1. Speaker placement / tilting . . 0:26 2. Keep connections tight . . 1:34 3. Find out the weak link in your system (don't trust the badge) . . 2:12 4. Mix vintage with new . . 3:30 5. Run it flat . . 5:02 6. Room acoustics . . 6:24 7. Tighten the screws (don't overdo it on wood) . . 7:33 8. Money . . 8:28 9. Clean the pots . . 10:08 (heard rumours that DeOxit exposes terminals to corrosion, I use Servisol) 10. Mix and match equipment . . 11:11 11. Is it satisfactory . . 13:00 (find out what makes your heart flutter ) 12. Try it for yourself . . 15:08 13. Beware of chasing WATTS . . 16:50 14. Big sound doesn't come in small speakers . . 17:50 15. It's all about the music, man . . 19:10 Push this up!
Good advice. My 2 cents: If you want to save money, spend double the amount of money you are currently comfortable with. Then keep the equipment for ever.
Dealing with this profesionally for 42 years now, I am positively surprised by this video. There is a ton of wisdom in here. Of course I subscribe. Hats off!
Glad to see Your Still Alive. I Love your Way of Stereo review And I Hope Your OK Alive And Doing well And Healthy. Is their any chance you could Just do A Video Just Letting Everyone Know what's Been Happening in your life These Days As We No longer see you on the channel. We Love Ya And I Have 1M People That Watch Your Videos With me. And Were Real Concerned If You OK these days. Any sort of catching up video we sure would love. Thanks ....
Nice Mr k (aka Hi-Fi Yoda). Here’s a man who sinks his heart and soul into an art. Obtains a huge amount of good knowledge and passes it on through this media platform - for FREE. Takes time, effort not to mention money to get these out to us. We all appreciate it. You make a difference to a lot of lives with the choices we make and the money we spend. We applaud you sir.
I bought a pair of floor standing Mordant Short 906's and my wife made me put one behind the TV and the other at the end of the sofa. Sounds great! No headache!!
I use an EQ in between my speakers and amp. I have to for the sake of my enjoyment. Some albums were recorded terribly. When they’re good on their own, I just turn on direct. I also make sure that the EQ doesn’t color or change the type of sound as well, even when bypassing and going directly.
A great rule to live by: Don't judge your set-up by the quality of a recording. There are speakers that are more honest than others and lie to you less, giving you the illusion that your speakers (or stack) has failed you when in fact, it could be that the mastering or recording of a certain album has been revealed as shoddy or poor of quality. Listen to a lot of albums before you lose hope.
100% agree. Some records, particularly newer records, but not all, just don't sound right on my fairly vintage system. 95% of my records sound wonderful.
Absolutely fantastic! I am an older audiophile too. I wish I would have known these things when I was young. On the other hand, the trial and error over the years was a lot of fun. Nice work!
Great advice , l spent so much money of chancing perfection, could of bought another house. got so frustrated that lt put me off with my life time Hobby. So now l have what sound good at the time and leave it at that. Now l love my music
My old Naim NAIT (currently in the care of my eldest son), is just 13 watts and still sounds beautiful, fully able to fill a reasonably sized room & drive some decent speakers (like my old Linn Index Plus', also in the tender care of son number 1).
BRAVO ! I've been soldering wires for 54 yrs. - as well. Many Many great suggestions coming from years of experience. Well Done. Room Acoustics is Number '' 1 '' for me. I see sound rooms with sliding glass doors, fireplaces, totally irregular shapes , hardwood floors. etc. 50 % gear, 50 % room acoustics. and yes. McIntosh would appreciate the gesture.
Switch cleaner is a great tip. I also use it on the turntable head shell. It makes a big improvement. Great video thank you for sharing. Signal path where your sound is coming from and how you listen and what you listen to sums up all these great tips.
There is something very credible and honest about this guy. Never overstating, never postulating nor pretending to know too much - but always giving valuable information’s and opinions, letting you know which is which. Great !
Hi, I agree with you on 14 of 15 things. But tone controls are necessary to certain extent to easily fade out room correction or if you have too much bass or too much highs you can.
This is the one thing that you should not correct using tone controls. If you have too much of too little bass or highs, it means that your system has issues and you need to address those. Tone controls usage are like sweeping dust under carpet.
If you are dipping your toe into the complex world of Hi-Fi I would recommend you watch this video several times and take it all in. This is a person sharing years of experience for your benefit. Great video 😊
Good stuff. Personally, at the minute, I throw my money at vinyl. It's useless to me if my hi-fi system cost £2000 but I only own 50 records. I love music more than equipment.
So true. I look at a couple of the audio groups that I am part of on Facebook, and constantly wonder, do these guys ever listen to music at all or is all of their time spent pinning for and looking for the next bigger amp, pre or speaker?
Great advice without doubt, but I’m pleased to say I’m now a ‘healed’ Audiophile after 30 years! I’ve done away with my expensive speakers, leaving behind a more than adequate invisible ‘wife friendly’ multi speaker Sonos system in lounge which admittedly sounds great 👍🏻 I now listen to a quality headphone setup ‘on occasion’ instead when I want full on Audiophile music streamed to my ears, so much more revealing! Upstairs I have a modern all-in-one QUAD system with S1s also with headphones. I now don’t worry about upgrades, positioning, interconnects etc etc.. I just ‘play & enjoy the music’. Recommended!!
YES!! Realizing what the weak link in your system is is crucial! I have bought $3000 amps and $5000 speakers and I still wasn’t totally satisfied. It’s only now that I’m coming to grips that my source was actually holding back my system all along!
Thank you! Great suggestions love the idea of pairing old with new. I have been thinking of pairing some AR9 speakers with an Adcom GFA-5802 Power Amp Cheers!🥂🎩
Love your channel and your experienced insight Calvin. The X factor is spot on. Mixing and matching gear is sooo much fun; especially when you have that elusive Eureka moment. First time this happened to me, I thought there was something wrong because the sound I was hearing was so ridiculously good. Love vintage gear and love the music.
Excellent video!! it took me a few years to realize that I hate ruler flat reproduction of music. A little EQ is almost always needed in my opinion. Agreed on your point regarding room acoustics as well. My system completely changed for the better after I added a rug, curtains, and diffuser panels to my room. I would say that room acoustics are responsible for around 70% of the overall sound of a system.
