I got into component hifi after military service in 1975. Living in Brooklyn I had access to some swell stores for audio. Tech Hifi, Harvey Sound, Audio Graveyard, Churchill Audio, Crazy Eddie, The Wiz, Great Sounds and Stereo Warehouse. Excellent magazines too. Stereo Review, Consumer Reports, The Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/Hifi Equipment, High Fidelity, Audio and FM Guide. Stores back then had listening rooms where you'd bring your own records (or tapes) to audition/compare speaker systems. Tech Hifi had a one year "speaker trial" where you could exchange a system if you didn't like them. Pretty freakin' sweet. Knowledgeable staff in these stores really helped. I got Ohm L's in 1978 and still use them.
Thanks John for another refreshing, sane commentary on hifi. Your channel feeds my enjoyment of equipment, even though I am not buying/selling gear. Your videos provide me a vicarious tour through the ongoing/changing world of what is out there for listeners.
Circa 1986 aged 16 i had a similar journey into hifi. I live in London and what hifi was my bible, with a friend i used to go on Saturdays to Tottenham Court Road and listen and look at various separates. My 1st buy was a Nad 3020e, but took it back and bought a 2nd hand Quad 33/303 from a 2nd hand store off Edgeware Road. Years later upgraded through brands etc. Divorce and now aged 52 I'm looking at getting into hifi again, but with covid no shows to see and hear components. That's why I love RUclips channels like this but cannot jump back in without never hearing anything on my possible list. Cannot see me buying direct like from Buchardt even with the shipping cost return. Perhaps I'm too old school. (Exchange and Mart was the ebay in those days) Great channel !
John, this (in my opinion) is not only the best advice, but was also one of your best videos. (Not that they aren't all great) Thanks for your continued stellar content.
You are so right about the nastiness of just the whole world and you can get a taste of that online but I also really miss the ability to go into a store and have a knowledgeable nice salesperson give you an honest opinion and be able to hear what you were buying. Those days are done in areas that I live in Arkansas Midwest America. So I've only been watching your videos for a couple months now it's a breath of fresh air I think you're honest and pleasant about the whole thing it's really makes your channel worth a watch. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it sincerely, Ron.
Sorry John, I buy things exclusively on the back of your opinions. Because I trust your opinion…A LOT! I cannot afford a hifi system because I’m a family man so my foray into hifi had to be through the avenue of Head Fi. I’ve purchased about six items based on your knowledgeable opinions and Johnisms. I find your approach to audio refreshing and I’m very happy I came across your channel. Add to the fact that your music recommendations over the years have made my library more eclectic and cool! You made hifi seem approachable and most importantly, possible for a guy like me. So thank you so much. Love the Channel and keep up the amazing work!
Bullseye! You’ve hit the centre mark there and your right! Listen to it; love it and then enjoy living with it! I certainly enjoy being enlightened by the “Future-Fi” lifestyle products, of which I’m an admirer, and owner, of the Power Node and Vault 2 units. Like any hobby it should be fun, enjoyable and not a contest to see who can become “Bankrupt” with the vain pursuit of chasing audio Nirvana with one’s own disposable income. Well done! Another informative Video.
In the 80s (even before PC and Mac computers) and 90s I bought and sold a lot of gear on the user groups - via dial in bulleting boards. Easier online and easier moving to forums than the e-mail lists but basically the same thing. I bought a system for my parents. Four years later I get my first system. It was based on reviews and the three way split of turntable, amp and speakers. Whilst each turned out to very good purchases a slightly different matching would have been more enjoyable. I discovered this when a dealer invited to bring in my gear for an A/B with their choice at different price ranges. So I was mixing and matching with similar speakers, amplifiers and turntables. This was a long demonstration - not all shops could do this. I then spent months of Saturdays in Hi-fi shops listening to various equipment and was allowed to switch in the combinations I wanted to list to my own LPs on. Spent 5 months salary (equivalent about 2.5 years salary now). The reviews helped to get a short list but covered only a fraction of what was on display at hi-fi shows. I think it harder now. Fewer dealers and next to none carrying more than one product that I would be interested in. With the current costs I would only buy new when too difficult (long wait) to get second hand. Getting one time £4K speakers for £400 is a gamble but they have always been running perfectly. If you can get second hand and the buyer is not too far away you might be able to book a day to go and listen to them. I got a B&W PV1, Meridian G55 power amp, Devialet Phantom Gold and Meridian D600 speakers that way. Let you ears judge for you but you do have to train your expectations or perhaps be left thinking could I swap this for that and get a better sound instead of just enjoying the music.
Agreed wholeheartedly. Something being repeated a million times: ‘Getting all those 5 stars reviewed components, putting them together, doesn’t guarantee a 5 stars listening experience at home’. Got to make that effort of listening it for yourself!!
I absolutely agree with your approach to researching and purchasing hi-fi equipment. It's funny, though, back in the early 90's in NYC I would save my tax refund check to specifically buy myself new piece of hi-fi equipment. I loved going to the shops and looking at gear and speaking to salesman but I was often dismissed because I am a female and they assumed I didn't know what I was looking for or listening to.....Those salesman never got my business. But the ones who understood that my ears were as experienced and nuanced as any other audiophile did get my business. I must admit, the hunt for gear is almost as joyful as bringing a prized piece of gear home.
Hi Marj I could never get my head around why HiFi is so male dominated ! there must be some psychology at play here but it has always perplexed me . Would be a good topic for John D to cover.
Late 1970's to early 1980's was my favorite time for buying and seeing/hearing new equipment, Stereo stores were plenty and on every corner in my area. Would love to spend a Saturday afternoon at Pacific Stereo, just walking thru the doors and the smell and sound of new equipment was Heaven.
Cracker of a video John ! So relatable i think I've been down all those paths. I really hope it doesn't get to the stage where we lose the dealer distributor. This would be a tragedy as they are a major part of the HI FI experience ! Love the shout out to John at Apollo, great people to deal with !
This is the very best advice! I started back in the pre internet age too and a good hifi store was key. But also, listening for yourself is the only way to learn what you like.
I am not a youtuber, but the rest is pretty much my story to this day. Drove 550km to Berlin to purchase my speakers and even to our neighbourcountry Netherlands to buy my amp. Audition is key. Most critical is the match of the room and the speaker you like. Then the amps. Choosing a source for your linking is more independent. A good source let you identify the differences down the line more easily. But the room could ruin it all.
We are all conditioned by HiFi magazines of old and Wi-Fi magazines of today. We are taught to listen to a well-advertised product and told it is good. We describe soundstage, blacker than black, musicality based on these publications. There is no way on earth we can each find an optimal HiFi solution without blowing through cash to find audio nirvana. We follow the dram of the magazines for the products we should buy and love. When we listen…in store…or home how do we know what is good or bad for audition?? Especially when the recording and home/room acoustics makes so much difference. I like B&O. I like the sound. Many poo-poo it because the mags tell many of us that is what what we should do. (Better bang for buck etc…) but you will never read that in the press. Buying and selling to optimise is in short order is a good way to become poor. quod erat demonstrandum.
Good point, Any hifi "system" will sound different from room to room. Size, shape, furnishings, standing waves and room nodes all take a toll on sound. Using magazine reviews as guides can help. Live classical has helped tune my ears to what instruments should sound like. In the 1970's the better audio shops wouldn't dare disparage or push a product. Not in NYC anyway. I've read interesting/educational articles and reviews from some respectable publications. My favorites were Consumer Guide and The Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/Hifi Equipment in later 1970's early 80's. Audio is a personal thing, good/bad taste not withstanding, fuhgeddaboudit.
