Definitely. And get a lot of pleasure. I bought a pair of Wharfedale Glendale XP2 3-way speakers recently for just £25. Some of the nicest speakers I've ever owned and I've had the lot since the 60s.
I bought my speakers about 15 years ago and gave them a full refurb ten years ago (rewire and new drive units). The speakers cost me £280 on Ebay and the upgrade a further £550. In 1962 they sold for £113-10shillings. Recently reintroduced the current version goes for over seven grand. I have a pair of Lowther Acousta 115s, with silver coiled DX3 drivers. I'd describe them as unflatteringly transparent - people love or hate these things (Marmite speakers) obviously, I love em.
@@davidthom7127 "If your main point is saving money. That's true. Should that be your main point?" It doesn't matter what you spend if you enjoy the music. I'm a techie, music lover and failed musician. I always start a session listening to the gear but get drawn into the music very quickly. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Sadly, it's become a lot more BLING /Jewelry / bragging rights than the true pursuit of great sound.... $250K speakers and amps seems a bit excessive.. Think of how much good one can do to THOUSANDS of people with that kind of money vs just impacting yourself.... But that's me....
That is why you always have to listen yourself instead of reading reviews of self aclaimed experts. Lots of overexpensive speakers using the same of the shelf units
I seen BnO getting a kicking on an online Klipsch community I even joined to have my say . A lot of people who have it in fir BnO ain’t even heard the gear
Just to put this out there, most modern speaker amps have a separate op amp driven headphone section, rather than being tapped off the main amplifier, unfortunately
Yes, indeed! Some vintage amps too, sadly, and having a direct feed from the main circuit really makes a massive difference with less efficient headphones.
@@thisisnev It's a mixed bag and depends on headphone spec as said above. I have 32ohm hp's and use two 4556 opamps in parallel in my preamp. They can output a lot of current and sound great. Headphone's with low impedance or sensitivity need a proper dedicated amp... vintage power amps with headphone outs usually have a simple resistor divider to match impedance and not melt your headphones:)
I have three systems. One is an old Pioneer SX-780 receiver, another is a small vacuum tube amp, and the third is for the tv, a home stereo receiver. Kudos and respect to those who can afford high priced, high end gear, but I like mine just fine.
Your years of experience have certaily gone into this video. I myself reached a level of mid-fi that seemed to do the job and spent more money collecting records. Did buy some lovely transmission line speakers to kid myself it was high end! Thank you for your Sunday afternoon broadcasts.
@nicktoft6308 Agreed! I too am a "mid-Fi" guy. Dropped $5000 on Amp, Speakers, TT, and CD player. (No streaming for me.) I guess I got very fortunate and my system has what I'd describe as synergy. All the pieces come together beautifully! My big bargain was buying the owner of our only brick and mortar stereo shop's speakers. He sold his virtually new Tannoy Revolution XT-8F towers for $1800 for $2600 speakers. A bargain and had to accept they were gloss white finish. I don't care! White goes with everything. No big deal but those speakers love their Amp - happily married.
@@zizendorf I probably have a smaller listening room than you, so my XT6F speakers are working fine for me in my room. Took me a while to adjust to their sound after being used to my Kralk Audio TDB 6 speakers. Love their sound no though. Best wishes and happy listening from Scotland.
@@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox Thanks Yeah, my room is 6.5 X 4 meters and the size is just right! My amp loves them, they love my amp, and I love them both. The Amp is a Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Class D - Hybrid -tube/integrated with a great built-in phono stage. The warmth of the tubes is just right with the Tannoy's and I have some amazing interconnects from my CD player to the amp. Perfect blend...
Kelvin always a interesting channel and discussion. The biggest factor of all is....... Your ears!!! As i get older i cannot have the hearing i had at 20. Regardless of how much you spend or how good the hype - the weakest link inevitably is the "end-user' & time....
It would be very interesting to have you talking us through a few good matches in your own collection, from A to Z that is, cable matching included. What I would also love to watch is a complete tour of your collection; all the stuff. Take ur time.😄
I’ve got two systems - one at home and one in my studio and both are mostly vintage with modern turntables. They sound amazing. Both under 3k each. In my studio a guy up the corridor has a 25k setup and honestly it’s to harsh. With audiophiles refusing to use bass or treble or loudness options (or totally missing from amp) on modern amps it often sounds like shit. My addiction is buying records but for me this hobby is all about the music so happy with that focus. As mentioned, the speaker placement and the room’s acoustics make a huge difference in sound. Not to open up a rabbit hole - cables for me also make a difference. Saying that the more expensive cables seem to my ears just add to much high end.
Another great video. You sound like you have no skin in the game, an honest & experienced opinion. I couldn’t agree more. 30+ years ago I worked in Bill Hutchison HiFi Glasgow. I heard loads of BS when working there, my favourite was “Aural spaciousness”. People would come in with What HiFi magazine and point out the latest winner. My answer was always the same, come in with your own LP, CD or tape and I’d let them listen to various connotations of gear. Not once did they walk out with the magazines appointed gear + I usually saved them some money. 1 thing to remember is that what I consider to fantastic may not sound good to you, everyone hears differently, rooms sound different. I have a 10k set up in my living room but I still prefer my old A400 with a PD9700 and Bose Acoustimass + streaming with a cheap Node 2i in my bedroom. I’ve had this gear for well over 30 years. The amps been fixed 4 times now but the CD player and Bose have never failed. Don’t get hung up on the pomposity of HiFi snobbery. Like the man said, start with a good amp (using your existing gear) and slowly over time build onto it. Good luck and have fun! Fun is what good HiFi should be about.
You have to ask yourself if you prefer listening to music or to equipment. I listen to music on £11 JVC IEMs and a smartphone and I get so much pleasure from that.
I have never heard speakers that sound good for all my music, it just depends on what I want, when deep bass is fantastic I can't focus on the mids as good, if the mids are sounding great I want the bass down so I enjoy the mids, in the end what's important is choose a good enough system for you and then enjoy the music rather than the equipment, good enough is alright, best does not exist
@mwizachavura8399 Strongly disagree! If your system can’t replicate the tones of every instrument in an orchestra and also do a great job with a piano, as jazz ensemble and vocalists from Pop to Opera, you don’t understand. LOL
@@zizendorf 😂🤣 alright, maybe I don't know what to listen for, I'm just a sound minimalist, if I can hear good deep bass and I can follow the song I'm good to dance 😂
@@mwizachavura8399 Not for me to say or judge what you want to listen to. I just shared my perspective that a 1000 hz note from a guitar, a trombone, a cello, an electric bass is still 1000hz. A good resolving and revealing system that reproduces dynamics with detail will be good for all musical genre's. Just my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it. You're good!
A decent amp and good speakers should have an all around good sound where everything is blending in fairly equally so nothing is standing out so much as to bother you
Good video Kelvin. Some people doubt whether there really is a higher performance level. And some of them are suspicious enough to think the hogher priced stuff is snake oil. When buying used amps, on the internet, you often get ones which are staticy sounding when you turn the knobs. One of them, an older vintage integrated, always had static and the one channel would go out and then come on again, when you jiggled the knobs. After using it for about 5 months on a regular basis, it just stopped doing it; like it fixed itself.
I tried some deoxydizing sprays but they dodn't solve the static. On one of the amps when I removed the top, cover, there was a big round circular transformer inside. On the round tranformer's surface, someone made 2 eyes and a smile in the dust with their finger.