@@ENGLISHISBEST Okay… and you know for sure that every single home audio setup just happens to be producing the EXACT same thing they were dialing in at the studio?
My source is a very highly regarded piece of gear! It’s been almost universally praised and it’s probably THE top manufacturer of its field! I didn’t want to believe that it was actually the weak link in my system!
Superb wisdom, thank you. Just a thought - watch out for ageing ears! They can seriously affect your listening enjoyment. At nearly 70 I can't hear frequencies above 12KHz now and I have mild tinnitus. I was driving myself bonkers trying to improve my slowly deteriorating HiFi until I realised - it was me. It's just life, there's nothing you can do about it.
There are a couple of reasons for tinitus and it's not always old age. Be sure to turn off the wi fi and all electrical items at night as we build up positive energy in the body from microwave signals[ walk on the beach in bare feet or the garden if not near a beach [ this ground you and removes the pos frequency] we run on negative -25mv . also i use hydrogen peroxide mixture in my ears every so often and the clarity improves ! not advice just information. keep enjoying the music.
@@lilpony200 Interesting, thank you for your kind advice. My ear problems/damage stem from chronic psoriasis and a great love of rock music (loud), particularly as a youngster! Many years ago, I also did a fair amount of research into the biological effects of EM waves. This involved Sunderland Polytech, Cambridge Uni, and various hospitals - it's a fascinating (and little understood) subject. On the positive side, EM waves can help heal breakages and wounds. All the best, Beamer
@@elvisburgerking8675 With a first name like yours: was that driving around the Graceland estate in Memphis? I always knew it - he's still alive ;) Yep, there's nothing we can do about age, but on the bright side, and I don't know about you, I feel much more relaxed than I did when I was younger.
So much truth in this video, I’m a 50 year veteran audiophile as well, your spot on the $ , I have had some awful pre amplifiers that have made kept speakers from really singing, I love the tube combo pre amps, they can really add the final icing on the cake.
With living in a small studio apartment, I put my Pioneer speakers on the arms of my over stuff loveseat, and point the speakers towards me! I don't have to have it turn up very loud to hear the separation and it is better than listening to headphones! The sound is probably lower that when I play my tv.
Finally . A man that says it as it is . Everything he has said is everything I have tryed . My big mistake , Listening to people on youtube that are " Reviewers" Yes they are looking for sales thru there sites links below , or kick backs from the Companys . So Yes I have been led down the garden path so to speak . Only to find out exactly what this video is telling us . Speakers , price , amps , this and that don't add up to what you expect . I ended up with a used ten dollar Sony Reciever , with Free acoustic research small speakers , a used $40 dollar sub hooked uo to my TV via $30 optical to audio mini box , It sounds and works wonder after many ftys of expensive and complicated systens .7.1 surrounds etc.. But for my morning FM music I now have a 1980 yanmaha ($160) with matching tuner a500 hooked up to Missions lx2+ book shelf speakers . The sound is out of this world at low volumes and better louder . Yes the point is do not listen to all the hype and specs etc .. for less then $400 Canadian I got the sound I wanted , And the all the highly rated expensive items ended up being sold off .
I agree with what you said about prioritizing on a better amp rather then speakers . A good amp goes a long way.. Same for guitar players. I’d rather have a 800 dollar amp and 300 dollar guitar then 800 dollar guitar and a 300 dollar amp. Some might disagree but that’s what I’ve come to learn.
I've been mixing (re-built) vintage, new and home-built for 10+ years now. It's really not all that hard to do with some basic knowledge of electronics. But I disagree with you on EQ's. If they are properly adjusted to the room acoustics (with a test record) they can be a huge benefit. The biggest issue with "vintage" EQ's are the (inferior) quality of the legacy Op-amps used. That's what ruins the "depth" of the image more so than the EQ settings. DeOxit is good stuff !
A lot of what we buy is because of our budget limitations, which is sort of what you said. Over the weekend I just pick up (from the ORIGINAL owner) a Yamaha CR-600 and two BIG speakers for $300, all in excellent condition. The speakers I'm certain are ones you've never heard of - Audiocoustics Laboratory XR-310F - a "house brand" speaker sold by a high end audio store here in Indianapolis, designed to compete with Advent at the time. Very well built and they really pack a punch!
Excellent advice. Very much appreciate your fifteen points and I am saving your video so that I can watch it again when I need to refer to the advice. Thank you.
Well said. Your most important point was the last. Enjoy what you have, and enjoy the music. My (mainly used) gear cost less than £1k, but from the moment I switch it all on I am filled with joy. I know there is loads of room for improvement but until I'm ready to upgrade I don't even want to hear systems I can't afford, I feel that will just detract from what I've got right now. Too many people just want,want, want and never take the time to enjoy what they've got. There also seems to be a good deal of boasting and arguing going on at the forums, I wonder if they have time to listen to music, or indeed are actually into it.
Measurements are like reading an ingredients list and portions for a recipe - it doesnt mean it’s gonna taste good and measurements doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good. everything you say makes a lot of sense.
Enjoyed your vid. Great tips from your many years. REally liked the one about using your ears and enjoying the music over the specs or power of a system. Thankyou
I personally don't like sitting where theres a wall/windows right behind me. I like when the music pushes pass me into another room ie kitchen etc...then I can stand up and change distances from speakers.
I like to" feel "music sometimes 20 watts not cutting it with my floor standing Ruarks In 40 years of listening my true wow moment was the introduction of a 600 wpc power amp. This power amp gave me a new CD player Turntable and Speakers. I'll miss quote him "If you want a big sound get a big amp and big speakers" 😁
I have an a21a, in keeping it around because it looks so nice . Sounds good too though I still use my Yamaha most of the time. It's probably the technically better amp . The Sugden has a nice subjective balance of sound that's just right. Not too rolled off but smooth.
Kelvin Brilliant advice. I'm guessing there will be many youngsters out there that will still learn the hard way but in some ways that's some of the fun. As a man of years 66 years🥴 I'm so glad I eventually copped onto your channel. You have blown away so many myth's you have taught me so much about vintage components it has lifted my hi fi system to a level that belies it's cost. Of course I would love to have thousands to spend and chase perfection but by listening to your advice at last I feel satisfied with my system that I can sit and enjoy the music. Keep up the good work Steve
Thank you! You said "vintage" speakers, it suddenly occurred to me that my Spendor SP9/1's are in fact vintage - I bought them twenty years ago and never looked back. Just completed rotating the cones 180 degree - sounds awesome! SP9/1 speakers + Pass Aleph 5 amp = magic.
