Chilly Willy , I agree with you completely . I wish I could use this post to inform our Republitard voters ! (here in the States).Blowing smoke up our arses to get a vote . Votes mean MONEY ! I want vintage values . LOL
You change the cable and it always sounds better, especially if it cost more. And don't forget the five stars from what hifi, that helps with the sound !!!.
Everything old is new again. I still use mu Sansui 881 receiver every day and am loving it. Who knew it would last 57 years after I bought it? They built them well back then.
Kelvin these hi fi chats are so thoroughly interesting. I still have a pile of Hi Fi Answers and other mags in my roofspace that used to be my only hi fi digest back in the 70s and early 80s (before the female of the species stole my attention!!!) that I would read and re-read, enthralled by it all. This sort of chat is the modern equivalent - interesting, entertaining and informative. What lucky people we are to have lived through hi-fi's real era of change and progress.
As a more than casual, but not entirely knowledgeable hobbyist, I found some very useful nuggets of basic info in this video. Nicely done and highly watchable.
Very true new stuff not necessarily better than old stuff. 70's and 80's stuff was so well made with top components and cost a small fortune. Buying that stuff today in great condition is a cute thing to do. I have a pair of Celestion 3 Mk2's that cost £45 on my second system that sound better than most new speakers under £500 today. I bought an immaculate pair of Mordaunt Short Avant 908 2.5 way floor standing speakers for £100 for my main system that compare to many up to £2,000! Very good advice!!!!! Why pay for advertising - the sound is what's important!
HELLO FRIEND , KIRK HERE . ENJOY YOUR SHOW ! ONE REASON I LIKE THE " SOUND " OF VINTAGE AUDIO , IS THE AMPS AND OR RECEIVER HAS ALMOST NO ENTERNAL ENTERFEARENCE FROM impedance From multiple circuits . It is very simple chanel to output , which keeps the sound so clean !
Really enjoying this channel and straight talk. Thanks for sharing this content. It's very helpful. The world needs more content at this level. Thank you.
@8:20 the listening room has as much of an impact as the speakers. the room is a resonance box, it's what creates constructive and destructive wave interference. two wires of same resistance are ALWAYS going to SOUND the same. for a wire to influence frequency we need to go way above the 16kHz most of us can hear... when dealing w/ MHz and GHz wires do play a role..
I was seeking a magical improvement for my existing hi-fi system. What I found surprised me. I had split the budget three ways between source (turntable), amplifier and speakers. Magazines had begun to change their advise to source being more important and that seemed illogical to me. I was invited by a dealer to bring my current equipment with me to do A/B comparisons with what they considered upgrades and a few alternatives. It took barely a bar for me to appreciate the difference the source made and the differences in swapping equipment around were sometimes night and day and other time meh! My amplifier was a poor match for my speakers. The magazine and dealer choice favourite was no better. But both sounded hugely different with more efficient speakers. Using a pre and separate mono power amplifiers with 100 watts really got my speakers going. Years later I got those speakers back and used a modern 5 channel 100 Watt amplifier for my first surround sound system. Hearing the differences with your own music and being able to swap equipment to compare allowed me to narrow my selection and eliminate alternatives - regardless of price. I did end up spending a major part of my annual salary on a new system but then kept it for 40 years with one incremental change to the turntable a decade later (now 30 years ago). Ten years ago I experimented with 5+1 systems ending up with adding active rear, centre and sub-woofer to my vintage active speakers picking now very cheaper models from the 1990s. Repairing and getting parts for equipment over 10 years old is an on going problem. Back in the 70s and 80s there were equipment that most people would agree where good value for money and few at different price points. Although you might get something different it was for features that were considered worth paying extra for. The choice has mushroomed since and each manufacturer has played to increment model change and our choice includes all of those second hand and can be imported from anywhere in the world. Source for me is now a computer and Hi-fi is not about stereo music but media:- radio, podcasts, video, television multi-channel and multi-room from digital storage. A digital source files and active speakers have a different set of issues to get working as I would like. Your equipment only has to satisfy you and only you can decide how much a difference is worth while particularly as costs rise rapidly for smaller and smaller changes and improvements that you hear.
I was using a modern $700 tube amp. It's super popular. Then I get a Sansui 221 vintage amp for $100 and it just crushes it! My whole world has been turned upside down!
Great video, like many here i'm waking up to vintage gear and its value in terms of great sound my "modern gear" is mainly 15 years old my older Amp, tuner & speakers are 46 through 43 years old ... and all sound great to my ears .. keep going with your "ramblings" i think they are great ...it's like chatting in the pub or at a bake off ..particularly when we can't currently
I have to say I have been hooked by your knowledge and style of imparting that knowledge. It really is common sense a lot of the time. I now can answer the simple fundamental question, thanks to the insight you have provided. Question: which is better ? 1. A 3,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system. 2. A 10,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system. 3. A 50,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system. Answer: - The one that sounds best to me. The question is emotive and subjective - personal preferences play a huge part in audio decisions. One person may like the "wall of sound" approach while someone else prefers a little more precision and detail. Me ? - I like both depending on my mood so my system development tweaks revolve around how to have precision, detail and accuracy on one hand but have the capability of switching to an extreme range delivery of power where you can feel the music as well as hear it. Not there yet but looking like two identical amps - one feeding a delicate set of responsive speakers and the other amp feeding into a more resounding speaker set. Amp and speaker A - is the precision set up Amp and Speaker B - is a richer more full sound using both sets = wall of sound - the speakers need to be different when listened to individually but also compliment each other when played together. got it wrong and the speaker set up I have sort of not compete - just not work well - the sum is less than the components. I have a new (2nd hand) set of speakers I am hoping will be a perfect fit that only time and experimentation will tell. I have not spent much on any of my kit but my enjoyment of the fettling and the listening has been thoroughly enjoyable.
I first got into hifi from reading magazines in the early to mid 90s. As you found, it's the clever use of words that draws you in and makes you spend money. I soon learned my lesson when the kit I bought or listened to in the shops didn't match what the magazines were saying... That's probably why I'm suspicious of anything I read, especially when it comes to politics.
@@stereoreviewx my first receiver was a JVC JR-S81. A modest receiver for sure sure, but I really liked how it sounded on the showroom floor. I still have it and enjoy it. Bought it in 1977.
"The ultimate plug is no plug" What a brilliant zen-like and all-encompassing philosophy. This actually applies to all circuitry and components; any component in the signal path can only degrade it. Have a great Christmas my friend ;0)
Just got my hands on a beautiful Rogers Ravensbourne paired with some Dynaco A-25's for next to nothing. Cant wait to listen to it, and see how it compares to my "modern" set up. Good channel!
