Decks
(CD or Cassette)


Everything starts here! If the signal OUT of the deck is poor, it doesn't matter how much you put into your other components...the sound quality will suffer. Go with the best deck you can afford.  If you aren't planning a full system, you will want a deck with high power output (don't get fooled by decks claiming 40 and 50 watts per channel).  Check the manufacturers specs for actual or RMS output.  This has nothing to do with how loud you want it.  The more power available, the cleaner the sound. Separate bass & treble controls are essential for tuning in the sound the way you want it.  Better decks go beyond this to built in equalizers and sound processing. You want a sensitive tuner to lock in your stations clearly.  You want a CD section with good skip resistance and good stereo separation.  Instead of a bunch of numbers and specs, the best thing to do is TRY several decks before choosing one. Ask about what makes one better than the other.  Let your ears tell you which one is best.  You also want bright & readable displays, easy to use controls and security of some kind.



If you are planning on a system, in addition to the above, you will want RCA outputs. This allows quick, easy connection to amplifiers. Here you want to look for high voltage & low impedance. No, we're not going "techy" on you. The higher the voltage, and the lower the impedance (resistance), the more clean output you'll get. Translation: MORE HARD HITTING BASE!!! For example, many lower end decks give about 1 volt at 10,000 ohm resistance. By comparison, a middle of the line Eclipse deck will give you 5 volts at 55 ohm resistence. You need not be an audiophile to see the difference.  Another good option is a deck with several sets of RCA lineouts.  This will allow you to use the decks fader to control front to rear balance when using amps, plus a seperate control for sub-volume so you can balance your output to YOUR liking.



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The Ultimate Edge, 5842 Route 104 East, Oswego, New York 13126  Ph:315-343-2995
E-mail: ultimat1@twcny.rr.com
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