I can't help but love this guy He's actually a genius and has gotten me to dwell into my most intimate and deeply passionate hobby which I somehow forgotten about due to energy vampires like Family and friends and the robotic society I can't thank this little wizard of a man enough for awakening the beauty of the Soul
I have 3 amps 3 sets of speakers and a sub woofer that is only connected to one set of speakers they all sound different I would rather have this set up rather than one expensive system
We should also not forget that one of the biggest effects on the sound in a hifi system, if not the biggest, is the recording, most of which are pretty bad.
Is it all worth it? Yeah, course it is. It is fun and playing around with gear is why we watch channels like yours, Kelvin. If you want a decent/safe sounding system to plug in and forget on the shelf then get an old Quad. It’ll play for years and gather dust. It won’t ever set the world alight though. You have to search for that and that is where the fun/hobby is. Totally agree that to find true satisfaction you have to spend a bit. Cheers
Start with the speaker and then room interaction. Then match the amp to create the sound you want. More expensive doesn't mean its better. Make sure the foundations of your system and right.
After being now 5 years in this hobby/passion I do agree with you, Speakers first, then look which amp is fiiting in a well synergy to it. of course the remaning devices must be have a solid base..
It also depends on the combination. My full range electrostats need a good and stable amp. I build my amp myself more than 25 years ago and it still is very very good. You can only judge an amp when driving speakers, specially when those speakers are a difficult load
I chased equipment for many years, and then realized that speaker placement had a bigger effect than all of that other stuff I was doing. Live and learn.
To save precious money one can go for secondhand oldschool treasures that are out 'fashion or style'. Like u say "the middle ground" of modern hifi is a big pile of the same that doesn't bring nearly any progress sound wise. Or go the DIY route;-)
He’s right. Following my first entry level system, I jumped up to around £600 on a NAD amp, and £600 on B&W speakers from Sevenoaks. Hugely disappointed for many years, and parked the “hobby”…. Only just recently invested in a complete new system at around £8k. And OMG, what a difference!!
@@stereoreviewx sure - back in 1998 I upgraded my first very modest hifi system (which was Mission 731 SE speakers, Cambridge Audio CD4 & a budget Sony AVR I bought from Dixons - I loved the sound, and still do as I’ve kept all three) to B&W DM 603 S2 speakers (£600), a Denon AVR amp (costing around £600) and a pioneer DVD player (brand new tech at the time) doubling up as CD player. I never felt it was the “upgrade” Sevenoaks said it would be… 15 years later, I purchased a two channel NAD C356BEE amp at £600, to accompany a NAD turntable at £250 (again from Sevenoaks) but still using the B&W DM 603 S2 Speakers…… and again, disappointed!! Ten years later we’re in Lockdown, various interests developed on CZcams, plus I had the time to sit and listen to music… Watching many hifi review channels, I upgraded the turntable to a REGA P6 with ania MC Cartridge, speakers to new Mission 770s (as I loved my first Missions) and Musical Fidelity MS6i amp - Literally, OMG how many years have I wasted listening to rubbish equipment. And thanks to you, I purchased a vintage Sansui 551. Plus a vintage pioneer PL-117D turntable, and new Klipsch RP600M speakers as a second system. It’s a much better system than the Sevenoaks rubbish I bought (I was actually running this system prior to my big upgrade)… I bet you wish you never asked now 😊
Spot on...perfect video subject...you are so real...people have to start liking your channel more and more because you tell things the way it is and people will understand you, like me...I can relate to every word you said!🎶
I have a Sansui AU555a in my main room and Sansui AU 222 in my bedroom. Love the sound coming from the amps. Clean and warm sound. I change my speakers a lot, but the amps are keepers. I am a Mid-Fi guy on a budget......
If you're buying your first system & lucky enough to know a good dealer, that's where you should begin. A dedicated dealer can start you off with an amplifier, speakers, CD player & cables. Dealer's know what sounds good together & it's money very well spent. If you're skint or avoid this route, it's a minefield of buying & selling but it's all good. 😊
Having watched your videos over the last week and thoroughly enjoyed your advice, especially about it being about what makes the music get you in the gut, I have an idea. As no one speaker can do everything, then perhaps choose a pair which handles mid and high range vocal brilliantly and ones that are more bass sensitive then set them both up on an amp with 2 channels then you can switch between (or have both on).
Agree 100%, so many people trust blindly those equipment reviews and even worst certain YTer (not thinking about themself!). Also this annoying re-phrase *you need room treatment first*, wrong!! Get FIRST good electronic and AMPs the can handle several speakers and NOT the way around.Also don't get yourself fooled that Vinyl is better than digital, WRONG, it is by far eqal!! I've spent some time and money on my main and 2nd system and sometimes I was so wrong, but now I'm happy (I've uploaded my room tour in my YT profile). THANKS A LOT, KEEP GOING, LOVE IT!
Kef LS50 are the darling of the Audi press , what HIFI get a bone on over em . Kelvin a while ago reviewed them against vintage Bang and Olufsen speakers and a couple of other brands may have been Rogers and someone else . He said the vintage speakers blew the Kef away!!!!!
800 was about the price of my Yamaha integrated in 2021 and really surpised how good it has been. 145 watts into 8 Ohms and extremly reliable. Swiss knife for all my needs and comes with a remote. I doubt very much it can handle some expensive ProAc or ATC? It's so hard to get a demo these days so I shall continue to buy and sell second hand loudspeakers. Had a pair of PMC TB1 for a couple of months. Very bright, nice bass and passed them on. About to try a pair of LINN Kan. Cheers everyone.
Use headphones. LOL and behind you is a Meridian 101 pre-amp without a headphone socket. Oddly enough the output is the right level for some headphones so Meridian made me a DIN to 1/4" headphone socket to plug in instead of the power amp or active speakers for my AKG K240 headphones. They also updated the silver cable to a solid core twisted pair of wires and extra long cables. Going active also reduced the number of components to compare. The 101b/M1 with Linn LP12 was 50% of my annual salary back in 1981. Still have it today, 43 years later with some service and parts upgraded, cartridge replaced. The dealer invited me to bring in my equipment and set it along side their choices to compare. In going from moving magnet to moving coil meant I couldn't just swap out the turntable with my old amplifier and speakers. What I had was in fact very good choices but not the best together. A more power amp for my speakers or more sensitive speakers for my amp would have been better for similar money.
Thanks for the video. This really hits the spot. I'm exactly in this situation where I spent a lot of $ on speakers and have been buying some different gear and I'm finding myself disappointed by each new piece I buy. I haven't borrowed gear and tried it out in my space, but that seems like a very good idea before i buy something after reading reading a positive review or something. Anyway, Thanks again. Very helpful.
You could use very expensive silver wire or battery as a power supply, have the very best speakers etc and have a great experience? In the past i used to listen to Radio Luxembourg on a poor medium wave transistor radio under the pillow at night with the signal waving in and out with lot's of fade and have a great experience?
"In the past i used to listen to Radio Luxembourg on a poor medium wave transistor radio under the pillow at night" Me too. Takes me right back to boarding school in the early 70s (radios were verboten in the dorm).
On the net there is a blindtest with small atc 2way speakers and a cheap system compared to a high end system....most could not tell which they prefer and those choosing the expensif system were not more then those prefering the cheap Cheap was cheap cables, cheap Sony CD player, cheap Behringer studio amp , The expensif was expensif 3000 euro french amp, teact vrds cd, high end cables and expensif furniture So the only common was the small atc 2 way....and having 50 years audio experience and second hand audioshop in Brussels , so could compare lots, and I agree there is a lot of' snake oil'.....but yes clipping distortion. Is very easy to discern...so that's why I go for high efficient systems
I don't bother with much except speakers, and a little bit of room. Wire with gain amplifiers suit my needs; flavouring could work for some people i guess. It also means i don't have 5x the gear because cd players, turntables, most amplifiers etc are only passing interest or if it was a great deal. (Mostly used too)
Today with class D power amps (Hypex, Purifi, Icepower) you can get a very good amp voor not thousands of pounds (but you can also spend much more). You can build the rest of your system around them to taste. For speakers look at the used market because there is some great value to be had. Just be patient and not too skimpy. You can always replace crossover parts for better ones to up the game. Cheap upgrades are decent power cables, even cheap Chinese ones get rid of a lot of sibilance. I think they act as a filter for unwanted electro magnetic pollution that does something to the upper harmonics.