Just discovered your channel, Brilliant at last an honest down to earth take on hifi without all the "la di da you get from the snobby audiophiles ( more money than sense )most of them !!! Recognised the Sanusi 661 receiver in your video & brought back memories as I used to own one & had it for years great piece of kit !!! Many thanks 😊
Soldered connections sound better because a good soldered connection actually decreases the resistance encountered by the audio signal. It's not a huge deal, but I am now intrigued by the idea of the soldered phono connection. Still, you can obviously achieve a great sound with RCA connections there. Great tips here!
Excellent tips... even us olde-timers will benefit. Minor point... but can you please put a towel under the Ditton 11 when sliding around a hard surface... or 4 stick-on pads ? I am looking for Ditton 11's to lay down on kitchen shelf.. any scratches on ends will be visable. Tnx again for posting video.
@@dynacoman7363 perhaps use something like a lazy Susan to sit the speaker on and make it easy to rotate and display different features. Tip: ask wife first saves sleeping on couch for a week
Excellent tips! Ive auditioned £800 speakers.... thinking these have gotta sound good, but as soon as I broke them in, I couldn't wait to put my budget speakers back on!
A miracle happened with my Quad CDP2 player and 909 Amp when I ditched the costly aftermarket mains cable & used the black quad cables I’d left in the boxes! Quad engineers commented that their black “kettle” cable was carefully designed to bring out the best in their equipment! Made sense really!
Hi Calvin this is Paul from Seattle I love your insightful videos and it seems like I've been doing things the right way as far as my speaker placement and such but it's great to hear a person with your knowledge Andrea listening experience to put things into perspective you sure have a lot of beautiful equipment I recently picked up a Marantz 2220 and it has tons of high-end beautiful crisp Clarity nice medium mid-range and tons of bass I'm surprised at 20 W how amazing these vintage equipment sound compared to nowadays components I also have a black faced digital display Marantz it's 125 watts from the early cement 1990s and it already does not sound like my old 20 W Miranda that's in beautiful condition with new blue LEDs and the works not only is it prettier but it sounds way better than the newer Marantz even though they were both constructed in Japan and designed in America great video as usual love that Sansui
Calvin, I have really enjoyed watching the channel. My equipment ranges from 1940 through 1990. Tube uprights & consoles, S.S. Components receivers Samsun 661/771 and Sony to digital Kenwood etc... Its like you say if you feel it in the gut and it puts a smile on your face then it works. Cheers.
Well said Kelvin. For me vintage was the way to up my game from a p.c and awful speakers. The nineties amp and cd blew me away, but were soon replaced by better models from the same decade. Another big change in quality.I'm using Br03 speakers though because living in rural Wales it's a three hour drive to go and audition anything, and they were a dealer's return bargain at £230. Luckily I love them and my 'system' fills me with joy every time I switch on. Visitors, unsolicited, comment on how good it sounds. Like you say, it's all about enjoying the music- I pity those who get sucked into the audiophile trap. I believe they get their pleasure from arguing and boasting, rather than the music. I don't even want to hear superior stuff until I've got cash burning a hole in my pocket, as I fear that would make me discontent. You only have to visit the forums to see how many poor souls are caught up in their desires. Having said that I am lusting after a NAD 3020, thanks to yourself.
Hi you have good advice about Hi Fi Gear , I am the Speaker Doctor , I love old speakers and modern as well for English speakers i use to run Wharfedale ,Tannoy Gold,Celestion, all my Marshall amps use Celestion, plus I like Vintage Electrovoice , I also build my own enclosures.
Thank you , I now have a whole new way of thinking and approaching the the Hi Fi I feel empowered by whole new knowledge.Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.Wow you have same me a great deal of time and energy and money. Thank again.
You know your stuff! I have enjoyed the videos of yours that I have seen and you explain things very well. I went modern average joe to vintage to audiophile modern to highend. Now I am mixing highend and vintage. I am falling in love with vintage again and am enjoying my system more after removing $6000 in gear and replacing with garage sale vintage gear lol
I did the same thing stopped buying expensive gear and went vintage gear never had better sound . And the hobby is fun again and l have more of my pay cheque leftover it's a win win
I fully support your ideology i buying vintage , I have done it most of my life. My last purchase on evil bay was a speaker system that was part of TEAC radio/cd system. The bass sub was nothing special, so I rejected that but the satellite speakers were smallish flat panel , balanced mode radiators badged NXT. I set up the system with an active bass speaker I made myself using a 130mm Visaton bass unit. The results sound incredible because the BMR s have a ruler flat response from 200 to 18000 Hz and roll off naturally at the low end. So that is hyper real sound for less than 500. The input is coming from a portable dab/FM radio.
I sold audio gear in the 80's and the old "how many watts" thing got soooo old. Especially guys - it's like they drew a comparison between amp wattage and engine power. If memory serves me right, a doubling of watts adds just 3db of gain, and who's ever run an amp on full and felt they really needed 3 db more. I'm sure most of us never surpass 5-10 watts of power in most situations, and as you say, so many other factors add up to the quality of the sound. In my music room I've measured the volume and it's been between 85 and 95 db which is a nice level for a long listening session. If you look at speaker sensitivity, many produce 90+ db (though it's probably a sine wave) with 1 watt. I think there is a line of high end british amps that have an output of just 2-3 watts, but I forget the name. Anyway... good point... don't be seduced by metrics and wattage. They are not the secrets to sonic excellence.
I personally believe more watts are better having owned both high power and low powered amps from various manufacturers. More authority, more control, better bass, greater dynamics. That is not to say there isn't phenomenal amps with lower wattage, but more watts are generally better for sound quality.
Watts my ass. As if anything in life would be as simple as x > y therefore x is better, and conveniently ranked with nice round 2-3 digit wattage numbers.
Liked his point about the importance of the speakers!!! I just replaced a speaker in a bass amp I'd grown tired of. Suddenly its working like a hot damn! Its always the speaker(s)! Everything that happens until the coil unloads onto the paper, is signal at whatever strength. The paper, which formula is patented, by the way, is where the magic unfolds! JBLs use of cones made them an international favourite all those years ago. The thick white coated 12" has yet to be equalled for low/mid bass response. With the right port, a sub is really unnecessary and the tone is exquisite!
@@stereoreviewx So agree! Tried Monitor audio gold at home recently and couldn't wait to return. Most music sounded like I had a steel roulette wheel spinning with a steel marble. Yuck!🤯
Everybody would have a big smile on their face, everybody would have a lovely time...lol...priceless comment. Great show and so true...love your channel.
Kelvin, these videos are real gems, I've learned so much from you. I'm trying to scrape the money together for a pair of used Harbeth P3ESR's, they are a revelation to me.
