Most Common HiFi Stereo Newbie Mistakes! Don't be a NEWB!

[@jeffreywoodard8247]

FWIW . . . don't strip your speaker wires over your receiver or amplifier as you don't want any stray speaker wire strands falling into your audio equipment. Be careful dusting your equipment with wood cases as it's too easy to snag a bit of loose veneer and make it much worse. If you haven't used a piece of equipment in a while, exercise the buttons a few times and move the receiver tuner across the full dial a few times in order to make sure the contacts are clean. Never attempt to service your own equipment unless you know what you are doing as there can be very high voltage involved. If you have LEDs in your gear, you can rotate them in their holders to get brighter or dimmer light showing depending on your taste. Always make sure your equipment has adequate ventilation. Cheers!

[@skylabsaudio]

I'm guilty of trimming speaker wires over vents! Forgot though- that's a good one!

[@christophergaus3996]

I watch for that too!

[@MichaelIrving-uq8jk]

Was qa pre

[@if6was929]

I made custom covers for my KEF LS50 Meta speakers, those exposed drivers draw people (kids and adults alike!) like moths to a flame!

[@JoeLoomis-cg3ec]

Hat

[@crmixman]

My number one tip - If you buy a vintage amp or receiver without hearing it first, always check the speaker connectors with a multimeter set to read DC volts the first time you power it up. Don't connect speakers until you know there's less than 100mv of DC on the speaker outputs. If the unit has shorted output transistors and no protect circuit (more common than most people think) it can cook the voice coils of your woofers. Now if it's a tube amp or receiver, it's just the opposite - you need to have speakers (or a dummy load) connected. The output transformer blocks DC from reaching the speakers, so it's almost always safe. Playing tube gear with no load on the output transformers can be a very expensive mistake!

[@t-mar9275]

We used to have a kitten that would get on top of the turntable dust cover and paw at it, trying to get to the spinning record,. No amount of scolding or punishment would deter the behaviour. So, after taking the necessary precautions to protect the tonearm, I placed the kitten directly on the platter and started it at 45 rpm. It freaked out, took off like a shot and from that day on, never came near the turntable again.

[@patrickcoughlin-qj9uk]

Kittens and vintage electronics Don't mix .

[@theebayhififanatic6002]

Good advice! I find young children are drawn like magnets to dome tweeters and love pushing them in - I always put the grilles back on when the grandchildren are coming over

[@LakeNipissing]

Get the vacuum cleaner out and have the kids correct their mistake... ... Not :)

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

You can use the wire fan guards like you see on your PC fans to over your tweeters to keep pokey little fingers out.

[@domfjbrown75]

And adults too... Brand new speakers, and my mate comes around and promptly dents one of the metal domes! Nice bill for him... A few years later after a party he and another mate decided to prat around in the don't room, and knocked a heavy Epos ES14 off the stand and gouged the outer cabinet. Grrr. Filler, sanding and stain solved that one. He's not been to my house in ages lol.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@domfjbrown75 Yeah, I used to have a couple of friends like that... they just had to handle and touch *everything* and usually with negative outcomes. Note the use of the past tense...

[@patmx5]

You can tell a man there are a billion stars in the universe and he’ll believe you. Tell him that bench has wet paint on it and he’ll have to touch it to be sure. I’ve never understood the seemingly magnetic attraction between fingers and speaker dust covers, but to some people it’s simply irresistible. Doubly so if the dust cover in question is shiny metal.

[@alm5693]

One newbie tip for Yamaha integrated amps and receivers with both "direct" modes and a variable loudness control: MAKE SURE that the loudness control hasn't been turned way down before you engage the direct mode. The direct mode bypasses the loudness control, so you go directly to whatever the gain is on your volume control, which can be EXTREMELY loud if you were using a lot of "loudness".

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

The same thing happens on the old 90s Sony receivers that had a muting button. (-20db at the press of a button.) If you have muting engaged and you don’t notice, then you may turn the volume knob way up, then if you accidentally disengage the muting button… you startle the entire household!!

[@kyomori]

I've done the "wrong phase" many times via lazy cabling .. My personal addition would be, Don't handle manual turntables drunk. I've created a ton of record scratches and lost a stylus tip while playing records drunk... nowadays I just turn the streamer on for drunk sentimental listening. Somebody posted about outer-platter removal / shims for transporting, which is another great one (among the others that commenters have pointed out). In the old days, one became aware of many of these things anecdotally through conversations with friends or at shops. . Thanks for another nice video.

[@domfjbrown75]

I seem to be safer with vinyl when half cut! Not totally drunk, but merry... Don't ask me why!!?

