7 speaker Buying Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
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0:00 Start
0:25 Fake Sponsor
1:18 Instant Gratification
3:11 End Game Speaker
5:09 Do Your Research
7:49 Used Towers
10:26 Beware of the Showroom
14:10 Hyped Speaker
16:34 Don't Over Extend Yourself
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Recommended Streamer
WIIM Mini amzn.to/33CL99w
Bluesound Node shop-links.co/cgGiqJ2UFIO
Recommended Speaker List
Around $100 (These prices will fluctuate between $75 - $150)
Sony SSCS5 - Lively amzn.to/3pZNnGk
Pioneer AJ First Gen - Laid Back
Neumi BS5 -Neutral amzn.to/3q0SR3B
Around $200
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Elac Debut b5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/2WPNQxw
Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 (In and Out of Stock) - Laid Back/Bassy/Detailed amzn.to/37W8hPA
JBL Stage A130 - Neutral/Great All Arounder at $179 the best value amzn.to/3t7gOHe
Around $400
Klipsch RP600M - Neutral amzn.to/3pBoXCf (This speaker’s price can fluctuate between $440-630 which is really dumb)
Jamo C93ii Bit - Boosted on Top amzn.to/3beIG6F (Can also be found cheaper at Crutchfield)
Q Acoustics 3030i - Neutral with Punch - amzn.to/2OQkpLo
Around $500
SVS Prime bit.ly/2LozJgF
Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 bit.ly/2ZckoD9
Around $600
Elac Uni-Fi UB5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/3s3srPG
Elac Debut Reference - Buttery but Detailed amzn.to/39bt6WC
Polk Reserve R100 - Neutral
Aperion Novus - Neutral and probably the best desktop speaker one can get $599 bit.ly/2Q1H9rW
Aperion Novus Open Box $449 bit.ly/3us8zGx
Wharfedale Diamonds Lush and Detailed amzn.to/3aBAso0 Come as singles
Recommended Amp List
Under $100
Aiyima A07 - Neutral and Full amzn.to/3g9YLNf
Around $130
SMSL AD18 - DAC/Amp Lively on top but solid tone controls amzn.to/3rVZxkN
SMSL SA300 $140 amzn.to/3u83oLs
Around $250
SMSL DA-9 Balanced Amp amzn.to/34SdbLs
Around $400
Emotiva TA-100 - DAC, Phono Stage, Pre Outs - Balanced and Tasty emotiva.com?aff=9
Vista Audio Spark www.vista-audio.com/products.htm
Recommended DACs
FX D01 amzn.to/3d9GY6U
SMSL SU8s amzn.to/2SWTGiw
Denafrips Ares 2 www.denafrips.com/ares
Subs
Emotiva SE8 emotiva.com?aff=9
Emotiva SE12 emotiva.com?aff=9
SVS SB1000 Pro bit.ly/3scmwsc - Zábava
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I'm always reminded of that guy with the "No Regerts" tattoo when I see the word (Regret).
I love dry humor, So I subscribed.
Many years ago I wanted to purchase a sports car that was $10,000.00, I moved out of my apt. and lived in my VW van for two years until I saved enough. I went to the dealership and test-drove the latest model and as I drove it, I thought about how hard I had worked and the sacrifices that I made to retain that $10,000.00, I left that car lot in my VW van and used that money to put a down payment on a house. Saving cash for something you want gives you a connection to the price of purchase that credit can't.
Wise advice!
Funny how hard work and perspective, the perspective of actually holding the desired object, can kick you in the teeth... No different than women. You lust after a girl, feel the "true" love and then go on that first date... And realize, there are ten other guys glad to be rid of her. ;-)
Amen brother
I don't know how old you are but in the 80s and 90s when I was a young man, WE had no choice but to save up for the things we wanted and that made you appreciate it even more.
Good story.
Having bottled air is great, I used to pass out because my speakers pushed all 'my air' out of the room. The Sith Lab's bottled air is perfect, now I can listen to music all day and not even feel faint! - Actual Consumer!!!!
Sometimes “listening fatigue” from speakers can take more than an hour to incur. So best to review speakers on your own time, in your own environment, with your own source material to build an accurate assessment.
