Home Theater/Stereo Thread...

[KvHagedorn]

You'll find some good explanations about bi-wiring and other things at Audioquest's website.

http://www.audioquest.com/company/faq.html

The best approach to amplification is to use active crossovers and a separate monoblock amp for each driver in each speaker. However, unless everything is designed as a system, the results are extremely variable. The Linn Isobariks were some of the first speakers I saw that were designed for this. They used a three way active crossover built specifically for these speakers by Naim and three Naim 70w monoblocks per speaker. Some speakers have their matched amps and crossovers built in; Meridian's awesome speakers are designed as a system in this way. The original B&W Nautilus speakers were designed for individual amping of each of their four drivers (eight monoblocks!), but I don't know what amplifiers and crossovers they had in mind for them. Unfortunately, the ordinary B&W line is not designed to do this, but is designed for biwiring, which is far easier and less expensive to do. I regularly biwire speakers for custom installation customers, since it is so easy to do. You can get a better grade of 4 conductor 12 gauge custom installation wire and achieve excellent results using it as a biwire cable. Monster and Tributaries both make this wire.

[Schorsch]

Originally posted by windigo
Have anyone heard of Magnat speakers?

Yes. I have a pair of Magnat speakers (17 years old now) and I'm still quite happy with it. Magnat is a German company (based in Cologne) which belongs to Recoton (who also own Jensen, Heco and MacAudio). Their products usually get very good reviews over here, and some German dealers sell discontinued Magnat products at ridiculously low prices. Maybe you're lucky and it's the same in Canada, but in any case I recommend checking out some of their speakers.
More information can be found at

https://www.magnat.de

Kind regards,

Georg

[windigo]

wow some great info guys !
im gonna be checking those websites out
LOL ALBPM! man thats insane
Definately gonna check out B&W i hear good things about them.

thanks for the info ive got some reading and listening to do

[Jammrock]

ALBPM,

What Rotel amp are you using?

Jammrock

[ALBPM]

The RB-985 THX which is an older one.

It's 100 Watts X 5 channels, THX and all that stuff.
I got the Store Demo so it was half price.

http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Amplifier/product_3364.shtml

It has plenty of power for the 9NT's and sounds a lot better than just using the receiver.

Paul

[Jammrock]

Thanks! Since I've only got the two speakers for now, I'm probably going to grab a 2-channel amp for now. Then when it's time to go full surround, I'll pick up a 5-channel and sell the 2-channel to a friend who has no real desire (or space) for a 5.1 system.

Jammrock

[KvHagedorn]

Jammrock, where'd you get your avatar? Who is that?

[Jammrock]

The avatar is Gatsu (Gatts, Gutts...something like that) from a Japanese anime called Berserk. I have a...uh...Black Patch Video release of Berserk, which is my favorite anime of all time. It's violent, it's gory, it's got huge swords, it's violent AND it even has an excellent story AND plot. I created my avatar using a wallpaper and Photoshop. For more info about Berserk, go here.

Media Blasters has secured the US rights to Berserk. Rumor has it that the first DVD will be out in February. 5 episodes per DVD x 5 DVD's = 25 episodes total. There is also a Dreamcast video game out for it called Sword of the Berserker. The whole thing is based off a Japanese manga (comic book) by the same name. The anime covers the first 10 volumes of the manga. The manga is up to volume 26 last I checked. Rumor also says a second Berserk series is in the works in Japan, but nothing has been confirmed. Can't wait to listen to Berserk on my new stereo, as the soundtrack for it is quite good

Jammrock

[ALBPM]

This threads not done yet....LOL

I just traded my 9NT's in for Nautilus 803's.

Now my dealer is talking about cables finally. He loaned me a pair of Purist Elementa Bi-wire cables to try out.

http://www.puristaudiodesign.com/index2.html

You might want to check them out KvH, they are in Clute, Texas.

[ALBPM]

I never thought that cables would make a real audible difference but I am a believer now. I listened to my system with my bi-wired 12 gauge "Home Depot" wire and then connected the "Purist Elementa" pre-terminated bi-wire cables and was amazed...

The high and mid-range are beautifully detailed and the bass is even more crisp but still very robust. Overall it is a very pleasant warm balance and not fatiguing at all.

Now, I just need one more for my Center channel.

Here are the specs on the "Purist Elementa" cable:
Type: Speaker Cable
Design: Parallel Pair
Conductor: Stranded 99.9999% Copper
Shielding: Fluid
Dielectric: Polypropylene
Gauge: (Actual)14 AWG
Gauge: (Effective, due to fluid jacket) 8 AWG
Break-in time: (Hours) 45
Cable Diameter: 3/4" OD (one channel)
Material Treatment: Cryogenic magnetostriction

Paul

[Jammrock]

ALBPM,

HAHAHAHA....I'm going to start a new home theater thread every 3 months or so to see how much you'll upgrade your system each time

THe big question is, how do the Nautilus 803's compare to the CMD 9NT's? There will obviously be more bass, because of the larger woofers, but over all how do they compare? I'm not going to buy any, as there's no way I could afford them and I just got my 9NT's, but I'm curious how what the extra $2400 does for you. Post some pics too if you can...

Cables do make a huge difference. Switching from composite to S-video on my friends PS2 made a world of difference. My bi-wired 9NT's sound better at home with my Audio Quest cables than they did in the store. Every speaker over $10k at Audio Port run off Audio Quest Everst cable, which runs at $100+ per foot of cable. I switched to Audio Quest with my new stereo and I'm hooked on them.

Jammrock

[ALBPM]

There's quite a bit of difference with the 803's.
I don't want to sound like I didn't like the 9NT's, I loved them. The Nautilus line is the one they put their Engineering skills to work.

B&W perfected a Laser Intererometry technique to use on speakers. Their goal was to make near-perfect Drive units within their pass bands and for 2 - 2.5 octaves above as well. There are 4 drive units -tweater, mid-range and 2 bass drivers. They are able to cross over to another diver before the forward beam becomes troublesome and before the first breakup resonance comes close enough to the pass band to be audible.

In other words they got rid of the "Boxy" sound that the DM and CDM series have. Don't worry Jammrock you won't notice it until you listen to both CDM and Nautilus in the same showroom. The 803's are also very efficient for listening at low volume. I can turn my volume down to levels where the 9NT's wouldn't even work and still hear every intstrument. At higher volume the first thing I noticed was that I felt every note. Just incdredible

http://www.bwspeakers.de/downloadfile/speakermodel/product_info_Nautilus803.pdf

I got the natural Cherrywood finish which is a bit darker on the Nautilus Series. I'll post some pics in a bit.

Paul

[ALBPM]

Paul

[windigo]

is that kevlar?
man those r nice speakers

[Jammrock]

I'm all jealous now... Audio Port had a 803 with a cut out side, covered with plexiglass to show the guts of the 803's. Very nice design.

At $5000 a pair, I'd probably start looking into a decent pair of Martin Logan's though. Maybe I could talk them into buying direct from them and picking them up myself so I can get a good deal....

grrrrr...

...pay off current rig first, pay off current rig first...

Jammrock