Thank you Kelvin. As a beginner in vintage hifi I've learned loads from your videos. I have a set now with NAD and Celestion gear which cost a pittance and sounds brilliant.
Nice, as usual. I like small speakers, I like tall speakers 😃 in fact I like all kinds of speakers, I always a couple of systems set up. My main system, tone control free. My integrated second system, a receiver with tone controls, sometimes a little added colour is what's called for, especially with some rough old recordings 😃 speaker placement, yes, keeping things right yes. For me the speakers are the most important part... If your speakers are letting the side down, then no matter what sits upstream of them, you'll only realize parts of its delights! Get the speakers that you really enjoy and then a decent amo, and you'll find tons of source components that are pretty great. Love your videos Kelvin
You and I have been in this fun hobby for around the same amount of time. I started when I was 13yrs old here in Canada in 1976. I have played around with many brands of gear and components over the years and now, since I am retiring, I am content with my current setup which except for my Audio Research SP14 preamp and REL sub, all my gear is used Rega gear. Rega Exon 3 mono blocks, Rega RS5 speakers, P6 turntable, Ania Pro mc cart, Rega DAC R, Rega Apollo CD and Ear headphone amp. My headphones are Sennheiser 6XX. Thanks for posting! Most informative and enjoyable.
I know they're big speakers but...don't forget the vintage Spendor S100 speakers😁...and yes I do belive a mix of vintage and a modern pre amp does wonders to your vintage gear...as always, love that Lava lamp in the backround✨
Thanks for the video. I agree with you we're definitely in the minority regarding amp before speakers. I simply believe in "garbage in, garbage out." You can't max your speakers without good electronics. To be clear, the Denon below is my second system, I got into Naim last year which I understand costs me way more in the US.
Always love the content. Please keep them coming. Love the vintage / modern mix idea. I’m kinda opposite using vintage McIntosh with modern speakers, Dac, streamer. Sometimes tone controls can be very helpful. Speakers (especially modern) that are bright can truly be helped by a little intervention.
I'm no expert but I just recently got to a point in building my system where I am completely blown away by the sounds I'm getting. Ecstasy. And I did it on a relatively tight budget ( 400€). Started with a pretty decent Technics direct drive turntable (80), then Marantz 2225L Amp (180), and then this last weekend picked up two Audio Research 2AX speakers (150). For 400€ my life is changed. It feels like the musicians are in my living room playing for me. Unbelievable feeling. Possibly the best 400€ I've ever spent. Great video, thanks! 2 little tips to add maybe for people who want records : 1. really take the time to set up / adjust your record player correctly. 2. Fight dust like a madman.
If I may add or summarize: build a house brick by brick, listen to other people's experiences, but trust your ears... if you are an audiophile. And if you end up enjoying it, you’ve reached your goal. Cheers!
@@SlinkiestTortoise23I've been burned several times buying very old amps off ebay, and personally I prefer big speakers. I listen to mostly hard/rock metal.
Happily. after listening to recordings since 1940, my ears are less acute in the higher registers but remain adequate. Most music lies in the midrange - about 85% of it. So I'm still tapping my toes and smiling. I agree with your advice. I would place speaker size most important, as to recreating live sound and its presence. The laws of physics dictate the optimal size of the enclosure, the listening room and the acoustics. Still, we have the intangible factor of the emotions to take us back to happier times when the world was young. Some are content with playing a harmonica, other want a large pipe organ in their space and nothing else will do. But it's all subjective. I'm thankful I can hear up to 14kHz and feel the deepest bass on my body, immersing myself in glorious sound, whilst staying disgustingly sober! My younger brother is deaf. His ear were destroyed by being around noisy machinery from an early age.
Impressed. I had my first system in 1976 & hearing is affected. I wear hearing aids but only when out due to levels. I can still pick out lows & highs. The funny thing is though I still enjoy music. Once when on jury service I couldn't hear hardly anything because of mumbling. It was an attempted murder case & they just gave me a head set. The guy tried to kill his mum but was properly insane & ended up in an asylum. 9 months later there was a hour long TV documentary on TV about the very same case. ANYHOW no equalizers they are not for serious listeners.
If you are the age you suggest , I would wager a lot of money you CANNOT hear 14kHz. That's the hearing of someone 30 years of age , give or take. I'm an audiologist and have tested thousands of people young and old. The other points you raise are interesting.
tip number 4 made me happy. I'm currently waiting on a Yamaha A-S801 to pair with some ADS L810 speakers. I hope they mix well. This will be my first system.
Tone controls, when used right, can make up for shortcomings in poor recordings, or speakers with poorly designed crossovers with weak tweeters or boomy woofers. They can also work wonders on problems with a too soft or too live room. Luxman and McIntosh make some of the best amplifiers on earth, and they have tone controls! DUH!
Excellent as always Kelvin just to add ensure your speakers are in phase especially if cables are not coded and swap them regularly to ensure they sound the same.
Mostly good advice except there’s a difference between tight and over tightening, don’t want to strip threads or damage headshells when tightening cartridges.
Yes it’s very hard to define the strength with words and some people will go too far so it’s a problem. One way of putting it is that I personally find most peoples cartridges to loose. Cheers K
Find a good match is so true! I’ve spent hours trying different combos and have found some excellent pairings. And found some that don’t blend. But that’s part of the fun of this hobby. Great video Thanks for sharing
I had a audio engineer visit me once, he was buying a set of speakers of me. He listened to my main set up , long story short. He spend already 8k on gathering the same gear I run 😂
Agree on all but the tone controls. Done right and used with moderation tone controls can save a bad recording and make a net benefit. When not in use just push the direct/bypass button and go pure. Just bought a pair of really good speakers and they reveal all the shortcomings in my other gear and the shifting quality in power supply. Great speakers don't automaticly mean great sound. Great source and amp always add to a net positive.
