End Game Audiophile System for $100!? Well... Kind Of...

How to get your end game audiophile system for $100... but there is a catch. A few of them
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[@johnross1991]

A couple years ago, I did this exactly saving $100 per month. I began looking for any deals I could find and I ended up getting all of the following for $998 not counting tax. (Marantz PM5005 Integrated Amplifier, Marantz CD5005 CD Player, Music Hall USB-1 Turntable, Denon DRW-830 Dual Cassette Tape Player, Audi-Technica AT95E MM Phono Cartridge, Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 Bookshelf Speakers and AudioQuest Evergreen Interconnects) Nothing was new. The Marantz stuff was factory refurbished, turntable was in a pawn shop, cassette tape player was at a second hand shop and the speakers were the previous year's floor demo at a local stereo shop. This was all part of the fun of this hobby. I'm saving up for a music streamer and a 2 channel power amplifier.

[@jukingeo]

@Randy. This one had given me a good chuckle. WOW! What a bait and switch! But, hear me out for a second. While this really was a guide on suggestions to saving up enough money that you could buy a $1000 item for your stereo, it really should be labeled as such. What I did like were the suggestions. Having a home and family to take care of, saving up some extra spending cash isn't easy at all. So some of your suggestions are good ones. I did especially like the story about how you sold off your Star Wars figures and ended up making $4k from it. I actually have a Star Wars box myself that I have to go through. What I didn't like is that you went outside that $1000 range. Also, the entire post was about buying higher end expensive stuff. Again, and here comes the redundancy. It would have been great if you properly called this post, "Saving tips for an end game audiophile system," and put this post, along with all your other high prices audio reviews into a separate channel that is labeled as such. Keep this page, labeled "Cheap Audio Man" for those that are looking for cheap, affordable, hi-fi products. What do I consider cheap? I would say if I were to be forced to set a round about number. Let's go with $700. Anything under that stays here, anything over, should go into a high end channel. Keep up the great work along the lines of what the channel is about. As you probably figured by now, I could care less about high priced stuff.

[@kevinyoungM14EBR]

Back when I dipped my civilian toes into the M14 / M1A rifle hobby I ate bologna sandwiches for months and I quickly saved enough to buy my first M1A, one thing lead to another and all of a sudden I was working with folks involved with supplying our war fighters with EBRs, that lead to me meeting a lot of folks at SHOT SHOW including the premier M14 historian that is a former bubble head. This lead to my becoming an exclusive distributor of two accuracy enhancing items for the M14 / M1A. This late Boomer is applying my bologna sandwich method to saving money so I can enhance my audiophile system, and who knows what that will lead to. One thing is certain, my enjoyment of music and the gear that produces it will be enhanced.

[@IPv6Freely]

You should do "what I'd buy if I had $x to spend on a complete system" series. Amp, speakers, source, turntable, DAC, etc. Start ultra-budget and move up to like 10,000 or something. For example if I decided "I want to get something and have a total of $3000 to spend, what would you suggest?"

[@jpsyoda82]

I have been in the reselling game for 20+ years. I own gear now that I never dreamed I would have. Bought Polk Lsim 705 3 years ago. Those are on one system. Just bought my first Mcintosh amp 3 months ago. Absolutely love it. I really enjoy your channel!

[@richarddemers2798]

Good ideas right there Randy... but: $100 a month to buy $1200 to $2000 for each piece (amp, dac, streamer, speakers), you will be able to listen to hifi music in about 4 to 5 years (for starters), unless buying a full $1200 system after yeat 1 then upgrading and loosing along the way. We are talking about a system that goes from $4800 to $8000, excluding inflation and losses for selling prior gear. That's not exactly cheap (life sucks for non-rich people) but it would be a good system for sure. I just think that most people won't put that kind of money in a system (especially at 2k+ per piece). Would love to, but life is expensive for middle-class dudes. Lots of other things to buy. Great review and ideas otherwise. I guess it is a question of priority as well. I like rice and beans and they are sort of cheap (would save a lot) but I prefer steak with cab...😂😂

[@stockportstev]

I agree. It ended up being a normal EXPENSIVE audiophile video. This route means you've got gear sitting around unused for ages before hearing it!!

[@johnhricko8212]

The bate? $100… The switch? Move the decimal place over please. It's worth it. You can do it. Save up, yada yada… Please Randy really?...

[@beforeandafterphotos]

i recently got the rsl speedwoofer 2.1 system with their amp fiio k2 and a dvd player. i wont lie. it sounds amazing. im starting to grow my cd collection again.

