What Would I buy Today! Knowing what I Know Now

[@cheapaudioman]

Wiim Pro amzn.to/43trOR3 Emotiva emotiva.com?aff=9 Fosi Audio V3 amzn.to/43BfUEK

[@GustavoRuizpsicologo]

Maybe those gadgets do the job, but Jesus, they are so ugly... 😊

[@richardhincemon]

NAD 316 BEE integrated amp 399.00 dollars NAD C31 BEE CD PLAYER 349.00 dollars Warfedale Denton 80th anniversary speakers 599.00 dollars Pro - Ject Debut SB turntable 249.00 dollars unbelievable stereo system for 1596.00 dollars 💸

[@pizzaboy399]

No love for the classic American duo burger and pizza?

[@ismaillabri5895]

HI I want to buy an budget DAC for my active speaker My question is, SMSL SU-1 and FiiO BR13 What is the best of these two DAC devices, what is the difference between them, and which DAC is better in terms of sound quality

[@MarcelNL]

Such a shame that you can't get any Emotiva speakers here in The Netherlands. I think I will go for the Q Acoustics 5020 instead.

[@AllboroLCD]

Schiit needs to finally release an all-in-one model and call it "The Sandwich"

[@balooo2863]

Good one !

[@astrotrance]

Haaaa!😂

[@UncleBuck2]

Bahahahahaha

[@walterwroblinski]

😅😂😂

[@undivided_unified]

this needs to happen, you definitely made the xmas card list of the marketing team.

[@stephaniegladden9763]

Thanks!

[@HeyYall398]

Sorry if I keep saying this, but this video is a lifesaver! For someone like me who's trying to figure out my music style and put together a great sound system without breaking the bank, this video is perfect. I've looked everywhere online and watched tons of reviews, but hardly any recommended good options for different budgets - cheap, middle, and high-end. This video does just that, making it easier to mix and match based on what I can afford.

[@cheapaudioman]

Glad it helped!

[@jaball77]

My "Budget System": Paradigm Phantom v3 floor standing speakers off FBMP for $100. Arylic B50 receiver/amp for $150. Old speaker wire & banana plugs I found in the closet. The result? It's fantastic.

[@ashleysheardown1242]

Thanks

[@cheapaudioman]

Welcome

[@eddents]

Even though it's the simple things in life that may often bring us the most joy, being able to explore life through varying choices and options can be a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing your wish lists with us! Great food for thought (or music for our ears).

[@HeyYall398]

Thank you Sir! You don't know how helpful this was for me. I just want people to tell an end to end system that works for them. Thank you for mentioning this in three layers of budgets!

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

The advice I've been waiting for. This an amazing video with some great advice for us all. Thank you so much for pulling this all together into baseline systems with mix and match options. I think anyone starting out will be very happy with any of these setups. Thank you so much for bringing this all together, your time, and effort sharing this with us all. Stay well, Sir.

[@carlsitler9071]

As soon as you get a real amp, you will dump the Fosi.

[@Gadgetdad007]

@@carlsitler9071real amp meaning ?

[@janiga74]

@@carlsitler9071 Get 2 of them and run them as "monoblocks" and then tell me how you feel about them. The result is truly impressive, especially with the Sparkos opp amps.

[@LeeBergerMediaProd]

I bought the V3 with 48 volt power supply as a way to confirm that I need to move on from vintage equipment. I was surprised and impressed with the improvement over a 50 year old McIntosh amp. Gave me the confidence to purchase a Schiit Vidar 2 to power inefficient speakers. V3 now residing in my office. What a tremendous value. Also learned more about class D amps. In the words of Mr Spock “fascinating’”

[@texasbassranger]

There are some real jewels within the vintage HIFI era. I bought a Phase Linear system in 1977 and have had it ever since. But mainly I bought it because I heard Phase Linear was going to discontinue home stereo equipment. It's nice to own something almost impossible to buy today. I did have a new cap refresh in 2003 but other than that, this system literally rocks the house.

[@MaybeTiberius]

ikr? i am currently in the same boat. i was only ever considering old used hifi gear because it was affordable. and for speakers i would still stand by it but for electronics...at some point you just HAVE to accept the fact, its not 1980 anymore and electronics evolved and with each passing year it will also become harder and harder to find actualy good condition used gear because it wont be produced anymore and gets older and older. and i do notice that alot while browsing used gear online. 2-3 years ago it was way easier to find some cool deals and nowadays most of the stuff i see is actually... old electrical-junk... for the most part. do i really want to gamble on a used fat brick amp that heats up my room to 50 degrees in summer and pulls a bazillion watts from the wall while taking up huge amounts of space from 1980... if an actual up to date class d amp for 100-150 bucks, that i can put anywhere because its so small can do the same thing, prob even better and is way more future proof on top? i actually dont think so anymore. speakers have not really changed that much... but electronics? i think electronics in the last 10 years evolved more than they did in the last 100 years... some of the tech feels almost ancient by now. its such an AWESOME time to live in for hifi if you think about it. finally tech is evolving rapidly and you can get so much new cool stuff thats really affordable for everyone. some of the chifi stuff today, i think would of been expensive as hell a couple years ago.

