Top 5 tips for great sound - Roadmap to success!

[@Antibackgroundnoise]

For at least 2 years I've spent nearly all of my disposable income on my audio setup and what I've find more astonishing than anything else... is how quick I get used to the sound of the new audio component! Maybe it's time to slow down and start enjoying it for what it is.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Maybe. You have put together a nice system. Any videos coming? 😊👍

[@Antibackgroundnoise]

"Maybe" yeah that's funny because another arcam power is in the post! Even though my 90 Watts per channel arcam avr20 was quite capable of running my sonus Faber sonetto speakers, at the end of the day just had to lower that distortion 🥴 Besides as you probably will agree with me... rather than an AVR, speakers like these needs to be going through a dedicated amp! Can't wait for it to arrive and set it up 😁 another thing I like to mention... I placed a GIK diffuser/absorption panel on my back wall and WoW apart from my stereo speakers it has had more of an impact on my listening experience than any other component! When it's all done maybe I will post another video, after all it's all a shared experience. Btw did you ever get round to sorting up your merchandise? I'd be honoured to be wearing one of your 'British audiophile' t-shirts. You've given me good advice throughout my audio journey, so thanks again mate 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Antibackgroundnoise thank you for the update. I need to get my act together and offer some merchandising options 😊👍

[@Colin623]

Yes I would agree with your assertion, I was diagnosed with 'Upgradeitis' each time I ungraded lets say an interconnect, I would automatically say to myself, right, If I upgrade amp then that new cable will perform even better, so along comes a new amp. then I would say to myself ok, if I were to upgrade my speakers that will get the best out of my other upgrades 😂 Then once you get the speakers I used to think maybe to get the best out of my new and improved speakers I should once again buy a more expensive speaker cable to get the best out of it, so on and so on, going round in circles while spending a small fortune in the process, but I did eventually see sense and gave up my addiction to upgrading, eventually giving the system away to my music loving daughter ! That was ten years ago, but now just bought a new system but at a low budget level, not going down the that old road of continually chasing my tail !

[@richardramorino3319]

Honestly, I think this is the best video I have ever seen on the subject matter. Well organized and succinct. It's sad so many budding audiophiles can't hear more equipment. When I see their comments I realize they don't have much experience. They gravitate to the same few products they see reviewed online. Do they realize much of the reason they see so many small standmount speakers is because reviewers don't want to drag bigger floorstanders around and then have to re-box them. Do they realize some manufacturers flood online reviewers with stuff and other manufacturers don't make them available for review. That's why you see the same products reviewed over and over. They are duped by click-bait "giant killer" or '"best ever" headlines. I appreciate sites such as A British Audiophile work hard to keep it real.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Richard. That is heartwarming to hear. Excellent points well made 👍😊👍

[@andrewwebb4635]

I like your point about floorstanders being inconvenient to shop assistants. I’ve been puzzled why the emphasis nowadays is so much towards smaller speakers and this may help to explain it. I’m basically an oldy large speaker man but I’ve tried a couple of well reviewed smaller stand mounts in my house over the years but without liking them.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@andrewwebb4635 thank you 😊

[@pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]

@@andrewwebb4635 Sometimes its all about budget I love the Monitor Audio Gold speakers but oculdnt afford the towers so i settled for the bookshelves

[@RennieAsh]

@@pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii I wonder how the bookshelves compare. The towers sound great. I feel if I can get the same sound from a smaller speaker then that's what I'd do. I may try to build/buy a speaker utilising great drivers like Purifi or Bleisma

[@bertlundgren1900]

I was searching for a new hifi setup for about a year until i find the sound i was looking for, a hegel with amphion speakers and rel sub. Then i started testing speaker placement but i didn't heard much of a difference. Well, thats it then i fought. One day after I big cleaning of the room I put the speakers about a meter from the back of the wall and put the speakers further apart and wow...a whole new sound apperead. It was crazy, couldn't believe my ears. I am a big fan of your channel, always objektive and fun to listen to. Cheers from sweden 🙂

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Bert. Much appreciated. Nice system by the way 😊👍

[@markedwards6165]

I have been an audiophile since I first heard a friends system in 1976. The system was a pair Klipsch Cornwall's, Phase Linear separates and a B & O linear tracking turntable. Absolutely blew my mind. In the 70's we had half a dozen high end stores in the area ( 0 as of last year ). I got to experience a wide variety of speakers and components first hand. Some of my favorites were Klipsch classic horn speakers, Dahlquist DQ-10's, Infinity IRS Beta's, Walsh Radiator's, Beveridge Electrostatic' s, Apogee's, Martin Logan Stats, Mark Levenson, Yamaha, Phase Linear, B & O and others. Unfortunately, I could only afford a modest Yamaha system. NS-10m's, 15 watt receiver and entry level Yamaha turntable. Took a step up in the 90's. Cambridge Audio electronics and CD, Project TT, B & W 600 series speakers. I finally received some inheritance last year and got my dream system. Tekton DI SE's, Hegel H120 integrated, Clearaudio TT with Soundsmith Carmen Cart, Sutherland KC Vibe PS, Denefrips Ares 12th Aniv. and Iris DDC, Schiit Lokius EQ, Puritan PM136 power conditioner. DIY Fine Silver speaker cable and interconnects, Audioquest XLR's and power cables. Adding a Roon NUC soon to bring streaming up to par. Putting together a system in the age Covid 19 was particularly difficult as I would have to drive a minimum of 5 hours to audition anything. I carefully studied a number of reviews and Absolute Sound articles and hoped everything would play well together. I was fortunate to have great reviewers such as your self to help me decide. Still not hearing anything in person until I had possession in my own home. I am beyond pleased that everything worked well together. I credit reviewers like yourself to give me the confidence to take the leap. Even though I have arrived at my dream setup I will continue to follow yours and certain others for knowledge and keep abreast of the latest developments in high end audio. Thank you! Now I'll concentrate on LPs and CD and discovering new artists through streaming.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. Great to learn about your experiences 👍

[@thefloop2813]

You are an absolute wealth of accurate information, and i can't believe i didn't find your channel sooner.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you, much appreciated 😊👍

[@archiemacdonald553]

many thanks Tarun for another great video .after 40 years still learning things from your wonderful channel .🌝

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Archie. Very kind 😊👍

[@martinfox2244]

Great advice especially the free speaker upgrade (proper placement).

