Quality

Crosley CR8005A OR Cruiser Portable Turntable

i just received my crosley in the mail today. it was packaged extremely well to avoid any mishaps, and as for the whole stuck lid/butter knife thing, mine came wrapped in plastic that fed through the crack between the base and lid into the actual player so i had absolutely no issue opening it. the speakers work wonderfully for my room and i actually prefer not to listen at full volume because it's too loud, so again, i don't get the comments about the player being too quiet. this thing is almost too easy to use--just don't forget to use the adapter on the turntable if you're new to the record world and your vinyls sound warped/use the rubber pad so your records don't wobble. there is almost always a solution to the problems people seem to be having. i have this player in green and it's almost too precious. i definitely recommend it for someone with a small place and for someone who doesn't love the look of really techy players. it's not too small but fits easily on a desk top. and i'm speaking for someone who was really worried about purchasing this and almost didn't because of all the negative reviews floating around.

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Don't Think Twice

Deluxe Edition Explicit digital booklet

Wow. WOW! I've been a fan of Macklemore since I first heard and saw him perform here in Eugene. I didn't know who he was when I met him at his merch table (he opened for Blue Scholars) but if I could go back to that night I'd at least give him a handshake and preferably a hug. His words, combined with the spectacular musical abilities of Ryan Lewis, are genius, and I don't use that word lightly. This might be one of those Joshua Tree albums of hip-hop.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "SAME LOVE"! I cry every time I see it or hear the song and I know for a fact I'm not alone. The end of the video will really get you. The video for "Wing$" re-defines music videos as an art form and is so good you'd think Scorsese made it. The message of anti-materialism is especially important when you consider that a large part of Macklemore's demographic is teenagers.

One of the amazing things about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is how they can be so humorous and lighthearted in one song and so inspirational and deep in the next. The song "Thrift Shop" on this album is humorous and quite enjoyable (the video especially), but "Same Love" and "Ten Thousand Hours" and "Neon Cathedral" are so intensely inspirational and from the heart that they make you want to just hug the album. The latter, "Neon Cathedral," and also "Starting Over," really hit those of us who have dealt with addictions, and it's songs like that which give us inspiration and a drive to become better people; they connect us with the artists in a way that is rare, especially if one has listened only to radio hip-hop.

The first song, "Ten Thousand Hours," is largely about the almost spiritual satisfaction that comes from putting in the effort to learn something to the utmost and ignore the common desire to just settle for something easy. I'm a very ambitious, self-motivated person myself so I'm no stranger to that but the hook "Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands / ten thousand hands, to carry me" really put it in a different perspective: every hour I've spent learning my craft isn't a struggle, it's a small, subtle push in the right direction. It's this way of looking at things and providing a beautifully loving perspective that makes Macklemore so unique. I'm a huge fan of Atmosphere (of course), especially their last three albums, but one of the things I like more about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is that they mix humor and fun into their often heavy and serious songs.

PLEASE buy the album, don't download it. I am PROUD to support Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and every dollar they earn from their art, real art, is well-deserved and worth it.

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Replacing old receiver

Marantz SR7005 Audio Video Receiver

I picked up a refurbished unit last month to replace an aging HK that was developing a feedback issue(s) on the analog inputs and then the digital inputs started picking up some white noise maybe from the video board.... Paid 899.

We have a 3D panasonic plasma, polks front, surround and center, klipsch for the wides (the height speaker set up was not liked by all), sony center speakers for the back surrounds and a cherwin vega and polk subs. I ran the microphone set up and enjoyed the new sound for a few days. Loud and clean but it was still lacking....it still had a harsh digital sound that seemed overworked......I blamed the player so clicky-clicky on amazon.

The settings for this reciever are limitless so I picked up a new panasonic blu-ray with 7.1 analog outputs with 32bit DAC chips and a 8 gang analog snake. It brought more separation and clarity to the mids and bass response using the 7.1 input on the marantz.....but oh the drama...