First great channel and love your open, helpful and non judgmental attitude towards hi-fi. I go started into Hi-Fi 2 years ago right at the beginning of the pandemic - working from home gave me the perfect excuse to get into this crazy hobby! I listened to your reviews and several others (Audiophilliac, Andrew Robinson to name a few) to narrow down my choices to two systems - a Cambridge Audio CXA81 + CXN and an Audio Lab 6000a + BlueSound Node -- these were in my price range listening to features/comments from people I felt like I was comfortable that one of them would be for me. I decided to go with a pair of Elac Debut Reference for both speakers. Here in the United States many vendors give us a 60 day trial period for equipment - so I called up World Wide Stereo spoke to them and they agreed to ship me both systems for me to audition - I hooked them up and was able to A/B them on a regular basis. And after a month and a half of listening to both units for an hour or more each day, I returned the Cambridge CXA81 + CXN and went with the Audio Lab 6000a + Blue Sound Node. I won't get into the reasons why but the at home trial period was amazing - we get to leave with the equipment over a long period of time, really put it through their passes with the music we listen to and the environment we are using them in. I couldn't be happier. I am so happy with my AudioLab 6000a + BlueSound Node that I really have no reason to buy another one - it is simply amazing. As you said - the Internet is really allowing this to happen due to the the shut downs. And now that the genie is out of the bag, I don't think we are going to go back. I don't know how it is in Germany but here in the US just about every vendor who sells budget to mid level Hi-Fi allows at least a 60 day trial - as long was the vendor does not feel like you are abusing their policy. Which I think is great - however - I do miss the in person community that would gather at the local hi-fi stores to discuss and give their thoughts / experiences on equipment, setup, and new music to really appreciate / test out our systems. And I think it would seriously cut down on the hate/abuse/snobishness that we see on the net. I doubt someone would tell me I am an idiot as I am handing over my payment for an audio system ( I am 6' 5'' 229 lbs :). The flip side to this is that I am really content with my system - I just don't know any better I guess. Don't really see why I would need to upgrade. Although you channel as me thinking about some stuff - but its more like when I come across it, I'll check it out. I don't feel the urge to run out and order one to check out. So this could be a detriment to sales of the industry long term. As they say may you live in interesting times.... Keep up the great work!
I must confess that I came to your channel looking for a decent DAC for my computer and ended down this rabbit hole. I also started buying HIFi components in the early 90's with my first important salary, but I kept them and only replaced what broke down or lost use after the years. I am learning a lot as I think I have missed a lot of things. Your way to keep trying things without loosing too much money is similar in other hobbies like pens and watches which are more familirar to me. I love your style and video and audio quality.
Great presentation reminds me of the hours listening in show rooms. In London, Newcastle, Sheffield etc. I always take the opportunity to pop into a local hifi when visiting new cities. Your reviews are insightful, and humorous and approachable. Carry on up the Audio file 😎😅
My comment is out of topic but I think you'll be happy to know that Play-Fi now supports gapless playback.Also I noticed that connectivity issues have been resolved (I use ethernet cable). I'd like to thank you for making public with your videos all the problems Play-Fi had because I believe it's a major factor why the devs decided to fix them.You are the only youtuber who said the whole truth about the Audiolab 6000A Play amp. That's why I strongly believe that "negative reviews" (I prefer to call them truthful reviews) are more useful than positive ones. Thank you and take care 👍
Last year I bought my first ever Hi-Fi setup. After Listening for hours for 4 days I finally got myself the setup I like. First I listened to the LS50 Meta, didn't understand the hype because they sounded horrible to me. Monitor Audio speakers which were €600 a pair sounded better. Didn't go with those tho😂 After those 4 days I walked out with a NAD amp+streamer, Dali Opticon series and some cables for connecting everything I already had. Now a year later and I'm still digging the setup! Using it every day and I don't regret a cent (or penny) I spent on it!
I bought the Schiit Modi 3 and Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt after seeing your reviews, and going into Addicted to Audio Richmond to have a listen before the purchases. So thank you John for guiding us to the good stuff!
I absolutely agree with what you say. you always say it in such a gentle way, on tiptoe without stepping on anyone's ideas. it's really true, we have to listen for ourselves, create our taste and our culture. since I listen more and with different systems I hear new sounds even with simple smartphone earphones. the ability to listen is growing, and I think that's the best thing about this hobby. if you ever come to Italy it would be nice to meet you. thanks for the great videos that i always share
So that's how an audiophile doorbell sounds like! On topic, I was able to compare my Dali Oberon 5 with a pair of Q Acoustic 3050 at the dealer and went with the Dalis for their mango/pistacchio flavour. I also bought an amp to go along with them and compared the Cambridge AXA35 with the NAD C316bee v2 and thought the NAD's zingy lemon taste would tire my taste buds more quickly than the AXA35's creamy vanilla/chocolate combo. So it was a very good thing to be able to taste the components at the dealer, I took home what I liked most. Two years later I went over there to have a taste of the Rega Elex-R and took it home knowing I'd enjoy it for a long time with no regrets.
Thanks for spreading the message to listen for yourself. Like your videos very much. Besides listening solo, I am part of a small group of real hifi enthousiasts. We listen to each others high end/high fi , occasionally switch components like amplifiers or even speakers amongst the group. Those are the occasions where you " educate" each other a bit. Excellent hobby, never get tired of it.
Hello. Yes, I totally agree with the idea of "listen for yourself", since the audio quality that we perceive depends a lot on the sensitivity of each ear and personal tastes. But, in many countries and cities like the ones I live in, there is no possibility to test audio equipment (speaking of HiFi level), most of the brands and models that you have reviewed are not available in my country and they have to be bought online without having tried and heard them for oneself. So that's when we should be guided only by opinions and reviews from people like you with more experience and access to testing HiFi audio equipment. (thanks for that)
I bought a system from Sevenoaks Hifi in 1992. I loved the sound but the CD player skipped a lot, so I returned it, but armed with a bit more thought and knowledge, and yes I'd been buying What Hifi and other mags too. I got the salesman to set up the same amp and speakers that I'd already bought from them, and then asked him to plug in CD players one after the other in price order in a blind listening test until I said stop. I maybe exhausted their patience a bit, but I came away with a Marantz CD10 (£1200) and thirty years later it is still my source. I dread ever having to replace it because I've never heard another player that to my ears sounds so effortlessly 'musical'. I even bought a new replacement mech for it thinking that one day it would break (it hasn't). I now think this gem of a player will outlive me - and I hope it does.
Really like your attitude to hifi and excellent, understandable reviews too.its not all about hi end and budget is really important to the average buyer.
Have never, ever bought an amp, cd player, turntable, pair of speakers (or back in the day a cassette player) without a demo first. It's good to do your research and homework, but we all like what we like, and it's so subjective that I really think you need to listen for yourself. Great vid as always - cheers!!
I've been a budding hifi geek for the best part of 15 years, have bought many speakers and amps over this time. Kept a bit of I've bought over the years. I've also moved quite a bit over this period and as an alternative view to this video one of the most enjoyable (if not the only) parts of loving is trying out my sets of speakers in different spaces. Large, small, good, bad; it's always fun testing out the speakers and amps in the various spaces I've lived in. It's really made me realise that room is the vessel in which the ice cream comes in. 5 sets of speakers different amps into 7 different abodes creates many variables which in turn, now, makes the buying process a different experience. Done with moving however.