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@SuperMcgenius]

Good advice, I have professionally set up many systems from clubs to homes. On a few occasions in the domestic setting I have convinced my clients to hang the speakers from the ceiling when poor placement became a problem for variety of reasons,I have used a series of lines attached to rigging blocks to adjust In a triangular configuration, then set up with steel cables for permanent placement. Other things I have found useful: putting a rug in the room with a thick under padding, moving artwork on the walls that are covered in glass frames, rearranging furniture in the room that was causing reflection issues. Luckily I also have a background in interior design which helps with the acceptance factor. Very much enjoy your reviews and the work that you put into them.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊

[@edholmwood]

Great video. I agree that speaker placement has the biggest impact and that identifying the tone you like best makes things much easier.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@georgedomse]

Completely unrelated, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the advice in your replies over the last couple of weeks! I purchased an Exposure 3010S2D, and in conjunction with my KEF LS50 Metas it leaves me speechless. The soundstage is the best I ever experienced, extending in all dimensions like I have never heard in my own system. I only had the possibility to have it turned on for an hour max, but I. Am. Blown. Away.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great George. Thank you for letting me know 👍😊👍

[@andyhart5669]

I moved house a few years ago and placed my speakers where it was convenient. I was never happy with the sound and convinced myself I needed to upgrade despite being happy with my system for nearly 20 years (I have added a record player and streamer in that time but still have the same speakers and amp). This is a long winded way of saying, my speakers were too close together. A small change to room layout and listening position, and a little more toe in has made it sound as good as it did in my old house. I consider myself a music lover not an audiophile. I know some audiophiles who have spent more on a DAC than my system cost, but I also know people who happily listen on a sub £100 Bluetooth speaker. Insightful video as ever.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Andy 😊

[@Lfunk1983]

I just dropped a grand on my dream Marantz receiver. I suppose that’s Pennie’s compared to what an audiophile can spend lol. Then I decided to start restoring my old speakers I grew up with. Veneer, speaker replacements, new grill cloth. Playing vinyl 90% of the time on my 1200-GR. I think a lot of the journey for sound is nostalgia for me! It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I like when the music makes me feel like a kid again.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Great 👍

[@2HatHudders]

Completely agree with knowing which sound is best for you and not being swayed by reviewers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Hardeep 😊

[@doifeellucky]

This is one of the best HiFi related videos I’ve seen. Great insight and advice. Thanks Tarun. My biggest issue is that I think my setup is pretty good, but how much better could it be. I’m reluctant to invest a significant amount without knowing what I’m likely to get, especially as my room is far from ideal.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Very kind and greatly appreciated. I think you are wise to not throw money at the problem if the room positioning isn’t sorted 👍😊👍

[@Roof_Pizza]

Move, get rid of the wife otherwise wait for something to break. My next purchase is either a new tv (5th in 20 years) or Mini DSP as I don't have full control of my subwoofers. Room is sorted.

[@doifeellucky]

@@Roof_Pizza I’m probably going to get an OLED, but my 10 year old Panasonic plasma is still going strong. Keeps the room heated too.

[@AgentPepsi1]

I too am reluctant sometimes, well, most of the time, to spend a significant amount and not know the likely outcome. With the room, it took me several years to realize that there is a significant difference between "music" and "movies" and that you cannot optimize a system for both with pleasing results (at least in my experience). Our solution: As my husband and I very rarely watch TV, but do like movies... we have a small, stand-alone system in his little office at our home. It's actually a set of computer speakers (Klipsch Pro-Media) which work really nicely. I took over the living room (which was also not ideal, but my sweetie built a partition for me to help with the speaker placement) for strictly two-channel sound. 😊

[@geraldmcmullon2465]

@@Roof_Pizza Got my speakers, Very happy. Wife didn't like them. I kept the speakers. wife version 2 didn't like them either. I still have the speakers. The speakers break (the amplifiers in them). I repair them. I got back ups for when they spend time in for repairs. I still have the speakers. :)

[@matthewrichey8542]

Very informative video. I’ve been working on putting together an optimal (i.e., balancing cost and listening preferences) system together. No doubt, the better the equipment the better chance there is of having a great outcome. I want to second the “location, location, location” issue. I have a dedicated room that is basically 25’x12’x8’ (LWH) set up on the long axis. After some time with my Magnepan 1.7i’s, I finally found a very good placement. I had been keeping them 4-5 feet from the front wall and about 2 feet or so from the side walls. After visiting a friend who had a pair of 20.7’s setup about 10 feet apart, I was stunned by the scale of his soundstage. So on whim, I moved my 1.7i’s basically next to the side walls. The difference was stunning. The soundstage was magnified immensely and the center image was still locked in. Suddenly all the parts of the music became significantly better defined and, hence, pleasurable. The reason this works so well, in my view, is that Maggies (and other open baffle speakers, probably) have very little side dispersion. Everything is front and back. That means being next to walls isn’t an issue like it is with box speakers. I also have some absorbing panels right at the first reflection points on each side.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Matthew 😊