[@erichill5328]

Option #1 How can you connect the subwoofer to the setup? Thanks

[@timothyward9684]

Thanks for the great video, it really helped me out!

[@HeyYall398]

Wow! This is very helpful. I am profoundly grateful for your invaluable recommendations of high-quality, cost-effective components and systems that harmonize so well together. It's an absolute delight to learn and experiment with these resources. Your guidance has truly enriched my experience. Thank you immensely.

[@HeyYall398]

While individual component recommendations are certainly beneficial, receiving comprehensive end-to-end system recommendations with these individual parts is truly invaluable. Thank you so much for your assistance.

[@peteraiello3509]

Thanks Randy, i would say myself and a few others have probably been waiting a while for you to to make this video!

[@RaiderCBR6.5]

You should do a vid on garage sale and thrift store system for cheap. My brother wanted a cheap system for his garage last month so he gave me 200 bucks and I hit the thrift stores and garage sales. I came back four hours later with a Denon 3806 with a working original remote for 50 bucks, 4 Polk monitor 7 that looked like crap but drivers were in great shape for 40 bucks. Found a 10 inch sub that is made from 3 different subs, has a huge amp and weighs 83 pounds, works fantastic for 30 bucks. Went to his house and dropped off the 200 pounds of gear and gave him his 80 bucks left over with a list of cables and connections he should get. Set it up the next weekend and brought over a old Dynaudio center channel I was using as a rear in my Crown vic. Sounds very good and his neighbors are not very happy.

[@danielh12345]

The last sentence got me haha. Nice job!

[@rockman22]

My system is about $6k-$7k, I got the Topping Pre-90 / D90, Emotiva DR-2 Amp, Tekton Pendragon Towers, SVS SB-2000 SUB, Node-2i Streamer, and for my personal tastes of adding sparkle and bass to metal music, I added a BBE 882i Sonic Maximizer.

[@collin8962]

I was watching some of your older stuff and you've really improved with your video quality and pacing. Really good work love the channel!

[@cheapaudioman]

Thanks. Some of the older stuff is hard to watch

[@stephkirwin1898]

So I bought the JBL A130 to replace my ol alesis reference and with my sub they are lovely sound..it's a tough room high ceiling open to second floor balcony and a kitchen behind listening area but it works. Enjoyable listening and good on movies too ...cheers

[@nc3419]