[@acrossthedial]

I always turn the volume control down before turning off and check before turning on. When my kids were young they would turn knobs and somehow my Luxman L-430 ended up at full volume. When I turned it on one night it blew out the woofers on my Advents.

[@adsbadsb9488]

I take black and red shrink tube and colour code speaker wire ends. Makes it easier when hooking up and makes you think.

[@miguelsalami]

2 things to note on turntables. One is proper Tone Arm Counter weight adjustment & the second is Cartridge Alignment using a Cartridge Alignment Protractor. These two adjustments are Critical for proper sound and Vinyl preservation.

[@LakeNipissing]

Awesome photo at 7:27 . . . Not only is the ventilation being choked, the hairs get inside and build up like crazy on the PCB and heat sinks. This compounds the overheating! I have repaired amplifiers and receivers which were spotless on the outside and buried with cat (or dog) hairs on the inside!

[@skylabsaudio]

Yes, exactly

[@lancomedic]

Not to mention cats have a tendency to pee where you don’t want them to.

[@johnbrender7635]

That’s funny what you said about the Salsa Chip bowl. Last year I ordered an album from a band that does their own merchandising and the day it was delivered it was in the upper 90’s. The carrier left it leaning on my front door in the direct sunlight.and severely warped it. I met the drummer of that band a few months later and told him about it at the merch table. He offered to replace it and I said no way man, not your fault, anyway I put it to good use as a tortilla chip bowl.

[@markoneswift9765]

Great video again, very useful reminders to those of us who think we know everything! I would add 'don't rush to connect your latest audio purchase straight to your rig - get it checked first'. I experienced this one myself recently, when I connected a Linn pre / power combo, which I had just purchased, straight to a pair of my better speakers. I should have known better, I should have checked what the Linns were putting out in terms of DC etc, but I didn't and I smoked both woofers on my IMF ALS40s! They have been repaired by an awesome speaker tech, luckily, was I SO annoyed with myself for doing such a dumb thing.

[@robsonbass6058]

I use 1970's separates in my systems. I always have to remember to shut off the amp first, and then the pre-amp.

[@byrdshot4846]

Wow, what a great video! I have been into HiFi since the early 70s and I have made almost all of these mistakes. Thanks for putting out a video that can help so many people new to the Hobby please keep up the good work

[@stevea.1929]

Hey Kevin. Great video as always. One thing I would ad to the record storage topic is do not store one's collection in a pile on top of each other. I see this all the time at estate sales and thrift stores. Looking forward to the next video.

[@Lfunk1983]

Good advice

[@osterlitz1]

I would like you to do a video about the handling of the vinyl records and their cleaning. This was a great video as always. Thanks.

[@lamarw9901]

The cat struggle is real. I put a wire letter basket on top of my receiver, rubber feet down and the gap to the cabinet on top is small enough to prevent the car from getting in. I'd like a better solution but seem to be working. They're quiet when they want to be and can sneak in. Thank you for the tips.

[@kelleyhagan960]

Get rid of the cat. Get you a dog.

[@patrickcoughlin-qj9uk]

I had a fat cat that slept on my pioneer sx 1050 I always kept A towel on top of the receiver . Just in case .

[@billmellater]

​@@patrickcoughlin-qj9ukbe sure to cover up those vents. You don't want your receiver disappating any heat 🤨.

[@JLeeeP]

@@kelleyhagan960 Go screw.

[@Lfunk1983]

I put a towel over my Marantz when not in use. When in use w turntable, and my young cat wants to go over there, I gently place her back on the floor and play w her. She forgets lol.

[@ANR7406]

Had a nice integrated amp with kt88 tubes. The tubes were due for a replacement. Over the years, I'd gradually augmented their ajustable bias. I put in the brand new tubes without bringing down the bias. Smoky smoky.

[@anthonyhfe6450]

For my vintage equipment speaker terminals (which are typically 6-32 flat head screws), I use 16-14 AWG, blue insulated-barrel, crimp-on Ring terminals or Spade terminals. If you are able to completely remove the screw, Ring terminals are best. If the screw has "spoiled" threads so they cannot come all the way out, then simply use spade terminals. You can also solder your wires after you crimp them, for a sturdier, low resistance connection, but be careful as the insulated barrel may melt back and shrink. This method has never failed me. I have had no issues with just twisting the strands tight and making a hook shape and wrapping it tightly under the screw head either, but if you keep moving around your amp/receiver, it's possible you can work them loose. I don't like the aftermarket ones that convert from a spade to a uninsulated binding post. They're most likely to come loose, rotate, and short out against the adjacent post. If they made them with insulated binding posts, that would solve the issue, but you still have the weight of the wires putting a torque on the screws, and possibly loosening them, so that's why I prefer the ring or spade terminals.