Absolutely. I've just purchased a pair of PMC 25 22i after demoed lots of speakers at hifi dealers and at home. It's very important that you buy what you like.
Well, as you, I went the same road, buying stuff , listen,try, this road is an expensive one, but was for me, the right track. I do totally agree, you must listen to the gear
I thank you for the real honest advice and even handed presentation. I remember listening to speakers and brought AE109, the sales man was surprised? I did. They sounded great then 2001 and still do. Point is to listen alot before you buy
John's videos have a strange effect on me: Every time I listen to the tracks he mentions in his videos on my own Hifi, I feel like "Wow, this sounds great. I don't need new stuff yet."
Like you, What HiFi was the go to magazine in the day. Then, it was Richer Sounds where you could audition equipment as is still the case. Luckily they are still in most UK cities whereas Seven Oaks is practically just an online store now.
Apollo Hi-fi is my local store, still going strong. Great to see you mention Krix speakers. Some great speakers made here in Aus. I don't have Krix speakers myself but mine are locally made in Sydney. Orpheus Apollo
I've always liked your videos, it gave me the kick to start researching, in fact it was for one of your videos that I ended buying a Raspberry for streaming and now I have MoOde Player installed, I've grown my equipment from there to a DAC, a preamplificator and a couple of self powered near field speakers. That's for my enjoyement, I also have an amplifier and big 2.1 speakers to play when the friends come for a tequila. Two things that I think go with this video: 1. Know your tastes, my family insisted in give me a turntable for my old records as a Christmas present, we all listened a couple of times but I realized I prefer digital audio so now only gets dust. 2. Be honest when you buy, I'm 68 years old and my audition is not the same, excellent hardware can be a waste if you don't appreciate the music, I'm contemplating a good equalizator, sadly there are not much options on the hardware side, at least not for my budget.
completely agree! I too, started in the late 80's- Richer Sounds and What-Hifi kicked it all off! Agree with your comments about some people telling you what to buy.....decide for yourself using your own ears!! Love your channel
I love your attitude towards hifi and hifi snobbery. There's definitely a touch of the "Emperor's New Clothes" about hifi, and as you say, the capital investment involved is considerable, so a mistake is going to be a disaster. I didn't think my ears were good enough to appreciate "good" hifi so I was reluctant to invest much in a system, as I didn't think I'd be able to fully appreciate it. Then I heard a system that absolutely blew my socks off. This has taught me to trust myself. If you listen to a lot of music you like, you will know when it sounds right!
I would love to hear more about how you audition, what music you use, what you listen for, the type of listening. Similarly, when you listen for pleasure, are you doing other things or just staring at your gear? Listening to music, to sounds, or to gear?
Agree 100% about the need to personally audition equipment before buying. There are very few bits of objectively bad hifi equipment but personal audio taste varies a lot and is entirely subjective.
One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given in respect for choosing hifi or AV gear was to take samples of my own music or movies with me to the store to test. These days with streaming it is a lot easier but I would still recommend taking along a CD and record or bluray when shopping.
You are so right that you must have a listening for your self because we have all different taste. You can’t relay on the reviews that you read ore see on u-tube. The last time I went to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers a few years ago I had the intention to buy a pair of B&W speakers because they got got good reviews but when I gave them a listen with the amplifier that I bought they sounded way to harsh for my my taste. I endend with buying a pair of Amphion Argon one speakers double the price of the B&W but for my taste they were and are real value for the money. I like your reviews although I have a different taste for my music choice but you have learned me a lot about streaming music and other new products. Ludo 63 years and a music lover for 57 years.
Good video John. Thanks! I have used your technique of the extended home trial and selling on the used market. I buy used or buy when I get a discount or special. Same as you described. Sometimes I make money. Sometimes not. It evens out in the wash in the long haul. But I enjoy it because it gets me exposure to lots of different products, different colleagues who I am having transactions with. It also helps me build my system, which seems to be an ever evolving thing with no clear final endpoint. This therefore puts emphasis on the audiophile journey with destination to be determined.
In Poland if you buy online you can send your gear back within 14 days. On the other hand, if you go to a local dealer, most probably they will allow you to rent the gear of your choice for a few days for the retail price. Of course, some shops don't have such policy, but I don't even consider buying stuff from them, because I won't spend such big money risking that I will have to live with peace of gear that does not suit the acoustics of my room. Thanks John for this video!
Been getting very interested in hifi lately (largely due to your videos) and I just got my first starter system. It's not truly hifi, cuz it's just $150 active bluetooth bookshelf speakers from Amazon and a $30 Walmart DVD player (for cds), but it's a start. All I can afford for now, but I can now enjoy stereo separation and start my cd collection. Thank you for the inspiration
One thing that I’ve done over the years is intentionally bought equipment that differs significantly from what I already own to experience different sonic qualities. Eg horn loaded speakers, if I owned speakers with an AMT tweeter. To explore what different technologies can offer to render the music I listen to in varying ways. Tube amps vs solid state amps etc. I own a pair of planar magnetic headphones and one that uses a dynamic driver. You can’t go wrong if you maintain an open mind because at the end of the day, different music benefits different gear. I find horn speakers are great with jazz or country music. I prefer electronic or classical on speakers with AMT tweeters. I love listening to tube amps with smaller ensembles of acoustic instruments the best. At the end of the day, this hobby is about enjoying with music and exploring different listening methods. We can use CDs, SACDs, Vinyl, Streaming, even old reels….to enjoy music. And let’s be honest, music is wonderful, isn’t it?
A great guide with some "sound" advice. Another great way to buy Hi-Fi is to browse stores websites for shop demo stock being sold at good prices. I bought my Rega Elicit R amp and PMC twenty5.24 speakers from stores selling on shop demo stock. Buying from retailers like that also gives you the assurance that if there is a problem with the product you can return it or have it repaired (within reason of course).
Hi John, you took the words right out of mouth. I recently spent £7000+ on new hi fi. Your videos gave me some idea of how much is available. I decided on several things. Contacted Audio T, they put all my ideas together. I went with a friend and I took vinyl, cds, singles and streaming music with me. Spent 90 minutes listening in their demo room. Made my choices. Changed my mind on one thing. I took music I was really familiar with. All genres. Albert Manchester
Thanks John, I used to buy what hifi regularly in the early 90’s. It was great for making up a short list of stuff, but I learned to apply a filter to not get sucked into buying the latest flavour of the month 5 star item. Last year I decided to dip my toe back into the hifi water so based on online reviews in forums, what hifi and youtube, I made a short list of amp & speakers to audition. I spent a couple of pleasant afternoons in various dealers listening to their stuff and taking on board their advice. I ended up with a pairing I never expected to get. The kit I read about that I was certain I wanted and made sense in my head, just didn’t move me. I ended up going a bit over budget and obtained a system that gives that magic where you focus on the music, not the hifi. (The combo that worked for me was a Rega Brio and Neat Motive SX3 speakers, ymmv) One modern thing that did worry me whilst I was creating my shortlist, was the prevalence of going by measurements over subjective listening. Whilst I can understand that measurements tell you something, they are no match for listening for yourself.
Great advice! I live in Lisbon, Portugal. Here there are a couple of ratailers of Hi-fi. The place where I bought my amp offered me to take my actual speakers to their store and compare it with my options of upgrade. They have three listening rooms. So I'll definitely follow this advice when the time comes for upgrading my speakers.
