"Don't listen to the system but listen to the MUSIC". This is the most precious advice You, a recognized and expert audiophile, can give to people. Totally agree. Change music and don't necessarily change components.
I was with your mother This is not true. If you say that, with the same cable type (copper or silver or mixed) and connection, there is no difference between entry level and high end cables I agree with you. But cables sound different depending on their electrical measures, material (copper or silver), quality of terminations, speakers resistance they are connected to.
Best possible tip for almost everybody, first make the room acoustically good (a multiyear project), you don't actually know what your system sounds like until you do, and if you keep replacing gear instead of fixing the room... your just making different versions of not good. I know a person who is obsessed with replacing his gear with super high end stuff... because he thinks his current gear is not up to par, but every problem he has is acoustics... that I could fix for a few hundred dollars, but he won't let me, he is dead set on the idea he needs 30k$ set of amps to get it right.... but amps and cables can't overcome physics.
I get you man. And my way is this: Never try to advice a friend who thinks he is always right, or likes to be always right. They may use you only to have their beliefs justified. And will not listen, or understand, what you can tell them. Even if your experience and knowledge faaaar exceeds theirs.
And it’s not just listening rooms that need attention to acoustical treatment but any place where any type of music will be played whether live of reproduced. 20+ years ago my local place of worship underwent a massive renovation. A one hundred plus year old example of European Spanish Style was renovated “expertly” and at great expense BUT absolutely no thought was considered to the acoustics of the project. An expensive professional sound system was installed with all the modern features. The result was/is an incredibly horrible acoustical “venue”. The choice of construction materials, the finishing of walls, vaulted ceilings, flooring, etc gave this beautiful renovation the acoustical properties of a fine Cavern minus the bats. I cringe with every hymn. No amount of electronic processing can fix the issue. A real acoustical treatment process needs to be done. A new pastor realized a problem and sought some acoustic consultant and some treatments were added. It helped a bit but more needs to be done. At least now the man in charge has an idea of the scope of the problem and has taken a step in the right direction.
make sure your audio equipment is functioning properly , check ac voltage and clean up your ac line , clean all contacts , separate chords and make improvements to room acoustics before you go down the upgrade path --AGAIN! don't judge system if you generally are having a bad day .
Your statement of what will happen to your system when you’re “gone” is now burned into my brain! I just never thought about it before, now I can’t stop thinking about it !!!!!
Lol... I have thought about this for a while and have told family members what things are worth and not to toss ANYTHING. The only answer I come up with is to put it on eBay and list it for a long time. For that I mean 2 weeks if possible. I do that because locally won’t bring in higher prices. I have a lot of stuff... tube amps, tube preamps, reel to reel, silver faced solid state....... you get my point. I also told them what to keep in the family. All of my things have been restored to new,and tube stuff,better than new. I have considered selling stuff and buying fewer things but replacing them with better equipment. Bottom line “LISTEN TO THE MUSIC” doobie brothers 😎
When I received my tube preamp the wife said, { What are those nobby things sticking out } ...... I'm sure most of my gear will find its way to the dump......
@@moon-light1354 hehe, I'm sure my stuff will end up in the dump too, I told my wife to put it on ebay because it's worth enough that the money will be worth the effort but I doubt she remembers.
@@Silverface1987 Excellent point - leave someone a list of what things are worth, who to call when you die, insurance/investment account numbers and contact info, what bills are paid from where, where the folders with important papers are. Oh, and all of your passwords.
I completely agree with your comment about not making lateral moves. I finally talked myself out of that and went from an RB250 to an Audiomods Series 6 arm, a Dynavector DV20X2H to a DRT XV-1s, Dreamcatchers to Nautilus 805s, and Lounge Audio mkIII to Valab LCR MkIII. All were about 3 steps up the ladder from where I was at. I also replaced my electrical outlets to inexpensive pure copper outlets and swapped out my power cables and ICs. It's amazing the detail I get out of my system now.
My system is good enough. If I have discretionary $$'s, I'm going to try to help out people in need with the money. Too many people out of work, hurting, for me to buy more gear.
I know I won't have extra $$ for quite some time and if I did I would not be spending on audio stuff, what I have is good enough and I can only listen on headphones since my wife basically hates sound. I have a few different headphones, an O2 amp and a decent DAP, one only thing I would want is something I will never be able to afford(high end headphones).
Steve THANK YOU for all your passion and interest. We rebuilt our house so I had four areas to build audio (and TV) systems. Upstairs I was constrained by athestics as dictated by my wife LOL but fortunately a set of AudioVector QR speakers passed my audio test and best of all were deemed suitable in white (no other colour!) for the our small main room system unfortunately driven by a high-end Yamaha A/V receiver which has a streamer built in and really isn't all that bad but isn't as good as the tube amp I wanted but we must all make concessions :) Downstairs in the surroundsound home theatre I settled for another high-end Yamaga receiver with Monitor Audio Bronze all around with a sub-woofer. Sounds ok in again a smallish home theatre. But now we get to my little corner of the world where I installed a Node 2i streamer into a 50-watt Rega Brio amp to two JBL Arena 130 (I wanted the Harbeth P3ESR speakers but we'd run of money by then LOL. Maybe someday as it's on my bucket list.) and BTW the JBL's while not the best sound to some are great in my system (as compared to my Audeze LCD-x headphones they are hold up pretty well) and were on sale for $299 for the pair and that's in Canadian dollars woo hoo. And then, as per your recent recommendation, I relocated my Polk Audio sub-wofer from under my synthizer table (another expensive hobby) and reinstalled it under my listening room table and you're right - it makes a significant difference to hearing the room especially when I reduce the thump part of the signal down to match the JBLs which are in near-field position on my desk with tweeters pretty close to ear level. My last system is a less expensive Yamaha receiver but with optical in from a 55" TV and Pioneer SB-522LR and sounds great in my synth room. Anyway I'm 72 and retired and very much appreciate your guidance in how to spend my pension cheques :)
Hi i have come to a conclusion Usually people who like me change and buy things cannot change listening room. I have a short story. I was talking with a technician whose job was to treat acoustically little theaters. He told me that he had had the opportunity to work in a small theater whose acoustics were exceptional. As an experiment he had placed a boombox on a chair in the middle of the stage. Well that insignificant boombox filled the theater with good quality music . I am sure that if one could afford a room suitable for listening to music (i.e. acoustically optimized), he would stop changing systems frequently and would simply enjoy the music. Unfortunately it is much easier to change an amplifier than the house .... but the room will always remain a big problem.
I was convinced I needed new speakers in all 3 of my systems.....(living room, bedroom, computer room).....I priced them out, and was ready to spend the $$......then, I thought of what each speaker brought to the table....and how perhaps they were simply in the wrong room for their particular qualities......so, I put each speaker in a different room....and....holy moly, I saved myself a ton of money, as I was (and continue to be) completely happy with the sound in each area now.....go figure....
I would add that before making any change, consider the major changes before incremental changes. Major changes such as whether you prefer the open, airy, spacious sound of dipoles or the focused and lively sound of horn speakers. This really should be figured out before getting into audio at all. Speakers make the biggest difference in sound of any component in the chain, and deserve the most thought and scrutiny before laying down the cash.
Agreed! If the rest of your system is at a cost of say $1000. The quality range in price of your speakers should be at least $3000 speakers. The two biggest influences of sound are a clean signal, and speakers that can best reproduce sound. Achieving a clean signal is a lot easier than matching speakers. I did not mention speakers in my recent response. But, in 2020 the most important component of your system for reproduction is your SPEAKERS. Today,s technologies has made it easy to achieve a clean signal. SPEAKERS! SPEAKERS! SPEAKERS! I really like your comment Stewart...so true!
Another thing you can do is play around with the speakers and amps you have, try different pre-amp amp combos, and different settings. I recently found a magical sweetspot I never knew existed in the balance of my equipment. Everything sounds different and more detailed than ever before, right down to the individual snares on the drum, or the coils of the guitar string during a slide.
Nobody ever talks about simply using octave band dB boosts to adjust your existing components to ongoing changes in your hearing, especially as you age (presbycusis). New components may only seem to sound better if you never adjust and readjust your existing system to your hearing.
I certainly can attest to this first hand. Great observation and very useful for many audiophile especially those of us who experience age related or workplace related hearing changes.
This discussion could apply to many hobbies and interests. But....sometimes chasing gear, selling, buying, reading forums, magazines, etc. can be fun as well. Just a thought.
Improvement of the enclosures and insulation in doors and windows, reduction of background noise. Refill the fridge with our favorite drinks. Buy new records, give away the ones we don't like. All of that helps.
I believe that the differences in sound quality between similarly sized and powerful equipment made by reputable companies (more like different flavors of good) is far less than the differences between environments that people listen to their equipment in. The only piece of gear that most people need and don't have is a DAC if you're listening from a computer source. As a recording engineer, I need to know how my clients listen and almost without fail, they don't even know what a DAC is let alone have one. It's indispensable to a hifi experience coming out of a computer.
Thumbs up, Jon. Yes, I have a DAC, a Topping D10 DAC. However, so far I mostly listen to music from vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and FM radio. Anyway, it's connected to my Sony STR-DH520 Receiver for now. A little later I am going to connect my DAC to my desktop computer of 2003, upgraded to Windows 7 that has a S/PDIF optical output port; therefore going to get a long SPDIF cable from Amazon, Canadian web site, and connect to my eSynic headphone amp via Linkerpard RCA cables. But you know what? I still mostly listen to music from analogue, and digital CD.
Have been in this hobby most of my life. As with anything in the human world, the sooner and more frequently you start to know and listen to you and yourself only, the less you will need "experts, magazines, gurus, and audiophiliacs".....to get it your way, which is always the most rewarding way..... Happy listening, meanwhile!!!
After about 10 years of staying with my system I purchased new speakers which lead me to replacing my speaker cables, then my power amp, then cartridge and then my turntable, then my digital playback, then added 2 subwoofers, then added new power cables and then improved electrical supply. This took about 18 months and to be frank, I’ve had enough even though I could/should replace more of my power cables. But my systems sounds very good, and, for the moment it will do. Maybe not for the next 10 years but definitely the next couple.
"What is it that you want out of music?" Almost seems like an existential question. I'd say all I am looking for in a system is natural midtones, deep bass (even if it's unnatural) and crisp highs. Nothing more.
I have on morethen 1 occasion discovered that friends had their speakers connected OUT OF PHASE! This makes them sound dull , unclear and undefined. I demonstate this by letting them listen to mono with treble way low, bass way up and balance in the middle. This can bring out this out of phase situation because those bass drivers will start to cancel eachother out instead of complementing eachother. Then i reconnect their speakers correctly (=in phase) also front agains rear sets if present. Then i re-adjust all controls to normal settings and switch to stereo and often people were amazed how much better their system sounded. Same situation in cars. Specifically with after market non-OEM installations. Just by doing simple tweeks like that can bring out a whole new enjoyment of music.
I loved this episode. Totally didn't expect life lessons from Guru Steve but its very welcome. In yoga they re-teach you how to hear, how to see. How to be mindful in other words. I think Audiophiles get caught up on hamster wheels so having someone ask you to stop and smell the daisies is great advice.