It is amazing how many people wire their gear OUT OF PHASE! Make sure the speaker wire coming out of the positive (usually red ) power source ( receiver, etc. ) is connected to the red, or positive, input on the speaker! ( The opposite goes for the Negative. ) Also, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, hard wire your gear! ( Do not run the video coming from your Blu-ray, etc., into the receiver and then into the monitor; bypass the receiver and run it directly into the monitor! ) The same goes for audio where applicable. Another good bit of advice is: ignore convenient fads ( streaming, MP3 players, etc. ) and go with what works ( CDs, SACDs, LPs, ect. )
@@chrisbow1776 The closest distance between two points is a straight line! Any stop you make between two points ( electronically speaking ) degrades the signal. I started doing this in the 1980's. ( And yes, my Pioneer Elite A/V receiver has NO video signal going through it! ) Keep in mind, not all gear is capable of being wired this way.
I hooked up a pair od 38 year old American Koss "dynamite" speakers to a 1970's Technics SU V76 integrated AMP the one with the built in fan inside the case. Then I added two more Technics surround speakers above me in my basement. Plus an old American subwoofer. The speaker cables were thirty years old also. It turned out to be as interesting and fun as my NAD C 326BEE integrated AMP hooked up to Canadian made Totem Mites and the Totem Storm subwoofer. Old can be excellent !
will that nonsense about vinyl sounding good never stop? bad dynamics, noise and a terrible frequency curve and when only that sounds good the speakers are crap
I wouldn't spend 60.000 pounds in my whole life either. I don't have as much. If you see me now I'm listening music with my computer. A sound blaster XFI and a set of cheap Creative 5.1 speakers and Im so happy with it. Sooo happy really.
But Kelvin, isn't half the fun in the journey, comparing components and gaining experience, until you find the sound you're happy with? Sure, you can go to a dealer and say "Give me something good" - but the dealer's 'good' might not be your 'good'! Point 15, though, is the clincher - once you've found the sound you like, you've won the game.
This guy is right on. Since I was 16, when I bought my first real system, I got the idea that it's about a system and needs to match or the weakest link would bring down the whole thing to that lowest level of SQ. Later you can upgrade something like a processor or speakers but then you will have a good idea what difference it makes. It's going to cost a lot to get great sound and that's a fact of life. Hobbies are not cheap, boating, photography, flying, motorcycles and cars all cost a bundle to have nice stuff, stereos are the same. I can't live with out great sound and never have. I love this guys assessment of how to build a system, he's right on. The only thing I used to say different from him is about the speakers, I always said they produce the sound to your ears and no system can sound better than you speakers, so buy the best ones you can afford at the time and then upgrade from a receiver to separates later, turntable to a CD player and the cartridge was more important than the turntable, I used to say the two most important things are what pick up the signal and what put it out, the wires and amps and processors can all be upgraded to match those later. But it's really a system and it can take years to afford the whole thing.
1. Speaker placement / tilting . . 0:26
2. Keep connections tight . . 1:34
3. Find out the weak link in your system (don't trust the badge) . . 2:12
4. Mix vintage with new . . 3:30
5. Run it flat . . 5:02
6. Room acoustics . . 6:24
7. Tighten the screws (don't overdo it on wood) . . 7:33
8. Money . . 8:28
9. Clean the pots . . 10:08 (heard rumours that DeOxit exposes terminals to corrosion, I use Servisol)
10. Mix and match equipment . . 11:11
11. Is it satisfactory . . 13:00 (find out what makes your heart flutter )
12. Try it for yourself . . 15:08
13. Beware of chasing WATTS . . 16:50
14. Big sound doesn't come in small speakers . . 17:50
15. It's all about the music, man . . 19:10
Push this up!
I concur
He said: “Loose connections, lose signal” and then “Loose wires, lose signal”.
Not ‘loose signal’.
@@Brinta3 thanks!
It is all stating the obvious
Good advice. My 2 cents: If you want to save money, spend double the amount of money you are currently comfortable with. Then keep the equipment for ever.
I like it
Dealing with this profesionally for 42 years now, I am positively surprised by this video. There is a ton of wisdom in here. Of course I subscribe. Hats off!
Fantastic advice, 40 years of experience delivered in 20 minutes. Outstanding.
…saved you about 40 years of your lifetime 😂
Fu*k yea😃😃
Glad to see Your Still Alive. I Love your Way of Stereo review And I Hope Your OK Alive And Doing well And Healthy. Is their any chance you could Just do A Video Just Letting Everyone Know what's Been Happening in your life These Days As We No longer see you on the channel. We Love Ya And I Have 1M People That Watch Your Videos With me. And Were Real Concerned If You OK these days. Any sort of catching up video we sure would love. Thanks ....
Nice Mr k (aka Hi-Fi Yoda). Here’s a man who sinks his heart and soul into an art. Obtains a huge amount of good knowledge and passes it on through this media platform - for FREE. Takes time, effort not to mention money to get these out to us. We all appreciate it. You make a difference to a lot of lives with the choices we make and the money we spend.
We applaud you sir.
Well said MrKaby. May I 2nd that.
Great to hear thanks everyone
K
Hi-Fi yoda... Lol
Thanks for very good advice. Amusingly my Quad 405 from 1978 is still my favourite SS amp and I have tried a lot of equipment...
Yes that’s a good one
Perhaps some of the most honest and real world advise you will ever get on this subject.
I bought a pair of floor standing Mordant Short 906's and my wife made me put one behind the TV and the other at the end of the sofa. Sounds great! No headache!!
I use an EQ in between my speakers and amp. I have to for the sake of my enjoyment. Some albums were recorded terribly. When they’re good on their own, I just turn on direct. I also make sure that the EQ doesn’t color or change the type of sound as well, even when bypassing and going directly.
You have the right approach to use an equalizer.
A great rule to live by: Don't judge your set-up by the quality of a recording.
There are speakers that are more honest than others and lie to you less, giving you the illusion that your speakers (or stack) has failed you
when in fact, it could be that the mastering or recording of a certain album has been revealed as shoddy or poor of quality.
Listen to a lot of albums before you lose hope.
100% agree. Some records, particularly newer records, but not all, just don't sound right on my fairly vintage system. 95% of my records sound wonderful.
Respect for naming the gear you don’t like! I hate when reviewers don’t mention products they think sound bad
This guy is like the Hemingway of Hifi 😂😂…Love it!! My old man has this level of knowledge but it’s awesome to see it on youtube.
