Agreed. Investments are appreciating assets. Maybe a collector car or piano. Consumer goods are almost never appreciating assets/investments, and shouldn't be talked about as such.
@Steve Tllsdaleys They "sometimes" appreciate in value. But you also have to consider servicing them and buying replacement parts. I have an old Harmon Kardon pre/power separates that has started to degrade. After having them serviced, I spent about as much as it is worth, so I really just broke even. It's not a sure thing and shouldn't be treated as an "investment".
24:29 In my opinion, you only need to worry about digital being outdated up until the point that it is transparent to the human ear. That being said, if you're doing surround sound, maybe Dolby Atmos is the best thing that can render audio with how ever many channels you have, but a decent DAC is going to be transparent the human here and you don't need to upgrade much of anything if you have a connected to a computer which will be able to more or less handle all the music services and sources.
I think it can be difficult to determine what is and isn't transparent for a DAC. I spent $2,900 on a pair of active nearfield monitors and paired them with an Oppo BDP-105D using its internal USB DAC to play music files. I wasn't satisfied with the sound quality: although it was more detailed than my oppo BDP-83 it sounded somehow harsh. I then spent $2,500 on a dedicated DAC and the improvement in sound quality was astonishing - my speakers became extremely satisfying to listen with. It often seems like the musicians are in the room and I can now hear quiet instrument parts I was not even aware of with the oppo. I then read multiple opinions that another DAC had even better sound quality. I compared it in my listening room but it was quite inaccurate in terms of frequency response and resolution. So buying a DAC is not to be taken lightly - they can make a HUGE difference if you have good speakers.
@@pibroch I would be sure to do a blind test with a friend. there's a guy who offers thousands of dollars for anyone who can pass the blind test between amplifiers, and decks are even more transparent. They're literally using math to recreate perfect sine waves... there's only one correct solution. Unless there is some impedance mismatch somewhere, you should be getting the same frequency response in the audible range from just about any DAC, and then it just needs to have a quiet noise floor.
@@stevenswall In the Dark Ages there was a debate between scholars as to how many teeth a horse has. It went on for years - no one would lower themselves to look inside a horse's mouth. Today people go on the internet claiming to know how things sound without bothering to listen to them.
15:20 I wouldn't spend more than 25% on an amp/streamer/source. Ideally get active Nearfield Monitors and calibrate them if you want the highest Fidelity.
Most sources are very flat within the audible range and have much less distortion than most any speaker. Don't blow your money here, get enough power, more is just more volume.
NO not HTIB. I cannot stand most HTIB's Some receivers out there do have built in DCD or CD players. They don't seem too common though. Rotel made or makes one. Technical Pro makes One... teac makes a couple..samsung did make an AVR with a Blu ray disc player in it but it was plagued with bad capacitors..... NAIM makes CD player integrated amp combos. Its just strange that with so much emphasis on integration in mainstream audio more companies would step up and make something like that, for people who need a solution like that, which can be sophisticated.
Each company has to chase its own agenda and a populist market (money). It makes me cringe when i see the likes of B&W, Focal, Martin Logan, McIntosh coming out with headphones for example. Just shows that all they're chasing is money markets because they know that high-price audio will die with the generation in the above video. I keep on hearing the there's no new blood in the industry when the total opposite is true. There is masses of new blood in the industry. Thing is they're not falling for the BS from the likes of the above panel. Vinyl revival - That old chestnut - facepalm - the only people talking about vinyl revival are someone trying to sell you a vinyl related product!!!!!!!!!! Choose your own path, and let info from RMAF go in one ear and out the other, because for the most part that's all its worth. When you have a panel of snake oil salesman talking about snake oil as though its relevant (not this video) then you come to the quick conclusion that; these are old timers stuck in past. The world and the world of acoustics have moved on. Bad selling techniques from the 80's which they still cling on to, talking only about live music reproduction as that that's the only music that matters, harping on about tube amps and vinyl have killed their section of the market. Let them die!
So basically, you have to swap out electronics and speakers until you find a match. If you don't have a dealer to help you then you are on your own and must rely on luck. God, this hobby is so fucked up.
The word “investment” should never be used in the context of consumer goods. It’s not only inaccurate, it’s fraudulent.
I have bought and sold used mcintosh at a gain.
Agreed. Investments are appreciating assets. Maybe a collector car or piano. Consumer goods are almost never appreciating assets/investments, and shouldn't be talked about as such.
@Steve Tllsdaleys They "sometimes" appreciate in value. But you also have to consider servicing them and buying replacement parts. I have an old Harmon Kardon pre/power separates that has started to degrade. After having them serviced, I spent about as much as it is worth, so I really just broke even. It's not a sure thing and shouldn't be treated as an "investment".