[@only1utdanditsleeds]

Great advice. But I've discovered something that nobody has ever mentioned as an upgrade. Have a hearing test! Seriously, over the last year I have upgraded speakers, speaker cables, amp, and invested in a good streamer. This week I bought my first ever hearing aids. Best upgrade ever. I keep turning them on and off to enjoy the massive improvement in clarity .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great 👍

[@mymixture965]

So many Tips on KZbin, so often useless. Here you find the good stuff, very good, thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@garden_hooligan]

You really helped me organize my thoughts by categorizing the aspects to consider. Thank you so much for the assistance.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome GH. Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@paulcathcart7896]

THANK YOU! I can’t believe what a difference 90cm from the wall makes to my Dali Oberon speakers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome Paul. Thank you for watching 😊

[@jimgerace1746]

Excellent advice presented in an intelligent, informative and easy to understand format. No biases or prejudices, just solid ideas and useful data . Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jim. Very kind and much appreciated 😊👍

[@dylanemeraldgrey]

Excellent. A good balance of conceptual, technical, and practical advice clearly organized and presented. One can't ask much more than that from a KZbin video. You're getting the most out of the medium on this one mate. Well done.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dylan. I appreciate your support 😊👍

[@BansheeFifteen]

Whew. I'm kind of blown away with your advise. Thank You. I think I would have to reconsider what I'm trying to do.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍

[@mistymick4905]

Thank you mate, for being so honest. I began my audiophile journey in the eighties. It is still ongoing. I am now fast heading towards my mid sixties. With my hearing not quite as good as it was. With all hearing frequencies are a little poorer, one can still differentiate between quality and mass produced mediocrity. Unfortunately any improvements to my system will be on a budget. Your honest advice will aid my continuing journey Thanks again.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Much appreciated 😊👍

[@willbrink]

First tip, don't put your speakers on the flat surface per the picture! :)

[@jaywit72]

Out of all the videos and reviews I’ve watched on KZbin, articles I’ve read, and speaker and amp auditioning at HiFi stores, I learned more in this 20 minutes than everything else combined. Thank you! I didn’t know my basic as RX-V483 and MA bronze 2 could image so well and be so clear as when I increased the distance from the wall from 40cm to 90cm. Sure I lost all the bass but I have a sub and it is a large room. Also sitting in the equal triangle instead of isosceles made a huge difference too. I’m building a new house and have designed a 4.5m x 6m media room and I can’t wait to set up some new gear in that space which what I’ve learned from this video. Thanks Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you kindly Joshua. It means a great deal to get feedback like that. Good luck with the move 👍😊👍

[@DimRoditis]

Thank you for the mature manner of going about an individual journey towards a completely personal set of choices. You broke a complicated thinking process in practical steps for anyone to follow. Yes, this is a matter of DESIRE as well as practicality and as such, rather complicated! People like you make it easier for "the rest of us"!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Very kind and much appreciated 😊👍

[@RennieAsh]

I have to fight desire when more expensive/new speakers are readily available with discounts. They'll probably only be a sidegrade and a new set of boxes to fill up my house lol

[@jeremyspencer2974]

My no.1 tip is making sure you have a large glass of a bold red wine in your hand when you’re listening to music of any kind. What a cheap option for a massive improvement in sound. Keep up the great videos. Jer

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jeremy 🍷👍

[@toddm.7712]

Great video!!! This overview is excellent advice, presented in an understandable manner for anyone. The concept of "active listening" vs "passive listening" is not always completely understood... Most people's listening rooms are the "weak link" in the "system"!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Todd. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@kblack3970]

Another great instructive video! I’ve upgraded from a 600 series B&W to a 700 series and totally lost my “near field” sound but gained the spaciousness I was longing for. (speakers disappearing) Tweaking is part of the enjoyment at this point and I’ll continue as long as possible, who needs steak when rice will do!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@gaineyjohnson6628]

For some reason, I can imagine you being the fellow that figured out the design of greek ampitheaters so that the chorus and protagonists were amplified to all twenty thousand audience members. Another excellent video.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I wish I was that clever 😉👍

[@jpdj2715]

Valid and relevant. As you are in the UK, this next tip may not be relevant to you. Tip 6 is about the AC connection of our kit. In many countries, it is possible to insert an AC plug in two ways into a socket, even a grounded connector. Now what we listen to coming out of our loudspeakers is plain AC that has been modulated. Depending on the treatment in the AC-power stage, distortions at the AC level are audible. And this generally applies even to very expensive high-end kit. The power in an audio box is supposed to have its "phase" or "live" connected to the innards of the audio device and the "neutral" to the device's ground and in that the case. The cases in a chain are generally ground connected e.g. via the shield of one audio channel. Connect one box phase/neutral correct and the next reversed and now there is a Voltage potential between the two boxes that should not be there. This introduces harshness in the sound that goes away when we hook up all devices phase-correct. With the British AC wall outlets that should not happen and 3-pin device plugs maintain the correctness, but have one "figure 8" device-plug device in the chain and you may suffer from this too. I have tested phase correctness with a device to search in-wall electricity leads. One audio device at a time, completely disconnected. Plug in one way, switch on and see at what distance the electric field meter detects the device. Switch off, reverse the AC plug, switch on and meter again. About two feet or 60 cm difference, I got. The shortest distance has the correct plug orientation. This made me mount AC plugs and wall outlets that prevent making the orientation mistake (yes, from another country - is that legal? I don't know, but it's done professionally and is safe). Tip 7 would be to play a piece of beautiful simple live spatial (*) music in the day time when people in the neighborhood are working their computers, watch TV and so on. And a more busy and still preferably live recorded piece. I would stay away from electronically mixed and mastered pieces here. Repeat the playing and reviewing the sound of the same music, say, after midnight. The music may sound a lot more coherent, peaceful and may be easier to enjoy and parse analytically. This means your home electrical situation is very dirty and your audio suffers from that and consequently you too. Between "location, location, location" and tip 6 and 7, I would say, address 6 first in all cases as it costs nothing and makes for a better starting point. Then figure out 5 speaker and listening location. Next address 7. Nr 5's room treatment, I would take out and make 8. (*) most music we listen to is from multi-microphone or multiple instruments directly recorded into a multi-track recording system. This is "edited" and "mixed" and finally "mastered". In this process, each music track is placed in the soundstage by adjusting its contribution (volume) in the left and right master channel, then the front-back is done by adjusting volume relative to the other instruments/voices (source tracks). In live music, recorded with a simple stereo microphone pair, these clues come naturally, but there is another piece of information: arrival time differences (at your ear and the microphones) between the instruments and their potential sound reflections in the original room. This "phase" information and spatial coloration lacks in other recordings. When that spatial phase information is missing or confusing, you have to rely on micro-dynamics to perceive soundstage. In assessing your kit, you also want to judge its "phase coherence".

