Buying a hi-fi system, need advice please! :)

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Sorry if this post is in the wrong place, I'm new to these forums

I bought a Macbook Air recently and am currently using iTunes for my music library (which is mostly ALAC, converted from FLAC). I was going to buy some PC speakers that could connect to my Macbook via bluetooth but found that most of them were poor quality. I then found that you can get Hi-Fi systems with bluetooth and, since I don't have a desktop anymore, it makes more sense to get a Hi-Fi system, right? I need some advice please! P.S. my budget is £150.

1. Should I be getting a Hi-Fi instead of PC speakers?

2. Are there decent Hi-Fi speakers that can connect via bluetooth, i.e. is bluetooth a viable option or am I going to have to connect via cable?

3. What are some good Hi-Fi systems within my budget that you recommend?

4. Has anyone got BitPerfect with iTunes? I've seen people using both in conjunction with each other but I'm not really sure whether to buy BitPerfect or not.

5. Anything else you recommend or could advise me on?

I appreciate any and all support you can give me Thank you.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

More questions:

6. Is it worth buying a Hi-Fi that doesn't have bluetooth and sticking this ****** with it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HomeSpot-NFC-enabled-Bluetooth-Receiver-System/dp/B009OBCAW2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420837014&sr=8-2&keywords=bluetooth+hifi

7. I don't know too much about DAC's, do I need one?

Thank you

 

[Anderson]

I'll preface by saying, I am no expert, also I'm not going to recommend a system or speakers to you sorry.

1 HiFi speakers would be preferable, but PC speakers could be a nice upgrade over your laptops speakers.

2 You can get speaker systems that have Bluetooth built in but these tend to be more lifestyle systems, I can't think of any HiFi speakers which have this functionality inbuilt. Most HiFi systems are composed of 3 main pieces, Source (thing that plays music ie laptop > Amplifier (takes the output from source and makes it loud) > Speakers (powered by amp). You can get amplifiers that have Bluetooth built in, this would give the functionality you desire.

3 In all honesty I think your budget is a little too low for a complete "Hifi" system.

4 You can get bit perfect output from iTunes to an external Dac, you don't buy it though. It's a feature of iTunes, I'm not sure I understand your question though.

5 Read lots and lots, do loads of window shopping. Have a look at RicherSounds, SuperFi and SSAV there's a massive amount of gear to take your fancy.

6 Yes

7 You won't necessarily need a DAC if your only source is your laptop.

EDIT: Just went and had a look at RicherSounds and found a system, Speakers, Amp and Bluetooth for £149.99. Go to RicherSounds > HiFi > Bundle deals > second system.

 

[Infiniteloop]

BitPerfect is an App that works with iTunes and enables automatic switching of sampling rates for an outboard DAC. iTunes doesn't do this on its own. It improves the sound somewhat too. - Available from the OSX App store.

 

[SteveR750]

If you play guitar, then the Yamaha THR5 is an amazing little soundbar that you could connect a phone / tablet or laptop to; it's also brilliant as a home practice guitar amp. It also runs on battery as well as mains, oh and you can multitrack and record direct onto you PC with the included Cubase software.

 

[davedotco]

Bluetooth hi-fi speakers are available but are a bit more than £150, look for Ruark MR1 and Q Acoustics BT1, both available around £250-ish.

If you want to keep to your budget the best 'bang for the buck' would be to use a Behringer UCA202 usb dac (£25) and a pair of Studiospares Seiwin 5a active speakers (£129pr).

For the money the performance is outstanding, don't let the lack of hi-fi brand names put you off, this setup will easily outperform anything close to it's price. If you want to stream wirelessly, replace the UCA202 with a bluetooth receiver or, preferably, an Apple Airport Express.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Also for £150 (probably £120 now that I'm buying the Airplay device) do you think it's worth buying a seperate amplifier and speakers or should I get a micro hifi?

