10 CRUCIAL questions for FIRST-TIME hi-fi buyers

👉🏻 This episode is brought to you by Roon:

🎥 Camera: Jana Dagdagan
🎬 Editor: John Darko
💰 Ad segment: Jana Dagdagan

🛋 My listening room in 2022:

0:00 Intro
1:34 #1 - Room size?
2:36 #2 - Appliances?
3:36 #3 - How loud?
4:36 #4 - Appearances?
5:47 #5 - Subwoofer?
6:50 #6 - Open-baffle?
7:49 #7 - Minimalist?
8:45 #8 - Tinkerer?
9:33 #9 - Couch?
10:14 #10 - Permission?
11:49 Want to dive deeper...

👂🏻Podcast #38 – Buying your first (and second) hi-fi system

AND

👂🏻Podcast #34 – Buying used gear

👉🏻 As seen in this video...

KEF LS60 Wireless

DALI Spektor 2

KEF KC62

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120

Samsung The Frame 2022 55"

Naim Uniti Atom

NAD M10 V2

JBL 4349

Klipsch Forte IV

Klipsch 'The Fives'

Technics SL-1210GR

Ortofon Concorde Century

#hifi #beginner #10questions

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[mateusznowakowski]

As a audiophile, with a lot speakers, amps, dacs, streamers, cables behind me. I can tell you one thing - this video, this questions are gold. Ask this to your self before spending any money on hifi gear. Well done, JOHNY!

[MrCthur]

Spend the money where you spend the time.

For me the struggle is my ongoing internal battle between 7. Minimalist & 8. Tinkerer.

[greenbeginner]

Most important questions:
# 1 - Are you willing to move furniture so as to optimize the music system or will the music system be placed so as to make the furniture look good? (If the latter, don’t spend much on this hobby. You’ll never realize the capability of your music system. Just get something to play your tunes and be satisfied.)
# 2 - Will you actually sit in the sweet spot for any length of time or will that be a rarity? (If the latter, don’t spend much on this hobby. You’ll never realize the capability of your music system. Just get something to play your tunes and be satisfied.)

[branikkkk]

I love these “clickbait” format when it’s from someone who you trust and it’s actually good stuff.

[justinwalsh]

As someone planning out my first hifi system (and I’m going to demo some speakers and amps as per your advice to not buy blind), I’m actually going to open a word doc and answer these questions with my fiancée so that we make the right decisions! Man, your videos have been on fire lately (particularly that Jan video you just uploaded)

[aresusa]

Dude, you made me write comment under a utube video ..this one is the best i've ever watched on youtube. I now have a guide to fwd whomever is around asking for help. Much appreciated!

[neekondrums]

One of the main issues I have, especially when discussing speakers, is that everyone asks me about my listening position. I don't have one. I generally pace around the room or even from room to room while I'm listening. Makes it challenging to figure out because a) the speakers need to sound within a range of good throughout the space, and b) I don't want speakers too far out into the space so I don't have to walk around them. My preferred speakers should sound decent within 8" to 12" (about 20cm to 30cm) of the corners of my 12' by 15' room (about 3.6m by 4.6m).

[JohnTwo]

I think another important question to ask is Do you want a home theater? I wanted one and I don't have room for two separate systems. So I started my system with audiophile speakers and a av receiver, along with a nice tv. I then expanded that later with a separate dac and amp. I made sure to buy a av receiver with pre outs so that I can use my amp with both systems.

[QoraxAudio]

One of the most important questions is:
Is your system meant to be an investment, something for (very) long term use?
It's related to going separates, system flexibility, buying slightly larger speakers than the current room permits, etc... anything related to system growth and maintainability.

[filofilo]

Agree with your list John especially when it comes to your neighbours .
In my 60's and been tinkering all that time. Have finally put a system together that does not need an upgrade. My only advise is if you are more about the music rather than the sound then your budget can be modest. If your looking for clarity and performance then I would look for a system that will last for years without an upgrade and spend your hard earned cash on vinyl and cd's if that's your focus.

[tmtrueblood]

That was extremely helpful. You have a great channel and I appreciate all of the insight as I am very new to this hobby/audio lifestyle.

[eddents]

Very helpful set of guiding questions. Thanks! The options can seem daunting (like the yogurt aisle at the grocery store) and narrowing the field is a big help. Sales staff at audio stores would serve folks immensely by using these questions to potential customers. I like to tinker, with one subject, "cable management", often being a real challenge. My two channel and AV stuff share the same space. Hiding the Medusa head of cables is quite the wrangle. I settled on an inexpensive wicker like basket 🧺 that allows for cables to easily pass into the basket from all sides (and back out if needed) and plug into a power strip inside basket. The sides are high enough to hide the snakes, but allows easy access as needed.

[colinmaynard]

11. What source material do I already own?

[leafyleafyleaf]

Another insightful, intellectually honest, intelligent video. These brighten my day!

[stevefraser]

Great advice and great channel. I've recently completely re thought out my living room system and gone down the 'appliance' route. I don't seriously listen in this space (I have a music room for that) it's mostly 10mins here and there. I've paired an old pair of Celestion Ditton 33's which I've had years with a Sonos ZP120 which I've just bought for £70 - that's it nothing else apart from stands and speaker cable. All in cost £250 and it sounds better than it has any right to and is as minimalist as hell along with being ultra user friendly

[StevenSchmitt]

Thank you for such an insightful video. This is one of the more helpful hi-fi videos I've ever watched. Stereo equipment has much more to do with these questions than minute performance distinctions found in product A versus product B.

[neilthompson]

Your 1 of the best out there Mr Darko love your honesty, looking forward to the dynaudio's 👍🏿

[onebylandtwoifbysearunifby]

# 1 may have been a bit off as to technical, but perhaps was more aesthetics. Large speakers perform fantastically well in small rooms.

[russellparker]

Can I just say you’ve done a cracking job with the decor in your room it looks very welcoming. I also agree with number 10 too. I truly think the way forward with amplifier’s is to have some room correction software built in because it makes your options for speakers much larger as you can remove excess bass and hi frequency energy that might be an issue otherwise. If you like the look of a speaker but it has a bright sound it can be reigned back to sound less fatiguing.

[yuvals]

Great Q&A. John! You are absolutely correct about minimalistic systems vs separates. I, personally, would buy a pair of actives, streaming 'speakers, like the Borchardt A500's, or, if I had the wherewithal, the LS60's that I see in your room. N.B you are a lucky person to live in an apartment where you have no neighbors that can be bothered by high SPL's (elicited from your sub, which, if I recognize correctly, is the KEF KC62.) As always, a great post! Keep up the good work!