Why/how does American,British and European Hi -Fi sound different ?

Here I talk about the different sound differences found in America Britain and European stereo systems both Amps and speakers.
And the possible reasons.

[@nicksundby]

As a Brit I confirm that we are always polite, and never drink excessively, fart or swear. In fact Downton Abbey is an accurate portrayal of normal life here.

[@manuelmartos8464]

(An ironic and funny remark which confirms you are!)

[@artistsometimes2729]

indubitably good sir

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Looking at your comments on here, I don't think you're in a position to lecture anyone on politeness.

[@markandrew552]

Brilliant lol

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Curious trolling tactics, number 1: calling anyone who calls them out a troll. As for hi-fi wisdom: "I don't think you're in a position to lecture anybody on Hi-Fi," said the guy who can't tell Amstrad from Quad.

[@gjnbouwmeester5860]

Besides the square footage of the living spaces in the homes, european and english homes tend to be built with brick&mortar, as most houses in the US are built with woodframe and plywood. That vastly defines the sound character of stereo replay!

[@SeanSisco]

This is one of the most entertaining videos I've watched in weeks, thank you!

[@guyfromsac1]

As a Californian, we (and almost all our friends) live in homes between 2000 and 3000 sq. ft. In my main listening room, I sit about 15 feet away from the speakers, so if you want lifelike sound levels (even for acoustic music), you need decent power (or very efficient speakers). That being said, I don't necessarily use American electronics. I have mostly Japanese (Rotel, Sony, Pioneer, Nakamichi), Danish speakers (Dynaudio), and I believe my sole US product is an Acurus preamp. I never really thought about the country of origin for my choices ... Love your channel Kelvin!

[@greg6162]

I agree that if you want the best (or anything in general) sound system you have to leave patriotism out of it. I remember back in the 80’s-90’s growing up Americans were always knocking (especially cars) Japanese products. Like my aunt Nancy had a Honda car she took in for repair because she didn’t know what was wrong with it. I used to travel across the country with her because she sold books and other educational programs to schools across the USA. Anyway, we drove everywhere and we were somewhere in the Midwest. I remember the mechanic… before he even popped the hood saying “Well, I can tell you what’s wrong… it’s made in Japan! Hahahaha” The funny thing about that statement is back then Japanese cars had excellent build quality, especially those made in the 80’s and early 90’s were literally the best economic automobile you could buy. If you want build quality, superior design and craftsmanship it’s still no different today IMO. Anything Japanese and German made are generally the best engineered products in the world. I don’t think there’s a finer automobile manufacturer than Germany. Even though America often invents these life changing products that we use in our everyday life (telephone, automobile, cellular phones, electricity, light bulbs etc.) our extreme capitalism mindset is more about engineering something specifically to break or wear out in an oddly specific given time so you have to buy another sooner rather than later. Now when it comes to “military might” there is no greater war machine and weapon designer’s than the United States of America, specifically our aircraft technology and our pension for inventing cutting-edge materials that are far beyond what the rest of the world has known. That’s why the phrase “military grade” has a unique meaning, more so in the US. When it comes to sound, or anything manufactured really… other countries (specifically Germany and Japan) will always design a product to function at high levels and look better doing it compared to what’s generally on the market… of course they’re exceptions. There are other countries that produce phenomenal products that I left out as they all have their niche with certain areas in manufacturing. Specifically England, should be certainly in the same category with Japan and Germany when it comes superior design and manufacturing in high end products. They make arguably one of the best engines for luxury automobiles with the Rolls Royce. Also, you can often gauge a countries manufacturing quality by the quality of steel they produce. The three best steel sources are German, Japanese and specifically steel sourced from Sheffield, England. Unfortunately, designing and manufacturing quality products is often not as profitable as slapping your name on a basically engineered product with little innovation because the lack of the R&D invested. With majority of these being Chinese built with the cheapest materials possible to allow it to retain basic functionality. It’s interesting how music (specifically Blue’s and Rock ‘n Roll) progressed from the 40’s-50’s in American culture and then the English came along and dominated the classic rock genre and many of those English artists were influenced by American musicians. They took something new from a culture that was essentially foreign to them and evolved it giving us the greatest (IMHO of course) Rock ‘N Roll band in history with the Beatles! This is interesting how sound before my time had such a broad spectrum. I remember my dad having a crazy looking metal box like that with all these buttons and do-jiggers (as some Americans say) that were *begging to be flipped and switched* but we knew better so left them alone Lol. This was a very cool video and I enjoy the perspective of an English audiophile from that era. I’m gonna show my dad this video… think he’s going to love it and if I’m correct he’s going to dust off his old gear and break out his Beatles and Led Zeppelin albums! 🤘

[@corneliusantonius3108]

Suprise, Marantz pre Philips Cadsworth and during Philips were alsoo made in Japan. Designed in California I know or later in Eindhoven The Netherlands. But still made in Japan. Later even designed in Japan but production shifted to Indonesia. And than Philips sold the worn out empty shell in 2001.

[@reinhartfrais8549]

Kelvin the sherlok holmes of british hifi with a twist of benjamin britten and the kinks. My MAN! THANKS reinhart

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay I'm fascinated to hear what your music is. Synth drone, maybe.