Great video, you covered a lot of bases that are always good to be reminded about. There is no substitute for one's one ears when making decisions about audio equipment. Your video touches on a subject you've alluded to before many times, and Steve Guttenberg recently touched on in his video on how loud one should listen to music: namely that all of our feelings about a particular piece of kit or an audio system are largely, if not completely, subjective. The pursuit of a perfect system will never end, because there is no such beast. Granted, there can be a consensus that some systems or pieces of gear do some specific things better than others (tonality, sound staging, dynamic response, transparency, etc.) But whether or not an individual likes a particular system's mix of those qualities is up to them. So I thank you for teasing out those differences as just that - differences - rather than absolutes, to help those of us with an interest in audio get a look at the entire landscape of what is happening with audio so we can map the direction we'd like to take next.
I do a lot of buy/sell using the famous auction site, not only audio gear but also photo equipment and all sorts of things. By being strict on buying prices, I probably break even overall while getting to try lots of stuff. I think of it as eBay free rental.
I watch your videos because I like your approach to hifi ! Like you I started buying from magazine reviews many, many years ago. But, living in a "provincial" town there was limited access to actually listening to a wide range of equipment before purchase. So good reviews, from people I trusted, and esthetics (also an important aspect) guided my purchase decisions. I've always auditioned speakers (I personally think the most important part of a system) but for instance relied on reviews (including yours) for my current NAD M10 - it looks good, has all the features I need and my concerns about class D amplification were sorted. I suspect the current system will now remain in place until something breaks 😂. Doesn't mean I don't like seeing what the latest "toys" are, continue the good work 😁.
100% agree -- listen for yourself! Like you once did, I've fueled my audio hobby for decades by buying used gear. It's the only way to really get long listens to a variety of "ice cream flavors". Especially once you get above the US$2k mark, the savings and value retention makes it worthwhile, so long as you stick with well-known brands. And I'm looking forward to the Sonos Amp review!
I think there is also a rare and unacknowledged part of hifi and that is a hifi dealer who uses their knowledge to help customers leap years ahead in the journey that is this hobby. Of course I'm not talking about the standard hifi salesperson. For example, my current dealer did an extraordinary thing for me. He brought an entire system to my home and left it with me for two weeks. The system he brought was what he felt would best suit me after listening to my history and likes/dislikes and it turned out to be a home run for me. For months after he came to collect it, I bought it right back piece by piece. I don't expect to ever have another experience like that again.
I remember reading What Hi-Fi around the same time, but I just drooled over the photos of gear. I did eventually buy a system from my local Hi-Fi dealer because of convenience (just a short walk away); they didn't have the space to let me audition the gear, but were happy to let me try it at home and return it if unsatisfied...
Enjoyable video and lots of good common sense that sometimes get lost in the noise of online comments. Very similar experiences, what hifi magazine to narrow down. Then listening myself at places like Richer Sounds in a room with my music. Online reviews etc are handy and online buying and returns. But for example I have a A&K se180 and would love to try the different dacs that it can use (SEMs) myself rather than rely on someone else's reviews. I contacted A&k about returns and got details of the nearest place I can try out ones that are still in stock.
I enjoyed this video a lot. Here in the US, dealers have become few and far between. I’m lucky because we have a brick and mortar retailer called Audio Advice in our town. It’s become a bit of an online juggernaut. However, this isn’t the norm. We have online retailer called Crutchfield that allows a 60 day returns. I think that is a fantastic way to demo new components.
Like you I was a regular reader in the early 90's of What HiFi. My first CD player was a Technics SL-PG340. It didn't come with a remote. I look after my gear like it's made of porcelain. I still have the Technics and it plays perfectly. I honestly can't say if streaming a Tidal master track is better than a well-mastered disk on that 30-yr-old player.
Generous return policies make it easier to not be stuck wiht a poor choice, but ive found it difficult to accept that in order to have the best option I now need to buy a few choices and listen to them in my room and return all but one. Ive seen manufacturers pulling out of stores that offer generous return policies like crutchfield, as well. I would love to experience Buchardt for example but struggle with the restocking fees if i decide they arent for me (although i guess its better than being stuck with a poor choice).
I couldnt agree with you more John. As a long retired hifi salesman of 30 years experience, there is no substitute for “listen for yourself”. Having said that, i know that a lot of people just dont trust their own ears, eg, I’d demo a Bose sub/satellite system, comparing it to a Polk, for example & they would say, yes, the Polk sounds better. Yes the Polk is cheaper, but I’ll buy the Bose, because they’re so swayed by public opinion. By the way, I figured that you had lived in Aus, due to an earlier comment that you made about you owning a Redgum amp & Krix speakers. Im 20 years out of the business, but still love it. Krix are still going & kicking goals, dont know about Redgum. I worked for Encels Stereo in Melbourne
“Hi-fi is like ice cream.” I already like the video! 😊🙌 On a more serious note, here in India, it is still very hard to find a local store dedicated to hi-fi gear. Bose is the only retailer that has dedicated hi-fi/music stores in big Indian metros. But there is no shortage of music lovers/enthusiasts here. I hope things will change someday. Till that day, it is hard to practice that “listen for myself” method. RUclips channels like yours are the only options for us. Thanks for the discussion!
Awesome advice, whilst listening to it, it sounds so obvious, but so easily swayed away from. Also applies to most other cliched male interests: cars, watches etc
Wow, we auditioned speakers in the same area and time, so cool! I remember the first hi-fi audition as a teenager back in 2003 that really impressed me and that was from Krix, which were A-B'd against some B&Ws. The B&W's sounded dry and flat compared with the Krix which sounded rich and full-bodied.
Its the gratest Fun to go to a Store and compare different Kinds of the Same!!!!! So i picked 2 Months ago my New Bluetooth Headset. I decided for the B&O H9 because for me they are the Best in Quality of Sound and lock and Feel!!!!! And so i do with all my Hifi Gear!!!! I love it so to go to my Hifi Store and Listen to all that different things!!!!!
Thanks for the kind words, John! Great to see some past customers in the comments, too. - John
After being married for over 40 years, trust me John, hi-fi doesn't just serve as an entertainment, it becomes a life saver.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhq
You are so right, I have been married for 32 years. Hifi has gotten me through sickness, death and other personal losses in the market, 2008 anyone.
I got into component hifi after military service in 1975. Living in Brooklyn I had access to some swell stores for audio. Tech Hifi, Harvey Sound, Audio Graveyard, Churchill Audio, Crazy Eddie, The Wiz, Great Sounds and Stereo Warehouse. Excellent magazines too. Stereo Review, Consumer Reports, The Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/Hifi Equipment, High Fidelity, Audio and FM Guide. Stores back then had listening rooms where you'd bring your own records (or tapes) to audition/compare speaker systems. Tech Hifi had a one year "speaker trial" where you could exchange a system if you didn't like them. Pretty freakin' sweet. Knowledgeable staff in these stores really helped. I got Ohm L's in 1978 and still use them.
Apollo is a real survivor - still going while so many have fallen by the wayside.
Agree ! while there are far more swanky shops around with lots more space, I like the choice of gear and the staff are great
As ever - a breath of fresh air.
I live in a remote (ish) rural area in Scotland, and am a proud Buchardt owner thanks to their returns policy.
Thanks John for another refreshing, sane commentary on hifi. Your channel feeds my enjoyment of equipment, even though I am not buying/selling gear. Your videos provide me a vicarious tour through the ongoing/changing world of what is out there for listeners.
Circa 1986 aged 16 i had a similar journey into hifi. I live in London and what hifi was my bible, with a friend i used to go on Saturdays to Tottenham Court Road and listen and look at various separates.