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you JP. Great to learn about your experiences 😊

[@markcarrington8565]

Great work, as always, Tarun. You ain’t kidding about a minefield when it comes to choosing upgrades. By swapping many different speakers and amps in my study, I became convinced that certain speaker types just wouldn’t work. Bass units too big, rear firing ports, equals boomy bass. Tiny bookshelves, great tonal balance but no dynamics or scale. I finally reverted to the later version of a pair of speakers I owned years ago and, whilst they were better, I still had issues with certain amps. In the end, I resorted to upgrading the source a bit and then substantively moving up the ladder in the amp department. With proper grip from the, now much better, power amp, I realised it was probably this element that was causing so many issues on the other speakers! Still, I had fun on the journey and, by deploying some smarts when buying and selling on fleabay, I didn’t lose out financially, either. The study is now sounding better than ever, however, it’s an excellent case study(sorry!) for many of the points you raise in this video. Have a great bank holiday. 😀

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. Always a pleasure to learn about your experiences. Wishing you and yours a great bank holiday too 😊👍

[@martinwright7093]

Excellent video. I remember HiFi sounding great back in the eighties but now everything sounds dull and congested. I've realised its largely my hearing that's the biggest barrier to getting good sound. Everyone's hearing is different and that can greatly influence reviews and opinions.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Martin 😊

[@sadge9697]

This is possibly the best overall video for hifi beginners I've seen to date. Well done!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Peter. That is very kind 👍😊👍

[@deanfisher1656]

Wow…..this was really well done. Bottomline…..know thy self and trust your ears. Music genre, listening level, and room acoustics are big factors. As an audiophile for 50 plus years ….I learned a long time ago to “settle in “ for a while and not chase the latest and best new thing. Move purposefully and one component at a time. Your counsel on equipment synergy was right on. Well done. Thanks….love the channel. You keep it real……and affordable.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dean. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@howardskeivys4184]

Another excellent video. Forgive the pun, but, sound advise. ROOM TREATMENT My hifi has to fight for it’s right to be in our family lounge. It’s reasonably well deadened by a large 3 seater and 2 seater sofa plus heavy drapes at the windows. The floor is wood clad solid concrete, so I have placed a large plush rug, between and in front of my floor standers. I’ve gone a long way to resolving bass issues by employing multiple subs. This does take a while to dial in, but is worth the effort. My floor standers are 90cm from the side wall are rear ported and the front baffle is about 60cm from the wall behind them. I leave the port bungs in. When I have the place to myself for an extended time, such as when the aesthetics committee, AKA the ‘Mrs’ goes to visit family, I pull the floor standers a further 30cm from the wall behind them and remove the port bungs.I also remove our large coffee table from our lounge and put it in the box room. That leaves nothing blocking the path from the speakers to my listening position! This works for me.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Howard. Sound like you have things pretty well sorted 😊👍

[@jstpsgthru]

I like the motto of another British audiophile KZbinr; "just enjoy the music."

[@ralphm5840]

Great video, Tarun! One thing I did recently was replace my listening chair that had a headrest with a chair that was totally open behind the head, and this made a noticeable difference in the openness of the sound. Yes, those Eames recliners and knock-offs are impressive, but perhaps not the best for serious listening.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Ralph. Reminds of the saying, “everything matters with Hifi…” 😊

[@shipsahoy1793]

Ralph, when listening, cup your hands behind your ears when you want to reminisce about your old chair’s headrest..🤣

[@peterbooth6753]

@@shipsahoy1793 Holy F, that makes an enormous difference

[@djwindhoek]

I had an epiphany last year when I was doing some home improvements whereby I found myself having to slum it with a cheap kitchen radio for a few weeks. My epiphany? I'm the weakest link in the system. If I can enjoy music through a crappy kitchen radio then surely I should be able to enjoy music through any system, no matter the size or cost. Fwiw, I've got a pair of Tannoy Eaton Legacy speakers and a Technics 1210GR so I'm not exactly having to slum it now that I've finished the home improvements. But my epiphany still stands. Oh, and I totally agree: change one thing and you change everything.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I enjoy my kitchen radio too 😊

[@Kah0ona]

great video again. As far as 'clarity' goes: your videos have that in abundance, the way you explain things. Keep it up!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Marten. Very much appreciated 😊👍

[@robertyoung1777]

