Old expensive Stack System Vs New Amp+Speakers

smogsy

smogsy

smogsy

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I Love my music & so i bought myself a NAD BEE 315 & Morduant Short 902i. its sounds very clear and good.

However my mum also has a Very old Stack System 14+ years old. she apparently paid £1000 for this stack system. (picture found on google)
now every time i hear the stack system it just WoW me. i Don't know the model of the system i will find out later, as dad is painting the room it is in.
Question is, Which should sound better?
is it just me thinking it sounds better?

hope you can help!
3da8_1.JPG
 
Separates should sound better than some overpriced stack system. Those old systems were renowned for bloated stats, and poor build quality and rubbish speakers. Dont know what that stack is, but it really doesnt matter.

In what way does it "Wow" you compared to your separates?

A typical stack system often uses a loudness equalizer, which basically boosts bass, and treble to artificial levels, but generally the result is boomy bass. Your separates probably give a stronger mid range compared to the stack.
 
its a Kenwood DP950 is the amp number every part has a different model number :rolleyes: the sound from it just sounds more realstic. sort of like you listening to it Live
 
The speakers on the stack are probably a darn site more efficient than the 89db/w/m MS 902i's too. Plus how do you have the speakers sited, they are rear ported, so if you want to enhance the bass, you should put them on good solid stands (not a table or a bookshelf), and place them near to wall (avoiding corners).

Your amp's "only" 40 watts, and although power isnt everything (I used a 60w amp for a long time, and it was plenty loud enough), but combined with fairly inefficient compact speakers it wont be making "club" levels of sound, or stonking bass.

Thing is though, the human brain has a remarkable ability to change how you perceive sound, a wow factor in the first few seconds is common, but it can become tiring after a few hours listening. On the other hand, a system which produces a clear and natural sound, but is perhaps a little bass light, will sound rich and full after a while of listening.

Try using the tone defeat (if you didnt already). It will give a more natural sound, but initially it may sound flat and lifeless, as you may have become accustomed to an enriched bass/treble, but after a while your brain will adjust to it, and you'll hear the detail, and natural sound qualities.

I dont even have tone controls on my current amps, and I certainly dont miss them.
 
You don't say what your source is, but the amplifier will really only amplify what it's fed, so if the source is pants, the amplifier will just give you big pants if you understand me, and the speakers are similarly just slaves to the source. That's a good amplifier, and those are fine speakers, but they won't necessarily give you a great deal of bass response.

And just because something is donkey's years old doesn't make it poo. Especially if it was made by a quality manufacturer (Kenwood is such a manufacturer) and the 'stack' is actually a pile of separates that match rather than an all-in-one unit. On a unit like that the amplifier is probably as good as the NAD and older CD sources are especially good as they tend to be made of heavy, dense and inert things unlike modern budget players that are mainly lightweight plastics.
 
WJA96 said:
and the 'stack' is actually a pile of separates that match rather than an all-in-one unit.
Click to expand...

Some stack systems, use a single powersupply, and the other devices all chain off it with a "systems/power/control" cable, rather than being a true stack of matched separates, they can be glorified all-in-one designs.

Not saying that the OP's stack is that type, but not all stacks are "well matched" either, and their speakers is often a stumbling block.

Higher end stacks can actually perform quite well given a proper set of speakers.
 
I'm prepared to take the risk that 14 years ago, £1000 bought a lot of Kenwood, and Kenwood isn't generally rubbish. Their tape-decks in particular were extremely high quality. Not Nakamichi, but not far off it.
 
Those corners combined with the rear port arnt the best combination, if anything I wouldnt be surprised if there was some boomy bass (not good bass). Although that might be a good thing if your trying to enrich the bass. Not an easy room to lay out by the look of it, though personally I would probably try and move the speakers slightly out of the corner, but with the ceiling coming down on the right side of the room it doesnt look too easy. Sometimes you just have to live with comprimise.

One of my own speakers is a bit boxed in under the stairs, but luckily it doesnt cause too much of a problem.. big room and the speakers are well suited etc.

Your system probably has a little less wow than the kenwood, but I bet that listening to yours for a late night listening session is more rewarding... "Wow" systems can get quite tiring after a while.
 
smogsy said:
my Amp is fed from my PC playing all music in apple lossless ive tried tone defeat help a bit. uising Asus DX Soundcard

my speakers are mounted. on the wall (30cm gap)

speaker setup below
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd267/smogsy/computers/IMG_0559.jpg
Click to expand...

Hmmm the speakers are way to high, and in corners, plus the source is a PC sound card..... All of which will severely reduce the performance of the system, and will take away your wow factor and enjoyment.

You have to decide which is more important, sound or all those screens !! :eek:
 
theres many more on the other side of the room.

i think ill keep these for now, & once i redecorate room ill get my 30" display+ some mezzo 2's & better puncher amp

maybe Nad 325?
 
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