My 1st buy was a Nad 3020e, but took it back and bought a 2nd hand Quad 33/303 from a 2nd hand store off Edgeware Road.
Years later upgraded through brands etc. Divorce and now aged 52 I'm looking at getting into hifi again, but with covid no shows to see and hear components.
That's why I love RUclips channels like this but cannot jump back in without never hearing anything on my possible list.
Cannot see me buying direct like from Buchardt even with the shipping cost return. Perhaps I'm too old school.
(Exchange and Mart was the ebay in those days)
Great channel !
Can I say this is your best video ever ? Or maybe I said it already under other videos !!
Transparency, humility, professionalism. I am amazed !
John, this (in my opinion) is not only the best advice, but was also one of your best videos. (Not that they aren't all great) Thanks for your continued stellar content.
You are so right about the nastiness of just the whole world and you can get a taste of that online but I also really miss the ability to go into a store and have a knowledgeable nice salesperson give you an honest opinion and be able to hear what you were buying.
Those days are done in areas that I live in Arkansas Midwest America. So I've only been watching your videos for a couple months now it's a breath of fresh air I think you're honest and pleasant about the whole thing it's really makes your channel worth a watch. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it sincerely, Ron.
What a fantastic video. A lifestyle more than hobby is what I think.
My brain is so refreshed after I watch your videos!
Sorry John, I buy things exclusively on the back of your opinions. Because I trust your opinion…A LOT! I cannot afford a hifi system because I’m a family man so my foray into hifi had to be through the avenue of Head Fi. I’ve purchased about six items based on your knowledgeable opinions and Johnisms. I find your approach to audio refreshing and I’m very happy I came across your channel. Add to the fact that your music recommendations over the years have made my library more eclectic and cool! You made hifi seem approachable and most importantly, possible for a guy like me. So thank you so much. Love the Channel and keep up the amazing work!
It’s also cool that his music recommendations aren’t your typical “audiophile” recordings.
Bullseye! You’ve hit the centre mark there and your right! Listen to it; love it and then enjoy living with it! I certainly enjoy being enlightened by the “Future-Fi” lifestyle products, of which I’m an admirer, and owner, of the Power Node and Vault 2 units. Like any hobby it should be fun, enjoyable and not a contest to see who can become “Bankrupt” with the vain pursuit of chasing audio Nirvana with one’s own disposable income. Well done! Another informative Video.
In the 80s (even before PC and Mac computers) and 90s I bought and sold a lot of gear on the user groups - via dial in bulleting boards. Easier online and easier moving to forums than the e-mail lists but basically the same thing.
I bought a system for my parents. Four years later I get my first system. It was based on reviews and the three way split of turntable, amp and speakers. Whilst each turned out to very good purchases a slightly different matching would have been more enjoyable. I discovered this when a dealer invited to bring in my gear for an A/B with their choice at different price ranges. So I was mixing and matching with similar speakers, amplifiers and turntables. This was a long demonstration - not all shops could do this. I then spent months of Saturdays in Hi-fi shops listening to various equipment and was allowed to switch in the combinations I wanted to list to my own LPs on. Spent 5 months salary (equivalent about 2.5 years salary now). The reviews helped to get a short list but covered only a fraction of what was on display at hi-fi shows. I think it harder now. Fewer dealers and next to none carrying more than one product that I would be interested in. With the current costs I would only buy new when too difficult (long wait) to get second hand. Getting one time £4K speakers for £400 is a gamble but they have always been running perfectly.
If you can get second hand and the buyer is not too far away you might be able to book a day to go and listen to them. I got a B&W PV1, Meridian G55 power amp, Devialet Phantom Gold and Meridian D600 speakers that way. Let you ears judge for you but you do have to train your expectations or perhaps be left thinking could I swap this for that and get a better sound instead of just enjoying the music.
Agreed wholeheartedly. Something being repeated a million times: ‘Getting all those 5 stars reviewed components, putting them together, doesn’t guarantee a 5 stars listening experience at home’. Got to make that effort of listening it for yourself!!
I absolutely agree with your approach to researching and purchasing hi-fi equipment. It's funny, though, back in the early 90's in NYC I would save my tax refund check to specifically buy myself new piece of hi-fi equipment. I loved going to the shops and looking at gear and speaking to salesman but I was often dismissed because I am a female and they assumed I didn't know what I was looking for or listening to.....Those salesman never got my business. But the ones who understood that my ears were as experienced and nuanced as any other audiophile did get my business. I must admit, the hunt for gear is almost as joyful as bringing a prized piece of gear home.
Hi Marj I could never get my head around why HiFi is so male dominated ! there must be some psychology at play here but it has always perplexed me . Would be a good topic for John D to cover.
Late 1970's to early 1980's was my favorite time for buying and seeing/hearing new equipment, Stereo stores were plenty and on every corner in my area. Would love to spend a Saturday afternoon at Pacific Stereo, just walking thru the doors and the smell and sound of new equipment was Heaven.
Cracker of a video John ! So relatable i think I've been down all those paths. I really hope it doesn't get to the stage where we lose the dealer distributor. This would be a tragedy as they are a major part of the HI FI experience ! Love the shout out to John at Apollo, great people to deal with !
This is the very best advice! I started back in the pre internet age too and a good hifi store was key. But also, listening for yourself is the only way to learn what you like.
You raise seriously great points JD, listening for oneself for that final purchase decision is extremely important if one can.
The HIFI Klubben aesthetics are so very recognizable. Looks almost exactly like the stores here in Copenhagen.
I am not a youtuber, but the rest is pretty much my story to this day. Drove 550km to Berlin to purchase my speakers and even to our neighbourcountry Netherlands to buy my amp. Audition is key.
Most critical is the match of the room and the speaker you like. Then the amps. Choosing a source for your linking is more independent. A good source let you identify the differences down the line more easily. But the room could ruin it all.
We are all conditioned by HiFi magazines of old and Wi-Fi magazines of today. We are taught to listen to a well-advertised product and told it is good. We describe soundstage, blacker than black, musicality based on these publications. There is no way on earth we can each find an optimal HiFi solution without blowing through cash to find audio nirvana. We follow the dram of the magazines for the products we should buy and love. When we listen…in store…or home how do we know what is good or bad for audition?? Especially when the recording and home/room acoustics makes so much difference. I like B&O. I like the sound. Many poo-poo it because the mags tell many of us that is what what we should do. (Better bang for buck etc…) but you will never read that in the press. Buying and selling to optimise is in short order is a good way to become poor. quod erat demonstrandum.
Good point, Any hifi "system" will sound different from room to room. Size, shape, furnishings, standing waves and room nodes all take a toll on sound. Using magazine reviews as guides can help. Live classical has helped tune my ears to what instruments should sound like. In the 1970's the better audio shops wouldn't dare disparage or push a product. Not in NYC anyway. I've read interesting/educational articles and reviews from some respectable publications. My favorites were Consumer Guide and The Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/Hifi Equipment in later 1970's early 80's. Audio is a personal thing, good/bad taste not withstanding, fuhgeddaboudit.
First great channel and love your open, helpful and non judgmental attitude towards hi-fi. I go started into Hi-Fi 2 years ago right at the beginning of the pandemic - working from home gave me the perfect excuse to get into this crazy hobby! I listened to your reviews and several others (Audiophilliac, Andrew Robinson to name a few) to narrow down my choices to two systems - a Cambridge Audio CXA81 + CXN and an Audio Lab 6000a + BlueSound Node -- these were in my price range listening to features/comments from people I felt like I was comfortable that one of them would be for me. I decided to go with a pair of Elac Debut Reference for both speakers.