[@ICenobyte1962]

Another tip; If you remove the head shell for any reason, put the stylus guard on. I have a separate cartridge for 45s and when I switched out the headshell, I dropped it and screwed up the stylus of the expensive one. I was sick! The stylus was only a few months old. I haven't played any 45s since.

[@MarvinHartmann452]

Oh I would have been livid if it happened to me. I understand that for sure.

[@if6was929]

I dropped my Ortofon MC Bronze the other day when switching cartridges, fortunately it didn't get damaged. Yes, I should have put the stylus guard on before removing the cartridge from the head shell but have you ever tried to put an Ortofon MC stylus guard back on? I find it to be virtually impossible!

[@Crmsnraider]

....cats sure do love the warm spots ontop of amps and the hair sure loves goin in venting...

[@michaelduffee6402]

I had a cat that napped on top of my reciever years ago. I never thought too much about it until I leaned over and realized how much fur and kitty litter grit had settled down into the electronics of the reciever.

[@alm5693]

I worked at a cut-out record warehouse for a few years of my misspent youth and one of the chores we would do would be to "rebag" records which consisted of stripping off the existing damaged shrinkwrap and then sending them thru a machine that would wrap the record in plastic, seal off the ends with a hot wire knife and then send it through an oven to shrink the wrap tightly around the record. Now and then an album would get stuck inside or the cutting wire would come down on the album cover, which causes a straight-line burn across an entire edge of the record cover and the record. When we were really bored we would take unloved records and make bowls out of them by putting it through the oven 3-4 times to soften it up. If you see old sealed records with a shrinkwrap seam down the center of the back, there's a chance they've been sent through a rebagging machine by a dude who partied way too hard the night before and hates his day job, his roommates, and his life. Buy with caution and open it right away.

[@skylabsaudio]

lol- Thanks!

[@anthonypuopolo4586]

Some common mistakes I always see are people that stack components. I will see a turn table on top of amplifier vents. A common rule of thumb is to ALWAYS have at least 12 inches of space around any vents. With Marantz receivers, I almost always see circular socket scratches around the small faceplate screws because people are too lazy or careless when removing the faceplate with a rachet. Oh yeah, when removing a faceplate, people also use a screw driver to pry off the knobs, leaving horrible dings and scratches on the faceplate. Another one I always see is using WD-40 to clean pots. People also misuse deoxit when cleaning pots. If you use the wrong chemicals, you can completely destroy the traces. I recommend having a skylabs tech or Kevin make a video on what chemicals can be used on pots and which ones to avoid.

[@LakeNipissing]

Spoon is good as a lever to remove knobs, with the convex side against the faceplate. "Contact cleaner" for pots?? Never!! Only if you want to scratch the carbon off completely with the wiper. Potentiometers need to be *_lubricated_* as well as being de-oxidized and cleaned.

[@MarvinHartmann452]

WD-40 will ruin the pots, people used to do that before and I've repaired countless of devices with ruined volume knobs or other control because of this.

[@LakeNipissing]

@@MarvinHartmann452 Very true. A mil-spec material such as *_ACF-50_* which is designed for electronics is the right way to go. We have been using it for about 30 years.

[@seedney]

What temperatures is ok for the equipment? I have it stacked in Rack, but have ventilators inside with temp sensor. Also - back is open, Amp is bigger than the rest and turntable is outside of that rack. I have a little kid and I don’t want my equipment to by scratched or painted etc.

[@tlister67]

Here’s one: after a move and year storage I took my Sansui 9090 out a couple days ago. A screw that holds the grill in the wood case came out and landed on the fuses on the power supply board. It took out a channel in the driver board. It took out a driver board fuse, so I hope replacing it is all it takes. So perhaps open up the case after a move or shipping is wise.

[@starker1971]

I would like to add one.. I was once listening to a record and wasn't thinking. While my turntable was amply isolated from the Subwoofer vibration, it was not isolated from the sound pressure waves. Rear port of the sub was hitting the back wall and reflecting onto my turntable. Record had some extra bass that day.

[@roguesquatch1]

I had left the dustcover up when I was playing a record on my Pioneer PL-L800 S and my very excitable 95 lb boxer mix swiped the tonearm so hard that it hit the spindle and destroyed the stylus. Close your dustcover when playing records! Another, much dumber move: testing a vintage amp with your pristine ADS L810s. Blew a tweeter. Always use tester speakers for any amp that is new to you...

