Conference hips::uk_audioo

    First of all, you won't get a good 3-way speaker for �250 or less;
    also there are too many good speakers from �80 up to �150 to make
    looking for a good 3-way in your budget a wasted exercise.
    
    What is the damage, and how did it happen?
    
    If the damage wasn't imparted electronically and
    if you like the AR8's, go for a repair; if you're handy with a
    soldering iron and screwdriver, you can keep the cost down by replacing
    damaged components with matched bits to suit the AR8s from Wilmslow
    Audio. You can then do all the other tweaks to them, like sealing
    the cabinets properly, replacing internal wiring with good speaker
    cable, and tightening/sealing the drive units back in. If you're
    not handy, then a repair could still be very cost-effective.
    
    If you're looking to this as an opportunity to upgrade, my advice
    is don't, as the speakers are not the place to start. The AR8s in
    good nick will do justice to most systems and will not be bettered in
    any great degree until preceding components are of a very high
    standard, and then it'll cost more than �250 to get a significant
    improvement.
    
    My advice is don't spend more than �150; if you're really burning
    to spend �250, spend the balance on records or CDs.
    
    Dave

    re-1
    
    Thanks for the info
    
    The damage is the middle cone on the woofer was pushed in by my
    dog who does not like romeo & Juliette (Sp?) I had the front grills
    off the speakers at the time.  Anyway I managed to suck the cone
    out with a hoover nosle but the cone was deformed and produced a
    nasty vibrating sound at low volume (I listen to the HiFi at low
    volumes most of the time) and it was not very pleasant to listen
    to.  So I took the speaker into get an estimate on how much it would
    cost to repair How much do you rekon it will cost to repair?  I
    like the AR8Ls's they are good speakers and are powerful for their
    size (75watts/Channel) and they sound great with my system with
    QED 79 strand speaker cable and Target speaker stands.
    
    
    Thanks Again
    
    Grant

    re -1....
    
    You'd need to replace both bass/mid drivers, as they come in matched
    pairs. Even if the shop has to fit them for you it's no more than
    1-1.5 hours work. I would estimate c�40 for the drivers, plus about
    �30 labour worst case, that's �70. If you like the AR8s that's by
    far the most cost-effective route. Well, not quite; it would be
    better still if you fitted them yourself.....
    
    I'm guestimating the prices; I replaced the bass/mid units on a
    pair of Castle Kendals two years ago, the drivers were about �60
    from Castle; at the time, Kendals were about 1.5 times the cost
    of AR8s. I fitted them myself, but labour costs can't be more
    than �20/hour......or can they?
    
    Dave

    re-1
    
    Thanks
    
    70 pounds to repair !!!!
    
    I may as well buy a new pair of AR8BX speakers for 80 pounds.
    
    The AR8's are sealed units and I am no engineer.  If the repair
    turns out to be that expensive and I buy a new pair what could I
    do with the 1 spare good AR8Ls speaker?  I have heard that you can
    add a third speaker to a system by connecting the + terminal on
    the speaker to the + terminal on the Left channel on the amplifier and
    the - terminal on the speaker to the - terminal on the right channel
    of the amplifier.  Has anybody tried this do you recommend it?
    
    Thanks Again
    Grant

    Grant,
    
    I can only re-amplify (get it??) Dave Sallitts message about the
    system hieracy etc. If you've got 250 notes to spend I would look
    at improving the source. Would I be right in assuming that the 
    majority of your music is on CD and cassette?? If it is and you
    intend to stick with these formats then I reckon your money would
    be well spent on a new amplifier and speakers (a decent pair
    of speakers can be bought for around 120 pounds - Goodmans maxims,
    Wharfdale Diamonds, AR's etc. Improving the amplification with the
    other 150 would be worthwhile. Checkout Creek 4040, Mission Cyrus,
    Yamaha etc.
    
    This will then allow you to move up to a Nakamichi when you can
    afford it.
    
    Alternatively, if you have a lot of LPs, perhaps upgrading your
    record deck would be a good move. For 250 you could get your speakers
    and a REGA Planar II. The QED Q Deck may also be worth checking
    out.
    