Here in the United States many vendors give us a 60 day trial period for equipment - so I called up World Wide Stereo spoke to them and they agreed to ship me both systems for me to audition - I hooked them up and was able to A/B them on a regular basis. And after a month and a half of listening to both units for an hour or more each day, I returned the Cambridge CXA81 + CXN and went with the Audio Lab 6000a + Blue Sound Node. I won't get into the reasons why but the at home trial period was amazing - we get to leave with the equipment over a long period of time, really put it through their passes with the music we listen to and the environment we are using them in. I couldn't be happier. I am so happy with my AudioLab 6000a + BlueSound Node that I really have no reason to buy another one - it is simply amazing.
As you said - the Internet is really allowing this to happen due to the the shut downs. And now that the genie is out of the bag, I don't think we are going to go back. I don't know how it is in Germany but here in the US just about every vendor who sells budget to mid level Hi-Fi allows at least a 60 day trial - as long was the vendor does not feel like you are abusing their policy. Which I think is great - however - I do miss the in person community that would gather at the local hi-fi stores to discuss and give their thoughts / experiences on equipment, setup, and new music to really appreciate / test out our systems. And I think it would seriously cut down on the hate/abuse/snobishness that we see on the net. I doubt someone would tell me I am an idiot as I am handing over my payment for an audio system ( I am 6' 5'' 229 lbs :).
The flip side to this is that I am really content with my system - I just don't know any better I guess. Don't really see why I would need to upgrade. Although you channel as me thinking about some stuff - but its more like when I come across it, I'll check it out. I don't feel the urge to run out and order one to check out. So this could be a detriment to sales of the industry long term.
As they say may you live in interesting times....
Keep up the great work!
I must confess that I came to your channel looking for a decent DAC for my computer and ended down this rabbit hole. I also started buying HIFi components in the early 90's with my first important salary, but I kept them and only replaced what broke down or lost use after the years. I am learning a lot as I think I have missed a lot of things. Your way to keep trying things without loosing too much money is similar in other hobbies like pens and watches which are more familirar to me. I love your style and video and audio quality.
Great content John, such sensible guidance.
Great presentation reminds me of the hours listening in show rooms. In London, Newcastle, Sheffield etc. I always take the opportunity to pop into a local hifi when visiting new cities. Your reviews are insightful, and humorous and approachable. Carry on up the Audio file 😎😅
My comment is out of topic but I think you'll be happy to know that Play-Fi now supports gapless playback.Also I noticed that connectivity issues have been resolved (I use ethernet cable).
I'd like to thank you for making public with your videos all the problems Play-Fi had because I believe it's a major factor why the devs decided to fix them.You are the only youtuber who said the whole truth about the Audiolab 6000A Play amp.
That's why I strongly believe that "negative reviews" (I prefer to call them truthful reviews) are more useful than positive ones.
Thank you and take care 👍
I love your outlook and insight into this hobby. Thanks for another great video
Last year I bought my first ever Hi-Fi setup. After Listening for hours for 4 days I finally got myself the setup I like. First I listened to the LS50 Meta, didn't understand the hype because they sounded horrible to me. Monitor Audio speakers which were €600 a pair sounded better. Didn't go with those tho😂 After those 4 days I walked out with a NAD amp+streamer, Dali Opticon series and some cables for connecting everything I already had. Now a year later and I'm still digging the setup! Using it every day and I don't regret a cent (or penny) I spent on it!
I bought the Schiit Modi 3 and Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt after seeing your reviews, and going into Addicted to Audio Richmond to have a listen before the purchases. So thank you John for guiding us to the good stuff!
I absolutely agree with what you say. you always say it in such a gentle way, on tiptoe without stepping on anyone's ideas. it's really true, we have to listen for ourselves, create our taste and our culture. since I listen more and with different systems I hear new sounds even with simple smartphone earphones. the ability to listen is growing, and I think that's the best thing about this hobby. if you ever come to Italy it would be nice to meet you. thanks for the great videos that i always share
So that's how an audiophile doorbell sounds like! On topic, I was able to compare my Dali Oberon 5 with a pair of Q Acoustic 3050 at the dealer and went with the Dalis for their mango/pistacchio flavour. I also bought an amp to go along with them and compared the Cambridge AXA35 with the NAD C316bee v2 and thought the NAD's zingy lemon taste would tire my taste buds more quickly than the AXA35's creamy vanilla/chocolate combo. So it was a very good thing to be able to taste the components at the dealer, I took home what I liked most. Two years later I went over there to have a taste of the Rega Elex-R and took it home knowing I'd enjoy it for a long time with no regrets.
Thanks for spreading the message to listen for yourself. Like your videos very much. Besides listening solo, I am part of a small group of real hifi enthousiasts. We listen to each others high end/high fi , occasionally switch components like amplifiers or even speakers amongst the group. Those are the occasions where you " educate" each other a bit. Excellent hobby, never get tired of it.
Hello.
Yes, I totally agree with the idea of "listen for yourself", since the audio quality that we perceive depends a lot on the sensitivity of each ear and personal tastes.
But, in many countries and cities like the ones I live in, there is no possibility to test audio equipment (speaking of HiFi level), most of the brands and models that you have reviewed are not available in my country and they have to be bought online without having tried and heard them for oneself.
So that's when we should be guided only by opinions and reviews from people like you with more experience and access to testing HiFi audio equipment. (thanks for that)
I bought a system from Sevenoaks Hifi in 1992. I loved the sound but the CD player skipped a lot, so I returned it, but armed with a bit more thought and knowledge, and yes I'd been buying What Hifi and other mags too. I got the salesman to set up the same amp and speakers that I'd already bought from them, and then asked him to plug in CD players one after the other in price order in a blind listening test until I said stop. I maybe exhausted their patience a bit, but I came away with a Marantz CD10 (£1200) and thirty years later it is still my source. I dread ever having to replace it because I've never heard another player that to my ears sounds so effortlessly 'musical'. I even bought a new replacement mech for it thinking that one day it would break (it hasn't). I now think this gem of a player will outlive me - and I hope it does.
Really like your attitude to hifi and excellent, understandable reviews too.its not all about hi end and budget is really important to the average buyer.
Have never, ever bought an amp, cd player, turntable, pair of speakers (or back in the day a cassette player) without a demo first. It's good to do your research and homework, but we all like what we like, and it's so subjective that I really think you need to listen for yourself. Great vid as always - cheers!!
Very enjoyable and thoughtful discussion!
I've been a budding hifi geek for the best part of 15 years, have bought many speakers and amps over this time. Kept a bit of I've bought over the years. I've also moved quite a bit over this period and as an alternative view to this video one of the most enjoyable (if not the only) parts of loving is trying out my sets of speakers in different spaces. Large, small, good, bad; it's always fun testing out the speakers and amps in the various spaces I've lived in. It's really made me realise that room is the vessel in which the ice cream comes in. 5 sets of speakers different amps into 7 different abodes creates many variables which in turn, now, makes the buying process a different experience.
Done with moving however.
Absolutely. I've just purchased a pair of PMC 25 22i after demoed lots of speakers at hifi dealers and at home. It's very important that you buy what you like.
I like these speakers, very impressed in my deno. What amplifier are you using them with?
PMC seems nice
@@rog86 Naim Uniti Atom. Though it’s only 40w per channel, but it can rock many speakers.
@@wikdwizz nice....
