My missus said to me the other day "let me get this straight you spend over £1,000 on speaker cables because you can 'hear the difference' but you can't hear me calling you from the kitchen" 🤣
A lot of companies sell fancy wires (“cables”) because the margins are ridiculous. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that action? Like printing money. Don’t be their sucker!
Yes Daniele, its true . people must keep in mind that this is very much a thing of the mind as its perception and fantasy at times. so make a decision how far to take it and when you reach that goal then enjoy it !!
@@Coneman3 Yes, that’s a good description! And as you say, we are different - and that is a benefit for all of us. I do enjoy Mikey’s attitude and what he is sharing, too!
An absolutely spot on comment Daniele, I have come to much the same conclusion. I am satisfied with Lapp power cables, 4mm Fisual OFC speaker cables, and £150 a pair interconnects for everything but the turntables, I spent a bit more on those. I have a good friend who works in the trade who has loaned me some really expensive stuff over the years. Results generally, to my ears, only a tonal shift caused by differing capacitances.
@@donk1822 Lapp cables doesn't do anything positive to sound. They exactly same as standard cables delivered with equipment. I know because I started with them also long time ago.
Hi, really enjoyed the video. love your passion and knowledge. do you have an opinion on australian made VAF speakers. I noticed yo have an aus made amp for main system. cheers
Hey Mikey I have a PS Audio DirectStream PerfectWave DAC and an Innuos Zen Mkiii Streamer and it sounds glorious. It’s magical. What is it that you don’t like about the PS Audio?
Hello, Mickey. Thanks for your video. May ask you a question. Is it a good idea to buy MPD-8 DAC for headphone rig (Meze Elite now, and STAX SR-X9000 with amp in the future)? Thanks.
Hi Dimitriy, MPD-8 is the best DAC I know of. The last DAC I'll ever buy.. There is now MPD-6 which is 95% of MPD-8 and its $9K less. If there was no MPD-8, MPD-6 would be my favorite DAC. So depends on your budget, but MPD-6 will be incredible for almost everyone ... ;-)
An electronics engineer who wrote a column many years ago had an open challenge for, I think, $10,000 that nobody could hear the difference between audiophile speaker cables and hardware store lamp cord in a double-blind A/B/C listening test. AFAIK, he retired without anyone taking him up on the offer. Electrons couldn't care less what you paid for your cables, and the human hear can only hear a pitifully small bandwidth of the frequencies any common copper wire is capable of carrying. Assuming the same metal (copper), if you have sufficient gauge wire to handle the current, and the correct design for the impedence involved, there is simply NO audible difference between one cable and another. They just conduct electrons. It's voodoo BS to claim otherwise.
Interconnect cables carry voltage while current equal to voltage / resistance of 'input port' is not significant. E.g 0.1V / 23kOhms is equal to 4.35 microAmpere. In comparison to input port resistance cable resistance is insignificant. E.g. (23kOhms + 0.3 Ohms) is more or less same as 23 kOhms since precision of input port resistance has variability orders of magnitude higher than reasonable cable resistance, e.g. 23,000+/-100 Ohms.
Yes. If wire has the same metal, same purity, same capacitance, same resistance, same geometry, same insulation, same quality of termination, etc., then yes, they will sound the same.
It appears that mikey is a mild cable hugger.He suggested 2000.00 and then 1000.00 for cables. I guess he himself is not convinced there is a difference.
In 2003 a stereo using 833A output tubes sole for $350,000. Now it sells for $480,000. Using the best parts available, you can build your own using better transformers and power supplies with polypropylene capacitors instead of inferior electrolytic capacitors for less than $2,000. Cables costing thousands of dollars a pair are advertised by bad physics.
Interesting that you crap all over Schiit, PS Audio and Benchmark, all of whom sell direct. I have heard all three in great systems. Not a fan of the soft PS Audio sound, but the Schiit Yggdrasil sounds superb in every system I have heard it in. You mention a floor for pricing of DACs at $3 to $5k. You do realize that if the Schiit was not sold direct and through a dealer network, that it would be priced at over $5,000? For me, one of the great myths of hi fi is that the more expensive the better. Sorry, but not always true. Not even close.
I agree. Just replaced an old Krell pre-amp/processor with a new Schitt Freya+ and Cambridge Audio DacMagic200. Both sound great...although, even better is pairing the Schitt with my CD player--CD's just sound better than streaming to me. Idk why people are now spending small fortunes to get back into vynal...$5,000 turntables..nah...
@@ogbeethoven1588 isn't it a mystery? Pay all that money so you can work harder to listen to your music. Clicks and pops and all. It is such a limited music listening experience compared to computer-based hi-fi and at this point digital rivals analog and in many ways is better.
If you look at my videos I did I believe it was a 17 DAC shootout. If you listen you'll see shiit was near the bottom. I don't blame you for thinking the way you do. Because the Yiggy is the best you've heard, you've never heard anything like mine. If someone asked me for recommendation of attack that's below three grand Yiggi is the one that I recommend. You are making a mistake by grouping all expensive hi-fi together. Some of the pieces it's true that the more expensive is not better. But there are absolutely pieces that you get what you pay for. There is absolutely nothing in existence that will beat the DAC that I have for under $15,000. I've tried for years this is taken me a lifetime to find this one single DAC that is on a different plane of existence than any other DAC I've heard in my life. And I can confidently use the word best for this DAC. The designer invented sample rate conversion, he created DSD, he knows more about conversion than any other designer. You must realize that I'm not the normal regular audio buyer. I do this for a living in my audio system is over $100,000 I'm not saying that to brag I'm saying that to put things in perspective. I really don't care how much it costs I'm after a certain sound and that's it I'm very close to reaching the end of my journey if you were to come here and listen to this audio system you would experience something that you had no idea was possible. And finally your idea of crapping all over something in my idea are very different. I simply said PS audio is not world-class and never will be. They sell to a different market. Same with the other entry-level guys. PS audio is the top of the entry-level.
@@OCDHIFiGuy I have heard systems that cost up to a $1,000,000. Some I was impressed with others were terrible. Everything was exaggerated. Just terrible to listen to. The owners loved their systems. That is OK with me as it is their money and I don’t have to listen to it. If you think your DAC is the greatest ever, that is fine with me. Enjoy it. That is what this is all about,
@@joewhip9303 its true. The megabuck rigs at the shows never ever sound the best. All of them 1M and higher and its mostly a visual spectacle. Im a little more proactive if I want to prove a point as I know my DAC outperforms the competition, im not just thinking it. To the point ill put $100 on a 6th shootout for any comer. If im willing to say it, im willing to prove it. Nowhere do I say that the more you spend the better it gets.
I year ago i replaced my ARC vt200 with two Carver M1.0t amplifiers and never looked back! The preamp is a JR Synergy 2 with BPS1. Speakers are Audiostatics es300rs’. Sacd player is an Esoteric x-03se and my pickup is a modified Lenco l75 with Van Den Hul Colibri. All components are connected by XLR. I’m a happy camper!!
All points are gold! It took me a while to stop fuming my brain when some "experts" are saying that "You must spend bla, bla, bla on speakers FIRST and build your system from that point". One thing I failed to understand is if they are truly morons or if they think that everyone else is an idiot?! Room - definitely a no.1 if you intend to blow your hard earned cash on HiFi gear! If you do not have a dedicated space to listen than it's better to go with a desktop setup with a Hi-End DAC and headphones rather than blow a money for gear trying to fit between the existing furniture (and family, of course). Source (recording) is my no.2 important point. If a music you are listening is recorded as crap - no gear will be able to fix it. Cables do matter a lot but once everything else is in place. Strange science but unfortunately it does make a difference! 😆
Comment on DACs are interesting. Pls share which DACs under $10K can do a good 3D. I for one live in a place where placing speakers evenly from a listening position won't work well because the room is not even. Also I think most of well designed class AB amps have among the lowest THD just before clipping, so in reality, I think amp should sound the best when playing loud providing that the speakers / room can handle the loudness. Problem of buying an esoteric brand name is that they do poorly when one needs to sell it.
Hi there, if you cannot place your speakers correctly then I cannot in good conscience recommend to you a DAC that is known for its imaging. You are unable to set up properly to receive that imaging. So stick with what you have for now until you can change the room. You think ABM's have the lowest distortion right before they clip? I've never heard of that, I will ask Jeff Rowland. The idea when buying an esoteric brand-name is to go deep the first time. Then you never need to sell it. And actually, the best names in the market command high resale. Thank you for your feedback !
Thanks for the great advice! Can you give me some quick recommendations on speakers for HT? I currently have Klipsch 5.1 (4x RF5, 1x RC3 II) set up and want to upgrade my center (RC3 II) channel because I don't like its sound, which I think translates to -> I need to get a different brand for all my speakers. Taking in account your feelings about made in China... I'm sort of interested in Warfedale EVO 4.4, Arendahl 1723, and Aperion Verus III. Any others to look at in those price ranges? Any American made? I think I want a little warmer sound and not so bright, but still with good detail. I know there are a lot of variables, but does anything come to mind? Thank you.
Good advice here. Maybe for many of us just get your system sounding nice, then play well recorded music, then move on with life and don’t let yourself think you need better when you really don’t. Be content with what you have in life. Unless you win lotto then buy everything 😂
Uggh, another knowitall who thinks he's gonna come here and teach me , first off Im assuming its a good recording as we dont listen to shitty ones do we ? Nest speaker placement gives focus on the sweet spot , it does not and can not control scale .. but DAC can and environment What the eff does that mean ? THe room ? Ummm No wrong, room does not control imaging
You are 100% correct. This guy is completely delusional. Also, what he says about cables makes me laugh out loud. I’m still on the floor laughing my head off. What a delusional idiot.
PS Audio won’t image well??. I think the folks at Stereophile will laugh at you for that statement. They give it an A+ rating in their recommended components. Not "A", but "A+".
I agree with this! My PS Audio DirectStream (which I bought used and so consider an even better bargain!) is delivering the "magic" in my opinion. It absolutely images. Would a DAC costing twice (or three or four times) as much delivery more magic? Probably! But to say the PS Audio can't cut it... errr... sorry. And I agree with you on every other point but what gives on the PS Audio disrespect?
@@matthewrond7386 im sorry but if i can be candid you make my point. You guys dont know your ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to hifi. . PS Audio isnt shit when you play like the big boys. Its total Mid Fi. You must understand im after the best this world has to offer, period. PS Audio does not even try to position themselves that way. They know whom thier customer is, and its not a 2 channel purist Audio Nut bag like me. Des not mean they are not fantastically sucessful. Stereophile commonly puts the the dealers or MFGs which pay them the most for ads (on the front page) so stereo reviews are unrelible
@@OCDHIFiGuy I'm just getting back in to building a system and this video came up on my feed. Thanks for the 9 truths! Question...what DAC's would you put on the top 5, top 3 list? TIA!
@@ytvideos1011. Playback Designs MPD-8 . I sell them after I bought one for myself. Just too damn good not to. Sounds worse through a preamp even if its a 30K world class preamp . 2.APL HiFi DSD MR. Overpriced but hella good. Find one used and the depreciation makes it a score. 3. Rockna Wavedream Signature Balanced. An imaging queen. Bad to the bone foundationally but seems unfinished like they rushed it to production. Not a reason to not buy. This needs a tube preamp.4. COS Engineering D1. Effing coolest piece of audio gear from an aesthetic design standpoint and has the chops to stand with the big boys. Photos dont do it justice. 5. Aesthetix Pandora. Put some NOS tubes in there and get the volume control on it. Fuggedaboudit... its bad ass. 6. Metrum Acoustics Adagio. No filters no oversampling no dsd no mqa, nononesense R2R DAC ... strong. 7. Exogal Comet plus killer sounding DAC. Also no preamp with comet. Its better without. Theres one caveat. Screwed to crap display and remote. Find one for 2k or less grab with both hands and make a stash. 8. Jeff Rowland Capri Preamp with DAC card. Unique in that it does nothing wrong and is very enjoyable. Easy is a great word to describe it easy to listen to everyone will like it, not a showoff tho like the above
Great subject! I have been telling my High Fi friends this stuff for years! I used to be a high end consultant for years, and when I would visit a customer who spent a fortune on audio,that stated his system sounds like shit.I would first look at the room .most were set up horrible.the second issue was bad system Matching. Bright+bright+bright= problems.your right! The best names are not the best! I saved for a Krell KSA 250 due to the rave reviews,It was the most unrealistic amp I ever had!! Period. equalization was built into it.bumped up bass, recessed miss and hard highs.i cancelled my high end magazine subscriptions,and started trusting ears and gut.(that was in the 90's) great sound is attainable at a fraction of the price.stay in the hunt,it pays off!
Hi Chris, well lookee here, the guy who's got solid industry experience who agrees 100% with what I say the other people on this thread with the convictions don't have nearly any experience doing what you and I have done, yet they sure talk like they know what's going on don't they?
OCD Hi-Fi Guy, just wanted to take a moment to let you know I really appreciate the time, effort, & honesty you put into your videos, for me it's an education. Thank you!
“A speaker that’s going to swing in impedance” lol 😂 what, like all of them! The amp is second only to the speakers these days, the speakers have the most distortion in the chain, then the amp. Cheap front end (PC) with a cheap DAC is as good as the front end gets. Pre-Amps add nothing but can crackle or colour the sound if there are cheap. More important than all of the above…. THE ROOM Most people have zero treatment despite the room offering 10x the distortion of the speakers (worst offender in the chain).
Uggh, you again, No, not all of them have a wide swing and are reactive , no wrong you are. Thanks for teaching us third grade level about distortion. and I will not start on a room that does not have AC Power and ground sorted along with the room, you think Im stupid bro ? This is my career, no other job for the last 20 years. and all of a sudden you think you'll teach me the room is the first most important thing to do ? LOL WTF ? This is 9 UGLY truths about HiFi .. thats it ... Not the 9 most important truths about system setup. Not the "creating the foundation of a great audio system" video either .... Psssssssssss
Great video I love it. I have one question. Im in the market for a turntable and my budget is from $1200 to 2k. Im sick of my debut carbon and changing belts for 45rpm and lifting the tone arm before the needle wares out. So can you recomend something in that ball park that an auto lift and has speed switch or would that not be acceptable?
To enjoy your hi fi system you have to have a dedicated room. The room you choose must have a balance of absorbed and reflective surfaces. Many people today buy speakers based on their looks and not by their sound.
Hi Rob from Oz, I'd say I could enjoy hi-fi without a dedicated room, but to get the best out of your hi-fi yes absolutely you need a dedicated room. You could not be more correct about people buying speakers based on looks. They will see something and say I've gotta have that, and they don't even care to find out if those speakers will even work in their room. This is why I think it's foolish to tell people that are relatively new to this to trust their own ears and figure out their own components and speakers you'll chase your tail for 10 years.
So according to you. If you don't have a "dedicated room"...you shouldn't bother even trying. Too bad I didn't hear from you years ago before I spent all of this money!
Hey Mikey, what format for music playback do you think is best? Cd, Sacd, Wav files, or DSD files. I’m just asking because I want to start buying music for the long term and only want to buy my music once if possible. Records aren’t my thing, that’s why I left it out. Any help would be great, thanks.
