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Good RCA means cheap!
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Sep 19, 2018 20:00
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I'm looking for a sound bar. My TV is really nice picture wise, but dialog is often hard to hear so we have to crank it so high that music or sound fx cause buzzing and are really loud. I'm looking for a decent sound bar that is less than $500 so that movies sound less lovely on my TV. Any recommendations? All the lists I find on Google seem to have a $1000 price floor which is way too expensive.
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Sep 25, 2018 04:03
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I can’t imagine spending $500 on a sound bar, let alone $1,000. I’m guessing space is an issue for you though?
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Sep 25, 2018 05:17
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jit bull transpile posted:I'm looking for a sound bar. My TV is really nice picture wise, but dialog is often hard to hear so we have to crank it so high that music or sound fx cause buzzing and are really loud. I'm looking for a decent sound bar that is less than $500 so that movies sound less lovely on my TV. $500 will get you a lot further with bookshelf speakers than it will with a soundbar. How important is the soundbar form factor to you? This is what I have for a bedroom setup, and it's right at your budget: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsch-reference-5-1-4-bookshelf-speakers-pair-black/6228109.p?skuId=6228109 + https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-200w-2-0-ch-stereo-receiver-black/4156007.p?skuId=4156007 + https://www.bestbuy.com/site/polk-audio-psw-series-10-active-subwoofer-black/9154073.p?skuId=9154073 - Subwoofer optional but highly recommended Of course, I went with what was in stock at Best Buy because I was impatient. If you're not impatient, I would get a much better receiver for the same price at A4L: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs530bt/denon-avr-s530bt-5.2-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html Also, definitely listen to the Klipsch speakers before you buy them - Klipsch are known for being on the "bright" side (emphasis on higher frequencies - good for voice), which some people don't like. Other well-received speaker options in your budget: https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-B...ds=andrew+jones https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Bookshelf-Speakers-Black/dp/B07B4Q5587/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1537849158&sr=8-16&keywords=andrew+jones https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Bookshelf-Speakers-Black/dp/B000V2UBS8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1537849222&sr=8-4&keywords=polk+bookshelf https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-TSi100-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00192KEY0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1537849241&sr=8-8&keywords=polk+bookshelf https://www.aperionaudio.com/collections/intimus-speakers/products/intimus-4b-satellite-speaker-pair-stealth-black If you're super against having a receiver, but don't mind the bookshelves, you could do powered speakers too. You would loose a lot of features that you would get by having a proper receiver, but it sounds like that's less important to you: https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-R-15...owered+speakers If you're absolutely dead-set on a soundbar, you're going to be paying a lot more for less sound quality. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of experience with them so I don't have any recommendations. Let us know if any of those options sound appealing, and we'll help you with buying the right cables. Edit: If space was a huge concern and I wanted to avoid a receiver, I would go with the Klipsch powered speakers and a subwoofer. I also personally think they look nice, so 
KillHour fucked around with this message at 05:34 on Sep 25, 2018 |
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Sep 25, 2018 05:29
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It has to sit right under my TV. My house is pretty small and I don't have anywhere to put speakers. My TV stand is between a sliding door and a window and blocks both slightly with the TV filling the whole thing. It's a rental so I can't wall mount the TV either. Basically I need a cheap ish upgrade to the built in speakers that will fit in the space right under/ in front of the TV.
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Sep 25, 2018 05:42
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EL BROMANCE posted:I can’t imagine spending $500 on a sound bar, let alone $1,000. I’m guessing space is an issue for you though? Yeah, space issue. I threw that price out because all the reviews I could find for sound bars seem to center in the 800-1000 range and I assumed audio sites would favor over priced stuff. Didn't realize they were as insanely overpriced as your saying.
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Sep 25, 2018 05:45
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How much space do you have? I have those Klipsch speakers under my TV, sitting sideways with the receiver between them. If you get the self powered ones, you technically only need a space 7 inches high and 25 inches wide (although further apart would be better). Edit: Have a bad mspaint.  Because the Klipsch horn tweeters are square, it doesn't actually matter if they're standing up or not. KillHour fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Sep 25, 2018 |
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Sep 25, 2018 05:54
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KillHour posted:How much space do you have? I have those Klipsch speakers under my TV, sitting sideways with the receiver between them. If you get the self powered ones, you technically only need a space 7 inches high and 25 inches wide (although further apart would be better). 3 inches high. Speakers aren't doable. Even if I had room, my partner would hate it because it would look "cluttered".
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Sep 25, 2018 06:03
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You are literally never going to find anything to fit in a 3 inch high space. Not even a soundbar.
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Sep 25, 2018 06:05
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bose solo 5 sounds like the perfect answer here
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Sep 25, 2018 06:22
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KillHour posted:You are literally never going to find anything to fit in a 3 inch high space. Not even a soundbar. there's a little space in front of the TV, but bookshelf speakers will be too tall and block the actual screen even sideways. I think optimistically something that is 5" tall or less could sit in front of the TV without being an obstruction.