Well, as you, I went the same road, buying stuff , listen,try, this road is an expensive one, but was for me, the right track. I do totally agree, you must listen to the gear
Always enjoy your reviews, thanks for another excellent one!
I thank you for the real honest advice and even handed presentation.
I remember listening to speakers and brought AE109, the sales man was surprised? I did. They sounded great then 2001 and still do. Point is to listen alot before you buy
John's videos have a strange effect on me: Every time I listen to the tracks he mentions in his videos on my own Hifi, I feel like "Wow, this sounds great. I don't need new stuff yet."
I have really appreciated your reviews it has influenced me in several ways in my equipment purchases. Thanks
Like you, What HiFi was the go to magazine in the day. Then, it was Richer Sounds where you could audition equipment as is still the case. Luckily they are still in most UK cities whereas Seven Oaks is practically just an online store now.
Apollo Hi-fi is my local store, still going strong. Great to see you mention Krix speakers. Some great speakers made here in Aus. I don't have Krix speakers myself but mine are locally made in Sydney. Orpheus Apollo
I've always liked your videos, it gave me the kick to start researching, in fact it was for one of your videos that I ended buying a Raspberry for streaming and now I have MoOde Player installed, I've grown my equipment from there to a DAC, a preamplificator and a couple of self powered near field speakers. That's for my enjoyement, I also have an amplifier and big 2.1 speakers to play when the friends come for a tequila.
Two things that I think go with this video:
1. Know your tastes, my family insisted in give me a turntable for my old records as a Christmas present, we all listened a couple of times but I realized I prefer digital audio so now only gets dust.
2. Be honest when you buy, I'm 68 years old and my audition is not the same, excellent hardware can be a waste if you don't appreciate the music, I'm contemplating a good equalizator, sadly there are not much options on the hardware side, at least not for my budget.
Yes John I agree with you on All Points made in this video great advice they're absolutely.
I almost ordered the monitor audio speakers the other day. Thanks for this I definitely need to hear them first really.
A very thoughtful take. Loved it.
Recently got my ls 50 meta from Apollo Hifi . Great store still going strong
completely agree! I too, started in the late 80's- Richer Sounds and What-Hifi kicked it all off!
Agree with your comments about some people telling you what to buy.....decide for yourself using your own ears!!
Love your channel
Love your enthusiasm always!
I love your attitude towards hifi and hifi snobbery. There's definitely a touch of the "Emperor's New Clothes" about hifi, and as you say, the capital investment involved is considerable, so a mistake is going to be a disaster. I didn't think my ears were good enough to appreciate "good" hifi so I was reluctant to invest much in a system, as I didn't think I'd be able to fully appreciate it. Then I heard a system that absolutely blew my socks off. This has taught me to trust myself. If you listen to a lot of music you like, you will know when it sounds right!
I would love to hear more about how you audition, what music you use, what you listen for, the type of listening. Similarly, when you listen for pleasure, are you doing other things or just staring at your gear?
Listening to music, to sounds, or to gear?
I bought my first set of loudspeakers as a student in the early 90s at King Music Berlin! I still own them today. Memories.
Great video. There are many of us that are newer to hifi and often get taken for a ride when learning, buying, and asking questions about things.
Agree 100% about the need to personally audition equipment before buying. There are very few bits of objectively bad hifi equipment but personal audio taste varies a lot and is entirely subjective.
You break my heart. I have been waiting for the Rega planar 8 review since I caught a glimpse of it in one of your videos.
One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given in respect for choosing hifi or AV gear was to take samples of my own music or movies with me to the store to test. These days with streaming it is a lot easier but I would still recommend taking along a CD and record or bluray when shopping.
You are so right that you must have a listening for your self because we have all different taste. You can’t relay on the reviews that you read ore see on u-tube. The last time I went to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers a few years ago I had the intention to buy a pair of B&W speakers because they got got good reviews but when I gave them a listen with the amplifier that I bought they sounded way to harsh for my my taste. I endend with buying a pair of Amphion Argon one speakers double the price of the B&W but for my taste they were and are real value for the money.
I like your reviews although I have a different taste for my music choice but you have learned me a lot about streaming music and other new products.
Ludo 63 years and a music lover for 57 years.
Good video John. Thanks! I have used your technique of the extended home trial and selling on the used market. I buy used or buy when I get a discount or special. Same as you described. Sometimes I make money. Sometimes not. It evens out in the wash in the long haul. But I enjoy it because it gets me exposure to lots of different products, different colleagues who I am having transactions with. It also helps me build my system, which seems to be an ever evolving thing with no clear final endpoint. This therefore puts emphasis on the audiophile journey with destination to be determined.
In Poland if you buy online you can send your gear back within 14 days. On the other hand, if you go to a local dealer, most probably they will allow you to rent the gear of your choice for a few days for the retail price. Of course, some shops don't have such policy, but I don't even consider buying stuff from them, because I won't spend such big money risking that I will have to live with peace of gear that does not suit the acoustics of my room. Thanks John for this video!
Good to hear !
Thanks John your on the money !!
Everyone is different and thiers no perfect hifi system only the right hifi system for you ! 😃 Great Job John !
Been getting very interested in hifi lately (largely due to your videos) and I just got my first starter system. It's not truly hifi, cuz it's just $150 active bluetooth bookshelf speakers from Amazon and a $30 Walmart DVD player (for cds), but it's a start. All I can afford for now, but I can now enjoy stereo separation and start my cd collection. Thank you for the inspiration
Welcome to the music listening hobby! Hifi is just a tool!
In heaven they have their audio sorted.
One thing that I’ve done over the years is intentionally bought equipment that differs significantly from what I already own to experience different sonic qualities. Eg horn loaded speakers, if I owned speakers with an AMT tweeter. To explore what different technologies can offer to render the music I listen to in varying ways. Tube amps vs solid state amps etc. I own a pair of planar magnetic headphones and one that uses a dynamic driver. You can’t go wrong if you maintain an open mind because at the end of the day, different music benefits different gear. I find horn speakers are great with jazz or country music. I prefer electronic or classical on speakers with AMT tweeters. I love listening to tube amps with smaller ensembles of acoustic instruments the best. At the end of the day, this hobby is about enjoying with music and exploring different listening methods. We can use CDs, SACDs, Vinyl, Streaming, even old reels….to enjoy music. And let’s be honest, music is wonderful, isn’t it?
I've been listening to horn tweeters so long, I'm like a trained seal now.
Good video as always John.
A great guide with some "sound" advice. Another great way to buy Hi-Fi is to browse stores websites for shop demo stock being sold at good prices. I bought my Rega Elicit R amp and PMC twenty5.24 speakers from stores selling on shop demo stock. Buying from retailers like that also gives you the assurance that if there is a problem with the product you can return it or have it repaired (within reason of course).
Hi John,
you took the words right out of mouth. I recently spent £7000+ on new hi fi. Your videos gave me some idea of how much is available. I decided on several things. Contacted Audio T, they put all my ideas together. I went with a friend and I took vinyl, cds, singles and streaming music with me. Spent 90 minutes listening in their demo room. Made my choices. Changed my mind on one thing. I took music I was really familiar with. All genres.
Albert
Manchester
Thanks John,
I used to buy what hifi regularly in the early 90’s. It was great for making up a short list of stuff, but I learned to apply a filter to not get sucked into buying the latest flavour of the month 5 star item.