Though I love the sound of the better components using them, I've tried to limit the number of tube components and total number of tubes in my systems in order to reduce the frequency of tube issues, and reduce costs for NOS tubes that I prefer, which hell yes, are unfortunately getting more expensive. Also, if you like/prefer NOS tubes, factor ahead for their overall addition to purchase price for tube gear & get at least a couple backup pairs of small tubes to insure against skyrocketing tube prices long-term; and to help re-sell your unit someday, if/when you choose to do so, assuming you haven't used those tube backup pairs.
Back in 1995 when I was getting into tube gear, Herb Reichart advised me not to buy a tube amp using long out of production weird and obscure tubes. I've followed that bit of advice and am happy to hear you telling the RUclips folks the same. Also 100% agree about not knowing WTF we're doing. I realized that one early on reading Glass Audio, Klag &%Tang, Vacuume Tube Valley, the DIY audio magazines and forums, wearing out my welcome in the HiFi Shops of yore, attending HiFi shows and club shin-dings. Meeting the enginer geeks who design build and pruduce product and know what they're doing. It's a learning experience for sure.
Look I hate to say things like you dont know shit because I know it will upset people but my intention is to prevent audio files especially new ones from chasing their tail forever. I'm consulting with a guy right now in his mid-70s who still is looking for the 3D image. I feel it's like he's been cheated. And it upsets me. So I'll make it right for the guy.
@@OCDHIFiGuy The updated tube are available and technology of Tube equipment of DIY should look at Audio Note Kits as well. The 3d is there from older equipment and many fetching big bucks. Ever hear and Audio Research SP-3a, still updated by the company and still the best sounding preamp they ever made. I take it you have never heard the Servo Statics, IRS, Dayton Wrights, Yamaha from the 1000M to the NS-2000 and the Century Anniversary System. Spectral was also starting and Kenwood proved the direct drive principle that only the deaf could not tell the difference. Many components are no longer even possible to make of film resistors (most of what is left will cost 10+ per piece that are still made), inductors (Goertz is an old technology and still is great today), capacitors are just lost with the better speaker units at very high dollar of copper film, Rubicon is gone and there is only one Electrolytic cap that tries to keep up with the old, Kaisai. Circuit boards of thick high quality copper and silver traces are gone except in the idiot zone. Then comes the crossovers of new megabuck systems which Griffon is great but few others know how to put them together. Tables and Arms are pure crap and hype compared to those of the 70s-80s and high end has no clue of the engineering full explanation of the flywheel effect which used to be in HS Physics.
I watched OCD guy develop his system over the years. He's really across the good, the bad, and the ugly. Really a devoted audiophile. Thanks for sharing.
@@OCDHIFiGuy Mikey, I’ve scene a few of your videos and have enjoyed them. I have a few boutique components; Spatial Audio X5 speakers, HoloAudio Spring DAC 2 KTE, PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamp & amp. My system smokes, but I’m still working towards my desired sound. I agree that the big name selling hifi manufactures are not necessarily the best. Peace!
Right ?, Think about it man.. How long has it taken you ? Shit, im 20 years in, full time and Im still learning little tricks and things to do and not to do .. I cant imagine coming in fresh now and trying to even make sense of the landscape of the market and how to separate it out , just to get my bearings .... sheesh... Keep on Killin it Jay ;-)
Buying and trying it is the only way most of us learn but that costs money and losing lots too. Very few people want to understand that most forums are simply people with an opinion on items they've never owned or seen. Lots of "gurus" on the forums but yet they all own nothing of what they seem to be preaching or claim to be experts of.
@@jaysaudiolab So true. So many opinions out there based on regurgitated stuff read off the internet. Unfortunately, we have to wade through hard liner opinions from the inexperienced. Reminds me of when a classmate told me how it was to be high, without never having been.
@@jaysaudiolab Its true, and to me I feel that the sellers keep audiophiles in a perpetual tail chase in order to keep selling the person over and over. I figure if I do the opposite, and teach people how to weed through the BS, while at the same time offering complete systems that are guaranteed to have the magic to some degree, and guarantee them results, then Im taking the bull by the horns and eliminating the drawbacks including the buy and sell ferris wheel ride. But truly thats how we learned , buy sell, lose, buy sell , lose. I figure its paying my dues in order to be the best educated seller I can. Like paying for school or something, but the main reason is so I can offer an option for people who would like to completely avoid the HiFi Game. Just be a good trustworthy seller that stokes people and the rest will fall into place. So Hey, have you had the Aries Cerat through your place ? How did it stack up sonically ? It sure looks big ..
I'm still skeptical about cables since echoic memory is all of ~4 seconds so by the time you switch cables you've completely forgotten how your system sounds, it took me months of listening just to figure out that my one set of speakers sounded better than another. I've also heard audiophiles say that cables either send a signal or they don't, they can't effect a change in the signal which makes sense to me and as you pointed out the most ardent proponents of cables are the companies selling them which are of course the least credible sources and why i'm a member of Audio Science Review, because I prefer facts over ideas, opinions and sales pitches
Then keep your believe system if it feels cosy for you! Just ask yourself if you possibly may not even have the quality gear that lets you hear cable differences. .and maybe in addition „why custom cable manufacturers exist since 40 years…and if all their customers who are able to spend this kind of money are dumb stupid idiots who are sheepishly following the marketing machinery. But no one cares if you keep on not believing that cables can make a remarkable difference!
@@bikemike1118 Well, apparently you care because you posted about it. And yes, I do think people were sold a bill of goods on cables and just because a company like Monster became successful does not prove their products work, I have yet to see any evidence beyond anecdotal that cables (like monster) make any sonic difference, particularly when the profit margin on cables is extraordinary so sales people have always had a powerful incentive to sell them. Also, as I said, human echoic memory is so short as to make comparisons (unless they are A/B testing using the exact same gear which is virtually unheard of) useless. You sound like one of the suckers who wasted a bunch of money on cables which is why you're now so desperately defending them but take heart there little slugger, you're not alone, lots of other people have been taken in by their bullshit. Cables either carry a signal or they don't
I sold cables as I was employed in the Hifi trade a few years back and I was sceptical because I knew how much money was being made. Well I'm no longer sceptical, they make a difference. Treat cables exactly as you would a hifi component. Would you spend $2000 on a CD player without listening to it first? Well take the same view with an interconnect. Take it home, listen to it for a fortnight, then see how you get on. If you don't notice anything then return it, if you do then you've got your answer.
@@peterkin1010 or you've just convinced yourself cables improve the sound which is the far more likely explanation give how short human echoic memory is
I currently have B&W 802’s and have always wanted to upgrade to Wilson Watt Puppies or Sophia’s but lately I’ve been reading about Vandersteen design concepts and specifically Quattro Wood CT, which price wise is similar. My goal is to reproduce the sound not change it. It seems like this is Vandersteen goal as well. Could you comment on both? Thanks
I have two DSD DACs from PS Audio and they well regarded in the industry. To make a broad statement about PS Audio, I'd have to question his opinion since its not based on any expertise or insight. What a clown!
If this is Blaine from Duluth, let me know so i dont take up too hard against you. Look, PS audio is Good stuff, its just not great in my opinion. Im only one wild and crazy guy. But ive had DirectStream in here twice and compared. The next thing i do is read the website of any given product. The way that PS Audio is written, you can tell they are not speaking to seasoned audiophiles. No big deal. It is what it is.
I'm trialling 2 different power amps here, 1 is Son of Ampzilla II and 2 is dynavector HX1.2 These image VERY VERY Differently to each other, so the amps do make a difference. The ampzilla is brighter and less forward than the dynavector. The dynavector has a very holographic image, is tonally softer and has a greater sense of depth and 3D imaging. Each is great in its own right but the point is, they're VERY different to each other. So point number 3 is not fully correct.
Oh Ronnie. Look how this industry has ruined you, but I don't blame you it's full of liars. If you can't tell that I'm speaking from the heart, then you're not very perceptive. How is anybody supposed to know I'm an expert unless I tell them? I certainly don't look like one. And most people judge a book by its cover. If there's one thing I do, it's back my mouth up with action. You will eventually learn if you pay attention, that I am the exception to the rule in this industry. Ask anybody that's done business with me, especially those that had me personally design their audio system. I wish it points like this I could just ask the crowd to chime in about me. But I don't think everybody reads these. All in all I agree with you check me out, Google my name and my company name, if you can find any one single thing bad, I'll be shocked. This is my life's purpose is nowhere near just a stupid job. And I'm a connoisseur. And I'm picky. So why so myself short? My idiosyncrasies make me very good at system set up. So I offer that to the world. My listening room is my church. Music is spiritual to me and more than just background music. The way I receive back in life is by giving of myself in the form of creating audio systems that heal people from all the bull shit of everyday life. Clearly you do not know this industry. Because my attitude is humble compared to most of the "singers"of their own praises. I'm sorry you don't have any to sing or you would understand. Best wishes to you
From an electrical engineering perspective I'll just say you will get more out of a $300-$400 Sound Blaster AE-7 or AE-9 DAC then any PS Audio or similar brand DAC. Though might not be as easy to integrate, maybe in a small fully solid state mini PC.
$3k - $5k for a DAC, minimum? You are insane... I guess I'll go back to my junk system full of defective, low-quality, gear. At least I know I don't need to come back here.
LOL poor baby. Jeez dude have some spine. If you listen close I never once said it was junk or defective or low-quality that's your perception buddy. I'm talking to my client base. They appreciate the honesty. There's nothing wrong with shiit and other gear that is inexpensive. It's just not what I use, no big deal. And I did use that level at one time. And I never forget where I came from that's why I sell things that are $1000. Because I'm not leaving anybody out. I'm sure if I sat down and talk with you for a second I would find something that you spend on that I think is absolutely ridiculous. Usually it has to do with hobbies or collections or other obsessions. Perhaps a vintage Carvin Axe. If you come back here you might learn something that helps you. No matter what I say to you in my Vids, Im not a typical old school arrogant hi-fi prick. In fact im the opposite. I go the extra mile for my young bloods, or guys new to hi-fi. I'm into people that are into music. The hi-fi gear is secondary. For me this is about meeting people and forming friendships and sharing something cool together. If you come back you get to know me and how I sometimes approach the general RUclips public. Just look at some of the comments and you'll understand how someone could get a little defensive especially when it's her beloved hobby that they cherish. So have a great day man cheers
Really like these talks. I'm in a condo. My couch (listening position is against the wall in a 11'6"x10'6" (latter being pretty open other then the kitchen island). I've had bass issues I think, I had Usher be718's with a Primaluna Dialogue 1 and rega dac. Noticed it most with that set up vs SS and smaller speakers. I prefer to buy used usually. I like 'liquid' over harshness. But I could just be speaking from lower-end experience. I do like tubes, but who knows. I do want 'magic'. Emotion. I want looks too with at least one of the pieces of gear. Budget 4k for used gear. Would you offer a consulting package for me without being here in my room?
HI Hung, if you upgrade to a VERASTARR Cable, I will guarantee you a significant difference or your money back with no restocking fee. I guarantee my results no matter what. Feel free to call me if you'd like to hear a significant difference with the power cord. All the best!
Hi, enjoyed the video as usual! The one thing that keeps gnawing at me is forums like ASR which keep debunking cables through measured performance. I do believe that cables make a difference but how do you explain when you can’t measure it?
Hi Sujay, Let me put something in to perspective. We listen to music , do we not ? Bench tests that are performed using a single frequency test tone is hardly the way one would measure the ability of a cable to provide something so much more complex than a test tone. Furthermore , the cable is part of a symbiotic circuit between amplifier cable and speaker and all of them produce different results , so to try and simplify this down to a test bench and a scope or analyzer is just not how we hear things . Its like putting a Ferarri up on a lift and running tests inside the garage, then trying to conclude how it will perform on the track including ambient temp, tire compound, etc... you simply would not be able to determine how it reacts to driver input . Its an improper way to judge cables . Your ears are the measurement device. The thing as you said, it can be heard. therefore it exists... There are things that exist that can not be measured , like realism of the sound, how "real " does it sound.. connected to this is the Presence.. how present is a singer in the room ?.. Image depth or instrument layering , tonal density... how do you measure that ? You see where Im going ... testing cables with test tone and analyzer is majorly flawed.
@@OCDHIFiGuy it comes down to how well the cable specs match the specs of your preamp/amp etc. An expensive cable could sound worse than a relatively cheaper cable if it is poorly spec matched to your individual components than the latter. I can demonstrate this ALL DAY LONG. So, you are incorrect about the more you pay for the cable, the better it sounds.
@@wa2368 This is a very important and significant post, so please dont edit it , Id like to point something out that everyone can learn from. Lets look at how W A perceived things . My guess is you are a cable naysayer, which is fine when I started talking about cables being valid and needed you decided to take the opposite position in that moment. In fact you were thinking out your retort while I was still talking about it to the point that your ears closed and you made up what you thought I was saying , which I never in a million years would say , which is the more you pay for a cable the better it sounds. Thats a ridiculous statement . I would be a complete idiot if I said some shit like that . Lets pull NORDOST out for this example .. heres the great part about them. They TELL YOU that their Odin 2 , $35K per half meter cable is silver plated copper in extruded PET. If you know manufacturing you know that stuff is not expensive at all. And you can see how thin thier strands are as they are lined up in a row and you can see through the transparent jacket. all of them together probably make up a 14AWG. So the buyer is the stupid one, and no foul for NORDOST as they have divulged that they are throttling the piss out of the buyer. And they are not that great of cables I beat them with my designs. You see , I am committed enough that I dont just tell you something is crap and overpriced and leave you stranded, I actually design an alternative that sounds better ands costs exponentially less. I am bringing back one of my companies Legacy designs so I can offer you guys cables in the hundreds of dollars which I gave up, for selling cables in the thousands long ago. Even though my core client is a dyed in the wool audiophile with means , it does not mean I forget or turn my back on the entry level guys ..
3:28 total nonsense, I used to work for Chord Electronics, they make high end DACs Transparency from a DAC can be obtained for £30 these days. If a DAC is transparent, there are no improvements to be gained.
Chord stuff is not anywhere what some people think. This is one of the pieces that people tell each other sounds good, but Dave with Mscaler is no good, too strident, sterile and soul less, artifacts can be heard from M scaler. I wont mention how goofy they look as that does not matter.
Hi Mike. Great advise as always. I appreciate it a lot. I'm thinking about building a system consisting of Wilson Alexxes, Ypsilon amplification and APL transport/streamer/dac. What are your thoughts on these brands? Considering also adding some of your beautiful cables too :))
Ive just never been impressed at any show ...however there was one time at CES that we had Sascha 2 and those were fantastic .. But for the most part it seems Wilson has an amazing box build, but the sonic does not ,match how robust the cabinets are made. Then again, Ive never had them in hand to set up myself , perhaps I could make them sing , who knows ? all I know is that its pretty unanimous thats its an OK speaker , just not as good as it looks in the end , and people spend a ton on them . Ypsilon is pretty good possibly great , I showed in California with a full Ypsilon rig and it sounded pretty killer to me although maybe buy them previously owned to get the best bargain. Ive got an APL HiFi DSD MR, Ill make you a sweetheart deal on if you are interested. Alexs stuff is great sounding ..
But to saying you'd only be getting 80% of its performance is an exaggeration lol. I use pure, fine silver for my speaker hookup and I can certainly tell the difference. But even comparing against cheap cheap copper (both extremes), it's not 20%. There was one time I found some old monster cable at a garage sale. Holy shit. It made the amp sound like it was broken. But, the cable looked abused. That was night and day, but I'll attribute that to a ruined cable.