[@WalterDavidRiffmon]

I had a whole-house surge protector installed by an electrician. These are once-and-done meaning, if there is a direct lightening strike, the unit is fried. But the audio gear won't be as well as the refrigerator, stove, etc. I have a Furman surge protector but I only consider that to be a protection in case of a surge, not a direct lightening strike.

[@johnhermanson5249]

I love it when a newbie (who acts like he's the first to discover classic audio) puts the turntable on top of a speaker, or puts speakers on top of a cabinet with receiver and turntable in the middle. Speakers are 3 feet apart, no separation, and the bass vibrations go right into the turntable.

[@kyleseifert3892]

Yep in my first year definitely crossed positives and negatives twice, great point!

[@Rockstar1974lol]

fun tip i just learned, if u buy and amp or some kind of equipment make sure u know the cable ur using to test it out is good. i was hearing alot of humming and interference from an expensive amp i bought only to realize it was 100% the cables fault

[@allanellis5827]

Thank you very much for the great advice. Another tip. Do not keep your tt within reach of children. Many years ago I had a very expensive Shure cartridge that got destroyed when a friend's child lifted the dust cover, stuck his hand underneath it and broke the stylus off. To add insult to injury the parent's of this child did not offer to replace it.

[@exconmom2464]

Newbie problem but I had a starter audio technica table with a built in pre amp run into a receiver without a phono stage to start. I eventually upgraded my table and receiver. I was selling the old at and the buyer wanted a demo. I hooked the at with preamp on into the phono input on the receiver and dropped the needle, my Jbl’s made the most horrific sound I’d ever heard. Luckily the everything survived my mistake.

[@TurboDV8]

Those beautiful gold Spade lug connectors look like a short circuit waiting to happen when you bump something and pull on a speaker, as you mentioned. That's a pretty sizable torque arm rotating around a speaker output screw not really designed to secure with a lot of torque itself. Bump that wire using those connectors and you would have a short more easily than just using stranded. I would forgo the fancy, pretty and expensive gold Lugz and just used standard, insulated lugs which you crimp and flow a little solder after its crimped.

[@johnboyle1425]

I can relate to the pet issue. One night some 20 years ago one of my cats fell asleep on top of my Sony GX10ES receiver. When I turned it on the next morning there was some static but no sound. She had peed on it while asleep. This destroyed the discriminator transformer in the tuner. I sold the unit for parts. All of my equipment has been located in a covered cabinet ever since.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

If both positives on the receiver are going to the negatives on the speakers, it will sound fine. The “out of phase” issue comes in when only one speaker is wired incorrectly, in which the bass will be nonexistent it might sound like it’s coming from a strange location in your room.

[@kerryedavis]

At least in the olden days, when you unboxed a turntable the platter was not "mounted". You did that as part of the setup. And that means they can come off again too, easier than you might think. So especially for shipping, I would always take the platter off and wrap it separately within the box.

[@johnbeckham1483]

So far I have been very fortunate in receiving my vintaged stereo gear in good working order per delivery!

[@stevelinahan8022]

Great advice. Bought a 2270 on eBay with the power switch missing but described as tested fine and works great. Long story short seller hot wired the switch to work and a host of other issues from him working on it. Still in the shop being repaired but everything seems fixable. I believe it will turn out OK but call it luck not brilliance. Great advice being given.

[@truebluemiata]

I sold my (now vintage) equipment (ADS L810s, Dual 701, & home built Dynaco separates) and my vinyl, and bought CDs.

[@everettputerbaugh3996]

Back in the day, I worked in an electronic repair shop and a console TV came in as a lightning job where the chassis fried and protected the fuse. OK, the lightning was so fast that it did not burn the fuse, but the transistors were toast. I won't discuss homeowner's insurance.

[@patrickcoughlin-qj9uk]

Same here service tech Toshiba console with Carver audio , direct hit Totally fried .

[@michaeledwards9376]

If the vintage gear you buy has a two prong, non-polarized plug, change it out, with a polarized plug. Just be sure that the hot and nuetral are in correct positioning. If you have never done this, and are not sure of the procedure, take it to a repair facility and maybe consider a three prong grounded plug. This is a SAFETY THING!!

[@danielgeiger7739]

Re stylus protection from cleaning people, done that with a $2K Soundsmith Zephyr cartridge, no stylus protector on that; fortunately the SS carts can be re-tipped but takes a few months. There are some third party dust covers for entire TT (VPI super prime scout in my case). Put the dust cover on before cleaning folks come. -- Also, do not put the TT in any corner, as corners (vertical as well as horizontal = on floor against wall) are areas for bass build-up. -- Re the spade connectors, they look about as dangerous as the wires, because the screw block is all metal, is not insulated. So maybe the wire strands to not touch when you move speaker cables, but the metal blocks touch! Put at least electrical tape over those blocks.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

Regarding pets and audio equipment: Cats are well known for wanting to sit on receivers - especially if it has been on for a long period of time.