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Hey guys thanks for your suggestions. I did research all night last night and found that what I really want to be doing is utilizing airplay. I found this little device:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neet%C2%AE-Wireless-Receiver-wireless-streaming/dp/B00O0U37HO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

So now I'm thinking I want to get a good value hifi system and connect this thing to it. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good value hifi system, no bluetooth? The Yamaha amp sounds interesting and I do play guitar but the amount of time I'd spend using the hifi as opposed to using the guitar amp... it probably makes more sense to buy a hifi system (I have a £40 10W amp that seems to do the job anyways )

Thanks for everything so far!

 

[davedotco]

Also for £150 (probably £120 now that I'm buying the Airplay device) do you think it's worth buying a seperate amplifier and speakers or should I get a micro hifi?

The Neet is, effectively, a third party Airport Express. It saves you money but there is no guarantee that it will be supported by future releases of Apple software, still it is cheap enough not to be a big problem. It would be best to use a dac via toslink but the budget is really to low to include this (unless you can stretch an extra £50 or so), otherwise you will have to use the headphone output, not ideal but should be ok in this context.

I refer you back to the Seiwin 5a speakers in my earlier post. These are powerful active monitors with a spectacular performance for the price. They will blow any micro or cheap separates system into the weeds, no comparison whatsoever.

If performance is important, these are the answer.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Hello davedotco, I have a few questions for you!

1. If I were to extend my budget, what setup would you recommend? Seiwin 5a with Airport? I really want wireless and I'm not sure the DAC stuff you mentioned is cabled or not.

2. I had a look at some systems and Dennon DM39 coupled with Wharefare Diamond 220 speakers seems like a legit setup, are you saying that the Seiwin 5a would be better performance-wise than both of these (not too concerned with appearance as long as it's black)?

3. Seiwin 5a or Seiwin 6? Or Wharefare Diamond 220?

4. Why don't I need a system like the Dennon DM39 with the speakers you suggested?

I found an airport express on eBay for £50 so I don't mind spending a few more for something that will last me.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Also, do you know if I am fine using the 1st generation Airport Express?

 

[davedotco]

Good morning. Believe it or not these are pretty fundamental questions and although the answers are easy, the reasoning behind them is not.

In a purist hi-fi sense every component should be separate, player, dac, amp etc, etc. This allows for the design of that component to be optimised precisely. But it is expensive (and inconvenient), casework and power supply are far the most expensive part of any piece of hi-fi electronics so combining several components in one case, with one power supply makes a lot of sense when the budget is tight, hence all in ones like the Denon.

So the Denon/Wharfedale combination is a very viable setup for the money but it may offer you more than you need in functionality, ie it does 'everthing' but given the price restraints, performance is limited.

Where the budget is really tight it is possible to lose the expensive casework entirely by putting the amplification into the speakers, this will give you powered speakers, or in this particular case, active speakers.

The savings can be considerable and in the case of the Seiwins you get the advantage of a speaker, built in large numbers for the world market, minimally rebranded and sold by London pro Audio dealers Studiospares at a very attractive price.

The ST5 is a 5inch two way with 60 + 30 watts of power and a capabiliity way in advance of inexpensive hi-fi speakers, particularly the ability to play louder and with more presence and punch.

Downside? Only a single input so if everything is being fed through an AEX, no problem, but if you want multiple sources, you will need a pre-amp of some kind. Secondly, the sound character is 'different' from what you will get from most budget hi-fi speakers, increased clarity and a lack of bass 'bloom' ans 'woofle' comes as a shock to some, the lack of artificial bass 'warmth' may take some getting used to, but once you do, returning to passive budget speakers may prove impossible.

Re: AEX, 1st generation. The early plug in AEX comes in two versions, the original is single band (2.4ghz) for wireless, later models are dual band and have a better sound courtesy of a better dac. The only problem is that neither is supported by Airport Utility in Mavericks or Yosemite, you need an older version of the os to set them up, though once set up, they can be monitored by the more modern os. For a fex pounds, best to buy a new one, try the refurb store.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Thank you very much for the information, I have a few follow-up questions if you don't mind answering:

- I found a review of the Seiwin 5a speakers and it says ""if you wish to connect several line-level sources then just purchase a switch-box (from about £10)." I've decided to buy the latest AEX (I've been looking at eBay and they're only £15 more), am I able to plug two sources into this, would I need to plug my second source directly into the speakers like the AEX? I have a gamecube so I would be looking to plug the red and yellow AV cables in.

