Cables are often overlooked, but are some of the more critical links in a system. A $1000 CD player cannot pass good sound on a ten cent, frayed flea market audio cable. Just passing good sound is just important as amplifying or "transducing" it from, say, analog vinyl, or digital CD, into the "electric" amplifier chain, and out as sound through your speakers. Ask us about affordable high quality interconnect and speaker cables. You may already have reasonably good equipment, with the weakest link actually being in your cabling.
We make our own high grade interconnect and speaker cables in house. Cut to the right length, with your choice of connectors. Crafted and tested to ensure trouble free operation and the best sound possible for your money.

The amplifier is the heart of your system, whether strictly audio, or audio/video. It must be pointed out that it is not always the higher power rating that makes for a better amplifier or receiver. Different manufacturers have over the years used different ratings, which are not always compatible. Ever buy a car with a 90hp engine that moved faster than a car with 160hp engine of similar weight? In the audio world your amplifier is the engine that drives your system.

Some of the world's best amplifiers ever were and are comparatively diminutive in output !

Take for example a 30 Watt amplifier. Sounds dinky, right? Hold on! The average modern speaker will produce somewhere close to 90 decibels (or just below) of sound pressure with 1 Watt power at a distance of 1 meter. So with 30 Watts from an amplifier, that same speaker will now produce 105 decibels of sound pressure. Pumped into the average room of, say, 160 to 250 square feet, you just reached Dance Club level sound pressures and are certain to have a formal police complaint by your neighbors!
But, if it's not power that count, then how do you select an amplifier or receiver? You must listen to it! Your ears are what is most important. We make it easy for you to listen to different combinations of speakers and amplifier that will best match your tastes.

Some tube gear enthusiasts are even known for using 1 or 2 Watt per channel amplifiers with ultra efficient speakers for a very warm and sweet sound! A few speaker manufacturers have developed the art of producing better than 100 decibel per Watt speakers of extraordinary sound qualities, specifically matched for these small tube amplifiers.

So never knock a small amplifier until you try it - you may like it!

On the other hand - your ears may like the dry quality of a higher powered system with relatively inefficient, hard to move, but dead-on speakers.

Who can possibly know? You will - after an audition!

A source device would be your turntable, CD or DVD player, tuner, or tape machine. Remember, your amplifier and speakers can ONLY amplify and tickle your ears with they are being fed by the source device.

Is your current CD player, turntable, radio receiver, DVD player up to the task? Are you using a suitable antenna?

Needless to say: Your system can only sound as good as your record, whether on vinyl, CD, DVD, video tape, or through good reception of a station that uses good sources.

That makes it so important to preserve our rich heritage of sound and music and take good care of your treasured favorites. Careful handling can extend the lifetime of media in some cases to nearly indefinite. Ask us how to take care of your treasured musical and other recordings. There numerous ways to at least partially rescue some otherwise potentially useless material. We highly encourage you to assist in the task of keeping our musical heritage in good shape, as the vast bulk of vinyl records will NEVER make it onto CD, meaning that better than 80% of all music will be lost, unless we archive and maintain our vinyl collections!

But maybe it is time to take advantage of that limited number reissue on the market right now to replace the old worn album, or scratched and skipping CD, or at least upgrade to a better preserved vintage copy. House of Music, our record collection, can meet your needs with advice and music media!

Your home can make any system sound "dry" or "wet". Tell us about your room. Do you have a carpet, or a wood floor? Ceramic tiles? Vinyl? Is there lots of furniture and maybe a wall of bookshelves? Heavy curtains? What are your walls made of, or covered with? Maybe you have that Gropius designer style home with four walls and a functional chair group, all set to a Dali painting next to the window wall and lots of ... nothing? More "damping" with sound absorbing objects will tolerate (and maybe even prefer) a different speaker and warmer amplifier from a barren room with echo potential. The last is probably the trickiest one, but will need a more precise amplifier and may do better with less bass and midrange laden speakers, as they could easily sound "boomy" otherwise. The barren room will have a brighter sound and can develop so called "standing waves" or multiple sound reflections that over emphasize some sounds and instruments in a bad way.

Like we already said: tricky. If you noticed, a brighter speaker can be a better speaker for a brighter room. Bright plus bright makes .. too bright? But is supposedly just right, not bright? Sounds wrong? A paradox, isn't it? A large wall carpet or some accoustic tiles will make a day and night difference. Ultimately you will only know how your speakers and amplifier sound once you set them up at home.

Ask us about recommendations. We can arrange for a house call demo on our higher end speakers.

Turntable Treasures
and
House of Records
  608 N. Prospect
Tacoma, WA 98406

services@turntabletreasures.com

(253) 272-9229
(888) 300-2902
 
services@turntabletreasures.com