I agree with what you say about reviews and the importance of reading between the lines. In particular I have noticed that reviews describing positive aspects of bass performance of small loudspeakers (low bass, articulation, etc ) rarely tell you that the speakers will only achieve this when played loud, often louder than average listening levels. I learned this from auditioning small loudspeakers in shops where I could only achieve what the reviews described by turning the volume up far louder than I would usually listen to at home.
My boss told me when I was 14 everything done in business is to make more money haha So true, I’ll never forget. As the consumer you gotta smart and reasonably what is the Best Buy for you. Great video, I like your honesty
Agree. Bought an active linn system in the 80s. I had to go to get an amp re capped and whilst in the showroom I listened to a modern system. I couldn’t tell a difference. I’m 67 now so my ears are more vintage than my hi fi.
The most difference i ever heard with loudspeaker cables was, when i sprayed contact cleaner on the ends, wiped the oxidisation off, sprayed some more on and clamped them down again. Louder, more details. An improvement almost for free.
@@stereoreviewx I agree with you on cables Kelvin, though I found cheap 79 strand noticeably better than the Amazon basics ali- cables.Not so sure about screwing down bare cable ends though, a professionally fitted plug just has to give better connectivity. I wouldn't lose sleep over it though.
Regarding the comment at the 26:00 mark... I remember learning that a doubling of watts results only in a 3db gain. Most consumers don't know this and never (can't) wind their volume controls to 10 to compare. I see the same thinking for people buying guitar amps; they assume 2x the wattage is 2X the power and worth 2x the price. And sometimes different volume controls can manipulate the appearance of more power - putting most of the gain in the first third of the knob rotation.
Super video. Admire your honesty and no bullshit approach. So much wisdom and experience about hi-fi. I have a modest system and feel your comments ring true. I BBC engineer who repairs stuff like classic Mission and Nad amps says like you that to get similar quality now is a huge amount of money. I have been watching Steve Guttenberg's hi-end hi fi channel. He's a nice guy, of course, and says similar to you but I think unconscious bias kicks in. As you say you have to maintain the idea of the latest thing if you review h-fi. Also the paradox of some hi-fi people enjoying gear but not music. Summed up by a high end Chinese audiophile with a very expensive system playing the Lion King.
I have got Legacy audio focus from 90s, every time I listen to them it puts a smile on my face. I don't even want to compare it to anything else, just in case I get that feeling of "I got to have it". Reminds me of the story When the Cathedral Saint Basil’s Cathedral At The Red Square was finished, Ivan the Terrible blinded the architect - Postnik Yakovlev so that he could never build anything so beautiful again
My whole system costs about $7000. Not much by audiophile standards but a LOT by normal people standards! So I go to my local record stores and they all have vintage gear usually spinning records on a technics turntable and one day I realize, this set up that probably cost a tenth of mine sounds just as good if not better!
I am 59 years old and in the late 70's you could buy a brand new Marantz receiver with 65 wpc for $580.00 retail, today there are cables that cost that much! TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE IN MY BOOK. I do own brand new gear but it is basically a tier or two above budget. Between that gear and my vintage gear I have plenty to mix and match and definitely enjoy the different sound I can achieve!
I totally get where you're coming from. From decades of upgrading t/tables, i kept only my very most favourites, all DD bar 1 belt drive. I just thought them far too good & far too well engineered to sell for what £'s eBay would fetch me at the time, & compared to new t/tables... (i.e. slabs of glossy painted chipboard with medite or glass platers & a £25 new Impex or Phillip's AC sycronous motor & cheapest of rega sourced arms £139 new [
If you want more (boomy and muddy) bass, put your speakers in the corner. Using boundary gain to achieve more bass is not a method for sound quality. If you want to party, sure, but otherwise forgetaboutit. The best way to get stronger and tighter bass is to make sure your speakers are solid and don't wobble sitting on top of carpet. It's physics. For every action there is an equal reaction. If you are standing on a skateboard and attempt to throw something, an equal force will push you backwards and greatly reduce to force on the object you are pushing forwards. Speakers push bass drivers forwards and an equal force will rock your (wobbly) speakers backwards, dissipating the lost energy into the carpet as heat, rather than SPL. Wobbly speakers can also cause distortion when a double (or multiple) bass slam fights against the opposite movement of the speaker box. The movement might be small, but so to is the movement of the woofer at normal listening levels. It makes a huge difference especially in a basement with concrete floors. By spiking the speakers through the carpet to the concrete will also mass load the speakers, which also helps to isolate resonance from the box. I had to edit this comment when he brought out a speaker stand that had wheels (the skateboard affect I was taking about) on it.
your right ,you have to live with any change to your setup for a week or two listen to tracks you know well, then a week later change back and then see what you think
It is like cooking a good food.Put the ingredients and herbs you like until you have the perfect stew haha.In my case Yamaha and Nad work so well together.Yamahas clarity and neutrality with NADs richness and sweetness gives me just mind blowing musical experience.
Ok, process is slow, but if reviewed from the 70's it's jaw dropping for the technology in producing components and putting them together and for the materials. Then it would be head spinning for source, digital and in music production. The increments for what gets to your ears are smaller. In 1979 I only had access to rubbish hi fi, now i can access some top quality hi fi....from the seventies, golden age !
Hi Kelvin, you are right, cables do not change hifi sound to a great extent unless you have not taken impedance into account. Rule of thumb (danish way to say it): if your preamplifier has an output impedance of 1,000 Ohms (typical for tube preamplifiers without a buffer in the output), the subsequent power amplifier should have an input impedance of 20,000 Ohms (20K) 1: 20...so you are on the safe side and avoid loss of bass and treble. As an example, Luxman C02 has 100 Ohm in output impedance and no known output amplifier has an input impedance of only 2000 Ohm...from a Luxman C02 you can basically buy fence wire as a connection to the power stage without losing anything in terms of sound....no, just a figure of speech..... buy reasonably good cables and you're ok Rgds Kim
I so agree with your point about spending an absolute packet on a system, and think that if we had the luxury of going to Hampshire Audio (or whatever your local hifi shop is called) and said do me your nicest combination for £2000 then maybe they would surprise us wityh the makes and combinations we had rejected without hearing. I reacall hearing a B&O system and thinking I had died and gone to heaven, but looks wise it was too off the wall for me. Silly attitude I know, but if B&O had packaged their gear in Sansui clothes then they'd have been on to a real winner. About the wattage, I recall someone in Hi Fi Answers saying you had to multiply watts rms by ten before you got double the output. Something to do with decibels I think. I know my new Yanaha amp is only marginally louder than my old Yamaha one but the new one is 650 rms total and the last one was 50 rms total. It's bonkers.
I was lucky enough to find a Mordaunt Short A 5000 amp a few years back . I bought it without a 2nd thought and boy am I glad I did . To me it sounds superb , like a more rounded and musical Audiolab 8000a . It turns out its a very rare unit from 1989 of which only a few were made. Apparently it was a doomed attempt to broaden MS's range with eyes on selling the company to a bigger outfit , it was designed by a top amp designer but proved to be way to expensive to produce and was soon axed . It's in top condition and cost me £25 !