- You didn't recommend which speakers to choose, the Seiwin 5a or the Seiwin 6. I had a look and it seems the main differences are the increased wattage and the size (I think the bass driver is increased by a quarter and something else by an inch). Does this mean that the main advatange of the speakers is that they are louder? I'm asking primarily because the 5a won't be back in stock until the end of January so it would be more convenient if the Seiwin 6" are better in the long run anyways, that way I can justify extending my budget.

- What cable would I need? Micro-toslink? I'm not sure I know what that is, do I have to spend a lot of money on a decent one?

 

[davedotco]

Thank you very much for the information, I have a few follow-up questions if you don't mind answering:

- I found a review of the Seiwin 5a speakers and it says ""if you wish to connect several line-level sources then just purchase a switch-box (from about £10)." I've decided to buy the latest AEX (I've been looking at eBay and they're only £15 more), am I able to plug two sources into this, would I need to plug my second source directly into the speakers like the AEX? I have a gamecube so I would be looking to plug the red and yellow AV cables in.

- You didn't recommend which speakers to choose, the Seiwin 5a or the Seiwin 6. I had a look and it seems the main differences are the increased wattage and the size (I think the bass driver is increased by a quarter and something else by an inch). Does this mean that the main advatange of the speakers is that they are louder? I'm asking primarily because the 5a won't be back in stock until the end of January so it would be more convenient if the Seiwin 6" are better in the long run anyways, that way I can justify extending my budget.

- What cable would I need? Micro-toslink? I'm not sure I know what that is, do I have to spend a lot of money on a decent one?

OK, I'll try.

The issue here is flexibility and usability, ideally you would use a 'pre-amp', probably a dac-preamp in this case, that you can connect everything to, digital or analogue, select between them, adjust the volume, plug in headphones etc.

This is the ideal but it will comfortably blow you budget on it's own. In the short term it is propably simpler to just unplug the AEX and plug in the game console.

You can connect as many 'sources' to the AEX as you wish, but only via Airplay, it has no 'regular' inputs. The output is a dual plug that gives a toslink digital output or an analogue out on 3.5mm jack, like a headphone socket. What you need to buy is a 3.5mm jack to two RCA phono, it will need to be extra long and separate to reach each speaker, look at your positioning and work from there. Try Fisual 'Pro install', less than £10 for 5m cables, just make sure that they are splitable. The Speakers use large 6.3mm plugs but phono adaptors are cheap, you can plug either your AEX or your game console straight into the adaptors.

The two Seiwin models are very similar, the 6a is bigger and more powerfull, but more expensive, you pay your money and tate your choice. I use the smaller SN4 models in a desktop type setup but both the 5a and the 6a are big enough and good enough to fill a decent sized room and both should, really be used on stands for the best results. They are both really too powerful, especially the 6a, to be placed on a desktop or other furniture. Set them up properly, ideally on stands, and the results will be outstanding given their modest price.

 

[unsleepable]

I've decided to buy the latest AEX (I've been looking at eBay and they're only £15 more), [...]

I think you can get the Airport Express model that Dave mentioned a bit cheaper if you spend some time bidding on eBay. It's the A1264, and I believe you should still be able to set it up with the latest Airport Utility version.

Looking at completed listings, it seems that in good shape they are going somewhere between £25 and £40—that's £40 or more cheaper than new. There is a few auctions going on at the moment.

 

[davedotco]

I've decided to buy the latest AEX (I've been looking at eBay and they're only £15 more), [...]

I think you can get the Airport Express model that Dave mentioned a bit cheaper if you spend some time bidding on eBay. It's the A1264, and I believe you should still be able to set it up with the latest Airport Utility version.

Looking at completed listings, it seems that in good shape they are going somewhere between £25 and £40—that's £40 or more cheaper than new. There is a few auctions going on at the moment.

Errr, no you can't. Recent versions of Airport Utility that run in Mavericks or Yosemite do not support the older AEX. As I explained, I can monitor mine using Airport Utility in Yosemite and sometimes bring it back if it drops offline but I can't set it up, change channels or access any other settings. I have to use an old Macbook running Snow Leopard and use the Airport Utility in that to make changes to the setup should I need to.