This hit home for me. I'm almost 70. When I began my love affair with HiFi, many pieces of equipment still used tubes and I always remembered their distinctive sound. I spent my entire audiophile lifetime trying to obtain that sound with solid state equipment and never really being fully satisfied. I recently decided to get back into tube powered audio and purchased a Chinese made integrated amp with very good ratings and a reasonable price to see if I really wanted to go that route. Long story short, I discovered that sound all over again. I'm completely in love with the sound of my system for the first time in longer than I can remember. But now the gremlins are creeping in and whispering in my ear that if I just step up to a even more highly regarded US made tube amp and an even better hybrid tube pre amp than I am currently using, I just might reach heaven before I die. I don't NEED more. My music sounds fantastic. My only impetus is that the US made amp boasts of having a very long tube life, which means that it will probably never need any replacement tubes in what's left of my life. My rational side is telling the gremlin to shut the hell up. The audiophile side is saying go for it. My id just sits back and smirks, because it KNOWS what's going to happen.
I appreciate your sentiments but a lot of Chinese tube stuff is pretty well made these days (and also easy to work on or repair anyway) ...but sometimes a few might have some QC faults that get through unchecked ...but if you say it already sounds great then I would keep it for now... but perhaps try some tube rolling for fun if you feel the need...although that can be a rollercoaster hit and miss affair too.
@@humanitech I don't really have any qualms about ChiFi audio products. I bought a Muzishare X7 precisely because it looked to be very well built using quality name brand components and got excellent reviews. Price wise it came in at a range that I felt would lift it up out of the bargain basement zone. It cost a little more to do so, but I bought it on Amazon for the hassle free return policy. I also took into account that even the top American lines like McIntosh and Bob Carver use the same Chinese and Russian made tubes because those are the only countries still making them. There is even a repair tech here in the US that does the warranty work for a lot of the Chinese audio tube driven products. I am only thinking of upgrading to the Bob Carver Crimson 275 for it's 5 year warranty and the fact that Bob specifically designed the drive circuit to be as gentle as possible on the tubes. I only question the Muzishare's longevity. The build quality of it is obvious in both appearance and sound. And you are right about tube rolling; it can make a real difference, and be a royal never ending pain all at the same time! At this stage in my life, making things as simple as possible is my mantra, so I won't allow my mind to dwell too much on that subject.
Steve, thank you for discussing this fact with all of us. I started collecting records in 1976 as a 6th grader, that led me to seeking better and better equipment "fill in the blanks". I stopped counting my records at 10,000 and that was many years ago. Couple of years ago when I turned 55, I started panicking about what happens after I'm gone, not just with all the records but also ALL the beautiful and coveted amps, pre amps, tonearms, speakers..... Unless we are willing to give it away, it takes a long time to find the right home and sell even the most sought after models and brands. For 2 years I have sold my beloved Thresholds, SMEs, vintage Marantz, Macs, Dynacos, JM Labs, early Pass models, countless DACs, etc...and still haven't made a dent. The BEST aspect has been that I have met a few very young, next generation audiophiles that are starting with these pieces and are keeping our hobby alive.
Hey Steve..thankyou for this video..you spoke your heart..love from India..I have been following your videos for a while..but today's video was profound...I began exploring new speakers and audio systems ...which was not possible to buy 10 years back but today I can..but I went back to my old system..refubhished it myself after a lot of research and yes I was happy man..the run to have new technology is not always enough ...all it takes is refocus on what you have and take care of it..old is always gold .for that you donot need new ears ..just live it.
As a practical matter, there's a limit to the technology and a limit to human hearing, once you reach a certain point you're buying something more than the best sound. At that point if you want the experience of actually being there listening to real instruments in real space your best bet is to spend your money getting the thrill of attending live events, but don't be surprised if your system at home sounds better than the live rock concert held down at your local football stadium.
Very very wise advice. I step away from listening every summer. Too much to enjoy outside. As the season changes, I go back to listening and it sounds refreshingly different. No need to layout$$$ to refine my listening room. It is amazing when you give something you love a break.
Great advice! New music is a great adventure 👍 I invested in a Bluesound Vault2 and and Node2i with Qobuz subscription for my music rooms. Every day I check out the latest HR recordings. Every day is "wonderfilled"! My library fills in my listening time too, but there's so much music to discover!
During the pandemic I've had lots of time to really sit and listen to music. Started listening to higher quality recordings and you know what, my system sounds great. My speakers are very revealing so bad recordings sound harsh. Good recordings show how detailed and accurate my speakers are. I have had them 17 years and have no intention of changing them now. So people listen to the music.
Very true. As a kid I owned a tape recorder in the shape of a motorcycle with tape deck being the engine and the speakers being the wheels. I loved the sound and the music and could not care less for the "presentation lacks authority" and "the scene could be more spacious" kind of thing. The best tweak one can do to their audio system is tweaking that part or the system that is sitting on the couch
Steve, I love your reviews, and I always learn from your thoughtful yet enthusiastic approach. In my first retail selling job, an especially tecno-geek customer (a regular visitor) departed after a long visit. One of the vets said, "He should sell all his gear, spend $1,000 on a new system - and invest what's left over in a bunch of new records. He forgets why he got into this hobby". I love gear, but it's a means to an end - and that end is the Allman Brothers, early Genesis, Jeff Beck, Zappa... having fun with our fave tunes. Thank you Steve! Best, Joe
Best advice I got here was essentially this: If you don't like the way your system sounds, change your music. I had to get a system first, as I was just using inexpensive home theater gear. I still use inexpensive gear for audio, but it's built for two channel and sounds great to my ears. I went through the motions of listening to the same music I've always listened to, and of course it sounded better, but I started to branch out, mostly using Tidal to listen to the music I see Steve talk about in these videos. Well, to be sure some of it sounds spectacular because of the way it was recorded, etc. Live and learn. I am definitely broadening my tastes in music. Not only am I treated to new and great tunes, but also to great sounds and layers and immersion I didn't really know my system could produce. What a trip, right?
Good stuff Steve. Your sage wisdom is one of many reasons I enjoy your channel. I'm in that new audiophile camp. Just a few months into acquiring gear, and before watching this had already adopted the buy and try everything attitude. I have acclimated myself to the audiophile vernacular and edified myself on gear, but I haven't done much listening so far. So. I bought some wildly different sounding speakers and components and have been experimenting. A lot of experimenting. The only down side is money. But that also helps me to pause and get the most of what is here now. If I had unlimited funds to buy all this stuff now, I feel I would miss out on the part where you live with and learn a particular piece for an extended time. And then appreciate the changes when you introduce a significant upgrade. I'm a believer that satisfaction in the destination is derived from the journey. Essentially, I accept and embrace some of the shit qualities of my system now, because as I grow to something more substantial I will remember where I started from.
I agree with the tweaks factor. I just moved my amp stack from in the room into a crawl space/closet, wow. I can not believe how much of a difference it made! Why? Less microphonics? More acoustic space in the room? Cables moved in such a way? I don’t know or care, but Steve is right on the money by simply tweaking things like, adding padding/vibration isolation to equipment’s feet (even an old pair of socks does the job) or even rewiring your system so audio cables go down the left side of your rack and power down the right side can make a HUDGE difference. Of course anyone seasoned in audio knows that “trick” but you get the point.
I was listening to Venice radio on my computer , I think it was 128 kbs .Anyway on comes this flute piece from Mozart and I was totally immersed in it . It was so beautiful , I wrote the piece down and after work listened to it on my system . It sounded better on my computer . I guess that the sound system between our ears is the only one that counts .
This video kind of explains me what I love about vintage Audio, lets say turntables though everything I have now is vintage. It takes away the urge to buy the latest and greatest. It has the 20/20 hindsight. And it has this mystery around it, what music was played on it trough all those years? But also only yesterday when I played music with my girlfriend (which is great because she pulls out different music) I was realizing how amazing the turntable is I was using: It is like half a century old and it is super engaging. I always come back to it and even though I know and can hear there are better products, it keeps drawing me back and above all it works well after all those years. For me, besides how it sounds and how it looks and feels (something discussed here often) the above dimensions add to the excitement that only vintage audio can do. And it brings calm and satisfaction to the equation. It even allows me to forgive flaws that would drive me mad if I would have bought brand new high end equipment.
Totally vintage here.... try getting into vintage tube amps.... talk about blown away. A vintage turntable and tube amp.... (In the evening) now that’s a HOMERUN. I have Magnavox amps that were pulled out of consoles, a very little work and they sound great. Tubes glowing in the night, that’s the cure, trust me. Get a tube preamp and your set. You can run your phone through it also. Sweeeeeet!
Also strikes me that it is fiscally very sound. You have the opportunity to look from a long view at how well a product stood the test of time. It is likely 50-90% depreciated which means it is back to the actual price of the parts. Particularly with point to point tube gear, the circuits are very simple to refresh by changing out the electrolytic caps when it hits the 20 year point. Everything else last a lifetime.
The only thing I would add to a great vintage system that is modern is a good quality DAC with today's technologies. A good matching DAC will help get the most out of the tone of your system.
So much truth in this episode. I no longer consider myself a newbie in this hobby and I always ask myself what a potential new piece will bring me that I'm not already getting. Most if the time just can't justify it. Like Steve says it has to be a bigger change than a smaller sideways change. But one of the most important things Steve mentioned is just try new music. Explore old music with what you have. Enjoy it. Nd try not to focus on the next piece or upgrade. I wish I would have done this year's ago. It would have saved me a lot of $$$. So live with what you have and enjoy the music. After all that is what it's sorta about!
You ask this now??? I just made a change last week. After several years I just replaced my Emotiva UMC-1 with an XMC-1 pre/pro. Both were used. It made a big difference in small ways. The nuance is back again and really allows me to listen to the music again, not the audio. I'm happy I made the change. Can't wait to tweak in the settings and setup more.
I’m going to cancel my therapist for this week! Thanks, Steve! This rings true for me this week. I was chasing a new sound in my office system (vintage Thorens, warm Jolida tube integrated and JM Labs Chorus 706 bookshelves. I pulled the trigger on the Klipsch 600m. My expectations were high! Granted, I didn’t give them much burn in (and I know they are much loved on this channel) but, Man, they were harsh to my ears. I threw all kinds of music at them, and even swapped out to a NAD 320BEE amp, but I could only do 10 to 15 mins with the 600s before I had to throw in the towel. I attacked the problem the next day with fresh ears... toe in, toe out... no dice. I really wanted to love the ‘18 Speaker or the Year, but I couldn’t. It’s not a Klipsch thing, I have Heresys in another room and I’ll never part with them. In frustration I put the 706s back in and to my surprise they were everything the 600s weren’t. Bright but smooth, detailed, and broken in from 2 decades of moving around my various systems. And they were already paid for of course. Sometimes (to Steve’s point) you forget to appreciate what you already have. There is a reason you bought them and kept them in the first place. I realized that I just had G.A.S. (Gear acquisition syndrome). I was chasing some mythical sound, when I already had 98% of what I was looking for! $500 saved.
Any system will never meet your expectations .......mind will allways tell you ....I can be better . The first radio or something you did ever buy .....this gave you the most fun ............