HiFi Answers used to be good. The letter would say 'I have a Garrard SP25 Mk IV, a Rotel RX152 and a pair of Solavox TK20s. I want to upgrade the turntable to aTechnics direct drive with SME arm and.Shure M75 cartridge' etc etc, and the magazine brainiacs would discuss the merits or otherwise of this idea as though they could hear it! I don't know whether they really knew, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read for somebody like me with champagne tastes and a beer pocket. Fast forward to today and we're so lucky to be able to buy all this lovely stuff second hand via Ebay at seemingly knock down prices, and finally realise a few of those boyhood dreams. By the way, my first experience of a Sansui Monster like the 9090 quadrophonic backbreaker was in Asda in Chandler's Ford (opened by Noel Edmonds), who in the 1970s had a hifi area with some wonderful gear. They started with real budget stuff like the Rigonda Party Time stereo for £50 (I fancied the little red 4" telly the Russians made mind you, but less so their stereo system) right the way up to cripplingly expensive Sansui stuff that nearly melted me with yearning every time I saw it. The area was darkened and carpeted and looked nothing like an Asda department, and more like an upmarket brothel. They had the monster linked up to four large speakers, make etc unknown, and we lads would go up there when it was playing and whack the volume up very high for a laugh. The 'colleagues' didn't think it was as funny though, and told us it would damage the monster. My god in the red lit relative darkness I used to look at the little illuminated '4 channel' sign on that incredibly lovely display and swoon. When I got home I would connect my Amstrad amp up in a hafler network trying to 'imagine' it was the monster until the poor little thing nearly roasted, then give it a rest for an hour. This hifi bug is pretty draining in all respects, and you never seem to get over it. Each time you get used to your current system you want to 'upgrade', though that isn't always as easy as parting with more cash.
Yes thanks for sharing your story I don’t know where you’re from back in London in Tottenham Court road opposite Lasky is there was a shop with a basement and he went downstairs into darkened room is like cave where 40 Marantz receivers and tuners were mounted into the walls and glowed blue creating a desire that lasted 40 years And yes I remember hi-fi answers good thing about it was lots of the tweaks were completely cost free nowadays you have to keep buying funny things everything has to cost some money K
I dunno. I have a vacuum tube amp that’s 7 amps that sounds, what I’ve always looked for, and a vintage too powerful for my room Pioneer SX-780 that sounds like I remember them, when I couldn’t afford one as a teenager. I’m very happy with what I have, both brand new and vintage, as I always had plenty of vinyl to play.
Hey Kalv , your videos are very addictive , thanks for sharing your knowledge , and after listening 70’s Speakers I agree with you , Now question is does 70’s amp better for 70’s speakers? Or new amp will go with em fine , I was blown away when I listen to This 70’s ,bloody wide soundstage and Fun to listen specially 70’s rock music and Classical music it was singing to me
In magazines of the 80s I recall somebody saying that the Japanese hifi buff would have £5000 worth of equipment and one LP. I bet even that was a hifi test record. It has to be said these days that without the concomitant noise and undulations of a vinyl record hifi sound can be quite a lot better than it was back in the 80s on the same system, and Japanese connoisseurs are able to listen to Spotify.
I bought b and w 601 s2 what hifi gave them 5 stars when the new b and w came out mine went down to 4 stars and the new ones got 5 lesson learned by me
I know who Calvin reminds me of guys.... Quincy the medical examiner from the coroner's office on TV not only does he look like him but he's a genius as is Quincy ! ❤ this Channel 🎉its like hanging out with a friend 🎉❤
One issue to be sure about is just how good are your ears so do a hearing test before you spend crazy sums on HiFi. If you cant hear the difference it might not be worth spending the money. Not sure if its a curse or a blessing to have great hearing but you have to cater to it.
"People are trying to sell shit." Truer words were never spoken. Liked and subscribed!
And stupid people buy them
Like BOSE, 85% of the budget was spend on marketing. The sound quality was below par. "No highs, no lows, must be BOSE."
That depends because, if it is Schiit Audio, I hear that company is pretty good. But goofing around aside, I know what you mean.
@@ikealamp53 It is a 100% true! Marketing possessed brains.
Was about to comment same, then realized I was 3 years late to the party!
Yes, I know that this video is 4-years old! However, this video is one of the best that you have ever done! Thanks Kelvin…!
Is this guy the best?
So quietly understated, yet so good.
What a great point to finish on!
I really like how you don't pretend to know everything and you can just say from experience things sound better than others!
Chilly Willy , I agree with you completely . I wish I could use this post to inform our Republitard voters ! (here in the States).Blowing smoke up our arses to get a vote . Votes mean MONEY ! I want vintage values . LOL
Surely that's what we all do. Speak from experience.
@@inmyopinion6836 hope you are happy with sleepy Joe
You change the cable and it always sounds better, especially if it cost more. And don't forget the five stars from what hifi, that helps with the sound !!!.
Love this guy, he doesn’t BS around and isn’t influenced by incentives like those other clowns like SG, AR or Jay. Don’t be a sucker.
Thanks mate
Everything old is new again. I still use mu Sansui 881 receiver every day and am loving it. Who knew it would last 57 years after I bought it? They built them well back then.
Yes great I mean I can’t imagine model lamps lasting that long and I don’t know why I think that
Kelvin these hi fi chats are so thoroughly interesting. I still have a pile of Hi Fi Answers and other mags in my roofspace that used to be my only hi fi digest back in the 70s and early 80s (before the female of the species stole my attention!!!) that I would read and re-read, enthralled by it all. This sort of chat is the modern equivalent - interesting, entertaining and informative. What lucky people we are to have lived through hi-fi's real era of change and progress.
As a more than casual, but not entirely knowledgeable hobbyist, I found some very useful nuggets of basic info in this video. Nicely done and highly watchable.
Glad it was helpful!
Very true new stuff not necessarily better than old stuff. 70's and 80's stuff was so well made with top components and cost a small fortune. Buying that stuff today in great condition is a cute thing to do. I have a pair of Celestion 3 Mk2's that cost £45 on my second system that sound better than most new speakers under £500 today. I bought an immaculate pair of Mordaunt Short Avant 908 2.5 way floor standing speakers for £100 for my main system that compare to many up to £2,000! Very good advice!!!!! Why pay for advertising - the sound is what's important!
HELLO FRIEND , KIRK HERE . ENJOY YOUR SHOW ! ONE REASON I LIKE THE " SOUND " OF VINTAGE AUDIO , IS THE AMPS AND OR RECEIVER HAS ALMOST NO ENTERNAL ENTERFEARENCE FROM impedance From multiple circuits . It is very simple chanel to output , which keeps the sound so clean !