It can also take that long for the non-audiophile air to take over and make you fatigued, as well. Best to keep the hot Sith Audio Air coming.
Agree. It took me along time to find a combination that I can listen to for long periods I settled on Exposure pre/power amps into Vienna Acoustic Mozarts.
"Sometimes “listening fatigue” from speakers can take more than an hour to incur."
I´m so glad i don´t have that problem.
Love this advice, especially the caution about overspending. Don't go broke buying good audio - that's what the Cheap Audio Man is all about!!
Your wife and children should be very proud of you; you are helping a lot of people with those wise and honest advises.
With greeting from the Netherlands.
Lots off good advice there, but! I am old, I have been through $6K speakers, $200 speakers and everything in between. Nowadays I have a very different approach to buying speakers. I pick several of my favorite tracks, not those that sound great, but tracks I respond to emotionally. Tracks that makes me wanna grab my wife and dance, makes me want to get some beers and get drunk, makes me tear up or makes me laugh out loud or relax. I put up the speaker and start playing. If I do not want to dance with my wife, I do not tear up and do not want beer and get drunk: Bad speaker. It might sound crystal clear. I may hear little details and the ambience of the studio, thundering bass and/or smooth accurate treble but I sit there and do not feel what I am supposed to feel. I have a Harman Kardon weird looking Bluetooth speaker with ambient light that makes me wanna dance! So I use it a lot. I also have decent speakers and a sub in my living room that everyone think sounds great including me but I know it's not right. Doesn't put me in the groove. So these days I do not care about price, looks, tech or reviews. I listen to my favorite tracks and after 30 minutes I have a clear yea or nay. I'm a music addict, not an audiophile. My main system these days is amplified by a little Chinese Class D amp with some tubes on it I prefer over my old excellent expensive Cary Audio tube amp simply because it knows how to rock and make Bach sound baroque.
I really like cherapaudioman because he clearly loves music. Many audiophiles I know don't.
I would add: Don't be afraid to return speakers you don't like after a few days/weeks of listening. If you don't like them already, you won't ever like them. return them when you still have a right to. Don't get stuck with a pair of speakers you aren't going to like listening to just because you thought you would "get used" to them over time. I learned this the hard way BTW.
That's a good point - i've been stuck with unpleasant speakers twice because I waited for "break in" that never really happened. Sold both at loss.
@@robertbrenner610 yeah haha dealer will say they need to break in then you’ll be past the return period. House always wins.
Robert, agreed....If you don't like them from the Get Go, yes return them. The type of Amps have a bearing on the sound for sure. I have learned that. I don't buy the use of High Priced Speaker cables - the use of a good grade 14 gauge copper cable should suffice in any BUT very High End systems in thousands of $$$$. I learned this lesson as well....KEF Q350s purchased based on UT reviews sounded very good at first, but now sound Muddy to me even on the same stereo equipment. Too late to send back. I have never tried to Sell Used Speakers (or other stuff for that matter) using the typical e-Bay or Craig's List. Any ideas on how to do it?
@@robertbrenner610 The "break in" thing is a scam.
Be prepared for a open box fee of about 15% though, as a salesman myself you cannot resale the return speakers as brand new therefore you discount them as open box product which can be quite hard to resell unless you offer at least 15% off, it's only fair to the retailer otherwise they would eventually go out of business
Cooling your tube amp with Sith Air is a game changer! A new height in audio fidelity has now been realized! I am now an official Air Head 😊
😂
Superb advice as always from Randy, one thing i will add as a salesman for a hifi retailer for some years now, beware of a salesperson trying to push a certain product on you, remember they are there to make money for the retailer and also commission for themselves in my experience the commission on say a pair of £1000 speakers can be as little as £10 and as much as £50, so , if they sell 3 pairs of certain speakers per week that can mean the difference in commission of £30 compared to £150 and unfortunately some sales staff will revert to all sorts of audio tricks to sell one pair over another, changes in tone control settings, speakers wired out of phase, speakers towed in when their off axis performance has been designed to fire straight ahead ETC ETC ETC
This is a great vid Randy. I can relate so much to speaker buying, new, used, in showrooms, etc. Buying speakers is brutal and thank god for your channel which helps cut through all the BS and gets to the bottom of it.
