the speakers after I buy the receiver. I want a good surround decoder and I want
convenience, but musical enjoyment is the top item on my list. My budget for a receiver is
south of $700.
Joey
First, ask why the Sherwood is 50% off MSRP. There are
good reasons and bad reasons.
If the dealer is a Sherwood retailer, he might be
discounting the receiver so much because there has been a model change and he's getting
rid of the old stock. That would be a good reason -- you'll still get a warranty and
dealer service. However, you might be looking at gray-market goods, which means the
receiver has been brought into the country outside of Sherwood's distribution channels --
and that your dealer is not an authorized Sherwood dealer, leaving you with no warranty
and, usually, only a 60- or 90-day service contract. This is a far dicier proposition.
I like the Sherwood Newcastle line. It doesn't have the
brand-name cachet of some of the more famous labels, but -- at least the products I've
heard -- seem well-built and good-sounding. And, as you point out regarding the feature
set, the company seems to have really figured out what consumers want in A/V components.
Sorry I can't give you a definitive yes or no answer, but
the question's a tricky one. If you're comfortable with the price and the dealer, however,
the receiver sounds like a good bet....Wes Phillips
HTIB
July 9, 2003
Dear Wes:
What is the best home-theater-in-a-box system (with
progressive-scan DVD) for under $500?
Thanks
jojcjo
I haven't found much difference between HTIBs at that
price point. Just buy the one that has the feature set you're looking for and don't obsess
about it....Wes Phillips
Polk versus Axiom
July 7, 2003
Wes,
I own a set of Polk Audio speakers: RTi70s, CSi40s,
FXi50s, PSW404. I bought them before doing any research. Now that I have started
researching audio equipment, I've been reading a ton of great reviews on the Axiom line of
speakers. I know you have reviewed both manufacturers. How would you compare the RTi
series to the Axioms?
I also understand that Polk is upgrading the RTi
series this year. Have you listened to them yet?
Thanks for your help.
Larry
I like both Polk and Axiom loudspeakers. A lot.
The real question is do your Polks satisfy you? By and
large, Polks do sound different from Axioms, but I'm not sure I'd rate one as essentially
better than the other -- not across the board, for every taste, that is.
If there's a specific area in which your RTis don't
please you, then you have a good reason for searching for a replacement -- otherwise,
you're just changing to make a change and that's a sure path to disappointment.
I'm sure the new Polk models are improvements over the ones
they are replacing, but I haven't heard 'em or, obviously, compared them. But again,
unless I was actively unhappy with the speakers I owned, I wouldn't replace 'em just
because new models have been released.
If there's one rule for audio/video happiness, it's always
know why you're making a change....Wes Phillips
Kid-proof speakers
July 3, 2003
Wes,
When my daughter starting walking I sold my speakers
because they had to be on stands and I didn't want her to pull them over onto her head. I
have been looking around for some speakers that I can mount on the wall and possibly in
the ceiling for surround. I don't need a lot of volume, just good sound.
T. Hanson
Actually, high on the wall (or on the ceiling, I
suppose) is a great place to mount any surround loudspeaker. As to specific models, I
really like Axiom's $450/pair QS8 surrounds, which pretty much have to be wall-mounted --
and the sound is far better than very good....Wes Phillips
|