24:29 In my opinion, you only need to worry about digital being outdated up until the point that it is transparent to the human ear.
That being said, if you're doing surround sound, maybe Dolby Atmos is the best thing that can render audio with how ever many channels you have, but a decent DAC is going to be transparent the human here and you don't need to upgrade much of anything if you have a connected to a computer which will be able to more or less handle all the music services and sources.
I think it can be difficult to determine what is and isn't transparent for a DAC.
I spent $2,900 on a pair of active nearfield monitors and paired them with an Oppo BDP-105D using its internal USB DAC to play music files. I wasn't satisfied with the sound quality: although it was more detailed than my oppo BDP-83 it sounded somehow harsh.
I then spent $2,500 on a dedicated DAC and the improvement in sound quality was astonishing - my speakers became extremely satisfying to listen with. It often seems like the musicians are in the room and I can now hear quiet instrument parts I was not even aware of with the oppo.
I then read multiple opinions that another DAC had even better sound quality. I compared it in my listening room but it was quite inaccurate in terms of frequency response and resolution. So buying a DAC is not to be taken lightly - they can make a HUGE difference if you have good speakers.
@@pibroch I would be sure to do a blind test with a friend. there's a guy who offers thousands of dollars for anyone who can pass the blind test between amplifiers, and decks are even more transparent. They're literally using math to recreate perfect sine waves... there's only one correct solution. Unless there is some impedance mismatch somewhere, you should be getting the same frequency response in the audible range from just about any DAC, and then it just needs to have a quiet noise floor.
@@stevenswall In the Dark Ages there was a debate between scholars as to how many teeth a horse has. It went on for years - no one would lower themselves to look inside a horse's mouth. Today people go on the internet claiming to know how things sound without bothering to listen to them.
Great advice!
Why does the moderator have to wear a cap indoors? Why?
Improves audio, obviously.
(The brim helps direct his voice into the microphone.)
Welcome to North America. Sneakers and baggy jeans also. Everywhere. All the time. In a nice restaurant also 🤷♂️
15:20 I wouldn't spend more than 25% on an amp/streamer/source. Ideally get active Nearfield Monitors and calibrate them if you want the highest Fidelity.
Most sources are very flat within the audible range and have much less distortion than most any speaker. Don't blow your money here, get enough power, more is just more volume.
What you guys think about Carver Audio, oh Lawd!
What about DVD player/CD/receiver combo units. I have only seen 1 that does not come with speakers :-D
NO not HTIB. I cannot stand most HTIB's Some receivers out there do have built in DCD or CD players. They don't seem too common though. Rotel made or makes one. Technical Pro makes One... teac makes a couple..samsung did make an AVR with a Blu ray disc player in it but it was plagued with bad capacitors..... NAIM makes CD player integrated amp combos. Its just strange that with so much emphasis on integration in mainstream audio more companies would step up and make something like that, for people who need a solution like that, which can be sophisticated.
Each company has to chase its own agenda and a populist market (money). It makes me cringe when i see the likes of B&W, Focal, Martin Logan, McIntosh coming out with headphones for example. Just shows that all they're chasing is money markets because they know that high-price audio will die with the generation in the above video.
I keep on hearing the there's no new blood in the industry when the total opposite is true. There is masses of new blood in the industry. Thing is they're not falling for the BS from the likes of the above panel.
Vinyl revival - That old chestnut - facepalm - the only people talking about vinyl revival are someone trying to sell you a vinyl related product!!!!!!!!!!
Choose your own path, and let info from RMAF go in one ear and out the other, because for the most part that's all its worth. When you have a panel of snake oil salesman talking about snake oil as though its relevant (not this video) then you come to the quick conclusion that; these are old timers stuck in past. The world and the world of acoustics have moved on. Bad selling techniques from the 80's which they still cling on to, talking only about live music reproduction as that that's the only music that matters, harping on about tube amps and vinyl have killed their section of the market. Let them die!
I want to buy your highest wattifier. :P
42:25 Cables don't make a difference, and young people understand provable experiments like ABX testing now more than ever.
Young people aren't interested because a typical hifi system costs more than their first house. I'm sure rolls royce has trouble too...
@@TA-nn9os there are even 30.00 speakers that put out enjoyable sound like the Dayton B-452
So basically, you have to swap out electronics and speakers until you find a match. If you don't have a dealer to help you then you are on your own and must rely on luck. God, this hobby is so fucked up.
"wait for that dac to get mqa". And I stopped the video right there. I shouldn't be surprised but come on... Let's not insult our audience.