Letters to the Editor - June 2003
Finding past reviews
June 26, 2003
Editor,
Is there any way to search your website to find out when
your most recent reviews were done?
Jeff J.
All of our past reviews are available through www.audiovideoreviews.com.
They are grouped via component type, and listed with the latest reviews appearing first.
Once a review has been removed from its publication of origin, it is permanently archived
here....Jeff Fritz
More channels?
June 23, 2003
I own the Sunfire Theater Grand III and very much agree
with your review. I have never owned a high-end audio preamp, so it was nice
to know that I own one in the TG III. Did you try the 9.1 sound? I am determining if I
should get the extra speakers. Thanks.
Todd
In reviewing the Sunfire TG III, I used 5.1 surround
and used two channels for Zone 2. I had the opportunity recently to hear a 20-channel
system, and, even after that, I think 5.1 sounds just fine, especially given the current
state of the sound art in movies. However, if you are really curious, I would recommend
going to a store that allows loans or returns and hooking up a 7.1 system to see if it
pleases you. Based on what I've heard and the configuration of my room, I'm sticking with
5.1 for the foreseeable future....Wes Marshall
Amp for Maggies
June 19, 2003
Editor,
I just got a pair of Magnepan speakers -- MG1.6/QRs.
Because of the 86dB sensitivity, 4-ohm load, and my budget, I need your help. I am looking
at two multichannel amplifiers, the Anthem PVA 5 and the Rotel RMB-1075. I need your true
opinion on which one of these amps will best power the Maggies.
Maurice
Both the Anthem and the Rotel are rated into 4 ohms,
with the Anthem even spec'd for 2 ohms (with one channel driven). I'd say you'll be fine
with either amplifier, with a slight nod going to the Anthem due to its exceptional rated
load tolerance. A lot depends on your listening levels, though. If you listen at
boisterous levels, you may end up needing more power than either candidate can
deliver....Jeff Fritz
Projector decision
June 13, 2003
To Wes Marshall,
Your Boxlight
Studio Experience Cinema 20HD review was great. I am in the middle of a dilemma -- I'm
trying to decide weather to buy the Boxlight 20HD or the InFocus 7200 (which you also
mention in your review).
I am torn between the two because of the price. I can get
the Studio Experience 20HD for $4800 and the InFocus Screenplay 7200 for $6500. It's about
a $1700 difference that I am definitely willing to pay if the InFocus 7200 is a better and
more reliable machine. But if they are both very similar, I wouldn't mind saving that
difference. I have compared both of their specs and read several consumer reviews on both
one of them, but I'm still stuck between them. I am leaning more toward the InFocus,
because of the DLP technology (good lumens for a DLP) and I know their name. I don't like
the manual focus/zoom and no lens shift, but I guess the main thing is performance and
quality. I'm trying to avoid looking at the peas and carrots and look at the meat and
potatoes. I think it's boiling down to what you have to say on them.
Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated! I
want to add one more thing. Since the Boxlight 20HD has 2200-lumen output and the InFocus
7200 has 1000, will the Boxlight be better where lighting may be a small concern? It may
not be absolutely dark in my room.
Alex
This is tough. Is there any way you could look at both?
You've obviously figured out the differences. The Boxlight is easier to set up,
brighter, and bigger. The InFocus has better fill ratio, leading to a better overall
picture. Given your small concern with lighting and the lower cost, I would try to see if
the screen-door effect on the Boxlight bothers you. If not, it is a wonderful piece of
equipment. If it does, your only solutions are DLP, D-ILA, or CRT. Both the CRT and D-ILA
are much more expensive for equivalent quality. The InFocus is currently the
least-expensive DLP HD-2 Mustang-chip projector on the market, so if you choose DLP, the
InFocus probably will fit your needs better. Let me know what you do....Wes Marshall
Anthem versus Sunfire
June 11, 2003
Editor,
I am in the market for a nice home-theater system and have
been reading reviews on preamp and amp systems in the $5000-7000 range. The two processors
that I seem to hear the most about are the Sunfire Theater Grand III and Anthem AVM
20, which you recently reviewed. Do you have any thoughts on some of the differences
between the two? Both have similar price points. Sunfire is well thought of, and the
Anthem got the 2002 Outstanding Product award. Perhaps you know of someone who has
written a formal comparison of the two products.
Sam Lett
Both the Anthem and Sunfire products received our Reviewers' Choice designation
because at their (similar) price points they're basically everything most people want and
need in a state-of-the-art surround-sound processor. I have not had the chance to compare
the two products, but I trust that either one would serve you well in a new home
theater....Jeff Fritz
Choosing an SVS subwoofer
June 10, 2003
Editor,
Great
review of the 25-31PC-Plus by SVS! Could you help me with choosing between the 25-31
or the 20-39 subwoofer? Which would you choose -- the larger or smaller sub?
Hung Chi
The 20-39 will play lower, hence the "20"
designation (the first figure in the model number is the low-frequency-extension rating),
but you do sacrifice a bit of size to gain that extension. It really boils down to your
preferences, budget, and room, including decor issues caused by the larger tube....Jeff
Fritz
Speaker placement for multiple seating rows
June 6, 2003
To Roger Kanno,
Every diagram I see for surround-speaker placement only
shows one row of seating. I am planning a small HT with two rows of seating -- row one at
12' or 13' and row two at 17' or 18' back from a 100" diagonal screen. The room is
12' x 18'. How should I place my side surrounds? I am leaning toward bipole speakers. I
thought they might be on the side walls between the two seating rows. Perhaps bipoles on
the rear wall? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Dan Brown
Yes, I think that bipole (or dipole) surround speakers
would be well suited to your system because of their relative proximity to the seating
position in comparison to the mains and center. I find that bipoles and dipoles tend to
integrate better when there is less distance to the listening position. Of course, I would
not totally rule out direct-radiating speakers either. Placing them well above the
listeners and angling them away from the listening position might work well, too.
Side placement between the two rows would give the best
compromise in sound quality for all of the seats. However, depending on your room, the
back wall may sound better for certain positions. You might also want to consider
optimizing the sound for either the front or back row if one of them will be used more
often. You will have to decide which placement sounds best and what compromises you are
willing to make to get the best possible sound and the most consistent sound from seat to
seat....Roger Kanno
Hsu
Editor,
Regarding your SVS
review, give one of the Hsu subwoofers a shot against it. The VTF-3 will give it a run
for the money.
Good listening to ya,
Scott Fowler
We have the VTF-3 in for review right now on www.goodsound.com. Stay tuned....Jeff
Fritz |