[@honeychurchgipsy6]

One of your best videos yet Mr X . Very much enjoyed it.

[@ppeaster]

Love your reviews. Unbiased and honest appraisals. Very interested in your views on more recent kit, post 2000, if you run out of vintage gear to talk about.

[@markcarrington8565]

Brilliantly done Kelvin. Quite a tightrope you walked there! Just a quick thanks for reminding me about Sansui amps in a previous video. I've just fixed and seriously upgraded a Sansui AU217 MkII and I'm thrilled with the result. For supposedly 40watts per channel it has some serious waft and it's certainly far more entertaining than its old British competitor, the A&R A60. Now there's a perfect example of the British sound if ever there was one!

[@artyfhartie2269]

It makes me feel good watching your channel. Educational, relaxing and therapeutic away from all the noises in the world.

[@PETees09]

My memories of my dads hi-fi setup, vinyl + rock +Marantz + JBL, was split in to 2 different uses. The afternoon listening to new records for the first time or listening while doing some other mundane tasks. The 2nd mode, was during parties. The 70's had a lot of get togethers at peoples houses. Maybe some elicit substances? But loud music that could be heard throughout the house. If you wanted you could go outside and still listen to the music.

[@hugobloemers4425]

I like the approach you had with this video. Culture, customs and traditions definitely play a part in how HiFi was made back in the heyday of Audio.

[@greg6162]

Absolutely agree

[@AndyBHome]

Being in America in the 70s, we didn't really have much opportunity to get anything but American and Japanese equipment. We did get a little bit of British equipment, but it was pretty rare. I don't think most Americans had any opportunity to buy, hear or even see any European equipment throughout most of the 70s. I always imagined Scandinavian, Swiss, German and Italian HiFi was from another dimension.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗 THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS …..started out my journey with Fisher XP7Ss …then ALTEC-LANSING 411s …because they were at a salvage freight store …since then I discovered B&W 😍. I have had 4 Yamaha’s …. which I have shared with the family 😊……and that’s been my journey so far 😍😍😍

[@jesseballard4753]

I have always been a fan of the British sound and I imagine that I am not alone. It seems to me in fact that the British audio industry has continued to do well while other things British ( cars) have faded away

[@deputy3690]

Very interesting take and would love to enjoy a few pints discussing gear with ya!

[@marlonkikkert1798]

Great video. Loved the Norwegian visualization :)

[@Zaphandyman]

Love the lava lamp, I own a few myself. It was an interesting video and please keep up the good work.

[@robertyoung1777]

Lava lamps and spin paintings = JBL speakers and McIntosh amplifiers to me.

[@Zaphandyman]

JBL before Samsung bought them out?

[@mircobalzano2455]

It makes sense! Good points.

[@stevezeidman7224]

Living in the US in the 70s, we were buying Pioneer, Sansui, Technics, Kenwood for electronics. You had to have money for Marantz. Some were US designed like Marantz but mostly all Japanese built. Big living rooms in houses is correct. Always looking for the next iteration of MORE power! There were great American speakers called A/D/S with soft dome tweeters that had great open sound and sealed big bass. Klipsch were there but not affordable. More US speaker brands that sold big were Advent, KLH, AR designed by Henry Kloss in Massachusetts from the ‘50s through ‘80s. Advent were full range great sounding for low price. Sold like hot cakes.

[@noorthdakootaland5261]

Love my original large Advents and still use them. Hooked up to a Sansui receiver producing a wonderful sound.

[@stevezeidman7224]

Haha me too. I’ve got my large Advents from 1974 attached to a Sansui 5000.

[@robmills537]

Hi Kelvin the BBC one step down from God is the funniest thing I've ever heard mate but they do believe that lol. A very good video though many thanks. 👍

[@boris994]

Cough in the 1st sec will become legendary! I love this guy, comment is not to make fun of him. His thoughts are wonderful.

[@martyjewell5683]

Great topic. We've (you and me) touched on the subject of musical taste differences between American and Euro listening habits in a previous video of yours. In the states during the mid 1970's two factions were at odds. The west coast vs. east coast sound. JBL, Cerwin Vega, Altec and most Japanese brands had a prominent midrange, i.e. west coast. EPI, AR, Allison, Genesis and KLH had a more subdued midrange, i.e. east coast. By late 70's most all were focusing more on accuracy in loudspeakers and amps. As for room size, it depends on where you are in America. New England homes built prior to 1940 had smaller rooms. Homes in the 2,000 sq/ft and under range are common. Ours is 1500-ish sq/ft. My largest rooms are living room 1700+ cu/ft and dining room 1600+ cu/ft. Houses built more recently are well over 2500 sq/ft. How do they afford to heat them????? I would prefer not to have frequency aberrations built into my components but rather as flat a response as possible. My amp is a Hitachi and can be described as a clinical sound. Not soft, comfy or warm and I like it that way, but that's my bag. I did get rid of a Marantz 2252B because I didn't like the "warm" sound. Apologies for being a longwinded Yank.

