I Want Better Sound...

[Florian]

I have fewer posts than that, but I might have around 300 in all the audio forums (fora ??) that I visit from time to time.

I'm not going to give you any advice. Maybe I wouldn't know what I was talking about. But that's because I spend most of my time listening to music and keeping my system in good tune rather than posting inane remarks on audio websites in order to reach the magic figure of 300.

True, but then again you shouldnt insult those who have more.

[markw]

I have fewer posts than that, but I might have around 300 in all the audio forums (fora ??) that I visit from time to time.

I'm not going to give you any advice. Maybe I wouldn't know what I was talking about. But that's because I spend most of my time listening to music and keeping my system in good tune rather than posting inane remarks on audio websites in order to reach the magic figure of 300.

Now, not knowing your other posts, so far you're at least one inane remark in nine posts.

That's somewhere around an 11% inane ratio so far.

Now, you're free to offer some advice to the poster and, as is generally the case on this forum, I'm pretty sure it will be "judged" by the soundness of the advice moreso than the number of posts you have. ...and you just might drop your inane ratio by about 2%.

[Jim Clark]

I have fewer posts than that, but I might have around 300 in all the audio forums (fora ??) that I visit from time to time.

I'm not going to give you any advice. Maybe I wouldn't know what I was talking about. But that's because I spend most of my time listening to music and keeping my system in good tune rather than posting inane remarks on audio websites in order to reach the magic figure of 300.

Seems you managed to take the time out for one right here. Keep up the good work, only 291 to go...

The simple point was, at the time of my post there were 2 posts with incorrect information. These were not simple differences of opinion, but wrong information. The conflicting reports created confusion were none was necessary. A quick check showed that people with very few posts were the culprits. At the point of my post on this particular thread my suggestion was pretty much spot on. It was clearly not meant as an indictment of every newcomer to the board.

You can go back to trying to keep your system in tune if you don't enjoy the board. Take care and enjoy your music.

jc

[accastil]

Hi, i have an existing Marantz SR5500 receiver but i still want better stereo sound while im listening to music. what should i do? do i have to buy a separate power amp or integrated amp? my speakers are rated 150W at 8ohms. how much wattage of amp should i add-on?

another question. while listening to stereo music? which receiver input is best to use? is it the digital input (coax/optical) or the stereo (L/R) analog inputs?

final question...what is bi-amping? how is the connection configuration for this set up?

after reading your answers, do i get everyone to agree on this:
do i buy a separate amp? YES
how much wattage? JUST ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE MAINS
which rcver audio input is best to use? IF CDP DAC IS BETTER USE ANALOG, OTHERWISE, USE DIGITAL (not clear to me if optical or coax)
any more violent reactions???

[markw]

...still no definition of "better" I see.

One more tidbit for you to ponder inyour quest for the holy grail. From reading the specs on your speakers, don't they have built in powered subwoofers? You may want to think about this.

I do have to give you credit though. You're more than willing to throw money at this problem.

[Resident Loser]

Just a hint, this is called "Drive the speakers active". If you use two poweamps but still use the internal x-over and match the power amps gains then you are biamped.

...I've been active in this hobby for nearly forty years and have read copious amounts of it's early history..."true" biamping IS active bi-amping, always has been and always will be...the K-mart, Wal-Mart, bargain basement variant of "passive" bi-amping is, as Rod Elliot says:

"Passive biamping (where two amplifiers are used in a bi-wiring connection) is, IMHO, a waste of money. Although there may be some moderate sonic benefits, they are not worth the expense of the extra amplifier."

He says this, and more re: biamping, at his website:

http://sound.westhost.com/bi-amp.htm

In fact if you do a MS or Google search for "bi-amping" you will get a host of responses...do a search for "drive the speakers active" and see what you get...my browser is still scratching it's little silicon-based head trying to figure out what the he!! THAT is supposed to mean.

Much like the use of the term "burn-in" when what is actually meant is "break-in"...there is a long established meaning that has been bastardized by the jargon-spewing, audiopile-types in order that they might sound more "techie"...to those who know better, they simply sound like idiots..."drive the speakers active" indeed!

Perhaps you may want to "drive the autobahn sleepy"...

jimHJJ(...Oh, that hint: do us all a favor and just shut your strudel-hole...)

[shokhead]

Or throw it away.

[Florian]

Well there are plenty of people that drive the Maggies and the Apogees in a active configuration. This uses a digital active crossover with 3 stereo amps or 6 monoblocks which then drives each range of the speaker individually. The TACT people also drive their speakers digitally active and so do the new NHT guys ;-) I guess i am mistaken since i havent gotten forty years on yet!

[Resident Loser]

Well there are plenty of people that drive the Maggies and the Apogees in a active configuration. This uses a digital active crossover with 3 stereo amps or 6 monoblocks which then drives each range of the speaker individually. The TACT people also drive their speakers digitally active and so do the new NHT guys ;-)

Bi-amping? Tri-amping? Quad- or quint-ampling? You do realize you are having an argument with yourself, don't you?