I love to listen to my favorite music no matter what it is being played on, because I just love the music! But when I listen to my audio system, not only do I love the music, but I love how it sounds! The lossless audio files that were so graciously provided here by Steve and the recording companies (for free, THANK YOU SO MUCH!) have really allowed me to enjoy my system at another level! These recordings have such an amazing dynamic and frequency range which is far greater than any of the recorded media that I own! My system sounds so good, I just need to purchase better recordings rather than purchasing better equipment! Thank you Steve for forcing us to enjoy the music as much as the hardware!
Well said steve, I think I honestly enjoyed music more when I was younger as I wasnt listening to the hifi but the music, it's so easy to go down the rabbit hole in this industry.
I have the privilege of owning a truly amazing sound system After listening countless times to all my favorite music and going through Qobuz and Spotify searching for new music to listen too Sometimes I find some good music but my biggest problem is finding new music that I Love that I just want to play over and over
Damn, im sooo in the same boat. I just cant get the sparkle the my favorite songs did fir me. I dont have amazing systems but i do enjoy listening to it. But there are times that i just want to discover some artist or genre that a could just listen to all day.
You already covered this in a previous video, but the very first thing you should prioritize above all else is acoustic room treatment. NOT foam(its useless for the problems you will have) but proper treatment whether you DIY or buy and speaker placement. There are so many nuances and subtleties in your music that even the greatest gear cant achieve without room treatment. Dont blow money on anything until your room is situated and treated. Even if its just the first reflections, but you should make a project out of the whole room or as much as you can...properly that is.
@@Colin-yh7oy Thats a good work around but you will lose the spaciousness of the soundstage and that open sound. Depending how "near field" you will actually be anyways. Totally personal preference tho
@@blobeyeordie I'm sat about 8' from the speakers so I don't know if that really qualifies as "near field". They're about 6.5' apart and fire across the 10.5' width (not length) of the room, and side walls are far enough away that first reflections don't seem to be a major problem. This arrangement is probably entirely sub-optimal, but I guess I've grown used to the way it "images" and still allows me to get some insight into instrument placement, recording venue acoustics, etc.
I've told this story plenty of times. I was looking for new speakers. I went to my favorite high-end audio store where they had prepared my list of speakers that I wanted to test. They had my all-in-one system there, so all I did was bring my own speakers for A-B comparison. Every set of speakers I compared with my current speakers, lost. Like, a lot. My speakers were pretty awesome.
I used to be an audiophile until I had kids. Rega planar 2 Platter matter Luxman Kef Reel to reel I came home from work to find my 1/2 speed mastered and direct to disc albums being used as frisbees. We're talking over 30 yrs ago. It made me look at what was important to me. Then this RUclips channel shows up and makes me what to start over at 62! Especially interested in DACs and bluesound streaming. Damn it!
Steve, this is the best advise that could ever be given and it’s the advise that is the most over looked, in a word simply brilliant!!! Listening to music that you are not familiar with gives both you and your system a new lease on life. Not making lateral moves that waste time and money, priceless. I took Steve’s advice almost four years ago and made some changes that even now give me post and no reason to upgrade individual components. I just last week upgraded my power conditioner to a Audioquest Niagara 1200 and I’m extremely satisfied. I might upgrade my power cables to Audioquest Z3, and maybe Isoacoustic Gaia II speaker isolators and I’m done. I’m in no hurry to do anymore changes this year because I’m happy with what I have and it sounds good with all different type of music. I just got lucky enough to buy a copy of A Mofi One-Step copy of Yes’s Fragile album for way less than retail considering this album is now out of print. The Mofi is better than the original, which I own as well. This is what I want to spend money on records, CDs and Tidal.
Best move I made in lockdown was purchase of an Innuos Zen mark 3 music server. Ripped my large CD collection to it and (a) it's much easier to access my collection, so I am playing CDs I haven't played for years; and (2) it sounds better playing FLAC rips than my CD player does, all into the same DAC, so I am happy. But I agree, take a breath otherwise you end up forever searching for the next upgrade, sometimes at the expense of enjoying your music collection. it's all about getting a balance, I completely agree - enjoy your system for a while before looking to upgrade.
Ultimately agree with you on the sideways moves and purchases but often they are valid because it may be a flavor you are searching for. Your budget is only $500 for speakers and you find speaker A in this price range is bright but you hear that speaker B in this price range is warmer so you make a sideways move for tonality more to your liking even though speaker A and speaker B perform about the same. Also, agree with you on tweaks, I'm a huge tweaker!
If you own a $5-10K system and still feel like you need more than that, DIY kit gear is the way to go IMHO. Thats truly the next level for those not finding satisfaction in whats available at the shops. The sky is the limit as far as customizing goes, and you will love the gear you make all that much more!
I love your videos compare to other reviewers who are mostly fancy. Love your clutter, love your humbleness despite your rich experiences. People trust your messages are so straight forward and relatable for both audiophile and layman.
My listening setup is Q Acoustics 3030i, Sugden A21SE, Qobuz, downloaded mp3/ Flac files, youtube. I have another setup - JBL studio 680, Sony AV receiver. I also use a Bose soundlink II (bluetooth) sometimes. Most of the times I do not miss my other two systems when I listen with one. I enjoy music in all three systems. Because music is paired with time, not with the instruments you listen with.
I got 4000euro to spend. So I spend it on eye laser surgery. Everything went well. I bought some Sony ss-cs5 for working at home. My desk setup is at the end of my diner table. At the other end beside the table I put the Sony speakers on top of BNS speakers on top of a small stool. The tweeters are at the perfect height. If I am tired of the Sony, I switch to BNS. I use Topping PA3 class D amplifier. The stereo amplifier is smaller than my headphone amplifier 🤣😂. In a Teams conference everybody can enjoy my music 😏😏. My main speakers are Magnepans.
I started a second system for my living room, This time I got three way speakers instead of horns and a tube amp instead. A new cart for my TT. although I did move sideways in price, I changed the whole dynamics of the system. And it works great. It does things the other system doesn't and vice versa.
The type of music you listen to makes just as big a difference in the DAC you choose as much as matching a DAC to your system. I listen to a variety of music styles and genres, I like the flexibility in changing the tone of my system. Sometimes I add tubes into my mix. Sometimes I use a Delta Sigma DAC, and sometimes I feel the need to use a Burr Brown DAC, or some other flavor of DAC to better match the music (or movie) I am listening to getting the most out of my recordings. In this regard, I use several different DAC's intermittently to get the best out of the music I am listening to at any given time. I believe in your message Steve. You can save time, money, and your sanity, if you consider your budget, make realistic goals of what you want to achieve from your system.
I need the audioquest niagara 3000 power filter.. I Tried it thes weekend, and my system was at a whole different level. What Surprised me most, was the increase in dynamics and details when connecting their Tornado power cable. It was mind blowing.
Steve, wisely spoken. In the beginning of my audiophile life I bought different things. From a Vincent system, big 1000 watts monoblocks to a vacuum lamp system. But that's is normal, exploring the boundaries. Maybe crucial for understanding the high-end world. It's a journey. But nowadays, in big lines I am satisfied with my current system. It does almost everything right. It's a Audio GD system; Master 1, Master 3 en the 7CDFV. Very very good system. Speakers the incredible Mordaunt Short Performance 6. A very good match. Now I only tweaking with little things from Masterbase to Solid Tech Feets of Silence. And you are right, turn of your system. Then come back, and most of the time I really can enjoy the music. That is the only thing that matters. Be moved by the beauty of the musicians in front of me. Begeisterd of how well my system is expressing the music. But sometimes there are tweaks that blows my mind. Like the antistatic Furutech CD machine. That thing blows my mind, big difference. One other thing that blows my mind, is gemeotry of cables. There are lots of ripoffs of the great cable's of this world. The Audioquest Hurricane, Nordost Odin Supreme. The cost a fraction of a 9000 USD hurricane cable, and you will be blown away how good that kind of cables will be. More importantly is the geometry of the cable not so much the material. If the have 90 percent right of the material that is prominent in the signature sound of that expensive cable. There is a lot to win in tweak's if the system is right.
Better than an approach to plan for and improve your system, would be a survey of what the digital software landscape is moving toward, and how to plan for a system that will cover the contingencies. Many of us are about to move from systems we understand, analog, to digital systems we know nothing about. Like literally not understanding the jargon, what plugs into what, what my high def music library will look like, what to play it on, and how to store it. Yes, I could read a bunch of articles on line, articles I'll get impatient and confused with, articles that won't give me a strategy for purchases and compatibility. So, I request that you do that. How should an old analog man proceed through the digital forest? And what the hell is a 'music server' (the range of functions seems to vary) and where does it get it's shit from?
My Yamaha CX-1000 preamp is being repaired now in Palo Alto to the tune of $420 . It's 30 years old. Ive got a Carver C7 spare right now. Im sold on gettin' a new McIntosh preamp and makin' that Yamaha a spare.
Sage advice Steve. I hava a DAC, power cables, interconnects and a couple-few dozen still sealed albums that I haven’t taken the time to even open because with a busy life, I find I’d rather listen to old faves than start ‘reviewing’ gear. I don’t know how you can do it all. Somehow I do find the time to view all of the Audiophiliac episodes though. Go figure. There’s a long cold winter coming so the time is near to work all this stuff in. I’m a lost cause but have a lot of fun implementations to discover and I really look forward to that but do agree: I must pause. Cool it. Listen more, think less. Keep it coming. It’s ALL good.
"what will happen to your system after you've passed?" many of them end up at Goodwill where they were donated by family members who don't know what else to do with a bunch of "old" electronics gear
Many months ago, had to move my stuff to another room to avoid other noise. New room about half the size, but any room in the place is horrible for audio. Absolutely horrible. Ever since the move I've been wanting to test out shifting my gear to the right one wall. I put it off, because I'd lose 20% usable space in an already cramped room. Finally broke down and had the energy today. I got on with it, noting the power of suggestion! You'd think shifting things right one wall would be quick and easy. Nope, it was about two and a half hours. Everything is heavy and so many cables. Now on to the fun bit: This is the first time in the 5 years and 4 months I've lived here - I truly enjoyed listening to something or anything. Enjoyed so much so that I completely removed two 15" subs. Don't need them anymore. It may be the tightest fit in the room now, but the sound improvement is wonderful. My first impression was it's ten times better! On the downside it is very revealing for your gear's next flaws. I noticed straight away on these old speakers they are off-matched just enough to catch your attention, which could only be the tweeters at this point. Options being slim for replacements, recap may be the best next step if they(probably) need done anyway. Very surprised with this end result and I didn't expect even 25% of the improvement I got. Well worth the lost space.
Woke up fresh today and took measurements again. Two items in the room were off by a half inch as well as the toe in of one of the speakers by a half inch. Now everything is spot on.
I upgraded my system just as the pandemic hit; new speakers and an integrated amp with a tube preamp section (and also my first forays into premium cables, thoughtful speaker placement, and wall treatments). One of the first things I noticed was that good recordings sound phenomenal and are a joy to listen to, but a lot of 1980's + productions sounded awful through the new system. I don't want to give up on those albums/bands that I still like, but I have to adjust my attitude so that I'm listening to the music and not the equipment. Not 100% there yet but I'm working on it.
