Retirement hifi

Out of Epos/Neat, I'd choose Epos. Never heard Neat speakers make music.

 

Tenson, I've never heard these amps, but every review I've read has slated them to the ground! I'm sure they're fine for AV use, but people seem less than impressed with them when used as hi-fi monoblocks.

DT

 

I read a review ages ago suggesting they were ok for pc speaker sounds as they're so cheap and small (paper back sized).

 

Really, I must have read something odd then! Go for the active (Bryston) AB2's on the mains then. Makes you wonder why PMC are using them on their active stuff now if they are so pants.

 

I think they're only using them as an option for their very smallest and cheapest speakers. Don't forget some of the entry models are only a few hundred quid. Also, they are powered, not active. (To be active you must eliminate the passive speaker crossovers).

 

I like Epos too. But then I like my music 'direct' which is why I like horns so much.

At the Exposure room at the Bristol show they were using some omni directional vandersteens - which gave a completely different diffusive sort of presentation.

So many ways to skin a cat!

 

Would horns work at 8 feet from my head?? Wouldn't you want to partner horns with a mellow amp? You'd better not skin a Cat. Cats are higher beings and are to be revered. After the nuclear war they will know what to do, then man will serve Cat. I sleep in a basket.

 

hiya!

I use horns about 8 feet from my head, but I wasnt reccomending that though!.

The vandersteens they used were speakers that are open baffle, giving a really omni directional diffusive sort of sound. They just have regular drive units in them if I recall correctly. ''Mr Exposure'' was there at the show, and the vandersteens were obviously his own babies (nb I cant remember the blokes name, but it was obviously his company).

Ive tried a few pairs of rated omni directional speakers, and I don't personally prefer that type of presentation. I know a lot of people do though, and its something that everybody should try, just in case

 

When they say active I presume they really mean it! I know they used to do the powerpack things but are the ones with flying mooooles not truly active?

Sorry I'll stop hijacking

 

I doubt they would bother using an off board Bryston electronic cross over at a cost of 1500 quid for use with some 300 quid boom boxes. Slight exaggeration, but you get the point. Many manufacturers label products as active, when really they mean powered. Most punters are none the wiser.

Besides, there is a school of thought to suggest the best active setups merely match the best audiophile passive designs, and not excel them.

The main point for going active is to improve power losses due to heat wastage by 20%. Also it is possible to build in protection circuits to stop drivers being fried when run at constant max volume, when using an active set up. Something that's necessary for PA and studio applications.

I know someone who managed to melt the passive crossovers of his PMC MB2 speakers as he was running a Krell 700cx through them, close to clipping, at max volume all day. He had to upgrade to ATC's active 100's with seperate pro P4 ATC power amps and electric crossovers, purely to drive the speakers as loud, but with the safety net of driver protection. This is the only point of running active. As a side issue, this guy misses the sound quality and bass output of the PMC's, so he's looking to pad out the ATC's with some custom made subs to close the gap. He couldn't quite stretch to the fully active PMC rig with protection, at around 30k I believe.

 

What a load of absolute cobblers.

 

^ That will be the other school of thought

 

As for Roksan solution, yes I could but I thought the AV unit wasn't supposed to be anything special, no?
Says who, exactly? The reviews I've read (circa 1999, in the UK press) were all fairly complimentary. The general conclusion was that this was a music system which did movies pretty well. No DPLII/no 7:1, admittedly, but who cares? How often do you use DPL anyway and how many 'speakers will SWMBO let you put in your room anyway?
Try it, you might like it!

 

It probably was good in its day, but unlike ordinary amplification, AV moves fast. I've seen it said more than once the Roksan unit is no better than a much cheaper AV amp. Its no longer available now, I found out today. What is SMWBO ??

 

Roksan

I've never heard any Roksan.

However they do have the coolest name in audio. Bar none. Plus their black granite TT looks absolutely stunning. It almost makes me want to take up vinyl for the first time.

 

Its like "She Who Must Be Obeyed" but its the wrong way round.



"She Must Who Be Obeyed"

 

I'm single. I put what I want in my flat. I sleep in a basket. One day man will serve Cat and we will all sleep in a basket.

 

We won't even get our own baskets? I already serve my cats!

 

Its like "She Who Must Be Obeyed" but its the wrong way round.
Cruel, Bottleneck, very cruel!
Take it from me, I know how fast A/V changes: I work in the industry! And the Roksan no better than cheaper amps? Hmm, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one...

 

I meant here in 2005, by which time the chips and so forth had developed somewhat. Thats no comment on the amplification, which is pretty static. My idea is to have long term quality "retirement" amps for music which I'd also use with more of the same kind but second hand amps for AV, with an up to date processor slotted in, particularly one which allows card changes and software updates, or just quite regularly change the processor if need be. But I don't want to get too bogged down in argiung about one processor . I sought opinion more about the big picture of what I was aiming to do. Then I asked a couple of specific things maybe people can still help me with; 1) What the Exposure 22 New Classics CD player is like. and 2) If I say to hell with it all and buy the easy and cheap solution - an Arcam AVR 300 - just how much of a drop in quality will I be taking ?