First of all, the air absolutely needs to be hifi, and hi-rez. But, it must be free range and ethically sourced. Second, showrooms used to be pretty fun years ago. Now the displays are specially crafted to accentuate certain sounds. Bose loves to put their stuff on large resonance cases. You’ll get an idea of the sound speakers can make, without the ability to reproduce it.
Distilled Air
But is it non-GMO?
The Air must be shipped by air, to get the freshest Air...
It is non-GMA.
I prefer my air, GMO free and unva ccinated so there are no nano graphite particles in it and the air DNA stays intact so that I can breath long into my old age..
That's me....the hunt is better than the kill. I love shopping, comparing, and doing the research. Then I usually buy what I first wanted in the first place.
That's my wife shoe shopping, I give her cash, and wait in the pub. lol
I have been following you for some time now Randy and I love your approach and common sense that you bring to the table.
It's almost like Audio Therapy!
Cheers 🇨🇦
I love audiophile air. If you open the bottle and wave it around your room, I understand the sound waves travel over it cleaner and with less distortion. It's very impactful. Like night and day better.
Great video and advice! I've been through several sets and brands of bookshelf speakers from under $100 to several hundred.
I love my Emotiva B1+ but actually love the Neumi BS-5 a bit more! Yes, a $109 speaker that simmers well with my Emotiva TA-100.
Cheers!
I’ve owned everything from JbL, Kef , Revel , Klipsch , Polk , Emotiva , Psa, and a few more and now I own ny favorite of all time and that’s the Focal Chora 806. They are absolutely amazing and the soundstage is incredible
I LOVED my Chora 806,but I just ordered a Pair of Focal 826 on close out sale and am SO EXCITED!!
Randy, this is a really good video. It’s very informative and nails it! Shout out to Sith Audio for ensuring we have audiophile grade air!
I really love the Choras, have the 826s in my home for over a year and 1/2… the sparkle and detail on the mids and highs never gets old to my ears… also I don’t find them fatiguing what so ever. Movies really come to life as well with them!
I missed a pair of used Whatfedale Evo's ... but wanted to complete my budget system ... so I jumped at some Focal Chorus bookshelfs ... and was lucky not to regret, as I allready have some Wharfedale Denton 80th and now enjoy the different kind of ( great ) sound the Focals give me.
Heard LS50 well setup at the store, zero fatigue, it was incredible. Brought them home and fatigue soon after turning them on. Several adjustments later and it's much better, but not as good as the store. I think my room is playing a big role in this.
That is going to be true for most speakers. Very few are going to sound the same as they do in the store.
You have a listen with the same amplifier that you have at home ore from at least from the same brand and from the same period of building. Amplifiers can make a huge difference.
In doubt ask if you here them at home.
Greetings
Ludo
@@1959ludo I was thinking something similar. A Rega Brio-R was at the store, I may try and source one at least for testing. Thanks
Any speaker, some more than others (LS 50 For example) can change their sound dramatically depending on several variables
Most speakers sound great in an open field. The 1 mile speaker cables are a bit pricey tho.
I've fallen prey to a couple of these errors. I'm glad to hear you identify the experiences and clarify my thoughts. I found some speakers that the seller provided lots of graphs and data. Turns out the charts look great, but listening to them in my room the speakers are so 'bright' that they are almost abusive. After a month I put them away and never played them again. I'll take this advice to heart. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds to me that you need to tame your room. Wall hangings might help. Also turn the speakers off axis. Another is your listening position. Stand and listen. Go outside of the room and listen. If these are not towers then moving them up or down can make a huge difference. Speakers are a bitch!
Great information Randy! Also on the don't buy from A/B in show room as I know from insider information that some audio stores sometimes put a little extra sauce in the background and tend to push the speakers that have a larger profit margin and commission. With used speakers or anything used you need to think in the back of your head if it's really that good way are they selling it. Sometimes not always it might not be as good as you hoped either.