Steve, love your channel and learn a lot from it. After sampling audio devices over the years, I have finally found a loving combination, a McIntosh MA6100 and Klipsch Chorus speakers. These are used with a DAC and Bluetooth. Thanks!
This is good stuff. Chasing an impossible dream is always going to be just that. Impossible. Your budget dictates what you're going to, in the end, be able to live with. Always good to shoot for a high-end piece of equipment, but "high-end" is subjective, and there's always going to be something bigger and badder next year! Enjoy where you are. I love it!
Great video Steve - I really need to have a serious conversation with the kids about my “Old boat anchor” audio equipment.... What a great journey this audiophile train has taken us on!
Since I altered the seating I'm now in the sweet spot, and the shortcomings of the untreated lounge in my small, 1st-floor flat no longer bother me enough to affect my 2-channel listening enjoyment. Which is just as well, as adding any kind of effective treatment could make the room feel claustrophobic. Dirac room correction in my HT setup does a good job of making movie sound immersive. I've decided I'm done with upgrades for the foreseeable. The most recent changes have been a Rega Ania Pro MC and Aria phono stage, and with my RP8 t/t they've elevated the music such that it's easy to forget that it comes from a groove embossed in a piece of plastic. For the first time in my audiophile journey, irritating inner groove distortion has been virtually banished and the music just seems to float free of the record. The sound of streaming through my Innuos/Oppo combo is noticeably sweeter from the addition of mains purification and an EtherREGEN. Despite being able to browse Qobuz's mountain of new musical possibilities, revisiting LPs old and new - even some dodgy "I'll probably never play that again!" choices - and enjoying them in ways I can't remember is highly addictive. Now storage space could become a problem as my collection will inevitably grow! I know that having to commit to a hardware purchase before trying can be a barrier to new possibilities, but I've been quite lucky in that most changes have been on a trial basis.
So funny that this video pops up in my recommendations. Spent a couple of hours last night (a few hours ago) listening to some 70's funk and soul music that I haven't heard in ages, and certainly not stuff that's in regular rotation (thanks Roon/Qobuz). I could have listened for hours more, but I promised my wife I'd watch "The Martian" again with her. I can't believe how engaging my current configuration is. I can sit down and just listen to music and luckily move about the room and still get a nice presentation. Finally I'm not looking for more, not feeling like there's some aspect of the system that should be better. It's a nice feeling. Instruments sound like they should, triangles ring, tambourines and shakers can be heard in busy passages, piano sounds correct and percussive, strings aren't strident, horns and vocals punch through, the soundstage/imaging and detail don't collapse under spirited listening conditions. And I'm not running megabucks level gear, it's so rewarding. I think it really comes down to proper placement of speakers and listening position in the room and the right combination of components (room treatments help as well). I find that when you get that right you can forget about the system and just listen to and enjoy the music. I think it's worth getting the room acoustics and placement right before diving into equipment upgrades. This is my third time finding that seemingly perfect balance with a room and the components involved in the given configuration, however this time I've got more resolving gear but in all cases I'm hearing more of the music to the best of my configuration's ability. In all cases I can just listen to and enjoy the music, even the stuff I don't normally listen to (I have hard time with Diana Krall for some reason).
When it comes to recorded music, if the source material isn't very good it doesn't matter what type of music it is as it's difficult for me to listen on a high resolution, musical system. One of my sons will be happy to grab up my system and transport it cross country with my records and cd's so they can enjoy what I have enjoyed for the past six decades and hopefully four more.
I have two systems, one in my office and one in the bedroom. Dahlquist DQ-10's, Quart 350's, Harman/Kardon Citation 5.1, the Harman/Kardon CD player has outstanding DAC/Analog Smoothing technology . . . I can go on, but the biggest challenge is MUSIC PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pure digital . . . Analog to digital . . . compression . . .
Beautiful advice Steve! It's so important for us to stop chasing the equipment and start catching the music. It's something we all do. Love your channel Steve, however, I've noticed that organization may not be your strong suite.... :)
Great video Steve. I have an office system mostly comprising vintage stuff which I use to scratch my fiddling about itch. My lounge system I think about long and hard before making changes. In fact the next changes are all going to be internal. I love the fundamentals of the sound so for relatively little outlay I will be upgrading the opamps in my CD player to Burson Audio V6 Vivids and then a rework of the speaker crossovers. This should just dial up the great bits of my system to the next level, without the scary bit of replacing whole chunks of it.
Ya know it’s funny and coincidental watching this video because that’s what I’ve been doing. I have a very small spare bedroom and turned it into a listening room, and have all the gear I want an need at the moment. Always had plenty of the software, vinyls, but a less than adequate stereo system. Thanks for recommending the Reissong A-10 and the Klipsch (sp) RP600M. It’s working out real well and I believe the tubes are starting to burn in. I don’t know what I’m supposed to hear and listen for, but I’m noticing a change.
It's certainly good advice to make your room as acoustically conducive to good sound as possible. However, only a small percentage of people have dedicated listening rooms. Most people I know or have known who were into audio had to have their gear in a room used for multiple purposes. Now, they certainly could do things like put in a large area rug if the room were all hardwoods or tile. And in some cases they could arrange the room in such a way as to keep the speakers from sitting in quite different spaces, such as one playing off a corner and the other with a wall behind and an open area beside it. But mostly they were limited to placement options within the confines of what was available in their space. And placement goes almost as far for no money at all as room treatment or new speakers. Steve has done videos in the past regarding speaker placement and if you can experiment with placement even if you have to move the speakers back into a less desirable location after listening I think you will find a whole new world of enjoyment from you system.
That's true focus on the music you have by not worrying about the system too much that you already have. And see if everything is A good or what area could be changed .
It's already been said in these comments, but the room is so much more important than expensive components. The layout, the acoustical treatment. Instead of buying new equipment, think about buying a new home ;)
I realise nobody will do it, but if you have the guts to try it, you may have an upgrade for nothing. Get some Christmas tinsel and cut a diamond shape piece out of the tinsel (3mm x 1mm). It's a tiny whizzer that you make, that is if you are up to such small workmanship. And this is where your guts comes in. Using a water based glue (like PVA) dip the tiny whizzer on one pointy edge into a spot of PVA glue and glue it to your tweeter diaphragm (if you have cheap bash around speakers, or if you are brave). It won't stick too well so you can easily get it off (with a bit of wet). That material in that tiny shape might make your speakers sound real. It's the texture caused by the material that does it. Does wonders for the imagery.
Just got a pair of Focal Aria 906's. Took your suggestion. Listening to modern country. Holy cow! What a difference between mixes. Familiar stuff sounds familiar with details I hadn't noticed before. These speaks are unforgiving. Mastering engineer by trade.
I'm an older guy. And have had many many systems. After a certain point you come full circle. At one time if the recording was not up to my standard because the system so revealing, that I would not listen to wonderful music that my mind was substandard in recording. After a certain point one has to realize I have the stuff to listen to music I love. For the last 10 years I have been at peace with my latest system. Adding a little bit of humor, a little more bass wouldn't hurt!
I liked Listener and Sound Practices. Audiomart. Those were the days - owned used ARs, KLHs, Advents, Linn SARAs, Thiel 3.5 floorstander, Camber 3.6, and now the amazing Spendor A6R which is super sought after.
Hello from Montreal, I appreciate this video Steve it’s great food for thought. In last couple of weeks I’ve hanging out with friends and listening to their hi fi systems. They are a lot more experienced and very supportive. Because this is something new comparing systems I feel some stress relating to what I have. I mean I’ve invested time and money in creating something that is really nice sounding . My friends weren’t involved in my component selection and they have not heard mine yet. But they’ve already questioned my choices even before they’re heard anything. I do feel some doubt. I guess it’s human nature to comment but I do enjoy the social part and it should be a hobby that’s social. They will hear what I have and we’ll have a few beers and some laughs. It’s all positive.
Remember that you should only be building a system that suits you and your hearing and makes you happy.(and maybe perhaps your partner too LOL)..but remember other people's hearing and tastes may vary and be different to yours and therefore made them choose their gear...there is no right and wrong gear as such... as long as you are happy, that is the most important factor.
@@humanitech Thanks a lot, we all appreciate advice and yes it just got me doubting my choices of components. I built my system by myself without help and I love it. I just didn't expect the comments yet since they haven't even heard it. My system is up of McIntosh preamp and power amp powering some JBL 4429 speakers and my sources are an Innuos Mk 3 streamer /ripper and Rega P3 turntable. Not a cheap system, I like rock music but the comments where related to the speakers. Anyways it's all fun. Take care
@@davidgill2520I imagine that your system sounds fab with the components you mention Dave. The secret is once you have a setup that connects and makes you smile....stop doubting and simply enjoy the music. Hifi can be a neverending game of doubt if you let it...and sure you can keep tweaking and making subtle sonic changes but if it sounds great to you now...it's pretty much job done. Problem with HiFi is that although it is personal journey...others will always like to throw in their opinions and judgements...remember it's only you and your ears that are the best and true judge.
@@humanitech Thanks again John. I do enjoy the music with my current system. I will tweak it but for now it suits me just right. I've added an old vintage tuner to my system, we have some great radio stations up north.
"Don't listen to the system but listen to the MUSIC". This is the most precious advice You, a recognized and expert audiophile, can give to people.
Totally agree. Change music and don't necessarily change components.
good quote here: Alan Parsons: “Audiophiles don’t use their equipment to listen to music. Audiophiles use your music to listen to their equipment”
Amen. Spot on advice.
I was with your mother This is not true. If you say that, with the same cable type (copper or silver or mixed) and connection, there is no difference between entry level and high end cables I agree with you. But cables sound different depending on their electrical measures, material (copper or silver), quality of terminations, speakers resistance they are connected to.
I seem happier with my system if I don't read the stereo magazines.
I know what you mean.
Yes, enjoying what you have, enjoying the music instead of focusing on what someone wants to sell you.
@@dilbyjones Be happy you're up there, as a 16 year old I can't afford the top 10%! ;-)
You too?! LOL!
@@gideonkloosterman it's Re-Sale from 1970 vintage ...just like my clothes.
Sometimes Steve's videos surprise me in a good way. This happens to be one of them. Great advice for a newbie and not so newbie!
Thanks so much, hey, I make over 200 videos a year!
Don't need to buy anything 👍
Solid advice. Pure audio wisdom.
Your ears are who you want to dance with,
Not your ego..
@Fat Rat Your ears & your wallet & your significant other.......Lol
Best possible tip for almost everybody, first make the room acoustically good (a multiyear project), you don't actually know what your system sounds like until you do, and if you keep replacing gear instead of fixing the room... your just making different versions of not good.
I know a person who is obsessed with replacing his gear with super high end stuff... because he thinks his current gear is not up to par, but every problem he has is acoustics... that I could fix for a few hundred dollars, but he won't let me, he is dead set on the idea he needs 30k$ set of amps to get it right.... but amps and cables can't overcome physics.
So true!
I get you man. And my way is this: Never try to advice a friend who thinks he is always right, or likes to be always right. They may use you only to have their beliefs justified. And will not listen, or understand, what you can tell them. Even if your experience and knowledge faaaar exceeds theirs.