I liked reading through the posts here. No right or wrong conclusions as we all respond to differences in presentation and how everything works in a particular room. Take that same equipment and place it somewhere else and it could sound different, better or worse than what one is accustomed to. Lots of variables. In my journey, I bought a Yamaha 50 watt receiver, Paradigm 7se and Klipsch KG4 with a Vector Research CD player back in 1988 at a local shop among a bunch of other local shops, all of which have long since gone. Stereo Review was the magazine I read and word of mouth was both what I used. Kept that system for many years, replacing the CD player with something or other first. Then picked up a Marantz 80 watt which was audibly much better than the Yamaha in 97. Kept that receiver for another 12 years. Replaced with an HK3490 which I used up to 2014. Along the way, I sold the KG4, bought them back, sold again, bought another pair, sold that. The SE7 was the last to go around 2007. Note that I used Paradigm and Polk speakers stacked as I found Paradigm to have the low end and mids while Polk had accentuated upper mids and highs. That worked well for a time if not unsightly, two stand mounts stacked together like a floorstander. Went from the SE7 with Polk 5jr. By themselves, I found the Polk too bright but it helped the Paradigm. Went with smaller Paradigm and Polk combos shrinking the stack. But wanted a smaller speaker that could give what the combo did and improve upon it. Tried many a small speaker. Sent many back. That started the upgrading in all areas. So, the first buy can last many years before upgrading. So what is one inclined to upgrade to and how big of a jump should one take? That depends on identifying what you most respond to. Over the years I have found my preferences and what I can give up a bit to achieve those. In a nutshell, I really like depth and separation with good tonality/timbre, with well controlled sibilant notes and smoothness in the music while remaining airy enough for what I like adding spacial qualities I notice. Second is detail, clarity/resolution but can give up a bit to keep what I feel is most important. In my experience, some higher end equipment can be too refined which truncates too much detail which I found odd, even if it had superior resolution. So, I can give up some, but there's a point where it becomes too noticeable and for me bothersome. A balance. What I don't seem to need is too much bass (for me) but for some it is required. So while one can chase after a speaker that goes down to 30 Hz or so, it isn't a determining factor for me. Outright dynamics, punch, solidity of notes, among some others. Of course you need enough to support the rest of the frequency range, but it becomes an issue if it muddles things up the the scale. Hate loose, un-textured bass lines, graininess in the mids/treble and when notes/instruments/singers blend together. Don't want a wall of sound but a nice stage with locality and spacial cues. So, back in 2014 I bought what I considered my dream system as to what I was willing to spend. I picked up a Hegel h160 (best amp compared to all others), Focal 807Ws (after combining 2 pairs of speakers over the years) it did the trick and eventually a Marantz CD6006 hooked up to a Topping D70s but the dac in the Hegel is really nice. The D70s adds some warmth and the internal dac of the Hegel better etched notes but still sounding smooth. They are both in the same league as to SQ, with some differences. If I knew then what I knew now...well, equipment is always changing so some of it didn't exist as of yet but today, and for the last few years, I have used different equipment. First off, what I wanted was smaller, lighter equipment (I am getting older and wanting to downsize, everything) which presented some constraints. So, finding what I wanted both sonically and ergonomically wasn't an easy task. What I finally found was a Keces E40 integrated and then I would have to match up speakers within its capabilities. So, I have Triangle Zeta Plaisir (old Color series and while giving less of what the Focal provides, has a softer voicing, laid backness which works really well for music and Ok for HT), Dali Opticon 1s and Martin Logan 15i recently purchased this year. I bought the Opticon 1 at half off after trying the Menuet SE (always wanted a pair but found those too refined for my tastes), while the Opticon 1s do well enough where the Menuet excelled and retains the detail. I will use those for desktop. Going back and forth between the Zetas and 15i required some adjustment as they are both very different yet having some of the qualities of my more upscale Focals. Comparatively, the Zetas are very musical with music while the 15i, still very good with music excels in HT. The 15i has more body, the Zetas more air and extension which I like with Piano notes. The 15i isn't worse, its different and after listening a while, I like what they do but it is an adjustment. They add more body but do not extend into the highs like a metal dome. Maybe it was ringing or distortion I had become accustomed to, not quite sure, but it is pleasant and I hear it with alot of speakers, as well as amps (Emotiva). It's just different as a real life Piano will present notes different than either, as well as all other speakers that are only attempting to "reproduce" the real thing. So go with what pleases you. That's pretty much it. So, I still have the Hegel and Focals which I plan to sell not becasue these do anything wrong but becasue I am downsizing. I will continue to look at new offerings as I may consider separates down the road, but for now, today I have: Main system: Keces E40 - Marantz CD6006 - Aune X8 (with Sparkos upgrade and Aune linear PS) - Martin Logan 15i and desktop will be my second Keces E40 (I like these very much, noticeably better than a A07 btw) - Topping d70s - Dali Opticon 1s Yes, the Hegel is a bit smoother, liquid and far more powerful but the difference isn't great on these speakers. So overkill for my current needs. Down the road, if I were to upgrade, I have pondered a Billie amp among other integrated which may be a step up in SQ and power from the Keces, perhaps not my much but also separates. Amps on my radar are the new schiit Vidar II as well as a Jeff Roland Model 125. I have looked at many other speakers. Elac Carinas, Dali Rubicon, Neat Petites, among other for something small that brings alot to the table. I almost pulled the trigger on the Neats but that would have been more $$$ and I really want a grill if for nothing else a bit of protection. Also looking at Falcon M10 but I want to hear before buying next time around. the Opticons cost me what the restocking fee was on the Menuets. But at least I found that just becasue something costs more, it may not be as satisfying to any individual. The Menuets, for what they did they did really well, but gave up something I couldn't. So yes, Randy has his views, as well as everyone having theirs based on experience, needs, desires, budget, room, etc.... Starting out with ChiFi and budget speakers can still be satisfying and is an inexpensive way to begin. Buying used, especially receivers can be really, really inexpensive. That's the beginning of the journey but could be your end game too if you are satisfied, happy...you don't need to spend alot, but spend something you will.

[@suchanjv]

Thank you! Those are great lists.

[@chililucy]

Great episode! Can I ask a favor? Could you diagram what goes into what? I’m a newbie and need to see some pictures - with an an explanation or what each component does. Thanks!

[@matthewhurley5117]

I totally came here to ask this same thing. I want to use my PC as the source for all my audio and video, but it's hard to know which pieces he's talking about are relevant to my application. Having a diagram would help me know what I do and don't need. And while I'm here, it would be great to have an overview of what each piece of the system does/adds/provides and what you lose if you don't include a certain piece. This would help me know which things I can get one-at-a-time, versus what I need to get together. Also, what I'm listening for to see if any given piece is doing what I want.

[@CorradoGriffin]

I need to know that too! I'm a total newbie

[@drz400edrz400e]

did any of you ever get any advice/ info from anyone about connecting it all up?

[@matthewhurley5117]

Nope, not yet, but I also haven't dug very deeply, yet.

[@billsmith8339]

I want to know what the high end home theater would be!

[@darrylgaston7009]

best question ever asked? Kudos for thinking this way. after most of you audio reviewers who have done tons of reviews. You should have to at some point answer a question like this to sort of own up to your reviews and prove the were not just fluff :) I have ended my audio journey for now with a Modwright amp (kwa100) plus Modwright preamp (ls100) plus modwright phono amp and Italian speakers - Rosso Fiorentino Fiesole's bookies with REL sub's. my journey is over! but I still love reading reviews of good audio equipment..