[@richardsinger01]

My first amp was an Amstrad. Great big silver thing. It sounded great to me as a 16 year old, apart from when it picked up the sound from the Crystal Palace BBC TV transmitter! No idea how that happened, I didn’t have a tuner attached. Mind you, the bbc transmitter was very powerful and quite close by. We used to get about 3 ghost images on the tv from reflected waves.

[@sosonic12000]

Cool. Thanks for reply dude.. I remember getting my first stereo with my mum as a little boy going up to the local LEB showroom and picking up ....wait for it, yes we went with the state of the art Fidelity radio /record/cassette player complete with speakers. And our next door neighbours lovely people west indian had a valve set and speakers that would eclipse our whole house!! You know when sound clashes was big in those London days i recall. We used build our own mdf boxes with huge Bass speakers ... displacing a lot of O2 you coulfd feel in your rib cage...Gosh..WE WERE PART OF MELODY MAKERS. They also had a little studio in North London Stoke Newington.... Anyway enough of my rambling. Just to say keep it up people life is awesome and so much more so with good music in it. Try to enjoy the music itself as well as the complexities and effort of trying to perfect the beat. As probable, if you're here then you're in that club.:-)

[@curtevans838]

Thanks for making these videos. In the U.S. we love the Kenwood's, Pioneers, and Sony's. Those were the big three. I love my Sansui but I'm in a minority. We do love us some big speakers though!

[@elyserva7903]

Isn’t those Japanese made?

[@curtevans838]

@@elyserva7903 most Americans couldn't afford American Amps and speakers. The Japanese gear was cheaper and sounded almost as good. Have a great day!

[@bigmaluk]

Kevin’s right the houses in the uk are a lot smaller averaging well under 1000sq ft total, many with only one living/lounge room. That has meant hifi if married has had to be inline with what the wife likes😁

[@golfjunkymusicjunky8370]

It all comes to what you like....I live in Holland...Japanese amplifier sansui.... British turntable rega.... American phono preamp schitt mani......jbl l 100.....cd American marantz 6006......and Canadian bluesound e node 2 I streamer..... for me it works together living on this planet and enjoy music the way I like in a small living room ......keep going on with your channel this was a very nice topic..I really enjoyed it......robert

[@richardoliverii5407]

Nice Conversation Kevin...

[@z90012]

Great stuff Kelvin

[@robertyoung1777]

Americans talk about east coast sound (polite and restrained - Advents) and west coast sound (bold and groovy - JBL). Nice to have options. I play 40 year old JBL 100a speakers with a 40 year old Luxman L5 integrated amplifier. Guess I lean toward groovy! This was a great talk on your part. Thanks

[@paulopereira6996]

In that time, the idea that I have is that the "European continental" speakers lacked bass, so probably it's why the bass was tweaked a little bit.

[@stereoreviewx]

Interesting

[@witchmonkey8745]

One of my favourite amplifiers in my collection of mostly British equipment, is the Revox A78. A real smooth and easy to listen to sound, that would do the job all day long, so yes, i reckon you're onto something, Kelvin. American hifi if you're going to make a sweeping statement could be labelled brash (e.g. Cerwin Vega), by comparison to the British sound, which can be very polite and a slight warmth in nature. Japanese i'd call clinical.. everything in place, and a sound you could eat your dinner off of. As you say though during review, Kelvin, these are all small details, and small increments, that also differ across countries and the sellers ears, homes etc, that pleases to greater public.

[@mikepxg6406]

Love this.

[@PlaybackMansion]

Good morning from Illinois. Really interesting video. I think you're on to something with "temperament." I think these amps are a proxy for how the engineers wanted to be perceived. Like with art it is has something to do with their values and personas which are influenced by where they grew up

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay "Sugden isn't really 'British', it's Yorkshire". it's the way you tell 'em.

[@robertkeefer1552]

Interesting comparison of sonic philosophy from different perspectives. I think you should also include the Japanese and Canadian perspectives as well.

[@sdemosi]

You're definitely on to something here. Japanese houses are quite different to US ones but the big Japanese manufacturers were designing and tuning for a US market. I've always loved the very sensitive Klipsch style speakers that I can drive with a modest power tube amp.

[@m.9243]

The British sound? Refined, detailed and accurate to the source. That is both, amplifiers and speakers. I use a Meridian amplifier and the richness of the sound is superb. Scandinavian products come close but not exactly to the same level. American and Canadian equipment offer a lot of excitement and fireworks, but lack in terms of fine detail, with a few exceptions of course. Perhaps, because many American homes are equipped with home theatre systems, this has an impact on the sound preferred by consumers there. A fascinating subject Kelvin!

[@meshplates]

In the United States there used to be a difference or there was thought to be a difference between the East Coast sound which was acoustic research speakers and the West Coast sound which was J BL and altec speakers. That was roughly the difference between forward and brash and polite and accurate.

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay You seem to be obsessed with Google. I wonder why...

[@quantum5652]

Great video as usual sir, and interesting subject. I live in mainland Europe and the hifi people I’ve met here hold the English sound in the highest regard. However, in this video you had a representative of American sound, British sound and European sound - but no Japanese representative! I’m a big fan of Japanese amps, I have some Yamahas, a Luxman and a few Sansuis. To be honest I wouldn’t like to ever part with any of them, wonderful old things and not overly expensive any of them. Where do you think the Japanese sound fits in as compared to EU / GB / USA?

