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Thread: Arros, NAD 743 - what to upgrade? |
    
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 27
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 09:08 am: |
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My set up - totem Arrors, NAD 743, totem cable. The source is old 200cd changer and lately the SlimDevices Squesebox. I know I know what will you all say. But this is the direction I am moving. I am riping all the cd's in wav or flac format and using squeezebox conected to NAD via coax so I still use NAD DAC to decode. I need and adwice. What would be the best volue for the money to improve my system?
thanks for sugestions
Pablo |
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Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 28
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 09:21 am: |
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Forgot to mention old basic Sound Dynamisc sub connected - maybe this has to go? |
Gold Member Username: Hawk
Highlands Ranch,
CO
USA
Post Number: 1207
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 12:44 pm: |
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I would replace the sub with a Hsu STF-1. Am I correct in reading that you only have one pair of speakers? You might consider adding a center channel speaker to go with your Arros. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 29
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 01:23 pm: |
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Hi,
This system is being used only for music. I have Home Theatre and TV in the basement and this is is living room stereo system with speakers B - outdor o'mara speakers for the backyard. Maybe one day I will add a plasma but not soon or maybe never. So in this case why center? And why not totem sub?
would power amp make a difrence?
Thanks |
Silver Member Username: Stefanom
Vienna,
VA
United States
Post Number: 394
Registered: Apr-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 02:17 pm: |
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Why do you feel you need to upgrade? What is lacking in the sound currently? Certainly there are a few things you could replace with higher quality components, but without a clear goal of what you are looking to accomplish, we won't be able to provide a huge amount of help. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 30
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 02:36 pm: |
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Well
I am probably expecting too much from this set up. Not sure but I thought that in the store the did sounded better, there was this WOW effect that is not quite there in my living room. But again it was I think briston driving them. I have a chance to get good deal on Rotel power amp and I heard that Arrors are not easy, they need power, and I don't mean to wake up next door neighbor but to have more details
Hard to explain
Pablo |
Silver Member Username: Stefanom
Vienna,
VA
United States
Post Number: 396
Registered: Apr-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 02:47 pm: |
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Have you thought about acoustical treatment? More than likely, that plays a big difference between what you heard in store and what you are hearing now.
As far as amplification goes, I don't think power is the issue (NAD is certainly among the better manufacturers for delivering power & current). However, their signature leans to the warmer side. You might get a more detailed sound by switching, but it wouldn't be anywhere near the magnitude by obtaining room treatments.
In regards to your subwoofer, there isn't much information available about that brand. Depending on its quality, you may or may not see a big improvement in bass definition and tightness by upgrading there. I'd listen to a few higher end models by REL or Velodyne if possible to see what can be accomplished there. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6050
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 04:29 pm: |
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Pablo, have you tried EQ'ing a few cuts and tried again?
And Stephen is quite correct to suggest you revisit your room dynamics and speaker placement. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 31
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 05:58 pm: |
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Sorry for being ignorant but can you explain EQ'ing. My settings on NAD:
levels are at 0, tones: - bass 0 treble +6
Speakers are about 3m apart, sub and receiver are on the other side of the room 0 oposite wall - I know souds strange but this is the only way I could do it.
I also have these totem beaks - one per speaker, I tried before with filling speakers with sand like totem sugests but I thought I lost bit of clarity so I removed the sand. I have Arros connected using totem tress cable white positive at the top and the black at the bottom .
Pablo |
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Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6053
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 06:18 pm: |
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Pablo, with a max treble setting you are in the wrong room, are high tone hearing loss, or a monster.
I have high tone hearing loss.
EQ is to equalize your files to your tastes before recording.
But +6 is out there, man. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 32
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 - 08:58 pm: |
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so what arethe best settings All neutral at 0?
Pablo |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6056
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 05:36 am: |
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That can be good at times. If the Nad has a tone bypass, use that. It will eliminate the receivers controls both visible to the user and not.
Then look at the room and speaker placement, angle, height, etc.
Ideal placement can be fractions of inches. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 33
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 06:43 am: |
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ok maybe I will play with this first some more. thanks |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6058
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:51 pm: |
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Do let us know, Pablo? |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 34
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 06:39 pm: |
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Ah, getting frustrated tried difrent combinations and I think I will start saving money for a poweramp!