[@timothyward9684]

Hey Randy, greetings from a former squid who spent a year at the Sub Base Bangor TRF Nav Shop! I'm a long-time follower and 1st time commenter, but I had to say that I initially blew off this video because your recommendations weren't cool enough (or whatever) and ended up spending the last few weeks (and countless hours) trying to find the perfect "audiophile" integrated amp. However, after coming to w/i an inch of wasting $600 on a "budget" amp (which usually costs $1000 and was still looked down upon by many purists), I started getting really pissed off by how expensive everything was and decided to watch this video again. However, this time I became "red pilled" and finally realized how brilliant (and cheap) your recommendations are - especially considering future upgrades - so thank you!! Btw, I especially like your budget system for now, but I may add the Schiit Saga, etc. eventually.

[@michaelwright1602]

See my above post, my $1350 system, it sunk my battle ship!

[@bt719]

Found your channel just in time--had some Cambridge issues and am about to purchase another integrated amp/dac for my office 2 channel system. Thanks for your work and content!

[@geoffseyon3264]

Randy, thanks for all you do for us audio hobbyists. Please do 2024 version of this video.

[@4ujase]

Hmmm I would prefer for under £($)3700ish (UK bias) DAC £599 - Eversolo DAC-Z8 Head phone and pre AMP £599 - Singxer SA1 Class A Streamer/Digital Transport £379 - JF MX-Pro - Near field Active Monitors £350 - Adam T5V Head Phones £500 Planar Magnet Hifiman Edition XS Turntable £299 Pro-Ject T1 (Black) Subwoofer £699 Focal Sub One woofer = NIRVANA I suspect, you can get this for even less if you shop around. This is my setup minus the Pro-Ject T1 (that's on my shopping list :)

[@ginom407]

Great budget system for the garage or basement! Minus the vinyl of course...

[@1Poe]

You have offered honest and valuable feedback. I'm not that old, but I really miss the old days when all manufacturers were building stackable audio gear with almost same dimensions. Now one is tall and thin, another one is deep and ... at the end nothing matches....each one is making their own standard (that are not even maintaing thruu incremental series)...

[@steadisteve]

In your first affordable set up - where/ how are you hooking up the subwoofer?

[@carlinhebert]

Thanks for this awesome overview! As a noob targeting the budget category, two questions: 1) How is the subwoofer wired in? I dont see a subwoofer out on the V3 2) It seems not ideal to connect turntable to analog input of wiim, then convert to digital to get to DAC, only to then go back to analog into the V3? Or am I overthinking this.

[@shdthzjdgajdad]

This!! Can you show how to setup the sub with V3? Thnx for the video!

[@Yiannis2112]

Each one with his/her own preferences, but my take is that if I ended up with the 5020s, with a budget of 5.5k, surely I'd have done something really wrong.

[@adsph]

Great info. I learned I can use my turntables with the wiim pro. Awesome. Had the wiim for 2 months now. It’s so much fun. Thanks Randy.

[@seano218]

That Pro-Ject tube box S2 is badass! I love mine, for my Debut Carbon Evo with the Sumiko Ranier cartridge which is awesome! And that TT is great for upgradeability as well as best value for sound quality for the price. Going to a Cambridge CXA-81 with Elac Carina speakers which are the best Elac bookshelves at $1k, which are highly versatile with ALL genres of music! TV optic in to the CXA-81 for streaming and a rel t7x for one of the best subs for music out there. And yeah, it rocks as well as great for jazz and nuanced music.

[@darrenbilsborough9701]

Really awesome video Randy, well done 👍

[@johnmazzone]

I have a Fosi Audio V3 with the 48 volt power supply. I just auditioned my Elac Uni-Fi Bookshelfs with the V3. Very bad choice on my part, not enough power to drive the speakers properly. Get a 4 ohm 90 db or higher speaker for a desktop.

[@radiodurans]

@cheapaudioman I wouldn't recommend any DAC that doesn't have a digital display showing the sample bitrate it is processing. That's such a basic thing and helps me immensely in troubleshooting devices that are unknowingly downsampling or for fact checking hd audio sources.

[@michaelcoughlin8238]

Wow. I don't know a single brand you mentioned. My kids moved out a few years ago. I'm just starting to want a nice stereo system again. When I last had time and interest in sound we were in the land of Sony/Kenwood/Yamaha receivers or maybe Marantz/Adcom/Macintosh for nice separates. I don't know if I'm ready for a slew of mismatched shapes, sizes, finishes. I'm so used to wanting a nice stacked system with matching woodgrain cabinets that become a focal point. Apparently, I have yet another rabbit hole to go down.......

[@beergutzplatoon]

Now I wanna see your high end home theater

[@writemeanovel]

I appreciate you Randy. Putting together systems that sound good is what most audio file KZbin yapper is completely miss. You have to put together a system. Talking forever about one component does not help You're guaranteed to waste money and time if you look at just one thing. Good job I'm a fan thank you!

[@adaboy4z]

With the knowledge I have today. I would have stuck with my Yamaha RN803 receiver and B&O S80 speakers from 4 years back. I spent a lot of money trying Chifi to Vintage gear. I have so much gear I'm looking at right now.

