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Receiver Recommendations? - Page 2

post #16 of 63
11/16/09 at 8:35pm
Quote:
I suppose what I'm asking is, how powerful can they go?
How long is a piece of string? "How loud they go" will depend on speaker sensitvity, room conditions, distance to speakers. Although speaker impedance doesn't effect output, it effects how hard the amp is working, a lower impedance speaker will need more current. If the amp is unable to provide this, output from the amp goes down and THD goes up. The amp will get hotter too.
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post #17 of 63
11/17/09 at 12:07am
If you are in NH, how close to Boston are you as there are number of decent stereo shops in town, and just outside, also Ensemble Audio in nashua is a great place to go, too. PM me for more info if you want to. I think the Cambridge is a good beginning and if you ever need more power, you can upgrade, but you can get some really nice sounds, with the Cambridge amps, a pair of Epos speakers, for example, and some decent sources. As you say your space is tight, you don't need much more now than that right now. Best of luck.
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post #18 of 63
11/17/09 at 12:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by iriverdude View Post
How long is a piece of string? "How loud they go" will depend on speaker sensitvity, room conditions, distance to speakers. Although speaker impedance doesn't effect output, it effects how hard the amp is working, a lower impedance speaker will need more current. If the amp is unable to provide this, output from the amp goes down and THD goes up. The amp will get hotter too.
I get what you're saying, but I just saw some forum posts and reviews claiming if the CA can't power it, it just craps out. I've also seen problems with overheating. I initially was very much turned onto the CA 550a, but the NAD C325BEE is looking a lot more appealing now as it's 1. cheaper and 2. LOVED by all seemingly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeMark View Post
If you are in NH, how close to Boston are you as there are number of decent stereo shops in town, and just outside, also Ensemble Audio in nashua is a great place to go, too. PM me for more info if you want to. I think the Cambridge is a good beginning and if you ever need more power, you can upgrade, but you can get some really nice sounds, with the Cambridge amps, a pair of Epos speakers, for example, and some decent sources. As you say your space is tight, you don't need much more now than that right now. Best of luck.
I actually could walk to Ensemble if I really wanted to, haha!
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post #19 of 63
11/17/09 at 4:23pm
Thread Starter 
Went to the aforementioned shop today, and while the 325 is not available, they can order the 326BEE, and recommended PSB Alpha B1's to accompany it. What would you guys say about this as a start, later down the road getting either an NAD CD player or the Rega P1? Would I be fine using my MacBook as a source until then?
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post #20 of 63
11/17/09 at 6:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngower View Post
It's to be used for music and home theater purposes. .
IMO, for you needs, you don't need to spend even $500. If you plan to use a good separate DAC, I would go with a JVC "hybrid digital" receiver (e.g. JVD D301); and if you plan to feed the receiver with digital input (say from DVD player), go with Panasonic "pure digita path" receivers (e.g. Panny SA-XR55). Both can be found quite cheap on eBay, new or refurbished. Take a look here for my previous comparison:
Digital Amp Comparison: JVC D301 vs. Panasonic SA-XR55
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post #21 of 63
11/17/09 at 7:27pm
Thread Starter 
Well it's primarily to be used for music, but I play video games and watch Blu Rays that I'd like to use with this system as well. As those will require a DAC, the home theater aspect is to be used later down the line. I'm trying to build a system which can last for a while with easy upgrading.

I'll most likely be getting the NAD C326BEE in a week or two if nothing comes up to affect my finances.
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post #22 of 63
11/17/09 at 7:29pm
I'd probably go down dac + stereo integrated amp for now, then add a av amp for the remaining channels. That way you have excellent stereo with quality DAC, for multi-channel both switched on av amp decoding multi-channel audio. So no compromise with av amp doing stereo which generally they're lousy at.
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post #23 of 63
11/17/09 at 7:29pm
Thread Starter 
Now the question becomes, should I go with a Rega P1 or a CD player? The NAD CD players are a bit cheaper and less hassle. I want to get a turntable eventually, but my CD-to-vinyl collection is very much one-sided on the CD side as I only started my vinyl collection a year or two ago.