[@stereoreviewx]

Yes well if you watch my videos you know I’m a big fan of sansui in particular I mean I like that sound but say pioneer doesn’t sound much like Sansui so I like Japanese things but I can’t define it sound so obviously K

[@terryilett9437]

I feel the Japanese are masters at evolving sound to suit the times,i.e early Sansui say 1970ish to early eighties.Fair bit of sound evolution right their. Warm and detailed to a crispy nice. Perfection

[@greg6162]

@@terryilett9437 As an American I’d have to say Japan in general has always put a lot of R&D into technology and craftsmanship. It’s part of their culture in whatever product they’re making to be perfect in their eyes. They’ll sacrifice profit for ingenuity, workmanship and a product superiority back then. Worker’s in Japan would often work longer hours and sometimes for free at their company as a sign of loyalty, honor and pride. Most of all Japan valued honor in their culture back then.

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

Why was this so funny and informative

[@stereoreviewx]

I don’t know

[@fabriziodidomenico3149]

Hi Kelvin from Rome, Italy. Nice video... You put the first brick, that's a lot more to say I guess. European sound is very different from country like French, Germany, Denmark, also Italy... US sound has differences from East Coast (more european-like) to West Coast (what you described). And you forgot japan, even if Marantz are japanese now, former european (Philips) and former americans 🙂

[@cueboyd8666]

Here are my thoughts on the sound types: British: Quite reserved, Mid range focused and an emphasis on human voice European: Balanced and smooth, common characteristic in Scandinavian designs American: Nice rounded low end, warm sounding

[@phetmoz]

What about Chinese & Japanese sound?

[@knutarneaakra6013]

Yeh do agree We beeing a bit olderly in Norway do like real good hifi. Prefer a clean crisp in the room sound. Many of us do like spending a whole lot of time and money getting it right. Building / desighning our own speakers using many small drivers . I got for myself a music room only for playing enjoying music . Great hobby in cold wintertimes . All the best from Wintercold Norway.

[@26Jorgeb]

Hi, That makes sense Kelvin.

[@ssgeek4515]

So many other factors come into play here.I would say though expensive hifi tends not to have any loudness switches(boosts low freq at lower volume level)

[@billd9667]

Until recently, we Yanks had carpeting and needed good midrange. The recent switch to hardwood and tile flooring changed all of that. We basically liked the either the warm tube (Marantz, Harman/Kardon, McIntosh, Fisher, H.H. Scott) sound for lively speakers or the Japanese sound for less brassy ones. Honestly though, pretty much everyone bought the Japanese sound (which Marantz, Fisher and H/K moved toward with their solid state stuff later) because it was powerful and affordable. We weren’t that choosy, honestly. Speakers were everything. In regards to speakers, there once were the West Coast and East Coast sound signatures. West Coast (JBL, Altec Lansing, Cerwin Vega and to a lesser extent, Infinity) was big and brassy with more efficient ported designs. The East Coast (Acoustic Research, Advent, Boston Acoustics, Rectilinear) sound was more subdued or “warm” with extended bass with more power mad acoustic suspension cabinets. There were outliers like Klipsch (more West Coast) and Theil (East). Magnepan and Martin Logan are the outlier’s outlier! Kudos to McIntosh for staying the course with their signature sound. Still, they have always been high end and most Americans have never even heard of them because they never sold at Best Buy and the like. Postscript: We liked lots of buttons, switches and flashy lights! We still love analog meters 😁

[@stereoreviewx]

Great info thanks a lot K

[@jorgemtds]

I still have a "Grundig R 2000-2" and I agree with your BASS comment.

[@burkholdst.rudderberg3574]

I got through college by selling high end gear.The sounds we talked about were the Japanese sound (heavy on the low end) the American sound (clear mids) and the European sound (quite bright). We related the different sounds to the speakers and not the amps. The Japanese speakers ( Panasonic, Sony, etc. ) appealed to a certain listener - usually people with an "untrained" ear. The American speakers ( Polk Audio, Boston Acoustics, Martin Logan, etc. ) appealed to people who were a little more serious about their music; and, in the case of Martin Logan, had a larger budget! The European speakers ( B&W, Wharfedale, etc. ) appealed to people who had to have a speaker with a certain heritage, regardless of the sound or cost! One could get a "Japanese sound" by connecting a pair of Technics speakers to an NAD ( New Acoustic Dimension - pronounced IN AY DEE ) receiver ( Why anyone would do that is beyond me! ). The sound I enjoyed was produced by a Krell system powering a pair of Martin Logans!

[@stereoreviewx]

thanks for the info you picked yourself the best system K

[@GrahamAtDesk]

I once read that the main reason US speakers sound different to UK speakers was that most US houses were made of wood, while most UK houses were made of brick or stone. And sound doesn't just behave differently in different size rooms, the materials in the walls affect how bass comes across. Or so the theory went. I think the general feeling was that US speakers in UK homes would sound bass-heavy, and the other way round UK speakers would seem bass-light. I don't know if "most" is accurate regarding US houses having wooden walls, but I when I lived in the US for a year I was in an area where all the houses were wooden, and the rooms were pretty large. I remember sound traveled through the exterior walls far more easily than in a typical UK house, so I imagine energy would dissipate faster in a wooden building. So it all seems to make sense to me.

