Your hifi reflections and pearls

[Nagraboy]

Don’t buy expensive, finicky, fragile equipment that sounds lovely but turns you into a bag of nerves. The cheaper the boxes the less stress.

Vinyl and streaming can both be a big and ongoing headache. Think about staying with CD.

 

[Paul L]

Sort out your room first (acoustics, treatment, mains, plug points, aerials for radio, points for Ethernet, cabling and ducting, decor, furnishings).
Then speakers (type, size, positioning, room nodes, power needs).
Then amp (minimum fuss, low maintenance, convenience of remote etc.)
But none of it in isolation as it’s all interdependent.

Then whatever sources you fancy.

Or accept that you like the hobby. So buy and sell and enjoy the journey shamelessly. Maybe work in hifi shops to listen to a load more kit. Or volunteer on a Saturday. Or form a club with friends to swap kit or group buy and pass round. And also accept you may have to go through a fair bit to be able to do the room-speakers-amp-sources stuff anyway.

But never forget the music comes first, listen to as much and as varied as you can from whichever sources make sense at the time. And revisit music periodically as it will constantly surprise you long term as your systems ebb and flow across time.

 

[david ellwood]

Avoid giving honest opinions on hifi forums.

 

[Martyn Miles]

Forget about audio equipment.
It’s summer.
Go for a walk and enjoy the countryside.

 

[Big Tabs]

What tips/advice would you give your younger self or someone else starting out on the hifi journey? Your own pearls and lessons learned.

• It is not, ‘All About The Bass.’ (it is)
• Do not take the lid off of things and fiddle about without the slightest idea what you are doing
• The house/room is the first part of the journey
• Rug action, furniture, wall hangings all make a difference
• A green felt-tip doesn’t make a difference
• Become acquainted with someone with more experience in HiFi than yourself. Listen to their advice. Adapt to your own situation
• Speakers positioned along the ‘long’ wall will sound better than speakers positioned against the short wall
• Mastering / Production is King. If it sounds bad, it isn’t necessarily the reproduction system, it is the source/format.
• Wash your hands before touching records, HiFi.
• Do Not let anyone touch your HiFi, especially putting a record on the turntable. The last time I did that, idiot best mate sent the tonearm skating across a valuable record. Quote, “I didn’t realise how light it is…”
• If a neighbour from 3 houses away knocks on your door and asks you to,” turn it down a bit,” it is too loud.
• Home demo is the most preferable option if available, but a bargain is a bargain.
  
• Look after your Ears. Spending a Butthole Surfers gig with your head next to the speakers is not the best plan. Consider earplugs.
• Locate a life partner who shares your love of music. (ticked that box twice)

 

[Fretbuzz]

Some good 'uns here!

Agree too on getting speakers right and remembering it's about the music.

There can seem to be a pattern where people start off with a simple system, get a bit carried away, then come back to appreciating a simple system - albeit a more refined one. Seems my own trajectory.

Reminds me a quote from Bruce Lee “Before I studied the art, a punch to me was just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. After I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch, a kick no longer a kick. Now that I've understood the art, a punch is just like a punch, a kick just like a kick. The height of cultivation is really nothing special. It is merely simplicity; the ability to express the utmost with the minimum.”

 

[Tony L]

- DON'T use Permostat on your records, they will be destroyed!!!

I’ve dealt with a lot of vinyl over the years that has had those irritating little ‘P’ stickers on the label and to my mind they are the only damage as they are near impossible to remove without damaging the label. A wet vac cleaner sorts out any crap left in the groove. I have a Magma and a Klaus Schulze album in my own collection that had obviously been treated by a past owner (bloody stickers!) and they sound as new after a good wet clean. If there was any damage I’d certainly hear it on the Schulze Blackdance as it is quite quiet and ambient.

 

[Darren]

Avoid giving honest opinions on hifi forums.

That would be a shame. I've always found your contributions interesting.

