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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 10:24:55 GMT
I occasionally see forum posts from people new to hifi on the likes of What Hifi forum etc. I thought it would be interesting to see what members here would generally advise someone just getting into hifi. Here's three from me to start. Feel free to disagree!
1. Try to hear as much stuff as you possibly can. Finding out what you like is the most important thing you can do. Your tastes are all that matter.
2. Consider buying used. It's a great way to expand your understanding of your tastes without financial loss. It also gives best bang for buck.
3. Buy something that you can accommodate and be open to putting things where they can perform best. For instance, don't buy large "free space speakers" if you plan to site them four feet apart, against a back wall with one in a corner. Likewise, turntables and electronics can be sensitive to vibration or generate heat. It's an awful feeling to get something you can't use properly. You can avoid this with a bit of practical thinking beforehand.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 10:31:55 GMT
Good thread choice, Andrew. I would say.
4. Use magazine and personal Hifi reviews as a guide, but ultimately trust your own ears.
5. Statistics and Measurements are one thing, but again, use your own ears to determine the things you like.
6. As much as possible try to hear before you buy, it is easy to fall into the trap of buying something because you think it is going to be good, getting it home and not liking it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 10:51:32 GMT
Regarding point 6: There's nothing worse than having to sell a product that is being hyped everywhere and which you think is the pits. My worst was the Philips CD840. For me it was a player that didn't play rhythms at a fundamental level. Better to have heard it properly before buying.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 11:04:34 GMT
Regarding point 6: There's nothing worse than having to sell a product that is being hyped everywhere and which you think is the pits. My worst was the Philips CD840. For me it was a player that didn't play rhythms at a fundamental level. Better to have heard it properly before buying. Yep, I had that problem with the Rega Kyte speakers, all the reviews were saying they were the best thing since sliced bread, but when I bought them 'blind' and plugged them in to my then system, they were all kinds of terrible. Vocals were full of sibilance, bass was non existent, no warmth to them at all, just horrible. Worse still was that I kept them for too long before making the decision to get rid via the open market. |
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Post by Slinger on Mar 5, 2018 12:20:50 GMT
Stick to your budget if possible. It's a well-known fact that with every reply to one of your questions on a hi-fi forum the price of the component you simply *must* have (never the one you have actually enquired about, by the way) will increase exponentially. You cannot arrest this process but you can speed it up by telling everyone the absolute maximum you can spend. Advice will then start at that price, plus five to ten percent.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 5, 2018 12:41:12 GMT
Regarding point 6: There's nothing worse than having to sell a product that is being hyped everywhere and which you think is the pits. My worst was the Philips CD840. For me it was a player that didn't play rhythms at a fundamental level. Better to have heard it properly before buying. Yep, I had that problem with the Rega Kyte speakers, all the reviews were saying they were the best thing since sliced bread, but when I bought them 'blind' and plugged them in to my then system, they were all kinds of terrible. Vocals were full of sibilance, bass was non existent, no warmth to them at all, just horrible. Worse still was that I kept them for too long before making the decision to get rid via the open market. I've never heard a Rega speaker that I liked. In fact that could be a top-tip - don't buy Rega speakers. |
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Post by ChrisB on Mar 5, 2018 14:33:37 GMT
Don't get obsessed with spending huge sums of money. Some of the worst systems I have heard have cost more than a house!
Don't think you need to spend loads of money on cables and accessories. Just because hifi zombies spend endless hours discussing them doesn't mean they are all that important. It just means that they can't agree.
Don't imagine that floorstanding speakers are better that standmount ones just because they are bigger. Up to a point, at any given price, the standmounter is usually the better speaker.
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Post by zippy on Mar 5, 2018 14:46:43 GMT
My tip, for when the upgrade bug bites (and I'm sure it will) would be to never change more than one item at a time otherwise you can get into a right mess working out which item has improved (or degraded) the sound.