[@LakeNipissing]

Cat: "Wow. The longer I lie here, the warmer it gets... and the stranger it smells.".

[@patrickcoughlin-qj9uk]

Fur balls cats like the warmth I had a 20 year old that was a heat pad thief .

[@johnvincent4048]

If you have separates, especially tube amps turn the volume all the way down and power up the amplifier last and power off the amplifier first to avoid the loud pop.

[@johnbeckham1483]

Owing vintaged stereo components are really cool!

[@chrissergeant7798]

Excellent. Many of your points remind me why I sold my record collection (in 1988). I sometimes wish I hadn't , but sometimes I am glad I did.

[@PartySpock]

As an audiophile as i am, i never be too old to learn. Thank you very much👍

[@markvwood2007]

3:48 if you can't figure out the polarity using the speaker wire then face the two speakers towards each other about 1" apart. Turn on the music. If the polarity is wrong then the loss of bass gives it away. The two speakers are cancelling each other out and it is most noticeable in the lower ranges. Separate them and face them both forward to see the difference in bass output from when they were facing each other. The bass will come back which further signals that the polarity was wrong. Switch one of the wires and try again.

[@MapleKlister]

Might be a good idea to disconnect your antenna from your vintage receiver, also. It doesn't have to be a direct hit; a nearby lightning strike can induce enough energy to fry a solid-state front end (FET or MOSFET, especially). Also - if you live in a really dry climate, you can fry your solid-state receiver with ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) - commonly known as static electricity. Discharge yourself to the chassis before touching the antenna connections.

[@BobBeta-r9t]

Lightening strike: I SPECIFICALLY use Tripp-Lite ISObar surge protectors - the ISObar specifically. I've been in IT for 30+ years and i've never lost a PC to a power issue that is attached to one of these . I have had a couple ISObar's sacrifice themselves protecting the equipment. My Adcom system that I bought in 1988 has been on an ISObar since 1994 (or before) and is still working great. I've put one on all my computers and both AV systems at home. They are about $65 these days and don't add any noise to systems. Furthar, every few years, I open up a new one to make sure they are still built like the first one i got back in the '90's and so far they are.

[@rellisor]

That warped record is AWESOME! I would hope it's hanging prominently in the shop somewhere because it screams, "FU it's 70's we're warped!!!!"

[@scratchback2001]

Hi from Australia. I was in a shop buying cartridges for my printer. There was an electrical storm on the way. I said I'd need to get home to unplug my computers power and cable connection as well and the power for my home cinema and other expensive things. He said to get a surge protector. I said that lightning would just fry that surge guard because of billions of volts electricity. There is nothing on the market that can protect you from lightning strikes. For the duration of the storm, just unplug everything, especially your nice new 4K TV.

[@haqitman]

Turn the amp volume all the way down before turning the amp on. With the volume up, the protect relay will arc when it kicks off and over time the contacts will carbon over and degrade leading to failure.

[@inkeman0917]

Great Show Kevin, I own a Yamaha CR-1040 and a Audio-Technica automatic turntable.. Sounds great when play my Vinyl LP's.. I began high school in the early 70's.. My favorite to listen to is Booker T and the MG's... Melting Pot..

[@davidsteinberg8024]

Also some turntables (Dual comes to mind) have cam screws that lock the table to base for transport. Don't be lazy, use them. And release them at the other end of the trip.

[@tms372]

Never unpluged a component in over 50 years because of a lightning storm, never had a problem.

[@Le3eFrereBrunet]

I work in telecom, we’ve had lightning strike on cell site towers…. And we use surge protectors, and surge suppressing systems… some equipement was still fried… Not a good day when you loose a site for a week or so for it to be rebuilt.

[@jikenj]

Great video I did a couple of those myself expecting some thunderstorms tonight I will be unplugging my Peachtree thanks!

[@sopasadena1499]

Couldn’t agree more with your tips. One other item with streaming into a DAC into your amp or reveiver, i find that the volume of various music selections can vary widely. If the volume of one selection is low and you turn your amp way up the next selection could be way loud and maybe damage your speakers if you don’t adjust volume between music.

[@keithchua5840]

I feel it's important on the resistance (ohms) matching between speakers and amplifier as well; especially if one loves to crank out loud music.