Some people do believe it or not. I’ve seen it. People with fully active top of the range Naim systems and super high end speakers then connecting them with lamp cord or similar. It’s crazy but true
Thanks for saying cables matter. You can’t convince the zip cable crowd. I believe the system is only as good as its weakest link, and that includes cables. They are components as critical as the speakers or amp. Buy the best you can afford, it makes a big difference. Room treatment is also a great way to make the sound better. Everything is important.
Serious Question? 🤔🙄 The only thing I don't understand about speaker cables making a system sound better is this. When I see people here on RUclips open up an expensive amplifier or even the speaker, all I mostly see is very thin wiring. The people opening these products will mention the quality of the capacitors and such but the all important wire quality, not so much if at all?🤔🙄 Is that where the bottleneck is? The amplifier has Maybe $30 bucks worth of wiring. And that's being very generous !🤔 Now all of the sudden putting on a pair of $1,500 cables is going to make such a difference?🤔🙄 How come these products like an amplifier use that thin basic wiring inside the amplifier if it's such a big bottleneck of sorts? Thanks for your answer in advance. And I'm not saying the cables doesn't make a difference. I just don't understand especially with the speakers and expensive ones at that, why most don't use this type of speaker cableing in their speakers if it makes such a difference? Thanks for your input in advance.😇 I am in the belief that once you go to a 10 gauge oxygen free cable in about a 10 foot length there is not much more to do. Although, I'd be the first one to tell you I'm probably wrong. That's why I'm asking this question!😬🤔 I'm also in the belief that people that can usually afford one hundred or two hundred thousand dollar systems aren't the dumbest people in the world and most of them believe in these cables!😉😇🤑 Now the cable risers, that's a whole nother story.🤐🤐🤐🤐😬🙄😉
OK 3 times a charm. What you say is absolutely true. The way I say it is someone goes and buys $10,000 cable with the whole website talking about how serious these people are about pure metals, yet the speaker cable terminates into a brass bolt. Really? That's how much you care about the integrity of what you're pitching? So I did something about it. I got a patented connector design that hits some industry firsts. For one it's the first time it pure silver can be maintained from the PC board in the amplifier all the way to the speaker driver inside the speaker cabinet. No solder. No dissimilar metals whatsoever. Furthermore, the best connection between two points is one solid wire right? But that's impossible since we need to move our gear. So if you look at the typical piece of equipment from RCA to RCA behind that connector there's a solder cup and the wire the ghost out of the PCB many times with the plug and that plug needs to solder into the board so typical breaks in transmission line for audio there are nine between the two components say preamp and amplifier my design knocks it down to two. This is an industry first. So I get what you mean about the lack of integrity and it really blew me away not one company had taken it all the way they all stop at the brass bolt not caring what happens afterwards. Granted this is something you would have to get the manufacturer on board with which could be very hard, but my connectors are designed to retrofit legacy mounting holes and people can change it themselves if they so desire. So yes you're very right there is a lack of integrity and people don't care about what happens after the mounting connector. Except me and I got a patent and clearly you so you probably buy some!
I am not a rich guy, neither I am a Audiophile. However, I love to listen to good music. I have a Mac MA 7900 and need to upgrade my Altec Lansing 510 speakers. My Audio guy is recommending the Focal Kanta 2. I have a Oppo 103 blue ray player and a clear audio turn table. Need your guidance.
If you are buying the Focal at half price OK, but then they will sound too bright most likely . Nobody can recommend speakers without knowing evetrything about your system and your room .
This is the video that convinced me to give Mikey a call. Previously, I went to a buddy's house for a listening session. The next day I turned on my rig and to me it sounded like a transistor radio. I called Mikey and said I wanted the magic and he delivered it!
I'm glad you stopped at 9. Whenever I see a top 10 or a top 5 list, I know that one or two of those are bogus and were included just to make it to that nice round number. Either way, thank you for your input. That was very insightful.
You know a great deal about stereo equipment. 20 years is a long time. I have done it since I was a schoolboy in 1978, some decades I have been preoccupied with other things or I just have not had the money. Recently especially since Covid there has been next to nothing out there I consider to be worthwhile. I'm just glad I got in there a few years back & sorted things out to a level I can be happy with. I like your frankness, there is nothing worse than listening to a so called expert who knows very little.
He's wrong about the dac imaging. A lot of $99 dacs can do great. A $500 soncoz sdg1 images excellent. Denafrips ares 2 imaging is great not excellent. There's plenty of cheaper options in terms of dacs. I don't completely agree with audiosciencereview but there are plenty of options under 1k
Oh Cmon Sara, you can't say that and not post a pic ! Ill bet youve got some truly Chic outfits then ! Please comment more on my vids. Youll be a breath of fresh air .. ;-) all the best !
Just want to ask, you criticize a lot of things in this video, and that's great, it's refreshing to hear the truth about stuff and not just a bunch of positive hype on everything which is mostly what you hear in audio reviews, but I wonder if you have a video telling people the things you like. I'm writing this while listening to Ugly Truth no. 5, that the most marketed and best-known brands aren't the best, something which I'm inclined to agree with. So, specifically, I'm asking what equipment you have, if you don't mind sharing.
What's wrong with Mogami cable or Canare for that matter, hasn't it been in use for decades in studios? I use it exclusively for balanced and unbalanced cabling in my system and in my opinion it doesn't colour the sound, just tells it as it is. But I might be wrong.
Hi David, there's nothing wrong with either of them in fact they are industry standard meaning they do everything by the book. We go way outside of the book with our designs. It's just another way to tailor our systems to how we like. You can hear a difference if you use a foil as a conductor instead of a round wire even more so if it's silver foil. So again nothing wrong with the industry standard.
What kind of a surfacy douchebag are you ? Ill tell you . A Complete BOZO who thinks you can prejudge by someone's looks. LOL, you are faced with your own lack of confidence when you hear someone say it like it is .. I AM a HIFI bad ass. I prove it every day. Ive got no problem stating truth. If I dont say anything people like you will completely underestimate my ability as well as the level of service I give so thanks for giving me a post that allows me to talk about my beautiful self. Im the best... If I was any better, Id be twins. Yep.. nobody as good as me. I love myself more than any other Human. Dont get too close or youll just start to orbit me . aaaahhh hyes, ME..
@@westernartifact580 They do if you are judgemental and/or read a book by its cover . Thats old school rhetoric and has no place in todays world. What you are indirectly telling me is to make myself a pretty boy which is inauthentic, to fool people that make assumptions based on looks. Life will just get harder for you as many of the worlds experts have both arms sleeved in tattoos, piercings etc. On the other hand you are an easy mark for a con. All they have to do is look nice and you trust them...loll Time to drop the old habits and evolve with the rest of the world my friend. Judging people by how they look rather than their character, could not be more unpopular at the current time in the world. Your eyes are clouded and you are missing great opportunities to meet amazing people.
Kindred Spirits! I’ve been an Audiophile since 1975 and an Audio Dealer since 2010. I’m learning new things every day! I love this hobby and helping people too! I can relate to everything you stated!
Most of this is just the same lies that you probably don't even understand why they are lies. You probably don't even understand the amount of things you tell people matter that don't.
@@zachansen8293 (watch me make you look stupid right now)... Hi Zac, please show the people here what are lies that I dont understand are lies. Since you are so enlightened, please teach us your wisdom.
You mention " Power Amplifier does not make a difference in sound" as all the sound comes from your DAC etc, etc. I was thinking of replacing my Mcintosh MC 602 With the Mark Levinson No 332.5 Power Amplifier. I guess it's not worth the effort, am I Correct? thanks, and awesome video!
That is not necessarily true especially with valve amplification you’ve heard of to rolling yes obviously you’re know idiot you have a decent amplifier to start with why do you think they roll tub’s to get a different sound from your amplifier so when you’ve got a sound you like love whatever, stick with it why waste money. as Paul says don’t go chasing down the rabbit hole. And this guy does like to blow his own trumpet just saying
@T J I don't know how you got does not make a difference out of what I said. People hear what they want to hear I guess. I said the amplifier is incapable of fixing bad imaging that's it.
@@OCDHIFiGuy no he dose not everything but un like you he says he dusnt without being rude to you, you come across very arrogantly and as if you know everything and guess what like Paul you don’t
The cable thing - - I cannot believe it's controversial - my friends and I figured out the benefit of decent cables way back in the early eighties, and yeah, that original monster speaker cable killed lamp wire, no mistaking the upgrade, not to mention the same experience with their interconnect - and even I didn't want to buy into the more recent power cable thing, but sorry folks, via my own personal experience, there's no question about it, and if a person already is running decent interconnect, I'd recommend good power cable before upgrading to an even better interconnect - - and the cable haters are so freaking vocal about it too, like - if ya spend money on good cable you're some kind of an idiot - not that I give a damn but it does bother me that they spread that BS to less experienced audiophiles. By the way, I thought I heard that a former AR employee with the "passion" purchased Audio Research, but I'm not sure about that.
Cool news about ARC < ill keep my fingers crossed. Yeah, I think for the cable haters its something else that keeps them there. They want to feel like a rebel and there is a group for them , or they hate the idea of spending money on wire, so they fix that for good ... Its for sure part of their identity, They are proudly a cable hater. so theyll never give it up and think oif the energy it would take to ignore something that is. One can not change that which is . no matter how hard they try and how long they hold out . ,
Just joined your website. I'm happy with my powered speakers ADR Eona, a small east European brand competed with Mayer for concert level sound. I do not believe they are around now. Speakers are simply unbelievable and I'm happy with them I'm open to improving my digital and analog pre.amp stage ie turntable and phono pre.amp , dac and regular pre.amp. how do I engage with you.
If youre in UK< then email or some sort of video internet thing, verastarr at g ma ail is my email addy... I can respond with phone number from there.. Cheers !
Point # 5 is absolutely accurate. Companies (who can afford to last for the long haul) sell way too cheaply just to gain market share, and then double or even triple prices once they are more known. If you find that company in it's early stages you will be purchasing great quality at an amazing value. I have personally done it. ( The other 8 points are valid also ) haha.
@@OCDHIFiGuy Hello Mike: Thank you, the "clown shoes" are cool cars. I never thought you would read, let alone respond to my comment. A HiFi acquaintance of mine pushed me from a Audio Research D-100 that died, into a Vincent Audio SP-331 when nobody had heard of Vincent for the very reason you stated. He told me about it's German design, etc. I bought the amp for $975 the current model of my amp (the SP-332) has very few change in specs and sells for $2,699-2,999. I have seen the same thing with other products also. I am a very blue collar, wanna-be audiophile and can't purchase the gear you talked about here, but I think the key is to enjoy what you can afford to get, and constantly look for ways to upgrade that make financial sense. Thanks for the post ~
Started my journey in hifi in the 80’s as a young kid because of my farther. My biggest pet peeve are people that poo poo equalizers. Most of us don’t have the money or the room characteristics to get the perfect system. An eq makes this happen. You can adjust accordingly.
I like EQ and use one but Id rather do it passively , so most of the time its out and I change room acoustics and components , I feel the less EQ the better , but when needed nothing works like an EQ to fix things ...
Agree with you about the disappearing quality tube market. I have decided to forego a beautiful tube integrated for a solid state amp to avoid tube hell.
I get around the room issue where I bought maggie LRS where I pushed them back against corner walls when not in use then pull them into the room when I’ve ready to listen. They are light enough to pull out and small enough to store away.
I normally don't comment about salesman because ppl should really know what is in the best interest for a salesman is never going to be in the best interest for them. But I just can't take this B.S. I've been at this a long time too, I've started out with the cheap equipment and ending up with some of the best "highest price". I can tell you without a doubt, the old saying you get what you pay for was true in the past and it will be true far into the future. I don't have a dog in this fight, so I'm just going to say this go and listening to equipment before you take a salesman's word period. Question, how can you tell the different between a con man and a salesman "the spelling of the words". What are the things a con man and a salesman have in common? " they will lie, cheat, and steal to take ALL of your money. OCD this is the last time I'll look at one of your postings shame on you,
Jaded Jerry... unfortunate sad old man. Jerry has been punked more than once I can tell. So in a supersmart decision, he decides to make me pay for what other people did to him. Jaded Jerry is now a paranoid HiFi person who trusts nobody. He does not understand that how the gear sounds in the hiFi shop is NOTHING like it will sound in your system, with your DAC, and your house . Its a farce. Store Demos result in more disappointment than a demo in your own system, your own house your own music. NOTHING can replace the in home demo for accurracy and met expectations. I offer a guarantee that you will love the gear in your own home or your money back. not even a restocking fee. How can you argue this one away Jaded Jerry. I have a 100% money back guarantee. How dare you shame me you sad prick. I could call up on my whole customer base to post here about their experience and you would be drowned in A+ ratings. The thing with sad men like Jaded Jerry is he has passed judgement on me unreasonably. Jerry is "racist" against salespeople . He will go talk shit about one of the best customer serving people in the industry now because he is a closed minded fool. so hes like a cancer for the industry. Totally steers people in the WRONG direction.. Recognize guys like him as people that are stuck in a resentment loop .
Great stuff, as a young audiophile (25) I’ve found most of this list to be true. I’m in the market for a new dac at $3k, I was eyeing the holo audio spring 3. Any suggestions? The dac I have now sounds fine but has that digital edge to it
He said dac not transport/DAC which I recommend against. CD blows chunks as far as quality. only like 50% of them sound good and there will eventually be no replacement parts as its a near dead format . SO 3K ,,,, Im getting ready to check out a new one for $2K shortly ., Let me check on it and get back. I find the actual price points at 2 then 4K. As far as may goes, Ive not heard it . Its a 5 week wait or something and I hope its not from China because they are the biggest offenders to our globe right now in every way. I could not support them by using thier HiFi gear in my rig. It would be bad karma. Find Vlad at Audio Mirror, I have not heard one yet, but it supposed to be a good piece and handbuilt in USA
@@Coneman3 so tell me, do you love the Chinese government? Do you want to support the communist regime? I'm pretty sure every country in the world is protesting right now against the draconian measures of beaten government mandates the whole world is repulsed at the way China runs things, and I for one don't support governments that murder whole tribes of people and enslave the others. So go on by your Chi Fi and you deal with the cognitive dissonance. So let's look at this logically. If your record label selling music, what makes more sense the expense and logistics of producing plastic media that gets sent to stores and put in inventory or computer files that cost you nothing to reproduce and that you sell for the same amount you sell a CD for. No logistics, no broken product no returns, no expense for duplication, for printing liner notes, I'd say the dummy in this scenario is the one hedging on record labels maintaining the hard road. For the last 10 years all I've been doing is converting people out of CD format very few want to stay there. My computer files where I record analog master tape to four times DSD are indistinguishable from the master tape when A/B compared. Using a tablet to choose my music is exponentially more enjoyable then my stack of 40 CDs sitting right next to my player because those are the 40 best sounding ones. Those days are over. We don't sell our collections of CDs and rely on streaming we first archived them digitally on two separate drives one to use and one for backup I store them as WAV files, which is exactly what a CD is. No difference whatsoever. Only where the file lives. And if that file lives in my computer server, I never have to get up to change CD. The same tablet goes out to the Internet and gets absolutely any music I can possibly think of and a whole lot of music I had no idea existed. Music exploration alone is reason enough to go server. Add to that the playback is coming from a flash memory that doesn't spin and have vibration/jitter. So hey you want to buy some CDs? :-)
The Digital "glare: Hard to get rid of without changing the DAC, the "naturalness" of music is directly related to DAC for $3K I say Exogal Comet, best value ... $2k to $2500 maybe less.