[@joelcarson4602]

A "Killer" sound booth? Would that make it a "John Wikes Booth?" I'll show myself right out...

[@scottmole7819]

Just purchased my first two channel system with separates Emotiva PT2 and A2, With a pair of Wharfdale Super Lintons. Pairing these with my Wiim pro streamer, and my Fluance RT82. The speakers will be here tomorrow. I think this should make a real nice system. What do you think Randy.

[@darrenschmitz2712]

My favorite hack for a while was to buy return speakers from Amazon for about 1/2 of retail. Every speaker I received was perfect so after I was done with them I was able to sell them for what I had in them, or sometimes makes some money.

[@NoName-en4op]

Dave Ramsay has 24 hours to respond

[@En_Pissant]

😂

[@davidramsey7424]

Why me? Lol

[@j.neumann1722]

The coffee thing worked for me… bought a good coffee maker and stopped spending Money on coffee to go … I saved lots of money that way which ended up in my HiFi systems. Easy calculation: coffee maker 500$ / saved me 10$ each day / the coffee maker is long time paid… the coffee is way better than at the gas station and instead of spending sh…loads of money on bad coffee I have more money for my HiFi … funny that you brought up exactly that example…😂👍🏻

[@peterelliott2914]

Problem with that is because I'm the kind of person who spends money on HiFi systems I spent $5,000 on a coffee machine and not $500 lol. Still, that was a decade ago and I've probably also paid off.

[@j.neumann1722]

@ 🤣👍🏻

[@AbideinChristSealed]

Or get a stainless French press and not have to worry about moldy water lines or plastic parts.

[@proverbialmind_spread9421]

Or stop drinking fancy coffee and get a $50 coffee maker.

[@rabscots910]

ZA3 Monos...with ZD3....swapped amps to LM 4562's. Wharfedale Diamond's 9.1 - modded to film foil capacitors. Sublime. $600 with 12v trigger control over system with remote. Get a power outlet refiner...and some ferrite cores (only on right channel cables?). Doesn't consume much power and is small in size. Trust me - you won't be disappointed. Goes head to head with just about anything. ZA3 ? Product of the decade in my opinion. LM 4562 op amps are the best - don't fall for the expensive hype on op amps. ZA3 uses separate amplifier chips for each channel. Very high resolution output using the XLR inputs. Class D has now surpassed Class A...and Fosi achieved this with the ZA3. Credit where credit is due.

[@peterelliott2914]

I buy stuff like Fosi Audio that can get demoted to a different room, like a garage system or to give away to try to get my kids into HiFi.

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

Yep, I have moved my older gear into less use rooms or given it to many family members over the years!

[@crisjr6478]

It’s funny i bought Sony dh190 years ago when you first reviewed it. Probably one of your first reviews. I consistently think about upgrading but I know if I do I wanna get in the 1500-2000 range but for the 120$ I paid that thing had made me smile for years. I’d love a AS1200 from Yamaha or even the older 1100. Someday. Running that dh190 off a smsl su1 sounds great to me.

[@SixStringHarmonies]

Hehe... It's the ol' "latte factor" or "avocado toast" tip. I was afraid of that. A lot of people likely see that miserable coffee or the middling lunch they buy as the absolute highlight of their miserable day. Just imagine how much extra you'd have each month if you didn't have to pay for car or health insurance! Put that money back in your check. Vote for legislators who support working people.

[@brentjablonski3730]

Thanks for sharing your insight on this. I personally think your advice is generally applicable to many aspects of life. Delayed gratification also has the benefit that when you get 'thing', it means a heck of a lot more to you then if you just went into debt for it. There are a couple of aphorisms that get a lot of play in my head. 1) Better is the enemy of good enough; 2) If you always spend less than you make, you'll have more money than you know what to do with. Rule #1 helps to stop chasing 'perfection' all the time - spend more time enjoying what you have. Rule #2 makes financial worries evaporate. Of course, both of these rules of thumb are a lot harder to live than to say.

[@josephsaucedo8691]

When I was 15 years old I got a job even though I was really old enough yet. I saved for the first 6 mouth straight and went and bought 1500$ worthy of home audio . This was year ago I still have all of It along with a full svs set up now💯🎶🎵🤑💰 ebay 💰

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

I remember when the Dayton Audio B652 speakers paired with the that Lepy amp could be purchased for less than $100 and then one could add in the Behringer UCA202 DAC for a pretty great system under $100. Was it an audiofile system? Well, I guess that depends on your definition of audiofile and your expectations. But it sounded better than most Bluetooth speakers on the market at that point.

