 Ultimate subwoofer?
August 31, 2009
Editor,
I happened to be visiting the JL Audio website today and
read your April
1, 2008 article on the Gotham. I could not agree more with your review. I first heard
the Gotham at the 2005 CES and ordered it. After a two-year wait, serial number 20 was
delivered and it truly is the finest subwoofer. I have owned several subs from other
companies, which I managed to destroy the drivers in, but not the Gotham. I found a
setting of 40Hz and using the phase control really helped fine-tune the time-alignment
aspects with my B&W Nautilus 800s.
Here are some other recordings I found to be very
impressive on the Gotham:
- Pete Belasco, Deeper on CD (Compendia Records), title
track (spectrum analyzer shows signals down to 18Hz)
- Boston Symphony/Munch, Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 on CD
(Living Stereo LSC-2341 Red Seal), pipe organ is wonderful
- Transformers movie, the scene with the robot flying
over the woman in a blue dress (unbelievable low end, the ultimate test for subwoofers)
Now that I found you on the internet, I’ll have to
read more of your reviews!
Sincerely,
Andy Rogulich
High Fidelity Mastering
Albuquerque, NM
www.highfidelitymastering.com
The Gotham is truly an amazing subwoofer. But there is
another amazing subwoofer now. I’ll unveil it as part of my The Great North
American Loudspeaker Tour. Be sure to start checking the "TWBAS" section of
this website on Monday. . . . Jeff Fritz
The Great North American Loudspeaker Tour
August 20, 2009
Editor,
I wish to commend you on your adventures on The Great North
American Loudspeaker Tour. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I wish I
could come with you! It will be a unique experience and you should gain some singular
insight into how some of the most coveted loudspeakers in the world sound in some very
specialized settings. I would have liked to have seen several other speaker types added to
your list: a large line array like those from Scaena and a full-range electrostat like the
Sound Lab. I think these would give you a more complete perspective on what people find to
be the best. But I’m nitpicking, and your schedule appears full already. I look
forward to reading your reports.
Sincerely,
Frank Dugan
ARC CD5 or Reference CD7?
August 14, 2009
Editor,
I’m a reader of Ultra Audio and now I need an
expert opinion about my decision to upgrade my CD player.
I’m the owner of an Audio Research CD3 Mk II. Right
know I have the opportunity to upgrade this CD player to its newer version, the CD5. I
think I will obtain overall better performance with this new player, but . . . A good
friend of mine is replacing his Reference CD7 for the newer Reference CD8, and he offered
me his CD7 (the price he set is a little lower than the new CD5). So now I have a very
difficult decision: which is better? I’ve read a lot of reviews of the CD7 and all of
them said that this player is very special. The reviews of the CD5 said that this new
player is an enormous step up from the CD3.
So, a new CD5 or an old Reference CD7?
I know, I know, I need to audition both and decide but what
do you think about this? If you were in my shoes, what would be your decision?
Thank you,
Luis Cantu
If I were not able to listen to the players side by
side, I think what I would do is ask the folks at Audio Research for their opinions on the
differences. They are a straightforward group who give frank advice about their products,
so I would give their opinions some considerable weight in your decision. In fact,
I’ll ask them on your behalf -- because I’m curious too -- and will be happy to
forward their response to you privately by e-mail. Either way I think you’ll end up
with a marked improvement in sound quality because, over the years, the ARC components
that I’ve heard have improved with each new generation. I know nothing that would
make me think otherwise now. . . . Jeff Fritz
Paradigm Reference Signature S6 versus S8
August 5, 2009
Editor,
I enjoyed your November
2007 review of the Paradigm Reference Signature S6. I am considering buying a pair. As
seems to be a recurring theme in audiophile circles, the wife likes the size better than
the S8. Do you have any update on their performance or possibly a comparison with the S8?
Looks to me like the drivers are identical -- save the two extra bass drivers in the S8.
The crossovers are configured a bit different, but I might be able to catch that extra low
with a Servo sub. I think the wife can buy off on the "necessity" of a sub for
theater.
Thank you for any input you might have.
Jim Ledbetter
I think you’ve got a great handle on the main
differences and the pros and cons of each model. The only additional comment I could make
is that the tweeter height is different on each model, and therefore there could be some
slight high-frequency differences between the two. But the models are far more similar
than dissimilar.
If it were me, I'd consider pairing a Paradigm
subwoofer with the S6 and call it a day. That configuration will allow you to run the LFE
channel of a movie soundtrack into the sub, which is the best equipped to handle super-low
frequencies at high output levels. In the HT scenario the S6/Servo combo would actually be
preferable. And keeping the wife happy is a definite plus! . . . Jeff Fritz
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