Phenomenal Audio Best Buys In 2008 For Richer Or Poorer!
Jul 08 '08 (Updated Aug 14 '08)
The Bottom Line There are some phenomenal Audio buys out there! All you have to do is listen and keep your mind open and your wallet only partially so.
Okay...I'm excited...not only to be back after a somewhat lengthy absence from this site but because I have some great news for both Analog and Digital Audio lovers alike with limited green stamps!
And just in case you think I've been sitting on my duff, my friend...oh...you are so sadly mistaken! I've been very busy indeed...not only getting physically into shape but researching some spectacular new products for those of us with golden ears minus...of course...the golden wallets to match.
Alright...those of you who are familiar with my reports know that they are...for the most part anyway...geared toward the poor man with very limited funds. However...it must be noted that I do get to listen to the expensive stuff too...at least once in awhile. For the audiophile with a healthy paycheck and a more than good amplifier in search of top dollar loudspeakers...well...lend me your ears as the following applies to you.
Vandersteen With A Vengeance!
Recently my good friend...John Rutan...Proprietor of the now famed Audio Connection Of Verona, NJ invited me into his humble showroom to audition the new Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signature II Series Loudspeakers. As usual...his passion and boyish grin-like excitement were well founded! John told me of the vast improvement in the midrange and highs of this speaker when compared to earlier versions. I too was excited but somewhat skeptical as I thought the much lower cost 1C to be more open-sounding in the mids when compared to the 2Ce Signature II's predecessors.
Of course...the 2Ce's always had more extended bass and better dynamics but now with the better tweeter and improved crossover...the Series II Signatures just blew me away and just about any other speaker at any price I could think of!
We listened to some Ventures surf music among other things and I immediately was sonically aroused by and aware of these beautifully sweet and natural sounding mids and highs that I had never experienced with the $7000 B&W Nautillus 802 or the $1600 Bose 901 Series VI w/stands. Nope...not even the biggest and baddest Allisons, Martin/Logans, Boston Acoustics, PSB's, Axioms, Paradigms, Polks, Def Techs, Ohm Walshes, Thiels and Maggies could hold a candle to the effortless accurate life-like sound pouring forth from these $2,000 per pair Vandies!
I guess now would be an appropriate time to issue a quote from their creator and crafter...Richard Vandersteen himself...
"The components used in the Model Two combine classic strength and durability with innovative design and construction. The alloy dome tweeter is a dual-chamber design to improve range and linearity. It is critically damped to extend the high frequencies past audibility without the excessive ringing associated with open or underdamped metal dome tweeters. The alloy used for the dome was chosen for its superior strength and resistance to break-up."
Even more noteworthy was the unbelievable three-dimensional depth to the stereo soundfield. And although similar components are used in Vandersteen's upper more expensive models...I'd have to conclude as you probably will...that the latter are simply not worth their asking price when compared to the former's outstanding performance per dollar. Sorry, Richard but the truth must be told. I include all other cummers from other manufacturers in this observation.
I mean holy f****n s**t man...those rim shots on the Ventures CD and that outstanding tall deep spatial rich soundfield...just embarrass the direct/reflecting Bose 901's and any other Bi-Polar speaker system...period!!! And when Manowar's "Kings Of Metal" plays...they're gonna kick your a$$!
The bass is not only deep, tight and authoritative...but better and more discrete than just about any subwoofer out there. The highs shimmer with a naturalness that is most seductive and cymbals sound like cymbals...finally!
Above all else...unlike the Bose 901's and others...the Signature 2Ce II's sound equally good in rooms of all sizes. They are exemplary in this regard. Just use Kimber Kable's Kwik-12 speaker interconnect...also available from John's store and you have super sound at a super low price!
Bottom line...if you spent ten grand or more on your speaker system...you still don't own the best because the best is now only two grand. These Vandies are the best loudspeakers ever...I mean of all time! Don't believe me? Go see or should I say...HEAR for yourself!
Even the poor audiophile needs a reference system...at least for the sake of having a more than good idea of how his or her budget reference transducer should sound. Well...the Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II is now my reference speaker for all others...at any price!
And Now For The Poor Boys And Girls...
Speakers:
Sony's new SSB line of home loudspeakers offers absolute top performance per dollar at all price points up to $300 per pair. These greatly crafted speakers from Canada and Maaysia offer true Digital Hybrid Amplifier worthy performance even from the rather small and humble $50/Pr SS-B1000 models featuring that wonderful NANO-FINE Tweeter* which extends frequency response to far beyond audibility. The newly developed H.O.P. woofers and midranges are still outstanding in their own rite. The dark grey grills along with the beautiful black cabinetry featuring beveled front baffles are extremely aesthetically pleasing making these little gems absolute best buys! I will have a full report on the lil' Sonys soon.
The lower priced Polk Towers are now available at Best Buy stores and are top notch buys but some of you might feel them not quite the equal of the new Sony line because they're not as bright but in my EPINION...to the experienced ear...they are more detailed and transparent. I still feel that my cherry R-30 is the king of all best buys in towers! Forget the Bose 201's as they no longer offer top performance per dollar when compared to the likes of the latest Sonys. If you insist on them Boses...get the 301's as they can be easily purchased on Ebay for the set price of $328 w/FREE S&H and a bonus from authorized dealers. They're still great but Polk's got 'em beat!