[@davidnorton573]

Most of the old tube amps (I also have a Fisher 400) were pretty forgiving when the speaker posts were shorted, just touching them together is unlikely to damage anything. This is because of the high output impedance of output tubes, as an example the 7868 in the Fisher is about 3KOhm (I have an old RCA receiving tube manual on my bookshelf from 1961, it was dusty). This is why there wasn't a strong reason to do a better connection on these amplifiers. The problem starts with the early transistor amplifiers, these amps also used the same speaker connectors, however the output impedance of the power devices is fractions of an Ohm, shorting these would cause all the smoke to come out. The amplifier manufacturers saw the problem and came out with better connectors. The only early solid state amps that I have experience with that didn't have this problem were the early Knight amps, they used a light bulb instead of a emitter series resistor, shorting them out would cause the light bulbs to light up. Pity the transistors were so noisy, otherwise the amps were kind of cool. I still have one lying around in a box, perhaps someday I will shift the input devices around to a low noise transistor and put it back in service. I would also note that most modern high quality amplifiers have incorporated current limiting, a momentary short will likely not damage them, however you will cause damage if you leave them shorted and operating as they will overheat.

[@werner.x]

Kind of a dangerous approach telling people not to worry with old tube amps outputs, because they are so forgiving.... A tube amp transformer dies silently in the background, while you don't realize anything wrong. Most old output transformers fall under unobtainium these days - and having them rebuilt and matched from scratch after toasting one of them accidentally by not worrying too much sure breaks most peoples bank.

[@davidnorton573]

As I said touching them together is unlikely to damage the amp, however I wouldn't leave it running shorted. As far as unobtainium transformers I was concerned about that with my Fisher, originally Fisher set the bias high, and it had a lot of variation due to the selenium rectifier used. I suspect it was set high to account for production tolerance, otherwise crossover distortion could have occurred. I redid the bias circuitry and set the tube bias fairly close to the bottom edge of the spec for the tube, the whole unit runs much cooler, and I suspect the transformers will last longer than I will. @@werner.x

[@ReasonablySane]

Your kiss album story. The exact same thing happened to me with cosmos factory. I bought it and left it on the front seat of my 1963 rambler classic and stop my my girlfriend's house to say hi. Well, I was also 17 and I went in and visited with her for way too long. I came out and there was my album on the seat with direct sunlight on it. And yeah, it was also summer in the windows were rolled up. Like you said, it was like a salsa dish. It was completely worthless and I hadn't even opened the darn thing yet. That was 1971.

[@triples4good]

I’ve done a couple of these things. Ebay gear I should have sent back but didn’t. Also be careful where you walk when you clean. I kicked a speaker cable and cause one of the cable pins to break and it touched the other terminal. Lost the right channel on my Marantz 1060. It’s in the shop now. I could have kicked myself!

[@Individual_two]

I have a vintage Shure V15 Type 3 cartridge that I've owned for over 40 years. One cool safety feature it has is a built-in stylus protector that I just pull down when I'm cleaning, then put it back up when I am ready to play. Sadly, Shure is out of the cartridge business and focusing on pro audio gear (which I use for gigs).

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Easy way to phase speakers. even with unmarked wires ... put them face to face in the middle of the room ... hook them up the way that gives you the best bass ... Now mark the wires at both ends with bits of red and black tape. For future just follow the color codes. Yep ... spade connectors for screw down terminals ... hardware store, 10 for $1.00. No excuses.

[@scottfallis304]

Great advice Kevin I've learned so much coming into you're store this will help people who can't stop in !!!

[@Rick-us7tx]

I got sl-q300 technics turntable 20.00 working. Hopefully it’s good?

[@grants7390]

i learned the hard way that almost every company uses a different pin-out for their xlr to rj45 adapters (also tend to be referred to as cat boxes). i know that's more of a professional audio problem, but i use them for home audio to use the cat5e in my walls to carry the audio to whatever room i want from the A/V closet

[@briannewell6064]

A word of caution to all the cord cutters out there. I lost all my electronics to a lightning strike. Everything right down to the water meter. I believe it came in through the ungrounded TV antenna and went through the entire home. I now have the antenna grounded with 2 eight foot copper rods embedded in the ground along with a lightning arrester.

[@ripjones5294]

Another excellent installment. My brother earned his "Salsa Dish" T-Shirt ! Record storage of older releases -- PLEASE invest in some really good sleeves. I still am amazed when I see someone pull a disc out of a thirty year-old paper sleeve. BTW: sure is a "purty" L100 in the background.... Take care...Rip Oh yeah, those Minimus 7's again...