I guess i am mistaken since i havent gotten forty years on yet!

On what, the planet?

jimHJJ(...hopeless, utterly hopeless...)

[Florian]

Bi-amping? Tri-amping? Quad- or quint-ampling? You do realize you are having an argument with yourself, don't you?



On what, the planet?

jimHJJ(...hopeless, utterly hopeless...)

Dear Mr.Looser, i am definetly not arguing. I wouldnt dare argue with forty years of experience.

[RICKY009]

Using the digital connectons will bypass the DAC in your CDP for the one contained in your receiver, the analog does the reverse. Which sounds "better" to you...you are the only one who can answer that question...



That depends..."true" biampng requires two stereo amps and electronic crossovers plus the time and patience to set it all up properly...also the Xovers internal to your loudspeakers should be bypassed...the Wal-Mart version simply requires two stereo amps, one for the highs the other for the lows...your speakers must be bi-wireable in either case, generally speaking.

NOTE: to RICKY009...try using lower case characters...your post may have contained the Great American Novel, but I read not one word of it because you are "shouting"...

jimHJJ(...now, that definition again?...)

SHOUTING. GIVE ME A BREAK. I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT - LOSERS DO. BUT, REGARDLESS, IT IS EASIER TO READ AND I DO NOT HAVE TO CAPTALIZE WHEN REQUIRED. YOU SHOULD READ MY POST, MAYBE YOU WOULD LEARN SOMETHING.

SECOND, "TRUE BI-AMPING" DOES NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE TWO (2) STEREO AMPS. YOU COULD USE FOUR (4) MONOBLOCKS. AND, CROSSOVER IS NOT REQUIRED, AS I EXPLAINED, ABOVE, YOU USE Y-CABLES. WHAT DOES YOUR SYSTEM CONSIST OF? I WON'T BRAG AND SAY WHAT I OWN, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I OWN A PAIR OF B&W 801's.

[RICKY009]

Oops, See I Tried To Write In Small Letters, And Mis-spelled A Word!

[RICKY009]

ok loser, i will succomb to your "rules". But, a guy quotes hitler (name doesn't deserve capital letters)! hitler was a LOSER and not only killed himself, but had his worthless body burned.

[RICKY009]

Another .... Get Over The "cap" Rule. Do You Have A Receiver Or Separate Amp, Preamp, Etc? The More Power The Better. But, Not From A Receiver.

[shokhead]

Get off the more power the better crap. They must love to see you walk into a B&M to buy something,Ricky.

[GMichael]

Get off the more power the better crap. They must love to see you walk into a B&M to buy something,Ricky.

But isn't louder better?

TURN IT UP
TURN IT UP!
TURN IT UP MORE!

[shokhead]

Oh yes. 200watts into some orbs. I wonder how far the would fly? LOL

[RICKY009]

there are huge differences between amplifiers. and i'm not talking about receivers, but separate amps. tube vs. solid state for example. mark levinson vs. rotel. BAT v. Bryston. ...........................

[RICKY009]

first, i do not know what the "B&M" IS THAT you are referring to. obviously you haven't heard high-end audio equipment. And, i will stick by my more power the better. but, i do not refer to receivers, as the tuners create quite a bit distortion. i have heard, systems costing in excess of $100,000. i listened to HALCRO AND BAT if you know what that means. i don't want to brag, but i put together a world-class 2-channel analog system after much experimentation and auditioning.

[RICKY009]

ok, i did look up this B&M site and i can see now what i am dealing with.

[RICKY009]

Wal-mart Version? Lol

[shokhead]

So you got this world class amp,oh lets say 250watts per channal into some nice bookshelfs that max at 100watts. This is a good match and a wise investment? Wouldnt you rather have the same amp at 125watts and a better bookshelf at 120watt max? Maybe i'm confused but when i started screwing around with this stuff at 15,i thought more,more power but then started learning about matching stuff closer and watts wasnt as important and a lot of other factors.

[markw]

So you got this world class amp,oh lets say 250watts per channal into some nice bookshelfs that max at 100watts. This is a good match and a wise investment? Wouldnt you rather have the same amp at 125watts and a better bookshelf at 120watt max? Maybe i'm confused but when i started screwing around with this stuff at 15,i thought more,more power but then started learning about matching stuff closer and watts wasnt as important and a lot of other factors.

As long as you have enough for your needs, it isn't important. IAlso, tt helps if they are both clean. You've got the law to be concerned about with one one and your speakers for the other.