Great talk on speaker placement. I like placing my speakers on the long wall about one third of the distance out into the room.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Robert 😊

[@DakTirCue]

I've come to really enjoy your videos Tarun. I know that this particular vid deals more with amps, speakers, and digital sources, but if you are into vinyl, an upgrade in CARTRIDGE is absolutely imperative. My upgrade to the Sumiko Pearl ( which isn't even halfway up the Sumiko line in terms of price) made an immediate and much more relaxed yet defined listening experience in my set up. My next cartridge upgrade will definitely be an even bigger step up. Sometimes synergy happens unexpectedly and surprisingly. My first foray into Mid-Fi was a Marantz ND8006 (combo streamer and cd transport), Peachtree Nova 300 (class D amp) , and Aperion Verus III towers with sub. I wanted power and big sound.. But I found that particular pairing to be quickly fatiguing at reasonable volumes, and not as revealing at lower volumes. I picked up a 1980's Technics sa-616 "new Class A" amplifier in mint condition, with tone controls and a "loudness" switch for better low level listening , and it plays well with the Marantz streamers internal DAC ( I really dig that ND8006) . Also the old 70s and early 80's receivers have some really nice phono stages. Great vid.. keep 'em coming! Subbed for sure!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dak. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@lordeverybody872]

I received the best sound from my magnepanar speakers was in an attic room. Half way up the wall transitioned to 45° walls, then leveled out for roughly 6' to be resumed again on the second wall. I heard more music with that set up than any other time.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great 😊

[@jonathanbliss1945]

Interesting and informative as ever, thanks. Here are a few things from my experiences that popped into my mind when watching the video: I find that rear ported speakers are not so in vogue these days. For example ProAc floorstanders have down firing ports rather than rear firing now I think. However, I find rear firing ports allow you to tune the speakers bass very easily. Moving them towards or away from the rear wall can really change the sound. Not sure this would be possible with down firing. I also have my listening room upstairs, so I imagine down firing would be a disadvantage as well. Bass travels down through the floor anyway, but purposely projecting it down would only exaggerate the problem. Rugs are a factor too, placing a ~1.5” thick rug between me and the speakers made quite a difference. Also, I moved the system upstairs recently where there was a lot more dampening, soft furnishings and a it was a smaller room with plasterboard walls instead of the concrete ones downstairs. This as well as the joist flooring meant that you needed more power from the amp to achieve the same sound level. So a highly dampened room may need a more powerful amplifier than a room with a more reflective sound. I also found it easier to find a more balanced sound in the more dampened room.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Jonathan 😊

[@morespinach9832]

Excellent advice. To the point. And each one is a material difference to sound. 🙏🏼👍🏼

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you kindly 😊👍

[@RickPfeister]

I am new to the audiophile hobby and have watched and read a ton of information over the past few months, and this is the best single piece of advice I've come across. It has answered a few questions that have come to mind since starting out and thinking about where I might go next with my system. I'm now a subscriber and look forward to your other videos. This was excellent; thanks again!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rick. I was aimed as a guide and I delighted that you found it useful 😊👍

[@BeyondResolution]

Great video Tarun! The major thing i have learned after many years of testing equipment is that many people get lost in price.. Don't know how many people that only thinks expensive = Better. I hade the Sonus Faber Olympica 1 set up in my main listening room with expensive electronics. And i another room i set up a small and strange Norwegian amp called the Tandberg Troll and a pair of Klipsch RP150m. Guess witch system got the most playtime? Well i can say that the Tandberg/Klipsch setup did something alot of people maybe forget about the joy of listening to music.. it presented the SOUL of the music.. The Sonus faber system.. well, it was not analytical, but it just never gave that tingleing feeling.. After this experience i myself stopped hunting the "pricetag" and more the history of the products and brands. I therefor ended up with Heed electronics and Proac DB1's with 2 subs to ad that little extra :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing BR 😊

[@allansh828]

top 1 tip: make money. This hobby is very very expensive. Some experienced players know how to build a decent system on a budget, but it costs a lot to be that experienced.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is a good tip. This hobby can be expensive 😊

[@thepuma2012]

second hand can be a good way to go then, you even can sell again if something doesn t fit so well in your system after all, without a big loss on money. It s a way to ¨ discover" good equipment and improvements, sometimes for a third of the money

[@manuzach]

Or Get Schiit

[@carlsitler9071]

My system cost $700 with all new gear except speakers (used Marantz 3-way 15" woofer). Sanskrit 2, Asgard 3 and BasX. Planar headphones were a couple bills more.

[@jamesdwright]

I've come to realize you are gonna make mistakes along the way so you have be clever and choose in demand brands and mint second hand units that allow you to sell on for minimal loss. Once you know what you like then you can take the plunge and buy new. But it's a difficult hobby as we just don't have the time, money and access to a broad range of equipment to audition and find the sound we like.