Absolutely fantastic! I am an older audiophile too. I wish I would have known these things when I was young. On the other hand, the trial and error over the years was a lot of fun.
Nice work!
Totally agree. The gradual breakthroughs are very rewarding.
Tone controls a great. You should like what you hear and have to like what you hear!
Agree, especially the part about getting ''class'' straight away instead of working your way up the ladder with multiple buy/sell/buy...
You are so right, but sometimes "trading up" is the only financially practical way to achieve that quality sound. The end does justifies the means.
I'll second that this advice is fantastic and presented properly without a script my I add!😬 Couldn't be more accurate of a statement!🤔🤭🤗😉😇
my advise that you like the sound , save you money and keep what you got
Great advice , l spent so much money of chancing perfection, could of bought another house. got so frustrated that lt put me off with my life time Hobby. So now l have what sound good at the time and leave it at that. Now l love my music
Yes all those magazines and reviews get you going most times they don’t deliver
My old Naim NAIT (currently in the care of my eldest son), is just 13 watts and still sounds beautiful, fully able to fill a reasonably sized room & drive some decent speakers (like my old Linn Index Plus', also in the tender care of son number 1).
BRAVO ! I've been soldering wires for 54 yrs. - as well. Many Many great suggestions coming from years of experience. Well Done. Room Acoustics is Number '' 1 '' for me. I see sound rooms with sliding glass doors, fireplaces, totally irregular shapes , hardwood floors. etc. 50 % gear, 50 % room acoustics. and yes. McIntosh would appreciate the gesture.
I’d also add keep your ears clean and healthy. Pretty much the main component in enjoying music:)
Switch cleaner is a great tip. I also use it on the turntable head shell. It makes a big improvement. Great video thank you for sharing. Signal path where your sound is coming from and how you listen and what you listen to sums up all these great tips.
Great advice, especially the last bit, it really is all about the music, no matter what you are using to listen to it with.
There is something very credible and honest about this guy. Never overstating, never postulating nor pretending to know too much - but always giving valuable information’s and opinions, letting you know which is which. Great !
Thanks mate appreciated
K
Ultimately, if it sounds good to you, its right.
Tone controls are a very important tool
Hi, I agree with you on 14 of 15 things. But tone controls are necessary to certain extent to easily fade out room correction or if you have too much bass or too much highs you can.
This is the one thing that you should not correct using tone controls. If you have too much of too little bass or highs, it means that your system has issues and you need to address those. Tone controls usage are like sweeping dust under carpet.
No. No. No. Your using excuses. Don't tamper with the tones.
If you are dipping your toe into the complex world of Hi-Fi I would recommend you watch this video several times and take it all in. This is a person sharing years of experience for your benefit. Great video 😊
Thanks for that!
Good stuff. Personally, at the minute, I throw my money at vinyl.
It's useless to me if my hi-fi system cost £2000 but I only own 50 records.
I love music more than equipment.
It's all about the music.
Fairpoint
So true. I look at a couple of the audio groups that I am part of on Facebook, and constantly wonder, do these guys ever listen to music at all or is all of their time spent pinning for and looking for the next bigger amp, pre or speaker?
That being said, records tend to be the most expensive way to buy music new
the Lava lamp is the key to great sound :-)
It’s a Mackintosh lave lamp
Great advice without doubt, but I’m pleased to say I’m now a ‘healed’ Audiophile after 30 years!
I’ve done away with my expensive speakers, leaving behind a more than adequate invisible ‘wife friendly’ multi speaker Sonos system in lounge which admittedly sounds great 👍🏻 I now listen to a quality headphone setup ‘on occasion’ instead when I want full on Audiophile music streamed to my ears, so much more revealing!
Upstairs I have a modern all-in-one QUAD system with S1s also with headphones. I now don’t worry about upgrades, positioning, interconnects etc etc.. I just ‘play & enjoy the music’. Recommended!!
Definitely one of the best review i heard about Hifi.... And definitely love the last (but not least) tip 👍🏾👌🏾👏🏾👏🏾!!
YES!! Realizing what the weak link in your system is is crucial! I have bought $3000 amps and $5000 speakers and I still wasn’t totally satisfied. It’s only now that I’m coming to grips that my source was actually holding back my system all along!
Correct, that’s why a chain is only as good as its weakest link
What was your source
@@jeffn1384 It's an original VPI Scout. I know it's a renowned turntable bit I'm starting to think it's an overrated turntable.
Pre-amp...?!
@@2112res he said: turntable !
Thank you! Great suggestions love the idea of pairing old with new. I have been thinking of pairing some AR9 speakers with an Adcom GFA-5802 Power Amp Cheers!🥂🎩
Love your channel and your experienced insight Calvin. The X factor is spot on. Mixing and matching gear is sooo much fun; especially when you have that elusive Eureka moment. First time this happened to me, I thought there was something wrong because the sound I was hearing was so ridiculously good. Love vintage gear and love the music.
This is brilliant! Honest, unbiased and straight to the point. Great advice delivered under 20mins.
Thanks Erwin
Excellent video!! it took me a few years to realize that I hate ruler flat reproduction of music. A little EQ is almost always needed in my opinion. Agreed on your point regarding room acoustics as well. My system completely changed for the better after I added a rug, curtains, and diffuser panels to my room. I would say that room acoustics are responsible for around 70% of the overall sound of a system.
No equalizer its just a money spinner gadget. They didn't spend days in the studio for you to change the tones.
@@ENGLISHISBEST Okay… and you know for sure that every single home audio setup just happens to be producing the EXACT same thing they were dialing in at the studio?
Love your Lava lamp!...you have the most realistic reviews and help over most all audiophiles on RUclips...👍🏼🎶🎶
My source is a very highly regarded piece of gear! It’s been almost universally praised and it’s probably THE top manufacturer of its field! I didn’t want to believe that it was actually the weak link in my system!
Was it?
@@jim586 Well, it wasn't before but now that I've upgraded my amp and speakers so much it is now.
Smallish speaker that does it all, Mackie HR824 mk1 or mk2, drive them from a good tube pre. They deliver 💪
Superb wisdom, thank you. Just a thought - watch out for ageing ears! They can seriously affect your listening enjoyment. At nearly 70 I can't hear frequencies above 12KHz now and I have mild tinnitus. I was driving myself bonkers trying to improve my slowly deteriorating HiFi until I realised - it was me. It's just life, there's nothing you can do about it.