Living at high altitude, Sith Audio's Audiophile Air is an essential product when it comes to the sound quality of my system. It breathes life right into every component.
Sith brings Air to all speakers! Always keep Air on hand. I signed up for monthly billing and free delivery! Worth every cc.
Agreed! But does Sith make an audiophile breathing apparatus? I'm concerned that the carbon dioxide and moisture I exhale is damaging my components.
Add some weed smoke it will take care of that.
I remember reading Stereo Review in the 70s and 80s and the reason speakers sound so good in the showroom is because of the sympathetic vibrations of all the other speakers. You get a feeling of depth that isn't real. I remember auditioning speakers at Best Buy and the tone controls on the amps were always turned all the way up. Made them sound like they had great highs and lows.
Should I line my walls with dummy speaker cones?
@@Spearca I wish I had a whole wall of old speakers. I guess sound treatment panels will have to do. LOL
Spot on, since I have been paying attention to your channel and other reviewers and delaying instant gratification, I have made better audio buying decisions. Even if there is a price increase, it’s been better to be sure and save a lot of time, frustration and money buying the wrong product. If 50% off seems great, try 100%. 👍
Got Klipsch Heresy IV two years ago and I love them. My plan is to keep them for a lifetime. I’m not an audiophile but I love music and I’m glad I saved for them. I know they are probably a joke to audiophiles but to me they are awesome.
They are amazing because they sound full at low volumes and can get so loud and not distort.
@@clonesteak yep I sometimes listen to them at night when everyone is asleep and I can hear everything at low volume without bothering anyone.
Hey Randy, I got the same container (from Amazon) that holds my Oatmeal! Love the channel and informative vlogs. Learned so much from a light hearted way you present them.
Cheers, Chris
Remember it is not the container but what is contained, that matters. I am sure you oatmeal is not audiophile grade.
@@davdidit6 unfortunately, it’s not. It’s considered entry level at best 🍻
That's some very valuable, practical advice, Randy. The temptation to buy heavy, expensive speakers based on reviews and hype is very real. Two additional suggestions if you're in an unhappy relationship with an overweight tower speaker: (1) is for those who already have an AV receiver with a good room correction and haven't yet tested their speakers through that system. Run and test it in a 2ch configuration (2) for those who don't have that option: look up several frequency response curve graphs of your speakers only and try to equalize the source signal to compensate for the known problem areas. You can use a free equalizer app for your phone or easily some software on your PC, streaming into your system. Pretty straight forward. It's likely not going to fix a lack of soundstage or bigger problems in your room-speaker interaction but if your dislike of the speaker is likely related to its response curve in your room, you might be amazed what equalizing can do if you take a bit of time to play around with that.
Man, what a terrific video. Every piece of advice here is spot on because your approach always considers multiple perspectives and/or multiple products.
And I’m cracking up because for some reason I literally just watched your first ever video in which you were wearing this same shirt.
Full circle
Love going to my dealer. I take my own music, chat to the dealer to check what I need to listen for before he goes off and makes coffee. Check the speakers, drink the coffee, swap speakers and listen again. Spend a morning or afternoon listening. The dealer has three rooms, small, medium and huge. I usually get to listen to some stupidly expensive gear in the huge room once I've finished my listening. The gear he stocks starts quite high up the the CAM range, but I got my Bluesound Node and a pair of Focal Chora 806's, so he can cater for people just stepping up from a Sonos or Bose - he also has £250,000 YG speakers - so you pay your money and you take your choice..
Good advice.
Years of experience have taught me to ask myself what exactly am I hearing when listening to the sparkly stuff.
Fact: Tower speakers are a major commitment, unless you're willing to take a bath when you resell them.
I've tried powered conditioned air (from sith audio)and while it was a little bit pricey it was worth every penny.
SPC Air may be pricy, but it makes any decor look better. And anything that looks better ALWAYS sounds MUCH better!
I understand it’s the oxygen extracted from the oxygen free copper wire process.
It's great especially with the Deionized Particulator add-on
I'm 63. I've had my current speakers since 2003. My next set may not be end game speakers but they'll likely be my end of life speakers. Possibly something from the Klipsch Heritage line like the Forte 4.