Your channel is great. Really informative. But regarding cables, have you, or would you, ever take part in a blind A/B comparison between cheap and expensive cables? Is there a website you can point to where such a test took place and the expensive cable won out? It seems that such tests always indicate that there is no meaningful difference.
@@Coneman3 you make a very good point. Because personal perception is all that matters when you're building your own rig. So if every time I listen to my more expensive cable I am fooling myself into believing that it sounds better then it is reality in fact, it's my reality. You seem to get this. On the other hand I intend to set up a blind test with my cable versus really cheap crap one I'll bet I can pick it out seven times out of 10 I'd love to do this because the blind test is all cable haters ever talk about not saying that youre a cable hater Craig.
There was a point in my life where I gave up expectations altogether . Life got much easier. If you connect with the music, then the gear is irrelevant.
Small companies also don't have the volume of sales, thus must charge way more money for the same product. The cabinets on my Kef speakers are flawless book matched veneers (even on the back), which would be much more expensive if made in a small shop, rather than in a big (quality controlled) assembly line in China. I'm not saying that boutique shops can't make great gear, but they will never be the best bang for the money. All things equal, the gear from bigger companies will sound better for the same money. I'm not talking about "mass market" crap. A boutique company would have to charge much more money for the equivalent performance of my Parasound JC1 mono blocks.
The room is the most important followed by room treatments, then the source whether digital or analog, Speakers, amp, preamp and cables…. In that order. Cables make a difference if they have no shielding.
Ok so I do want to spend some money on a power cable. But what component do I start with? Streamer, DAC, PreAmp or Amp. What will give me the most difference in sounds? Thanks man. You rock. I love the honesty. You say it how it is. Haha.
Hey Pers, DAC for sure first place, and let me be the guy to sell it to you if you are willing. Audio Cable design is my main skill and ive had the Verastarr Brand of cables for 20 years. I can start you out with a $200 , 5 foot cable. next one is $600 and Ill buy the first one back . The $600 is all you'll ever need, but I do go higher.. So just email me verastarr at g mail , Ill take good care of you ... Looks like you are a MTB Shredder !! I was looking at Enduro Electric MTB's and they look sick ! I ride a Moto, and have all my life...
What would you suggest for cables for a 7.2.4 system? This is my first kind of high end system I am building but I can't decide on cables so any help and options are most appreciated.
I love music and i play several musical instruments.... I have tried the Hi-Fi thing of fixing the room acoustics, placing the speakers and sitting in the centre... and it bores me stupid. I find myself picking up a guitar and working out the chords or using a laptop to search the net. I would much sooner listen on a vintage radiogram while doing other things like housework or DIY. Music makes me want to move... to get up on my feet and move my body in time with the music. It took me a long time to work this out.... but i enjoy my music so much more since i sold the hi-end gear.
@@nickburak7518 these are companies/manufacturers that sell directly to consumers. Instead of going thru the distributers and storefront typical business model. That come with the middleman markups.
your philosophy is pretty much on point. system design and shopping around is fun, isn't it? i think so, even when i'm not an expert in something. the learning along the way is fun. and product design/aesthetics is also a big part of it. that's why a fair few people here wouldn't be your ideal customers. many of them like the journey and the (illusion of?) free will that comes with (even simply dreaming about) putting 'ideal' systems together for a given budget. it would be interesting to know who the good and bad guys are out there when it comes to inexpensive components but it's quite possible that you couldn't do it because you have tasted bigger and better things and have figured that there is no hi-fi below a certain budget. or simply because you've inevitably become out of touch with the things that wouldn't be worth your time exploring. this is not being sarcastic or facetious in any way, it's just how it would be, from my observations. time is money after all and brain space is valuable. ironically, it feels like a waste, for a certain class of consumer that we've *just* missed a unicorn. like we still haven't found that guy that sorts the wheat from the chaff AND still operates at a 'little people' level for the little people and that's easily explained by the fact that you love music and sound and hi fi and you're on that journey that is way past little-people level. i would say at least provide better alternatives to the brands you diss, that come in at the same price-point, but those brands you dis are also out of some of our budgets, so that would also be a waste of time. i mean cheapaudioman is almost on the right path too but still, it's all about affiliate links and a bunch of the same popular brands that pop up everywhere, even if they are products that offer stand-out value among inexpensive items. where some designer has been granted access to the buying power of a mega company and so is able to offer decent parts in a $100 speaker, including crossover etc. yes, people might as well make money of their youtube content but really, is it necessary? i mean can't people do it purely as a hobby or for the love while also holding down a separate job that earns them enough to support their habit? i do prefer boutique brands to mass-produced stuff and believe that they offer more to the world but at the end of the day, people like you are still promoting them, selling their stuff and getting a commission of it and due to lower turnover, there are larger margins and commissions. nothing wrong with it but this always corrupts when compared to people who sell nothing at all, for instance. even if it doesn't corrupt, there will always be doubt in certain peoples' minds and if my guess is correct, that is their problem and it doesn't affect you in the slightest and at the end of the day they can decide not to engage and ultimately, it will probably be their loss. absolutely fair enough. i found you not through this vid, but after a quick search to see if anyone else could see how REL was taking the absolute p*ss, after i had just unsubscribed to jay soulsik upon watching his latest upload. it all became so clear to me, especially after checking rel's website. anyway, with your most expensive products, where do you think the money goes? would you say mainly r & d? i'm assuming that they would make their own dacs from scratch right. or if they did base them on an existing chip they would have the right to reprogram, fine tune, rebrand and basically make it indistinguishable from anything we could hunt down ourseves, yeah? like some 'miracle' speaker 'producers' give you the models of the seas or peerless drivers they use so you can basically take a short cut to getting a similar product but if i got my hands on an mpd-8, i probably wouldn't be able to open it up and hunt down most of the parts for myself huh? it wouldn't be easily reverse-engineerable and even if it was, i've already paid enough to cover any royalties for a while yeah? i'm still working on ways to design stuff, put things together and profit from it one day too. still trying to working out what the actually industry/ies will be and the model etc., which will probably take months and years. in the mean time i'll survive the way i always have and i'll be one of those people eagerly looking out for tips and tricks and shorcuts to best kept secrets, best bang-for-buck options, whispers, insider shiz and 'giant killers'. thanks for sharing some of your stuff, i look forward to sifting thru your other vids.
In audio. if your volume control is on "5", you are likely at 30% or les power because of the "audio taper" built into the control. Our hearing is logarithmic and so is our sound perception.
OK great , so turn it to half volume or just over half wherever that lies on the knob, . ..What he is saying people is that if the knob goes to 10 (Mine go to 11) then 5 is not actually half when using an audio taper attenuator
If you like. Its great equipment. Ive set an Accuphase complete rig up before and I liked it. The customer used TAD speakers. Room treatment is a must. Does not need to be extravagant but should have at least 2 Tube Traps by ASC..one diffusor center at front wall and youre rolling !
Never heard those together, but Emo is a high value brand. You get a ton for your money. Plus Dan is a good, honest founder. I actually have a massive 7 channel Emo in my closet for movies. This room actually has a home theater rig hidden in the walls and closet.
You speak as if you are to only one who enjoys this hobby. I and many others would rather spend our own time doing our own listening and learning rather then buying a pre designed killer system. There are many ways of going about constructing a hi-fi system, and the fact that every system is built by a unique individual I think makes it very interesting.
Thanks for pointing out an important distinction JB, I also dont mind dedicating my life to HiFi, I did it because nobody was going to do it for me , and this is the way 99% of the industry is but the truth is we are the anomaly. Most people just want killer HiFi and to have other hobbies, so the people I am speaking to absolutely know who they are and they come directly to me . If I could have had someone to take me to the end of the line ,I would have done it for sure
Thank you. This is a great video. Could you give us a list of unknown small boutique Amp & speaker/manufacturers/Company’s that are just as good or better then The more popular company’s (Within different budget) Company’s That you believe are a better value then the corporate owned speakers & amplifiers/audio equipment company’s ?
I want to get into audiophile .. I would like a good good DAC within 500 price range .. but I am confused within chord or schiit audio or ifi .. I want specifically for headphones only ... movies, game Apple Music .. but I love classical orchestra and would like separation and detailed holographic airy feel
Hey man. What’s your take on Rega as a company ? I know we’re not talking crazy dollars, but they seem to make solid engineered products putting sound way ahead of BS features.
As a matter of fact I totally respect to Rega. Great products at a great price, what more can you say? Thanks for bringing the brand up I had forgotten about it.
Hi Mikey, Just a quick question: I already have and existing Dac and only listen streaming via tidal. My Question is: Should I invest in a power amp for worth $6k and hook it up straight a away to the dac or buy $6k integrated amplifier and connect my dac?
So you are wondering if you should use a power amp and your DAC with volume control. There is not enough information for me to answer fully. I would need to know if there is any advantage for you to have the preamp section of the Amp and want to know how good the volume control on the DAC is .. some truncate signal which is bad
Thanks for the video. This is an important conversation. The most expensive thing in a hi-fi system is a room. If you don't have this investment, you can buy a couple of active speakers for a thousand dollars and calm down...
Theres really just a few that are hard to come by .. 805 DHT is one, the russian "super tube 6H30P -DR. 6SN7 can sound spongy or tubey ... and all of them are climbing in price
@@scottborenstein8291 Cables are passive so it is just a matter of what they take away from the signal, they have nothing to add. And you are saying that the best cable possible is one which has no effect on the signal whatsoever. Are you able to hear differences between cables? If so, do you assume that the better sounding cables are the more "neutral" ones, thereby justifying the rediculous prices being asked? And finally, would you have any interest in buying a bridge? It's in Brooklyn.
@@evantench6651 yes cables should be as neutral as possible. You just believe what you want, but just know that you are wrong. You can hear differences in clarity and dynamic range. What cables are you using in your system. And what components do you have?
@@scottborenstein8291How can I be wrong in an exchange of opinion? Is the design or the materials used more important in pursuing neutrality? Are the best sounding speakers also the flattest? Not in my experience. Cables can only subtract or reduce. An overly bright front end would benefit from a lesser cable I guess. If I got talked into dropping real money on interconnects my ego would tell me it's better sounding. Plenty of expensive gear out there that underwhelms everyone but the guy that wrote the check. I would be willing to bet that you couldn't identify any specific cable amongst a small group in a blind test.
Well then….If the BIG NAMES ARE NOT THAT GOOD, can you reference some of the “unknown” that ARE? I’m looking for a new A/V receiver, want to replace my older Klipsch fronts with NEW ATMOS (Klipsck’s⁉️)… Help??
Cables DO make a difference, but it's easy to overspend on them relative to the rest of your system- IMO as a general metric, interconnects, spkr cables, and power cables shouldn't exceed 10-15% of the cost of one's system- but should be at least 5-10% in terms of typical retail value relative to retail value of overall system, assuming comparable value of system elements relative to retail cost. So don't use lamp cord or crap stuff, but also don't spend 2, 3, or 4K for total cabling on a 5K component!!
My missus said to me the other day "let me get this straight you spend over £1,000 on speaker cables because you can 'hear the difference' but you can't hear me calling you from the kitchen" 🤣
Plonk ! oh oh...
IKR⁉️😂🤣😂
Try plugging one of those $5k cables into her and see if you can hear her then...
After the break in, it's open and airy
I have selective hearing loss too.
A lot of companies sell fancy wires (“cables”) because the margins are ridiculous. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that action? Like printing money. Don’t be their sucker!
If you don't draw a line in hi-fi , you'll never be satisfied.
Yes Daniele, its true . people must keep in mind that this is very much a thing of the mind as its perception and fantasy at times. so make a decision how far to take it and when you reach that goal then enjoy it !!
Maybe the purpose for many hi-fi fanatics isn’t to become satisfied, but to get the feeling that a hunter gets?
@@Coneman3 Yes, that’s a good description! And as you say, we are different - and that is a benefit for all of us. I do enjoy Mikey’s attitude and what he is sharing, too!
An absolutely spot on comment Daniele, I have come to much the same conclusion. I am satisfied with Lapp power cables, 4mm Fisual OFC speaker cables, and £150 a pair interconnects for everything but the turntables, I spent a bit more on those. I have a good friend who works in the trade who has loaned me some really expensive stuff over the years. Results generally, to my ears, only a tonal shift caused by differing capacitances.
@@donk1822 Lapp cables doesn't do anything positive to sound. They exactly same as standard cables delivered with equipment. I know because I started with them also long time ago.
Hi, really enjoyed the video. love your passion and knowledge. do you have an opinion on australian made VAF speakers. I noticed yo have an aus made amp for main system. cheers
Hey Mikey I have a PS Audio DirectStream PerfectWave DAC and an Innuos Zen Mkiii Streamer and it sounds glorious. It’s magical. What is it that you don’t like about the PS Audio?
Seriously! And there's a new PS Audio DAC coming soon? Consider me interested.
@@matthewrond7386 absolutely. Me too 🤙🏼
@ three dogs, one man's regular is another man's magical. my regular is your magical.
Look at there is a place for PS audio and it's not with my clients we swim in different waters.
@@OCDHIFiGuy I doubt it bud.
Hello, Mickey. Thanks for your video. May ask you a question. Is it a good idea to buy MPD-8 DAC for headphone rig (Meze Elite now, and STAX SR-X9000 with amp in the future)? Thanks.
Hi Dimitriy, MPD-8 is the best DAC I know of. The last DAC I'll ever buy.. There is now MPD-6 which is 95% of MPD-8 and its $9K less. If there was no MPD-8, MPD-6 would be my favorite DAC. So depends on your budget, but MPD-6 will be incredible for almost everyone ... ;-)
An electronics engineer who wrote a column many years ago had an open challenge for, I think, $10,000 that nobody could hear the difference between audiophile speaker cables and hardware store lamp cord in a double-blind A/B/C listening test. AFAIK, he retired without anyone taking him up on the offer. Electrons couldn't care less what you paid for your cables, and the human hear can only hear a pitifully small bandwidth of the frequencies any common copper wire is capable of carrying. Assuming the same metal (copper), if you have sufficient gauge wire to handle the current, and the correct design for the impedence involved, there is simply NO audible difference between one cable and another. They just conduct electrons. It's voodoo BS to claim otherwise.
Don't you know? He has magic electrons!!
Interconnect cables carry voltage while current equal to voltage / resistance of 'input port' is not significant. E.g 0.1V / 23kOhms is equal to 4.35 microAmpere. In comparison to input port resistance cable resistance is insignificant. E.g. (23kOhms + 0.3 Ohms) is more or less same as 23 kOhms since precision of input port resistance has variability orders of magnitude higher than reasonable cable resistance, e.g. 23,000+/-100 Ohms.
Yes. If wire has the same metal, same purity, same capacitance, same resistance, same geometry, same insulation, same quality of termination, etc., then yes, they will sound the same.
It appears that mikey is a mild cable hugger.He suggested 2000.00 and then 1000.00 for cables. I guess he himself is not convinced there is a difference.
If you have bought hi end cabel without positive resoult, youre been fooled.
In 2003 a stereo using 833A output tubes sole for $350,000. Now it sells for $480,000. Using the best parts available, you can build your own using better transformers and power supplies with polypropylene capacitors instead of inferior electrolytic capacitors for less than $2,000.