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Sep 25, 2018 07:24
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Sniep posted:bose solo 5 sounds like the perfect answer here Yeah, something in this sort of form factor would fit well I think. I'll have to find somewhere to demo one of these.
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Sep 25, 2018 07:26
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Sniep posted:bose solo 5 sounds like the perfect answer here jit bull transpile posted:Yeah, something in this sort of form factor would fit well I think. I'll have to find somewhere to demo one of these. thanks, sniep. thniep.
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Sep 26, 2018 02:13
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Skim Milk posted:thanks, sniep. Yes, thniep
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Sep 26, 2018 03:34
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Skim Milk posted:thanks, sniep. jit bull transpile posted:Yes, thniep sweet, working well for ya?
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Sep 26, 2018 07:26
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Sniep posted:sweet, working well for ya? Haven't had a chance to check it out yet but I appreciate you actually answering the question I asked 
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Sep 26, 2018 07:55
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jit bull transpile posted:Haven't had a chance to check it out yet but I appreciate you actually answering the question I asked oh oh i misread then - i just was curious how it sounded in real application i've had a sort of hit or whiff experience with bose - some of their stuff is just so off the mark it hurts but i end up impressed more than not
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Sep 26, 2018 08:11
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LRADIKAL posted:Well, let us know how it is! Trip report: This poo poo is really loving good.  Also: I went a bit overboard with connectors from Parts Express. 
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Sep 27, 2018 17:47
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They certainly look nice. Do an a/b test vs your old cables.
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Sep 27, 2018 19:59
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How critical should I be of cosmetic damage (ex: cabinet scratches) to loudspeakers? I'm building my first real system and am pretty close to getting a pair. Ordered them, then the dealer said they had another color (brand new, non-display) at a different branch, so he gave me a small discount and said they will send them over. Got a call he said that during packing/shipping they were damaged, but he didn't go into detail. Said I should just come check them out and if I want them, then he'll give me a great deal. Initially, I'll be pissed, but over time, I could care less about cosmetic stuff. However, from a nerdy/spergy perspective can a dented tweeter or cabinet damage really effect sound? I don't really trust my ears, and I kind of don't trust some dudes to *really* tell me what happened (like if they were dropped). These suckers aren't cheap, so a fat discount would be nice, but I feel like paranoia is going to mess with my ears. hahaha Opinions?
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Oct 19, 2018 15:24
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I'm no expert, but there is so little to a speaker compared to say buying a car, I wouldn't worry about it. Got my Klipsch towers used for cheap and theres an ever so faint ding in one of the cones, and they are a little rough on some edges but once you hear them you dont care.
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Oct 19, 2018 15:50
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If they got dropped bad enough that one of the voice coils in a woofer got misaligned or something it would be obvious when you heard them. Maybe ask them to play the speakers one at a time or ask for a 30+ day return window. I got b-stock speakers from AC4L and there's a small defect in one of the woofer cones but it doesn't impact the sound at all and I got $750 speakers for $300 so I'm happy about it. I'd say the only real disadvantage besides your own grumpiness at seeing scratches would be reselling them.
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Oct 19, 2018 16:24
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Yeah, I'm just going to have to listen to them. They are in the 700 euro range, so if I could get them down that much I'd really be temped! I guess a good A/B test would calm me down a bit.
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Oct 19, 2018 16:58
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About to move into a new appartment and would like to use my nice powered monitors as the main sound source. Id like to be able to run a smart tv, turntable and chromecast audio through them. I think im looking at a dac for the tv then a switcher? Is there any sort of cheapish auto switcher that will sense where the audio is coming from or am i just looking at a passive switcher? Any recommendations for ones that dont look like cheap plastic or nerd poo poo? Are the fii0 converters ok or do i need to spend more? Cheers guys
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Oct 21, 2018 02:14
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field balm posted:About to move into a new appartment and would like to use my nice powered monitors as the main sound source. Does your turntable have a phono pre-amp built in? The easiest solution might be a small mixer with built in phone pre-amp, and a dac or line out from the telly.
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Oct 21, 2018 02:46
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I didnt even think about just using a mixer, way simpler than a switcher. Ill just build a little 3 to 1 rca thing into a box! 99% sure the turntable has a preamp and the tv only has optical out so just looking for a dac then, i think.
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Oct 21, 2018 04:35
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The Fiio DAC would be fine for that.
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Oct 21, 2018 07:13
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I have a Schiit Magni that I've been using with my desktop PC (via a 3.5mm to RCA cable). Recently I attached some powered studio monitors to the RCA output on the Magni and noticed that I get a great deal of EMI noise when both my PC and at least one of the powered monitors are connected. When I attach either my phone or turntable to the input, there is no noise. If I run the Magni without the monitors (using headphones) attached there is no noise. I've also tried a few different RCA cables and output jacks on the PC without any effect. I'm kind of stumped what could cause this. Any suggestions for what I can do? EDIT: A little more screwing around and I think it might actually be ground loop noise. Gonna' give one of those 3.5mm filters a shot and see if that helps. pocket pool fucked around with this message at 16:48 on Oct 22, 2018 |
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Oct 22, 2018 15:17
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Trip report: Amphenol stuff is my current favourite, I prefer it over the Rean and Neutrik equivalents. Rean stuff feels a little chintzy and the Neutrik is just a little overpriced in comparison. Amphenol feels nice and solid and isn't spendy at all.