Pablo |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6063
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 06:58 pm: |
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It's a paion the the neck, pablo, but it really must be done to maximize not just your present setup, but your next! Your intended purchase could be so much more impressive with a better room?
The 'room' thing is not as much fun as other routes.
It has no glowing or blinking lights.
No wires, no chance to open the package and read the manual(right).
It doesn't move air. Or does it? It redirecst air, sound waves ,reflects light, reflects sound waves.
Like a Schmancy Pants receiver tries to. |
Gold Member Username: T_bomb25
Dayton,
Ohio
United States
Post Number: 1519
Registered: Jun-05
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| Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 02:32 am: |
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If I were you,as much as I like the Hsu subs,it will be tough for them to keep up with the Arro's which is one of the few cone speakers thats as fast electrostatics and planers lose the Sound Dynamics sub you have right now better yet just disconect it right now its only hampering the Arro's bass and overall sound right now,if you dont have that big of a room the Arro's go down to 40htz like pitbulls with amazing midbass clarity and be sure to have them biwired with good cables it makes a hug difference.You will require a very fast audiophile sub,I would look to Totems Subs particularly the Dreamcatcher sub 2 of them if you can and you will have a stellar setup.Other subs to look at besides the Totem subs are Era,subs our good ole member Art had one,and they frequently use them with Maggies.The other subs to look at would be ACI,av123,Vandersteen,and Rel,remember speed........the Arro will challenge any sub and expose it even if its a smidgen slow,the Arro's are timeless classic speakers,when you get your setup right they will tell you and you will be in sonic bliss....so work on the rest of your gear and you will rewarded bigtime. |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 4206
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 07:11 am: |
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Need a better source and sub. Wouldn't hurt to upgrade the amplification as well, but the source and sub are the weakest links. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 35
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 11:02 pm: |
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Thanks, I will try with out the sub first, maybe put some sand back to the arros.
Pablo |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 36
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 11:06 pm: |
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As for biwire - I will need an amp, my nad 743 will not be enough to biwire and have a big difrence. Source, well as I said everything is going to hsrd disk.
Pablo |
Gold Member Username: T_bomb25
Dayton,
Ohio
United States
Post Number: 1525
Registered: Jun-05
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| Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 06:54 am: |
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You can still biwire,im not talking about biamping,you just run 2 runs of wires from the speakers,to the speaker terminals on the amp you will probably have to go barewire and eliminate your spades if you have them.This you need to do asap so you can elimanate those crappy jumpers between the binding post on the speakers.Like Art said,your gonna need a better CD player it will make a huge difference,with the Arro understand this everything you do in your system will make a difference,they will readilly reveal it,the good and the bad and the ugly. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 37
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 08:47 am: |
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Sorry I am getting lost. Plain language please. "on the amp you will probably have to go barewire and eliminate your spades if you have them" My Arros have 4 connectors each. Now like Totem sugested Arros are connected using totem Tress cable white positive at the top and the black at the bottom. So I have to get another set of tress cable, connect to 4 connectors at Arros but what about Nad? I connect 2 minus left from left Arro to one minus left on Nad together? I also take away these metal pieces that connect terminals on Arros? Sory, for some obvious for me has to be explained. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6119
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 08:58 am: |
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Pablo, start simply. Replace the metal strips with short pieces of the same speaker wire that you use now. This is vitally important. |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 38
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 09:09 pm: |
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I think once when I talked to someone in Totem about this I was told that these metal strips are best. I have mentioned that I got advice of doing it from totem tress cable I was using for Arros and was told that if this was better they would include pieces of cable instead these metal ones. It is not that I do not believe you but this was from Totem after all. They do not sell these parts, there are included so why would they lie?
Pablo |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 4231
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 09:19 pm: |
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To join the 200 other speaker manufacturers who include them and state that it's best if you use them. It won't kill you to try Nuck's suggestion and it might (will) be worthwhile. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 6160
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 09:44 pm: |
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Pablo, they don't suggest that you bi-wire, either?
Are you here for advise from aged, experienced audio guys, or not?
And me, too.
Pull the metal strips for wayyyy better than any wiring you might try (for now). |
Bronze Member Username: Pablo
Post Number: 39
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 11:56 pm: |
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I will try this for sure
tahnks
Pablo |
