the Interceptor's general AUDIO thread

Audio gear in Australia in general is way too overpriced. When the Aussie dollar was stronger, I ordered heaps of gear from the US, and even with the shipping costs factored in it was still much cheaper.
 
Audio gear in Australia in general is way too overpriced. When the Aussie dollar was stronger, I ordered heaps of gear from the US, and even with the shipping costs factored in it was still much cheaper.

Everything in Australia is overpriced, my old man works in Texas so I have an easy way of getting stuff here :D
 
Interceptor:

I am interested in purchasing a new theater system in the next few months. It will need to fill a 30'x20' with nice full sound and be able to operate with my PS3/DVR Dish box/PCH/Computer. I can honestly say that I have no idea where to start as I know next to nothing about home audio. If you could point me in some sort of direction that would be great.
 
As far as DIY I built some nice stuff this summer.

A Mini3 Headphone amp
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And a AlienDAC (Its also in a matching Hammond Case like the Amp above)
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Interceptor:

I am interested in purchasing a new theater system in the next few months. It will need to fill a 30'x20' with nice full sound and be able to operate with my PS3/DVR Dish box/PCH/Computer. I can honestly say that I have no idea where to start as I know next to nothing about home audio. If you could point me in some sort of direction that would be great.
Okay...

What you want is a proper brand 5.1 (or 7.1) receiver and a proper brand full speaker system. Avoid "all-in-one" systems at all costs. Some are alright, but serious home cinema starts with serious components. Check out receivers like these:

http://www.harmankardon.com/category.aspx?cat=REC&Region=USA&Country=US&Language=ENG

and speakers like these:

http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/rb-61-home-theater-system.aspx

These are just examples, but basically, that's what you're looking for.
 
Got recommendations for a good but budget tube amp? My Luxman turntable and 8-track player could use a proper boost.
 
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This December I am looking for an audio box to go with my speakers. I am considering holding off though, due to USB 3.0.
 
Audio box?
 
Sorry it took me so long to reply, was pretty busy lately.

See if you can get your hands on a Dynavox VR70E-2. It's a good EL34-based tube amp, works on most speakers and is plenty powerful at 2 x 50 watts.

Erm... I type that model into Google and all I get is German pages. Nothing under the shopping tab, and not a result through ebay either. Got a recommendation of a product that exists? :think:
 
Jmiller, was the mini3 easy to build? Those look like SMD chips on the PCB.
 
Yeah, OK, that's definitely amazing looking. And the price is more than reasonable. Good number of inputs as well.

:heart:
You have to be aware though that this is made in China, so the build quality may not be perfect in some details.

The out-of-the-box sound is very good - very tube-ish and dynamic, if a bit "loose". You can introduce a bit more control with swapping tubes for other makes, but that's something for the future.
 
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You have to be aware though that this is made in China, so the build quality may not be perfect in some details.

The out-of-the-box sound is very good - very tube-ish and dynamic, if a bit "loose". You can introduce a bit more control with swapping tubes for other makes, but that's something for the future.

I'm well aware how it works. I've done research in the past and done a little more recently, those Yaqins are imported and rebranded to Grant Fidelity after a bit of tube work. Bit of a better reputation with that name, but it's the same hardware.

Anyway though, the setup I have now is fine as it is, if I add a tube amp down the line there's no point splurging because really the only equipment I'm running now that wouldn't be overshot is my Luxman (which I'd prefer to switch over all the rest of my components to eventually anyway) stuff. That, and my audio table is a bit overcrowded now.
 
Next customer!
I have been commissioned to help look for pc speakers for my girlfriend's dad. Now I don't know his listening preferences or what his setup is, or basically anything other than the fact that he wants something good. I guess the budget is like 100-150 USD, which I think really limits things, but then again I know very little about speaker shopping.
 
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Before I make recommendations, here are some general thigs about speakers for PC's:

- you should look for as much diaphragm area as you can get - meaning that you want to move air. To move air, you need diaphragms. Funny little speakers with tiny silver diaphragms may look good, but technically, they are crap. So what you want is a properly-sized 2-way-speaker (tweeter and mid-woofer) or a sub-sat-system (tweeter & midrange plus subwoofer)

- forget surround sound for normal applications. It'll only make soft- and hardware setup more complicated, increase costs and screw up the sound. For music, you want a good set of stereo speakers, probably accompanied by a small subwoofer

- forget fancy marketing phrases such as "500 watts", "THX-certified" and the likes. Almost every speaker you buy for your PC will have enough power, and everything beyond 50 Watts is a lie anyway. THX once meant something, but it has been broken down to many different forms to make you buy the THX-licensed speaker. But the one next to it may be just as good, maybe better. A THX-speaker can still be good, but that logo is no guarantee


So here's my recommendation: for a good allround PC speaker system, I'd get the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1

https://pic.armedcats.net/a/an/anonymous/2008/12/12/pm21-1.jpg

It's a proper subwoofer-satellite-system that fulfils all needs, definitely one of the best 2.1 systems you can get for your PC. I had a bit of trouble finding new ones on the market, so you may have to look around a bit. I found some dealers selling fully tested display models or returns for around $100. That's a fair deal I think.

P.S.: Yes, I know these are THX-certified, but they are good speakers anyway. :mrgreen:
 
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