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Post by John on Mar 5, 2018 14:52:37 GMT
Hear a few systems first
Try the speakers in your room first
Don't get hung up on small system changes
Keep to your budget
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 14:58:47 GMT
My tip, for when the upgrade bug bites (and I'm sure it will) would be to never change more than one item at a time otherwise you can get into a right mess working out which item has improved (or degraded) the sound. Totally agree with that one! |
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Post by Tim on Mar 5, 2018 17:52:07 GMT
Don't imagine that floorstanding speakers are better that standmount ones just because they are bigger. Up to a point, at any given price, the standmounter is usually the better speaker. Couldn't agree more with that philosophy. Blimey, I must have been on the happy juice, I'm agreeing with everybody . . . that can't be right  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 18:00:47 GMT
This might be harder for,some than others, but I'd say it's a good move to get your partner interested too. Makes life far easier if you don't face excessive WAF limitations,
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 5, 2018 18:09:15 GMT
Don't imagine that floorstanding speakers are better that standmount ones just because they are bigger. Up to a point, at any given price, the standmounter is usually the better speaker. Couldn't agree more with that philosophy. Blimey, I must have been on the happy juice, I'm agreeing with everybody . . . that can't be right I've tried a number of floorstanders over the years and they never stayed in my system for long. They just didn't image like the best stand-mounts I have had. The only exception to that was a pair of Audio Physic speakers but sadly they didn't get on with my room due to the side-firing drivers. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 5, 2018 19:15:19 GMT
What do you/they want to achieve ?
Agree on everything else above.
Make cheap mains improvements like unswitched socket/s if you want to hear more music.
Be a cheapskate wherever you can and check value for money on kit.
EG. £100 piece of kit may be not so far off one at £500
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Post by MartinT on Mar 5, 2018 22:25:51 GMT
Study and read up a lot before making any purchases. Find people who like a similar sound to you in the way they talk about music and systems.
Hi-Fi is a very personal thing and all you will get are pointers, but armed with that you can go start listening.
Ask members who are close enough if you could bag a listen. Go to a show or a dealer.
Learn as much as you can first. Loan components or buy on sale-or-return.
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Post by bigman80 on Mar 6, 2018 0:14:03 GMT
1) Find the "Sound" you are after.
2) Audition kit as much as possible that ticks the boxes.
3) Don't think "Legendary" HiFi gear is going to be better than modern and vice versa
4) Keep to a budget you're happy with
5) More cost is not necessary better
6) Find like minded individuals whose advice matches your taste.
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Post by karatestu on Mar 6, 2018 14:57:12 GMT
Your (yes your own) ears are the only thing to trust 100%.
Get into diy audio electronics as soon as you can and have lots of fun
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Post by puffin on Mar 6, 2018 15:51:44 GMT
For anyone starting out they need to be aware that they will make mistakes. Sadly there are not the number of shops there were which makes it harder to get to hear stuff. I always had a budget when I went shopping and I stuck to it.
When I was looking to get a "proper" system in the early 80's I avidly read all the mags especially WT..hifi and the Awards issue of course. My expectation bias was high, but I was not dissapointed and kept it for about 5 years. I think I was lucky that it all gelled to my satisfaction and gave me the sound I liked. When I wanted to better it that it became much harder to decide in which direction to go and some purchases were better than others, but none were a complete disaster.
Getting into DIY is in equal measures highly rewarding, frustrating and addictive (at least to me). Take amplifiers for example, you can try Valve, Mosfet, Class D, Class A etc at a fraction of commercial prices. They don't even have to look pretty. It's all about the music!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2018 16:07:35 GMT
I have probably bought 99% of my stuff used from EBay, forums or mag classifieds in the old days. Somehow the bits I heard in or bought from shop demos were far more exciting and memorable. You're right to mourn the lack of shops these days,
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Post by karatestu on Mar 6, 2018 17:09:31 GMT
Getting into DIY is in equal measures highly rewarding, frustrating and addictive (at least to me). Take amplifiers for example, you can try Valve, Mosfet, Class D, Class A etc at a fraction of commercial prices. They don't even have to look pretty. It's all about the music! I agree with all this although I have never ventured out of the solid state camp. Good job they don't have to look pretty cos mine look awful  . Yes it's all about the music dude.  |
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. Yes it's all about the music dude.