    The importance of the system hieracy philosophy was brought home
    to me a couple of years ago, when like you I was intend on spending
    about 250 on anew pair of speakers. I was re-educated when I 
    visited The Cornflake Shop off Oxford Street (London not Reading).
    I said to the guy "I want to upgrade my speakers, what do you
    recommend?" He said "Wharfdale Diamonds!!" I couldn't understand
    this. He was recommending a pair of 80 quid speakers!! He then took
    me to the demo room and blew my mind. This was a very subtle sales
    technique because what he demonstrated were the Diamonds mounted
    on 120 pound custom made stands. The source was a Roxsan Xerxes
    with Rega RB300 arm and Linn K9 cartridge. The amplification was
    a Naim Nait. So in a system of about 1000 pounds only 80 had been
    spent on the speakers. He played Picture Book by Simply Red and
    it was incredible. The un-importance of the speakers was really
    brought home to me. It's the old chestnut.... garbage in, garbage
    out.
    
    Dave.
    
    
    

    re-1
    
    Thanks Dave
    
    I upgraded my amp last year I originally had a JVC AK100 that I
    bought for 58 pounds from Laskys.  Anyway I saw a Sansui catalogue
    and I decided to get a Sansui AU-G11X because it had plenty of inputs
    for different components and I had just got a CD player for christmas so I
    needed a amp that was going to get the best out of my CD player.
    The AU-G11X was ideal it has inputs for 2 tape decks ,tuner,CD,record
    player and an AUX socket for some other device.  The amp cost me
    120 pounds from Hellas.
    
    I am also looking to upgrade my Record Deck which is a Sansui P-D30
    Direct Drive unit.  Most of the electrics do'nt work (I bought it
    for 25 pounds including cartrage from Laskys it was lying in storage
    for a year previously my budget was not big enough at the time so
    I could not buy a new amp + a new Turntable).
    
    So is it worth paying say 70 pounds to repair 1 speaker when 80
    pounds will buy a new pair.
    
    I have around 35-40 records including 12" singles and albums and
    I have 20 Compact discs. I do'nt have many pre-recorded cassettes
    but I have abount 30-35 blank tapes that I listen to/re-record on.
    
    Grant

    RE 75.5;
    
    Excellent Advice, as one happy REGA Planar II owner, I can't recommend
    it enough. However, I don't think that the Q-Deck is made by QED, I
    think it is probably Ariston. 
    
    Sorry, I'm Picky!!!
    
    Cheers.
    
    Mark.
    

    re-1
    
    Yes the Q-Deck is made by Ariston.  I have seen one of these Q-Decks
    in Laskys for 140 pounds and the same unit in Hellas for 150 pounds.
     Also the Ariston is very highly rated by What HiFi Magazine.
    
    Grant

    
    I've also seen the Q-deck, but the one I saw didn't look too good!!
    It seems that they have a problem keeping the platter horizontal.
    This was rolling at all angles except horizontal! Don't know if
    this is a trend ?
    
    Mark.
    
    You're ever biased REGA owner.

    I have narrowed the choice down to 2 turntables.
    
    Ariston Q-Deck �140 
    
    OR
    
    Technics SL-QD33 �150
    
    The ariston is a Semi-Automatic belt drive turntable whereas the
    Technics SL-QD33 is a Fully-Automatic Direct Drive Turntable.
    
    Which one should I choose ?  I like the idea of the Fully-Automatic
    unit BUT The Ariston is highly recomended buy What HiFi? magazine.

    
    Any suggestions before 1 pm today please.
    
    Grant

    re .10..
    
    Is auto operation important to you?
    
    The Ariston, or the Dual CS505 or CS503 offer semi-automatic facilities
    and sound good too.
    
    The Rega Planar 2 is within your budget but has no auto facilities
    at all. But then it sounds better than anything else under �200,
    except the Rega Planar 3.
    