[@Risandi_Pradipto]

Well said, Kelvin. Moreover the altitude and humidity will affect the physics of how sound travels through the air. They will lower the high frequency and sort of slowing down the sound a bit (in Bali, the gamelan is found to be tuned higher in frequency whilst used in higher ground area than , let's say, in near-to-sea-level area), hence, maybe it's thought more suitable to have a bit boost on high frequency in a component that is intended to be used in particular country. Britain has a bit higher humidity and lower temperature throughout the year.

[@stereoreviewx]

Oh no that’s another metric to consider This is getting really hard😂

[@arisg9857]

Hi Kelvin, have you ever had any amp like "Naim NAP 250" if so, it would be interesting to see your review about it. Thanks for all great videos

[@stereoreviewx]

I do have a naim nap 100 I review it somewhere on my channel K

[@monkeypunker]

Great, entertaining observations. I would add that there is also a notable difference in what kind of music people listen most. And what is important to them in the music. For example, British love great rhythm, hooks, forward sounding drums with punch, and nice guitars, while in France people put a lot of attention to lyrics and vocal stuff that needs more defined mid and high frequencies to cut through and shine. Germans used to like neutral sounding gear, especially speakers, and they listen to a lot of classical stuff as well. In one german hi-fi store, they advised me to listen to a few speakers in my budget range and then buy the ones that impress me the least, because those are most neutral and most likely the best.

[@stereoreviewx]

Yes interesting stuff it did cross my mind that the European sound was about classical music though I didn’t mention it K

[@SuperMikael67]

Haha...I am from Sweden funny i like the idea about the Scandinavian sound it´is maybe true....What about the Japanese Sound?

[@stereoreviewx]

Yes strangely it didn’t immediately occur to me to do the Japanese sound I think it’s not Sasha obviously cohesive identifiable thing but it’s not not a thing either I think I have my work cut out thinking about three sounds I couldn’t do anymore K

[@AllboroLCD]

Speakerwise, USA can be split into a west/east coast sound but thats splitting hairs, it be more appropriate to break it down to a North America, Europe, & Asia sound. NIce point though!

[@simonhenstock6244]

NAD is an interesting one. The company may be British in origin but they built their reputation for affordable, high quality amplifiers by being one of the first companies to outsource manufacturing to Asia and the lead designer for the 3020 was Norwegian. Don't get me wrong, I love these guys (my TT, phono stage and amplifier are all NAD) but they're not exactly a British Jobs for British Workers kind of company. Their current line of TTs are actually made by Pro-Ject (an Austrian company). The C558 I have is basically the chassis and motor from a Debut Carbon combined with a straightened version of the tonearm from an RPM1 with a glass platter thrown in for good measure. The parts are from Pro-Ject but the design is unique to NAD. The C558 can be bought from Sevenoaks for £399 and sometimes gets knocked down to £299 so it might be another bargain for you to look out for.

[@AmbientWanderer]

The harman curve springs to mind when i think of a the European sound.

[@adap2it]

Kelvin is always entertaining...however, it's all about ears! sound is subjective regardless of your location.

[@philip6502]

YES! I agree. So many variables between the sound source and the ears. Especially now, 2021, LPs, CDs, mp3s, cabled, Bluetooth, streaming. However, in the end, I choose to listen to the music rather than the equipment.

[@duroxkilo]

in US 'go big or go home' applies to everything. *an under-stressed power stage plus a powerful final stage sound a certain way.. amps can be brutal but still accurate. some international companies used to make 'special editions' for the US market, mainly more power because that sells..

[@stereoreviewx]

Interesting thanks

[@gordthor5351]

British speakers and American amps are a great match. My Kef R900s and Parasound JC1 mono blocks are a match made in heaven. I have a few sets of lesser Kef speakers and a handful of lesser Parasound amps and the sound is still really good, because the synergy is still there. I like neutral sound. If the song has strong tight bass, neutral gear will deliver strong tight bass. If the song has sweet and airy vocals, that is what you will hear, without any roll off (warm gear) cutting the beautiful delicate nuances out. If the recording has serious flaws (too bright, too harsh, too boomy bass.......) then neutral gear will not help to fix anything. Only warm or bright gear can help to tone things down, of jack things up. Kelvin, I think your assessment is pretty accurate.

[@mad-beerc3818]

Great vid and some very smart stuff smart kit indeed! I have a question related to Celestion speakers...l have a pair of home made speakers l bought recently almost more like PA speakers they have big solid sealed cabinets with 4 × celestion G5D-25(Type 3639) drivers in each box! Do you know anything about these drivers?? I bought these speakers to sell on but love them so much l am keeping them now! their sound is big wide and tight with good midrange just very enjoyable but do have obviously flaws! But for £24 a bloody bargain!

[@stereoreviewx]

Well they sound like guitar or PA speakers speakers

[@glennjones6574]

Ok. Now when viewing all the spec sheets (remember those!!!,). Frequency responses were ruler flat! How were these adultered profiles so slyly introduced?