[@GiJoe94]

Great setup

[@powerguymark]

These are always fun videos Randy.

[@mil-specgarage55]

Hey, its been a couple months since I tuned in, looks like you have been working out. Keep it up. Get some

[@mansolomd]

Love this vid. Thanks. I needed an up to date summary like this.

[@patrickgeorge141]

I have enteted the big amplifier world and cannot turn back lol! Love my current system and happy to have it! Good video!

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Ok, so I'm just another jerk on the 'net w/ an opinion, but when you talk about adding a turntable, to get top notch playback, it doesn't stop w/ the deck and the phono pre. A vacuum record cleaner (or similar) is almost mandatory especially if you want to buy used records. Plus, you need proper setup which means some specialty tools. And then there is proper vibration isolation for the deck. It is a lot of work and money to make sound good. I'm old and grew up w/ vinyl. My very first purchase when 15 was a Thorens deck and Shure V15 cart. But I think now w/ modern DAC's being so good and relatively affordable transports like the AL 6000, it's the best bet. Certainly not as 'cool' but a whole lot easier and probably better sounding.

[@kamilkazmierczak2842]

I love your personality man! You should also let us know what coffee do you recommend for your videos.

[@AllboroLCD]

Modern reasonably priced components and say a vintage flagship speaker from the 80's -90's is your best route for good audio w/o breaking the bank.

[@SeanKingwell-ig6wc]

Amazing review, and great thoughts on budget set ups. One question I have, though, on the budget system, how do you connect the subwoofer?

[@davidturner1721]

At the moment, I am listening to Ram Jam via a WIIM mini into an SMSL SU-1 into a Fosi Audio V3 with 48v 5A power supply into some JBL A170 towers, and it is AWESOME! I think you should review the A170s. They are a great match to the cheap chinese class D amps like the A07 and V3 - A nearly perfect two channel setup for very cheap money.

[@davidturner1721]

My main system is a CXN V2 -> CXA81 into Emotiva B1+ and an SE8 Sub.

[@andyhart5669]

I have a wiim mini and SMSL SU-1 too. Really happy with them. I couldn't find a decent afordable DAC for ages. I had borrowed a couple that would have cost between £100 and £200 that sounded no better than an old £20 fiio taishan I had been using. Then I ordered the SMSL SU-1 unheard based on all the positive reviews. I wasn't disappointed.

[@mattupload5808]

I own the A170s and I love them

[@doctormidnight]

I saw that the pre-out on the Fosi is fixed, so that's a no-go for using it as a subwoofer output. Or is that not correct?

[@MDchaz]

I’m still surprised you would spend more on watches than on stereo equipment. Listening to music provides more enjoyment to me than wearing a watch but we all have to set our own priorities. Enjoy either way 😃👍

[@ifeanyidede2106]

Mine is Amp: Fosi Audio V3 w48v power brick Dac: SMSL SU1 Speaker: JBL Stage A130 Subwoofer: RSL Speedwoofer 10s MK2 Don't Need a turntable and a streamer. Just me and my downloaded music.

[@adamcanterbury]

Love the video idea...good job very entertaining...keep up the awesome work...❤

[@2shoestoo]

It’s hard for me to consider to go from A/B amps to class D. I guess it’s the old school in me and age

[@chrisnunya7171]

Same here. And I'm not into "streaming" at all. And the Cheap Audio Man looooves to talk about his Wiim mini like it's the best thing since sliced bread! Aside from that, I still find his uploads very informative. 👍🏻

[@TriAmpMyFi]

Well go get that class A/B amp soon. They're going to make them illegal . 50% efficient consumer electronics will be banned. They can't manage an "Energy Star" rating & just like window ACs next spring or OLED tv's in the EU the legislatures will make laws to satiate the Greenies. Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

[@TriAmpMyFi]

And don't forget your gas stoves!

[@MasterofPlay7]

Lol get the fm300a clone

[@ufarkingicehole]

Class D has changed exponentially over the last few years. You just have to find the right gear that gives you proper synergy.

[@jimtuccillo4786]

I really enjoyed this video as it is relevant for me at this time. I want to revamp a 25 year old 3.1 system connected to a Samsung TV for TV sound and streaming mostly through Pandora and some BT from music on my iPhone. Some of the other streaming sources sound interesting. The room is our "great room" in an open floor plan - not that large (retirement home). I would like to go to a 2.1 system and here are my thoughts. I welcome all comments. For a streamer/DAC/preamp I was thinking of the Bluesound Node X. For a power amp, I like the Crown XLS 2502 (the incremental cost of going big is not that much and it will be the last power amp I buy). For L/R speakers I like the Emotiva B1+ and I like the SVS SB1000 Pro for a subwoofer. I don't need a turntable. I know these are all safe choices but that is why I like them. Comments please.