Brilliant! Thank you very much for such great clear and down to earth advice!
Really enjoying this channel and straight talk. Thanks for sharing this content. It's very helpful. The world needs more content at this level. Thank you.
Just so refreshing and honest this channel is. Really valuable advice,
I pressed the tone defeat on my 70s Rotel,,,,,,good advice,subscribed!!!!
@8:20 the listening room has as much of an impact as the speakers. the room is a resonance box, it's what creates constructive and destructive wave interference.
two wires of same resistance are ALWAYS going to SOUND the same. for a wire to influence frequency we need to go way above the 16kHz most of us can hear... when dealing w/ MHz and GHz wires do play a role..
I was seeking a magical improvement for my existing hi-fi system. What I found surprised me.
I had split the budget three ways between source (turntable), amplifier and speakers. Magazines had begun to change their advise to source being more important and that seemed illogical to me. I was invited by a dealer to bring my current equipment with me to do A/B comparisons with what they considered upgrades and a few alternatives. It took barely a bar for me to appreciate the difference the source made and the differences in swapping equipment around were sometimes night and day and other time meh! My amplifier was a poor match for my speakers. The magazine and dealer choice favourite was no better. But both sounded hugely different with more efficient speakers. Using a pre and separate mono power amplifiers with 100 watts really got my speakers going. Years later I got those speakers back and used a modern 5 channel 100 Watt amplifier for my first surround sound system.
Hearing the differences with your own music and being able to swap equipment to compare allowed me to narrow my selection and eliminate alternatives - regardless of price. I did end up spending a major part of my annual salary on a new system but then kept it for 40 years with one incremental change to the turntable a decade later (now 30 years ago). Ten years ago I experimented with 5+1 systems ending up with adding active rear, centre and sub-woofer to my vintage active speakers picking now very cheaper models from the 1990s.
Repairing and getting parts for equipment over 10 years old is an on going problem.
Back in the 70s and 80s there were equipment that most people would agree where good value for money and few at different price points. Although you might get something different it was for features that were considered worth paying extra for. The choice has mushroomed since and each manufacturer has played to increment model change and our choice includes all of those second hand and can be imported from anywhere in the world.
Source for me is now a computer and Hi-fi is not about stereo music but media:- radio, podcasts, video, television multi-channel and multi-room from digital storage. A digital source files and active speakers have a different set of issues to get working as I would like.
Your equipment only has to satisfy you and only you can decide how much a difference is worth while particularly as costs rise rapidly for smaller and smaller changes and improvements that you hear.
Interesting to hear your thoughts thanks K
"Your equipment only has to satisfy you"
couldn't agree more, this makes try before you buy is an absolute necessity when buying equipment.
I was using a modern $700 tube amp. It's super popular. Then I get a Sansui 221 vintage amp for $100 and it just crushes it! My whole world has been turned upside down!
Kevin, I have 771 and 881..and other Sansui equipment...excellent
so all that mony spent was a waste of money i am thinking of having £1500 built for me
Great video, like many here i'm waking up to vintage gear and its value in terms of great sound my "modern gear" is mainly 15 years old my older Amp, tuner & speakers are 46 through 43 years old ... and all sound great to my ears .. keep going with your "ramblings" i think they are great ...it's like chatting in the pub or at a bake off ..particularly when we can't currently
I have to say I have been hooked by your knowledge and style of imparting that knowledge. It really is common sense a lot of the time. I now can answer the simple fundamental question, thanks to the insight you have provided.
Question: which is better ?
1. A 3,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system.
2. A 10,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system.
3. A 50,000 (Pound, Euro/Dollar) system.
Answer: - The one that sounds best to me.
The question is emotive and subjective - personal preferences play a huge part in audio decisions.
One person may like the "wall of sound" approach while someone else prefers a little more precision and detail. Me ? - I like both depending on my mood so my system development tweaks revolve around how to have precision, detail and accuracy on one hand but have the capability of switching to an extreme range delivery of power where you can feel the music as well as hear it. Not there yet but looking like two identical amps - one feeding a delicate set of responsive speakers and the other amp feeding into a more resounding speaker set.
Amp and speaker A - is the precision set up
Amp and Speaker B - is a richer more full sound
using both sets = wall of sound - the speakers need to be different when listened to individually but also compliment each other when played together. got it wrong and the speaker set up I have sort of not compete - just not work well - the sum is less than the components. I have a new (2nd hand) set of speakers I am hoping will be a perfect fit that only time and experimentation will tell. I have not spent much on any of my kit but my enjoyment of the fettling and the listening has been thoroughly enjoyable.
I first got into hifi from reading magazines in the early to mid 90s. As you found, it's the clever use of words that draws you in and makes you spend money. I soon learned my lesson when the kit I bought or listened to in the shops didn't match what the magazines were saying... That's probably why I'm suspicious of anything I read, especially when it comes to politics.
Yes the very first amp I bought in a shop which was so hyped in the magazines was such a disappointment .
That was a JVc jas11 btw .
@@stereoreviewx my first receiver was a JVC JR-S81. A modest receiver for sure sure, but I really liked how it sounded on the showroom floor. I still have it and enjoy it. Bought it in 1977.
You are right. Your two ears are the ultimate judges which ones are best.
"The ultimate plug is no plug" What a brilliant zen-like and all-encompassing philosophy. This actually applies to all circuitry and components; any component in the signal path can only degrade it. Have a great Christmas my friend ;0)
And a happy Christmas to you too my friend
Just got my hands on a beautiful Rogers Ravensbourne paired with some Dynaco A-25's for next to nothing. Cant wait to listen to it, and see how it compares to my "modern" set up. Good channel!
Excellent tips for both new and experienced music listeners ...! Well Done!
Just discovered your channel, Brilliant at last an honest down to earth take on hifi without all the "la di da you get from the snobby audiophiles ( more money than sense )most of them !!! Recognised the Sanusi 661 receiver in your video & brought back memories as I used to own one & had it for years great piece of kit !!! Many thanks 😊
Really enjoy your no nonsense approach with hifi, keep them coming.
Soldered connections sound better because a good soldered connection actually decreases the resistance encountered by the audio signal. It's not a huge deal, but I am now intrigued by the idea of the soldered phono connection. Still, you can obviously achieve a great sound with RCA connections there. Great tips here!
Excellent tips... even us olde-timers will benefit. Minor point... but can you please put a towel under the Ditton 11 when sliding around a hard surface... or 4 stick-on pads ? I am looking for Ditton 11's to lay down on kitchen shelf.. any scratches on ends will be visable.
Tnx again for posting video.
