Help with new stereo purchase

[MtlLady]

Hi there, new here. Suite Madame Blue dragged me over kicking and screaming. Okay, I'm kidding about the kicking and screaming part!

I have a three bedroom apartment and I have my little JVC stereo that is beginning to fall apart on me. I'd like to buy something of decent quality that won't take up too much room with great sound that isn't priced out of the stratosphere. I only need to be able to hear it around the apartment, not necessarily vibrate my landlord downstairs off of his couch. :D It would need min. 3 CD changer and a turntable would be nice. Once I figure out how to get all my cassettes on CD, I won't need that either.

Most of the time, I actually listen to music from my computer with my Altec Lansings (with subwoofer) but computers break down too.

Any advice?? :help:

[MikePh]

Hi there, new here. Suite Madame Blue dragged me over kicking and screaming. Okay, I'm kidding about the kicking and screaming part!

I have a three bedroom apartment and I have my little JVC stereo that is beginning to fall apart on me. I'd like to buy something of decent quality that won't take up too much room with great sound that isn't priced out of the stratosphere. I only need to be able to hear it around the apartment, not necessarily vibrate my landlord downstairs off of his couch. :D It would need min. 3 CD changer and a turntable would be nice. Once I figure out how to get all my cassettes on CD, I won't need that either.

Most of the time, I actually listen to music from my computer with my Altec Lansings (with subwoofer) but computers break down too.

Any advice?? :help:

Welcome to the forum!

All of that is very nice, but we'll have you shopping for record cleaning machines and 12 guage speaker cable shortly. :D :D

Just kidding :rolleyes: This forum is filled with knowledgeable and thoughtful members who will be able to make some great recommendations.

Please tell us budget and a good time for us to come by and take room measurements.

[drh]

Welcome!

Here's one thought straight up: rather than having separate sound systems for the computer and for everything else, when you get your new setup you might want to consider connecting the computer to it so that you can use your new "music" speakers for it, too. Connecting a computer to a stereo is just a matter of situating the two close enough together that you can run a $4 Radio Shack patch cable between them, and I'll just about guarantee you that your stereo's speakers will better anything that was designed for use with computers.

[MtlLady]

Welcome to the forum!

All of that is very nice, but we'll have you shopping for record cleaning machines and 12 guage speaker cable shortly. :D :D

Just kidding :rolleyes: This forum is filled with knowledgeable and thoughtful members who will be able to make some great recommendations.

Please tell us budget and a good time for us to come by and take room measurements.

LOL! Thanks for the welcome.

Room measurements? Oh my poor landlord ..... :shake:

[MtlLady]

Welcome!

Here's one thought straight up: rather than having separate sound systems for the computer and for everything else, when you get your new setup you might want to consider connecting the computer to it so that you can use your new "music" speakers for it, too. Connecting a computer to a stereo is just a matter of situating the two close enough together that you can run a $4 Radio Shack patch cable between them, and I'll just about guarantee you that your stereo's speakers will better anything that was designed for use with computers.

You make a good point. My stereo speakers are fine, I have no issue with them, it's the system itself!

The idea is that I'd like two separate systems, though. I want to keep my computer in a separate room from my living room.

Is there any brand name I should definately stay away from?

[fjhuerta]

Is there any brand name I should definately stay away from?

Bose.

[coopmv]

Bose.

:righton:

[woody]

i would avoid cd changers if it was me. i've seen too many break but maybe someone here can point you in the right direction towards a good one. nad and arcam, among others, now have small all in one systems that are going to be a few steps above most mini systems.

http://www.arcam.co.uk/newsolo/index.html

[Greg Layton]

Bose.

:biglaugh: :agree:

That's about the worst 4 letter word on this forum... in fact, I'm surprised the forum software hasn't been edited to turn Bose into B***.

That being said, welcome to the forum. I hope you have plenty of room on your credit cards... you're going to need it.

[Metralla]

I've had a Sony SCD-C333ES for more than 5 years and it's been trouble free. It was a great buy for me - a showroom demo model at $300 - although I'm definitely not a fan of carousel models. Being an ES it was probably better made than most changers, though it sure makes a lot of clunky loading noises.

[John B Good]

I had 2 JVC mini systems that died within a year of their warranty period expiring :(. They weren't cheapies either. I wouldn't go near that name again.

I have been told tho that the speakers that came with them could work with any receiver, so I am keeping them in case I have room to set up another music corner.

I'm not the most audio-phile member, and have no difficulty with a cd changer, tho some are more ergonomic, and quieter in changing disks than others. One of the banes of my life is a Denon carousel with very poor controls and noisy changing. I ended up buying another, a Sony, with more accessible controls, and which cost $100 less.

I would consider a 3 cd changer, as a separate component, just to save space, if one existed.

To really save space, maybe one of those new Tivoli units, with a cd changer or a tape deck connected to it, will meet your needs. But I don't know if it can support a turntable.

For a TT, the Projeckt Debut is not outlandishly expensive, and it gives way better performance than any thing I had ever had.


pS I presume, in Montreal, that you are near stores that actually handle something more than junk. That could be a great help.

[phallumontis]

Some might slap me for this, but the best CD player I ever owned was an old Pioneer 6-disc cartridge changer, made around 1990 (can't remember the model). Excellent sound, quick disc changing, and it played everything I ever put in it with no complaints. Funny how CD players started marketing the whole "plays CD-R's and CD-RW's" thing, but my old Pioneer was better at it. I also own a Project Debut III and I love it. Stylish, solid performer, and inexpensive! Happy hunting, and do stay away from Bose:).

[therockman]

I think I read the whole thread and I did not see a budget mentioned. Is it "money no object?"

[Metralla]

Reading between the lines ... no.

[Gary]

You're in Montreal, oui?

There's gotta be some used stores in the city that sell equipment. You can potentially spend a little $ to get a stereo that was worth $$$$. Do you have a budget in mind?

Or garage sales (before the winter sets in).

I presume you want a receiver with two speakers, CD player and possibly a turntable. Or do you want something more yummy?

Please note that a "better system" does not necessarily mean you can crank it louder than a jet airplane. But it should sound better!

Incidentally, you can partially isolate your stereo speakers by decoupling them from the floor using inexpensive patio stones and spikes. That should reduce sounds travelling - unless your landlord likes your type of music in which case we can look at installing remote speakers for him. :cool:

:D

Seriously, you might be able to put remote speakers in another room so you can have sound everywhere....

Let us know!

[www.records]

Welcome to the SH forums. For speakers, I recommend you do a google search for Tekton. They have beautiful bubinga wood cabinets too. Add a Super T-Amp and you will be well on your way to a good budget system. As far as a CD player, I bought a used Marantz CC-65SE 5 disc player a couple of years ago for $20 (retailed for $500 new) and I think it is very good and can be picked up cheap. You can add a phono preamp and turntable as you go along.

There are probably as many ways to build a system on your budget as there are people who will reply, but this is the way I would go if I was looking to build a complete system for under $1000.

Good luck and again welcome.

[MtlLady]

Wow, I don't know where to start thanking everyone for all your help.

To John (in Nova Scotia), my JVC is doing exactly what you said yours did. I'm the only person I know who has to "reboot" (i.e. unplug and replug) her system to get the darned CD drawers to open! I also understand your frustration at the stores that sell junk in NS. I lived there for the first 37 years of my life. I've been in Montreal for 6 years now.

Woody, thanks for the link.

Gary, thanks for the super idea of isolating my speakers. My landlord is in his 70's, so I doubt he'd appreciate my hard rock tastes. :-)

And thanks to everyone for telling me what the four letter word is and for all the welcomes!!