In Reply to: Objectively what is the most accurate to the disc system - Engineers!! posted by RGA on May 14, 2006 at 00:05:14:
If by "accurate" you mean "invisible" (which is MY definition of accurate) then for the price you can get exactly what I listen to every day.If your AN's sound anything like you claim they do, this equipment will work wonders with them too - bonus.
Quad 303 - mint used, $200 to $300
Creek OBH12 passive pre - $200 or thereabouts usedYou'll need an RCA to DIN connector to connect the two. Added bonus? They both fit on one shelf, easily. The 303 can drive crazy loads - will be totally at ease with any efficient box I'm sure - the Quads it's meant to drive blow up most amps.
Want to fit room treatment and a good source into your budget? Get a USB Dac - read Computer Audio board for a while - and use it with Windows Media Player version 10, and use WMP's digital EQ - by ear, then tell me if you still need room treatments! I sure don't. There are many who love their lower priced USB dac's, all I can say is my Burwen Bobcat is the last dac I'll ever own. Not to mention it's a zillion station tuner courtesy itunes - stations at 128k and up sound surprisingly good given their limitations. I believe some of the lower priced USB dacs are around $300 or so. Rip a bit perfect copy of your CD's to your hard disk with EAC (Exact Audio Copy) if you're really concerned about getting the bits right.
This will all work beautifully with your AN's bud, I promise you. The Quad 303 keeps me from hooking up my tube amps every day because no tube amp will ever quite match it's exquisite detail - yet it matches tubes in soundspace and tonality.
As for speakers I can't help you, I've really only had one pair for 20 years now - I can't see how I can do any better than the invisibility of the Quads seeing as I live in a condo and their "weaknesses" are actually strengths to me. Hell I use digital EQ to cut their bass as it is, I never get complaints from my neighbors. I would suggest NHT Superzero's if you're going to add subs, but the Quad 303 with them is horrible, I tried. Bad combo. From what you say about the AN's though, it might be a very good combo, so why not have interchangeable components with your main system? If there were still non-rotted-out AR18b's around for a couple hudred maybe, they had no crossover were 93db I think and were almost a one-way for all intent and purpose - but probably an omega or something along those lines would be a better choice today, more sophisticated surely.
I have to fly about the country a bit over the next few days so probably can't reply.
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Follow Ups
- If by "accurate" you mean "invisible"... - longtimequadowner 21:34:58 05/14/06 (0)