I got LS50 mk1 blacks when the metas came out... Pretty good speakers for £400.. and still worth that or more.. effectively depreciation Free-Fi if bought correctly. Nearfield on my desk the LS50s sound excellent.
Nice to have people like you now! Early on I bought a Pioneer SX-850. Gets used the least. Low expectation stuff Sansui 221, Superscope 1240, Sanyo Plus 35, Fisher Futura 202. All more enjoyable and cheaper!
My fave in my room is a Marantz 2245 paired with ADS L620 speakers. Then again my Marantz PM8004 with Snell E2's and my Sansui 881 with large Advents is no slug either.
Firstly, Kelvin I love to watch your channel, you are a wealth of knowledge! Now about those who may be perceived as spending too much on HiFi. Folks, since the year dot "Boys like their Toys" and to those who say go & spend it on other things (home, kids, spouses, holidays etc etc) Well all good if that's what you want. I don't see too much difference between other big boy's toy's. I mean when I look back on my life with spending more & more in the pursuit of "BETTER" with Motocross, vintage bikes, classic cars, cars in general, Golf, cycling PHEW! well REALLY? I reckon having fun tinkering with audio is quite a mild hobby! Some like spending heaps on smoking or drinking. So really is this such a bad thing as long as it's one's own money & your not putting yourself or your family in debt. At least your home playing with your hobby! and not down the pub. So my vote goes to folk's just having FUN. Are there really that many people feeling stressed about trying to get a better sound? well maybe a few I would guess, but holy crap I used to see a lot doing it with other sports/hobbies! at the end of the day YES, we are only on this planet for a short time....go and have FUN
Hi Kelvin, you forgot to mention the most effective upgrade that will vastly improve the sound of any system. Making this upgrade will let you know that your system can sound far better than you ever thought it could. The upgrade is called extensive acoustic room treatment. For my listening room I built 20 deep porous broadband traps and 24 tuned limp membrane sealed bass traps. Not easy or cheap to do but the end result is astonishing.
This can be a rabbit-hole chasing hobby. For years, no decades, I periodically revamped or totally started over with my system. It's fun to a point, and definitely expensive. But now I'm basically back where I started nearly 50 years ago. I've added an upgrade in the area of streaming from a tablet through and an Auris Blume Pro. A decent pair of of Sennheiser HD 560S headphones. And I am enjoying the music more than ever. No more changes for me unless something goes down!
I bought a rega turntable and q acoustic speakers, both British and sound great together. I feel you can go with your gut after reading and watching a number of reviews.
Good comments. I owned an audio and record shop for six years and sold it and sold some great equipment like Naim, and others and it was all about price and advertising!
If I bought a 2 grand amp, it wouldn't be long before I was wondering what a 4 grand amp would sound like. Thankfully as a result of watching this CZcams channel, I'm really happy with the handful of old Quad and Linn amps I have in rotation and I never paid more than 200 quid for any of them
Mid to high end is expensive, no getting away from it. However, spending more does not always guarantee an improvement, if that equipment does not synergise with the rest of the system. The mistake too many audiophiles make is wasting their money by moving sideways by trying different brands within their price range, which may give an improvement to some aspects of the sound, better bass, transparency etc. but not an overall improvement to all aspects of the sound.
Exactly this. Find the very best you can afford. Even if you have to buy only one component at a time, and save for the future. It took me nearly 4 years to build my system. Each piece, at the time, was eye wateringly expensive. Try explaining the difference between a Rega RB300 and an SME IV to your bank manager (yes, it was a long time ago).Then I stopped reading Hi-Fi mags, stopped going to Hi-Fi shows, avoided Hi-Fi stores. Over that time, I know I have spent less in total than a midrange system that gets continual, sideways "upgrades", and I still have a superior sound.
@@albanana683 I've been into hi-fi for the last 50 years and for decades only moved sideways until I realised I was going around in circles. For the last 30 years I've been buying highish end gear and can only afford to do so because I've been buying second hand, except for a couple of new DAC's. There's such great value in the used market. Likewise I never buy Hi-Fi mags as there's a wealth of information online and honest opinions from other audiophiles.
Hi Kelvin, great video, straight to the point. Sometimes I compare power amps by putting my phone into them directly with a good interconnect, no Pre in between. It helps figuring things out. Would you say that Quad QSP is much worse than the 520f you have? Thanks
I've always wondered, what makes some old amp so good, for example Maranz. I never had one, so I don't know. What is the thing in it, that makes it better than for example late 70's Luxor or Pioneer amps? I have big Luxor (Skantic) and I have been pretty happy with it. It is from 1978, always been in daily use and has never broken. Not even hum. Old components were built to last. I've had it since 1998.
great video kelvin very helpful keep them coming. it would be good if you could give us some amp speaker matches which you would consider being good in your opinion thank you have a good week😁
the stuff coming out of china these days with Topping etc, and the likes of Hypex and Purifi with Class D means you can get unbelievably sound for a relatively reasonable price
Be prepared to be disappointed, broke and frustrated more times than you can count. This is not for the faint of heart. But and it’s a big bit of you get it right it’s a legendary daily experience. The problem is the amount of variables and many CZcamsrs out there not this one but peddling cheap stuff for the sake of views. Like what he mentioned the LS50s are absolute trash but everyone pushes them. If you want a good hifi system don’t look at speakers under 2k ditch the lame integrated amp and go separates. Did I mention you’re going to go broke? Excellent video by the way.
100% agree with you, Kelvin, when you say "Is it worth it?" The point where the law of diminishing returns kicks in is actually well within most people's budgets, so when we reach that point it's an extremely pertinent question. There's no shame in realising that what you can afford is, realistically, all you really need. I found more enjoyment in moving sideways rather than upwards, and building alternatives into my system that work for different styles of music. Get an amp, for example, that can drive two pairs of speakers - with respective strengths that suit different musical genres. As always, of course, buying used is a force multiplier for getting value for your hard-earned pennies. 'The vintage sound' is a popular myth: there's plenty of variation in that field (especially when you step away from the vastly overrated Pioneers and Marantzes that so many CZcamsrs witter on about!). Case in point: I haven't found anything to beat my second-hand 40-year-old Luxman L-114A (and yes, I've tried), and it cost me less than even a budget amp of today would. Better amps exist, certainly, but I couldn't justify spending thousands on rolling the dice to hunt for the elusive something that would be significantly better in every aspect.
It's a merry go round...but when you get it right...🎶🎶🎶...most of the time people go on and on to find the synergy...if we all lived next door to you, i bet it would save people there sanity and $...you could open an in person audio advice company
9:10 been there done that. One need to be humble and acknowledge that sometimes your new stuff didn't work out. Being honest to your experience, your senses and your feelings are key, otherwise you might get stuck with something you want to like but don't.
Always on the lookout for a small classic 70s Sansui receiver, never had had one or heard one, as they were always out of reach for me as a teenager back in the day. Which brand of speakers would you recommend for them, modern or new. I like floor speaker, and love lots of bass.