Fortunately the setup is stable and this is not necessary.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

Thank you for the replies. I bought a 2nd gen AEX off eBay for £50 so that's sorted.

- When you say phono adapter do you mean 6.3mm to 3.5mm? And is that for a cable that is RCA phono to 6.3mm? I linked a cable below for you, is it the cable you were talking about (I couldn't find Pro Install)? I'm a little bit unsure about how the speakers will connect to each other and to the AEX, does the red input go into the right speaker, white input into left speaker and the 3.5mm jack into the AEX? And so if I wanted to plug my gamecube into the speakers, would I do the same with the AV cable (red into right and white into left) or is it more complicated than that?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisual-Install-Series-3-5mm-Phono/dp/B00856NSNW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421070518&sr=1-1&keywords=3.5mm+jack+to+two+rca+phono+fisual

- I have a table built into the room of my wall and it's very central. I'm pretty set on buying the Seiwin 5a speakers (even though I have to wait a couple weeks), will they be fine on the table? I don't want to spend a further £40 on some speaker stands if I don't need to.

 

[unsleepable]

Errr, no you can't. Recent versions of Airport Utility that run in Mavericks or Yosemite do not support the older AEX. As I explained, I can monitor mine using Airport Utility in Yosemite and sometimes bring it back if it drops offline but I can't set it up, change channels or access any other settings. I have to use an old Macbook running Snow Leopard and use the Airport Utility in that to make changes to the setup should I need to.

Fortunately the setup is stable and this is not necessary.

I can with mine, using the Airport Utility version 6.3.4 that comes with Yosemite. Also from my mobile phone. I think you may have the older A108x 802.11b/g model—that's the first wall-pluggable one. They both look the same, but the A1264 supports 802.11n.

By the way, it's possible to run the older Airport Utility in Yosemite. Take a look at this page.

 

[davedotco]

Ok, the cable that you link to is fine, just make sure it is long enough and can be split down the middle so that you can split it to both speakers.

Now, the speakers only have inputs on XLR and 6.5mm jacks, and your lead, and you games console lead both have RCA phonos so you need an adaptor. RCA phono socket to mono 6.5mm jack plug, like this.....

They cost pennies and will terminate your RCA cables perfectly.

The Seiwin 5a speakers are pretty powerful and capable speaker, they will undoubtably be best on stands, if you have space for them get a pair when you can.

If they are on the table try 'decoupling' them from the surface, ie just don't rest them flat on the table, if all else fails try blocks of stiff foam. Studiospares sell such things pre formed but you can easily make your own.

 

[davedotco]

Errr, no you can't. Recent versions of Airport Utility that run in Mavericks or Yosemite do not support the older AEX. As I explained, I can monitor mine using Airport Utility in Yosemite and sometimes bring it back if it drops offline but I can't set it up, change channels or access any other settings. I have to use an old Macbook running Snow Leopard and use the Airport Utility in that to make changes to the setup should I need to.

Fortunately the setup is stable and this is not necessary.

I can with mine, using the Airport Utility version 6.3.4 that comes with Yosemite. Also from my mobile phone. I think you may have the older A108x 802.11b/g model—that's the first wall-pluggable one. They both look the same, but the A1264 supports 802.11n.

By the way, it's possible to run the older Airport Utility in Yosemite. Take a look at this page.

Thanks for the info. I need to look into this further. I was under the impression that I had a 'Mk2' Ist generation which is dual band, actually just checked It is an A1264.

I can access some functions and settings in Yosemite but there is no setup assistant, diagnostic or the facility to perform resets and the like. Maybe if I take snapshots of the settings I can then restore manually.

Any way, thanks for the help, I shall dig a bit deeper later.

 

[iMark]

When I installed Mavericks on my Mac Mini I couldn't configure my Airport Express anymore. Of course someone had quickly figured out that by altering a few bits in the launcher file you could use the last Airport Utility that supported the original Airport Express (and the second incarnation): Airport Utility 5.6.1.