Great choice, the forte is an amazing speaker
Enjoy your remaining years
Thanks Randy for this video. Right on the dot, at least in my opinion.
I've made a mistake of purchasing Triangle Borea BR03s - liked them in a showroom connected to a BS Powernode. I guess I succumbed to the hype as well. And the price was right, as well :)
But, connected to my Atoll IN100 amp, in my room, they don't sound good. The combination is pretty sharp and forward-sounding.
On the other hand, it is very tough to try the gear at home in the countries where things like Amazon and their return policy do not exist. As well, it is hard in many places to get the gear to your home for a try.
So, unfortunately, it's gonna be trial-and-error for majority of us living outside US/UK/EU
Randy, some very good advice. We got really serious about our finances 10ish years ago. We worked hard and got completely out of debt. Now I save up to buy what I want. It’s really hard sometimes, especially now that I’ve gotten back into hi-if & home theater. In t he long run it is very worth it because it saves you from making knee jerk purchases 🤔
Trusted reviewers are critical. You listen to the same music I do. I took a chance and bought Jamo C93s based on your review. The review notes you made matched my experience with those speakers. Then I took your recommendation on an SMSL DA9. Your notes were spot on. So now you’ve got my trust and I will take your recommendations.
You are 100% correct on the showroom experience. Even though my local hi fi shop had an awesome sales rep who told me to call him when done, the space was nothing like my house. It was so irrelevant.
Years ago I auditioned a pair of Revel towers, I forgot the model, and they were powered by high end McIntosh. I sat there, listened to "my music" for quite a while and I did not like them. Expensive, yes, but that wasn't the issue and so I left. I went to another store listened to the GoldenEar Triton 7 and I was sold in 5 minutes and I also bought the center and surrounds. I still have them and I love them to death.
Yes folks, if you have the chance, go listen to speakers and don't be too worried about the sale person's time, he/she's there to sell and it is YOUR money after all, so don't be shy.
LOL literally terrible advice. The way a speaker sounds in a show room is not at all what it will sound like in your listening room in your home. You need to watch the video again, Francesco.
@@ec6843 Sorry to disagree with you, listening in a showroom is far better than buying based on reviews. I liked the GoldenEar in the showroom and in my room as well to this day with no intention for an upgrade any time soon. Sorry EC, but I stick to what I wrote and I will continue to listen to speakers any chance I have before spending my money.
Cheapaudioman, your comments are on point. I have a variety of bookshelf Speakers being used in a Finished basement listening room, all purchased based on You Tube reviews (yours included).. Regarding Tower Speakers, in 1987 I purchased a pair of KEF 104/2s and a NAD 1300 Preamp, a NAD 2600 AMP and a Dula CS 5000 TT. Purchased in a Higher end SDtereo HiFi store locally by me. I listened to competitive speakers of the day (Polk, Kiplisch, JBL, and more), never heard of KEF , but they sounded outstanding to me in their Sound Room - they used the NAD equipment for the speaker test. Brought them room, hooked them upo with Monster Cable, and they sounded Outstanding - no EQs , no SWs, just pure unaltered sound. Clear, crisp, excellent Mid ranges, non rumbling Bass and clarity for the high end. After adding a Onkyo CD player - blew me away !!. All that equipment is still in my LR, playing beautifully. I added a BT Receiver to be able to stream music form my Phone and that acheieves total satisfaction. THX for the Viseo and your time to produce it.
Recently found your channel and have gone through quite a few videos and want to say thank you!
I have recently established stable living and have been yearning to use my dads vinyl and me and my brothers CDs but wanted to get good quality that will last, while filling a need for older and newer audio inputs/outputs. Finished my journey by finding Klipsch Five's on the secondary market and connected our old PS1 as the CD player haha I appreciate your thoroughness and saving so much time, being reminded of audio systems, and learning new things along the way. I will definitely be looking at your Patreon.
Great advice for buying expensive stuff in general. Several points have parallels when shopping for mountain bikes.
Thanks for the fresh "air" on the subject. All my life I have heard so much audio pile BS. From splices in speaker cable being audible to how I have to spend hundreds on RCA cables to hear the subtle nuances of the music. Thanks for the honesty and thought on the subject.