    Given most Oriental audio manufacturers' current level of commitment to
    record reproduction, I wouldn't touch a Technics record player of
    any flavour with a big stick. Not because I'm anti-digital or
    anti-oriental, but bar the various incarnations of the Sansui SR222
    the Japanese majors have never made a turntable with good sound;
    even the hi-tech, strobe-bedecked, computer-servo-controlled behemoth
    that Technics brought out before CD sounded awful, probably *because*
    of all the technology.
    
    One word of caution, though; the recommended turntables above,
    especially the Regas, may make you a little disenchanted with your CD 
    player, which may surprise you. Not that there's anything bad about
    your player, it's just that a good record deck presents music in
    a very involving way which CD players even 5-6 times the price can't
    quite manage, the practical benefits of CD notwithstanding.
    
    And finally, don't buy anything on a magazine's (especially What
    HiFi's) recommendation; use it as guide by all means, but *listen*
    before you buy; the type of dealer that sells Regas may well expect
    you to do that, with your own records, so that you better understand
    why you're buying it.
    
    Have fun.
    
    Dave

    re-1
    
    Auto operation would be nice.  Semi-Automatic sounds OK.

    Well I did it I bought the Ariston Q-Deck for 140 pounds from Laskys
    (10 pounds cheaper than it should have been).  I will let you know
    what it's like on monday.
    
    Grant

    WOW !!!!!
    
    
    MIND BLOWING SOUND FANTASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Grant
    
    A new Ariston Q-Deck owner

    Well I am getting my AR 8Ls speaker back tomorrow after 1 month.
    The only thing is I have no idea what it will cost.  I asked them
    to give me an estimate before they did any repairs BUT they did
    not phone me and let me know what the cost would be.  Anyway I went
    into Laskys on friday to find out what the quotation was and after
    1/2 Hr I was told that my speaker would be back on Tuesday 11th.
    
    
    I was also told that the bass cone had been replaced.  Well I can't
    wait till tomorrow.  At last I will have 100% of my HiFi system.
    
    Grant

    Well I got my speaker last night.  It cost me 30 pounds for the
    repair.  Anyway my system is back to normal and it sounds GREAT!!
    
    The paper I got saying what they did had a cost of 64 pounds but
    when I when to pay they only asked for 18.50 + 11.50 for the quotation
    (30 pounds total) when I got back home I discovered that the warranty
    for the speakers was for 4 years. 

    I am looking to buy a pair of new speakers to replace my rather rag tag
    collection of old but OK. I will not be paying over �200 because I
    can't afford it, I have stands to stick 'em on.
    
    I don't listen to classical, but I do listen to quite a lot o' rock &
    pop on CDs and Vinyl on my lovely Rega Planar 2.
    
    dickie.

    Dickie,
    
    It rather depends on the speakers that you currently have, but I would
    say that, unless they are particularly offensive to you, save up a bit
    more or don't bother at all.
    
    They are some sub #200 speakers that do have some nice qualities, but
    none seem to offer an overall benefit. It may be worthwhile checking
    out second-hand speakers, either through magazines or your local
    dealer.
    
    Royd do produce a pair of floorstanders at around the #200 mark which,
    considering their price, are quite nice.
    
    Dave.
    

    Wot did Mission replace the 760i's with? They seem to be sub �200
    speaker's that got good reviews.
    
    Greg

    
    or have a listen to those AE-100's (I think I've got the name right)
    that Richer Sounds are selling. they're around 199 quid and have got
    very good reviews.
    
    Graham

    Beware of reviews; use your own ears (after all, it's your hard-earned
    cash).
    
    And certainly do not blindly believe anything What HiFI says.
    
    Dave
    

    
    Dave, I agree with you on not blindly believing them, but as a starting
    point for what to audition then HiFi mags are a good bet.
    
    I always used t have a distrust of Linn sales people , but since buying
    my Arcam plus CD from a Linn dealer I've changed my mind - I did only
    set out to buy a turntable shelf though %^)
    
    Graham

The Mission 760i was superceeded by 760iSE, which itself has been 
superceeded by 731.

I've got a pair of 760iSE. I got them to sound their best when
blu-tacked onto hefty stands, 6" from a wall.

Huw,