@@dynacoman7363 perhaps use something like a lazy Susan to sit the speaker on and make it easy to rotate and display different features.
Tip: ask wife first saves sleeping on couch for a week
Excellent tips! Ive auditioned £800 speakers.... thinking these have gotta sound good, but as soon as I broke them in, I couldn't wait to put my budget speakers back on!
Liked your video and you make some excellent points, based on your experience. I am willing to bet you would be a blast to have a few pints with!
Amplifiers haven't moved on that much, I'm still using a fully restored Quad 405 & it sounds fantastic, great video, keep up the good work👍
17:00 Now that was all I needed for my speakers, that 'little bit of an angle' . Great tip, thank you, sir!
Excellent!
Great advise! I love the comments concerning "poetic comments" by "experts".
A miracle happened with my Quad CDP2 player and 909 Amp when I ditched the costly aftermarket mains cable & used the black quad cables I’d left in the boxes! Quad engineers commented that their black “kettle” cable was carefully designed to bring out the best in their equipment! Made sense really!
Wow
Hi Calvin this is Paul from Seattle I love your insightful videos and it seems like I've been doing things the right way as far as my speaker placement and such but it's great to hear a person with your knowledge Andrea listening experience to put things into perspective you sure have a lot of beautiful equipment I recently picked up a Marantz 2220 and it has tons of high-end beautiful crisp Clarity nice medium mid-range and tons of bass I'm surprised at 20 W how amazing these vintage equipment sound compared to nowadays components I also have a black faced digital display Marantz it's 125 watts from the early cement 1990s and it already does not sound like my old 20 W Miranda that's in beautiful condition with new blue LEDs and the works not only is it prettier but it sounds way better than the newer Marantz even though they were both constructed in Japan and designed in America great video as usual love that Sansui
Calvin, I have really enjoyed watching the channel. My equipment ranges from 1940 through 1990. Tube uprights & consoles, S.S. Components receivers Samsun 661/771 and Sony to digital Kenwood etc... Its like you say if you feel it in the gut and it puts a smile on your face then it works. Cheers.
Great review! Just subscribed ! Love the honest view on the Hifi world!
Well said Kelvin. For me vintage was the way to up my game from a p.c and awful speakers. The nineties amp and cd blew me away, but were soon replaced by better models from the same decade. Another big change in quality.I'm using Br03 speakers though because living in rural Wales it's a three hour drive to go and audition anything, and they were a dealer's return bargain at £230. Luckily I love them and my 'system' fills me with joy every time I switch on. Visitors, unsolicited, comment on how good it sounds. Like you say, it's all about enjoying the music- I pity those who get sucked into the audiophile trap. I believe they get their pleasure from arguing and boasting, rather than the music. I don't even want to hear superior stuff until I've got cash burning a hole in my pocket, as I fear that would make me discontent. You only have to visit the forums to see how many poor souls are caught up in their desires.
Having said that I am lusting after a NAD 3020, thanks to yourself.
Hi you have good advice about Hi Fi Gear , I am the Speaker Doctor , I love old speakers and modern as well for English speakers i use to run Wharfedale ,Tannoy Gold,Celestion, all my Marshall amps use Celestion, plus I like Vintage Electrovoice , I also build my own enclosures.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you , I now have a whole new way of thinking and approaching the the Hi Fi I feel empowered by whole new knowledge.Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.Wow you have same me a great deal of time and energy and money. Thank again.
Very interesting video thank you for sharing.
You know your stuff! I have enjoyed the videos of yours that I have seen and you explain things very well. I went modern average joe to vintage to audiophile modern to highend. Now I am mixing highend and vintage. I am falling in love with vintage again and am enjoying my system more after removing $6000 in gear and replacing with garage sale vintage gear lol
All my equipment I swapped for a potato🥴
@@stereoreviewx I did not intend for my comment to be facetious.
I did the same thing stopped buying expensive gear and went vintage gear never had better sound . And the hobby is fun again and l have more of my pay cheque leftover it's a win win
I fully support your ideology i buying vintage , I have done it most of my life. My last purchase on evil bay was a speaker system that was part of TEAC radio/cd system. The bass sub was nothing special, so I rejected that but the satellite speakers were smallish flat panel , balanced mode radiators badged NXT. I set up the system with an active bass speaker I made myself using a 130mm Visaton bass unit. The results sound incredible because the BMR s have a ruler flat response from 200 to 18000 Hz and roll off naturally at the low end. So that is hyper real sound for less than 500. The input is coming from a portable dab/FM radio.
I sold audio gear in the 80's and the old "how many watts" thing got soooo old. Especially guys - it's like they drew a comparison between amp wattage and engine power. If memory serves me right, a doubling of watts adds just 3db of gain, and who's ever run an amp on full and felt they really needed 3 db more. I'm sure most of us never surpass 5-10 watts of power in most situations, and as you say, so many other factors add up to the quality of the sound. In my music room I've measured the volume and it's been between 85 and 95 db which is a nice level for a long listening session. If you look at speaker sensitivity, many produce 90+ db (though it's probably a sine wave) with 1 watt. I think there is a line of high end british amps that have an output of just 2-3 watts, but I forget the name. Anyway... good point... don't be seduced by metrics and wattage. They are not the secrets to sonic excellence.
Guttenberg has a interview with Nelson Pass on this. He is also in on sound over Watts. He said a amp very seldom runs above one watt.
I personally believe more watts are better having owned both high power and low powered amps from various manufacturers. More authority, more control, better bass, greater dynamics. That is not to say there isn't phenomenal amps with lower wattage, but more watts are generally better for sound quality.
Watts my ass. As if anything in life would be as simple as x > y therefore x is better, and conveniently ranked with nice round 2-3 digit wattage numbers.
@@buttonman1831 Not necessarily MORE watts.. But MORE quality in the watt produced.
Liked his point about the importance of the speakers!!! I just replaced a speaker in a bass amp I'd grown tired of. Suddenly its working like a hot damn! Its always the speaker(s)! Everything that happens until the coil unloads onto the paper, is signal at whatever strength. The paper, which formula is patented, by the way, is where the magic unfolds! JBLs use of cones made them an international favourite all those years ago. The thick white coated 12" has yet to be equalled for low/mid bass response. With the right port, a sub is really unnecessary and the tone is exquisite!
I would agree paper cones are the best.
@@stereoreviewx
So agree! Tried Monitor audio gold at home recently and couldn't wait to return. Most music sounded like I had a steel roulette wheel spinning with a steel marble. Yuck!🤯
Everybody would have a big smile on their face, everybody would have a lovely time...lol...priceless comment. Great show and so true...love your channel.
Thanks mate
Kelvin, these videos are real gems, I've learned so much from you. I'm trying to scrape the money together for a pair of used Harbeth P3ESR's, they are a revelation to me.
