Week of November 13, 2005 Q: When watching television, the voices are quite often drowned out by the music and/or sound effects. As you know, TV speakers are usually quite inadequate so to get better sound we hooked it up to a receiver and 3 medium quality speakers, left, right, and center. That arrangement works […]
Week of November 6th, 2005 Q: I have seen you throw out the term “bookshelf speaker” or “bookshelf-sized speaker”. What’s the definition and context for that term as you use it? -Phil Pyram, Shoreview, Minn. A: A bookshelf speaker is one that fits comfortably on a bookshelf and is somewhat larger than the tiny teacup-sized […]
Week of October 30th, 2005 Q: I read your excellent column that was ran recently regarding speaker wire. Do you feel the same concepts hold true for connector cables? That is, that there is no perceptible difference between most connector cables (assuming we’re comparing similar connection types). Specifically, I’m wondering if the difference in HDMI […]
Week of October 23rd, 2005 Q: In a recent column you comment that you operate your own home system with large front speakers and forego a subwoofer. I also took notice when you wrote on your website that, even with a subwoofer, the front side speakers need to be big enough to handle the upper […]
Week of October 9, 2005 Q: I have always wanted a DVD recorder, but until now the prices were a bit too high. Now I can buy a DVD recorder for $100 and it is tempting. However, with advances in Digital TV and HDTV, I am again thinking I should wait a bit longer. A […]
Week of October 2, 2005 Q: I am wondering if 12 gauge speaker wire is necessary or is 14 gauge all right? I am considering using 60 to 75 feet of wire. Also, could you say something about connectors please? What do you recommend overall? John Lindborg Rogers, MN A: .For connectors, bare wire, while […]
Q: I have reel-to-reel tape audio recordings of my children singing. How do I transfer them to CD? -Robin Torres Cincinnati, OH A: The easiest way to transfer any audio recording to CD is with a component CD recorder. Think of it like a cassette deck that records on CD. Your reel-to-reel tape machine with […]
Q: have a question about headphones. I have an iRiver H10 MP3 player. The earbuds that came with the player are adequate but not great. So I replaced them with some Sony in-ear headphones. They sound terrific but they are uncomfortable to wear for more than a half hour or so. Now I’ve switched over […]
Week of September 11, 2005 Q: I am looking into buying a CD changer and have a few questions. It is my understanding that if you connect a CD player via the analog outputs, you will be using the digital to analog converters (DAC) in the CD player. Conversely, if you connect it with the […]
Week of August 14, 2005 Q: I am interested in improving the audio component of my television (now and in the future). But currently I cannot afford the costs of a surround-sound home entertainment center, which requires numerous speakers. Moreover, the tiny speakers in the current systems, with or without a subwoofer, produce inferior sound […]
Week of June 19, 2005 Q: I’m looking for a system that will allow me only to listen to the Music Channels on my cable TV. I like to read in my living room while listening to music. We have TVs in other rooms, but not in the living room where we try to minimize […]
Week of July 24, 2005 Q: I have some large-sized tower speakers purchased in the late 80s-early 90s. I am out of it as far as new speakers, except that I see that people now seem to buy small speakers. Has technology advanced so that now you get the same performance out of smaller sized […]
Week of July 9, 2005 Q: If I were to invest in a MP3 player, I’d like to make it more versatile and connect it to external speakers so that I could use it for home entertainment, i.e. gameroom, deck, etc. I used to have a Cambridge Soundworks system with a self-amplified subwoofer and 2 […]
Q: I purchased the Panasonic SA-XR25 receiver you recommended and it sounded great but broke out of warranty. I then called a repair shop that Panasonic recommended and they want $65 just to take a look at the receiver. Should I just replace it or do you have any other recommendations? -Jason Gerstenkorn, Wichita, KS […]
Week of May 22, 2005 Q: I am thinking of changing from cable TV to satellite and would like to know what you think about Dish Network verses Comcast. I’ve seen a lot of advertisement spam and snail mail about Dish that promise the world, and I need the real word form some one I […]
Q: I have a new digital camcorder that takes video on tape and still pictures on a memory card. The videos look great but the still pictures are very fuzzy. Am I doing anything wrong? -George Malloy, Bloomfield, PA A: Probably not. Digital camcorders make great videos, but the still pictures they create are not […]
Week of May 1, 2005 Q: I read your recent column and bought a digital SLR with the18-55mm kit lens.. I want to add another lens- what should I know and what do you recommend? -Jackie Rutledge, Mt. Lebanon, PA A: You have two sources to consider- the camera manufacturer and independent lens manufacturers. Of […]
Week of April 24, 2005 Q: My husband has a home office in a bedroom upstairs in our home. He has converted the closet into an entertainment center and set up a TV/surround sound system in it. The room currently has carpet. I’d like to put in hardwood floors and a real brick veneer along […]
Week of April 3, 2005 Q: I am looking for a digital camera with the qualities a film SLR: fast responses and excellent results. I want to keep the cost under $1,000. What do you recommend for a high megapixel digital camera with 10x zoom lens, having speed and good quality? -Richard Skinner, Poughkeepsie, New […]
Week of March 13, 2005 Q: I am looking for a powered speaker system to use with my Mac for listening to music. Price is a limitation- I’m looking for the best sound I can get for my buck. I can spend from a few hundred dollars at most- what would you recommend? Billy Norton […]