[@T_Burd_75]

I have both the Dayton Audio B652-AIR and the B452-AIR and both are excellent speakers for the price. Those AMT tweeters are so crisp and clean sounding. I have the B452-AIR speakers on my computer bench, powered by a ZK-MT21 amp which is also feeding a 6.5" subwoofer under the desk. This is the best-sounding computer speaker setup that I've ever heard.

[@SuperMcgenius]

Regarding moon Audio, it is well built equipment, but to my ear it lacked soul, I sold it. equipment matching it’s tricky and at that time I had Vandersteen fives, for me that did not work. I ended up with VTL AMP and a Aesthetic preamp, that was a beautiful combination that may not have worked with other speakers, but it did for me.

[@gmlgml780]

0:00 _"... make hifi great again ..."_ Yeah. You cannot. You know why ? 'Cause everything is hifi nowadays. Even the most cheapo ones are just good enough. You do not need special or luxury things for music listening until you want exactly the luxury. It is getting to be more and more a music listening heaven nowadays.

[@joelcarson4602]

How about if you can afford about $2 a month?

[@tyluna7692]

be patient then..

[@frankplissken143]

Just save up what you can and watch for deals on stuff that is going out of fashion. I got Elac Uni-Fi ub51 for $200, amazing speaker that would cost much, much more than that to do marginally better.

[@tschorsch]

@@tyluna7692 yeah, one of their great grandchildren will be able to buy a decent audio system, but by that time we'll be in full idiocracy, anyway

[@jim010109]

The Super Lintons would be a cool speaker to have.

[@rickb7378]

What about the Yamaha A-S801??

[@PaulCrawhorn]

PLEASE tell me WHAT $500 speakers sounded just as good as L50s ? I assume OG passives? Very hard to drive to (safe) max SPL, so I assume also more efficient? Even if discontinued, I'm all about second-hand...

[@willgrant8013]

What about outlaw amps and/or Buckeye?

[@monkeymadnes88]

I have gear consist of Wharfedale diamond 12.3, Polk subwoofer, Marantz PM6007, Project Debut Carbon with ortofon 2M red and Project phono e box. If I have a budget of 500 USD which gear should I replace first? and if Bi-wiring could improve my setup? thanks and cheers again from Indonesia.

[@namegoeshere2903]

Go vintage....you can easily do a system for $200. CD transport, integrated amplifier speakers...all to easy.

[@francescotenti193]

A new version of the "cheapaudioman", a financial adviser and rightfully so. A lot of great thinking and points made. Why not the Elac Bebut 3.0 as speakers? That $5-700.00 saved could be used on a turntable and enjoy analogue music.

[@tomaszsikora5360]

what external device DAC can improve the sound in system Cambridge Audio cxc,cxn v2 &cxa81? is it better to replace one of the elements with this exn or exa100.

[@christopherviers8302]

Did I vote for... Audiophile...? Why, yes I did...!!! But my wife vetoed the amendment, so there you go...!!! Hahahaha....!!! Only kidding, but there is that facet when shelling out $1,000-$2,000 for a sound system... I lucked out, as my wife likes music, especially the kind you sing along with - KTV, so I make a point of playing "her music" from time to time... Hearts & Minds buddy...!!!

[@jeffjefferson7384]

My hobo lifestyle tips = people throw stuff away because it's old (got a 90s Kenwood amp this way, works flawlessly); REFURB / RENEWED stock from good retailers (especially if it's covered by warranty) ; eBay (from people with 99-100% positive feedback, with good recent photos) Only 4k subs to get to 300k :)

[@DeMorcan]

Renewed is often a returned new item. Renewed Emotiva sale: TA1 integrated amp $382 (new nonsale 600) XB1 speakers $314 makes a nice $700 system with room for source and can add sub later.

[@campinwill9977]

I guess it's all about the media? LPs, 8 track, cassette tape, reel to reel, CDs, FM broadcast and now streaming? I would think you need to pick your method? Stream and Bluetooth to a JBL speaker? Play LPs in a dust free room? FM - really? 8 track and cassettes and reel to reel? For me that leaves CDs? If you are smart enough to build a computer with a CD burner, the supply of media is endless. Download and buy MP3s?

[@MarkoMahnic1979]

Holy 48x click-bait, Batman...

[@edenmolinar2086]

Ah, man, I'm all coffeed-out... honey break out the decaf!