[@RobWhittlestone]

Don't you think it also could have to do with the regularly perceived sound of the language in those countries? There are some languages where the information of the language is contained in the percussive sounds (of the language) p, s, t, d, etc. Like English, German. And there are other languages where the information is contained and conveyed by the vowel sounds - French/Spanish/Italian are examples. So the ear of the inhabitants of those countries are trained from birth to listen out for those cues. And this bleeds over into what they wish for in a system that conveys (for them) the most information? Just an idea. Maybe it's a mix of several factors. I liked your analysis, I'm sure that's definitely a factor. All the best, Rob in Switzerland (KEF & Exposure but Primare CD!)

[@shifterboot1382]

this is exactly my thought as well. as a brit in germany i've found german designed speakers to be a bit too etched and bright (just tuned to a different sound "profile" if you would) and i have suspected for a long time this boils down to how people who built the speakers perceive speech.

[@RobWhittlestone]

@@shifterboot1382 Nice to find someone else that thinks this! I'm a Brit in Switzerland.

[@TallGermanBoy]

Some background on the German way of designing/thinking. I have also observed that my Grundig R1000 comes with loudness engaged as standard because it was considered as "more correct" by the company. You can switch it off with the tiny button hidden underneath the volume dial labeled "lin." as in "linear". Grundig called the standard loudness "gehörrichtige Lautstärkeregelung" which translates to something like "volume control correct to hearing" because humans are less sensitive to bass and treble at low volumes. So the company kinda wanted to decide for you to engage loudness because the stereo was thought to be playing at low levels not to annoy neighbors or just in the background I guess

[@stereoreviewx]

gret thanks

[@biketech60]

American men, particularly batchelors , want bigger speakers . A tough sell to wives, though . Even in smaller rooms for deeper bass , larger woofers definitely are desirable , and more power . My first real hi-fi was a Dual 1219 TT , Dynaco pas 3x and stereo 120 driving a pair of A-25 Dynaco bookshelf speakers ( kit amps) in an Air Force barracks , later a house off base .

[@jacovanlith5082]

Kelvin, do you read any Audio Bible? I bought mine in 1972: HI-Fi in the home, by John Crabbe, Chief editor of Hi-F- News, Tape Recorder and Audio Annual, Blandford Press Ltd., London. A 275 pages on amp, tuner, speaker and record player. What has happened to the wooden Pritchard tonearm? I have seen just once a Pritchard, near Rotterdam in 1972, where I had to install an FM antenna with booster and electric motor.The customer wanted to listen to FM radio of WDR, BRT, NOS and BBC Classic; so he needed to rotate his aerial. The guy was a real audio nut. But you are the Primus Inter Pares, the Nut of Audio. Keep on going, please !

[@paulgee6111]

I'm no hifi expert but I've been a guitarist for 30 odd yrs and it seems the general opinion in music circles is that the "British guitar sound" is derived from the use of Marshall style amps using EL34 output tubes with a more pronounced midrange and the "American guitar sound" comes from using Fender amps with 6L6 tubes that emphacise the top and bottom more. I realise this is a simplification as there's plenty Of other amps n tubes used but those two are/were the commonest. It's interesting that it seems to be the other way round with hifi gear!

[@stereoreviewx]

Yes interesting I mean the influences are different I guess

[@paulgee6111]

@@stereoreviewxThe British sound swept the states so maybe that preference for more mids carried over into their hifi taste when they were buying amps.

[@xcvbxcvb2179]

Angus Young still uses the same Marshall type of amp with EL34 tubes. Burning a bunch of tubes every consert.

[@davidsharp3675]

Great video. I like the way you mentioned imagination. Thats what good hifi does to me. Stimulates my imagination

[@socksumi]

I enjoy your commitment to quality gear from the golden age of audio rather than the cheap plastic junk from the 80s that seems to fascinate guys like Techmoan.

[@dj_paultuk7052]

I have a house in American as well as here in the UK, and they are built vastly different. In the US everything is cheap frame construction with plasterboard inner walls with an air gap in between them. Where as our inner walls are solid brick.. To me it makes the sound more crisp, and precise. In the US it gets a bit wooley and boomy due to the inner walls vibrating.

[@dj_paultuk7052]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Wow, Touchy !. Ive lived in GA for 8yrs.

[@stereoreviewx]

Would you mind talking sense please

[@dj_paultuk7052]

@@stereoreviewx Hes a Troll. Block them is the easy way.

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Your exactly right

[@stevemumford6983]

Kelvin Have you ever listened to any Fisher amps or receivers. They are a brand that seems to duck under the radar. They always look well built but could sound terrible. Just wondered. Cheers Steve

[@stereoreviewx]

Not enough experience to say much

[@stevemumford6983]

@@stereoreviewx Thanks for getting back. I see you have gotten into that hi end cd player. Great review. Like someone else commented we all want one now. What's your tip for a budget vintage cd player ?

[@daniel89ph]

Interesting thinking! I would be sooo curious what you would say to some excellent amp from former Soviet Bloc....let's say Czechoslovak Tesla or Polish Unitra. They did make two or three leading gears that would surprise you very much and would be interesting to hear your views and comparisons.