Cables costing thousands of dollars a pair are advertised by bad physics.
It's a crazy world we live in, huh?
Interesting that you crap all over Schiit, PS Audio and Benchmark, all of whom sell direct. I have heard all three in great systems. Not a fan of the soft PS Audio sound, but the Schiit Yggdrasil sounds superb in every system I have heard it in. You mention a floor for pricing of DACs at $3 to $5k. You do realize that if the Schiit was not sold direct and through a dealer network, that it would be priced at over $5,000? For me, one of the great myths of hi fi is that the more expensive the better. Sorry, but not always true. Not even close.
I agree. Just replaced an old Krell pre-amp/processor with a new Schitt Freya+ and Cambridge Audio DacMagic200. Both sound great...although, even better is pairing the Schitt with my CD player--CD's just sound better than streaming to me. Idk why people are now spending small fortunes to get back into vynal...$5,000 turntables..nah...
@@ogbeethoven1588 isn't it a mystery? Pay all that money so you can work harder to listen to your music. Clicks and pops and all. It is such a limited music listening experience compared to computer-based hi-fi and at this point digital rivals analog and in many ways is better.
If you look at my videos I did I believe it was a 17 DAC shootout. If you listen you'll see shiit was near the bottom. I don't blame you for thinking the way you do. Because the Yiggy is the best you've heard, you've never heard anything like mine. If someone asked me for recommendation of attack that's below three grand Yiggi is the one that I recommend. You are making a mistake by grouping all expensive hi-fi together. Some of the pieces it's true that the more expensive is not better. But there are absolutely pieces that you get what you pay for. There is absolutely nothing in existence that will beat the DAC that I have for under $15,000. I've tried for years this is taken me a lifetime to find this one single DAC that is on a different plane of existence than any other DAC I've heard in my life. And I can confidently use the word best for this DAC. The designer invented sample rate conversion, he created DSD, he knows more about conversion than any other designer. You must realize that I'm not the normal regular audio buyer. I do this for a living in my audio system is over $100,000 I'm not saying that to brag I'm saying that to put things in perspective. I really don't care how much it costs I'm after a certain sound and that's it I'm very close to reaching the end of my journey if you were to come here and listen to this audio system you would experience something that you had no idea was possible. And finally your idea of crapping all over something in my idea are very different. I simply said PS audio is not world-class and never will be. They sell to a different market. Same with the other entry-level guys. PS audio is the top of the entry-level.
@@OCDHIFiGuy I have heard systems that cost up to a $1,000,000. Some I was impressed with others were terrible. Everything was exaggerated. Just terrible to listen to. The owners loved their systems. That is OK with me as it is their money and I don’t have to listen to it. If you think your DAC is the greatest ever, that is fine with me. Enjoy it. That is what this is all about,
@@joewhip9303 its true. The megabuck rigs at the shows never ever sound the best. All of them 1M and higher and its mostly a visual spectacle. Im a little more proactive if I want to prove a point as I know my DAC outperforms the competition, im not just thinking it. To the point ill put $100 on a 6th shootout for any comer. If im willing to say it, im willing to prove it. Nowhere do I say that the more you spend the better it gets.
I year ago i replaced my ARC vt200 with two Carver M1.0t amplifiers and never looked back! The preamp is a JR Synergy 2 with BPS1. Speakers are Audiostatics es300rs’. Sacd player is an Esoteric x-03se and my pickup is a modified Lenco l75 with Van Den Hul Colibri.
All components are connected by XLR.
I’m a happy camper!!
All points are gold! It took me a while to stop fuming my brain when some "experts" are saying that "You must spend bla, bla, bla on speakers FIRST and build your system from that point". One thing I failed to understand is if they are truly morons or if they think that everyone else is an idiot?! Room - definitely a no.1 if you intend to blow your hard earned cash on HiFi gear! If you do not have a dedicated space to listen than it's better to go with a desktop setup with a Hi-End DAC and headphones rather than blow a money for gear trying to fit between the existing furniture (and family, of course). Source (recording) is my no.2 important point. If a music you are listening is recorded as crap - no gear will be able to fix it. Cables do matter a lot but once everything else is in place. Strange science but unfortunately it does make a difference! 😆
Yep, you got it man ! Thanks for your feedback !
Hi Mike. I have a good preamp so better not to get a Playback designs DAC if I understand you correctly. So COS D1 is the better option? Regards Jan
Comment on DACs are interesting. Pls share which DACs under $10K can do a good 3D. I for one live in a place where placing speakers evenly from a listening position won't work well because the room is not even. Also I think most of well designed class AB amps have among the lowest THD just before clipping, so in reality, I think amp should sound the best when playing loud providing that the speakers / room can handle the loudness. Problem of buying an esoteric brand name is that they do poorly when one needs to sell it.
Hi there, if you cannot place your speakers correctly then I cannot in good conscience recommend to you a DAC that is known for its imaging. You are unable to set up properly to receive that imaging. So stick with what you have for now until you can change the room. You think ABM's have the lowest distortion right before they clip? I've never heard of that, I will ask Jeff Rowland. The idea when buying an esoteric brand-name is to go deep the first time. Then you never need to sell it. And actually, the best names in the market command high resale. Thank you for your feedback !
Thanks for the great advice! Can you give me some quick recommendations on speakers for HT? I currently have Klipsch 5.1 (4x RF5, 1x RC3 II) set up and want to upgrade my center (RC3 II) channel because I don't like its sound, which I think translates to -> I need to get a different brand for all my speakers. Taking in account your feelings about made in China... I'm sort of interested in Warfedale EVO 4.4, Arendahl 1723, and Aperion Verus III. Any others to look at in those price ranges? Any American made? I think I want a little warmer sound and not so bright, but still with good detail. I know there are a lot of variables, but does anything come to mind? Thank you.
Hi Mike, I'm not up to speed for HT. Not my wheelhouse I'm afraid.
Good advice here. Maybe for many of us just get your system sounding nice, then play well recorded music, then move on with life and don’t let yourself think you need better when you really don’t. Be content with what you have in life. Unless you win lotto then buy everything 😂
Thanks for the Statement on cables!!I really hate the discussion about it.
Have you heard Brinkmann gear?
The idea that a DAC can restrict imaging is laughable. Imaging is about speaker placement, recording quality and environment.
Indeed
Uggh, another knowitall who thinks he's gonna come here and teach me , first off Im assuming its a good recording as we dont listen to shitty ones do we ? Nest speaker placement gives focus on the sweet spot , it does not and can not control scale .. but DAC can and environment What the eff does that mean ? THe room ? Ummm No wrong, room does not control imaging
You are 100% correct. This guy is completely delusional. Also, what he says about cables makes me laugh out loud. I’m still on the floor laughing my head off. What a delusional idiot.
Great video. Mogami makes good value XLR cables like $50 a pair for 6ft?
PS Audio won’t image well??. I think the folks at Stereophile will laugh at you for that statement. They give it an A+ rating in their recommended components. Not "A", but "A+".
I agree with this! My PS Audio DirectStream (which I bought used and so consider an even better bargain!) is delivering the "magic" in my opinion. It absolutely images. Would a DAC costing twice (or three or four times) as much delivery more magic? Probably! But to say the PS Audio can't cut it... errr... sorry. And I agree with you on every other point but what gives on the PS Audio disrespect?
@@matthewrond7386 im sorry but if i can be candid you make my point. You guys dont know your ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to hifi. . PS Audio isnt shit when you play like the big boys. Its total Mid Fi. You must understand im after the best this world has to offer, period. PS Audio does not even try to position themselves that way. They know whom thier customer is, and its not a 2 channel purist Audio Nut bag like me. Des not mean they are not fantastically sucessful. Stereophile commonly puts the the dealers or MFGs which pay them the most for ads (on the front page) so stereo reviews are unrelible
@@OCDHIFiGuy I'm just getting back in to building a system and this video came up on my feed. Thanks for the 9 truths!
Question...what DAC's would you put on the top 5, top 3 list?
TIA!
@@ytvideos1011. Playback Designs MPD-8 . I sell them after I bought one for myself. Just too damn good not to. Sounds worse through a preamp even if its a 30K world class preamp . 2.APL HiFi DSD MR. Overpriced but hella good. Find one used and the depreciation makes it a score. 3. Rockna Wavedream Signature Balanced. An imaging queen. Bad to the bone foundationally but seems unfinished like they rushed it to production. Not a reason to not buy. This needs a tube preamp.4. COS Engineering D1. Effing coolest piece of audio gear from an aesthetic design standpoint and has the chops to stand with the big boys. Photos dont do it justice. 5. Aesthetix Pandora. Put some NOS tubes in there and get the volume control on it. Fuggedaboudit... its bad ass. 6. Metrum Acoustics Adagio. No filters no oversampling no dsd no mqa, nononesense R2R DAC ... strong. 7. Exogal Comet plus killer sounding DAC. Also no preamp with comet. Its better without. Theres one caveat. Screwed to crap display and remote. Find one for 2k or less grab with both hands and make a stash. 8. Jeff Rowland Capri Preamp with DAC card. Unique in that it does nothing wrong and is very enjoyable. Easy is a great word to describe it easy to listen to everyone will like it, not a showoff tho like the above
@@OCDHIFiGuy Thanks! Working to diagram my holy grail system with your feedback so I can set the bar and start trekking.
🔥🙌😁👍
How exactly do cables make a difference? If they do, it can be measured by scientific instruments.
Great subject! I have been telling my High Fi friends this stuff for years! I used to be a high end consultant for years, and when I would visit a customer who spent a fortune on audio,that stated his system sounds like shit.I would first look at the room .most were set up horrible.the second issue was bad system Matching. Bright+bright+bright= problems.your right! The best names are not the best! I saved for a Krell KSA 250 due to the rave reviews,It was the most unrealistic amp I ever had!! Period. equalization was built into it.bumped up bass, recessed miss and hard highs.i cancelled my high end magazine subscriptions,and started trusting ears and gut.(that was in the 90's) great sound is attainable at a fraction of the price.stay in the hunt,it pays off!
Hi Chris, well lookee here, the guy who's got solid industry experience who agrees 100% with what I say the other people on this thread with the convictions don't have nearly any experience doing what you and I have done, yet they sure talk like they know what's going on don't they?
@@OCDHIFiGuy lol you don’t are sweet that is for shure but you speak the truth! 👏
OCD Hi-Fi Guy, just wanted to take a moment to let you know I really appreciate the time, effort, & honesty you put into your videos, for me it's an education. Thank you!
Thanks Jerome, much appreciated 🙏
“A speaker that’s going to swing in impedance” lol 😂 what, like all of them!
The amp is second only to the speakers these days, the speakers have the most distortion in the chain, then the amp. Cheap front end (PC) with a cheap DAC is as good as the front end gets. Pre-Amps add nothing but can crackle or colour the sound if there are cheap.
More important than all of the above…. THE ROOM Most people have zero treatment despite the room offering 10x the distortion of the speakers (worst offender in the chain).
Uggh, you again, No, not all of them have a wide swing and are reactive , no wrong you are. Thanks for teaching us third grade level about distortion. and I will not start on a room that does not have AC Power and ground sorted along with the room, you think Im stupid bro ? This is my career, no other job for the last 20 years. and all of a sudden you think you'll teach me the room is the first most important thing to do ? LOL WTF ? This is 9 UGLY truths about HiFi .. thats it ... Not the 9 most important truths about system setup. Not the "creating the foundation of a great audio system" video either .... Psssssssssss
Il
@@OCDHIFiGuy awesome
Great video I love it.
I have one question. Im in the market for a turntable and my budget is from $1200 to 2k. Im sick of my debut carbon and changing belts for 45rpm and lifting the tone arm before the needle wares out. So can you recomend something in that ball park that an auto lift and has speed switch or would that not be acceptable?
My apology Richard, i made a decision to ignore vinyl and TT's. Ive only got so much bandwith
To enjoy your hi fi system you have to have a dedicated room. The room you choose must have a balance of absorbed and reflective surfaces. Many people today buy speakers based on their looks and not by their sound.
Hi Rob from Oz, I'd say I could enjoy hi-fi without a dedicated room, but to get the best out of your hi-fi yes absolutely you need a dedicated room. You could not be more correct about people buying speakers based on looks. They will see something and say I've gotta have that, and they don't even care to find out if those speakers will even work in their room. This is why I think it's foolish to tell people that are relatively new to this to trust their own ears and figure out their own components and speakers you'll chase your tail for 10 years.
Buying speakers BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY L🤔🤔K⁉️ W T H …
S E R I O U S L Y⁉️ I wonder how well their couch sounds??? Lol
So according to you. If you don't have a "dedicated room"...you shouldn't bother even trying. Too bad I didn't hear from you years ago before I spent all of this money!
Hey Mikey, what format for music playback do you think is best? Cd, Sacd, Wav files, or DSD files. I’m just asking because I want to start buying music for the long term and only want to buy my music once if possible. Records aren’t my thing, that’s why I left it out. Any help would be great, thanks.
Zach, It depends on how things are recorded . If recorded digitally from the start, I like 4X DSD
I consider this video to be one of the most important lessons in hifi in all of RUclips. Thanks for your honesty.
So true.
Though I love the sound of the better components using them, I've tried to limit the number of tube components and total number of tubes in my systems in order to reduce the frequency of tube issues, and reduce costs for NOS tubes that I prefer, which hell yes, are unfortunately getting more expensive. Also, if you like/prefer NOS tubes, factor ahead for their overall addition to purchase price for tube gear & get at least a couple backup pairs of small tubes to insure against skyrocketing tube prices long-term; and to help re-sell your unit someday, if/when you choose to do so, assuming you haven't used those tube backup pairs.
Absolutely 💯
Back in 1995 when I was getting into tube gear, Herb Reichart advised me not to buy a tube amp using long out of production weird and obscure tubes. I've followed that bit of advice and am happy to hear you telling the RUclips folks the same.
Also 100% agree about not knowing WTF we're doing. I realized that one early on reading Glass Audio, Klag &%Tang, Vacuume Tube Valley, the DIY audio magazines and forums, wearing out my welcome in the HiFi Shops of yore, attending HiFi shows and club shin-dings. Meeting the enginer geeks who design build and pruduce product and know what they're doing. It's a learning experience for sure.
Look I hate to say things like you dont know shit because I know it will upset people but my intention is to prevent audio files especially new ones from chasing their tail forever. I'm consulting with a guy right now in his mid-70s who still is looking for the 3D image. I feel it's like he's been cheated. And it upsets me. So I'll make it right for the guy.
@@OCDHIFiGuy The updated tube are available and technology of Tube equipment of DIY should look at Audio Note Kits as well. The 3d is there from older equipment and many fetching big bucks. Ever hear and Audio Research SP-3a, still updated by the company and still the best sounding preamp they ever made.
I take it you have never heard the Servo Statics, IRS, Dayton Wrights, Yamaha from the 1000M to the NS-2000 and the Century Anniversary System. Spectral was also starting and Kenwood proved the direct drive principle that only the deaf could not tell the difference. Many components are no longer even possible to make of film resistors (most of what is left will cost 10+ per piece that are still made), inductors (Goertz is an old technology and still is great today), capacitors are just lost with the better speaker units at very high dollar of copper film, Rubicon is gone and there is only one Electrolytic cap that tries to keep up with the old, Kaisai. Circuit boards of thick high quality copper and silver traces are gone except in the idiot zone. Then comes the crossovers of new megabuck systems which Griffon is great but few others know how to put them together. Tables and Arms are pure crap and hype compared to those of the 70s-80s and high end has no clue of the engineering full explanation of the flywheel effect which used to be in HS Physics.
