Letters to the Editor - October 2005
Tascam?
October 27, 2005
To Wes Marshall,
I noticed in your
review of the Integra DPC-8.5 universal player that you used a Tascam CD-RW4U for
comparison and that you had it as part of your review system. I am looking for a good CD
recorder, and the Tascam looked like an interesting one. I was wondering if you have ever
reviewed it and, if so, where could I find the review. If not, I would appreciate any
comments you might have on it. I have a very high-resolution system (using active ATCs as
main speakers -- the SCM100As) and want something that makes good-sounding CDs from both
analog and digital sources without the reliability problems I've seen in Marantz units.
Tom
You are obviously a man with refined tastes. Great
choice of speakers!
I bought the Tascam CD-RW4U because I believe that pro
equipment is more dependable than consumer equipment, it had great-sounding ADCs as well
as DACs, and it accepted standard CD-Rs instead of the more expensive and harder to find
Music CD-Rs. The sound quality has been exceptionally revealing using it as a player, and
as a recorder it disappears.
Its reliability has recently become an issue. After 18
months of service, it began to have some serious problems. When I started it up, the first
CD played fine. Then the second CD went through an extended period where the display said
"TOC Reading…." Then it gave up and said "Disc Error!" The only
solution was to re-boot the machine each time.
Despite being a rather young machine, the service person's
reaction at Tascam was very rigid and not very sympathetic. It's out of warranty. Tough.
Send it back and we'll fix it for a price. As I write, they've charged me $135 and had the
machine five weeks. I still don't have it back.
I'm used to better service.
Before I ran into the troubles, I would have recommended
the Tascam CD-RW4U highly. If I had gotten a good response from the service department
(faster, cheaper, or, at least, an "I'm sorry"), I might be hopeful that my
machine was one of a very few that had the problem. But now, just in case something goes
wrong with the machine you buy, and you have to deal with their lousy service department,
I don't recommend them at all.
Sadly, only a few manufacturers make a good pro-level CD
burner with good ADCs. Tascam has the largest market share, but at least for now, I don't
recommend them. The Alesis MasterLink ($800) is a good alternative and it also has the
ability to record at 24-bit/96kHz besides making CD-Rs, and it has a 40GB hard drive for
editing and mixing up tracks. The other alternative is the HHB CDR830 ($530), with 24-bit
ADCs and DACs.
Good luck and let me know what you do....Wes Marshall
"You have to be careful"
October 25, 2005
Editor,
Great
editorial about the Mitsubishi TV. I recently bought an "all-in-one"
printer, copier, fax machine from no less a source than Staples. It broke down three weeks
after the purchase. I had to deal directly with the manufacturer, Lexmark. Their service
department is in India, and I had to struggle with several people over the phone whose
English was quite difficult to understand.
Here's the kicker. Lexmark does not fix machines that go
bad. They replace them. But they replace them with refurbished machines. The
"refurb" we got was beat to pieces with parts falling off, scratches all over it
and tape residue here and there. So, three weeks after we bought a new machine, we ended
up with a used machine.
You have to be careful.
Marc Gerber
Song title?
October 24, 2005
To Wes Marshall,
I am trying to figure out what song and artist is playing
in the background in The Silence of the Lambs during the scene where the killer is
dancing naked.
Scott
That kind of stuff can drive you crazy, so I'm glad to
be able to help. As to the song, that would be "Goodbye Horses" performed by Q.
Lazarus, a 1988 song by an African-American taxi driver who called herself and her band Q.
Lazarus. The song was released as a single, which, if you could find, would cost a
fortune. The only other place to get it is on the Married to the Mob soundtrack, also out
of print, but seemingly available for around $20 on the web.
I wanted to hear it again myself and just found a free
MP3 of it. She has a deep voice and struggles with pitch, but it has a curiously
compelling sound. Psyche, a group that has done a great re-make of the song, including a
dynamite extended mix, has the entire interesting story and background, at their
fascinating website. Hope that helps....Wes Marshall
Hsu or Paradigm?