Quite simply its easy to miss match and any price point. I think its more about experience and listening to the systems presentation as a whole. Research and being prepared to look beyond the main brands as this is where the gems are unearthed in my experience.
I pride myself on getting good deals on used gear that was thousands brand new but only hundreds now. I did buy two integrated amps new that are more middle of the road but sound pretty darn good. Yamaha A-S801 $900 in the family room and Rotel A11 Tribute $650 on sale in the bedroom sound pretty damn good with my used higher end speakers. My CD players have wolfson DACs that I really like. I got them open box for $100 each and things sound great to me
Spot on- great video. I had the Kef LS50's for about three months. I kept scratching my head thinking it was just me as the reviewers raved about them but I just couldn't get on with them. The middle ground can be awful, and its expensive to keep trying different kit.
The LS50's are an interesting one. I nearly sold my LS50 Metas early on. However, we tried them with my Dad's really old, but expensive in its day amp, and they sounded amazing. You won't hear what they can do if they are partnered with what we might call "price appropriate" amps. This probably does no one any favours.
@@gavinhall4112 it’s strange as I tried them with so many different amps including 250w Nord class D. Don’t get me wrong they are good but must be down to taste. Too dry and tepid for me.
@@gavinhall4112 I stripped everything back, bought a small pair of Dali's and gutted them. Rebuilt new crossovers with really good parts, changed the wiring, put in new damping, changed the binding posts and enjoying a good sound out of them.
You can get as much satisfaction from a good combination of entry level gear that when it all gells togeather sound more than good enough for most people. Upgrading can be an expensive mistake, and i agree the the mid range amps are often just more expensive rather than better. For some reason i always wanted an Audiolab amp, my local shop had taken one in as a part exchange so i borrowed it for the weekend, compared to my trusty NAD amp, it sounded sterile with far too much top end and a weak mid range, so i took it back. The owner smiled and said he knew i would return it, they are way over hyped in the reviews I have owned Sony ES and Pioneer Elite systems yet that NAD was the one i used the most it has a sound that you can listen to all day, whilst the higher end gear sounds great at first then you get tired of it's in your face sound.
The amount of money I've wasted on recommended gear I dare not say if you get to the point where you're happy stop buy the way I borrowed kef ls50 meta from a friend absolute junk my spendor bc1 is in about 5 league's above great review common sense plays a part
Your BC1 is a classic and probably 5x the cost of Metas in today's dollars. My brand new Oracle Delphi Mk3 turntable was $1800 when I bought it. My Thorens TD160 was under $200 when new. The LS50 META would probably be a $300 speaker back then. Unfortunately everything is built cheaper these days and most of the highly rated reviews will be forgotten about in a year or two. Always hold onto the classic designs as a standard bearer against all new comers.
I’ve had more HiFi than hot dinners in the last 60 years and learnt the following. Buy what you like, but some peoples ears are different and spending much more for incremental improvements can be pointless because you can’t hear the difference but others seriously can. If playing the music makes you feel like singing along because it warms your soul then you have a great system.
I have been dabbling with hi-fi for years including vintage gear and I dont like too many 'bells and whistles' on gear / and I agree get a good quality amp and match with speakers - that's it really. I enjoy my Sugden A21 Class A amp / Lintons 28th Anniversary / Rega P3 and Audiolab CD transport and Audiolab DAC. I was tempted to invest in a Micro Seiki Turntable BL91V SEAC WE308 arm - but I enjoy the simplicity of the Rega P3 - I think 5000 is a sensible budget - Greetings from Ireland
I'll suggest second-hand high end and self-build or repair if your electronics and soldering skills are up to it. My favourite guidance is go to a small local music venue on an open mic night. Talk to the musicians you like best and ask what they listen to at home. You will get a few surprises but I have never received bad advice this way. Whether a piece of kit is worth the money is totally subjective. E.g: two grand may be a lot for a DAC but if you use it for 20 years and listen to music several hours a day then its cheap entertainment. Get another pair of ears. My experience with my preamp is a classic example. I spent nearly four solid days building a passive magnetic preamp. For those unfamiliar with these, it uses high quality audio transformers with many tappings and switches as a volume control instead of a pot or resistor network. It sounded so different to my valve preamp I had serious doubts. My son however was impressed with the new kit and urged me to try it for a while. He was right. I gave it a week and tried the old kit and found although the presentation was more familiar it had many shortcomings I hadn't noticed before. Interestingly, because lowering the volume also lowers the output impedance (the opposite to a pot) it is far less picky on interconnect cables - and my system is extreme in this respect as my power amps are next to my speakers - a 10 metre run from the preamp.
i just took delivery on the priciest piece of gear i’ve ever owned, and to be honest, the biggest difference is to my confidence that _this piece of gear, at least,_ isn’t where the compromises begin
Most of my gear is second hand. You can save a lot of money.
Definitely. And get a lot of pleasure. I bought a pair of Wharfedale Glendale XP2 3-way speakers recently for just £25. Some of the nicest speakers I've ever owned and I've had the lot since the 60s.
If your main point is saving money. That's true. Should that be your main point?
I bought my speakers about 15 years ago and gave them a full refurb ten years ago (rewire and new drive units). The speakers cost me £280 on Ebay and the upgrade a further £550. In 1962 they sold for £113-10shillings. Recently reintroduced the current version goes for over seven grand. I have a pair of Lowther Acousta 115s, with silver coiled DX3 drivers. I'd describe them as unflatteringly transparent - people love or hate these things (Marmite speakers) obviously, I love em.
@@davidthom7127 "If your main point is saving money. That's true. Should that be your main point?"
It doesn't matter what you spend if you enjoy the music. I'm a techie, music lover and failed musician. I always start a session listening to the gear but get drawn into the music very quickly. Of course, your mileage may vary.
A lot of snobbery in the hifi world - a lot of smoke and mirrors - you always keep it real and down to earth.
Sadly, it's become a lot more BLING /Jewelry / bragging rights than the true pursuit of great sound.... $250K speakers and amps seems a bit excessive.. Think of how much good one can do to THOUSANDS of people with that kind of money vs just impacting yourself.... But that's me....
Alot of these so called hifi buffs are clueless , im a electronics engineer and when they say run your cables in , utter bollocks .
@@markw7997 👌
That is why you always have to listen yourself instead of reading reviews of self aclaimed experts. Lots of overexpensive speakers using the same of the shelf units
I seen BnO getting a kicking on an online Klipsch community I even joined to have my say . A lot of people who have it in fir BnO ain’t even heard the gear
Just to put this out there, most modern speaker amps have a separate op amp driven headphone section, rather than being tapped off the main amplifier, unfortunately
Yes, indeed! Some vintage amps too, sadly, and having a direct feed from the main circuit really makes a massive difference with less efficient headphones.
@@thisisnev It's a mixed bag and depends on headphone spec as said above. I have 32ohm hp's and use two 4556 opamps in parallel in my preamp. They can output a lot of current and sound great. Headphone's with low impedance or sensitivity need a proper dedicated amp... vintage power amps with headphone outs usually have a simple resistor divider to match impedance and not melt your headphones:)
Hi as per usual very sound advice, today I bought a Rotel A11 tribute to replace my old Linn intek it sounds different but is it better? .
Yeah. Imagine listening on old £5 headphones. Everything sounds awful 😂😂
system matching is a dark art, at least our mistakes can be sold off and save up for new mistakes... :-D
😂
Correct.
I stopped obsessing about amplifier power when I bought a pair of speakers 96+ db efficient.
There is some really solid advice here. Great video as always.
It's all down to personal taste everyone got different ears
I have three systems. One is an old Pioneer SX-780 receiver, another is a small vacuum tube amp, and the third is for the tv, a home stereo receiver.
