70 YO mother wants a new 2 channel system..help..

Marbles · « **on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:07 pm »

My Mother wants a 2 channel system...money is not an object.

Receiver or integrated amp needed (she doesn't listen to the radio). If it has a built in CD player that would be great too.

Modded units are OK as well.

For speakers, they need to be unobtrusive. She hates to see her speakers and currently has speakers that are disguiesed to look like books. She wants higher fidelity. No in ceiling speakers.

Are there any digital players that fit the bill?

Maybe an Odyssey int. Amp, or one from Red Wine?

Speakers are going to be real tough to find for her....

bubba966 · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:23 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

For speakers, they need to be unobtrusive. She hates to see her speakers and currently has speakers that are disguiesed to look like books. She wants higher fidelity. No in ceiling speakers.

Speakers are going to be real tough to find for her....

I'd try some Sonic Impact Sound Pads and use some picture frames as the driver. They were intended to be stuck to the back of pictures so that the picture them becomes the speaker.

Didn't Klaus do something similar at the last audio show he was at?

michaelv · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:32 pm »

How about Musical Fidelity intergrated Amp A5 ? For the speakers, Totem and Aerial are one of the favourite speaker. I have Totem Forrest and i love it .

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:46 pm »

Get all in one Sharp EX-SD111 unit that was so raved about. Cheap less than $100 but with enough grunt and features that belie its 20 watts per channel rating. Drove my Gershmans nearly as well as my DNA 225!

For speakers that are unobtrusive....what about some second hand Gallo Minis or Micros...can clip them somewhere and get the partnering Gallo sub.

The Sharp has decent enough CD section and radio, as well as being unobtrusive. Unless you spend A LOT more, not really much of a difference.

OR

can get one of those Music Fidelity preamp+CD units that go for around 1K, get an used amp...but the speakers, need something unobtrusive...hard to be at the recommendation above.

Marbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:49 pm »

Bubba, what kind of fidelity could she expect with those Sonic Impacts?

woodsyi · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 06:51 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

My Mother wants a 2 channel system...money is not an object.

Receiver or integrated amp needed (she doesn't listen to the radio). If it has a built in CD player that would be great too.

Modded units are OK as well.

For speakers, they need to be unobtrusive. She hates to see her speakers and currently has speakers that are disguiesed to look like books. She wants higher fidelity. No in ceiling speakers.

Are there any digital players that fit the bill?

Maybe an Odyssey int. Amp, or one from Red Wine?

Speakers are going to be real tough to find for her....

Marbles,

Soundlab A5
Sony XA777es
ARC SP9 mk2
Innersound ESL mk2
Dual SVS 20-39 with Sampson amp
Complete Living Stereo SACD collection to date.

This was my present to my 69 year old mom. She always enjoyed good music and I got my love of opera from her, but she never had top of the line stuff. She liked my system and when I got a chance to pick up a free pair of A5s (repair needed), I just ran with it. She, too, wanted something small and discrete, but she relented after listening to her new set up. She really likes it now.

bubba966 · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 07:08 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

Bubba, what kind of fidelity could she expect with those Sonic Impacts?

Using them on FedEx Express Large boxes they were extremely clear. I was quite surprised at the clarity (who wouldn't be when they were listening to a speaker made of a cardboard shipping box).

They weren't very harsh. They're just damn good sounding speakers. Especially for the price.

They are lacking a little in the low end. Running them with my subs I got very, very tempted to replace my speakers with them they were that good. But I couldn't get them to blend with my subs as well as I can get my speakers to blend with my subs. 'course my speakers were designed to be used with my subs, so they blend very well.

I had a friend over and played a Sarah Mclachlan track off of a CD for her (w/out telling her that she was listening to FedEx boxes). Turns out it was one of her favorite songs. She said she'd never heard that song played back so cleanly. It was so clean that she'd heard a bunch of stuff that time that she'd never heard before.

Was funny because she couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from when I asked her. After she gave up I told her she was listening to the FedEx boxes sitting on the floor.

She still didn't believe it. So I made her hold onto one of the boxes while I played it again. The look on her face when it finally dawned on her that in fact it was a cardboard shipping box that she'd been listening to...

For only $20, they're worth a try. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=2-3/qid=1124736935/ref=sr_2_3/601-2854713-2902558?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0001HKVKQ

Ed of The Horn Shoppe sent me a pair and told me some good ways to get them to sound better. It involves peeling the cardboard disc completely off the soundpad (but leaving the little foam pads the cardboard was adhered to) and directly epoxying the soundpad to the surface you're going to stick it to.

He also figured that a 2' x 3' piece of foam core board or equivalent material would be the best size/shape/material for the soundpads. In my testing I did find the larger FedEx boxes to sound a lot better than the smaller ones. I'd imagine that a 2' x 3' piece of foam core or Gatorboard might take care of a good deal of the low end problem.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 07:58 pm »

Marbles, Bubba ain't joking.