I agree with what you say about reviews and the importance of reading between the lines. In particular I have noticed that reviews describing positive aspects of bass performance of small loudspeakers (low bass, articulation, etc ) rarely tell you that the speakers will only achieve this when played loud, often louder than average listening levels. I learned this from auditioning small loudspeakers in shops where I could only achieve what the reviews described by turning the volume up far louder than I would usually listen to at home.
My boss told me when I was 14 everything done in business is to make more money haha
So true, I’ll never forget. As the consumer you gotta smart and reasonably what is the Best Buy for you. Great video, I like your honesty
Yes good point I mean without the hi-fi marketing industry I don’t think people would buy 1/4 as much gear or spend 1/4 of much on it
Very interesting listen as usual, full of information and truth thanks
Agree. Bought an active linn system in the 80s. I had to go to get an amp re capped and whilst in the showroom I listened to a modern system. I couldn’t tell a difference. I’m 67 now so my ears are more vintage than my hi fi.
Thanks for sharing!
The most difference i ever heard with loudspeaker cables was, when i sprayed contact cleaner on the ends, wiped the oxidisation off, sprayed some more on and clamped them down again. Louder, more details. An improvement almost for free.
Yeah that sounds good and right screwing it down tight is a big deal K
As you say this is a cost free improvement which they don’t like to talk about
@@stereoreviewx I agree with you on cables Kelvin, though I found cheap 79 strand noticeably better than the Amazon basics ali- cables.Not so sure about screwing down bare cable ends though, a professionally fitted plug just has to give better connectivity. I wouldn't lose sleep over it though.
Regarding the comment at the 26:00 mark... I remember learning that a doubling of watts results only in a 3db gain. Most consumers don't know this and never (can't) wind their volume controls to 10 to compare. I see the same thinking for people buying guitar amps; they assume 2x the wattage is 2X the power and worth 2x the price. And sometimes different volume controls can manipulate the appearance of more power - putting most of the gain in the first third of the knob rotation.
I'm still enjoying my Sansui 771 with my Benjamin Miracord Elac turntable and a pair of B&W 602 S2 speakers and that's all I ever need .
Super video. Admire your honesty and no bullshit approach. So much wisdom and experience about hi-fi. I have a modest system and feel your comments ring true. I BBC engineer who repairs stuff like classic Mission and Nad amps says like you that to get similar quality now is a huge amount of money.
I have been watching Steve Guttenberg's hi-end hi fi channel. He's a nice guy, of course, and says similar to you but I think unconscious bias kicks in. As you say you have to maintain the idea of the latest thing if you review h-fi. Also the paradox of some hi-fi people enjoying gear but not music. Summed up by a high end Chinese audiophile with a very expensive system playing the Lion King.
like the honest tips and comments, subscribed!
I have got Legacy audio focus from 90s, every time I listen to them it puts a smile on my face. I don't even want to compare it to anything else, just in case I get that feeling of "I got to have it". Reminds me of the story When the Cathedral Saint Basil’s Cathedral At The Red Square was finished, Ivan the Terrible blinded the architect - Postnik Yakovlev so that he could never build anything so beautiful again
Tip number 1 was spot on!
“Be aware of the world your in and the forces at work in it” 7:01
True in every way.
Enjoying your channel , great tips along the way and some great gear on show.
ron.
My whole system costs about $7000. Not much by audiophile standards but a LOT by normal people standards! So I go to my local record stores and they all have vintage gear usually spinning records on a technics turntable and one day I realize, this set up that probably cost a tenth of mine sounds just as good if not better!
I am 59 years old and in the late 70's you could buy a brand new Marantz receiver with 65 wpc for $580.00 retail, today there are cables that cost that much! TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE IN MY BOOK. I do own brand new gear but it is basically a tier or two above budget. Between that gear and my vintage gear I have plenty to mix and match and definitely enjoy the different sound I can achieve!
I totally get where you're coming from. From decades of upgrading t/tables, i kept only my very most favourites, all DD bar 1 belt drive. I just thought them far too good & far too well engineered to sell for what £'s eBay would fetch me at the time, & compared to new t/tables... (i.e. slabs of glossy painted chipboard with medite or glass platers & a £25 new Impex or Phillip's AC sycronous motor & cheapest of rega sourced arms £139 new [
Well I got some new speakers so my old statement is true anymore. But vintage gear can sound pretty awesome.
Loved this video some really good advice thank you 👍
If you want more (boomy and muddy) bass, put your speakers in the corner. Using boundary gain to achieve more bass is not a method for sound quality. If you want to party, sure, but otherwise forgetaboutit. The best way to get stronger and tighter bass is to make sure your speakers are solid and don't wobble sitting on top of carpet. It's physics. For every action there is an equal reaction. If you are standing on a skateboard and attempt to throw something, an equal force will push you backwards and greatly reduce to force on the object you are pushing forwards. Speakers push bass drivers forwards and an equal force will rock your (wobbly) speakers backwards, dissipating the lost energy into the carpet as heat, rather than SPL. Wobbly speakers can also cause distortion when a double (or multiple) bass slam fights against the opposite movement of the speaker box. The movement might be small, but so to is the movement of the woofer at normal listening levels. It makes a huge difference especially in a basement with concrete floors.
By spiking the speakers through the carpet to the concrete will also mass load the speakers, which also helps to isolate resonance from the box.
I had to edit this comment when he brought out a speaker stand that had wheels (the skateboard affect I was taking about) on it.
Excellent video, thank you!🙋
your right ,you have to live with any change to your setup for a week or two listen to tracks you know well, then a week later change back and then see what you think
It is like cooking a good food.Put the ingredients and herbs you like until you have the perfect stew haha.In my case Yamaha and Nad work so well together.Yamahas clarity and neutrality with NADs richness and sweetness gives me just mind blowing musical experience.
Do you play cd or vinyl more and does it make a difference with your set up?
@@flachi32 Neither.I play FLAC files from my computer.I got Creative Titanium HD sound card.
@@beslemeto fair enough I'm looking for a NAD or Arcam that has, a decent phono stage
Great tips ! if your into vintage hifi
I enjoy your videos very much. Thank you.
Excellent tips. I really enjoy your videos.
Watching again KELVIN🤗👍💚💚💚
Brilliant advice.
Thanks.
1. It's a sales thing 0:48
2. The cables 7:52
3. Tweak things 14:03
4. Mix and match 21:55
5. Getting sucked into the metrics 24:39
Spot on,like your style,subbed!
just enjoy the music agreed☺️
I started at Marantz 2230 in 1977 still is my favorite !
Ok, process is slow, but if reviewed from the 70's it's jaw dropping for the technology in producing components and putting them together and for the materials. Then it would be head spinning for source, digital and in music production. The increments for what gets to your ears are smaller. In 1979 I only had access to rubbish hi fi, now i can access some top quality hi fi....from the seventies, golden age !