[@sheerenergy8602]

Daniel Tóth Nah, Polish Unitra- Diora isnt anything special.Most value was gear wich was cheap and sounded good at cheap/low price.Nothing high class. Accountnts made briliant projects only decent because savings, like to small transformer and so on. Better was Radmor and closer to modern, Amplifikator. Now we got a few really hi-end manufacturers like Ancient Audio or Wille and many more.I personally dont know even the names, cause it's small brands. Big manufacturer of speakers was Tonsil, but also never build really hi-end speakers.They were focused on quntity units sold.But Candian Totem was(maybe still is) using Tonsil mid-bas speakers and build hi-end speakers. Now we got Harpia Acoustics, Studio16 Hertz , Audio Academy, RLS, ESA, BNM, Zeta Zero and more.

[@quantum5652]

I heard that Tesla made some good stuff in the communist era. Never heard any myself though.

[@thisisnev]

While I haven't heard any Eastern Bloc gear, I do have a Tungsram/3F T3535 receiver which was made in Denmark (at the former Rank/Arena factory) in the late 70s for the Hungarian market. Looks like a cross between B&O and Braun and very full-sounding.

[@quantum5652]

If it came out of Denmark, I am sure it was a great product.

[@daniel89ph]

Not quite, not quite so....there was one Unitra,now I don't know whether it was a receiver or an amp, but it sounded very well....but you are right, I mentioned Unitraas an example. I better know Tesla and about that I can say that they made 2 - 3 very good amps. Tesla AZS220 and a receiver TESLA 814A. There was also a reel to reel tape recorder which could also be used as an amp. It wasTESLA B73. These were the best from.Czechoslovakia in my view. Then Hungary had some very good models of Videoton speakers.

[@Gadgetdad007]

Are you from Stockwell ?

[@johnnytoobad7785]

wow..Interesting survey. I've always been told there was an audible difference. You can say the "American sound" is actually an "Asian sound". Back in another lifetime... I had a pair of Tandberg speakers, A Revox A77 Tape Deck, SME tonearm and Wharfdale speakers. I loved the Tandbergs (teakwood cabinets) and I still have the Revox and the SME Arm, but I blew out the Wharfdale's...multiple times. I'm still a fan of vintage Sony & Kenwood. The "American" brands (non-speakers) I have owned are ADCOM and Dynaco. I hear the vintage AR & McIntosh stuff is hard to beat. I love the fact that there are "re-build" sites for the old Dynaco gear. Should have held on to that Dyna120 Power amp.

[@CDBC]

Kelvin, please fix those lights in your Marantz receiver.

[@D1N02]

I like the look of that Grundig, but is it any good? The fact you still have probably means yes. It is just about 100 euro on ebay though (In Germany).

[@stereoreviewx]

Brandon is okay it’s not really great though I wouldn’t particularly recommend you buy one

[@D1N02]

@@stereoreviewx Thanks some German already sent me an offer on the 2000 version within half an our after had followed on ebay, so I guess there are plenty in Germany. Anyway there was a Sansui 331 on Catawiki and I won that just an hour ago.

[@stereoreviewx]

331 really hits the mark in my opinion tell me what you think when you get it cheers K

[@D1N02]

@@stereoreviewx I'm praying all the way until I have it playing ;)

[@jorgbornefeld1689]

Grundig was good in the 80th. I owned the amp SV 2000. That was my first amp. Its really well engineered. Slim line design. Not the biggest power, two times 50 W rms at 4 ohms, but very current stable anyway. One of the best amps, Grundig ever built. If you can shoot one, try to get it. The speakers of that time from Grundig also are very good. Closed Cabinets, 3 way systems in different sizes, mid and tweeters are domes. Tight, well defined bass quality. I can only recommand that Grundig devices from the early 80th.

[@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458]

how about Canada? Some nice makers up here too, less known though. I think PSB speakers are most popular.

[@swompthing2626]

Could it have to do with the different power in other regions.

[@stereoreviewx]

I don’t think so I’m as can be adjusted for different power supplies

[@andreaslundell7807]

As far as I know UK , 66 million residents, is part of Europe 750 million residents, and I doubt there is any major diffrence in sound preference between any Hifi manufacturer European, American or Asian. My own jHifi rig is a mix of american, Canadian and European (Scandinavian and German) komponents, suprisingly no Asian.

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

What about NAIM

[@stereoreviewx]

Naim yes

[@bromyardcoachouse4876]

My first component HiFi was bought from an American military audio store at Naples NATO HQ. Sounds were either - American, Japanese, European and UK. American has a Bass bias, Japanese, Treble bias, European flat base. British is more technical but has a balanced spread. But the real issue is the way we live the size of rooms and the coverings. When I lived in Italy I had a large room with hard ceramics and hardly any soft furnishings, hardly any power needed for sublime sound. In the UK the rooms are too small, and full of sofas, wall paper and curtains - no chance of hearing sound. In the US walls and floor are plaster and wood and larger room sizes, sound gets swallowed up.