[@charlesdrake4435]

Look for closeout stuff, research modification to your current equipment. Get a prime card and use the points for audio stuff. Lots of ways to make that 1200 seem like 1600

[@Popecody55]

J have a wiim ultra and b&w headphone. Also a cromebook use usb c to headphone. Good sound😂

[@ThomasPetzwinkler]

Or... If you have a good dac like the EverSolo Z8 you just USB in to it with the Wiim Ultra and the clocks in that DAC beat the SMSL any day of the week and the DAC kicks the Gishelli All over the place too. I can't speak to the Denefrips as I haven't listened to one.

[@thomasdix8453]

Excellent advice!

[@paultuerena]

Don’t forget the secondhand market, I have picked up some classic stuff for stupidly cheap

[@jimdog]

I'll throw out a speaker recommendation... I have a pair of Elac Debut 2.0 F6.2 (last year's floor standing model). Nice thing about them being last year's is they are discounted now. Last I checked, crutchfield has them for ~$350 a pair 👍

[@markconway2677]

If I were saving $100 a month with a goal of $1200 ish to spend, I'd have as my target an integrated amp such as a Rogue Audio Sphinx V3, Schiit Ragnarok 2 (now discontinued), Cambridge CXA-81, NAD C368, Arcam SA20, or Rotel A12.

[@FrightfulMess]

"So, do I buy. that $7 Coffee Store coffee, or put it towards an awesome HI-FI system? Well, that one's EASY! The expensive stereo system loses out, cause I can't afford $7 coffees. Nope, I'm you're Great Value make-it-at-home, a pot-at-a-time kinda guy, and you can get a whole bunch of pots of coffee for that $7 and maybe $4 more....Annnnnndddd NEXT we got your Chi-Fi streamer for around $170 tax included. Now THAT I MIGHT be able to swing outta a paycheck long's as I don't have that chunk of change already spent on a bunch of items that add up to that $170 that I'd already promised to the wife, and what the wife wants, the wife gets, because HER stuff doesn't have to get snuck past ME, because, well.......because.....well, because. So, will I somehow land myself something in the $1200 range this year? I highly doubt it, but that's what DREAMS are made of, friends!

[@scottfarley6867]

If I wanted to watch a video on financial management I would have searched for it. Disappointed

[@MeTuLHeD]

Ok. Let's review class. If you save $100 a month for a whole year, then you can afford MAYBE one item on his gear list. Oh. Wait. Tax.

[@buckaroobonsi555]

I can both agree with your points and disagree with your points. Some items today should be bought as a lifetime purchase or at the very least a longterm investment. So for instance a really powerful, well built, class A/B amp like Advanced Paris, Quad, Sugden, restored vintage Yamaha, Kenwood, Ampzilla purchase it and use it for at least 20 years or longer. A really good all analog pre-amp is fantastic and worth having forever. Speakers can be close to a forever thing as well. If you do a decent job up front and do not waste time on stand mount bookshelf speakers you could easily be set for many decades with something like KLH Kendells, KLH 5, Jade 20, Caladan Speakers are $3495 for a pair of OB speakers that are truly world class. Unless you plan on living in a tiny apartment in Manhatan or Tokyo most people will waste their time on so called "bookshelf" speakers that often will not fit on a bookshelf and buy 5 or 6 pairs before they find something that they actual like. You always take a loss of bookshelf speakers. So bookshelfs are ok to get started but will never be a truely "forever" or "endgame" piece of gear! I know guys that have had more wives than speakers because they did not skimp on speakers early on! When it comes to DAC/Streamers I think the super expensive gear is not worth saving up for since we have seen more advancement in DAC/Streamers/App's since the WiiM Pro Plus came to market than in the preceding 15 years. Look at how much DAC you can get in the socketed J2 for not much money! In a few years I think DAC chips will hit their peak in terms of what can be done to convert digital to analog in terms of what can be heard. Wifi bandwidth is not an obstacle either. Lossless high resolution audio is well worked out when done properly. So I think it is more a matter of preference now and even more so in another 2-3 years not actual performance increase. Turntables are tricky you can get a lot of machine today for $500-$600 and you get next to nothing more until you step up to $1500 and then the next step is in the $3500-$7500 range then the next step is $27,000 turntable and a $15,000 tone arm. The cartridge and phono stage is more important than the turntable for assuming your unit keeps time and is stable for 99% of people. So I think the Amp is the heart and soul of the "End Game" system the Pre-Amp is next and nothing beats a fantastic all analog premium Pre-Amp and the Speakers are next! I listed the items in the order of how much return on your investment you get when you go big or go home and the order in which you will likely keep them forever if you pick well!