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Oct 22, 2018 16:28
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moflika posted:How critical should I be of cosmetic damage (ex: cabinet scratches) to loudspeakers? Depends on what the cabinet is made of. MDF has layers that can separate if dropped hard enough. That separation can cause the cabinet to resonate or "ring." it could cause just a little distortion in the sound or it could cause an actual buzzing noise from the cabinet itself. If a driver was even so much as touched then I'd say send a replacement driver and swap it out. Olympic Mathlete posted:Amphenol stuff is my current favourite, I prefer it over the Rean and Neutrik equivalents. Rean stuff feels a little chintzy and the Neutrik is just a little overpriced in comparison. Amphenol feels nice and solid and isn't spendy at all. The short Rean RCA connectors I got feel pretty solid. The threads are good and tight and the terminals are accessible and strong. But they're pretty pedestrian in terms of finish. No nice cable strain relief. However, I definitely think they feel more solid than the plastic coated Neutrik 1/4" TS connectors I got. GnarlyCharlie4u fucked around with this message at 19:47 on Oct 22, 2018 |
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Oct 22, 2018 19:00
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What is the goon recommended brand of wireless speaker? Ideally one that charges via USB.
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Nov 13, 2018 17:00
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Depends on what you wanna spend. Anker is a favorite for mobile accessories but I dunno what their speakers are like. I would avoid your Beats and such as there are probably more economical choices that deliver similar performance
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Nov 13, 2018 17:35
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I think the Ultimate Ears Boom series are the ones I've seen the most good reviews of, with JBL second. I've yet to hear a small bluetooth speaker that I actually liked but I'm a snob.
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Nov 13, 2018 18:19
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codo27 posted:Depends on what you wanna spend. Anker is a favorite for mobile accessories but I dunno what their speakers are like. I would avoid your Beats and such as there are probably more economical choices that deliver similar performance My Anker is fine, but my priority was for waterproofing (as use it near pools, hot tubs etc) and portability. I've heard bigger JBLs that sound much better, but my Soundcore XL was pretty cheap and beyond an iffy USB socket it meets my quality expectations. I always quite liked the look of those Harman Kardon Onyx speakers, but they're pretty big.
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Nov 13, 2018 18:46
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Gf got a shower speaker off amazon for like 28 bucks (if I had realized it was that much at the time I would have made sure we returned it) but it worked like once and then that was it. Got rusty around the charge flap it appeared. It was just one of those many made up junk names you see on amazon. Really wish they'd snuff out some of that stuff.
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Nov 13, 2018 19:17
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Not sure if there's a better thread for this question but, I'm looking to make some of my own audio cables, particularly 3.5mm TRS headphone cables at the moment since all the ones I buy seem to be incredibly prone to dying in like a week. Since I'm having trouble finding cable in my area without dropping a ton of money on expensive microphone cable, I was looking at buying some stranded wires off of amazon and just twisting and sleeving some myself, though I'm wondering a bit about insulation. I've heard silicone insulation can build up static cling, would said static also interfere with the audio signal passing through the cable? It seems like the best bet for the job otherwise due to the flexibility and relative durability.
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Nov 14, 2018 20:13
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Tyty posted:Not sure if there's a better thread for this question but, You can get star quad for less than $1/ft, even at per-foot prices. Just TechFlex is probably going to cost more than that, even without wire. I guess you can get heatshrink in 4ft lengths, but it’s going to look like poo poo. Look at Markertek or something. Canare is nice and reasonably thin. I abuse 1000ft lengths of it every day. https://m.markertek.com/product/l-4...MRoCxjsQAvD_BwE
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Nov 14, 2018 22:43
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I work less than 5 minutes from Audio Technica's headquarters and they're having their annual warehouse sale on December 7th & 8th, up to 80% off. Looking to pick up a good set of studio monitors and maybe a turntable. Allegedly prices are up to 80% off, any suggestions? Looking to pick up something in the $200-300 range if the discount is decent for headphones, and the turntable just needs to be good enough to be played through a $150 Vizio soundbar. Thanks! e: to clarify, that's looking in the $200-300 range before any discount. Geoj fucked around with this message at 06:51 on Nov 19, 2018 |
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Nov 19, 2018 02:29
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i had a couple pairs of ath-m50 i've loved. i think they retail for 200? m50x is the current one with a removable cable.
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Nov 19, 2018 18:04
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| # ? May 18, 2024 04:17 |
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Geoj posted:I work less than 5 minutes from Audio Technica's headquarters and they're having their annual warehouse sale on December 7th & 8th, up to 80% off. Get your hands on an LP5 or LP1240 if you can. If not, an LP120 is perfectly acceptable.
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Nov 20, 2018 08:20
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