[@stereoreviewx]

Interesting feedback thanks K

[@jesseballard4753]

Calvin- I’m going to add one thing regarding the American sound and to do this, I have to mention the B word- Bose. Until recently the big box stores were full of their displays and if you were considering a Hifi purchase you were going to have to listen to them. I own 2 surround sound sets myself. I don’t use them for stereo or critical listening, because they suck at it. I have a Yamaha M45 amp Onkyo preamp and Polk 5c speakers (primarily). To the point no visitors are ever impressed with my 2 speaker set up, but I can turn the Bose on and they are always in awe, not because they are good but because they recognize the sound from stores. They like the sloppy base that shakes the room and the 12k hertz treble. They say “ that sounds great “ I believe that the Bose sound represents the American ear, sadly.

[@jesseballard4753]

You may be watching the wrong, cap. As a matter of point, this is a vintage hifi sight for cheap guys not audio snobs. I didn’t mention my Yamaha and Polk stuff for you to critique. I purchased the Polks and the Yamaha new in 1985. The M45 is class A, class B or class AB, quite a sensation at the time and the Polk5 monitors were Matthew Polks big break. In fact, I called customer service and Sandy Gross answered the phone ( I’m sure you know who he is). That bit of history makes them what you call vintage and I mentioned the model numbers because others who like vintage equipment may know what they are. I wasn’t bragging about my “great” stuff, quite the opposite. I respect those pieces because they are old and still work. I have other things, lots of other things, but that’s not the point of Calvin’s channel. I am cheap. You were right about that. Ignorant- not so much. Finally, I actually know Curtis LeMay 2. You don’t bring honor to the man or the name

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Congratulations. You're one step away from yelling "you smell" and running away.

[@stereoreviewx]

Please try making some sense

[@MrRourk]

When you talk about American Sound do you mean the East Coast or West Coast?

[@7302ab]

now if you reviewed hafler id be impressed

[@MrRichymil]

I've just bought a British CD player, Cyrus 6s, it hasn't arrived yet they stopped making them in 2008.

[@laurentzduba1298]

The term "British Sound" is well known around the world because the UK had been exporting its hi fi the world over much longer than the competition. Even in the remotest part of her former colonies, a Quad II tube / valve amp and a Quad ESL 63 is still the most aspirational must have for hi fi enthusiasts.

[@stereoreviewx]

Interesting thanks K

[@johnnybgoode1950]

British electronics may be really accurate. I have a Quad amp and preamp here in the U.S. However, British speakers like the early Spendors had a reputation for somewhat bloated loose bass. The LS3/5a's have a +6 db upper bass boost so that the little boxes can have more bass that would be otherwise possible. Still, they sound really good.

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Hilarious that you rank Quad in with Amstrad and Binatone.

[@thisisnev]

@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Keep going. I'm crying with laughter.

[@benjamingold6987]

What do people here think of Spendor S8 speakers?

[@ossianhaufe4671]

Why you don’t record all described devices to make the difference clearly? I would figure it out with the speakers of my iPad😁

[@philipslighting8240]

British Hifi is refined and clear, very neutral sounding. American sound is bloaty heavy and brash. A bit like the people actualy.

[@MrPhilinggood]

While being a european, i always had the feeling that british audio was somehow, decent. So after owning mostly european stuff i got a NAD 304. Many things have changed in my life. The love for this amp remains the same ever since i got it - 16 years that is. Last summer left channel suddenly went off and i immediately got a few weeks of from work just to service it my self.. thank you Kevin.

[@muziekvoorfeest]

My expierence as a guitarist is that the american sound of guitar amps and simulators in the studio is that its very mid and bass boosted (mesa boogie type style) than the brittisch sound of lets say marshall .

[@raymcnamara7843]

What, you missed off Alchemist and Leak off of your List. Also No 4th representative from Japan?? P.S. I have owned Leak Valve Amps. I have a British Alchemist 'Kracken' "Class A" Amplifier on the dressing table in the bedroom driving a pair of French Sathus 108 Triangle Bookshelf Speakers. And more British, with my main system in the "Noise Room".

[@stereoreviewx]

Sounds good

[@xprcloud]

Perhaps its the acoustics (size, furniture building materials UK vs US), properly designed amplifiers should sound identical with negligible differences, I have encountered badly designed or executed amps with class-AB notch crossover distortion, don't even need a scope, just feed it a 1Khz at the lowest volume you can still hear when you stick your ear on the woofer, then stick your ear on the tweeter, if you hear 2Khz, or a buzz, then that amp is rubbish or under biased.

[@mikrophonie5633]

Oi! It's him out of Monty Python innit? Or summat?

[@duroxkilo]

if the whole monarchy business was not 'flashy' then i don't know :}

[@joeytruelove]

Yes, the way I heard it american rooms are quite hard to drive and with softer surfaces, which is why their speakers have more impact and immediacy.

[@emilct]

Isn't Britain part of Europe? I am from Scandinavia(Norway) but still I am European. I love your videos though.

[@simeonbanner6204]

BBC would have been aimed, and the hi-fi towards Radio 3 mostly jazz and classical. That's my feeling. Class wise hi-fi was mostly middle class especially teachers, architects BBC employees and that kind of crowd (no bass boost buttons is what I'm trying to say). You get to the now and there's branded headphones by basketball stars or hi-hop artists so it's not the same game at all. The serious Japanese listener was probably quite similar to the British and I gather they bought lots of British gear.

[@ricasacasari1883]

Missed HH Scott brand...