@@jimovergaard1254 that pretty much sums it up. ;-)
And just like that...you hit home with #1. My wife is an Angel for allowing me to move the couches back and have no coffee table. 🙏
I watched OCD guy develop his system over the years. He's really across the good, the bad, and the ugly. Really a devoted audiophile. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks man, I appreciate your support !
@@OCDHIFiGuy Mikey, I’ve scene a few of your videos and have enjoyed them. I have a few boutique components; Spatial Audio X5 speakers, HoloAudio Spring DAC 2 KTE, PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamp & amp. My system smokes, but I’m still working towards my desired sound. I agree that the big name selling hifi manufactures are not necessarily the best. Peace!
I agree with your last point man. Hahah this is REAL!! Most think they know how to build a system and the reality is they DO NOT!
Right ?, Think about it man.. How long has it taken you ? Shit, im 20 years in, full time and Im still learning little tricks and things to do and not to do .. I cant imagine coming in fresh now and trying to even make sense of the landscape of the market and how to separate it out , just to get my bearings .... sheesh... Keep on Killin it Jay ;-)
Buying and trying it is the only way most of us learn but that costs money and losing lots too.
Very few people want to understand that most forums are simply people with an opinion on items they've never owned or seen. Lots of "gurus" on the forums but yet they all own nothing of what they seem to be preaching or claim to be experts of.
@@jaysaudiolab So true. So many opinions out there based on regurgitated stuff read off the internet. Unfortunately, we have to wade through hard liner opinions from the inexperienced. Reminds me of when a classmate told me how it was to be high, without never having been.
@@jaysaudiolab Its true, and to me I feel that the sellers keep audiophiles in a perpetual tail chase in order to keep selling the person over and over. I figure if I do the opposite, and teach people how to weed through the BS, while at the same time offering complete systems that are guaranteed to have the magic to some degree, and guarantee them results, then Im taking the bull by the horns and eliminating the drawbacks including the buy and sell ferris wheel ride. But truly thats how we learned , buy sell, lose, buy sell , lose. I figure its paying my dues in order to be the best educated seller I can. Like paying for school or something, but the main reason is so I can offer an option for people who would like to completely avoid the HiFi Game. Just be a good trustworthy seller that stokes people and the rest will fall into place.
So Hey, have you had the Aries Cerat through your place ? How did it stack up sonically ? It sure looks big ..
I'm still skeptical about cables since echoic memory is all of ~4 seconds so by the time you switch cables you've completely forgotten how your system sounds, it took me months of listening just to figure out that my one set of speakers sounded better than another. I've also heard audiophiles say that cables either send a signal or they don't, they can't effect a change in the signal which makes sense to me and as you pointed out the most ardent proponents of cables are the companies selling them which are of course the least credible sources and why i'm a member of Audio Science Review, because I prefer facts over ideas, opinions and sales pitches
Then keep your believe system if it feels cosy for you! Just ask yourself if you possibly may not even have the quality gear that lets you hear cable differences. .and maybe in addition „why custom cable manufacturers exist since 40 years…and if all their customers who are able to spend this kind of money are dumb stupid idiots who are sheepishly following the marketing machinery.
But no one cares if you keep on not believing that cables can make a remarkable difference!
@@bikemike1118 Well, apparently you care because you posted about it. And yes, I do think people were sold a bill of goods on cables and just because a company like Monster became successful does not prove their products work, I have yet to see any evidence beyond anecdotal that cables (like monster) make any sonic difference, particularly when the profit margin on cables is extraordinary so sales people have always had a powerful incentive to sell them. Also, as I said, human echoic memory is so short as to make comparisons (unless they are A/B testing using the exact same gear which is virtually unheard of) useless. You sound like one of the suckers who wasted a bunch of money on cables which is why you're now so desperately defending them but take heart there little slugger, you're not alone, lots of other people have been taken in by their bullshit. Cables either carry a signal or they don't
I sold cables as I was employed in the Hifi trade a few years back and I was sceptical because I knew how much money was being made. Well I'm no longer sceptical, they make a difference. Treat cables exactly as you would a hifi component. Would you spend $2000 on a CD player without listening to it first? Well take the same view with an interconnect. Take it home, listen to it for a fortnight, then see how you get on. If you don't notice anything then return it, if you do then you've got your answer.
@@peterkin1010 or you've just convinced yourself cables improve the sound which is the far more likely explanation give how short human echoic memory is
I currently have B&W 802’s and have always wanted to upgrade to Wilson Watt Puppies or Sophia’s but lately I’ve been reading about Vandersteen design concepts and specifically Quattro Wood CT, which price wise is similar. My goal is to reproduce the sound not change it. It seems like this is Vandersteen goal as well. Could you comment on both? Thanks
I have two DSD DACs from PS Audio and they well regarded in the industry. To make a broad statement about PS Audio, I'd have to question his opinion since its not based on any expertise or insight. What a clown!
If this is Blaine from Duluth, let me know so i dont take up too hard against you. Look, PS audio is Good stuff, its just not great in my opinion. Im only one wild and crazy guy. But ive had DirectStream in here twice and compared. The next thing i do is read the website of any given product. The way that PS Audio is written, you can tell they are not speaking to seasoned audiophiles. No big deal. It is what it is.
Here I was thinking PS Audio was privately owned. Who is Paul and why is he the face of the business?
@@lebohang8405 I never said PS was public. Just that its mid level HiFi IMHO.
I'm trialling 2 different power amps here, 1 is Son of Ampzilla II and 2 is dynavector HX1.2 These image VERY VERY Differently to each other, so the amps do make a difference. The ampzilla is brighter and less forward than the dynavector. The dynavector has a very holographic image, is tonally softer and has a greater sense of depth and 3D imaging. Each is great in its own right but the point is, they're VERY different to each other. So point number 3 is not fully correct.
Yep, and brands like Jeff Rowland are in the middle and do both !!
Number one rule. Beware of any individual who says, “I’m an expert” as this guy just did. He sure knows how to sing his own praises.
Oh Ronnie. Look how this industry has ruined you, but I don't blame you it's full of liars. If you can't tell that I'm speaking from the heart, then you're not very perceptive. How is anybody supposed to know I'm an expert unless I tell them? I certainly don't look like one. And most people judge a book by its cover. If there's one thing I do, it's back my mouth up with action. You will eventually learn if you pay attention, that I am the exception to the rule in this industry. Ask anybody that's done business with me, especially those that had me personally design their audio system. I wish it points like this I could just ask the crowd to chime in about me. But I don't think everybody reads these. All in all I agree with you check me out, Google my name and my company name, if you can find any one single thing bad, I'll be shocked. This is my life's purpose is nowhere near just a stupid job. And I'm a connoisseur. And I'm picky. So why so myself short? My idiosyncrasies make me very good at system set up. So I offer that to the world. My listening room is my church. Music is spiritual to me and more than just background music. The way I receive back in life is by giving of myself in the form of creating audio systems that heal people from all the bull shit of everyday life. Clearly you do not know this industry. Because my attitude is humble compared to most of the "singers"of their own praises. I'm sorry you don't have any to sing or you would understand. Best wishes to you
From an electrical engineering perspective I'll just say you will get more out of a $300-$400 Sound Blaster AE-7 or AE-9 DAC then any PS Audio or similar brand DAC. Though might not be as easy to integrate, maybe in a small fully solid state mini PC.
More ? How so ? Please describe the distinction.
$3k - $5k for a DAC, minimum? You are insane...
I guess I'll go back to my junk system full of defective, low-quality, gear.
At least I know I don't need to come back here.
LOL poor baby. Jeez dude have some spine. If you listen close I never once said it was junk or defective or low-quality that's your perception buddy. I'm talking to my client base. They appreciate the honesty. There's nothing wrong with shiit and other gear that is inexpensive. It's just not what I use, no big deal. And I did use that level at one time. And I never forget where I came from that's why I sell things that are $1000. Because I'm not leaving anybody out. I'm sure if I sat down and talk with you for a second I would find something that you spend on that I think is absolutely ridiculous. Usually it has to do with hobbies or collections or other obsessions. Perhaps a vintage Carvin Axe. If you come back here you might learn something that helps you. No matter what I say to you in my Vids, Im not a typical old school arrogant hi-fi prick. In fact im the opposite. I go the extra mile for my young bloods, or guys new to hi-fi. I'm into people that are into music. The hi-fi gear is secondary. For me this is about meeting people and forming friendships and sharing something cool together. If you come back you get to know me and how I sometimes approach the general RUclips public. Just look at some of the comments and you'll understand how someone could get a little defensive especially when it's her beloved hobby that they cherish. So have a great day man cheers
Really like these talks. I'm in a condo. My couch (listening position is against the wall in a 11'6"x10'6" (latter being pretty open other then the kitchen island). I've had bass issues I think, I had Usher be718's with a Primaluna Dialogue 1 and rega dac. Noticed it most with that set up vs SS and smaller speakers. I prefer to buy used usually. I like 'liquid' over harshness. But I could just be speaking from lower-end experience. I do like tubes, but who knows.
I do want 'magic'. Emotion. I want looks too with at least one of the pieces of gear.
Budget 4k for used gear. Would you offer a consulting package for me without being here in my room?
O and I'm just getting into Vinyl too :) So streaming and vinyl.
Also have my own ripped music files in iTunes, but i did rip them all in wav, flac if needed.
@@derekviveiros Yes, I can help , and save you time .. Just call me at 404 seven 6 four six two three 3 or email vera starr at g mai l
I upgraded speaker cable and gained a significant difference but I upgraded power cables and couldn't detect a significant difference.
HI Hung, if you upgrade to a VERASTARR Cable, I will guarantee you a significant difference or your money back with no restocking fee. I guarantee my results no matter what. Feel free to call me if you'd like to hear a significant difference with the power cord. All the best!
Hi, enjoyed the video as usual! The one thing that keeps gnawing at me is forums like ASR which keep debunking cables through measured performance. I do believe that cables make a difference but how do you explain when you can’t measure it?
Hi Sujay, Let me put something in to perspective. We listen to music , do we not ? Bench tests that are performed using a single frequency test tone is hardly the way one would measure the ability of a cable to provide something so much more complex than a test tone. Furthermore , the cable is part of a symbiotic circuit between amplifier cable and speaker and all of them produce different results , so to try and simplify this down to a test bench and a scope or analyzer is just not how we hear things . Its like putting a Ferarri up on a lift and running tests inside the garage, then trying to conclude how it will perform on the track including ambient temp, tire compound, etc... you simply would not be able to determine how it reacts to driver input . Its an improper way to judge cables . Your ears are the measurement device. The thing as you said, it can be heard. therefore it exists... There are things that exist that can not be measured , like realism of the sound, how "real " does it sound.. connected to this is the Presence.. how present is a singer in the room ?.. Image depth or instrument layering , tonal density... how do you measure that ? You see where Im going ... testing cables with test tone and analyzer is majorly flawed.
@@OCDHIFiGuy indeed!😀
You judge with your ears
@@OCDHIFiGuy it comes down to how well the cable specs match the specs of your preamp/amp etc. An expensive cable could sound worse than a relatively cheaper cable if it is poorly spec matched to your individual components than the latter. I can demonstrate this ALL DAY LONG. So, you are incorrect about the more you pay for the cable, the better it sounds.
@@wa2368 This is a very important and significant post, so please dont edit it , Id like to point something out that everyone can learn from. Lets look at how W A perceived things . My guess is you are a cable naysayer, which is fine when I started talking about cables being valid and needed you decided to take the opposite position in that moment. In fact you were thinking out your retort while I was still talking about it to the point that your ears closed and you made up what you thought I was saying , which I never in a million years would say , which is the more you pay for a cable the better it sounds. Thats a ridiculous statement . I would be a complete idiot if I said some shit like that . Lets pull NORDOST out for this example .. heres the great part about them. They TELL YOU that their Odin 2 , $35K per half meter cable is silver plated copper in extruded PET. If you know manufacturing you know that stuff is not expensive at all. And you can see how thin thier strands are as they are lined up in a row and you can see through the transparent jacket. all of them together probably make up a 14AWG. So the buyer is the stupid one, and no foul for NORDOST as they have divulged that they are throttling the piss out of the buyer. And they are not that great of cables I beat them with my designs. You see , I am committed enough that I dont just tell you something is crap and overpriced and leave you stranded, I actually design an alternative that sounds better ands costs exponentially less. I am bringing back one of my companies Legacy designs so I can offer you guys cables in the hundreds of dollars which I gave up, for selling cables in the thousands long ago. Even though my core client is a dyed in the wool audiophile with means , it does not mean I forget or turn my back on the entry level guys ..
3:28 total nonsense, I used to work for Chord Electronics, they make high end DACs
Transparency from a DAC can be obtained for £30 these days. If a DAC is transparent, there are no improvements to be gained.
Chord stuff is not anywhere what some people think. This is one of the pieces that people tell each other sounds good, but Dave with Mscaler is no good, too strident, sterile and soul less, artifacts can be heard from M scaler. I wont mention how goofy they look as that does not matter.
@@OCDHIFiGuy lol
They do look bad but hey dollar for dollar /shrug
60%. My Maggie's are toast
Hell yea.
Hi Mike. Great advise as always. I appreciate it a lot. I'm thinking about building a system consisting of Wilson Alexxes, Ypsilon amplification and APL transport/streamer/dac. What are your thoughts on these brands? Considering also adding some of your beautiful cables too :))
Nevermind about the Wilsons. I see you don't like them that much!
Ive just never been impressed at any show ...however there was one time at CES that we had Sascha 2 and those were fantastic .. But for the most part it seems Wilson has an amazing box build, but the sonic does not ,match how robust the cabinets are made. Then again, Ive never had them in hand to set up myself , perhaps I could make them sing , who knows ? all I know is that its pretty unanimous thats its an OK speaker , just not as good as it looks in the end , and people spend a ton on them . Ypsilon is pretty good possibly great , I showed in California with a full Ypsilon rig and it sounded pretty killer to me although maybe buy them previously owned to get the best bargain. Ive got an APL HiFi DSD MR, Ill make you a sweetheart deal on if you are interested. Alexs stuff is great sounding ..
@@OCDHIFiGuy Thank you for replying! And thank you for the offer too. Unfortunately I don't have the money right now. Keep up the good work my man!.
@@brunorivademar5356 cheers Brother ! Just holler if you ever need anything !
How can cables not matter? Imagine you've got a $200,000 system. Are you really going hook the components with lamp cord?
But to saying you'd only be getting 80% of its performance is an exaggeration lol. I use pure, fine silver for my speaker hookup and I can certainly tell the difference. But even comparing against cheap cheap copper (both extremes), it's not 20%.
There was one time I found some old monster cable at a garage sale. Holy shit. It made the amp sound like it was broken. But, the cable looked abused. That was night and day, but I'll attribute that to a ruined cable.
Some people do believe it or not. I’ve seen it. People with fully active top of the range Naim systems and super high end speakers then connecting them with lamp cord or similar. It’s crazy but true
Thanks for saying cables matter. You can’t convince the zip cable crowd. I believe the system is only as good as its weakest link, and that includes cables. They are components as critical as the speakers or amp. Buy the best you can afford, it makes a big difference. Room treatment is also a great way to make the sound better. Everything is important.