[@st.thomas5802]

Great choices! Definitely agree on the Crown amps being a great choice-theyre powerful, sound phenomenal, are built to last and cost very little. Also agree you can't go wrong with an SVS sub-excellent performance and good quality, reputable brand. On the other side of the coin, I don't think DACs are that important and almost anything sounds good and essentially indistinguishable from each other. Certainly not enough to matter with room acoustics and placement being far, far more important. Speakers are 85%, the room and/or correction 10% and amps/dacs the last 5%. I like emotiva products but think they should be compared to at least 1 good soft dome speaker and 1 good metal dome tweeter design to see what you prefer. Personally I lean towards soft dome 90% of the time from companies like wharfedale or dynaudio and also like a well tuned metal dome from focal or monitor audio. All that said I'd be shocked if Kali LP6, LP8 or IN5/8 and a decent $300 sub like Emotiva didn't outperform passives in most areas. Add in room correction and I'd put it up against anything passive double their price. The only tricky part is finding an affordable Preamp/reciever with LCR preouts for surround sound but for 2.1 it's easy to find a few from Topping and SMSL.

[@danstein2467]

This reminds me of the old radio shack catalogs. They were less good, better, and best.

[@Pentenfi]

I was expecting you to pick a DIY speaker kit from CSS because I remember you were quite impressed with them. Enjoyed the video very much!

[@AndyBHome]

Great video premise and great recommendations. Thanks.

[@jimbreakall9331]

Just another thought is to consider bi-amping with a MiniDSP Flex with Dirac Live and the LRS Plus speakers with one or two subs. Two Fosi V3s would work for this. Prof. Jim

[@kierand9410]

GREAT video. Just what I was looking for!

[@nickelbut10]

187k boss! Great work.

[@Brian_Romska]

Getting closer to the mark (200k) every day !!!

[@shipsahoy1793]

Yeah, he’s “rockin’ it” 😉 ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️

[@starla_7]

Hi! I was wondering could you do a video on what cables you buy and how to connect all these up? I think it would be good for newbies like myself - thanks so much for your awesome channel ☺️

[@brucemibus9523]

Even the high end system is very cheap in my world! This money doesn't even buy one of the subwoofers I use, in my surround sound system. Value is so relative that we often get tied up in the price instead of the performance, even I get caught up with this. Don't fall for the same mistakes as me or you will have insurance that costs more than just the mid price system!😊

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Randy, I've watched a number of your videos (and am yes, subscribed) but unless I'm mistaken, I've not seen you talk about the merits of buying used. I think it's the only way to go. We all know how audio folk are constantly in search of the next thing and flipping gear, so there's great stuff out there for less. My desktop speakers are Merlin TSM-MMe, which was around $3.5K new......got in mint shape for 1/2 that. And they are very good sounding speakers.

[@ScottoGrotto]

Nice list Randy! I own the Saga with a tube, but darn good in non tune mode too! I have the original version of your recommended tube phono. Tried some upgraded tubes with it :) I’m sure the S2 version is a big improvement! I picked up a boutique, USA, made by hand affordable Lounge Audio phono pre amp ( LCR Gold with silver upgrade ) which frankly kills the aforementioned v1 tube pre. And just I picked up the WiiM Pro with your link! I swapped in a $40 glass 6’ toslink cable over the included cable - major improvement in clarity coherence and vibe :) Thanks for all your good advices!!

[@ben23a31]

Randy, those are all pretty decent set ups. I guess my question is why piece meal all these separate components in all your budget levels. Just wondering why a traditional Integrated amp like the Yamaha A-S801 or a Denon equivalent wasn't considered. 3-5 little amps, dacs, pre-amp and the such just seem too clunky IMO.

[@carlsitler9071]

True. If I wanted to do home theater instead of 2 channel, I'd use my Marantz SR7500.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

I would say go buy an A/B amp with a DAC on the used market. Go for a recent model. Find speakers the same way. You could build a decent system under $500.

[@alex.j87]

Only problem is when you need to upgrade (or something breaks) you need to put a huge amount of $ at once (and in one place). Also, i believe the target for this video is audiophile enthusiasts who’d like to get in the hobby. On the other hand, to spend just 900$ out of 5500 on speakers is insane for me. But, as he said, it’s just his preference.

[@tmdillon1969]

You haven't done me wrong yet Randy. My new family room set up will be a Prime Day TV, optical out to a WIIM Pro, optical out of that to a Topping E50 DAC (for the remote), analog out of the DAC to the V3 driving a set of CSS Torii's. World's Best Cables where I can. I know it skips a sub but my wife hates the way the sub looks now and it's a slim line Samsung soundbar set. I'd never get a 12" sub past her.

[@jeffjohnson3504]

What’s wrong with the Aiyima 8 Pro sounds fantastic for my Garage with ES15 Polks I just love the easy Bluetooth hookup! Same chip.

[@freepat101]

Wow, cool video but I can’t help but think how complicated all these different components are when there are much simpler options for listening these days.

[@Ramzerok]

Thanks for this one, Randy. Have been getting confused at all of the recently reviewed options for my "budget" first set up, and you brought me right back home with the Wii Pro, V3, SMSL SU-1 core. Gonna skip the vinyl for now and may need to go a bit cheaper on speakers to start, but I think that modular vs integrated is more forward looking as I imagine that I will eventually upgrade everything.