October 18, 2005
To Roger Kanno,
I really enjoy your reviews! I had a question regarding
your most recent sub review (Paradigm
Reference Servo-15 v.2). You made some comparisons with the Hsu VTF-3 and the Paradigm
Seismic-12. These are the two subs I am considering along with the Velodyne SPL1200. I
know that the Hsu is priced lower, but I am willing to pay more for equal or better
performance from a smaller sub. Do you think the Seismic does that? If so, how much
better? Have you heard the Velodyne sub?
Greg
I have not had a chance to audition the Velodyne, but
have had both the Hsu VTF-3 Mk. 2 and Paradigm Reference Seismic-12 in my system. The Hsu
had a slightly "faster" sound that is clean and well defined, while the Paradigm
seemed to go a little deeper and louder and had more visceral impact. Both are excellent
subs, and while I found that the Hsu and Paradigm do sound different, they both have the
same general level of performance. The Hsu is an incredible bargain, but is quite large
and not particularly attractive. The Seismic-12 provides similar performance in a much
smaller and more attractive package, which may suit your purposes better....Roger Kanno
War of the Worlds
October 17, 2005
To Doug Schneider,
I liked your
review and opening question.
The answer lay in the film's website; approximately 80% of
the pictures are of Tom Cruise. I am not against Tom Cruise, but the film needed a more
fragile hero (a bit like you or me). It's a shame that it didn't, as the film has some
great ideas and effects.
Russell Goulden
Denons powerful enough?
October 10, 2005
Editor,
I am considering Denon AVR-3806 and AVR-4806 receivers for
my 5.1 surround system consisting of Vienna Acoustics Schoenberg fronts and Webern
surrounds (4 ohms, 91dB sensitivity). Please advise if either of these receivers has the
power to drive these speakers to moderate levels in a 25' x 20'' room. My sub is a B&W
PV1. Space constraints prevent me from getting a pre-pro/amp combo at present.
A. Shahid
My gut feeling is that the larger Denon will drive these
speakers, but I certainly can't say for sure. I have no experience with the Vienna
Acoustics speakers and also have no clue as to whether their specifications are accurate.
I can say that many 4-ohm speakers present a harder load for an amplifier than might be
expected. Before I laid down my money I'd want to try out the Denon with your speakers
first -- in your room and listening at the levels you prefer. That is really the only way
to know for sure whether what you're buying will work in your application....Jeff Fritz
Infinity Beta configuration
October 3, 2005
To Roger Kanno,
I am preparing to buy a set of Infinity Beta speakers.
Thank you very much for your review as I found it exceedingly helpful.
I do have a question, though: I noticed that you opted
against using the bookshelf models for the surround channels and instead chose two of the
ES250 surround speakers. I was planning on using the bookshelf speakers for my side and
back channels, or possibly using only two of these on the sides, then taking a single
ES250 as my rear-channel speaker. Regardless, I wondered if you specifically steered clear
of the bookshelf speakers, or if you otherwise believe me to be far better off with the
ES250s (thus completing the package exactly as you reviewed it). I will be pairing this
set of speakers with the Harman/Kardon AVR-435 to complete a 7.1 system.
Eric
We usually review home-theater speaker systems using a
particular surround speaker for the rear channels because that is what they were designed
for, not necessarily because we prefer them. Nearly every manufacturer has a dipole or
bipole surround speaker in its home-theater speaker lines, so this is typically what we
review, whether the company has a direct-radiating bookshelf speaker in its line or not.
Neither type of speaker is inherently better than the
other for surround use, although many people would argue this on both sides. I have
discussed various types of surround speakers in my "Cinema Cynergy" column and suggest you check that out.
I have had excellent results using both
direct-radiating and dipole/bipole speakers as surrounds in my system and don't think that
you would be "far better off" with either type of speaker. Both have their
advantages and disadvantages, and I find that it is often a matter of personal preference
and making them work with your room....Roger Kanno |