There are a couple of reasons for tinitus and it's not always old age. Be sure to turn off the wi fi and all electrical items at night as we build up positive energy in the body from microwave signals[ walk on the beach in bare feet or the garden if not near a beach [ this ground you and removes the pos frequency] we run on negative -25mv . also i use hydrogen peroxide mixture in my ears every so often and the clarity improves ! not advice just information. keep enjoying the music.
@@lilpony200 Interesting, thank you for your kind advice. My ear problems/damage stem from chronic psoriasis and a great love of rock music (loud), particularly as a youngster! Many years ago, I also did a fair amount of research into the biological effects of EM waves. This involved Sunderland Polytech, Cambridge Uni, and various hospitals - it's a fascinating (and little understood) subject. On the positive side, EM waves can help heal breakages and wounds. All the best, Beamer
I know the feeling I owned 3 generations of S class Mercedes and was convinced the headlights on these things are getting worse with each generation.
@@elvisburgerking8675 With a first name like yours: was that driving around the Graceland estate in Memphis? I always knew it - he's still alive ;) Yep, there's nothing we can do about age, but on the bright side, and I don't know about you, I feel much more relaxed than I did when I was younger.
honestly i do t see what frequency has to dow ith anything. 55 here and i cant hear above 10k.
So much truth in this video, I’m a 50 year veteran audiophile as well, your spot on the $ , I have had some awful pre amplifiers that have made kept speakers from really singing, I love the tube combo pre amps, they can really add the final icing on the cake.
With living in a small studio apartment, I put my Pioneer speakers on the arms of my over stuff loveseat, and point the speakers towards me! I don't have to have it turn up very loud to hear the separation and it is better than listening to headphones! The sound is probably lower that when I play my tv.
Finally . A man that says it as it is . Everything he has said is everything I have tryed . My big mistake , Listening to people on youtube that are " Reviewers" Yes they are looking for sales thru there sites links below , or kick backs from the Companys . So Yes I have been led down the garden path so to speak . Only to find out exactly what this video is telling us . Speakers , price , amps , this and that don't add up to what you expect . I ended up with a used ten dollar Sony Reciever , with Free acoustic research small speakers , a used $40 dollar sub hooked uo to my TV via $30 optical to audio mini box , It sounds and works wonder after many ftys of expensive and complicated systens .7.1 surrounds etc.. But for my morning FM music I now have a 1980 yanmaha ($160) with matching tuner a500 hooked up to Missions lx2+ book shelf speakers . The sound is out of this world at low volumes and better louder . Yes the point is do not listen to all the hype and specs etc .. for less then $400 Canadian I got the sound I wanted , And the all the highly rated expensive items ended up being sold off .
Yes you’re better reading nothing just listening
Great, honest, down to earth advice as always. Thanks. Enjoyed the video.
I agree with what you said about prioritizing on a better amp rather then speakers
. A good amp goes a long way..
Same for guitar players. I’d rather have a 800 dollar amp and 300 dollar guitar then 800 dollar guitar and a 300 dollar amp. Some might disagree but that’s what I’ve come to learn.
I've been mixing (re-built) vintage, new and home-built for 10+ years now. It's really not all that hard to do with some basic knowledge of electronics. But I disagree with you on EQ's. If they are properly adjusted to the room acoustics (with a test record) they can be a huge benefit. The biggest issue with "vintage" EQ's are the (inferior) quality of the legacy Op-amps used. That's what ruins the "depth" of the image more so than the EQ settings. DeOxit is good stuff !
A lot of what we buy is because of our budget limitations, which is sort of what you said. Over the weekend I just pick up (from the ORIGINAL owner) a Yamaha CR-600 and two BIG speakers for $300, all in excellent condition. The speakers I'm certain are ones you've never heard of - Audiocoustics Laboratory XR-310F - a "house brand" speaker sold by a high end audio store here in Indianapolis, designed to compete with Advent at the time. Very well built and they really pack a punch!
Put your speakers where your wife tells you to, this will protect your ears .
Tip number 16
don t buy small speakers
Never get married. Best thing I ever did.
@@AlexDroog71 te laat
Happy wife, happy life!
Excellent advice. Very much appreciate your fifteen points and I am saving your video so that I can watch it again when I need to refer to the advice. Thank you.
Good advice, Calvin. A must view for anyone looking to scratch that itch!
Well said. Your most important point was the last. Enjoy what you have, and enjoy the music. My (mainly used) gear cost less than £1k, but from the moment I switch it all on I am filled with joy. I know there is loads of room for improvement but until I'm ready to upgrade I don't even want to hear systems I can't afford, I feel that will just detract from what I've got right now. Too many people just want,want, want and never take the time to enjoy what they've got. There also seems to be a good deal of boasting and arguing going on at the forums, I wonder if they have time to listen to music, or indeed are actually into it.
Measurements are like reading an ingredients list and portions for a recipe - it doesnt mean it’s gonna taste good and measurements doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good. everything you say makes a lot of sense.
Enjoyed your vid. Great tips from your many years. REally liked the one about using your ears and enjoying the music over the specs or power of a system. Thankyou
I personally don't like sitting where theres a wall/windows right behind me. I like when the music pushes pass me into another room ie kitchen etc...then I can stand up and change distances from speakers.
Love your joy and enthusiasm for the hobby. Keep it up :)
Buy Paul's book(PS Audio) on setting up your stereo for your individual room requirements. Comes with a CD that will actually help you using sounds.
Great presentation! Love the advice about experimenting. Also, the comment about mixing vintage and new gear. Thanks!
Futility of chasing watts. Never a truer word spoken . I keep going back to my Sugden A21a - 20 watts per channel of sublime sound.
Have the 21SE. Both fantastic amps
I like to" feel "music sometimes 20 watts not cutting it with my floor standing Ruarks In 40 years of listening my true wow moment was the introduction of a 600 wpc power amp. This power amp gave me a new CD player Turntable and Speakers.