[@ii1825]

For less expensive speakers look at the Sony SSCS5. They are a great speaker for the money and can be had cheap when they are on sale. They go on sale pretty often. Randy loves them as well and I'm surprised he didn't go with them for his budget setup.

[@Ramzerok]

@@ii1825 Thanks for the suggestion! Yep, those are definitely on my list. I missed them at $128 on Prime day but will keep an eye out for them to go down again.

[@roadcykler62]

Some people who are (audio)gone round the bend, spend more for just interconnects that you spend for your top tier system. Great video, as usual.

[@connorduke4619]

if you can stretch to 1500 Euro speakers, Dynaudio Evoke 10 are amazing.

[@frankenstudio22]

Budget system could have easily included the Sony SSCS5 speakers. ~Nice video Randy! Thank you Shipmate!

[@bigdreams5554]

Agreed! But only if on sale. At full retail I prefer the Emotivas. The B1+ is noticably better than the SSCS5.

[@frankenstudio22]

Agreed! Definitely wait until they drop in price. I recently got another pair from Best Buy open box for $87.

[@AndyBHome]

High end: JBL Studio 698 $1,800 Emotiva XPA HC-1 (2 because they're mono) $1,800 Schiit Freya S $600 Wiim Pro $150 Technics SL1200 mk7 $1,100 Schiit Mani $150 Audio-Technica VM750SH $450 TOTAL $5,750 Budget Conscious: Polk Audio Monitor 60 $380 Polk Audio PSW10 $160 Fosi Audio V3 $90 Wiim Pro $150 Audio-Technica AT LP120XUSB $350 TOTAL $1,130

[@1swttl]

Cheapaudioman wears a ballin Rolex DeepSea...sick!!!!

[@mehome-ty4yi]

Great video. Now do a set of AVR systems.

[@mrmagpie33]

I worked as an assistant engineer on music row in Nashville TN. We would do the final mix on high end tube amps and top of the line Genelec speakers. But the engineer I worked for always did the "car test". Why? Because that is what the kids have. The goal of a great mix is for the song to sound good from the best gear all the way down to the crappy speaker in the grocery store. It's harder than you think to have a song sound good everywhere, that is the art of mixing and mastering. Don't get me wrong, if you are the senior mastering engineer at Masterfonics or Sterling Sound, there is a lot of money on the line. You need the best equipment to create the best product possible. But you also need the years of training to take advantage of that equipment. Personally, I don't like audiophiles, they are "paint by numbers" people. They don't use their ears, they choose what is good based on fashion and money and then work backward. And they flaunt their disposable income as some form of arms race. Save your coin, get something that sounds good to you in your budget and save your money for more important things like a house or education. Thanks for the great content. I'm gonna roll the dice on the AIYIMA T9 PRO to install in an 1965 Magnavox stereo console. We like the funky sound it has, but the old solid state receiver is on its last legs. We noticed how good Mowtown and Stones records sound on this old war horse, so we want to give it a new life. It is an adventurer, wish me luck!

[@zTheBigFishz]

At 5600 bucks, I'm buying 3k worth of speaker (Magnepan 1.7i...love maggies I own a pair of 20yo 1.6's), 2k worth of amplification (NAD C399...cause of the solid 4ohm pwr), the J2, and the WIIM Pro.

[@dmnddog7417]

I auditioned the iFi Zen Phono preamp for a few weeks along with a Cambridge Audio Alva Solo. At that time, they both cost the same. To me, it seemed that the Zen wasn't as powerful, and the build quality is not as robust as the Alva Solo. If it wasn't already running (left on all the time) it seemed to take a while to warm up and get up to level. In contrast, the Alva Solo was ready to go as soon as it clicked on, and it seemed to pair better with my cartridge (AT-VM540ML). Even though I kept the Zen because I took longer than the return period to test it, I'm using the Alva Solo as my daily driver.

[@kl9941]

This was a cool video man!

[@andyhart5669]

I have the Wiim mini (purchased just before the pro came out) and an SMSL SU-1. I was was considering a bluesound node before getting the Wiim so borrowed one. I think the wiim sounds better. Haven't heard the Q Acoustics you recommend, but do like them as a brand. I have a separate 7.1 home cinema setup with 3010s all around, it sounds amazing. I tried a pair on my hifi, they lack bass, but this doesn't matter in the AV setup with a Sub.

[@Declan4253]

great idea for a show (I haven't watched it yet, going to make some coffee)

[@allenbrixey1122]

Good call on some that emotiva amp pushing the q acoustic speakers.

[@thepaulsmalls]

I love your videos but something I totally blanked on was where I was going to put all my stuff.. so furniture and crap add up.. Especially if you're married and have to make it look nice..

[@bengleason508]

Thanks Randy

[@MechAdv]

Humble request here, since the Q Acoustics 3050 towers are down to 170$ a piece, I feel like THE cheapaudioman should review them. Seem's to me like that is the audio deal of the decade since they were so positively reviewed for 500$ a piece, and considered by many back then to be the best of the sub 1000$ crop. I genuinely wonder how they hold up in 2023.