Any recommendations for speaker wire/a way to connect my MacBook to the NAD C326BEE?
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post #24 of 63
11/18/09 at 12:06am
If all your CDs are in lossless on your Macbook, get a good USB DAC and then use that into the amp and you are all set. I am not sure it is doable, and but there may even be a DAC you can use for both the Macbook and for a cd transport into your amp and the unit can do double duty. And to upgrade all you need to do is get a better DAC> Someone please correct me if I am wrong. Analternative is to play CDs through your mac book and use the DAC that way. The PICO upsampling USB/DAC may be a good choice for that (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f38/he...-price-413230/). If you want a free standing CD player, there are some very good relatively cheap ones by Rotel and NAD but this with the 326 and speakers may break your budget. The NAD plus Pico plus Speakers are around $1000, interconnects and speaker cable another few hundred, and you will have a nice little system to build on.
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post #25 of 63
11/18/09 at 12:37am
Thread Starter 
The amp is about $450 and the speakers about $250, giving me $300 or so to work with. I'm flexible if it means playing my music, and also I have no objection to getting the DAC instead of the speakers and just using my headphones for a month or so while I re-cycle through bill payments and get some savings towards the set of speakers.
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post #26 of 63
11/18/09 at 12:41pm
Get the OutLaw RR2150 reciever.

Has a USB input for your music player, and they didnt put the headphone jack in as an after-thought like many componants makers do. Its a good headphone jack.
Many good reviews on this thing.
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post #27 of 63
11/18/09 at 4:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drag0n View Post
Get the OutLaw RR2150 reciever.

Has a USB input for your music ploayer, and they didnt put the headphone jack in as an after-thought like many componants makers do. Its a good headphone jack.
Many good reviews on this thing.
Never heard of it but that looks like a nice alternative. Found this review that is rather laudatory.
Stereophile: Outlaw Audio RR2150 stereo receiver
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post #28 of 63
11/18/09 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 
The headphones are only going to be used for a month tops, so it's not really a dealbreaker on how good the headphones are.

My goal is to get the amp within the next two weeks (aiming for this Friday but bills might make it tight, if not this then next Friday definitely), followed by the source (debating on the turntable or a CD player) within two weeks from that in the same scenario, and then the speakers after that. The DAC would probably have to wait until next year sometime.

What benefits does the Outlaw get over going the originally intended route?
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post #29 of 63
11/19/09 at 12:26am
The Outlaw has very good quality sound for cheap.
Has lots of inputs including USB.
Great Headphone jack.
Pre-Outs to add a bigger amp later.
FM Tuner is supposed to be very good sounding and recieves well.

Id get a good Dac and use an inexpensive cd player as a transport so you can also use the dac on an ipod doc or pc/mac etc.

Musical Fidelity V Dac is under $400.
Cambridge Magic Dac $499
PS Audio Digital Link 3 $699

Look in the Dac and Source thread on HeadFi.

Audio Advisor has many good deals. You can almost build your whole system right there.

Also check out Head-Fi sponsors sites. Alot of good sponsors here.

Im going for a dac over a player because im afraid ill build up a cd collection and theyll stop making cd players. I started with records, went to 8-track, cassette, then cd came out, then mp3 players.....OY!!!!!!
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post #30 of 63
11/19/09 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drag0n View Post
The Outlaw has very good quality sound for cheap.
Has lots of inputs including USB.
Great Headphone jack.
Pre-Outs to add a bigger amp later.
FM Tuner is supposed to be very good sounding and recieves well.

Id get a good Dac and use an inexpensive cd player as a transport so you can also use the dac on an ipod doc or pc/mac etc.

Musical Fidelity V Dac is under $400.
Cambridge Magic Dac $499
PS Audio Digital Link 3 $699

Look in the Dac and Source thread on HeadFi.

Audio Advisor has many good deals. You can almost build your whole system right there.

Also check out Head-Fi sponsors sites. Alot of good sponsors here.

Im going for a dac over a player because im afraid ill build up a cd collection and theyll stop making cd players. I started with records, went to 8-track, cassette, then cd came out, then mp3 players.....OY!!!!!!
The receiver is more expensive than the NAD, which has gotten nothing but praise from those I've mentioned it to in this and other communities, as well as in the two hi-fi shops I've visited. I would also be purchasing either a turntable or an NAD CD player, and if I want to play my music via my laptop the DAC is a purchase regardless. So basically you're saying I should spend more money than I already am, despite the fact that I'm breaking my budget? I'm not trying to sound rude or anything, but I frankly don't see the pros in this situation.
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