Kudos and respect to those who can afford high priced, high end gear, but I like mine just fine.
Your years of experience have certaily gone into this video. I myself reached a level of mid-fi that seemed to do the job and spent more money collecting records. Did buy some lovely transmission line speakers to kid myself it was high end! Thank you for your Sunday afternoon broadcasts.
@nicktoft6308 Agreed! I too am a "mid-Fi" guy. Dropped $5000 on Amp, Speakers, TT, and CD player. (No streaming for me.) I guess I got very fortunate and my system has what I'd describe as synergy. All the pieces come together beautifully! My big bargain was buying the owner of our only brick and mortar stereo shop's speakers. He sold his virtually new Tannoy Revolution XT-8F towers for $1800 for $2600 speakers. A bargain and had to accept they were gloss white finish. I don't care! White goes with everything. No big deal but those speakers love their Amp - happily married.
@@zizendorf I probably have a smaller listening room than you, so my XT6F speakers are working fine for me in my room. Took me a while to adjust to their sound after being used to my Kralk Audio TDB 6 speakers. Love their sound no though.
Best wishes and happy listening from Scotland.
@@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox Thanks Yeah, my room is 6.5 X 4 meters and the size is just right! My amp loves them, they love my amp, and I love them both. The Amp is a Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Class D - Hybrid -tube/integrated with a great built-in phono stage. The warmth of the tubes is just right with the Tannoy's and I have some amazing interconnects from my CD player to the amp. Perfect blend...
@@zizendorf very nice. I use an Arcam fmj A19 amp and a Remton Audio 383 MK1 tube phono stage, works for me.
Kelvin always a interesting channel and discussion.
The biggest factor of all is....... Your ears!!!
As i get older i cannot have the hearing i had at 20. Regardless of how much you spend or how good the hype - the weakest link inevitably is the "end-user' & time....
It would be very interesting to have you talking us through a few good matches in your own collection, from A to Z that is, cable matching included. What I would also love to watch is a complete tour of your collection; all the stuff. Take ur time.😄
I’m curious whether you own more Meridian gear. In the video there’s a control unit in the back right?
I’ve got two systems - one at home and one in my studio and both are mostly vintage with modern turntables. They sound amazing. Both under 3k each. In my studio a guy up the corridor has a 25k setup and honestly it’s to harsh. With audiophiles refusing to use bass or treble or loudness options (or totally missing from amp) on modern amps it often sounds like shit. My addiction is buying records but for me this hobby is all about the music so happy with that focus. As mentioned, the speaker placement and the room’s acoustics make a huge difference in sound. Not to open up a rabbit hole - cables for me also make a difference. Saying that the more expensive cables seem to my ears just add to much high end.
Another great video. You sound like you have no skin in the game, an honest & experienced opinion. I couldn’t agree more. 30+ years ago I worked in Bill Hutchison HiFi Glasgow. I heard loads of BS when working there, my favourite was “Aural spaciousness”. People would come in with What HiFi magazine and point out the latest winner. My answer was always the same, come in with your own LP, CD or tape and I’d let them listen to various connotations of gear. Not once did they walk out with the magazines appointed gear + I usually saved them some money. 1 thing to remember is that what I consider to fantastic may not sound good to you, everyone hears differently, rooms sound different. I have a 10k set up in my living room but I still prefer my old A400 with a PD9700 and Bose Acoustimass + streaming with a cheap Node 2i in my bedroom. I’ve had this gear for well over 30 years. The amps been fixed 4 times now but the CD player and Bose have never failed. Don’t get hung up on the pomposity of HiFi snobbery. Like the man said, start with a good amp (using your existing gear) and slowly over time build onto it. Good luck and have fun! Fun is what good HiFi should be about.
lovely to see you back, the video concept is very interesting
thank you
You have to ask yourself if you prefer listening to music or to equipment. I listen to music on £11 JVC IEMs and a smartphone and I get so much pleasure from that.
Another brilliant video Kelvin , thank you for sharing your experience , knowledge and views in such an easy way to understand
I have never heard speakers that sound good for all my music, it just depends on what I want, when deep bass is fantastic I can't focus on the mids as good, if the mids are sounding great I want the bass down so I enjoy the mids, in the end what's important is choose a good enough system for you and then enjoy the music rather than the equipment, good enough is alright, best does not exist
@mwizachavura8399 Strongly disagree! If your system can’t replicate the tones of every instrument in an orchestra and also do a great job with a piano, as jazz ensemble and vocalists from Pop to Opera, you don’t understand. LOL
@@zizendorf 😂🤣 alright, maybe I don't know what to listen for, I'm just a sound minimalist, if I can hear good deep bass and I can follow the song I'm good to dance 😂
@@mwizachavura8399 Not for me to say or judge what you want to listen to. I just shared my perspective that a 1000 hz note from a guitar, a trombone, a cello, an electric bass is still 1000hz. A good resolving and revealing system that reproduces dynamics with detail will be good for all musical genre's. Just my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it. You're good!
A decent amp and good speakers should have an all around good sound where everything is blending in fairly equally so nothing is standing out so much as to bother you
Good video Kelvin. Some people doubt whether there really is a higher performance level. And some of them are suspicious enough to think the hogher priced stuff is snake oil. When buying used amps, on the internet, you often get ones which are staticy sounding when you turn the knobs. One of them, an older vintage integrated, always had static and the one channel would go out and then come on again, when you jiggled the knobs. After using it for about 5 months on a regular basis, it just stopped doing it; like it fixed itself.
A bit of Deoxit or similar on the pots and switches may have saved you time in this respect.
I tried some deoxydizing sprays but they dodn't solve the static. On one of the amps when I removed the top, cover, there was a big round circular transformer inside. On the round tranformer's surface, someone made 2 eyes and a smile in the dust with their finger.
@@sidesup8286That was the gremlin leaving his calling card. 😳
Good advice. Don't trust the stars - unless the star is Kelvin. An enjoyable video as always.
I found it absolutely crucial to get the right set of speakers which were the right size for the room and my tastes..
good point
I can't help but love this guy
He's actually a genius and has gotten me to dwell into my most intimate and deeply passionate hobby which I somehow forgotten about due to energy vampires like Family and friends and the robotic society
I can't thank this little wizard of a man enough for awakening the beauty of the Soul
At the end of the day you have physics to play with and come into the equation so it never going to be perfect no matter how much you spend
Room, time of day make a massive diffrence 🤔
Most systems sound better in high humidity. Listen to your kit carefully when its raining hard outside and see if you agree.
Oh no another variable
@@stereoreviewx Just personal experiance.
Over 35 years of upgrades etc.
I have 3 amps 3 sets of speakers and a sub woofer that is only connected to one set of speakers they all sound different I would rather have this set up rather than one expensive system
We should also not forget that one of the biggest effects on the sound in a hifi system, if not the biggest, is the recording, most of which are pretty bad.
Is it all worth it?
Yeah, course it is. It is fun and playing around with gear is why we watch channels like yours, Kelvin.
If you want a decent/safe sounding system to plug in and forget on the shelf then get an old Quad. It’ll play for years and gather dust. It won’t ever set the world alight though. You have to search for that and that is where the fun/hobby is.
Totally agree that to find true satisfaction you have to spend a bit.
Cheers
Start with the speaker and then room interaction. Then match the amp to create the sound you want. More expensive doesn't mean its better. Make sure the foundations of your system and right.
After being now 5 years in this hobby/passion I do agree with you, Speakers first, then look which amp is fiiting in a well synergy to it. of course the remaning devices must be have a solid base..
