Archived Letters October 2005 |
TSM-MM placement October 25, 2005 Editor, Great review of the Merlin TSM-MM. I am considering purchasing, but would like your expert opinion. I have heard that for optimum performance you should listen at least nine to nine and a half feet from the speakers. I am wondering what distance you listened to them from and what the effect would be if you were to listen from, let's say, eight feet away. If I were to listen nine feet away, the front of the speakers would only be two and a half feet from the front wall. Mike Finnedt My room is very large, and I sat over ten feet from the TSM-MMs. However, I used the same speakers in an earlier iteration in a much smaller room with no issues. Because the TSM-MMs are sealed, the wall behind them is much less of an issue than if they were rear ported. I think you'd be OK from nine feet, but Bobby Palkovic could tell you for sure....Marc Mickelson "I'm finally happy with my choice in speakers" October 17, 2005 Editor, Good review [of the Merlin TSM-MM speakers]. I couldn't agree with you more. I recently picked up my new pair of TSM-MMs from Bobby Palkovic and have been very pleased ever since. Having been in this hobby for 30+ years, I'm finally happy with my choice in speakers. Jeff Fitch Which Paradigm? October 10, 2005 To Doug Schneider, I am having trouble with my speaker selection and thought you could help. I have a base-model Pioneer Elite receiver and can't decide between the new Paradigm Reference Signature S2 or the Reference Studio 40. Since I'm not running a high-end receiver, would I really hear the difference in the S2, or would the Studio 40 offer me more for the money? Could the Studio 40 be too overpowering for an 18x14 room that opens to a large open floor plan? Scott Metzner The Studio 40 would probably offer the better value, simply because it's an outstanding performer, costs less, and would likely deliver deeper bass due to the dual woofers. However, the Signature S2 is probably the better speaker overall. For example, when I compared the Studio 20 directly to the Signature S2, I found there was certainly a family resemblance in their overall sound, but the S2 just sounded more refined in every way, from the bass through the mids and up through the highs. And even though you only have what you say is a moderately priced receiver, I have no doubt you'd be able to hear the differences between speakers....Doug Schneider Amphion, Paradigm or ProAc? October 6, 2005 To Doug Schneider, I always enjoy your reviews. I'm currently in the hunt for a high-end minimoniter for my small office studio (11' x11') to accompany my Musical Fidelity X-150 integrated amp and X-Ray3 CD player. I have narrowed it down to two that you've reviewed (Amphion argon2 and Paradigm Reference Signature S2) and one I don't think you have (ProAc Tablette Reference 8 Signature). In your review of the S2, you didn't make any comparisons to the argon2. I know the argon2 has crept up in price due the the declining dollar and now approaches the cost of the S2. If you were recommending one of these speakers to a friend, which one would you suggest? And have you ever heard the ProAc Tablette? Greg Clarke I haven't heard the ProAc speaker you mention. In terms of the other two, there were two reasons I left the Amphion argon2 out of the Signature S2 review. First, as you mentioned, the price has gone up significantly, for whatever reason. Second, I hadn't had the argon2 in my listening room for a long, long time, making a meaningful comparison impossible. That said, I liked the argon2 when I reviewed it a number of years ago, and I can wholeheartedly recommend the Signature S2, which I not only reviewed much more recently, but also own....Doug Schneider A call to action for the high-end community October 4, 2005 Editor, So...are the doomsayers right? Is high-end audio headed for extinction? Is it true that people no longer respond to high-quality music reproduction? Not at all. But its up to us to prove the doomsayers wrong. And we can. This is an invitation to join "The A5" -- The American Association for the Advancement of the Audio Arts. Were setting up as an LLC run by a board of directors. On our own, as individual companies, we can do little to improve public awareness of high-end audio. Working together -- manufacturers, distributors, reps, retailers, reviewers -- we can turn on the public to one of lifes great pleasures (and our passion): great music combined with stunning sound. Things are not so bleak.
What will the A5 do besides collect your dues? Well, one thing we wont do is hold an annual awards dinner. The A5 is not about self-congratulatory hype. What we propose to do is real. We aim to act and here are some of the ways:
The initial response to A5 has been gratifying, and we are just getting started. We need YOU in at the start. Theres strength in numbers. Power, too. Theres something else in numbers: confidence. The A5 will give members the confidence that we are (finally) taking matters into our own hands and doing something about the vitality and future of our industry. We need your support and ideas. If not you, who? If not now, when? Please email your thoughts to: Ted@highendaudio.com. Our Best Regards, Walter Swanbon
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