With the amp set on 'auto' it would always revert back to the hdmi input or worse yet, no sound when playing on the old(er) Sony blu-ray. Everyone was mad at me because it was to complicated) lol. The solution was a manual set up. 7.1 soundtracks go in the panasonic player and 5.1, SACD discs or anything with a dts symbol go in the Sony. Easy.

Used the set up program a few times while changing up the speaker placement. It's close. I like a little less mid range so I use the manual EQ for music and movies. This amp is truly amazing with the different speaker configuration. Most of our movies are 5.1 so we use the wide setup on this amp. This feature is my favorite.

We also have an apple tv box but compressed music is not my cup of tea. I can't comment on the correction software or marantz AirPlay upgrade. The apple box is useful to render what resides on your home network or iTunes account.

This was a refurbished unit and the firmware update was a non event.

Another remote.....that has to be pointed at the unit....sorry, no. A new Logitech harmony is on pre-order. Changing between apps on the iDevices is like work so the harmony will make it seamless. Innovating innovation.

The experience; the first audio format I played was a SACD version of dark side of the moon on the Sony. The remaster of the great gig in the sky was amazing. The zeppelin celebration day was ok for a live recording but we haven't tried any blu-ray audio CDs yet. Tom Petty is ordered and looking at David Grohls 'analog mixed' sound city studio tribute. The signal to noise ratio for this reciever let's you hear the music as close to what the artist intended.
Movie soundtracks are really what this reciever special. Anything layer down with 5.1 let's you use the wide setting for a soundstage with presence. When the punks drive up and gun down Ben Affleck in Smoking Aces, the wide setting lets you hear the car drive past then back up as if it was in your own living room. the earth imploding in the avengers will make your house think it is really happening. If there is a helicopter in a scene, the marantz will let you know. The amplifiers in this unit pound out some seriously tight bass.

There are a lot of amps on the market but everyone has their own preference to sound quality. The main reason I looked at this particular unit is that it is manufactured in Japan not a communist country. The second requirement was DNLA compliance. Every setting on the amp can be configured from the network using IE home group. HDMI Is no brainier but it took me a bit to configure everything correctly. For example, the Panasonic needed to modified to 7 channels (analog or digital) vs the 2ch/5.1 downmix which is the standard setting when hooked to a two speaker TV. Also, I found using the bitstream output sounds much better than the pulse code modulation when transferring music data into an emotional experience....

Pros; This is a powerful amp for our listening environment. Tool never sounded so good. It can support a wide range of inputs.

Cons; it takes some tweaking if you want to take full advantage of the diversity this reciever has to offer. HDMI makes stuff 'work' but there is more waiting below the surface...

Get your Marantz SR7005 Audio Video Receiver Now!

Well spent $600

Speakercraft CS3 TV Speaker Black

I've tried a number of the products on the market and I tried this last because at $599 it is the most expensive. However it is worth every penny and more.

Why I like it:

1) Wow factor sound - audiophile quality. When I bought the Bose Solo and the Zvox 580 I had to switch back and forth between tv speakers and speaker stand to validate the sound was better (and it was in both cases). With this speaker bar, you just know instantly that the sound is fantastic. In fact the sound is as good as the considerably more expensive and more powerful reference system I have in my living room. I think it may even sound better than the Bang and Olufsen system in my car. It is a delight. I have simply not heard a single unit sound system sound this good ever.

2) Doubles as the best speaker dock ever. Because of Bluetooth you can play music without having the TV on (something neither the Bose nor the ZVOX can do). This device is more expensive than the ZVOX 580 by $100. However the bluetooth means it doubles as the best speaker dock ever. I used to have a Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin, and listening to music on this blows that away. So I relocated the Zeppelin to my office since I didn't need it anymore in the bedroom. Seriously - it is the best compact audio system I have seen for the bedroom.

3) Looks good. Fit and finish exceed everything on the market.