[@AlexSomers-d2n]

I usually put $1k-4k a year in AV/computer stuff. But a wiim amp pro/dbr62 combo would sound at least as good as what i have and sound fine for the next 15 years. In reality, I only listen to 2ch music 99%of the time and the vast majority of my audio money was spent buying x4500h+ 13 DIYSG kit speakers + 6 subs that never got built because a the end of a finger got cut off. Completely urelated accident, but puts a mental block on building the cool giant speakers.

[@DeepHorizon3773]

All NEW Weier Werks Horn Speakers ! Ground-Breaking ! New "Affordable" World's BEST Speakers ! "Affordable" New Fezz Audio Mira Ceti 300B Integrated Amp ! Best Kept Secret....

[@solomonstewart1025]

This guy has run out steam.

[@masterxyr]

weird. I've never ever been standing up right before watching one of these :D

[@Brian_Romska]

I remember how mad you were at your moon/kef setup, good times…

[@dennis3779]

No end game for cheep guy. Please pray. No end game for everyone. Pray for the beginnings

Is it just me or is there something wrong with the logic here? Save $1200 in the year for your amp and then what? If you want to 😮actually listen to music you might need a source (if Bluetooth is not an option), speakers, streamer and/or a DAC. If you’re getting a good amp those other components would have to be decent as well. So, I think for the example you have chosen $200/month is nearer the mark subject to any junk you can extract from your loft or garage. But, as you often point out, you really don’t need to spend that much to get a competent system. I have a marantz amp, WiiM mini, Denon turntable and Fyne Audio speakers (all bought new) and a 32 year old Technics cd player. Total cost £800/$1000 and more than enough to get solid joy and entertainment from my music. Love the channel by the way.

[@Feliciano12v]

I think we all have our poison. We just need to delegate cash towards something more meaningful if we want better.

[@carnivorouscanuck729]

More clickbait.

[@scottyx77]

un jour j'ai arrété de fumer, en un an j'ai économisé assez pour me payer une guitare dont je révais........

[@computerfreakch8912]

Non only is it clickbait, but Randy is selling you a dream. Noone wants your stuff, that's what you'll learn.

[@rotelfan2000]

I sell stuff on facebook marketplace all the time. Just sold a set of speakers yesterday

[@kriswrench469]

Yeah, I just did this in the last 2 weeks made a grand..... Show me the money.

[@thenexthobby]

But Acme Tools has 2 Milwaukee PACKOUT pieces I want on sale for about another day, so already I'm in the hole with this idea. And stop looking at the 40 yr old Honda on my porch I haven't ridden in a year, OK?

[@androidkerapk7180]

Cheapaudioman, don't be too cheap. This video and title makes no sense. Where logic? And why $4000? Why don't you wait 10 years and buy something even better? Too much coffee? Please, just present the gear you think is worth attention without this kind of twisted logic.

[@FunFiEmpire]

Marantz 70s integrated amp with HDMI input and output.

[@bhenry5091]

Definitely "click baity"! No question!

[@MisterFastbucks]

When did this become the Dave Ramsey show?

[@72vespa]

nice click-bait headline and audio advice. save yer money for three years, acquire $6000, spend it on overpriced audio gear .....

[@forbiddencue1101]

Make HiFi Great Again🤙

[@emma_nokongtador271]

Elac debut 3 + Fosi Za3 + SMSL DO400 + Elac Sub1010 can´t be my endgame setup? :(((((((((

[@loe7717]

Maybe, mine is Elac Debut 3.0 DB63, Rotel A8 and Wiim Ultra.

[@GeirRssaak]

You are such a great hifi clown!

[@DaveCline-lm4fm]

Hey, don't trash the baby boomers!

[@TimMihalko]

Agreed. The baby boomers literally invented HiFi !!!!

[@sandwaves5642]

Well, if I should STOP buying DUMB things - I can't buy Hi-Fi systems then .....😆

[@cheapaudioman]

@@sandwaves5642 good point. Maybe I should have said don’t buy dumb stuff except for Hifi…

[@jonathanmiller2939]

Cheap audio man? Really?

[@arthurwatts1680]

I'm spending that money on cans of baked beans - we are less than 2 months from financial Armageddon according to the usual doom merchants. These folk have predicted no less than 15 :of the last 3 recessions. 😮

[@DrGonzo12676]

Goodwill / Thrift Store

[@authorfalling]

The new stuff is so expensive and boring to look at.

[@keith6872]

McIntosh one and done just for the blue meters. Don't buy Randy's dumb stuff😂

[@MrDannyyb]

😅 trash, from start to finish