[@DrRock2009]

My turntable hangs from the rafters: sure does isolate it from the speakers, which are mounted on a C section girder attached to the brick walls, again, to isolate them from floorboards etc. Yes, I am 🤪

[@egotrpn420]

Had a friend who ripped off his stylus and arm from his $2300. sound Smith cartridge send it back for repair. Got it back in a couple weeks wasn’t that expensive. It pays to buy your stuff from a dealer who can give you service.(upscale Audio).

[@lechiffre2617]

Easy test for out of phase speakers : turn balance knob to the left (less bass) - turn it back to center (more bass)

[@williamcampbell3868]

Experienced old head tips: Store lp's vertically and make sure they are not leaning left or right. Check and tighten speaker spikes and stands time to time as they really can impair speaker performance. Pull all connections (speaker wires, source cables, etc.) in and out periodically to keep contact surfaces clean for maximum signal transfer. Get a power conditioner!!!, I don't care what skeptics say the good ones really do improve the sound and will protect your equipment from catastrophic damage.(I KNOW BECAUSE TWO OF THEM SAVED ME FROM OVER $15,000 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT COSTS!!!). Seek out more tips from other experienced fellow audiophiles and periodicals,( STEREOPHILE, THE ABSOLUTE SOUND, etc).

[@ericschulze5641]

Nonsense, careful with that gluten, msg & roundup

[@MarvinHartmann452]

​​@@ericschulze5641LOL but seriously, these power conditioner offer some protection, but that's pretty much all that they do, it's only a bunch of caps for static. That's all they do. But in case of a power surge, they don't do anything. Edit: audiophiles buy a lot of snake oil overpriced equipment, of course they will swear it makes a huge difference, because as the saying goes "it's easier to fool someone than to convince them they have been fooled"

[@OscillationOverdrive]

Hey Kevin, thanks for the tips!

[@georgezahorcak7764]

Hello, I purchased a beautiful, perfect, immaculate Bang and Olufsen Beogram RX 2 turntable just before the pandemic. It is beautiful and perfect. it is really perfect for my useage. However, the other day, I heard a flutter on the left speaker. I believe the cartridge is passing away. The least expensive cartridge is around $300.00. Hifi is awful.

[@paulflannery2353]

Hi Keven, love your videos, I think they and you are amazing. I have to apologize for being petty but speaker wire is stranded wire not braided. If it were braided it likely would not have the issue described in the video. An example of braided wire would be like solder wick.

[@edwardgonczy3170]

In addition to removing the "outer" platter like on a Linn or Thorens, put some cardboard "shims" to just barely elevate the inner platter and keep it from bouncing up and down within the spindle shaft.

[@richardwagner4460]

Yup, works like a champ!

[@VirtualGuth]

My top piece of advice is to trust your own ears. One person's bright is another person's dull, etc., etc.. We all have different components making up our hifi systems and no two listening rooms are alike. A piece of gear that others aren't happy with might work perfectly for you in your system in your home. On top of that, we all have different levels of hearing ability, the older we get the more our own hearing is likely to roll off at the top. Ever see a hifi reviewer publish the results of a recent hearing test? (I haven't). The sound as heard through your ears is what matters most.

[@ejcheck]

Your comments on removing platters for transport was excellent. You then showed a Thorens TD turntable and missed the opportunity to point out that a TT like the Thorens has a suspension that allows the platter to bounce around, sometimes violently, in transport. The TD you showed had the MOTOR PROTECTION ROD, this can be added for ~$20. It is supposed to keep the platter from destroying the motor (for transport you'd still want to remove the platter or screw down the transport screws if present). Motors for these TTs have become very difficult and expensive to find.

[@mjmonjure]

Lightning arc's over everything, no protection. But when power gets knocked out, it's usually the surge when it comes back on that fries things. Also, I've lost more equipment from lighting strikes to the the network (DSL lines) than power lines.

[@truebluemiata]

Always wrap wire clockwise when screwing it down. This naturally draws the wire into the gap.

[@mglunden4127]

Hi Kevin - really like your videos explaining what you like or not in vintage hifi. I wonder as being from Sweden did you ever come across Swedish made Carlsson-speakers?