You can try tell people this all day long but some just refuse to listen. They think a speaker cable can fix their problems
It also depends on the combination. My full range electrostats need a good and stable amp. I build my amp myself more than 25 years ago and it still is very very good. You can only judge an amp when driving speakers, specially when those speakers are a difficult load
the lave lamp is the most important 😅
I chased equipment for many years, and then realized that speaker placement had a bigger effect than all of that other stuff I was doing. Live and learn.
Yup, exactly!
One’s room isn’t where the system is located. It’s part of the system!
Spot on
@@russellparker4568 all speakers are different my mission 720 sound better away from the walls some sound better closer
@@russellparker4568 That's silly. Once you've attained proper positioning is when you can accurately begin tweaking other variables if so desired.
To save precious money one can go for secondhand oldschool treasures that are out 'fashion or style'. Like u say "the middle ground" of modern hifi is a big pile of the same that doesn't bring nearly any progress sound wise. Or go the DIY route;-)
Synergy is king!
Great advice once again 😊.
He’s right. Following my first entry level system, I jumped up to around £600 on a NAD amp, and £600 on B&W speakers from Sevenoaks. Hugely disappointed for many years, and parked the “hobby”…. Only just recently invested in a complete new system at around £8k. And OMG, what a difference!!
can you tell us what?
@@stereoreviewx sure - back in 1998 I upgraded my first very modest hifi system (which was Mission 731 SE speakers, Cambridge Audio CD4 & a budget Sony AVR I bought from Dixons - I loved the sound, and still do as I’ve kept all three) to B&W DM 603 S2 speakers (£600), a Denon AVR amp (costing around £600) and a pioneer DVD player (brand new tech at the time) doubling up as CD player. I never felt it was the “upgrade” Sevenoaks said it would be… 15 years later, I purchased a two channel NAD C356BEE amp at £600, to accompany a NAD turntable at £250 (again from Sevenoaks) but still using the B&W DM 603 S2 Speakers…… and again, disappointed!! Ten years later we’re in Lockdown, various interests developed on CZcams, plus I had the time to sit and listen to music… Watching many hifi review channels, I upgraded the turntable to a REGA P6 with ania MC Cartridge, speakers to new Mission 770s (as I loved my first Missions) and Musical Fidelity MS6i amp - Literally, OMG how many years have I wasted listening to rubbish equipment. And thanks to you, I purchased a vintage Sansui 551. Plus a vintage pioneer PL-117D turntable, and new Klipsch RP600M speakers as a second system. It’s a much better system than the Sevenoaks rubbish I bought (I was actually running this system prior to my big upgrade)… I bet you wish you never asked now 😊
Spot on...perfect video subject...you are so real...people have to start liking your channel more and more because you tell things the way it is and people will understand you, like me...I can relate to every word you said!🎶
I have a Sansui AU555a in my main room and Sansui AU 222 in my bedroom. Love the sound coming from the amps. Clean and warm sound. I change my speakers a lot, but the amps are keepers. I am a Mid-Fi guy on a budget......
AU 505 here....yours are quality as well ..
I really enjoy your take on things and agree wholeheartedly with what you say about reviews being “just writing and some stars” 👍
If you're buying your first system & lucky enough to know a good dealer, that's where you should begin.
A dedicated dealer can start you off with an amplifier, speakers, CD player & cables. Dealer's know what sounds good together & it's money very well spent.
If you're skint or avoid this route, it's a minefield of buying & selling but it's all good. 😊
Having watched your videos over the last week and thoroughly enjoyed your advice, especially about it being about what makes the music get you in the gut, I have an idea. As no one speaker can do everything, then perhaps choose a pair which handles mid and high range vocal brilliantly and ones that are more bass sensitive then set them both up on an amp with 2 channels then you can switch between (or have both on).
You could end up with ten speakers 😅might be good
Agree 100%, so many people trust blindly those equipment reviews and even worst certain YTer (not thinking about themself!). Also this annoying re-phrase *you need room treatment first*, wrong!! Get FIRST good electronic and AMPs the can handle several speakers and NOT the way around.Also don't get yourself fooled that Vinyl is better than digital, WRONG, it is by far eqal!! I've spent some time and money on my main and 2nd system and sometimes I was so wrong, but now I'm happy (I've uploaded my room tour in my YT profile). THANKS A LOT, KEEP GOING, LOVE IT!
Kef LS50 are the darling of the Audi press , what HIFI get a bone on over em . Kelvin a while ago reviewed them against vintage Bang and Olufsen speakers and a couple of other brands may have been Rogers and someone else . He said the vintage speakers blew the Kef away!!!!!
I share your journey Kevin! And your love for Sansui amps. Listening to my 505 now, with modern buchardt speakers. What an amp!
I bet
Great advice as always ..
800 was about the price of my Yamaha integrated in 2021 and really surpised how good it has been. 145 watts into 8 Ohms and extremly reliable. Swiss knife for all my needs and comes with a remote. I doubt very much it can handle some expensive ProAc or ATC? It's so hard to get a demo these days so I shall continue to buy and sell second hand loudspeakers. Had a pair of PMC TB1 for a couple of months. Very bright, nice bass and passed them on. About to try a pair of LINN Kan. Cheers everyone.
the approach discussed here has me eyeing the Exposure 2510, that amp strikes me as a serious analog amp that would probably last a lifetime
Random?
I like how many inputs it has. Tape out as well. Good features are missing from 95% of modern stuff.
HiFi can be like classic cars or decent tools. Choose right and it will last a long time.
Use headphones. LOL and behind you is a Meridian 101 pre-amp without a headphone socket. Oddly enough the output is the right level for some headphones so Meridian made me a DIN to 1/4" headphone socket to plug in instead of the power amp or active speakers for my AKG K240 headphones. They also updated the silver cable to a solid core twisted pair of wires and extra long cables. Going active also reduced the number of components to compare. The 101b/M1 with Linn LP12 was 50% of my annual salary back in 1981. Still have it today, 43 years later with some service and parts upgraded, cartridge replaced.
The dealer invited me to bring in my equipment and set it along side their choices to compare. In going from moving magnet to moving coil meant I couldn't just swap out the turntable with my old amplifier and speakers. What I had was in fact very good choices but not the best together. A more power amp for my speakers or more sensitive speakers for my amp would have been better for similar money.
Thanks for the video. This really hits the spot. I'm exactly in this situation where I spent a lot of $ on speakers and have been buying some different gear and I'm finding myself disappointed by each new piece I buy. I haven't borrowed gear and tried it out in my space, but that seems like a very good idea before i buy something after reading reading a positive review or something. Anyway, Thanks again. Very helpful.
You could use very expensive silver wire or battery as a power supply, have the very best speakers etc and have a great experience? In the past i used to listen to Radio Luxembourg on a poor medium wave transistor radio under the pillow at night with the signal waving in and out with lot's of fade and have a great experience?
"In the past i used to listen to Radio Luxembourg on a poor medium wave transistor radio under the pillow at night"
Me too. Takes me right back to boarding school in the early 70s (radios were verboten in the dorm).
On the net there is a blindtest with small atc 2way speakers and a cheap system compared to a high end system....most could not tell which they prefer and those choosing the expensif system were not more then those prefering the cheap
Cheap was cheap cables, cheap Sony CD player, cheap Behringer studio amp ,
The expensif was expensif 3000 euro french amp, teact vrds cd, high end cables and expensif furniture
So the only common was the small atc 2 way....and having 50 years audio experience and second hand audioshop in Brussels , so could compare lots, and I agree there is a lot of' snake oil'.....but yes clipping distortion. Is very easy to discern...so that's why I go for high efficient systems
I don't bother with much except speakers, and a little bit of room.