Serious Question? 🤔🙄 The only thing I don't understand about speaker cables making a system sound better is this. When I see people here on RUclips open up an expensive amplifier or even the speaker, all I mostly see is very thin wiring. The people opening these products will mention the quality of the capacitors and such but the all important wire quality, not so much if at all?🤔🙄 Is that where the bottleneck is? The amplifier has Maybe $30 bucks worth of wiring. And that's being very generous !🤔 Now all of the sudden putting on a pair of $1,500 cables is going to make such a difference?🤔🙄 How come these products like an amplifier use that thin basic wiring inside the amplifier if it's such a big bottleneck of sorts? Thanks for your answer in advance. And I'm not saying the cables doesn't make a difference. I just don't understand especially with the speakers and expensive ones at that, why most don't use this type of speaker cableing in their speakers if it makes such a difference? Thanks for your input in advance.😇 I am in the belief that once you go to a 10 gauge oxygen free cable in about a 10 foot length there is not much more to do. Although, I'd be the first one to tell you I'm probably wrong. That's why I'm asking this question!😬🤔 I'm also in the belief that people that can usually afford one hundred or two hundred thousand dollar systems aren't the dumbest people in the world and most of them believe in these cables!😉😇🤑 Now the cable risers, that's a whole nother story.🤐🤐🤐🤐😬🙄😉
Ive answered this twice but it disappears. Wtf ?
@@OCDHIFiGuy
Thanks you for atleast trying!🤔😉😇
@@bigjay1970 i got you on this answer. Its a good question. Maybe this time ill reply in separate chunks. I spent like 45 min ont answers as well !!
@@OCDHIFiGuy 🤓😎🤗😉😇
OK 3 times a charm. What you say is absolutely true. The way I say it is someone goes and buys $10,000 cable with the whole website talking about how serious these people are about pure metals, yet the speaker cable terminates into a brass bolt. Really? That's how much you care about the integrity of what you're pitching? So I did something about it. I got a patented connector design that hits some industry firsts. For one it's the first time it pure silver can be maintained from the PC board in the amplifier all the way to the speaker driver inside the speaker cabinet. No solder. No dissimilar metals whatsoever. Furthermore, the best connection between two points is one solid wire right? But that's impossible since we need to move our gear. So if you look at the typical piece of equipment from RCA to RCA behind that connector there's a solder cup and the wire the ghost out of the PCB many times with the plug and that plug needs to solder into the board so typical breaks in transmission line for audio there are nine between the two components say preamp and amplifier my design knocks it down to two. This is an industry first. So I get what you mean about the lack of integrity and it really blew me away not one company had taken it all the way they all stop at the brass bolt not caring what happens afterwards. Granted this is something you would have to get the manufacturer on board with which could be very hard, but my connectors are designed to retrofit legacy mounting holes and people can change it themselves if they so desire. So yes you're very right there is a lack of integrity and people don't care about what happens after the mounting connector. Except me and I got a patent and clearly you so you probably buy some!
I am not a rich guy, neither I am a Audiophile. However, I love to listen to good music. I have a Mac MA 7900 and need to upgrade my Altec Lansing 510 speakers. My Audio guy is recommending the Focal Kanta 2. I have a Oppo 103 blue ray player and a clear audio turn table. Need your guidance.
If you are buying the Focal at half price OK, but then they will sound too bright most likely . Nobody can recommend speakers without knowing evetrything about your system and your room .
So, 20% of the quality and performance of your hi-fi system are allocated to cables. That's snake oil abundance. 😂 But many points are valid. 👍
Im sorry you can't believe the truth when its told to you. Im also sorry you are not able to hear nuance, not even to a 20%level
@@OCDHIFiGuy I appreciate your compassion. GG 👍
@@gg0297 stay tuned and Il ldo the cable thing over and over , if you cant hear it then consider yourself lucky, as you'll save money ..
This is the video that convinced me to give Mikey a call. Previously, I went to a buddy's house for a listening session. The next day I turned on my rig and to me it sounded like a transistor radio. I called Mikey and said I wanted the magic and he delivered it!
That I did .... Rock on Vuch !
I'm glad you stopped at 9. Whenever I see a top 10 or a top 5 list, I know that one or two of those are bogus and were included just to make it to that nice round number.
Either way, thank you for your input. That was very insightful.
Thanks for sharing your feedback !
You know a great deal about stereo equipment. 20 years is a long time. I have done it since I was a schoolboy in 1978, some decades I have been preoccupied with other things or I just have not had the money. Recently especially since Covid there has been next to nothing out there I consider to be worthwhile. I'm just glad I got in there a few years back & sorted things out to a level I can be happy with. I like your frankness, there is nothing worse than listening to a so called expert who knows very little.
He's wrong about the dac imaging. A lot of $99 dacs can do great. A $500 soncoz sdg1 images excellent. Denafrips ares 2 imaging is great not excellent. There's plenty of cheaper options in terms of dacs. I don't completely agree with audiosciencereview but there are plenty of options under 1k
Great Kenta, we are happy for you . My people want more than $1000 DAC
Here goes my Olympica Nova III to hifishark, thanks for nothing.
That's too bad, because i always dress to match my speakers:))
Great video, Mikey!
Oh Cmon Sara, you can't say that and not post a pic ! Ill bet youve got some truly Chic outfits then ! Please comment more on my vids. Youll be a breath of fresh air .. ;-)
all the best !
Just want to ask, you criticize a lot of things in this video, and that's great, it's refreshing to hear the truth about stuff and not just a bunch of positive hype on everything which is mostly what you hear in audio reviews, but I wonder if you have a video telling people the things you like.
I'm writing this while listening to Ugly Truth no. 5, that the most marketed and best-known brands aren't the best, something which I'm inclined to agree with.
So, specifically, I'm asking what equipment you have, if you don't mind sharing.
Cant believe i missed this one, sorry. Ok. Here goes my rig. Wait a sec let me see ifvtheres an intro page on my channel to put it thrre
@@OCDHIFiGuy there's an 'about' section
@@PlaAwa got it. Thanks
What's wrong with Mogami cable or Canare for that matter, hasn't it been in use for decades in studios? I use it exclusively for balanced and unbalanced cabling in my system and in my opinion it doesn't colour the sound, just tells it as it is. But I might be wrong.
Hi David, there's nothing wrong with either of them in fact they are industry standard meaning they do everything by the book. We go way outside of the book with our designs. It's just another way to tailor our systems to how we like. You can hear a difference if you use a foil as a conductor instead of a round wire even more so if it's silver foil. So again nothing wrong with the industry standard.
Here is an additional ugly truth : never trust someone so confident of himself who doesn’t look very good himself
What kind of a surfacy douchebag are you ? Ill tell you . A Complete BOZO who thinks you can prejudge by someone's looks. LOL, you are faced with your own lack of confidence when you hear someone say it like it is .. I AM a HIFI bad ass. I prove it every day. Ive got no problem stating truth. If I dont say anything people like you will completely underestimate my ability as well as the level of service I give so thanks for giving me a post that allows me to talk about my beautiful self. Im the best... If I was any better, Id be twins. Yep.. nobody as good as me. I love myself more than any other Human. Dont get too close or youll just start to orbit me . aaaahhh hyes, ME..
Looks say a lot. That is just a fact.
@@westernartifact580 yeah that's why Einstein was so beautiful and chic... c'mon...
@@net_news Hes the guy that wears a suit to test drive the car that IS actually out of budget..
@@westernartifact580 They do if you are judgemental and/or read a book by its cover . Thats old school rhetoric and has no place in todays world. What you are indirectly telling me is to make myself a pretty boy which is inauthentic, to fool people that make assumptions based on looks. Life will just get harder for you as many of the worlds experts have both arms sleeved in tattoos, piercings etc. On the other hand you are an easy mark for a con. All they have to do is look nice and you trust them...loll Time to drop the old habits and evolve with the rest of the world my friend. Judging people by how they look rather than their character, could not be more unpopular at the current time in the world. Your eyes are clouded and you are missing great opportunities to meet amazing people.
Hello , what speakers do you recommend for am Arcam avr 250 in term of power ?
Kindred Spirits! I’ve been an Audiophile since 1975 and an Audio Dealer since 2010. I’m learning new things every day! I love this hobby and helping people too! I can relate to everything you stated!
Rock on Kaplan !! Call me to shoot the shit any time ...
Most of this is just the same lies that you probably don't even understand why they are lies. You probably don't even understand the amount of things you tell people matter that don't.
@@zachansen8293 (watch me make you look stupid right now)... Hi Zac, please show the people here what are lies that I dont understand are lies. Since you are so enlightened, please teach us your wisdom.
You mention " Power Amplifier does not make a difference in sound" as all the sound comes from your DAC etc, etc. I was thinking of replacing my Mcintosh MC 602 With the Mark Levinson No 332.5 Power Amplifier. I guess it's not worth the effort, am I Correct? thanks, and awesome video!
That is not necessarily true especially with valve amplification you’ve heard of to rolling yes obviously you’re know idiot you have a decent amplifier to start with why do you think they roll tub’s to get a different sound from your amplifier so when you’ve got a sound you like love whatever, stick with it why waste money. as Paul says don’t go chasing down the rabbit hole. And this guy does like to blow his own trumpet just saying
@T J I don't know how you got does not make a difference out of what I said. People hear what they want to hear I guess. I said the amplifier is incapable of fixing bad imaging that's it.
@IAN, Paul does not know everything
@@OCDHIFiGuy no he dose not everything but un like you he says he dusnt without being rude to you, you come across very arrogantly and as if you know everything and guess what like Paul you don’t
@@ianyates7742 you habe not been listening. My most recent vid says im not an Engineer
The cable thing - - I cannot believe it's controversial - my friends and I figured out the benefit of decent cables way back in the early eighties, and yeah, that original monster speaker cable killed lamp wire, no mistaking the upgrade, not to mention the same experience with their interconnect - and even I didn't want to buy into the more recent power cable thing, but sorry folks, via my own personal experience, there's no question about it, and if a person already is running decent interconnect, I'd recommend good power cable before upgrading to an even better interconnect - - and the cable haters are so freaking vocal about it too, like - if ya spend money on good cable you're some kind of an idiot - not that I give a damn but it does bother me that they spread that BS to less experienced audiophiles. By the way, I thought I heard that a former AR employee with the "passion" purchased Audio Research, but I'm not sure about that.
Cool news about ARC < ill keep my fingers crossed. Yeah, I think for the cable haters its something else that keeps them there. They want to feel like a rebel and there is a group for them , or they hate the idea of spending money on wire, so they fix that for good ... Its for sure part of their identity, They are proudly a cable hater. so theyll never give it up and think oif the energy it would take to ignore something that is. One can not change that which is . no matter how hard they try and how long they hold out . ,
You are exactly right. All the cables in a system should be as high a quality as you can afford.
Just joined your website. I'm happy with my powered speakers ADR Eona, a small east European brand competed with Mayer for concert level sound. I do not believe they are around now. Speakers are simply unbelievable and I'm happy with them
I'm open to improving my digital and analog pre.amp stage ie turntable and phono pre.amp , dac and regular pre.amp. how do I engage with you.
If youre in UK< then email or some sort of video internet thing, verastarr at g ma ail is my email addy... I can respond with phone number from there.. Cheers !
Thanks, Mikey. Enjoyed every word.
Thanks for listening Vovka !
Point # 5 is absolutely accurate. Companies (who can afford to last for the long haul) sell way too cheaply just to gain market share, and then double or even triple prices once they are more known. If you find that company in it's early stages you will be purchasing great quality at an amazing value. I have personally done it. ( The other 8 points are valid also ) haha.
Right on bro... i dig your whip !
@@OCDHIFiGuy Hello Mike: Thank you, the "clown shoes" are cool cars. I never thought you would read, let alone respond to my comment. A HiFi acquaintance of mine pushed me from a Audio Research D-100 that died, into a Vincent Audio SP-331 when nobody had heard of Vincent for the very reason you stated. He told me about it's German design, etc. I bought the amp for $975 the current model of my amp (the SP-332) has very few change in specs and sells for $2,699-2,999. I have seen the same thing with other products also. I am a very blue collar, wanna-be audiophile and can't purchase the gear you talked about here, but I think the key is to enjoy what you can afford to get, and constantly look for ways to upgrade that make financial sense. Thanks for the post ~
Started my journey in hifi in the 80’s as a young kid because of my farther. My biggest pet peeve are people that poo poo equalizers. Most of us don’t have the money or the room characteristics to get the perfect system. An eq makes this happen. You can adjust accordingly.
I like EQ and use one but Id rather do it passively , so most of the time its out and I change room acoustics and components , I feel the less EQ the better , but when needed nothing works like an EQ to fix things ...
Agree with you about the disappearing quality tube market. I have decided to forego a beautiful tube integrated for a solid state amp to avoid tube hell.
It's a strong position..
Could you compare and contrast Esoteric vs Chord Dave DAC?
I get around the room issue where I bought maggie LRS where I pushed them back against corner walls when not in use then pull them into the room when I’ve ready to listen. They are light enough to pull out and small enough to store away.
Lemmy !! Yes, I am about to go round the track wiith LRS
I normally don't comment about salesman because ppl should really know what is in the best interest for a salesman is never going to be in the best interest for them. But I just can't take this B.S. I've been at this a long time too, I've started out with the cheap equipment and ending up with some of the best "highest price". I can tell you without a doubt, the old saying you get what you pay for was true in the past and it will be true far into the future. I don't have a dog in this fight, so I'm just going to say this go and listening to equipment before you take a salesman's word period. Question, how can you tell the different between a con man and a salesman "the spelling of the words". What are the things a con man and a salesman have in common? " they will lie, cheat, and steal to take ALL of your money. OCD this is the last time I'll look at one of your postings shame on you,
Jaded Jerry... unfortunate sad old man. Jerry has been punked more than once I can tell. So in a supersmart decision, he decides to make me pay for what other people did to him. Jaded Jerry is now a paranoid HiFi person who trusts nobody. He does not understand that how the gear sounds in the hiFi shop is NOTHING like it will sound in your system, with your DAC, and your house . Its a farce. Store Demos result in more disappointment than a demo in your own system, your own house your own music. NOTHING can replace the in home demo for accurracy and met expectations. I offer a guarantee that you will love the gear in your own home or your money back. not even a restocking fee. How can you argue this one away Jaded Jerry. I have a 100% money back guarantee. How dare you shame me you sad prick. I could call up on my whole customer base to post here about their experience and you would be drowned in A+ ratings. The thing with sad men like Jaded Jerry is he has passed judgement on me unreasonably. Jerry is "racist" against salespeople . He will go talk shit about one of the best customer serving people in the industry now because he is a closed minded fool. so hes like a cancer for the industry. Totally steers people in the WRONG direction.. Recognize guys like him as people that are stuck in a resentment loop .
Great stuff, as a young audiophile (25) I’ve found most of this list to be true. I’m in the market for a new dac at $3k, I was eyeing the holo audio spring 3. Any suggestions? The dac I have now sounds fine but has that digital edge to it
He said dac not transport/DAC which I recommend against. CD blows chunks as far as quality. only like 50% of them sound good and there will eventually be no replacement parts as its a near dead format .