[@QoraxAudio]

4:50 Not only should you secure your tonearm when moving it for longer trips, you should also remove the counterweight and put a piece of foam under it. That way you don't put force on the tonearm bearings when it's shaken in the car. 8:45 The turntable in between the speakers like that is just fine, if you use the appropriate type of turntable. For example the Technics 1200s I have are heavy enough to eliminate any vibrations coming in via the furniture under normal volume levels. Same for suspended turntables like an LP12. But a lightweight "chopping board" type of plinth that has no suspension either has no vibration isolation to offer, so those can't be used in such a configuration. 13:00 *Never ever tin your wires when using them on terminals!!* worst advice you could give! Under the pressure of a screw or spring loaded clip, the soldering tin creeps and it becomes loose over time, it can also oxidize - it's not a reliable connection! I can highly recommend using wire end ferrules or spade connectors. No soldering involved - very easily mounted by using just some cheap crimping pliers. Some advice of myself: 1. Don't pack records too tightly on a shelf. It will cause ringwear and split seams. Sometimes records can warp because of it. 2. If you have multiple cartridges on headshells, turn the phono preamp off before changing. Double check the preamp settings and don't accidentally blow it up by running an MM in LOMC mode! 3. When you get a new cartridge and you're all excited to listen to it, calm yourself down before mounting it. Free up plenty of time to quietly and calmly mount it. Don't rush...

[@robertreid2637]

Another great video Kevin. Looking forward to the last instalment of the turntable top 5

[@stephen579]

I have done the mistake with the cleaning cloth, never again, I take the headshell off now.

[@mulletfishsky3080]

Great videos. Loved the one on common misconceptions. A great analogy for the production chain of recording, mastering and manufacture would be cooking. If you make a so called fancy dish with the wrong or poor ingredients it's not gonna come out well. Whereas a good old Mac n Cheese which is cheap to make tastes great. It's all in the choice of ingredients.

[@MarvinHartmann452]

If you buy spade connectors, wrap them with shrink wrapping because they will become loose over time and if they touches, it can, and will damage the output transformer, also, if you have a tube amplifier, never power it up with anything connected to the speakers terminals, it can cause oscillations and damage the transformer, and as you may know, it's a very expensive repair IF you find the part. Better safe than sorry.

[@SteveRead-fx4rg]

Removing the turntable platter reminds me every one I have bought has the plater unmounted in the box for shipping purposes. There's a reason they do that!

[@hal8683]

outstanding info... THX!!

[@hal8683]

Don't sneeze, cough, or hack, over your equipment!! Keep farts away also (just kidding on this one!). Slime on the turntable or record... not good! Water on tubes can explode! No slobbering over equipment... carry on! Bet you haven't heard these but seriously!!

[@Bozakky]

Back in 1979 or maybe 1980, I was listening to my first pressing copy of "Some Girls" by the Rolling Stones. It was playing on a JVC JLA-20 which was in my opinion, a decent first turntable. I don't exactly remember the string of events that took me away from my listening pleasure but since the JVC had auto-return and the record was nearly over, I didn't think much about it. I wish I had thought about it because when I returned to my home, several hours later, I found that the auto return hadn't worked and my record warped from the heat coming up from the turntable. Now, I don't know why the belt didn't melt or why the rubber mat didn't melt or why the motor didn't blow up but my Stones record was totally screwed! So, don't ever leave a record playing, even if it's automatic.

[@karaDee2363]

Great video on what not to do... And what to do . ..👍

[@skylabsaudio]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Kane26510]

Great video with a ton of good tips. Another mistake - acclimate your equipment. If your gear has been in storage (or you just bought it from a secondary market seller), bring it in to where you will be using it and let is sit for a few hours before plugging it in and turning it on. This will help with the longevity of the gear. The way I've always described the out-of-phase speaker issue is that when you stand in front of the speakers, facing them, the music will sound like it's coming from behind you.

[@mtgreenwoodbustout]

Can you recommend spade connectors for my Sherwood S7200? It has thumb screws.

[@Crmsnraider]

I prefer old style thin spades atm, Id got some of the spade adapters and wass some tension on wire, perhaps the adapter wasn't tightened 100% and it turned/pulled into the one next to it and popped the fuse, thank goodness that was it and it was only out of commission until I got new fuses...scary.

[@ebaysnipa]

Thanks for the tips. can you recommend a set of replacement feet for a sansui SR 838 turntable I think you know these are notorious for the feet disintegrating. thanks

[@skylabsaudio]

www.mnpctech.com/products/sansui-sr-838-sr-737-sr-535-sr-333-custom-turntable-isolation-feet?_pos=1&_sid=cf6dfae8b&_ss=r

[@mikeymopar1171]

As a newbie do your research have an idea what stereo wattage you want have a brand name stereo you want what kind of speakers you want before you spend any money and do not rush into any decision shop around

[@Lfunk1983]

If I know storms are in the area, I unplug my Marantz and Technics TT, as well as my iMac and synths. Paranoid but smart lol

[@robsonbass6058]

I bought CCR's "Cosmos Factory" when it first came out and then dropped by girlfriend's house for an hour or so. I came back out to the car and the record was laying flat on the front bench seat in direct sunlight. Yeah, same as your kiss album. Had to throw it away.