Wire with gain amplifiers suit my needs; flavouring could work for some people i guess. It also means i don't have 5x the gear because cd players, turntables, most amplifiers etc are only passing interest or if it was a great deal. (Mostly used too)
Today with class D power amps (Hypex, Purifi, Icepower) you can get a very good amp voor not thousands of pounds (but you can also spend much more). You can build the rest of your system around them to taste. For speakers look at the used market because there is some great value to be had. Just be patient and not too skimpy. You can always replace crossover parts for better ones to up the game. Cheap upgrades are decent power cables, even cheap Chinese ones get rid of a lot of sibilance. I think they act as a filter for unwanted electro magnetic pollution that does something to the upper harmonics.
I am extremely happy with my Topping PA7 Plus. Makes for a very happy pairing with my Harbeth C7ES-3.
Or Fosi V3 monos are supposed to be amazing too..
Yeah and sound like crap
Not sure how power cables is going to change anything a switch mode PSU will do. It's already designed to filter out stuff right?
@@burton7023my music didn't sound crap this evening....
When I had a system for doing reviews, I started with the amp. Meridian 557 served me well.
Most of my system is 40 years old. Still excellent sound quality. My neighbour has a new £10k system. I wouldn't swap him!
Good to have you back!
I got LS50 mk1 blacks when the metas came out... Pretty good speakers for £400.. and still worth that or more.. effectively depreciation Free-Fi if bought correctly.
Nearfield on my desk the LS50s sound excellent.
‘Hi-End’ there lies madness.
love your videos. would have been great if you had pointed out a few amplifiers to get us started in the high end :-)
Nice to have people like you now! Early on I bought a Pioneer SX-850. Gets used the least. Low expectation stuff Sansui 221, Superscope 1240, Sanyo Plus 35, Fisher Futura 202. All more enjoyable and cheaper!
My fave in my room is a Marantz 2245 paired with ADS L620 speakers. Then again my Marantz PM8004 with Snell E2's and my Sansui 881 with large Advents is no slug either.
881 in the house
Firstly, Kelvin I love to watch your channel, you are a wealth of knowledge! Now about those who may be perceived as spending too much on HiFi. Folks, since the year dot "Boys like their Toys" and to those who say go & spend it on other things (home, kids, spouses, holidays etc etc) Well all good if that's what you want. I don't see too much difference between other big boy's toy's. I mean when I look back on my life with spending more & more in the pursuit of "BETTER" with Motocross, vintage bikes, classic cars, cars in general, Golf, cycling PHEW! well REALLY? I reckon having fun tinkering with audio is quite a mild hobby! Some like spending heaps on smoking or drinking. So really is this such a bad thing as long as it's one's own money & your not putting yourself or your family in debt. At least your home playing with your hobby! and not down the pub. So my vote goes to folk's just having FUN. Are there really that many people feeling stressed about trying to get a better sound? well maybe a few I would guess, but holy crap I used to see a lot doing it with other sports/hobbies! at the end of the day YES, we are only on this planet for a short time....go and have FUN
I must agree I have 20 components 🥲at least
Hi Kelvin, you forgot to mention the most effective upgrade that will vastly improve the sound of any system. Making this upgrade will let you know that your system can sound far better than you ever thought it could. The upgrade is called extensive acoustic room treatment. For my listening room I built 20 deep porous broadband traps and 24 tuned limp membrane sealed bass traps. Not easy or cheap to do but the end result is astonishing.
Wow
If you get the HiFi sickness, you'll be going around in circles with gear for the rest of your life. Trust me😊
keep still will you
Good to see your back!? Where’s the neck bandana? You’re my favourite hi-fi channel
How good is this man's knowledge everything he says is so true another great video kelvin 👌👏✨️♦️
many thanks
Well said in the end if you're close to being to spend the money. Yep, go for broke. The results are amazing and worth the expense.
oh no😂
This can be a rabbit-hole chasing hobby. For years, no decades, I periodically revamped or totally started over with my system. It's fun to a point, and definitely expensive. But now I'm basically back where I started nearly 50 years ago. I've added an upgrade in the area of streaming from a tablet through and an Auris Blume Pro. A decent pair of of Sennheiser HD 560S headphones. And I am enjoying the music more than ever. No more changes for me unless something goes down!
Ten years ago I had the Croft/Quad combo. It was ok for the money.
I bought a rega turntable and q acoustic speakers, both British and sound great together. I feel you can go with your gut after reading and watching a number of reviews.
Hi Kev is there a chance to see more tube equipment on your channel?
Hate to be this person but the room is a bigger factor than most people realize.
agree
You shouldn't hate to tell the truth, which you just did.😊
Good comments. I owned an audio and record shop for six years and sold it and sold some great equipment like Naim, and others and it was all about price and advertising!
Thanks for sharing!
I don't like a heinz 57 system.Components that are matched are made to work together.
If I bought a 2 grand amp, it wouldn't be long before I was wondering what a 4 grand amp would sound like. Thankfully as a result of watching this CZcams channel, I'm really happy with the handful of old Quad and Linn amps I have in rotation and I never paid more than 200 quid for any of them
yes a can't spend 2k either I would though if I was guaranteed a winner for ten years
Mid to high end is expensive, no getting away from it. However, spending more does not always guarantee an improvement, if that equipment does not synergise with the rest of the system. The mistake too many audiophiles make is wasting their money by moving sideways by trying different brands within their price range, which may give an improvement to some aspects of the sound, better bass, transparency etc. but not an overall improvement to all aspects of the sound.
Exactly this. Find the very best you can afford. Even if you have to buy only one component at a time, and save for the future. It took me nearly 4 years to build my system. Each piece, at the time, was eye wateringly expensive. Try explaining the difference between a Rega RB300 and an SME IV to your bank manager (yes, it was a long time ago).Then I stopped reading Hi-Fi mags, stopped going to Hi-Fi shows, avoided Hi-Fi stores. Over that time, I know I have spent less in total than a midrange system that gets continual, sideways "upgrades", and I still have a superior sound.
@@albanana683 I've been into hi-fi for the last 50 years and for decades only moved sideways until I realised I was going around in circles. For the last 30 years I've been buying highish end gear and can only afford to do so because I've been buying second hand, except for a couple of new DAC's. There's such great value in the used market. Likewise I never buy Hi-Fi mags as there's a wealth of information online and honest opinions from other audiophiles.
The worst part is you sold your older system, the new system sucks and you miss your old system.
happens a lot 😅
Very true, thanks😊
Sound advice in the snake oil world of HiFi...thanks!
Hi Kelvin, great video, straight to the point. Sometimes I compare power amps by putting my phone into them directly with a good interconnect, no Pre in between. It helps figuring things out. Would you say that Quad QSP is much worse than the 520f you have? Thanks
difficult to compare quite different asp prob more detail
@@stereoreviewx thanks! I like my 606 (for now)
I've always wondered, what makes some old amp so good, for example Maranz. I never had one, so I don't know. What is the thing in it, that makes it better than for example late 70's Luxor or Pioneer amps? I have big Luxor (Skantic) and I have been pretty happy with it. It is from 1978, always been in daily use and has never broken. Not even hum. Old components were built to last. I've had it since 1998.