SO 3K ,,,, Im getting ready to check out a new one for $2K shortly ., Let me check on it and get back. I find the actual price points at 2 then 4K. As far as may goes, Ive not heard it . Its a 5 week wait or something and I hope its not from China because they are the biggest offenders to our globe right now in every way. I could not support them by using thier HiFi gear in my rig. It would be bad karma. Find Vlad at Audio Mirror, I have not heard one yet, but it supposed to be a good piece and handbuilt in USA
@@OCDHIFiGuy sweet thank you, I’ll check it out
@@patriots7111 rock on brother!
@@Coneman3 so tell me, do you love the Chinese government? Do you want to support the communist regime? I'm pretty sure every country in the world is protesting right now against the draconian measures of beaten government mandates the whole world is repulsed at the way China runs things, and I for one don't support governments that murder whole tribes of people and enslave the others. So go on by your Chi Fi and you deal with the cognitive dissonance.
So let's look at this logically. If your record label selling music, what makes more sense the expense and logistics of producing plastic media that gets sent to stores and put in inventory or computer files that cost you nothing to reproduce and that you sell for the same amount you sell a CD for. No logistics, no broken product no returns, no expense for duplication, for printing liner notes, I'd say the dummy in this scenario is the one hedging on record labels maintaining the hard road. For the last 10 years all I've been doing is converting people out of CD format very few want to stay there. My computer files where I record analog master tape to four times DSD are indistinguishable from the master tape when A/B compared. Using a tablet to choose my music is exponentially more enjoyable then my stack of 40 CDs sitting right next to my player because those are the 40 best sounding ones. Those days are over. We don't sell our collections of CDs and rely on streaming we first archived them digitally on two separate drives one to use and one for backup I store them as WAV files, which is exactly what a CD is. No difference whatsoever. Only where the file lives. And if that file lives in my computer server, I never have to get up to change CD. The same tablet goes out to the Internet and gets absolutely any music I can possibly think of and a whole lot of music I had no idea existed. Music exploration alone is reason enough to go server. Add to that the playback is coming from a flash memory that doesn't spin and have vibration/jitter. So hey you want to buy some CDs? :-)
The Digital "glare: Hard to get rid of without changing the DAC, the "naturalness" of music is directly related to DAC for $3K I say Exogal Comet, best value ... $2k to $2500 maybe less.
Mate, you had me rolling with your reparte!
THX !
Your channel is great. Really informative. But regarding cables, have you, or would you, ever take part in a blind A/B comparison between cheap and expensive cables? Is there a website you can point to where such a test took place and the expensive cable won out? It seems that such tests always indicate that there is no meaningful difference.
@@Coneman3 you make a very good point. Because personal perception is all that matters when you're building your own rig. So if every time I listen to my more expensive cable I am fooling myself into believing that it sounds better then it is reality in fact, it's my reality. You seem to get this. On the other hand I intend to set up a blind test with my cable versus really cheap crap one I'll bet I can pick it out seven times out of 10 I'd love to do this because the blind test is all cable haters ever talk about not saying that youre a cable hater Craig.
I am thrilled with the sound I am getting from my crappy $1300 dac. But I live in a world of low expectations. Lol.
There was a point in my life where I gave up expectations altogether . Life got much easier. If you connect with the music, then the gear is irrelevant.
@@OCDHIFiGuy Amen, brother. It's supposed to be fun.
Small companies also don't have the volume of sales, thus must charge way more money for the same product. The cabinets on my Kef speakers are flawless book matched veneers (even on the back), which would be much more expensive if made in a small shop, rather than in a big (quality controlled) assembly line in China. I'm not saying that boutique shops can't make great gear, but they will never be the best bang for the money. All things equal, the gear from bigger companies will sound better for the same money. I'm not talking about "mass market" crap. A boutique company would have to charge much more money for the equivalent performance of my Parasound JC1 mono blocks.
The room is the most important followed by room treatments, then the source whether digital or analog, Speakers, amp, preamp and cables…. In that order. Cables make a difference if they have no shielding.
Do you also work with clients in Europe?
Ok so I do want to spend some money on a power cable. But what component do I start with? Streamer, DAC, PreAmp or Amp. What will give me the most difference in sounds? Thanks man. You rock. I love the honesty. You say it how it is. Haha.
Hey Pers, DAC for sure first place, and let me be the guy to sell it to you if you are willing. Audio Cable design is my main skill and ive had the Verastarr Brand of cables for 20 years. I can start you out with a $200 , 5 foot cable. next one is $600 and Ill buy the first one back . The $600 is all you'll ever need, but I do go higher.. So just email me verastarr at g mail , Ill take good care of you ... Looks like you are a MTB Shredder !! I was looking at Enduro Electric MTB's and they look sick ! I ride a Moto, and have all my life...
What would you suggest for cables for a 7.2.4 system? This is my first kind of high end system I am building but I can't decide on cables so any help and options are most appreciated.
Hi Jason, Im happy to give free advice and support to my subscribers, so please subscribe and Ill help ...
what do you think of bryston B60 intergrade
I love music and i play several musical instruments.... I have tried the Hi-Fi thing of fixing the room acoustics, placing the speakers and sitting in the centre... and it bores me stupid. I find myself picking up a guitar and working out the chords or using a laptop to search the net. I would much sooner listen on a vintage radiogram while doing other things like housework or DIY. Music makes me want to move... to get up on my feet and move my body in time with the music. It took me a long time to work this out.... but i enjoy my music so much more since i sold the hi-end gear.
What are some of the best internet direct brands in speakers and electronics??
Forgive me, but what is an "internet direct" device? Thanks
@@nickburak7518 these are companies/manufacturers that sell directly to consumers. Instead of going thru the distributers and storefront typical business model. That come with the middleman markups.
@@vote4ulvio Oh my gosh, of course. Denefrips is one.
@@nickburak7518 also Tekton speaker company
@@vote4ulvio That's right. That's a great value speaker. What about Outlaw? Passlab?
your philosophy is pretty much on point. system design and shopping around is fun, isn't it? i think so, even when i'm not an expert in something. the learning along the way is fun. and product design/aesthetics is also a big part of it. that's why a fair few people here wouldn't be your ideal customers. many of them like the journey and the (illusion of?) free will that comes with (even simply dreaming about) putting 'ideal' systems together for a given budget. it would be interesting to know who the good and bad guys are out there when it comes to inexpensive components but it's quite possible that you couldn't do it because you have tasted bigger and better things and have figured that there is no hi-fi below a certain budget. or simply because you've inevitably become out of touch with the things that wouldn't be worth your time exploring. this is not being sarcastic or facetious in any way, it's just how it would be, from my observations. time is money after all and brain space is valuable. ironically, it feels like a waste, for a certain class of consumer that we've *just* missed a unicorn. like we still haven't found that guy that sorts the wheat from the chaff AND still operates at a 'little people' level for the little people and that's easily explained by the fact that you love music and sound and hi fi and you're on that journey that is way past little-people level. i would say at least provide better alternatives to the brands you diss, that come in at the same price-point, but those brands you dis are also out of some of our budgets, so that would also be a waste of time. i mean cheapaudioman is almost on the right path too but still, it's all about affiliate links and a bunch of the same popular brands that pop up everywhere, even if they are products that offer stand-out value among inexpensive items. where some designer has been granted access to the buying power of a mega company and so is able to offer decent parts in a $100 speaker, including crossover etc. yes, people might as well make money of their youtube content but really, is it necessary? i mean can't people do it purely as a hobby or for the love while also holding down a separate job that earns them enough to support their habit? i do prefer boutique brands to mass-produced stuff and believe that they offer more to the world but at the end of the day, people like you are still promoting them, selling their stuff and getting a commission of it and due to lower turnover, there are larger margins and commissions. nothing wrong with it but this always corrupts when compared to people who sell nothing at all, for instance. even if it doesn't corrupt, there will always be doubt in certain peoples' minds and if my guess is correct, that is their problem and it doesn't affect you in the slightest and at the end of the day they can decide not to engage and ultimately, it will probably be their loss. absolutely fair enough. i found you not through this vid, but after a quick search to see if anyone else could see how REL was taking the absolute p*ss, after i had just unsubscribed to jay soulsik upon watching his latest upload. it all became so clear to me, especially after checking rel's website. anyway, with your most expensive products, where do you think the money goes? would you say mainly r & d? i'm assuming that they would make their own dacs from scratch right. or if they did base them on an existing chip they would have the right to reprogram, fine tune, rebrand and basically make it indistinguishable from anything we could hunt down ourseves, yeah? like some 'miracle' speaker 'producers' give you the models of the seas or peerless drivers they use so you can basically take a short cut to getting a similar product but if i got my hands on an mpd-8, i probably wouldn't be able to open it up and hunt down most of the parts for myself huh? it wouldn't be easily reverse-engineerable and even if it was, i've already paid enough to cover any royalties for a while yeah? i'm still working on ways to design stuff, put things together and profit from it one day too. still trying to working out what the actually industry/ies will be and the model etc., which will probably take months and years. in the mean time i'll survive the way i always have and i'll be one of those people eagerly looking out for tips and tricks and shorcuts to best kept secrets, best bang-for-buck options, whispers, insider shiz and 'giant killers'. thanks for sharing some of your stuff, i look forward to sifting thru your other vids.
*scan-speak
In audio. if your volume control is on "5", you are likely at 30% or les power because of the "audio taper" built into the control. Our hearing is logarithmic and so is our sound perception.
OK great , so turn it to half volume or just over half wherever that lies on the knob, . ..What he is saying people is that if the knob goes to 10 (Mine go to 11) then 5 is not actually half when using an audio taper attenuator
So to sum it up, i'd best do room treatment and get a full Accuphase set and some great speakers?
If you like. Its great equipment. Ive set an Accuphase complete rig up before and I liked it. The customer used TAD speakers.
Room treatment is a must. Does not need to be extravagant but should have at least 2 Tube Traps by ASC..one diffusor center at front wall and youre rolling !
What’s your opinion with Emotiva power amp and JBL 590 speakers set up?
Never heard those together, but Emo is a high value brand. You get a ton for your money. Plus Dan is a good, honest founder. I actually have a massive 7 channel Emo in my closet for movies. This room actually has a home theater rig hidden in the walls and closet.
You speak as if you are to only one who enjoys this hobby. I and many others would rather spend our own time doing our own listening and learning rather then buying a pre designed killer system. There are many ways of going about constructing a hi-fi system, and the fact that every system is built by a unique individual I think makes it very interesting.
Thanks for pointing out an important distinction JB, I also dont mind dedicating my life to HiFi, I did it because nobody was going to do it for me , and this is the way 99% of the industry is but the truth is we are the anomaly. Most people just want killer HiFi and to have other hobbies, so the people I am speaking to absolutely know who they are and they come directly to me . If I could have had someone to take me to the end of the line ,I would have done it for sure
Thank you. This is a great video. Could you give us a list of unknown small boutique Amp & speaker/manufacturers/Company’s that are just as good or better then The more popular company’s (Within different budget) Company’s That you believe are a better value then the corporate owned speakers & amplifiers/audio equipment company’s ?
Yes, I represent the brands if I can. Go to 11stereo.com i will
eventually post a list.
I want to get into audiophile .. I would like a good good DAC within 500 price range .. but I am confused within chord or schiit audio or ifi .. I want specifically for headphones only ... movies, game Apple Music .. but I love classical orchestra and would like separation and detailed holographic airy feel
Sorry, I dont go below $1K...
@@OCDHIFiGuy okay pls advise me then which DAC is worthy in 1000 dollars
@@rajendrabiswas Dangerous Music Source. Made in USA
Hey man. What’s your take on Rega as a company ? I know we’re not talking crazy dollars, but they seem to make solid engineered products putting sound way ahead of BS features.
As a matter of fact I totally respect to Rega. Great products at a great price, what more can you say? Thanks for bringing the brand up I had forgotten about it.
Hi Mikey,
Just a quick question:
I already have and existing Dac and only listen streaming via tidal.
My Question is:
Should I invest in a power amp for worth $6k and hook it up straight a away to the dac or buy $6k integrated amplifier and connect my dac?
So you are wondering if you should use a power amp and your DAC with volume control. There is not enough information for me to answer fully. I would need to know if there is any advantage for you to have the preamp section of the Amp and want to know how good the volume control on the DAC is .. some truncate signal which is bad
i might do the Luxman 380....a bit like the sq 38 u-great all around musical amps
Cool.
Thanks for the video. This is an important conversation. The most expensive thing in a hi-fi system is a room. If you don't have this investment, you can buy a couple of active speakers for a thousand dollars and calm down...
No way. .
These ugly truths an old bud of mine (an audiophile) and I talked of often. Good anything is not an accident.👍
Thanks, is it possible to do a deeper dive on specific recommended / avoid tubes? In case we want to buy back up
Theres really just a few that are hard to come by .. 805 DHT is one, the russian "super tube 6H30P -DR. 6SN7 can sound spongy or tubey ... and all of them are climbing in price
@@OCDHIFiGuy you were going to throw my rig under the bus there when you started a list off weren't you? Before the giggle? Sansui?
@@paigewingerd5788 No my beautiful Bunny, I totally respect your lovely well seasoned components . ;-)
Does a high end cable add something to the signal or take something away to achieve its great sound?
The finest cables shouldn’t add or take away anything. They should let through the signal, and do as close to nothing to it as possible.
@@scottborenstein8291 Cables are passive so it is just a matter of what they take away from the signal, they have nothing to add. And you are saying that the best cable possible is one which has no effect on the signal whatsoever. Are you able to hear differences between cables? If so, do you assume that the better sounding cables are the more "neutral" ones, thereby justifying the rediculous prices being asked? And finally, would you have any interest in buying a bridge? It's in Brooklyn.
@@evantench6651 yes cables should be as neutral as possible. You just believe what you want, but just know that you are wrong. You can hear differences in clarity and dynamic range. What cables are you using in your system. And what components do you have?
@@scottborenstein8291How can I be wrong in an exchange of opinion? Is the design or the materials used more important in pursuing neutrality? Are the best sounding speakers also the flattest? Not in my experience. Cables can only subtract or reduce. An overly bright front end would benefit from a lesser cable I guess. If I got talked into dropping real money on interconnects my ego would tell me it's better sounding. Plenty of expensive gear out there that underwhelms everyone but the guy that wrote the check. I would be willing to bet that you couldn't identify any specific cable amongst a small group in a blind test.
"Cables make a difference" until the audiophile is required to identify the difference.
It's easy....
@@OCDHIFiGuy Yep, use equipment with poor input circuit.
@@michael71601 or noisy power supply
Well then….If the BIG NAMES ARE NOT THAT GOOD, can you reference some of the “unknown” that ARE? I’m looking for a new A/V receiver, want to replace my older Klipsch fronts with NEW ATMOS (Klipsck’s⁉️)…
Help??
AV Receivers are not a part of what Im speaking of .. I only deal i 2 channel HiFi
Overall,,,,,this is pretty right on! I agree with a lot of it. *APPLAUDS LOUDLY"
9 ugly truth about market economy and capitalism, thanks man.
Cables DO make a difference, but it's easy to overspend on them relative to the rest of your system- IMO as a general metric, interconnects, spkr cables, and power cables shouldn't exceed 10-15% of the cost of one's system- but should be at least 5-10% in terms of typical retail value relative to retail value of overall system, assuming comparable value of system elements relative to retail cost. So don't use lamp cord or crap stuff, but also don't spend 2, 3, or 4K for total cabling on a 5K component!!
There u go..