[RICKY009]

600 wpc @8 ohms, driving a pair of B&W N801's. no bookshelf speakers. need the power to drive the big speakers. you know, i found this site, by accident and tried to help some person who had a question. i wasn't sarcastic. but then, i found a bunch of ......... criticizing the font size, using caps instead of lower case letters.... i wasn't thinking about such ridiculous things such as that. some guy (+ i am being polite) calls me out about "not yelling!" i wasn't yelling. i did not give a thought to what cap size i was using. i read a question and answered it. you people (few) are ............................................good. polite.

then, some ..................person, tells me about not using alot of power. look, i fricked around with alot of gear over the past years and found that to listen to louder music, primarily rock (classic) i required a high powered amp to drive big floor standing speakers. i had a big room so i chose floor standers. small rooms, you can get by with bookshelf, but i could not. i found, when listening to separate solid state amplifiers, such as mcintosh,mark levinson, krell, bryston, musical fidelity, that higher powered amps seemed to bring out more sound out of the speakers. deep, firm, solid bass. crystal clear mids and highs. lower powered amps just couldn't do it. they would run out of steam. i got mad yesterday when i read some of the responses to my advice, but i realize that some of you may not have been exposed to some of the stuff that's out there. i haven't heard most of it, but i have seen and hears some pretty big-time equipment. bat amps, halcros, with astronomical prices. i have a good high-end system. maybe not world-class, but pretty frickin close. no tubes, no turntables, no esoteric racks and stands. but i found that a good, and i mean good amp, with reasonably high power, will take hold of your woofers and drive them like you never imagined. I NEVER IMAGINED UNTIL I, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BROUGHT HOME A BRYSTON 4B ST AMP, 250 WPC @ 8 OHMS, 400 @ 4 OHMS, AND HOOKED IT UP TO THE SYSTEM THAT I HAD AT THE TIME. I WAS AMAZED.

good bye and good luck.

PS CHECK OUT "MUSIC DIRECT" ON THE WEB. THEY HAVE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I AM REFERRING TO. BAT TUBE AND SS AMPS; EDGE AMPS, LEGACY SPEAKERS. GREAT WIRES FROM NORDOST AND SUPERB POWER CONDITIONERS FROM SHUNYATA (I OWN HYDRA 2 AND HYDRA 6), PS AUDIO AND NORDOST.

[RICKY009]

600 wpc @8 ohms, driving a pair of B&W N801's. no bookshelf speakers. need the power to drive the big speakers. you know, i found this site, by accident and tried to help some person who had a question. i wasn't sarcastic. but then, i found a bunch of ......... criticizing the font size, using caps instead of lower case letters.... i wasn't thinking about such ridiculous things such as that. some guy (+ i am being polite) calls me out about "not yelling!" i wasn't yelling. i did not give a thought to what cap size i was using. i read a question and answered it. you people (few) are ............................................good. polite.

then, some ..................person, tells me about not using alot of power. look, i fricked around with alot of gear over the past years and found that to listen to louder music, primarily rock (classic) i required a high powered amp to drive big floor standing speakers. i had a big room so i chose floor standers. small rooms, you can get by with bookshelf, but i could not. i found, when listening to separate solid state amplifiers, such as mcintosh,mark levinson, krell, bryston, musical fidelity, that higher powered amps seemed to bring out more sound out of the speakers. deep, firm, solid bass. crystal clear mids and highs. lower powered amps just couldn't do it. they would run out of steam. i got mad yesterday when i read some of the responses to my advice, but i realize that some of you may not have been exposed to some of the stuff that's out there. i haven't heard most of it, but i have seen and hears some pretty big-time equipment. bat amps, halcros, with astronomical prices. i have a good high-end system. maybe not world-class, but pretty frickin close. no tubes, no turntables, no esoteric racks and stands. but i found that a good, and i mean good amp, with reasonably high power, will take hold of your woofers and drive them like you never imagined. I NEVER IMAGINED UNTIL I, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BROUGHT HOME A BRYSTON 4B ST AMP, 250 WPC @ 8 OHMS, 400 @ 4 OHMS, AND HOOKED IT UP TO THE SYSTEM THAT I HAD AT THE TIME. I WAS AMAZED.

good bye and good luck.

PS CHECK OUT "MUSIC DIRECT" ON THE WEB. THEY HAVE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I AM REFERRING TO. BAT TUBE AND SS AMPS; EDGE AMPS, LEGACY SPEAKERS. GREAT WIRES FROM NORDOST AND SUPERB POWER CONDITIONERS FROM SHUNYATA (I OWN HYDRA 2 AND HYDRA 6), PS AUDIO AND NORDOST.

NO LAW TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT SINCE I BUILT A BIG ROOM IN THE BASEMENT TO LISTEN TO MY STUFF. AND, ITS CLEAN. IT BETTER BE, ALL THE FRICKIN AROUND I DID.

ALSO, THE NAUTILUS 801's HANDLE POWER AMPS UP TO 1kW, SO NO PROBLEM THERE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A PAIR OF MUSICAL FIDELITY TRI-VISTA kW (1000 WATTS) "MONOBLOCS" OR A PAIR OF SIMAUDIO MOON ROCK MONOBLOCKS (1000 WATTS @ 8 OHMS, 220 LB BEHEMOTH!). OR, I'D SETTLE FOR A PAIR OF VTL-450 (TUBE) MONO'S.

GOOD BYE