[@mbrinas1]

Great video….as usual. It has helped me solidify the next upgrade in my system. The quality of the recording is also an important comment of your sound. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mario 👍

[@alanvanderhaegen4936]

I'm replacing my Yamaha AS1200, Denafrips Ares II, Bluesound Node 2i and my ATC SCM 11's. I've now got the Cambridge Audio EVO 150, KEF LS50 Meta and the KEF sub KC62. Wow ! What a difference. I'm blown away ! Maybe this suits my room better? Anyway my new setup has me chuffed to bits. Cheers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Alan 👍

[@garden_hooligan]

Came back to this post again, just so much good information.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you kindly 😊👍

[@michaelwilliams4086]

You make some very good points, including speaker distance from the wall, which has always been an issue for me as it causes unpleasant artefacts. That coupled with a problem of wooden floors in an old house being easily excited by the speakers, adding to some very unpleasant bass boom. I have yet to dip my toe into the murky waters of room treatment, but I suspect I will have to go there, Hunter wellies at the ready Useful food for thought, thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Michael 😊

[@nunonozelos]

the 5th advice is (for me) the most relevant one.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@robvandendolder3157]

All my life I’ve been a music lover. It’s part of my diet. Air food water and Music. I was in the Australian army medical corps for almost 24 years and frustratingly found it challenging to own a higher end system as we moveD around a lot. Finally we have a truly high end system with some help of a reasonably knowledgeable long time friend. However I only started my audiophile education journey after my wife Mary and I purchased this system. I realised that I had insufficient knowledge and understanding of Audiophile terms and principles hence the most suitable system for us. We have reasonably large Sonus Faber floorstand speakers. As I am a sonographer I understand the physics once it is told to me. However, I’m sure it would have been more beneficial had I discovered the existence of reviewers with the technical knowledge and experience such as Tarun. I also wholeheartedly agree with comments made by Richard below. Keep it up Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rob. Very kind 👍😊👍

[@martins.7653]

Thanks for a really interesting and informative post. I like my own set up, and personally have found by keeping basically to one or two "brands" that I've settled into a sound I enjoy. In part, I guess as many people find, its been rather dependent on which local hifi shop/dealer I have been able to form a longer term relationship with, and so be able to audition equipment. So that's personally what has driven some of my own choices. It's also nice reading other people's comments on your videos, feels like a nice group of hifi enthusiasts! Thanks Tarun

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Martin, we have built a great community here 😊👍

[@nazaholicable]

As an experiment I listened to my hi-fi at 2 am and at 2 pm. The difference was night and day

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Psychoacoustics is cool 😎

[@dwight4626]

Psychedelics ?

[@Lfunk1983]

Lol this is hilarious

[@whitey7998]

Thank you so much for your time and advice Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 👍

[@blinking137]

Outstanding !, realistic, intuitive, and sensitive to the complexity of the novice audiophile

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Alex. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@tigertiger1699]

Great advise on not wasting $ on small changes.. & the 3 times better is a good guide.., means you’re getting to experience the change you’re after

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@SantiagoCarmona25]

This is valuable, well organized, well presented information. Thank you for sharing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊👍

[@ashleymackenzie7209]

Great 👍 I could listen to this kind of information until forever!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@AgentPepsi1]

Hi Tarun, I decided to take the plunge and get back into separates. I purchased, used but in mint condition, an Adcom GFP-815 pre-amp and an Adcom GFA-6002 power amplifier as my Yamaha A-S701 was not doing or sounding like I wanted. Your channel inspired me to do so... The pre-amp is absolutely wonderful, but the power-amp is a little small, and runs a little hot. I am planning to replace it anyway with a classic Adcom 545-II that I am having completely rebuilt. Even with the 6002, the difference in the sound stage, fidelity, and imaging over the A-S701 (which is by no means a sloppy or substandard integrated amplifier) is dramatic. I wanted to thank you again for the inspiration to take things up a considerable notch. Tasha 😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tasha. That is great feedback and very much appreciated 👍😊👍

[@AgentPepsi1]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You are very welcome!!! 😊😊😊

[@tomd5678]

A lot of good information in short video

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tom 😊

[@willmac5642]

"Choose the right speaker for the space" best advice

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Will 👍

[@geraldmcmullon2465]

I got my speakers when I had a first floor flat in London. They have been in five different properties. My preference is to change the house provided I can still keep the speakers maintained after 42 years. I rate moving home easier than picking new speakers.

[@seanb3303]

The best thing I did for my room was to leave the door behind me open. I always assumed it was a personal taste of mine but when I got a measurement mic and REW I was surprised to learn that opening the door provided for a more even frequency response.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Great. Thank you for sharing Sean 😊👍

[@russellparker4568]

That’s interesting

[@mpp9964]

Ha! I crack my window even just a few inches and find the same. I told a friend that the improvement in sound is probably deep into the $100’s vs better gear

[@seanb3303]

@@mpp9964 definitely it’s free full range absorption.

[@bmt_techno]

Love your commentary and video topics. Excellently laid out and presented cleanly. Easy to understand.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Lewis. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@kjbiz]

I live in a rented house with glass windows in half the room and concrete floors so it is challenging depending on the music genre. Electronic music seems to give the best result. Use blinds and rugs and furniture to dampen the sound. Thanks again will revisit speaker set up

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Picking the right speakers in that space is a big factor to getting good sound 😊

[@rickshort5569]

Thanks again for a very indepth and understandable video. This should be watched by everyone who's into or thinking about getting into hi fi. Well done you 👏 👏

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rick. Very much appreciated 😊👍

[@MrEdsTheRef]

Very interesting and useful info. As an oap can not stretch to the systems i had in the 1970/80s but my Brennan JB7/ Elac bookshelf speaker combo comes pritty close to HiFi sound so will only upgrade if those lotto numbers come up.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Austin 👍

[@frankthole7315]

Thank you for your calm and precise Performance. I learned a bit more now. 😀

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Frank 😊

[@lonniefarmer7067]

Upgrading a 5.1 to a 7.2.4 meant hours on positions once break in was achieved. I have revamped my speakers 3 times getting what I need and with duo subs the low bass was a breeze. Rug and furniture heavy also meant no treatment especially on the back wall with a custom shelving display across the entire space. The end result and what I listen for is hearing what the studio did or did not put into the recording: Stereo or Dolby ATMOS.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Lonnie 😊

[@jorgejuanfustetortosa2921]