I'll miss quote him
"If you want a big sound get a big amp and big speakers"
😁
@@sbwlearning1372 nice one
I have an a21a, in keeping it around because it looks so nice . Sounds good too though I still use my Yamaha most of the time. It's probably the technically better amp . The Sugden has a nice subjective balance of sound that's just right. Not too rolled off but smooth.
Kelvin
Brilliant advice.
I'm guessing there will be many youngsters out there that will still learn the hard way but in some ways that's some of the fun.
As a man of years 66 years🥴 I'm so glad I eventually copped onto your channel.
You have blown away so many myth's you have taught me so much about vintage components it has lifted my hi fi system to a level that belies it's cost.
Of course I would love to have thousands to spend and chase perfection but by listening to your advice at last I feel satisfied with my system that I can sit and enjoy the music.
Keep up the good work
Steve
That’s great to hear thanks Steve
Thank you! You said "vintage" speakers, it suddenly occurred to me that my Spendor SP9/1's are in fact vintage - I bought them twenty years ago and never looked back. Just completed rotating the cones 180 degree - sounds awesome! SP9/1 speakers + Pass Aleph 5 amp = magic.
Thank you Kelvin. As a beginner in vintage hifi I've learned loads from your videos. I have a set now with NAD and Celestion gear which cost a pittance and sounds brilliant.
That’s £1000 you saved
Mines a pint 😀
Nice, as usual. I like small speakers, I like tall speakers 😃 in fact I like all kinds of speakers, I always a couple of systems set up. My main system, tone control free. My integrated second system, a receiver with tone controls, sometimes a little added colour is what's called for, especially with some rough old recordings 😃 speaker placement, yes, keeping things right yes. For me the speakers are the most important part... If your speakers are letting the side down, then no matter what sits upstream of them, you'll only realize parts of its delights! Get the speakers that you really enjoy and then a decent amo, and you'll find tons of source components that are pretty great. Love your videos Kelvin
You and I have been in this fun hobby for around the same amount of time. I started when I was 13yrs old here in Canada in 1976. I have played around with many brands of gear and components over the years and now, since I am retiring, I am content with my current setup which except for my Audio Research SP14 preamp and REL sub, all my gear is used Rega gear. Rega Exon 3 mono blocks, Rega RS5 speakers, P6 turntable, Ania Pro mc cart, Rega DAC R, Rega Apollo CD and Ear headphone amp. My headphones are Sennheiser 6XX. Thanks for posting! Most informative and enjoyable.
Really good to hear from you that we should focus on music instead of equipment, big money don't mean big pleasure. Have a good time buddy.
I know they're big speakers but...don't forget the vintage Spendor S100 speakers😁...and yes I do belive a mix of vintage and a modern pre amp does wonders to your vintage gear...as always, love that Lava lamp in the backround✨
Funny thing, if I was ever gonna sell a product on my channel, it’s probably the lava lamp 😅
@@stereoreviewx 🤣
Thanks for the video. I agree with you we're definitely in the minority regarding amp before speakers. I simply believe in "garbage in, garbage out." You can't max your speakers without good electronics.
To be clear, the Denon below is my second system, I got into Naim last year which I understand costs me way more in the US.
I disagree. Unless your amp is really crappy, it's better to spend money on speaker then room imo
@@RennieAsh I think so as well. Speakers will make the most differnce hands down!
Great advice here, I got Klipsch Cornwall IV paired with NAIM Uniti Atom....old speakers with modern gear is a winning combination.
Always love the content. Please keep them coming. Love the vintage / modern mix idea. I’m kinda opposite using vintage McIntosh with modern speakers, Dac, streamer. Sometimes tone controls can be very helpful. Speakers (especially modern) that are bright can truly be helped by a little intervention.
It's absolutely about the music! Used to chase the myth that anything will sound good on a good system
Every single tip is on the money. All great advice. Thanks Kelvin!
Thanks mate
I'm no expert but I just recently got to a point in building my system where I am completely blown away by the sounds I'm getting. Ecstasy. And I did it on a relatively tight budget ( 400€). Started with a pretty decent Technics direct drive turntable (80), then Marantz 2225L Amp (180), and then this last weekend picked up two Audio Research 2AX speakers (150). For 400€ my life is changed. It feels like the musicians are in my living room playing for me. Unbelievable feeling. Possibly the best 400€ I've ever spent. Great video, thanks!
2 little tips to add maybe for people who want records : 1. really take the time to set up / adjust your record player correctly. 2. Fight dust like a madman.
Kelvin, You’ve been uncharacteristically absent. I hope all is well! Looking forward to your return.
I've watched hundreds of hifi videos on RUclips and this is the best one.
If I may add or summarize: build a house brick by brick, listen to other people's experiences, but trust your ears... if you are an audiophile. And if you end up enjoying it, you’ve reached your goal. Cheers!
*EVERYTHING said here is great advice and very helpful. Eye opening indeed. THANK YOU.*
Big speakers, and don't go too old or too expensive for the amp. There, that's my advice.
That’s hilarious! My amp was made in 1965 and my speakers are LS3/5A and they are tiny!! Best sounding system I’ve had!
@@SlinkiestTortoise23I've been burned several times buying very old amps off ebay, and personally I prefer big speakers. I listen to mostly hard/rock metal.
What a great video. Applies to both who have been in this hobby for ages and anyone just coming into it. These little things are often overlooked.
Happily. after listening to recordings since 1940, my ears are less acute in the higher registers but remain adequate. Most music lies in the midrange - about 85% of it. So I'm still tapping my toes and smiling. I agree with your advice. I would place speaker size most important, as to recreating live sound and its presence. The laws of physics dictate the optimal size of the enclosure, the listening room and the acoustics. Still, we have the intangible factor of the emotions to take us back to happier times when the world was young. Some are content with playing a harmonica, other want a large pipe organ in their space and nothing else will do. But it's all subjective. I'm thankful I can hear up to 14kHz and feel the deepest bass on my body, immersing myself in glorious sound, whilst staying disgustingly sober! My younger brother is deaf. His ear were destroyed by being around noisy machinery from an early age.
Impressed. I had my first system in 1976 & hearing is affected. I wear hearing aids but only when out due to levels. I can still pick out lows & highs. The funny thing is though I still enjoy music. Once when on jury service I couldn't hear hardly anything because of mumbling. It was an attempted murder case & they just gave me a head set. The guy tried to kill his mum but was properly insane & ended up in an asylum. 9 months later there was a hour long TV documentary on TV about the very same case. ANYHOW no equalizers they are not for serious listeners.