Excellent, down-to-earth advice, as always! Many thanks.
i purchased an audiophile rug yesterday and my system actually sounds better...
Randy, great video. Definitely do more like this one every so often. Love your stuff BTW. Been following you since near the beginning of the channel.
Dude, thanks so much for your videos. Not only is the quality up there, but you also are entertaining as heck to listen to!
Also, I think I've grown some sort of addiction for your intros and sponsor commercials, tbh
The money advice is all important! I gotta give up the little luxuries so I can pay off the bills and then save up the HIFi luxuries.
Thanks CAM!!
All the very best to you and yours.
This video was super helpful to someone that is woefully indecisive and gets caught up in the hype and research circles. Unfortunately that often means chasing my own tail a lot. Would you consider doing a video for those that are still figuring out what their preferences in audio presentation are?
Funny to watch this. I wanted Focal Sopras 3, but $$
So I bought Focal Aria 948, fit my budget way better.
3 months later, I have Sopra 3 😬
I added Sith air to my Kef ls50s. I now have found my end game speakers. I know because all the CZcamsrs told me. What a great deal!
My wife was laughing so hard watching this video and saying to me that Randy is painting a picture of you!.. She thought it was one of your best videos ever!
Excellent advice!
Some of the best advice I have ever heard from a hifi guru! Kudos! Words of wisdom.
Great advise 👍I've also delt with many of these mistakes Randy is 100% correct.
I've loved this channel since the day I discovered it, but the moment I knew that was the right decision was the moment in this video when Randy pointed out that most of us can't audition most things before buying. I get so sick and tired of people saying "You've gotta go to the showroom and listen before you buy" like it was still 1977. And yes, going out to eat is really, really, **really** stupid.
Hi Randy. In 1984 i was looking to buy a new set of speakers to replace the ones i was using. They were Telefunken L645 HI FI Speakers that i bought in1968 because they sounded like the Quad Electrostatics at that time. I was not sure what brand i was going to buy so i was determined to hear as many speakers at the Hi Fi showrooms in Sydney. It did not take me long to find the best speakers i have ever heard. They were Rogers Studio 1 Loudspeakers They cost me $1600 AUD a pair. I used them for 28 years.
Randy, this video was a breath of fresh Sith air! When Sith Audio goes public with their stock, I want to purchase shairs! What's the sensitivity rating and distortion numbers for their audiophile grade air? Will I save money by buying in bulk? Will my home A/C affect the performance of the Sith Audio air? Should I use room treatments to maximize the guilty of the air? These are some of the questions I need to ask before investing in a new over - inflated product.
That container looked very premium. they will apparently release a entry level version in a paper bag. The way you deploy it: pop it when the drummer hits a snare! At least that's what I heared
Comming soon from Sith Air: a mid-tier 3-way seared plastic bag available in bulk packages!
The great thing about living up north is that our air gets free cryo treatment for half the year.
Ooooo, Cool Air.... Are you listening Sith?
I’m really impressed with this one 😌 This is one video of its kind ! Kudos!!
Thanks for good advice…it applies to a lot of purchases…cars, houses …
Air...
I just love to listen to me some Cheap Audio Man!! Just soothes and relaxes my audiophile craved senses
You are the voice CZcams has been missing. Thank you Randy.
Hey Randy, Right on with your first comment. After using speakers for a while some of our music loving brains began to LISTEN to (not just hear) the music. Then when they listen to a better musical experience they’re tempted to upgrade.
Switching out speakers for a different sound is fun to me and helps me appreciate each pair of speakers for their sound.
This is why I don't understand the whole "endgame" thing. Why limit yourself?
@@spamcan9208 exactly.
@@spamcan9208 I'm at that stage because I spent 1700€ on a pair of bookshelf speakers to replace the Klispch RP600M which I loathed using. It was just an angry purchase. But hey! I'm pretty happy with it.
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q I just bought a second hand pair of mint Mission 782 speakers in beech which now I have modded them slightly by blocking the reflex port with rolled up socks 👍... Now sound pretty dam good... All for £110 😃
Plus if I don't like them... Sell them again...