Great vídeo Tarun, as always. It is clear, concise and useful. Thanks for sharing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jorge 👍

[@musicmaniac2165]

I'm enjoying your reviews and ideas. I just added the wharfdale linton to my system. Keep up the videos.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 👍

[@bergennorway]

I agree with you on spending a little extra on upgrades! With change of equipment it might change the sound «sideways», to another sound that you not might like, not upward, with everything better when it comes to sound. I will upgrade my multichannel amplifier to Anthem MCA from a Nuforce, that I really don’t know how it sounds compared to other brands. A change to a Marantz 5-channel might be sideways, so I decided to spend a little extra money to get the Anthem.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@erics.4113]

Another well thought-out and articulated video. As always, it's a pleasure listening to your hifi wisdom and finding how it aligns with my brief experience in the hobby. Although I'm a newbie, ive accumulated a tidy bit of gear and (I feel) experience in this short time. My newbie findings so far: move your speakers around and experiment! If you are fortunate enough to have several speakers, amps, etc, also rotate them in and out. I've learned so much from practical comparison and contrasting different pieces.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Eric. Much appreciated and great advice 👍😊👍

[@melanienattefrost2447]

I throughly enjoyed this and learned quite a lot. Thank you! I felt like Luke Skywalker listening to Yoda. 😁

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Melanie, very much appreciated young Padawan 👍😊👍

[@tejkarangehlot4741]

Good to see you Tarun, after a little long gap

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you TG 😊

[@Anand.Asrani]

Hey Tarun ! Very well covered , specially about Source & dacs.. yes upgrade to a good one only when you have all matching components .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Anand 😊👍

[@riccitone]

I’ve forgotten about the exact frequency of transition…and never knew of the 3 foot side to back wall from speaker front trick. Have to go about 6 inches shy of that from the back wall (listening room is still a shared space). Tarun, this was sound, well-based and very helpful. Simplifies a lot of the dizzying and even contradictory messages regarding positioning and treatments 🙏🏼

[@phil393]

Sorry, im an absolute beginner here, whats the 3ft thing, please do tell😂, no seriously do tell me,thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you John. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Phil, you should check out my video on speaker placement 😊

[@phil393]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 yeah i will for definite, thank you.

[@jeffkalina7727]

A very well laid out explanation. You and My Serbian friend need to team up to reach a new goal! Good job! Missed you at Axpona!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jeff. Nice to see the shows are back 👍

[@gtube314]

Once again I think you have touched some (if not all) of the most critical aspects of the relationship between the Hi-Fi equipment and its owner/listener/chooser. To me, knowing yourself and your tastes is by far the most difficult aspect when you are new to this world. There are way too many information in reviews and forums that just push the focus of a newcomer from one web page to another without actually making you listen to any music and without teaching you about WHAT to listen within your music. I remember thirty years ago I had several friends with Hi-Fi systems and few specialised shops in the neighbourhood, now most of my friends just moved to Bluetooth speakers and shops just closed. As you may have understood, I am talking about my own experience, I hope it is not common but I am afraid it is. Please keep on helping us with good suggestions and take care.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@zyphryx9]

Another great video. Thanks for distilling you experience especially the part about asymmetric rooms. That’s exactly what I’m dealing with at the moment. It’s by no means the end of the world but the more open side speaker always sounds different than the closer side.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@gt4viking789]

Hi Tarun, very good and sound advice here as always (sorry no pun intended). Great tools for newbies getting into this mad hobby. A recommendation from here would be always to listen to a speaker in your room own listening space. Room/ speaker interaction can be very difficult to get right. I moved into our endgame house 4 years to find, that my PMC Fact 12s didn’t like the dimensions of my dedicated listening room ( 3.5x6.0 metres) at all. It has taken me 2 years of sitting down and learning about room acoustics, implementing the actual treatment, placing speakers on Townsend Podiums and let’s not forget a very understanding wife 😊. In my experience the biggest issue audiophiles suffer due to domestic restraints is sitting far too close to the back wall and as a consequence suffering a most annoying low frequency lift. In my room I’m sat 0.8 metres from an absorber behind me. Also I’ve found that keeping speakers at the same distance to side walls and preferably again no less than 0.8 metres from centres baffles is helpful for imaging and focus (less time smear). I appreciate that this distance will vary according to room size, but as a rule of thumb if possible 👍🏼 Maybe one last piece of advice would be always to spend more money on the amplification than the pair of speakers, as ‘ power is nothing without control’. Once a speaker works in a room, it will only deliver more the better the amplifier and source is. As always great advice Tarun and a big thank you for a good listen. All the best Peter

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Peter. I really enjoyed learning about your experiences 😊👍

[@mart7404]

Excellent advice. Thanks for sharing Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍😊👍

[@shipsahoy1793]

😎Really good stuff Tarun.😉 I have 2 ‘stereo’ systems in the house in different locations, and two different sets of floor standers. One set satisfies my warm tonality urges, and the other, my desire for clarity, space, and dynamics, while maintaining a well balanced tone. 👍👨🏻 The warm tonality set is more forgiving of less than ideal program sources.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing buddy 👍

[@san01yt]

Great video Tarun..as always

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Sandeep 😊👍

[@kalijasin]

"The only person who really has to like the sound of your system is you" This is so true!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Indeed 😊

[@raitro]