4) It seems reliable. Unlike the ZVOX 580 which stopped working after 3 days, this is going strong. However I did my research, and I couldnt find any threads of this device turning into a brick. For ZVOX devices, there are several reviews of the device breaking down quickly.

What could be better:
1) The remote. But I bought a harmony for $26 to solve this issue.
2) Lack of display - It would be good if there were a display so you can see volume level and source.
3) With a better remote - it would be good to have a range of pre-configured EQ settings - although the default setting is actually very good for both audio and tv.

Other things to note:
Some people complain about lack of Dolby Digital compatibility. If your TV can only output dolby digital than this is an issue. My LG tv outputs either PCM or Dolby over Optical. So I connected the CS3 via optical, set the tv to output PCM, and I have 100% audio compatibility. I was worried about this - turns out the problem is much exaggerated by others.

Get your Speakercraft CS3 TV Speaker Black Now!

Plastic de bonne qualité.

PLMR53 5 25 Inch Two Way Shielded Speakers

I used these on a 2008 Honda civic Si, they work for the front and rear speakers. As mentioned in other reviews the hole on these adapters where it is fastened to the car will need to be bored out so the screw is flush with the top of the plastic or the speakers will not fit properly. I used 6.5 inch speakers in my install so I do not know about 5.5 speakers if it would have to be done also. I used a 1/2 spade bit to bore the hole out. I don't know if this is necessary but I put foam between the adaptor and the metal it sits on because I was installing a sub and did not want to have any vibration issues. In the front door speakers I did have some more extra work that had to be done. On the door panel there is this plastic ring I had to cut off because my speakers were not an exact fit because there is a part of the metal door which I did not feel like cutting and my speakers were not exactly able to sit flush on the adapter. Be careful on the speakers one chooses because you may have issues with the depth in the front and rear of the car. All in all these were what I needed to do the job.

Get your PLMR53 5 25 Inch Two Way Shielded Speakers Now!

Hurford plays very musically

Bach Great Organ Johann Sebastian

I used these on a 2008 Honda civic Si, they work for the front and rear speakers. As mentioned in other reviews the hole on these adapters where it is fastened to the car will need to be bored out so the screw is flush with the top of the plastic or the speakers will not fit properly. I used 6.5 inch speakers in my install so I do not know about 5.5 speakers if it would have to be done also. I used a 1/2 spade bit to bore the hole out. I don't know if this is necessary but I put foam between the adaptor and the metal it sits on because I was installing a sub and did not want to have any vibration issues. In the front door speakers I did have some more extra work that had to be done. On the door panel there is this plastic ring I had to cut off because my speakers were not an exact fit because there is a part of the metal door which I did not feel like cutting and my speakers were not exactly able to sit flush on the adapter. Be careful on the speakers one chooses because you may have issues with the depth in the front and rear of the car. All in all these were what I needed to do the job.

Get your Bach Great Organ Johann Sebastian Now!

Seems fine on my 2008 Honda civic Install

Thermo Tec 14610 Heat Sound Suppressor

I used these on a 2008 Honda civic Si, they work for the front and rear speakers. As mentioned in other reviews the hole on these adapters where it is fastened to the car will need to be bored out so the screw is flush with the top of the plastic or the speakers will not fit properly. I used 6.5 inch speakers in my install so I do not know about 5.5 speakers if it would have to be done also. I used a 1/2 spade bit to bore the hole out. I don't know if this is necessary but I put foam between the adaptor and the metal it sits on because I was installing a sub and did not want to have any vibration issues. In the front door speakers I did have some more extra work that had to be done. On the door panel there is this plastic ring I had to cut off because my speakers were not an exact fit because there is a part of the metal door which I did not feel like cutting and my speakers were not exactly able to sit flush on the adapter. Be careful on the speakers one chooses because you may have issues with the depth in the front and rear of the car. All in all these were what I needed to do the job.

Get your Thermo Tec 14610 Heat Sound Suppressor Now!