Last year I decided to dip my toe back into the hifi water so based on online reviews in forums, what hifi and youtube, I made a short list of amp & speakers to audition. I spent a couple of pleasant afternoons in various dealers listening to their stuff and taking on board their advice. I ended up with a pairing I never expected to get. The kit I read about that I was certain I wanted and made sense in my head, just didn’t move me. I ended up going a bit over budget and obtained a system that gives that magic where you focus on the music, not the hifi.
(The combo that worked for me was a Rega Brio and Neat Motive SX3 speakers, ymmv)
One modern thing that did worry me whilst I was creating my shortlist, was the prevalence of going by measurements over subjective listening. Whilst I can understand that measurements tell you something, they are no match for listening for yourself.
Great advice! I live in Lisbon, Portugal. Here there are a couple of ratailers of Hi-fi. The place where I bought my amp offered me to take my actual speakers to their store and compare it with my options of upgrade. They have three listening rooms. So I'll definitely follow this advice when the time comes for upgrading my speakers.
Great video, you covered a lot of bases that are always good to be reminded about. There is no substitute for one's one ears when making decisions about audio equipment. Your video touches on a subject you've alluded to before many times, and Steve Guttenberg recently touched on in his video on how loud one should listen to music: namely that all of our feelings about a particular piece of kit or an audio system are largely, if not completely, subjective. The pursuit of a perfect system will never end, because there is no such beast. Granted, there can be a consensus that some systems or pieces of gear do some specific things better than others (tonality, sound staging, dynamic response, transparency, etc.) But whether or not an individual likes a particular system's mix of those qualities is up to them. So I thank you for teasing out those differences as just that - differences - rather than absolutes, to help those of us with an interest in audio get a look at the entire landscape of what is happening with audio so we can map the direction we'd like to take next.
In principle the message can be applied to almost any hobby.
I do a lot of buy/sell using the famous auction site, not only audio gear but also photo equipment and all sorts of things. By being strict on buying prices, I probably break even overall while getting to try lots of stuff. I think of it as eBay free rental.
this was excellent thanks
I watch your videos because I like your approach to hifi !
Like you I started buying from magazine reviews many, many years ago. But, living in a "provincial" town there was limited access to actually listening to a wide range of equipment before purchase. So good reviews, from people I trusted, and esthetics (also an important aspect) guided my purchase decisions.
I've always auditioned speakers (I personally think the most important part of a system) but for instance relied on reviews (including yours) for my current NAD M10 - it looks good, has all the features I need and my concerns about class D amplification were sorted. I suspect the current system will now remain in place until something breaks 😂.
Doesn't mean I don't like seeing what the latest "toys" are, continue the good work 😁.
I really like your videos.
Like yourself I used to read What hifi, Hifi news and audiophile. And now yours later, I have returned back to hifi
100% agree -- listen for yourself! Like you once did, I've fueled my audio hobby for decades by buying used gear. It's the only way to really get long listens to a variety of "ice cream flavors". Especially once you get above the US$2k mark, the savings and value retention makes it worthwhile, so long as you stick with well-known brands. And I'm looking forward to the Sonos Amp review!
I think there is also a rare and unacknowledged part of hifi and that is a hifi dealer who uses their knowledge to help customers leap years ahead in the journey that is this hobby. Of course I'm not talking about the standard hifi salesperson. For example, my current dealer did an extraordinary thing for me. He brought an entire system to my home and left it with me for two weeks. The system he brought was what he felt would best suit me after listening to my history and likes/dislikes and it turned out to be a home run for me. For months after he came to collect it, I bought it right back piece by piece. I don't expect to ever have another experience like that again.
I remember reading What Hi-Fi around the same time, but I just drooled over the photos of gear. I did eventually buy a system from my local Hi-Fi dealer because of convenience (just a short walk away); they didn't have the space to let me audition the gear, but were happy to let me try it at home and return it if unsatisfied...
Apollo Hi Fi is a fantastic mid range store and a demonstration that customer service and comfort can be a bulwalk against the corporate behemoths.
Enjoyable video and lots of good common sense that sometimes get lost in the noise of online comments.
Very similar experiences, what hifi magazine to narrow down. Then listening myself at places like Richer Sounds in a room with my music.
Online reviews etc are handy and online buying and returns. But for example I have a A&K se180 and would love to try the different dacs that it can use (SEMs) myself rather than rely on someone else's reviews. I contacted A&k about returns and got details of the nearest place I can try out ones that are still in stock.
I enjoyed this video a lot. Here in the US, dealers have become few and far between. I’m lucky because we have a brick and mortar retailer called Audio Advice in our town. It’s become a bit of an online juggernaut. However, this isn’t the norm. We have online retailer called Crutchfield that allows a 60 day returns. I think that is a fantastic way to demo new components.
Like you I was a regular reader in the early 90's of What HiFi. My first CD player was a Technics SL-PG340. It didn't come with a remote. I look after my gear like it's made of porcelain. I still have the Technics and it plays perfectly. I honestly can't say if streaming a Tidal master track is better than a well-mastered disk on that 30-yr-old player.
Generous return policies make it easier to not be stuck wiht a poor choice, but ive found it difficult to accept that in order to have the best option I now need to buy a few choices and listen to them in my room and return all but one. Ive seen manufacturers pulling out of stores that offer generous return policies like crutchfield, as well. I would love to experience Buchardt for example but struggle with the restocking fees if i decide they arent for me (although i guess its better than being stuck with a poor choice).
I couldnt agree with you more John. As a long retired hifi salesman of 30 years experience, there is no substitute for “listen for yourself”. Having said that, i know that a lot of people just dont trust their own ears, eg, I’d demo a Bose sub/satellite system, comparing it to a Polk, for example & they would say, yes, the Polk sounds better. Yes the Polk is cheaper, but I’ll buy the Bose, because they’re so swayed by public opinion.
By the way, I figured that you had lived in Aus, due to an earlier comment that you made about you owning a Redgum amp & Krix speakers. Im 20 years out of the business, but still love it. Krix are still going & kicking goals, dont know about Redgum. I worked for Encels Stereo in Melbourne
Sage advice as always
Thanks!.
“Hi-fi is like ice cream.” I already like the video! 😊🙌
On a more serious note, here in India, it is still very hard to find a local store dedicated to hi-fi gear. Bose is the only retailer that has dedicated hi-fi/music stores in big Indian metros. But there is no shortage of music lovers/enthusiasts here. I hope things will change someday. Till that day, it is hard to practice that “listen for myself” method. RUclips channels like yours are the only options for us. Thanks for the discussion!
Awesome advice, whilst listening to it, it sounds so obvious, but so easily swayed away from. Also applies to most other cliched male interests: cars, watches etc
Yes! A couple of minutes auditioning is more enlightening than hundreds of hours of research (that doesn't stop me researching, however...🙂).
The Audio Asylum forum was actually around in the late 90s!
Wow, we auditioned speakers in the same area and time, so cool! I remember the first hi-fi audition as a teenager back in 2003 that really impressed me and that was from Krix, which were A-B'd against some B&Ws. The B&W's sounded dry and flat compared with the Krix which sounded rich and full-bodied.
The problem with buying HiFi based on listening is that you may end up with something that has 2 dB less SINAD than what's available.
Haha.
At a steady 1kHz.
Its the gratest Fun to go to a Store and compare different Kinds of the Same!!!!! So i picked 2 Months ago my New Bluetooth Headset. I decided for the B&O H9 because for me they are the Best in Quality of Sound and lock and Feel!!!!! And so i do with all my Hifi Gear!!!! I love it so to go to my Hifi Store and Listen to all that different things!!!!!