 

[wylton]

I think that one of the gems of knowledge I would pass down to my younger self is that some records/CDs/tapes will sound shit no matter what system you play them on. So when evaluating equipment, choose some records/CDs/tapes that have been well mastered. I'd also add that some days your mood may be off and you might not be receptive to music and also (in my case), some days your ears just might not be working as well as the normally do. Pick a system and stick with it, one that you enjoy listening too & don't be tempted to upgrade it! Keeping your records clean is a good idea too & throw away all of those horrid paper liners!

 

[dweezil]

You're right, buy the biggest speakers you can afford; but there's no point doing that if you're going to sell the best vinyl every time you run out of cash!

Listen to Big Tabs, look after your ears.

 

[palasr]

-ALWAYS wear earplugs while drumming; ALWAYS carry earplugs to every amplified concert.
-The fewer boxes you have, the happier you'll be.
-Stop trying to chase the last 5% of hi-fi performance - you'll spend a boatload of money and be no further ahead.
-Single-ended triodes are not for you - you enjoy volume.
-When you see them, avoid CDs and anything digital.
-Phono cartridges are consumable items - spend reasonably.

 

[Helen Bach]

whatever you buy/get, always enjoy the music, the real reason for hifi.

 

[Darren L]

Hifi pearls, I can't really think of too many, maybe don't sell that Nait for £80 hold on a few years and it'll make £500.
I never have paid much attention to dealers or reviews, okay from an informative point and I guess if half a dozen reviewers across two continents rate a component then it must have something going for it.
I guess my advice to a younger self would be remain inquisitive and skeptical, continue to ignore dealers opinions, popularity or reviews, use your head, follow your heart and don't accept 2nd best, go for the one you want. Pretty much what I did and continue to do.
If the system doesn't play ALL types of music well it isn't worth listening too.

I think if I could offer my younger self any 'pearls' they wouldn't be hifi related, they'd be more like, don't marry that girl, do buy the Ducati SL and do buy that 1st house you looked at.

 

[John_73]

At the end of the day, no matter how good (or bad) the reviews, no matter the group think/adulation/dislike of a particular component, if it sounds great TO YOU, that's all that matters.

Once you're truly happy and can't stop reaching for the next CD or LP, you're there! Ignore any thoughts of better and start spending any extra monies on more albums or gigs.

Oh, and really do try to avoid audio forums once you're happy with your gear......

 

[chartz]

I’d tell myself not to buy that NAD 3020 and to save up a bit longer for the Quad 33/303 just next to it, as advised by the dealer (1981, dealer still one).

Apart from that? Nothing.

 

[Tigerjones]

Just buy stuff that will make your friends and family say "Hey, Mango, that's one cool looking amplifer you got there, Cowboy,"

 

[Riotvan]

Geeking out with gear is fun but don’t forget you can use it for music too. If you’re not getting lost listening to music there is a problem somewhere. Take a step back, do something else and come back later. See what you think then. Do this before any upgrades or big changes.

Then if you decide to upgrade give a new piece of gear enough time to form an opinion, especially something as highly configurable as speakers.

Acoustics/setup are everything, if you can’t(properly) hear what you are changing how can you be sure it was an upgrade?

Take care of yourself and your health, make sure your sleep is good, stress is as low as possible and fitness is good enough. Music will sound much better, better than any upgrade you can think of.

 

[ampedup]

Advice to my younger self: "The first system you ever heard with great musical enjoyment was with Quad IIs.....don't wait 50 years to get a pair!"

 

[Yank]

I’ve dealt with a lot of vinyl over the years that has had those irritating little ‘P’ stickers on the label and to my mind they are the only damage as they are near impossible to remove without damaging the label. A wet vac cleaner sorts out any crap left in the groove. I have a Magma and a Klaus Schulze album in my own collection that had obviously been treated by a past owner (bloody stickers!) and they sound as new after a good wet clean. If there was any damage I’d certainly hear it on the Schulze Blackdance as it is quite quiet and ambient.

If you have a long term commitment to vinyl a wet vac cleaner is a necessity. I was an early adopter on that one (1985) and it's one of the few things I got right. I still have the same machine and it still works.

 

[Kirk]

Find a good and experienced dealer.
More money does not equal better sound.
Reviews provide useful guides but should not be taken as gospel.
Looking at hi-fi on-line late at night while drunk can prove expensive.