If you are the age you suggest , I would wager a lot of money you CANNOT hear 14kHz. That's the hearing of someone 30 years of age , give or take. I'm an audiologist and have tested thousands of people young and old. The other points you raise are interesting.
tip number 4 made me happy. I'm currently waiting on a Yamaha A-S801 to pair with some ADS L810 speakers. I hope they mix well. This will be my first system.
Tone controls, when used right, can make up for shortcomings in poor recordings, or speakers with poorly designed crossovers with weak tweeters or boomy woofers. They can also work wonders on problems with a too soft or too live room. Luxman and McIntosh make some of the best amplifiers on earth, and they have tone controls! DUH!
I DO AGREE !!!!
Excellent as always Kelvin just to add ensure your speakers are in phase especially if cables are not coded and swap them regularly to ensure they sound the same.
Mostly good advice except there’s a difference between tight and over tightening, don’t want to strip threads or damage headshells when tightening cartridges.
Absolutely right. Finger strength, not wrist strength is how I would put it.
Yes it’s very hard to define the strength with words and some people will go too far so it’s a problem.
One way of putting it is that I personally find most peoples cartridges to loose.
Cheers K
Find a good match is so true! I’ve spent hours trying different combos and have found some excellent pairings. And found some that don’t blend. But that’s part of the fun of this hobby.
Great video
Thanks for sharing
You know you have arrived when you think the musicians are in the room with you. Very few systems can do that.
I had a audio engineer visit me once, he was buying a set of speakers of me.
He listened to my main set up , long story short. He spend already 8k on gathering the same gear I run 😂
Agree on all but the tone controls. Done right and used with moderation tone controls can save a bad recording and make a net benefit. When not in use just push the direct/bypass button and go pure.
Just bought a pair of really good speakers and they reveal all the shortcomings in my other gear and the shifting quality in power supply.
Great speakers don't automaticly mean great sound. Great source and amp always add to a net positive.
Agreed
It is amazing how many people wire their gear OUT OF PHASE! Make sure the speaker wire coming out of the positive (usually red ) power source ( receiver, etc. ) is connected to the red, or positive, input on the speaker! ( The opposite goes for the Negative. ) Also, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, hard wire your gear! ( Do not run the video coming from your Blu-ray, etc., into the receiver and then into the monitor; bypass the receiver and run it directly into the monitor! ) The same goes for audio where applicable. Another good bit of advice is: ignore convenient fads ( streaming, MP3 players, etc. ) and go with what works ( CDs, SACDs, LPs, ect. )
Your mention of wiring the video directly to the TV peaked my ears. Why would you bypass the av amp?
@@chrisbow1776 The closest distance between two points is a straight line! Any stop you make between two points ( electronically speaking ) degrades the signal. I started doing this in the 1980's. ( And yes, my Pioneer Elite A/V receiver has NO video signal going through it! ) Keep in mind, not all gear is capable of being wired this way.
I hooked up a pair od 38 year old American Koss "dynamite" speakers to a 1970's Technics SU V76 integrated AMP the one with the built in fan inside the case. Then I added two more Technics surround speakers above me in my basement. Plus an old American subwoofer. The speaker cables were thirty years old also.
It turned out to be as interesting and fun as my NAD C 326BEE integrated AMP hooked up to Canadian made Totem Mites and the Totem Storm subwoofer. Old can be excellent !
Rule #1: Never trust anyone's oipinion. Find out for yourself!
Your own ears are the final judge and then your funding determines if that works for you.
Agreed
@@nicksundby I didn't say ignore, I says don't "trust"...but everyone ignore your smartass but whole comment
I file information away and add a grain of salt. Maybe they are right, or partially so...or lead to something even better.
I agree when it's time for you to make the decision but it sounds to me like you need to hang out with different friends.
Great video. On the subject of watts, a lot seem to tell a bunch of lies anyway. So I don't pay much attention to output power.
I see Bruce Lee on the wall! A fellow fan.
Super advice! Rotating woofers is an important tip for vintage speakers. Also, some vintage era speakers just don't sound right with CDs
will that nonsense about vinyl sounding good never stop? bad dynamics, noise and a terrible frequency curve and when only that sounds good the speakers are crap
"I don't think the measuring devices needed have even been made to truly say when something sounds good"
Hell Yeah
Of course, this is not quite right. They do exist. They are called Ears 😁
I wouldn't spend 60.000 pounds in my whole life either. I don't have as much.
If you see me now I'm listening music with my computer. A sound blaster XFI and a set of cheap Creative 5.1 speakers and Im so happy with it. Sooo happy really.
But Kelvin, isn't half the fun in the journey, comparing components and gaining experience, until you find the sound you're happy with? Sure, you can go to a dealer and say "Give me something good" - but the dealer's 'good' might not be your 'good'!
Point 15, though, is the clincher - once you've found the sound you like, you've won the game.
But there's always something better
“You may be trying to get sound out of a room you’ll never get.” -really well said. Thanks for sharing your passion, experience & wisdom.
Thanks Kelvin this is the best video I've ever seen just full of great advice on finding musical nirvana.
Very cool advice, some of it unorthodox like speakers last but it makes sense. There is a lot of wisdom in these years of experience.
Great stuff, Kelvin!
This guy is right on. Since I was 16, when I bought my first real system, I got the idea that it's about a system and needs to match or the weakest link would bring down the whole thing to that lowest level of SQ. Later you can upgrade something like a processor or speakers but then you will have a good idea what difference it makes. It's going to cost a lot to get great sound and that's a fact of life. Hobbies are not cheap, boating, photography, flying, motorcycles and cars all cost a bundle to have nice stuff, stereos are the same. I can't live with out great sound and never have. I love this guys assessment of how to build a system, he's right on. The only thing I used to say different from him is about the speakers, I always said they produce the sound to your ears and no system can sound better than you speakers, so buy the best ones you can afford at the time and then upgrade from a receiver to separates later, turntable to a CD player and the cartridge was more important than the turntable, I used to say the two most important things are what pick up the signal and what put it out, the wires and amps and processors can all be upgraded to match those later. But it's really a system and it can take years to afford the whole thing.