@@johnshore3095 Yeah! Patience is a virtue when shopping for Hi-Fi. They are many good deals in the used market. I was hate buying.
A good option when buying speakers is to take advantage of vendors such as Crutchfield and Music Direct that offer in home trials. If you don’t like the sound, simply return them. An extended audition in your own space is the optimal scenario, imho.
Absolutely. With Crutchfield I was able to return some 70lb tower speakers for FREE. If they ship UPS Freight, the return trip doesn't cost $75, it's just free!
I am beyond relieved I was able to ship them back and only be on the hook for the $12 return of the amp . They have been great so far and with 60 day trials I can really take my time to see if it fits and if actually like it. ☺
So much great advice Randy! Thanks 😊
Thank you Randy, very useful session as I listen to my Focal 706s :)
I drank the cool aid and went full on Zero Fidelity’s Triangle and Iota VX recommendations....and I love it. It works very well across all musical styles. No complaints whatsoever.
The to da guy. Try to the. Can't stand his way of talking.
I think there are "endgames" within a brand especially in speakers.... for example a started with klipsch rp600m and realized i didn't love them with most music.... moved onto used kef r300 and fell in love they just didn't play loud enough , so moved onto their floor standers the R500..... and just played the waiting game for the reference 5 to come up at the right price. Finally got them 2 weeks ago :)
What kinds of music do you listen to?
The "end game speaker" part is really true. I just recently bought a bookshelf speaker as an upgrade to my PC speakers and was actually disappointed about what I bought. I was given the recommendation and I went to youtube and online reviews to check it out. I was fully conviced that it can be great for me, but when I received it, i was disappointed since I'm looking for a different sound signature. But, I guess I have to cleanse my pallet and try this out. 🙂
Thank you Randy for this honest video, you're almost reading my mind.
I admire many of you who can return purchases you don’t like. Here in Singapore, we can only return if an item is faulty on arrival. In some cases, sellers won’t take the return but refer us to authorized service centers instead. So, if I buy an item and didn’t like it, I can only sell it as used and take a loss.
Love today's sponsor. 😅
Thanks for this episode - great and realistic advice.
Great truths spoken. Excellent video. I've done all that in thee last forty years...and sometimes still do.
YO Fletch! My main man! hows mike? Good to see you!
I've heard many great systems and had a few in my 72 years. At this stage I've quit stressing and enjoying my elac unifi ub52 2.0s with a good amp and zen phono and vintage technics tt. My room will never be acoustically sound so I'm gonna be spinning all my records sitting 8 feet away and smiling. I took your advice early on and got no regrets Randy.
An old friend gave some advice on buying speakers:
1. Don't listen to your own system for a few days after listening to the store speakers (my system really sucked at the time).
2. Do an A versus B test. Go back and forth between your top choice and the next speaker you want to compare it to. Don't do an A, then B, then C, then D... etc.
3. Always bring music you normally listen to and from different genres. It can be on a flash drive, burned cd, cassette tape... whatever your normal listening format is. That way you also know what the music really sounds like.
4. Be willing to walk away without the speaker. Either to take more time to think about it or because it's not quite what you were looking for.
He also told me that if I have to ask the price, I couldn't afford it. Pretty much true for the places he shopped at because it was definitely out of my price range.
This might actually be the best video you’ve ever done, Randy! Some great words of wisdom here😉. ☕️👨🏻
Shout out to Sith Audio's Audiophile Air. I live on a mountain where the air is thin and the sound waves don't propagate well. Listening to music is like having the volume always on low. At least the kid's screams are also muffled. Anyway, thanks to Audiophile Air I can listen to music clearly again - just pour some into the ports before listening sessions and it's like I live by the beach, listening to the Beachboys. Didn't realise until now they sing in falsetto.
Excellent words of wisdom. Unfortunately, the negative traits referred to here definitely apply to me.
Thank you mr. cheapaudioman for your advise.