... the further you get into anything, audio, coffee, motorcycles or whatever it may be, the more you are prone to disappear in every rabbit hole there is. I am a musician (classical music) and I have an o.k. setup at home (an old pair of Magnepan MG12/QR an old Pathos ClassicOne MkII and a Hifiberry Dac2 Pro XLR) to listen to music and the only question in my opinion you have to ask yourself is: does it sound like live music? Does it feel like live music? And thankfully it never does and never will do! Recorded music is a pretty good compromise to actually going to a concert and yet, a room filled with hundreds of people creates a different sort of silence and feeling than your home or any other place without people will ever be able to create ... It is a nice hobby though ... 🙂

[@bobb.9917]

Great tips! Yes…I lost considerable sums of money learning what my sound preferences are. I have a pair of 250 wpc@8ohm Mono Blocs that I am still trying to sell on US Audio Mart without taking a bath! 😁. Oh well! As I type this I am sitting in my room (which lends itself as a good start for listening), with a well-matched system, speakers 3’ out from the wall, me forming an equilateral triangle with them, carefully-considered stealth diffusers & bass traps. I even designed & installed an automatic screen for my TV made with a piece of vintage fabric. Right now, I am in Jack-Johnson BLISS! 😁👍🏼

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Bob. Thank you for sharing 😊👍

[@harvestgroup644]

Thank you for the great simple and informative video. I agree that matching of components is quite key.. would also add clean power as-well or the time of day you listen, makes a huge difference especially if you bypassing the preamp or going passive preamp. I almost sold my Yamaha NS30 speakers and keep Martin Logans using a krell pre , thanks I decided to bypass the preamp and now they are my best speaker, the MLs are seating in the bench now.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing 😊👍

[@beornthebear.8220]

My system is pretty old, using 2 Pioneer 3-way 12-inch front-ported speakers about 2 1/2-3 meters from where I listen, about 2 meters between them. .When I bought them, I compared them with flat-coned, phase-correct 10" speaker systems, but there was no comparison. These Pioneer speakers have very clear high end. I'm a clarity nut, and I like spacial imaging.. I'm driving them with 100 watts per channel, which if a cranked it up, would likely blow my speakers. Very few watts can make them quite loud. I put the speakers on stands so the mids and highs are about equivalent to the height of my ear. I give a bit of toe-in. The one thing that I think would be a gd addition is a hidden subwoofer. My place is small; the power is more than enough. I frequently listen to music through a DAC and headphone amp with some pretty good phones. I usually listen to CDs, online, or albums saved in FLAC format. I would need to pay a considerable amount to get something that sounds better, and I'm not rich, but I'm starting to record my own music. The speakers I bought so long ago are still clear as glass. The room is not very large but reflective, but has extensions of other room and hallway Preventing standing waves. When I want to listen to a mix, I also have 2 JBL near=field monitor about a meter from me, towed in, and have a JBL 10" subwoofer under my table with the vent porting to the long part of my place. they are active, and I power them either using my DAC and headphone amp. or my guitar/bass pedal boards. It would take a lot of money to make it sound better, I think. I listen most to hard rock, some acoustic, and some operatic metal. I have more than enough volume for where I live. I'd love a pair of Her AMT-1Bs, these may have the best spacial imaging of any speakers I've heard.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊

[@markgriffiths6540]

Mistake are easy to make. Bought a Rotel A11 tribute - went back and fixed my broken Arcam 8 (was previously recapped) - far better especially with the Wharfedale Evo 4.1s - more open and better soundstage. Even found the Evos a bit dull to swapped out the old drive units on my Ruark Sabres, added a new crossover, and added a couple of small bass ports - brighter sound - so now have a system with different flavours of sounds. Drivers swapped to Vifa D27TG35-06 and Monacor SPH-165 - 2nd crossover both: Hi: power - 6uF (0.4mH inductor to earth) - to 3ohm (to 6ohm to earth), to tweeter, to earth. Low: power - 0.5h (8ohm to earth, 33uf to 6ohm to earth), to woofer, to earth. Added 2*25mm bass ports to rear to mimic Denton 80th Edition.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Mark 🙂

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Good advice as always Tarun. In my experience, one's room is at least 2/3 of the sound of one's hi-fi. As far as room treatment, I would lots of research before spending any money. Much of the 'acoustic treatment' products I see advertised are pure hokum. At the top of that list I'd put foam corner wedges advertised as 'bass traps'.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. I agree. Most bass traps do little for actual for bass frequencies unless many of them are used together 😊

[@fantom29comp]

Excellent advice. My goal is always to spend the least amount for the best sound (for my ears) source and room acoustics aside, i find on average the best sound $ for $ falls between $1000 to $2000 for amp and speakers. Honestly spending more than that, it separates the musicphile from an audiophile. With an untrained ear, the law of diminishing returns comes about quickly past the 2 grand price. Just my opinion. Btw, ive heard systems in the sub $1000 range sound sublime in comparison to a system costing over 5 grand.! love this channel!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. There is some great sounding, well priced gear out there 👍

[@zindahoon]

Brilliant and very informative video Tarun , thanks again Buddy

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Atri. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]

Clear and concise Very enjoyable video !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 👍

[@cjbronxny1]

Thank you for your input, especially on positioning and distance speakers. I feel I have everything else pretty much dialed system. Thank you for mentioning one of my favorite people in the audio industry Andrew Robinson.He been a fan of mine for a few years now. Looks like I'm going to add you to my list of favorites. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@IrenESorius]

Many and adequate tips Tarun,, 👍‍‍👍‍‍. I think u forgot how important the look/design of the speakers are, cus everybody think that a mo beautiful speaker sounds better,, 😅. Cheers my friend,, 🍻😎👍‍‍❣️

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Irene 💖👍

[@giovannitirado6229]

Professor Tarun! Thanks for a great explanation of the topic.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@joergwittenberg2178]

Good review sir, thanks for the informations 👍👋

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 👍