Powered subwoofers offered by Acoustic Audio are available in three models and sell for under $100 at TheDeepDiscount on Ebay...PSW-12, 10 and 8. All three are outstanding buys that use lock-in terminals for their high-level inputs and RCA jacks for their subwoofer line-in terminals. The classic Polk PSW-10 still...at least to my ears...offers outstanding value for a very reasonable price...between $85-$150 if you can find one!
When assembling a cost effective high performing system...please buy good interconnects such as those offered by Knuconceptz.com. This seller is a 5-Star performer on Ebay. Their #1 best buy rated 16 Ga. ofc Karma cable is first rate and cheap! This cable hides easily yet is strong and durable enough to be used ideally with the lock type speaker terminals of modern home theater receivers. Also noteworthy is the co.'s best buy h.d. blue Klarity cable patchcords. No one...and I mean nobody offers a better interconnect for the price.
Analog:
There are some great classic turntables offered on Ebay for around $60 in good condition. These models usually need a belt or cartridge and this is where I can assist you big time.
Stevelec on Ebay and KAB USA or www.kabusa.com offer great aftermarket drive belts for about ten bucks each. I just ordered two for my Pioneer PL-600 that I just saved from my neighbor's trash can. Just a wee bit of TLC goes a long way!
Ed Saunders on Ebay is still offering his A-T "Red Ed" ESC MG-29 cartridge/stylus for about fifteen bucks and it remains as my absolute Sam-Pro best buy for 2008. The cart offers excellent tracking with extremely wide separation and extended frequency response with super transient attack at an ideal force of two grams. See my review on Audiogon.Com...http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ranlg&1141331190
The Ortofon OM5E at under $50 is an excellent best buy and is offered on the world acclaimed Rega P1 turntable... http://www.epinions.com/content_326180703876
Shure's M97xE is also a top buy at $75. It too is a standard mount cartridge offering much of the performance of the company's former V15 Type V... http://www.epinions.com/content_381850586756
The Sumiko Pearl is just super at $75!... http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ranlg&1116306296&openusid&zzPetsound&4&5#Petsound
The audio-technica AT440MLa is also a best buy in the $100 range.
For P-Mount turntable owners...the Grado Black P is tops at under $30... http://www.epinions.com/content_403594186372
The A-T 3482 and 92ECD are also best buys...http://www.epinions.com/content_262862769796
Modern digital hybrid amplifiers don't offer phono inputs for the most part so if you own one like I do...you will need a nice phono preamp which can easily be patched to one of your auxiliary inputs.
TEC offers its super TCC-760LC Moving Magnet/Moving Coil Audiophile preamp for about eighty smackers and it will give you wonderfully three-dimensional sound out of your meager turntable/cartridge combo. The model is now offered in either black or silver finish on Ebay. I own the black model and it fits in cosmetically just fine with the rest of my system that includes a silver finish Kenwood cassette deck and JVC silver finished Digital Hybrid Tuner/Amplifier.
For those of you on the strictest of budgets...the Phanstiehl AMP-2 MM preamp will provide more than adequate performance for $15 on Ebay. It's a bit warmer sounding than the TCC-760LC but offers good hum-free sound that beats most built-in models.
As far as turntable accessories are concerned...Phanstiehl offers great headshells for both straight and s-shaped arms for around $10 from "PureAudioNut" on Ebay. Their headshells are available in either black or silver and true up nicely when mounted into the tonearm's collar and don't windup tilted like others.
The Hunt E.D.A. Mark 6 Brush at $25 gives you a wonderful record dry cleaning system that's quite handy and durable. The Carbon Fibre Cleaner at $10 on Ebay offers a nice lightweight alternative that is both performance and cost effective minus the drag that the more expensive Hunt might have on your table.
Electronics:
JVC's RX-D205S Digital Hybrid A/V Control Receiver is a great buy at discounters for around $180 but as a factory guaranteed refurb from TheDeepDiscount on Ebay for $128 it becomes the poor man's absolute best buy of the decade! By contrast...This receiver clearly is miles better than the tinny-sounding A/V Dark Ages transistorized receivers of the 80's and 90's. The sound is natural and rich with a warm three-dimensional quality that is both surprising to me and seductive! FM tuner quality along with its True Digital Coax DVD/CDR input gives the unit an audio purist sound. I now prefer it to my vintage stuff...you heard me right! I will have a full report on this JVC very soon.
Audiosource's Amp-100 still represents a fine value for the separates audiophile on a budget. At $100 on Ebay...it is simply an amazing value. See my EPINIONS review...http://www.epinions.com/content_307181751940
Well...there you have it! Things are certainly looking up for the modern A/V nut on a budget in 2008 and I will see you soon with more good cheap stuff. Keep on rockin' in the free world...Peter
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Epinions.com ID:
sam-pro
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Member: Peter J Sammon II
Location: The Bloomfield Burying Ground, USA
Reviews written: 218
Trusted by: 121 members
About Me:
Every once in awhile something great arrives at relatively low cost to you...Priceless!
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