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aztericx
11-14-2006, 05:06 AM
Sometimes you can buy "sets", like a cd player and an amplifier of the same brand and type, selling together. My question is: do they sound better than if you take just one of them and combine with another type of player/amp for the same price?

markw
11-14-2006, 05:39 AM
Sometimes you can buy "sets", like a cd player and an amplifier of the same brand and type, selling together. My question is: do they sound better than if you take just one of them and combine with another type of player/amp for the same price?Many different companies make many fine components. There's no reason why, say, a CD player of one brand won't sound great with another manufacturer's receiver driving yet another company's speakers.

In fact, when it comes to speakers and subwoofers, some* might say that companies that specialize in these pieces tend to produce a better sounding product than those who try to cover all the bases simply to satisfy that urge you are questioning.

About the only benefit I can think of is that, aside from cosmetic issues, if the separate components use remote controls, they might be designed to work with one remote. Then again, they might not.

* I''m among the "some"

Resident Loser
11-14-2006, 06:22 AM
...to markw's comments...If you want plug'n'play or "in-a-box" simplicity they can be a viable route..However, many times "all-inclusive" ensembles use proprietary connectors rendering it difficult, if not impossible, to add or substitute components should the need or want arise...In some cases, even extending the wiring for the loudspeakers can be problematic due to this...the only solution would be to splice, which, while it can be done, isn't really the first-class way of doing things...

You can purchase your electronics from the same manfacturer...there may be a better synergy...There are cosmetic reasons to have matching components, say, for example, a tuner and it's companion integrated amp...

I think most of us have a regular fruit-salad of gear based on the merits of each item...I myself have gear purchased at different times over a course of years from at least seven different maufacturers, however the most visible components, my tuner and integrated (used as a pre-amp/control center) are from the same manufacturer and are a matched set...the brushed aluminum faceplates and walnut end-caps recall a time of tactile and visual elegance all but abandoned with the so-called "hi-tech" basic black...

jimHJJ(...many reasons for many routes...)

Feanor
11-14-2006, 06:55 AM
Sometimes you can buy "sets", like a cd player and an amplifier of the same brand and type, selling together. My question is: do they sound better than if you take just one of them and combine with another type of player/amp for the same price?

To add to what others have said, apart from equipment that has have unusually low output or low input sensitivity, (e.g. some tube units), there is not problem combining different makes.

Something to watch for is connections, that is, RCA, balanced (XLR), vs. proprietary. Avoid proprietary for obvious reasons. If the unit you own has balanced in or outs, then you might want to look for those on the one you're buying. Balanced is usually better where available. E.g. my Monarcy SM-70 Pro power amps work best as monoblocks driven by fully balanced signals, hence I would look for a preamp with balanced outputs, (such as my Adcom GFP-750).

aztericx
11-14-2006, 11:27 AM
Thanks for all advice.