I agree, when I upgraded from the B4 to B6, I was slighlty disappointed too, ho hum.
yeah bloody b6
Spending money for something you think you hear is “different” whether that is supposed to be or not.
great video kelvin very helpful keep them coming. it would be good if you could give us some amp speaker matches which you would consider being good in your opinion thank you have a good week😁
the stuff coming out of china these days with Topping etc, and the likes of Hypex and Purifi with Class D means you can get unbelievably sound for a relatively reasonable price
Hi a lot Larry Which amp shall look at and which make
Be prepared to be disappointed, broke and frustrated more times than you can count. This is not for the faint of heart. But and it’s a big bit of you get it right it’s a legendary daily experience. The problem is the amount of variables and many CZcamsrs out there not this one but peddling cheap stuff for the sake of views. Like what he mentioned the LS50s are absolute trash but everyone pushes them. If you want a good hifi system don’t look at speakers under 2k ditch the lame integrated amp and go separates. Did I mention you’re going to go broke? Excellent video by the way.
do you do loans
100% agree with you, Kelvin, when you say "Is it worth it?" The point where the law of diminishing returns kicks in is actually well within most people's budgets, so when we reach that point it's an extremely pertinent question. There's no shame in realising that what you can afford is, realistically, all you really need.
I found more enjoyment in moving sideways rather than upwards, and building alternatives into my system that work for different styles of music. Get an amp, for example, that can drive two pairs of speakers - with respective strengths that suit different musical genres.
As always, of course, buying used is a force multiplier for getting value for your hard-earned pennies. 'The vintage sound' is a popular myth: there's plenty of variation in that field (especially when you step away from the vastly overrated Pioneers and Marantzes that so many CZcamsrs witter on about!). Case in point: I haven't found anything to beat my second-hand 40-year-old Luxman L-114A (and yes, I've tried), and it cost me less than even a budget amp of today would. Better amps exist, certainly, but I couldn't justify spending thousands on rolling the dice to hunt for the elusive something that would be significantly better in every aspect.
It's a merry go round...but when you get it right...🎶🎶🎶...most of the time people go on and on to find the synergy...if we all lived next door to you, i bet it would save people there sanity and $...you could open an in person audio advice company
9:10 been there done that. One need to be humble and acknowledge that sometimes your new stuff didn't work out. Being honest to your experience, your senses and your feelings are key, otherwise you might get stuck with something you want to like but don't.
Always on the lookout for a small classic 70s Sansui receiver, never had had one or heard one, as they were always out of reach for me as a teenager back in the day.
Which brand of speakers would you recommend for them, modern or new.
I like floor speaker, and love lots of bass.
Just noticed you said modern or new, so disregard.
big speakers and maybe sensitive if the amp is low watts like 12 or less
Good points brought up!
Quite simply its easy to miss match and any price point. I think its more about experience and listening to the systems presentation as a whole. Research and being prepared to look beyond the main brands as this is where the gems are unearthed in my experience.
And again, no word about accoustic treatment or the accoustic properties of the listening space.
rooms are important for sure
I pride myself on getting good deals on used gear that was thousands brand new but only hundreds now. I did buy two integrated amps new that are more middle of the road but sound pretty darn good. Yamaha A-S801 $900 in the family room and Rotel A11 Tribute $650 on sale in the bedroom sound pretty damn good with my used higher end speakers. My CD players have wolfson DACs that I really like. I got them open box for $100 each and things sound great to me
Good video!
Spot on- great video. I had the Kef LS50's for about three months. I kept scratching my head thinking it was just me as the reviewers raved about them but I just couldn't get on with them. The middle ground can be awful, and its expensive to keep trying different kit.
The LS50's are an interesting one. I nearly sold my LS50 Metas early on. However, we tried them with my Dad's really old, but expensive in its day amp, and they sounded amazing. You won't hear what they can do if they are partnered with what we might call "price appropriate" amps. This probably does no one any favours.
@@gavinhall4112 it’s strange as I tried them with so many different amps including 250w Nord class D.
Don’t get me wrong they are good but must be down to taste. Too dry and tepid for me.
@@roryyoung6192 What are you using now?
@@gavinhall4112 I stripped everything back, bought a small pair of Dali's and gutted them. Rebuilt new crossovers with really good parts, changed the wiring, put in new damping, changed the binding posts and enjoying a good sound out of them.
@@roryyoung6192 love it - good sound and I'm sure a great sense of achievement too.
You can get as much satisfaction from a good combination of entry level gear
that when it all gells togeather sound more than good enough for most people.
Upgrading can be an expensive mistake, and i agree the the mid range amps are often
just more expensive rather than better.
For some reason i always wanted an Audiolab amp, my local shop had taken one in
as a part exchange so i borrowed it for the weekend, compared to my trusty NAD
amp, it sounded sterile with far too much top end and a weak mid range, so i took
it back.
The owner smiled and said he knew i would return it, they are way over hyped in the
reviews
I have owned Sony ES and Pioneer Elite systems yet that NAD was the one i used the most
it has a sound that you can listen to all day, whilst the higher end gear sounds great at first
then you get tired of it's in your face sound.
Thanks for that, Barbara yeah the NAD is just hard to beat
The amount of money I've wasted on recommended gear I dare not say if you get to the point where you're happy stop buy the way I borrowed kef ls50 meta from a friend absolute junk my spendor bc1 is in about 5 league's above great review common sense plays a part
Your BC1 is a classic and probably 5x the cost of Metas in today's dollars. My brand new Oracle Delphi Mk3 turntable was $1800 when I bought it. My Thorens TD160 was under $200 when new. The LS50 META would probably be a $300 speaker back then. Unfortunately everything is built cheaper these days and most of the highly rated reviews will be forgotten about in a year or two. Always hold onto the classic designs as a standard bearer against all new comers.
Couldn't agree more with you
I’ve had more HiFi than hot dinners in the last 60 years and learnt the following. Buy what you like, but some peoples ears are different and spending much more for incremental improvements can be pointless because you can’t hear the difference but others seriously can. If playing the music makes you feel like singing along because it warms your soul then you have a great system.
agreed
I have been dabbling with hi-fi for years including vintage gear and I dont like too many 'bells and whistles' on gear / and I agree get a good quality amp and match with speakers - that's it really. I enjoy my Sugden A21 Class A amp / Lintons 28th Anniversary / Rega P3 and Audiolab CD transport and Audiolab DAC. I was tempted to invest in a Micro Seiki Turntable BL91V SEAC WE308 arm - but I enjoy the simplicity of the Rega P3 - I think 5000 is a sensible budget - Greetings from Ireland
Fair enough!
I'll suggest second-hand high end and self-build or repair if your electronics and soldering skills are up to it. My favourite guidance is go to a small local music venue on an open mic night. Talk to the musicians you like best and ask what they listen to at home. You will get a few surprises but I have never received bad advice this way.
Whether a piece of kit is worth the money is totally subjective. E.g: two grand may be a lot for a DAC but if you use it for 20 years and listen to music several hours a day then its cheap entertainment.
Get another pair of ears. My experience with my preamp is a classic example. I spent nearly four solid days building a passive magnetic preamp. For those unfamiliar with these, it uses high quality audio transformers with many tappings and switches as a volume control instead of a pot or resistor network. It sounded so different to my valve preamp I had serious doubts. My son however was impressed with the new kit and urged me to try it for a while. He was right. I gave it a week and tried the old kit and found although the presentation was more familiar it had many shortcomings I hadn't noticed before. Interestingly, because lowering the volume also lowers the output impedance (the opposite to a pot) it is far less picky on interconnect cables - and my system is extreme in this respect as my power amps are next to my speakers - a 10 metre run from the preamp.
interesting thanks
i just took delivery on the priciest piece of gear i’ve ever owned, and to be honest, the biggest difference is to my confidence that _this piece of gear, at least,_ isn’t where the compromises begin
I do alot of research, and then some more. There have been some audio pieces that have have blown me away.
pray tell
Your 100 percent right kelvin