I have the little travel 4 x 4" square Soundpax/NXT speakers (paired with Sonic Impact amp as a set sold for $24.99 or something at Best Buy) and the midrange is truly great for the cost.

With a little ore power and the larger pads that Bubba is speaking of attached to a picture frame (or window), you're apt to hear very good fidelity. Quite unobtrusively.

I haven't heard it, but Brookstone sells an all-in-one with NXT technology for $350.00. You might want to head down to your nearest mall or airport to hear it in action...or maybe not.

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/product.asp?product_code=450585&world_code=2&category_code=20&subcategory_code=401&search_type=subcategory&cm_re=C*Electronics*Stereo%20Systems&prodtemp=t2

asull2k · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 09:44 pm »

Maybe an on-wall design.. Odyssey, Revel, Joseph, etc. offer various designs at various prices that would be non-intrusive and probably decent sounding, although I have never auditioned any of the in-wall speakers. Personally I would not bother with the NXT speakers. They may be cool-looking but I really disliked the quality of sound of the Brookstone ones. These are not made for high-fidelity - they sacrifice extension and lack of distortion for lifestyle.

bubba966 · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 10:12 pm »

Quote from: asull2k

Personally I would not bother with the NXT speakers. They may be cool-looking but I really disliked the quality of sound of the Brookstone ones. These are not made for high-fidelity - they sacrifice extension and lack of distortion for lifestyle.

I've not heard the NXT based Brookstone speakers. But looking at the pic it seems they're quite small.

In my tests using just the NXT transducers (aka Sonic Impact Stick-On Soundpads) on various sized surfaces they sounded a lot cleaner with better extension the bigger the surface they were mounted to. And the smallest sized surface I tried was probably at least twice the size of the Brookstone speakers. And that small of a surface didn't sound good at all to me.

Get the size of the surface the transducer up to at least 1' x 1 1/2' and give it some power (say 100w @ 8ohm) and they sound anything but distorted.

Doublej · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 10:45 pm »

This one is easy. The new Arcam Solo is exactly what she needs.

For speakers either some on walls that can be disguised as art (Wasn't Klaus showing some at the NY show) or a pair of Martin Logan on walls. They are very stylish.

JLM · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 11:59 pm »

Welcome.

What's your budget?

What is your musical taste?

What kind of music do you listen to?

What formats (LP, cassette, CD, etc.) will be used?

Will size of components or room set up be of concern?

IMO the ideal system would be on the compact, convenient, and high quality.

Golden agers nowadays are more on the move and getting into smaller places(condos, apartments, cottages). Later on the accommodations get even smaller. Extreme frequency won't be needed, so small single driver speakers could work very well. Remote control, with intuitive operations and larger easier to hold/use function would be a big plus. And the stuff has got to be built to last.

Does NAD still sell the L40? Linn had another more expensive option. These are all-in-one receivers/CD players. Audio Advisor was selling a couple of receiver/DVD units, but I'm not sure of the quality. For speakers I'd look at Omega (they have a circle here at Audio Circle). They sell mainly standmount single driver speakers. Louis is an extremely nice guy to deal with and does great work.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 12:13 am »

Quote from: JLM

Does NAD still sell the L40? Linn had another more expensive option. ...

The L40 has been replaced by the L53 and L73 (DVD-based systems). And yes, the Linn Classik is a great one-piece solution...

brj · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 01:34 am »

Quote from: Marbles

For speakers, they need to be unobtrusive. She hates to see her speakers and currently has speakers that are disguiesed to look like books. She wants higher fidelity. No in ceiling speakers.

What about Klaus's new "picture speakers"? Send in images of her two favorite paintings, hang them on the wall, and you're done...

Marbles · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 01:37 am »

Quote from: brj

Quote from: Marbles
For speakers, they need to be unobtrusive. She hates to see her speakers and currently has speakers that are disguiesed to look like books. She wants higher fidelity. No in ceiling speakers.

What about Klaus's new "picture speakers"? Send in images of her two favorite paintings, hang them on the wall, and you're done...

I have told her about that, but there is no room along that wall...it is all built in bookshelves....

maxwalrath · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 01:41 am »

hey Marbles,

no way she might go for an attractive pair like some meadowlark swifts? great woodwork on those....

Marbles · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 01:59 am »

Quote from: maxwalrath

hey Marbles,

no way she might go for an attractive pair like some meadowlark swifts? great woodwork on those....

She's a bit odd in that she doesn't want to see the speakers. They have to either be hidden or blend in....I bought her a pair of speakers that looked like books at the first MWAF and she loves their look.

She wants a multi-disc CDP..built in to a receiver.

She saw a POS one at Best Buy. Hell, for her hearing it might be OK. If she goes that route, I think I will try to talk her into having it modded...

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Aug 2005, 03:04 am »

Well...for something different, all in one...you might check here....