And it’s not just listening rooms that need attention to acoustical treatment but any place where any type of music will be played whether live of reproduced. 20+ years ago my local place of worship underwent a massive renovation. A one hundred plus year old example of European Spanish Style was renovated “expertly” and at great expense BUT absolutely no thought was considered to the acoustics of the project. An expensive professional sound system was installed with all the modern features. The result was/is an incredibly horrible acoustical “venue”. The choice of construction materials, the finishing of walls, vaulted ceilings, flooring, etc gave this beautiful renovation the acoustical properties of a fine Cavern minus the bats. I cringe with every hymn. No amount of electronic processing can fix the issue. A real acoustical treatment process needs to be done. A new pastor realized a problem and sought some acoustic consultant and some treatments were added. It helped a bit but more needs to be done. At least now the man in charge has an idea of the scope of the problem and has taken a step in the right direction.
@@Aswaguespack
The perfect example! Facts, not fiction!🤗😉😇
@I was with your mother
So, so did I say do TRUE!🤗😉😇
make sure your audio equipment is functioning properly , check ac voltage and clean up your ac line , clean all contacts , separate chords and make improvements to room acoustics before you go down the upgrade path --AGAIN! don't judge system if you generally are having a bad day .
Amen . That’s why I like Steve and Darko .. common sense over the itch
Your statement of what will happen to your system when you’re “gone” is now burned into my brain! I just never thought about it before, now I can’t stop thinking about it !!!!!
Lol... I have thought about this for a while and have told family members what things are worth and not to toss ANYTHING. The only answer I come up with is to put it on eBay and list it for a long time. For that I mean 2 weeks if possible. I do that because locally won’t bring in higher prices. I have a lot of stuff... tube amps, tube preamps, reel to reel, silver faced solid state....... you get my point. I also told them what to keep in the family. All of my things have been restored to new,and tube stuff,better than new. I have considered selling stuff and buying fewer things but replacing them with better equipment. Bottom line “LISTEN TO THE MUSIC” doobie brothers 😎
When I received my tube preamp the wife said, { What are those nobby things sticking out } ...... I'm sure most of my gear will find its way to the dump......
Not just your system, but everything else as well.
It's all temporary.
@@moon-light1354 hehe, I'm sure my stuff will end up in the dump too, I told my wife to put it on ebay because it's worth enough that the money will be worth the effort but I doubt she remembers.
@@Silverface1987 Excellent point - leave someone a list of what things are worth, who to call when you die, insurance/investment account numbers and contact info, what bills are paid from where, where the folders with important papers are. Oh, and all of your passwords.
Best music i ever heard..
Driving my dads 72 corvette, top down, blairing FM radio RS Satisfaction on Ft.Laud strip....
Its all subjective man....
I completely agree with your comment about not making lateral moves. I finally talked myself out of that and went from an RB250 to an Audiomods Series 6 arm, a Dynavector DV20X2H to a DRT XV-1s, Dreamcatchers to Nautilus 805s, and Lounge Audio mkIII to Valab LCR MkIII. All were about 3 steps up the ladder from where I was at. I also replaced my electrical outlets to inexpensive pure copper outlets and swapped out my power cables and ICs.
It's amazing the detail I get out of my system now.
My system is good enough. If I have discretionary $$'s, I'm going to try to help out people in need with the money. Too many people out of work, hurting, for me to buy more gear.
If you realize that humans build stuff you’ll know you’re helping them when you buy the stuff.
I know I won't have extra $$ for quite some time and if I did I would not be spending on audio stuff, what I have is good enough and I can only listen on headphones since my wife basically hates sound. I have a few different headphones, an O2 amp and a decent DAP, one only thing I would want is something I will never be able to afford(high end headphones).
@@orwhat24 Not the same.
@@orwhat24 There are more efficient ways to help people than buying stuff you don't need made mostly overseas.
Steve THANK YOU for all your passion and interest. We rebuilt our house so I had four areas to build audio (and TV) systems. Upstairs I was constrained by athestics as dictated by my wife LOL but fortunately a set of AudioVector QR speakers passed my audio test and best of all were deemed suitable in white (no other colour!) for the our small main room system unfortunately driven by a high-end Yamaha A/V receiver which has a streamer built in and really isn't all that bad but isn't as good as the tube amp I wanted but we must all make concessions :) Downstairs in the surroundsound home theatre I settled for another high-end Yamaga receiver with Monitor Audio Bronze all around with a sub-woofer. Sounds ok in again a smallish home theatre. But now we get to my little corner of the world where I installed a Node 2i streamer into a 50-watt Rega Brio amp to two JBL Arena 130 (I wanted the Harbeth P3ESR speakers but we'd run of money by then LOL. Maybe someday as it's on my bucket list.) and BTW the JBL's while not the best sound to some are great in my system (as compared to my Audeze LCD-x headphones they are hold up pretty well) and were on sale for $299 for the pair and that's in Canadian dollars woo hoo. And then, as per your recent recommendation, I relocated my Polk Audio sub-wofer from under my synthizer table (another expensive hobby) and reinstalled it under my listening room table and you're right - it makes a significant difference to hearing the room especially when I reduce the thump part of the signal down to match the JBLs which are in near-field position on my desk with tweeters pretty close to ear level. My last system is a less expensive Yamaha receiver but with optical in from a 55" TV and Pioneer SB-522LR and sounds great in my synth room. Anyway I'm 72 and retired and very much appreciate your guidance in how to spend my pension cheques :)
You are absolutely correct. Listen to the music. Having said that, great sound makes the music immersive but any decent equipment produces good sound.
Hi i have come to a conclusion Usually people who like me change and buy things cannot change listening room. I have a short story. I was talking with a technician whose job was to treat acoustically little theaters. He told me that he had had the opportunity to work in a small theater whose acoustics were exceptional. As an experiment he had placed a boombox on a chair in the middle of the stage. Well that insignificant boombox filled the theater with good quality music
. I am sure that if one could afford a room suitable for listening to music (i.e. acoustically optimized), he would stop changing systems frequently and would simply enjoy the music. Unfortunately it is much easier to change an amplifier than the house .... but the room will always remain a big problem.
I was convinced I needed new speakers in all 3 of my systems.....(living room, bedroom, computer room).....I priced them out, and was ready to spend the $$......then, I thought of what each speaker brought to the table....and how perhaps they were simply in the wrong room for their particular qualities......so, I put each speaker in a different room....and....holy moly, I saved myself a ton of money, as I was (and continue to be) completely happy with the sound in each area now.....go figure....
I would add that before making any change, consider the major changes before incremental changes. Major changes such as whether you prefer the open, airy, spacious sound of dipoles or the focused and lively sound of horn speakers. This really should be figured out before getting into audio at all. Speakers make the biggest difference in sound of any component in the chain, and deserve the most thought and scrutiny before laying down the cash.
This ... Speakers and a decent amp
Yep!
Agreed! If the rest of your system is at a cost of say $1000. The quality range in price of your speakers should be at least $3000 speakers. The two biggest influences of sound are a clean signal, and speakers that can best reproduce sound. Achieving a clean signal is a lot easier than matching speakers. I did not mention speakers in my recent response. But, in 2020 the most important component of your system for reproduction is your SPEAKERS. Today,s technologies has made it easy to achieve a clean signal. SPEAKERS! SPEAKERS! SPEAKERS! I really like your comment Stewart...so true!
the room is probably the most important factor and the quality of the music is extremely important as well
@@raynewcomb337
I also find the quality of the recording matters more than most anything else especially cables!🤗😉
Another thing you can do is play around with the speakers and amps you have, try different pre-amp amp combos, and different settings. I recently found a magical sweetspot I never knew existed in the balance of my equipment. Everything sounds different and more detailed than ever before, right down to the individual snares on the drum, or the coils of the guitar string during a slide.
Nobody ever talks about simply using octave band dB boosts to adjust your existing components to ongoing changes in your hearing, especially as you age (presbycusis). New components may only seem to sound better if you never adjust and readjust your existing system to your hearing.
I certainly can attest to this first hand. Great observation and very useful for many audiophile especially those of us who experience age related or workplace related hearing changes.
This discussion could apply to many hobbies and interests. But....sometimes chasing gear, selling, buying, reading forums, magazines, etc. can be fun as well. Just a thought.
Improvement of the enclosures and insulation in doors and windows, reduction of background noise. Refill the fridge with our favorite drinks. Buy new records, give away the ones we don't like. All of that helps.
I believe that the differences in sound quality between similarly sized and powerful equipment made by reputable companies (more like different flavors of good) is far less than the differences between environments that people listen to their equipment in. The only piece of gear that most people need and don't have is a DAC if you're listening from a computer source. As a recording engineer, I need to know how my clients listen and almost without fail, they don't even know what a DAC is let alone have one. It's indispensable to a hifi experience coming out of a computer.
Thumbs up, Jon. Yes, I have a DAC, a Topping D10 DAC. However, so far I mostly listen to music from vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and FM radio. Anyway, it's connected to my Sony STR-DH520 Receiver for now. A little later I am going to connect my DAC to my desktop computer of 2003, upgraded to Windows 7 that has a S/PDIF optical output port; therefore going to get a long SPDIF cable from Amazon, Canadian web site, and connect to my eSynic headphone amp via Linkerpard RCA cables. But you know what? I still mostly listen to music from analogue, and digital CD.
Have been in this hobby most of my life. As with anything in the human world, the sooner and more frequently you start to know and listen to you and yourself only, the less you will need "experts, magazines, gurus, and audiophiliacs".....to get it your way, which is always the most rewarding way..... Happy listening, meanwhile!!!
After about 10 years of staying with my system I purchased new speakers which lead me to replacing my speaker cables, then my power amp, then cartridge and then my turntable, then my digital playback, then added 2 subwoofers, then added new power cables and then improved electrical supply. This took about 18 months and to be frank, I’ve had enough even though I could/should replace more of my power cables. But my systems sounds very good, and, for the moment it will do. Maybe not for the next 10 years but definitely the next couple.
"What is it that you want out of music?"
Almost seems like an existential question. I'd say all I am looking for in a system is natural midtones, deep bass (even if it's unnatural) and crisp highs.
Nothing more.
Steve has always been the conscience of my music enjoyment. Love him.
I have on morethen 1 occasion discovered that friends had their speakers connected OUT OF PHASE!
This makes them sound dull , unclear and undefined. I demonstate this by letting them listen to mono with treble way low, bass way up and balance in the middle. This can bring out this out of phase situation because those bass drivers will start to cancel eachother out instead of complementing eachother.
Then i reconnect their speakers correctly (=in phase) also front agains rear sets if present.
Then i re-adjust all controls to normal settings and switch to stereo and often people were amazed how much better their system sounded.
Same situation in cars. Specifically with after market non-OEM installations.
Just by doing simple tweeks like that can bring out a whole new enjoyment of music.
I loved this episode. Totally didn't expect life lessons from Guru Steve but its very welcome. In yoga they re-teach you how to hear, how to see. How to be mindful in other words. I think Audiophiles get caught up on hamster wheels so having someone ask you to stop and smell the daisies is great advice.
