loomisjohnson

Responses from loomisjohnson

Experience with portable "mp3" devices
having owned ipod, creative zen, rio and, currently, sandisk, i've come to the conclusion that (a) compressed mp3 files generally sound bad, (b) there's very little difference in sound quality (perhaps the ipod sounded the best by a small margin) ... 
NAD M3 V Vincent 236MKII any experiences??
I've listened to the Vincent extensively and was very impressed--its huge advantage, of course being the tube preamp stage. Really, really nice balance and detail. I've also heard the NAD M series amps, albeit briefly, and recall thinking that the... 
Updated system need your suggestions
I would think the PSBs are a great match for your type of music--big, dynamic, full range. I routinely see 'em used for less than a grand, which would make it a no-brainer. (I haven't heard the Ospreys, so can't opine). As for an amp match, the PS... 
What is consensus on Pioneer Elite sound quality?
I also had a PE AVR powering a two-channel mostly music system. Altho rated at 5 x 100w, it had trouble powering my efficient (90db) Naim Arriva floorstanders. I replaced it with a 70w/ch HK integrated, which did a much better job--more oomph, esp... 
Gallo REfF3's-All their cracked up to be?
to me, the overarching question is whether anyone would buy the gallos if they didn't look so unique. not that there's anything wrong with buying on the basis of style--it's your money--but i can't help but think that with gear generally. many of ... 
Gallo REfF3's-All their cracked up to be?
I've auditioned the Gallos and fall into the Not That Impressed camp. They certainly look cool--certainly a major factor in their huge popularity-- but weren't, to my ears, especially exciting to listen to--nice, but not overly detailed high end, ... 
Closeouts hi end dvd players univeral players
if you're looking used, you can get a great deal on virtually every non-blue ray universal player--just glancing at the agon ads i see lexicon rt- and denon 3910 units for as little as $425 and arcam and nad m series for around $800. all nice stuf... 
Grado Headphones
the concept of a mini-headphone amp for ipod use is patently silly--it belies the whole concept of portability. as good as the grados may be, i'd opt for koss portapros for ipod use (like mortsnets above)--they're more efficient, and consequently ... 
Advice needed for new bedroom amp/preamp
for a music-oriented system, you might consider a garden variety nad, cambridge or rotel integrated and an inexpensive separate dac such as entech or amc--you should easily find such gear within your budget. i believe your speakers are small and s... 
Passive sub for Magnepan 3.6r?
Thanks to all for unusually good and thoughtful feedback.After digesting it all, my continuing quandry is whether the Maggies are truly worth the commitment--upgrading power amps, adding one or perhaps several subs, tweaking the room, etc.--when s... 
Passive sub for Magnepan 3.6r?
good thoughts, johnnyb--i've generally assumed that subs aren't so placement critical nad didn't really think of the spped of the panels relative to the sub (esp. since everyone claims how musical the REL is). i'll hunt around to see how users lik... 
Passive sub for Magnepan 3.6r?
thanks for the feedback. i auditioned the maggies in optimal conditions--acoustically treated room, speakers seemingly well placed at least five feet from the wall, driven by a big old boulder amp (certainly more than 500w + @4ohms)-- so i don't t... 
grilles on or off the speakers??
you're spot on--having the grills off does almost always make an audible difference. my own experience is that most speakers sound better with the grills off, and i note that a number of high-end manufacturers (e.g totem, revel) don't include gril... 
Expanding a 2-channel system to surround
marantz avrs are a good bet for your application--you can configure to use your krell to power the fronts and use the avr for center and rear. 
Tube pre/SS amp to replace Plinius 8200 integrated
YOU MIGHT LOOK AT A VINCENT HYBRID INTEGRATED, WHICH SOUNDS FANTASTIC AND MELDS THE WARMTH OF TUBES WITH SS OOMPH. VERY GOOD VALUE.