In 1983 I bought some speakers that I heard at a friends house. They were Acoustic Control Corp 636 from Van Nuys California they sounded fantastic. So I asked where he bought them and the next day at Fred’s Sound of Music in Portland I bought those speakers $500 a side and the Harmon Kardon Amp turntable set up he had and still enjoy them today they have been completely refurbed to new condition. Now with Emotiva power I guess you would say those are pretty much end all speakers!
I m in New Zealand, i have always been into hifi, since i was 12. My first hifi, was locally made, PYE Prolab 70. 1978 vintage. Up graded after a few years, new japanese amp Nikko. EV interface speakers. They were great, but got stolen during a move. Ended up with a NAD pre power combo. Now my system is a T+A Cala, running Castle Knight 4's. The imaging and separation of the instruments are great. The speakers were 2nd hand. I love this set up.
How is the air quality there as far as audio quality? Since you are the other side of the globe do you plug in your RCA connectors the other way around? I am just a dumb American and was curious.😉🙃😂🤦🏼♂️
You make the best videos! Would be awesome if you did computer videos, but am grateful that I found you for audio!!! Many Thanks!
Hello Randy
I don't think you realize how good this video is. Truly outstanding. Love the second comment especially. So true.
Excellent film! Thank You!
Guilty as charged of buying tower speakers blind. But I wanted a pair of ELAC speakers, and the towers and their design made the most sense. Thankfully, after tweaking the room to fix bass issues, they have worked out pretty well.
Best advice - stop eating so much food out, then you can afford more audio equipment. My life ebbs and flows based on this concept.
But I am a horrible cook….and single
Focal chorus 816wse and monitor audio silver 50s are my go to at the moment love both never bought new always buy well looked after used for a fraction of the price that way you get better cheap
I really like your channel a lot not just for your reviews but specially because of your place right in between the strict flat response "as the artist intended" guy and the guy who buys a car sub and hooks it up in his living room in a cardboard box just to get all the bass guy. Plus your taste in music is more in line with what i listen to. Honesty is a big one as well. Keep going.... 👍
Because of the lack of carbon in the air, it like an organic sound :)
It was nice to hear you mention a ADS speakers. I have a pair of L880 that I’ve had for 35 years I love still love . I’ve seen some for as low as 350 bucks used, a great deal
“Sith audio air” 😂. Literally thought of that just before listening to this episode. Brilliant Randy
I just about forgot about buying speakers out of a white van in a parking lot, age ~ 25. :)
Seemed like a deal.. kind of muddy lackluster sound.
Took several years of going around listening, with my familiar music, to finally audition some stereophile class A Triangle Celius 202’s.
(Solo piano, Male and female voices, + favorite genre are useful for comparing. Getting a piano to sound “right” is a challenge.
Over time I could learn to listen for the impact of different components in the chain.)
These were very good for the time, got center & surrounds and a NAD receiver.
The best speakers I’ve heard are probably the Ambiance out of Australia.
I passed a number of times on speakers that were pretty good.
I do have a little pair of gen one Paradigm Atoms in my garage system that surprise me at times :)
Fun!
I love the new into/outro music. It reminds me of Headbangers Ball / S.O.D.
One other important thing, regardless if you buy something from a brick and mortar establishment, or on line, make sure to check the return policy fine print. Some offer what looks like an extended return policy, but sometimes within that return policy, there may be a restocking fee. If you purchase something, say for $1000.00, and after you try it out on your own system and you don't like it, you could be looking at a 10% to 20% restocking fee of $100.00 to $200.00, plus return shipping if bought on line to return it.
You can't be right all the time. But you've never steered me wrong. Rock on Randy! 🤘
Smaller hi-fi stores are usually run by enthusiasts, so you can trust them with advice... in this way you avoid missed purchases.
Great advice, especially the listening in person comments.
Really useful guidance.
Thanks
Great vid as usual man!
Excellent video Randy, thank you! - Yup, I identified with all your points. Done them all myself. Probably will continue to make the same mistakes again and again... But at least I don't feel so alone or stupid anymore. :) - My current "end-game speakers" are the original Elac UniFi UF5 towers with a Marantz Model 30 integrated amplifier. Added Dirac room correction and oh man, can't imagine ever wanting anything more..... Ooh, but I will, lol.