This hit home for me. I'm almost 70. When I began my love affair with HiFi, many pieces of equipment still used tubes and I always remembered their distinctive sound. I spent my entire audiophile lifetime trying to obtain that sound with solid state equipment and never really being fully satisfied. I recently decided to get back into tube powered audio and purchased a Chinese made integrated amp with very good ratings and a reasonable price to see if I really wanted to go that route. Long story short, I discovered that sound all over again. I'm completely in love with the sound of my system for the first time in longer than I can remember. But now the gremlins are creeping in and whispering in my ear that if I just step up to a even more highly regarded US made tube amp and an even better hybrid tube pre amp than I am currently using, I just might reach heaven before I die. I don't NEED more. My music sounds fantastic. My only impetus is that the US made amp boasts of having a very long tube life, which means that it will probably never need any replacement tubes in what's left of my life. My rational side is telling the gremlin to shut the hell up. The audiophile side is saying go for it. My id just sits back and smirks, because it KNOWS what's going to happen.
I appreciate your sentiments but a lot of Chinese tube stuff is pretty well made these days (and also easy to work on or repair anyway) ...but sometimes a few might have some QC faults that get through unchecked ...but if you say it already sounds great then I would keep it for now... but perhaps try some tube rolling for fun if you feel the need...although that can be a rollercoaster hit and miss affair too.
@@humanitech I don't really have any qualms about ChiFi audio products. I bought a Muzishare X7 precisely because it looked to be very well built using quality name brand components and got excellent reviews. Price wise it came in at a range that I felt would lift it up out of the bargain basement zone. It cost a little more to do so, but I bought it on Amazon for the hassle free return policy. I also took into account that even the top American lines like McIntosh and Bob Carver use the same Chinese and Russian made tubes because those are the only countries still making them. There is even a repair tech here in the US that does the warranty work for a lot of the Chinese audio tube driven products. I am only thinking of upgrading to the Bob Carver Crimson 275 for it's 5 year warranty and the fact that Bob specifically designed the drive circuit to be as gentle as possible on the tubes. I only question the Muzishare's longevity. The build quality of it is obvious in both appearance and sound. And you are right about tube rolling; it can make a real difference, and be a royal never ending pain all at the same time! At this stage in my life, making things as simple as possible is my mantra, so I won't allow my mind to dwell too much on that subject.
When I realize how much my friends and family mean to me, the music always sounds better.
Steve, thank you for discussing this fact with all of us.
I started collecting records in 1976 as a 6th grader, that led me to seeking better and better equipment "fill in the blanks". I stopped counting my records at 10,000 and that was many years ago. Couple of years ago when I turned 55, I started panicking about what happens after I'm gone, not just with all the records but also ALL the beautiful and coveted amps, pre amps, tonearms, speakers..... Unless we are willing to give it away, it takes a long time to find the right home and sell even the most sought after models and brands. For 2 years I have sold my beloved Thresholds, SMEs, vintage Marantz, Macs, Dynacos, JM Labs, early Pass models, countless DACs, etc...and still haven't made a dent. The BEST aspect has been that I have met a few very young, next generation audiophiles that are starting with these pieces and are keeping our hobby alive.
Hey Steve..thankyou for this video..you spoke your heart..love from India..I have been following your videos for a while..but today's video was profound...I began exploring new speakers and audio systems ...which was not possible to buy 10 years back but today I can..but I went back to my old system..refubhished it myself after a lot of research and yes I was happy man..the run to have new technology is not always enough ...all it takes is refocus on what you have and take care of it..old is always gold
.for that you donot need new ears ..just live it.
As a practical matter, there's a limit to the technology and a limit to human hearing, once you reach a certain point you're buying something more than the best sound. At that point if you want the experience of actually being there listening to real instruments in real space your best bet is to spend your money getting the thrill of attending live events, but don't be surprised if your system at home sounds better than the live rock concert held down at your local football stadium.
This week, new speakers, new vintage turntable, new headshell and cart.
Beans and rice untill 2021. 😏🏴🐙
I did those same upgrades 3 months ago..... Beans and rice would be a luxury at this point hahahaha
What turntrable are you using now and which vintage turntable are you considering?
What a gas!
@@mr.seanster hi Sean I have a Technics SL1200mk2. A Pro-Ject primary and have just acquired a Trio KP1022.
@@paznewis107 I have a Technics SL 1200 mk too.
Very very wise advice. I step away from listening every summer. Too much to enjoy outside. As the season changes, I go back to listening and it sounds refreshingly different. No need to layout$$$ to refine my listening room. It is amazing when you give something you love a break.
Great advice!
New music is a great adventure 👍
I invested in a Bluesound Vault2 and and Node2i with Qobuz subscription for my music rooms. Every day I check out the latest HR recordings. Every day is "wonderfilled"!
My library fills in my listening time too, but there's so much music to discover!
During the pandemic I've had lots of time to really sit and listen to music. Started listening to higher quality recordings and you know what, my system sounds great. My speakers are very revealing so bad recordings sound harsh. Good recordings show how detailed and accurate my speakers are. I have had them 17 years and have no intention of changing them now. So people listen to the music.
Very true. As a kid I owned a tape recorder in the shape of a motorcycle with tape deck being the engine and the speakers being the wheels. I loved the sound and the music and could not care less for the "presentation lacks authority" and "the scene could be more spacious" kind of thing. The best tweak one can do to their audio system is tweaking that part or the system that is sitting on the couch
Steve, I love your reviews, and I always learn from your thoughtful yet enthusiastic approach. In my first retail selling job, an especially tecno-geek customer (a regular visitor) departed after a long visit. One of the vets said, "He should sell all his gear, spend $1,000 on a new system - and invest what's left over in a bunch of new records. He forgets why he got into this hobby". I love gear, but it's a means to an end - and that end is the Allman Brothers, early Genesis, Jeff Beck, Zappa... having fun with our fave tunes. Thank you Steve! Best, Joe
Best advice I got here was essentially this: If you don't like the way your system sounds, change your music.
I had to get a system first, as I was just using inexpensive home theater gear.
I still use inexpensive gear for audio, but it's built for two channel and sounds great to my ears.
I went through the motions of listening to the same music I've always listened to, and of course it sounded better, but I started to branch out, mostly using Tidal to listen to the music I see Steve talk about in these videos.
Well, to be sure some of it sounds spectacular because of the way it was recorded, etc. Live and learn.
I am definitely broadening my tastes in music. Not only am I treated to new and great tunes, but also to great sounds and layers and immersion I didn't really know my system could produce.
What a trip, right?
Good stuff Steve. Your sage wisdom is one of many reasons I enjoy your channel. I'm in that new audiophile camp. Just a few months into acquiring gear, and before watching this had already adopted the buy and try everything attitude. I have acclimated myself to the audiophile vernacular and edified myself on gear, but I haven't done much listening so far.
So. I bought some wildly different sounding speakers and components and have been experimenting. A lot of experimenting.
The only down side is money. But that also helps me to pause and get the most of what is here now. If I had unlimited funds to buy all this stuff now, I feel I would miss out on the part where you live with and learn a particular piece for an extended time. And then appreciate the changes when you introduce a significant upgrade.
I'm a believer that satisfaction in the destination is derived from the journey. Essentially, I accept and embrace some of the shit qualities of my system now, because as I grow to something more substantial I will remember where I started from.
I agree with the tweaks factor. I just moved my amp stack from in the room into a crawl space/closet, wow. I can not believe how much of a difference it made! Why? Less microphonics? More acoustic space in the room? Cables moved in such a way? I don’t know or care, but Steve is right on the money by simply tweaking things like, adding padding/vibration isolation to equipment’s feet (even an old pair of socks does the job) or even rewiring your system so audio cables go down the left side of your rack and power down the right side can make a HUDGE difference. Of course anyone seasoned in audio knows that “trick” but you get the point.
Steve, good morning! Your never ending enthusiasm and audiophile joy never gets old! Your videos always make me smile! Thank you and bless you!
I was listening to Venice radio on my computer , I think it was 128 kbs .Anyway on comes this flute piece from Mozart and I was totally immersed in it . It was so beautiful , I wrote the piece down and after work listened to it on my system . It sounded better on my computer . I guess that the sound system between our ears is the only one that counts .
This video kind of explains me what I love about vintage Audio, lets say turntables though everything I have now is vintage. It takes away the urge to buy the latest and greatest. It has the 20/20 hindsight. And it has this mystery around it, what music was played on it trough all those years? But also only yesterday when I played music with my girlfriend (which is great because she pulls out different music) I was realizing how amazing the turntable is I was using: It is like half a century old and it is super engaging. I always come back to it and even though I know and can hear there are better products, it keeps drawing me back and above all it works well after all those years. For me, besides how it sounds and how it looks and feels (something discussed here often) the above dimensions add to the excitement that only vintage audio can do. And it brings calm and satisfaction to the equation. It even allows me to forgive flaws that would drive me mad if I would have bought brand new high end equipment.
BFD
Totally vintage here.... try getting into vintage tube amps.... talk about blown away. A vintage turntable and tube amp.... (In the evening) now that’s a HOMERUN. I have Magnavox amps that were pulled out of consoles, a very little work and they sound great. Tubes glowing in the night, that’s the cure, trust me. Get a tube preamp and your set. You can run your phone through it also. Sweeeeeet!
Also strikes me that it is fiscally very sound. You have the opportunity to look from a long view at how well a product stood the test of time. It is likely 50-90% depreciated which means it is back to the actual price of the parts. Particularly with point to point tube gear, the circuits are very simple to refresh by changing out the electrolytic caps when it hits the 20 year point. Everything else last a lifetime.
How true. My 'new' system is a Trio 70s amp and turntable. But I have an SMSL AD18 upstairs...
The only thing I would add to a great vintage system that is modern is a good quality DAC with today's technologies. A good matching DAC will help get the most out of the tone of your system.
So much truth in this episode. I no longer consider myself a newbie in this hobby and I always ask myself what a potential new piece will bring me that I'm not already getting. Most if the time just can't justify it. Like Steve says it has to be a bigger change than a smaller sideways change. But one of the most important things Steve mentioned is just try new music. Explore old music with what you have. Enjoy it. Nd try not to focus on the next piece or upgrade. I wish I would have done this year's ago. It would have saved me a lot of $$$. So live with what you have and enjoy the music. After all that is what it's sorta about!
You ask this now??? I just made a change last week. After several years I just replaced my Emotiva UMC-1 with an XMC-1 pre/pro. Both were used. It made a big difference in small ways. The nuance is back again and really allows me to listen to the music again, not the audio.
I'm happy I made the change. Can't wait to tweak in the settings and setup more.
I’m going to cancel my therapist for this week! Thanks, Steve! This rings true for me this week. I was chasing a new sound in my office system (vintage Thorens, warm Jolida tube integrated and JM Labs Chorus 706 bookshelves. I pulled the trigger on the Klipsch 600m. My expectations were high! Granted, I didn’t give them much burn in (and I know they are much loved on this channel) but, Man, they were harsh to my ears. I threw all kinds of music at them, and even swapped out to a NAD 320BEE amp, but I could only do 10 to 15 mins with the 600s before I had to throw in the towel. I attacked the problem the next day with fresh ears... toe in, toe out... no dice. I really wanted to love the ‘18 Speaker or the Year, but I couldn’t. It’s not a Klipsch thing, I have Heresys in another room and I’ll never part with them. In frustration I put the 706s back in and to my surprise they were everything the 600s weren’t. Bright but smooth, detailed, and broken in from 2 decades of moving around my various systems. And they were already paid for of course. Sometimes (to Steve’s point) you forget to appreciate what you already have. There is a reason you bought them and kept them in the first place. I realized that I just had G.A.S. (Gear acquisition syndrome). I was chasing some mythical sound, when I already had 98% of what I was looking for! $500 saved.