[@s.daniel9224]

I got them. They suck. Put my 3030i’s back up.

[@davidcarr2216]

Way to go, Mr Cheapskate Audio Guy 😀

[@stevenmoormann3644]

I have my turntable picked out, I have my pre amp picked out, but I am lost on speakers and an amp. I only want a setup for a turntable. Really figuring out the amp is the most difficult issue I’m having. My audio equipment knowledge is whatever is lower than the lowest possible level 🤣

[@hemieed1]

Hi . I love my emotiva basx mr1. I couldn't believe how good it made my 18 year old Polk speakers sound. Compared to my older onkyo avr. Thanks darrell

[@gregjones2472]

Interesting, anything about the mr1 you aren't a fan of?

[@hemieed1]

@gregjones2472 hi Greg I've had it over a week now. The one thing that is Starting to annoy me is. I only stream my content from my Samsung tv so if I Pause what ever I'm watching or push play it will stop the audio from the earc and show no input. And when the show starts the video will be playing and it still won't have sound. Sometimes it doesn't do it but 9 times out of 10 it won't have audio. I'm going to call Damon from emotiva tomorrow about it. Other than that it's wonderful. And I love it. Hopefully it's something simple.. the 6 hight atmos speakers sound wonderful I only had 2 hight and 2 extra wide on my old onkyo tx-nr838 setup Darrell

[@hemieed1]

Hi Greg we figured out the audio glitch. When I Pause a show the arc return stops sending data to the mr1. I have a one connect box on my 5 year lod Samsung so that's probably the problem. I guess I'm shopping for a lg g3 lol. The mr1 has great Dynamic sound. I love it compared to my older onkyo avr. Darrell

[@captwholey]

Curious about how you you'd use the 3 Fosi V3 amps in that system.

[@tubefreeeasy]

I’m happy with my original component purchase of my Xduoo TA-30 and Kanto Tuk speakers. I just wished I looked past copper cables.

[@cantoon8616]

Only thing I'd change in that list is the speakers. Elac Debut Reference are too good to pass up.

[@bpalpha]

The inexpensive system, or any of them, should feature a cd player of some kind. Second hand dvd/blue ray/cd players go as low as $8!

[@shadracko-on1hy]

It'd be easy to plug that $8 CD player into the Wiim line in.

[@nraio]

Sticking around the $1000 level, one could go with the Emotiva TA1, the B2+ speakers and the Wiim Mini… and a vintage turntable like, a Phillips 312 with an Ortofon 5m Cartridge… except, you can’t get… the B2+ anymore… or the B1+… (sigh)

[@Biollf]

How about starting with an Emotiva MC1 and the SE8/12? And put in an amp and speakers that you can afford. With time a better amp and/or speakers can be added an the existing moved to surround, back, or height.

[@grhaggerty]

This is a really good informative episode. Two thumbs up! 👍👍

[@JMJM75257]

Nice roundup i currently have the wiim pro, fosi v3, topping e50 with monitor audio silver 100 7g speakers and two diy l26roy 10" subs with passive radiators powered by plate amps. As for power to the units i run linear psus to both dac and streamer with a meanweell drp 48v 10a psu to the fosi amp. Money has been a big consideration but im really pleased with how everything gels. I never miss any detail in the music which is great! Seems it would be high mid tier on your scale! love the videos as usual btw!

[@markcook9084]

Like the E50? I need a pre amp option for a vintage Sansui integrated. Also for remote cap

[@James3of3]

So, I'm someone that never really had "Hi-Fi" music systems. My music dollar went to making music. But after HS most of my life was "on-the-go". So I had great sound systems in my car. Fast forward to 47, and I'm nostalgic. I've been overwhelmed with how home audio has been. I'm simple. I wanted to collect 2 bands works on vinyl, and if I got more than that, meh. I bought a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO, and a cheep phono preamp (a Pyke 777?) And put that into my video amp. There is no audio input for any kind of music playing device. So the EQ on the amp has settings for movie viewing, but not for music. So I bought the Peachtree M24. I don't like that there is no way to make the powered side of the M24 on the left. So I decided to switch the left and right coming out of the preamp. (I'd have to completely rearrange the room and that's not happening.) After all the rave reviews of the WiiM Pro, I decided to get one and am awaiting it's arrival. So, I figured if I plugged in the phono to the RF input of the WiiM, I can switch the L,R from the WiiM to the M24. I also will be using the SPIDIF for a pass through of my TV to my Video Amp. It's a 1080p model and doesn't want to communicate through the ARC HDMI, so I just use the SPIDIF. That way I could choose either the VidAmp or the M24, and switch the L,R of the M24 and get it to sound right. Unless there is a flaw, which is my question andfter making a short story long. I'm not going through be able to afford a new amp to accommodate everything, but I figured the M24 could handle the music, and the VidAmp any video's audio. I have 2 150W Sony subs (the VidAmp is a 7.2) and will be putting one of them on the M24. Other than that, any suggestions? If I need to pay for consolation, let me know