Kevin everything you said was spot on!
great advice and channel!!
Thank you
That last comment really hits home, cause I don't know when to stop.... Lol
Yes please, one about turnables.
This is my all-time favourite topic and i would subscribe BUT... there are too many ads by a long way.
Ok I understand what you mean now ...... its incredibly easy to become obsessed with things and you end up going round and round in circles....
Hi Kelvin, you are right, cables do not change hifi sound to a great extent unless you have not taken impedance into account. Rule of thumb (danish way to say it): if your preamplifier has an output impedance of 1,000 Ohms (typical for tube preamplifiers without a buffer in the output), the subsequent power amplifier should have an input impedance of 20,000 Ohms (20K) 1: 20...so you are on the safe side and avoid loss of bass and treble. As an example, Luxman C02 has 100 Ohm in output impedance and no known output amplifier has an input impedance of only 2000 Ohm...from a Luxman C02 you can basically buy fence wire as a connection to the power stage without losing anything in terms of sound....no, just a figure of speech..... buy reasonably good cables and you're ok Rgds Kim
I learned all this more or less the hard way, or I already knew but didn't want to believe at the time.
I so agree with your point about spending an absolute packet on a system, and think that if we had the luxury of going to Hampshire Audio (or whatever your local hifi shop is called) and said do me your nicest combination for £2000 then maybe they would surprise us wityh the makes and combinations we had rejected without hearing. I reacall hearing a B&O system and thinking I had died and gone to heaven, but looks wise it was too off the wall for me. Silly attitude I know, but if B&O had packaged their gear in Sansui clothes then they'd have been on to a real winner.
About the wattage, I recall someone in Hi Fi Answers saying you had to multiply watts rms by ten before you got double the output. Something to do with decibels I think. I know my new Yanaha amp is only marginally louder than my old Yamaha one but the new one is 650 rms total and the last one was 50 rms total. It's bonkers.
Gread advice , thanks.
I was lucky enough to find a Mordaunt Short A 5000 amp a few years back . I bought it without a 2nd thought and boy am I glad I did . To me it sounds superb , like a more rounded and musical Audiolab 8000a .
It turns out its a very rare unit from 1989 of which only a few were made.
Apparently it was a doomed attempt to broaden MS's range with eyes on selling the company to a bigger outfit , it was designed by a top amp designer but proved to be way to expensive to produce and was soon axed .
It's in top condition and cost me £25 !
That sounds interesting and a bargain I’m not aware of there ever being a mordant short Amp
Hi would you please do a review of some Richard Allan speakers cheers Peter.
HiFi Answers used to be good. The letter would say 'I have a Garrard SP25 Mk IV, a Rotel RX152 and a pair of Solavox TK20s. I want to upgrade the turntable to aTechnics direct drive with SME arm and.Shure M75 cartridge' etc etc, and the magazine brainiacs would discuss the merits or otherwise of this idea as though they could hear it! I don't know whether they really knew, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read for somebody like me with champagne tastes and a beer pocket. Fast forward to today and we're so lucky to be able to buy all this lovely stuff second hand via Ebay at seemingly knock down prices, and finally realise a few of those boyhood dreams.
By the way, my first experience of a Sansui Monster like the 9090 quadrophonic backbreaker was in Asda in Chandler's Ford (opened by Noel Edmonds), who in the 1970s had a hifi area with some wonderful gear. They started with real budget stuff like the Rigonda Party Time stereo for £50 (I fancied the little red 4" telly the Russians made mind you, but less so their stereo system) right the way up to cripplingly expensive Sansui stuff that nearly melted me with yearning every time I saw it. The area was darkened and carpeted and looked nothing like an Asda department, and more like an upmarket brothel. They had the monster linked up to four large speakers, make etc unknown, and we lads would go up there when it was playing and whack the volume up very high for a laugh. The 'colleagues' didn't think it was as funny though, and told us it would damage the monster. My god in the red lit relative darkness I used to look at the little illuminated '4 channel' sign on that incredibly lovely display and swoon. When I got home I would connect my Amstrad amp up in a hafler network trying to 'imagine' it was the monster until the poor little thing nearly roasted, then give it a rest for an hour.
This hifi bug is pretty draining in all respects, and you never seem to get over it. Each time you get used to your current system you want to 'upgrade', though that isn't always as easy as parting with more cash.
Yes thanks for sharing your story I don’t know where you’re from back in London in Tottenham Court road opposite Lasky is there was a shop with a basement and he went downstairs into darkened room is like cave where 40 Marantz receivers and tuners were mounted into the walls and glowed blue creating a desire that lasted 40 years
And yes I remember hi-fi answers good thing about it was lots of the tweaks were completely cost free nowadays you have to keep buying funny things everything has to cost some money
K
I dunno. I have a vacuum tube amp that’s 7 amps that sounds, what I’ve always looked for, and a vintage too powerful for my room Pioneer SX-780 that sounds like I remember them, when I couldn’t afford one as a teenager. I’m very happy with what I have, both brand new and vintage, as I always had plenty of vinyl to play.
My first encounters with pop/rock was by listening to long wave radiostation. That is my baseline.
Yessir! Great advice my friend!
Very well put
Hey Kalv , your videos are very addictive , thanks for sharing your knowledge , and after listening 70’s Speakers I agree with you ,
Now question is does 70’s amp better for 70’s speakers? Or new amp will go with em fine , I was blown away when I listen to This 70’s ,bloody wide soundstage and Fun to listen specially 70’s rock music and Classical music it was singing to me
I think old speakers new amp or the other way round it’s a good idea
Probably more old speakers new amp actually
In magazines of the 80s I recall somebody saying that the Japanese hifi buff would have £5000 worth of equipment and one LP. I bet even that was a hifi test record.
It has to be said these days that without the concomitant noise and undulations of a vinyl record hifi sound can be quite a lot better than it was back in the 80s on the same system, and Japanese connoisseurs are able to listen to Spotify.
Any average quality cables wouldn't affect the sound. It is just an electricity.
I agree with your first statement but your second shows ignorance.
I bought b and w 601 s2 what hifi gave them 5 stars when the new b and w came out mine went down to 4 stars and the new ones got 5 lesson learned by me
I know who Calvin reminds me of guys.... Quincy the medical examiner from the coroner's office on TV not only does he look like him but he's a genius as is Quincy ! ❤ this Channel 🎉its like hanging out with a friend 🎉❤
Extremely "dangerous" GOOD information !
One issue to be sure about is just how good are your ears so do a hearing test before you spend crazy sums on HiFi. If you cant hear the difference it might not be worth spending the money. Not sure if its a curse or a blessing to have great hearing but you have to cater to it.