What you are saying is totally totally true. Wonderful video. Thanks
Any system will never meet your expectations .......mind will allways tell you ....I can be better .
The first radio or something you did ever buy .....this gave you the most fun ............
I love to listen to my favorite music no matter what it is being played on, because I just love the music! But when I listen to my audio system, not only do I love the music, but I love how it sounds! The lossless audio files that were so graciously provided here by Steve and the recording companies (for free, THANK YOU SO MUCH!) have really allowed me to enjoy my system at another level! These recordings have such an amazing dynamic and frequency range which is far greater than any of the recorded media that I own! My system sounds so good, I just need to purchase better recordings rather than purchasing better equipment! Thank you Steve for forcing us to enjoy the music as much as the hardware!
Well said steve, I think I honestly enjoyed music more when I was younger as I wasnt listening to the hifi but the music, it's so easy to go down the rabbit hole in this industry.
I have the privilege of owning a truly amazing sound system
After listening countless times to all my favorite music and going through Qobuz and Spotify searching for new music to listen too
Sometimes I find some good music but my biggest problem is finding new music that I Love that I just want to play over and over
Damn, im sooo in the same boat. I just cant get the sparkle the my favorite songs did fir me. I dont have amazing systems but i do enjoy listening to it. But there are times that i just want to discover some artist or genre that a could just listen to all day.
@@justanotheryoutubeuser5029 maybe try Greta van Fleet?
@@jjcale2288 good call. Haim. Chris Potter, Chad LB, Maria Schneider. Paul Weller. Snarky Puppy. And on, and on...
You already covered this in a previous video, but the very first thing you should prioritize above all else is acoustic room treatment. NOT foam(its useless for the problems you will have) but proper treatment whether you DIY or buy and speaker placement. There are so many nuances and subtleties in your music that even the greatest gear cant achieve without room treatment. Dont blow money on anything until your room is situated and treated. Even if its just the first reflections, but you should make a project out of the whole room or as much as you can...properly that is.
Could also try getting closer to the speakers a.k.a. "near field", which should reduce the effect of the room if not listening at party volume.
@@Colin-yh7oy Thats a good work around but you will lose the spaciousness of the soundstage and that open sound. Depending how "near field" you will actually be anyways. Totally personal preference tho
@@blobeyeordie I'm sat about 8' from the speakers so I don't know if that really qualifies as "near field". They're about 6.5' apart and fire across the 10.5' width (not length) of the room, and side walls are far enough away that first reflections don't seem to be a major problem. This arrangement is probably entirely sub-optimal, but I guess I've grown used to the way it "images" and still allows me to get some insight into instrument placement, recording venue acoustics, etc.
I love my system and have kept it for thirty years (except an addition of a sub and new amp)!
Right on point Steve. I've been trying that exact attitude for a while now, and I gotta say, it's not easy. But it is doable 😊
I've told this story plenty of times. I was looking for new speakers. I went to my favorite high-end audio store where they had prepared my list of speakers that I wanted to test. They had my all-in-one system there, so all I did was bring my own speakers for A-B comparison. Every set of speakers I compared with my current speakers, lost. Like, a lot. My speakers were pretty awesome.
I used to be an audiophile until I had kids.
Rega planar 2
Platter matter
Luxman
Kef
Reel to reel
I came home from work to find my 1/2 speed mastered and direct to disc albums being used as frisbees.
We're talking over 30 yrs ago.
It made me look at what was important to me.
Then this RUclips channel shows up and makes me what to start over at 62!
Especially interested in DACs and bluesound streaming.
Damn it!
Steve, this is the best advise that could ever be given and it’s the advise that is the most over looked, in a word simply brilliant!!! Listening to music that you are not familiar with gives both you and your system a new lease on life. Not making lateral moves that waste time and money, priceless. I took Steve’s advice almost four years ago and made some changes that even now give me post and no reason to upgrade individual components. I just last week upgraded my power conditioner to a Audioquest Niagara 1200 and I’m extremely satisfied. I might upgrade my power cables to Audioquest Z3, and maybe Isoacoustic Gaia II speaker isolators and I’m done. I’m in no hurry to do anymore changes this year because I’m happy with what I have and it sounds good with all different type of music. I just got lucky enough to buy a copy of A Mofi One-Step copy of Yes’s Fragile album for way less than retail considering this album is now out of print. The Mofi is better than the original, which I own as well. This is what I want to spend money on records, CDs and Tidal.
Best move I made in lockdown was purchase of an Innuos Zen mark 3 music server. Ripped my large CD collection to it and (a) it's much easier to access my collection, so I am playing CDs I haven't played for years; and (2) it sounds better playing FLAC rips than my CD player does, all into the same DAC, so I am happy. But I agree, take a breath otherwise you end up forever searching for the next upgrade, sometimes at the expense of enjoying your music collection. it's all about getting a balance, I completely agree - enjoy your system for a while before looking to upgrade.
Ultimately agree with you on the sideways moves and purchases but often they are valid because it may be a flavor you are searching for. Your budget is only $500 for speakers and you find speaker A in this price range is bright but you hear that speaker B in this price range is warmer so you make a sideways move for tonality more to your liking even though speaker A and speaker B perform about the same. Also, agree with you on tweaks, I'm a huge tweaker!
If you own a $5-10K system and still feel like you need more than that, DIY kit gear is the way to go IMHO. Thats truly the next level for those not finding satisfaction in whats available at the shops. The sky is the limit as far as customizing goes, and you will love the gear you make all that much more!
Great vid. Steve,, I've recently gone back to a vintage marantz from the 70s, after running a brand new iota integrated for the last year.
What model?
@@ofnarcr it's the 2235b
I love your videos compare to other reviewers who are mostly fancy. Love your clutter, love your humbleness despite your rich experiences. People trust your messages are so straight forward and relatable for both audiophile and layman.
So true. I listened to risk and country my whole life. Turned to some jazz year ago and been listening every since!
My listening setup is Q Acoustics 3030i, Sugden A21SE, Qobuz, downloaded mp3/ Flac files, youtube. I have another setup - JBL studio 680, Sony AV receiver. I also use a Bose soundlink II (bluetooth) sometimes. Most of the times I do not miss my other two systems when I listen with one. I enjoy music in all three systems. Because music is paired with time, not with the instruments you listen with.
I gotta show my wife this video, maybe she will ease up on what my stuff looks like in my house
I got 4000euro to spend. So I spend it on eye laser surgery. Everything went well.
I bought some Sony ss-cs5 for working at home. My desk setup is at the end of my diner table. At the other end beside the table I put the Sony speakers on top of BNS speakers on top of a small stool. The tweeters are at the perfect height.
If I am tired of the Sony, I switch to BNS. I use Topping PA3 class D amplifier.
The stereo amplifier is smaller than my headphone amplifier 🤣😂.
In a Teams conference everybody can enjoy my music 😏😏.
My main speakers are Magnepans.
I started a second system for my living room, This time I got three way speakers instead of horns and a tube amp instead. A new cart for my TT. although I did move sideways in price, I changed the whole dynamics of the system. And it works great. It does things the other system doesn't and vice versa.
The type of music you listen to makes just as big a difference in the DAC you choose as much as matching a DAC to your system. I listen to a variety of music styles and genres, I like the flexibility in changing the tone of my system. Sometimes I add tubes into my mix. Sometimes I use a Delta Sigma DAC, and sometimes I feel the need to use a Burr Brown DAC, or some other flavor of DAC to better match the music (or movie) I am listening to getting the most out of my recordings. In this regard, I use several different DAC's intermittently to get the best out of the music I am listening to at any given time. I believe in your message Steve. You can save time, money, and your sanity, if you consider your budget, make realistic goals of what you want to achieve from your system.
I need the audioquest niagara 3000 power filter.. I Tried it thes weekend, and my system was at a whole different level. What Surprised me most, was the increase in dynamics and details when connecting their Tornado power cable. It was mind blowing.
Steve, wisely spoken. In the beginning of my audiophile life I bought different things. From a Vincent system, big 1000 watts monoblocks to a vacuum lamp system. But that's is normal, exploring the boundaries. Maybe crucial for understanding the high-end world. It's a journey. But nowadays, in big lines I am satisfied with my current system. It does almost everything right. It's a Audio GD system; Master 1, Master 3 en the 7CDFV. Very very good system. Speakers the incredible Mordaunt Short Performance 6. A very good match. Now I only tweaking with little things from Masterbase to Solid Tech Feets of Silence. And you are right, turn of your system. Then come back, and most of the time I really can enjoy the music. That is the only thing that matters. Be moved by the beauty of the musicians in front of me. Begeisterd of how well my system is expressing the music. But sometimes there are tweaks that blows my mind. Like the antistatic Furutech CD machine. That thing blows my mind, big difference. One other thing that blows my mind, is gemeotry of cables. There are lots of ripoffs of the great cable's of this world. The Audioquest Hurricane, Nordost Odin Supreme. The cost a fraction of a 9000 USD hurricane cable, and you will be blown away how good that kind of cables will be. More importantly is the geometry of the cable not so much the material. If the have 90 percent right of the material that is prominent in the signature sound of that expensive cable. There is a lot to win in tweak's if the system is right.
The receivers from the 70's are the best along with a good matching speakers. No matter what brand.
Better than an approach to plan for and improve your system, would be a survey of what the digital software landscape is moving toward, and how to plan for a system that will cover the contingencies. Many of us are about to move from systems we understand, analog, to digital systems we know nothing about. Like literally not understanding the jargon, what plugs into what, what my high def music library will look like, what to play it on, and how to store it.
Yes, I could read a bunch of articles on line, articles I'll get impatient and confused with, articles that won't give me a strategy for purchases and compatibility. So, I request that you do that. How should an old analog man proceed through the digital forest? And what the hell is a 'music server' (the range of functions seems to vary) and where does it get it's shit from?
It's so good to have spare separate components to use playing swaptronics to diagnose problems, etc.
My Yamaha CX-1000 preamp is being repaired now in Palo Alto to the tune of $420 . It's 30 years old. Ive got a Carver C7 spare right now. Im sold on gettin' a new McIntosh preamp and makin' that Yamaha a spare.
Sage advice Steve. I hava a DAC, power cables, interconnects and a couple-few dozen still sealed albums that I haven’t taken the time to even open because with a busy life, I find I’d rather listen to old faves than start ‘reviewing’ gear. I don’t know how you can do it all. Somehow I do find the time to view all of the Audiophiliac episodes though. Go figure. There’s a long cold winter coming so the time is near to work all this stuff in. I’m a lost cause but have a lot of fun implementations to discover and I really look forward to that but do agree: I must pause. Cool it. Listen more, think less. Keep it coming. It’s ALL good.
"what will happen to your system after you've passed?"
many of them end up at Goodwill where they were donated by family members who don't know what else to do with a bunch of "old" electronics gear
Not if you have a proper will.
Many months ago, had to move my stuff to another room to avoid other noise. New room about half the size, but any room in the place is horrible for audio. Absolutely horrible. Ever since the move I've been wanting to test out shifting my gear to the right one wall. I put it off, because I'd lose 20% usable space in an already cramped room. Finally broke down and had the energy today. I got on with it, noting the power of suggestion! You'd think shifting things right one wall would be quick and easy. Nope, it was about two and a half hours. Everything is heavy and so many cables. Now on to the fun bit: This is the first time in the 5 years and 4 months I've lived here - I truly enjoyed listening to something or anything. Enjoyed so much so that I completely removed two 15" subs. Don't need them anymore. It may be the tightest fit in the room now, but the sound improvement is wonderful. My first impression was it's ten times better! On the downside it is very revealing for your gear's next flaws. I noticed straight away on these old speakers they are off-matched just enough to catch your attention, which could only be the tweeters at this point. Options being slim for replacements, recap may be the best next step if they(probably) need done anyway. Very surprised with this end result and I didn't expect even 25% of the improvement I got. Well worth the lost space.
Woke up fresh today and took measurements again. Two items in the room were off by a half inch as well as the toe in of one of the speakers by a half inch. Now everything is spot on.
I upgraded my system just as the pandemic hit; new speakers and an integrated amp with a tube preamp section (and also my first forays into premium cables, thoughtful speaker placement, and wall treatments). One of the first things I noticed was that good recordings sound phenomenal and are a joy to listen to, but a lot of 1980's + productions sounded awful through the new system. I don't want to give up on those albums/bands that I still like, but I have to adjust my attitude so that I'm listening to the music and not the equipment. Not 100% there yet but I'm working on it.
Steve, love your channel and learn a lot from it. After sampling audio devices over the years, I have finally found a loving combination, a McIntosh MA6100 and Klipsch Chorus speakers. These are used with a DAC and Bluetooth. Thanks!
This is good stuff. Chasing an impossible dream is always going to be just that. Impossible. Your budget dictates what you're going to, in the end, be able to live with. Always good to shoot for a high-end piece of equipment, but "high-end" is subjective, and there's always going to be something bigger and badder next year! Enjoy where you are. I love it!
Great video Steve - I really need to have a serious conversation with the kids about my “Old boat anchor” audio equipment....
What a great journey this audiophile train has taken us on!
I told my kids about my stuff also. Vintage only... tubes, silver faced solid state, reel to reel, ..... you get my drift
Since I altered the seating I'm now in the sweet spot, and the shortcomings of the untreated lounge in my small, 1st-floor flat no longer bother me enough to affect my 2-channel listening enjoyment. Which is just as well, as adding any kind of effective treatment could make the room feel claustrophobic. Dirac room correction in my HT setup does a good job of making movie sound immersive.
I've decided I'm done with upgrades for the foreseeable. The most recent changes have been a Rega Ania Pro MC and Aria phono stage, and with my RP8 t/t they've elevated the music such that it's easy to forget that it comes from a groove embossed in a piece of plastic. For the first time in my audiophile journey, irritating inner groove distortion has been virtually banished and the music just seems to float free of the record.
The sound of streaming through my Innuos/Oppo combo is noticeably sweeter from the addition of mains purification and an EtherREGEN. Despite being able to browse Qobuz's mountain of new musical possibilities, revisiting LPs old and new - even some dodgy "I'll probably never play that again!" choices - and enjoying them in ways I can't remember is highly addictive. Now storage space could become a problem as my collection will inevitably grow!
I know that having to commit to a hardware purchase before trying can be a barrier to new possibilities, but I've been quite lucky in that most changes have been on a trial basis.
So funny that this video pops up in my recommendations. Spent a couple of hours last night (a few hours ago) listening to some 70's funk and soul music that I haven't heard in ages, and certainly not stuff that's in regular rotation (thanks Roon/Qobuz). I could have listened for hours more, but I promised my wife I'd watch "The Martian" again with her. I can't believe how engaging my current configuration is. I can sit down and just listen to music and luckily move about the room and still get a nice presentation. Finally I'm not looking for more, not feeling like there's some aspect of the system that should be better. It's a nice feeling. Instruments sound like they should, triangles ring, tambourines and shakers can be heard in busy passages, piano sounds correct and percussive, strings aren't strident, horns and vocals punch through, the soundstage/imaging and detail don't collapse under spirited listening conditions. And I'm not running megabucks level gear, it's so rewarding. I think it really comes down to proper placement of speakers and listening position in the room and the right combination of components (room treatments help as well). I find that when you get that right you can forget about the system and just listen to and enjoy the music. I think it's worth getting the room acoustics and placement right before diving into equipment upgrades. This is my third time finding that seemingly perfect balance with a room and the components involved in the given configuration, however this time I've got more resolving gear but in all cases I'm hearing more of the music to the best of my configuration's ability. In all cases I can just listen to and enjoy the music, even the stuff I don't normally listen to (I have hard time with Diana Krall for some reason).
When it comes to recorded music, if the source material isn't very good it doesn't matter what type of music it is as it's difficult for me to listen on a high resolution, musical system. One of my sons will be happy to grab up my system and transport it cross country with my records and cd's so they can enjoy what I have enjoyed for the past six decades and hopefully four more.
I have two systems, one in my office and one in the bedroom. Dahlquist DQ-10's, Quart 350's, Harman/Kardon Citation 5.1, the Harman/Kardon CD player has outstanding DAC/Analog Smoothing technology . . . I can go on, but the biggest challenge is MUSIC PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pure digital . . . Analog to digital . . . compression . . .
The music is the point. BOOM!!! Thanks Steve.
Wise words…. I’ve just started, but I do wanna pause and enjoy this
Beautiful advice Steve! It's so important for us to stop chasing the equipment and start catching the music. It's something we all do.
Love your channel Steve, however, I've noticed that organization may not be your strong suite.... :)
Great video Steve. I have an office system mostly comprising vintage stuff which I use to scratch my fiddling about itch. My lounge system I think about long and hard before making changes.
In fact the next changes are all going to be internal. I love the fundamentals of the sound so for relatively little outlay I will be upgrading the opamps in my CD player to Burson Audio V6 Vivids and then a rework of the speaker crossovers. This should just dial up the great bits of my system to the next level, without the scary bit of replacing whole chunks of it.
Ya know it’s funny and coincidental watching this video because that’s what I’ve been doing. I have a very small spare bedroom and turned it into a listening room, and have all the gear I want an need at the moment. Always had plenty of the software, vinyls, but a less than adequate stereo system.
Thanks for recommending the Reissong A-10 and the Klipsch (sp) RP600M. It’s working out real well and I believe the tubes are starting to burn in.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to hear and listen for, but I’m noticing a change.
It's certainly good advice to make your room as acoustically conducive to good sound as possible. However, only a small percentage of people have dedicated listening rooms. Most people I know or have known who were into audio had to have their gear in a room used for multiple purposes. Now, they certainly could do things like put in a large area rug if the room were all hardwoods or tile. And in some cases they could arrange the room in such a way as to keep the speakers from sitting in quite different spaces, such as one playing off a corner and the other with a wall behind and an open area beside it. But mostly they were limited to placement options within the confines of what was available in their space. And placement goes almost as far for no money at all as room treatment or new speakers. Steve has done videos in the past regarding speaker placement and if you can experiment with placement even if you have to move the speakers back into a less desirable location after listening I think you will find a whole new world of enjoyment from you system.
That's true focus on the music you have by not worrying about the system too much that you already have. And see if everything is A good or what area could be changed .
It's already been said in these comments, but the room is so much more important than expensive components. The layout, the acoustical treatment. Instead of buying new equipment, think about buying a new home ;)
I realise nobody will do it, but if you have the guts to try it, you may have an upgrade for nothing. Get some Christmas tinsel and cut a diamond shape piece out of the tinsel (3mm x 1mm). It's a tiny whizzer that you make, that is if you are up to such small workmanship. And this is where your guts comes in. Using a water based glue (like PVA) dip the tiny whizzer on one pointy edge into a spot of PVA glue and glue it to your tweeter diaphragm (if you have cheap bash around speakers, or if you are brave). It won't stick too well so you can easily get it off (with a bit of wet). That material in that tiny shape might make your speakers sound real. It's the texture caused by the material that does it. Does wonders for the imagery.
Every time I'm about to pull the trigger on something Steve puts out a video like this. My wife thanks you.
Just got a pair of Focal Aria 906's. Took your suggestion. Listening to modern country. Holy cow! What a difference between mixes. Familiar stuff sounds familiar with details I hadn't noticed before. These speaks are unforgiving. Mastering engineer by trade.
I'm an older guy. And have had many many systems. After a certain point you come full circle. At one time if the recording was not up to my standard because the system so revealing, that I would not listen to wonderful music that my mind was substandard in recording. After a certain point one has to realize I have the stuff to listen to music I love. For the last 10 years I have been at peace with my latest system. Adding a little bit of humor, a little more bass wouldn't hurt!
I liked Listener and Sound Practices. Audiomart. Those were the days - owned used ARs, KLHs, Advents, Linn SARAs, Thiel 3.5 floorstander, Camber 3.6, and now the amazing Spendor A6R which is super sought after.
Hello from Montreal, I appreciate this video Steve it’s great food for thought. In last couple of weeks I’ve hanging out with friends and listening to their hi fi systems. They are a lot more experienced and very supportive. Because this is something new comparing systems I feel some stress relating to what I have. I mean I’ve invested time and money in creating something that is really nice sounding . My friends weren’t involved in my component selection and they have not heard mine yet. But they’ve already questioned my choices even before they’re heard anything. I do feel some doubt. I guess it’s human nature to comment but I do enjoy the social part and it should be a hobby that’s social. They will hear what I have and we’ll have a few beers and some laughs. It’s all positive.
Remember that you should only be building a system that suits you and your hearing and makes you happy.(and maybe perhaps your partner too LOL)..but remember other people's hearing and tastes may vary and be different to yours and therefore made them choose their gear...there is no right and wrong gear as such... as long as you are happy, that is the most important factor.
@@humanitech Thanks a lot, we all appreciate advice and yes it just got me doubting my choices of components. I built my system by myself without help and I love it.
I just didn't expect the comments yet since they haven't even heard it. My system is up of McIntosh preamp and power amp powering some JBL 4429 speakers and my sources are an Innuos Mk 3 streamer /ripper and Rega P3 turntable. Not a cheap system, I like rock music but the comments where related to the speakers. Anyways it's all fun. Take care
@@davidgill2520I imagine that your system sounds fab with the components you mention Dave. The secret is once you have a setup that connects and makes you smile....stop doubting and simply enjoy the music. Hifi can be a neverending game of doubt if you let it...and sure you can keep tweaking and making subtle sonic changes but if it sounds great to you now...it's pretty much job done.
Problem with HiFi is that although it is personal journey...others will always like to throw in their opinions and judgements...remember it's only you and your ears that are the best and true judge.
@@humanitech Thanks again John. I do enjoy the music with my current system. I will tweak it but for now it suits me just right. I've added an old vintage tuner to my system, we have some great radio stations up north.