It also works on Mavericks. Highly recommended!

http://coreyjmahler.com/2014/10/16/airport-utility-5-6-1-on-os-x-10-10-yosemite/

 

[daveh75]

If you want to keep to your budget the best 'bang for the buck' would be to use a Behringer UCA202 usb dac (£25) and a pair of Studiospares Seiwin 5a active speakers (£129pr).

For the money the performance is outstanding, don't let the lack of hi-fi brand names put you off, this setup will easily outperform anything close to it's price.

As an alternative to the Seiwin 5A i would also look at the Studiospares Activ5 (not quite as powerful as the 5A, but have EQ control, and there's a matching sub too)

These were originally £145 + VAT, they're now down to £115 including VAT, making them now cheaper than the Seiwin 5As and hard to beat in vfm terms

https://www.studiospares.com/Headphones-and-Speakers/Studio-Monitors/Studiospares-Aktiv5-Active-Monitors-5-Pair_248910.htm?ne=AgAAAAMAAAAEDFN0dWRpb3NwYXJlcwMAAAAEDFN0dWRpb3NwYXJlcw==

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_575432602]

I bought an AEX so am I right in thinking there's no need for a DAC? Also, I figure the 2nd gen AEX will have amazing resell value potential - I bought it for £50 and I think I'll be able to sell it for above £30 within next 5 years if I need to (plus faster speeds, less hassle, it's probably worth it).

Studiospares Activ5 doesn't look aesthetically appealing and that's something I do care about. I would prefer a black speaker.

I am interested in either the Seiwin 5a or Seiwin 4. I looked at the prices and if I bought the Seiwin 5a I'd have to spend £40 on stands or foam which really sucks, do you think I should buy the Seiwin 4? It seems like it might even be better for me, the bass driver is bigger. The wattage is smaller but honestly how loud am I looking to use this thing? I'm not going to use these speakers for parties and I'm not looking to fill a gym with music. What can you tell me about the Seiwin 4 Davedotco? Why did you choose to buy them over the Seiwin 5a? What are the differences? Would these be better on stands/foam too? Is it possible to show pictures of how you've set them up?

Also with EQ, can't I just set that up on my MacBook? Embarassingly, I don't really know much about EQ.

 

[Dommer]

I'm going to suggest something a little different... For your budget the best thing would be to look at some B&W P5 or KEF 500 headphones. Right now there are are some good deals from Hi-Fi dealers, search around. These will give you best sound for the money. At a later time you could also add a USB deadphone DAC/Amp to upgrade the sound quality..

I would advise agains any cheap Hi-Fi for £150... And I use the term "Hi-Fi" loosely.

If you don't want headphones, then I would suggest checking out the Sonos PLAY:1 speaker. It can be control from anywhere with your smartphone, tablet or PC/Mac. When you have the budget you can buy a second one and setup a stereo pair, or even go for four to watch films.

 

[davedotco]

I bought an AEX so am I right in thinking there's no need for a DAC? Also, I figure the 2nd gen AEX will have amazing resell value potential - I bought it for £50 and I think I'll be able to sell it for above £30 within next 5 years if I need to (plus faster speeds, less hassle, it's probably worth it).

Studiospares Activ5 doesn't look aesthetically appealing and that's something I do care about. I would prefer a black speaker.

I am interested in either the Seiwin 5a or Seiwin 4. I looked at the prices and if I bought the Seiwin 5a I'd have to spend £40 on stands or foam which really sucks, do you think I should buy the Seiwin 4? It seems like it might even be better for me, the bass driver is bigger. The wattage is smaller but honestly how loud am I looking to use this thing? I'm not going to use these speakers for parties and I'm not looking to fill a gym with music. What can you tell me about the Seiwin 4 Davedotco? Why did you choose to buy them over the Seiwin 5a? What are the differences? Would these be better on stands/foam too? Is it possible to show pictures of how you've set them up?

Also with EQ, can't I just set that up on my MacBook? Embarassingly, I don't really know much about EQ.

The Seiwin SN4n is a smaller speaker with a smaller 4 inch bass driver. I bought them for use in a desktop system and mounted on Audioengine DS1 desktop stands (£25). Due to circumstances these are now in more general use. For desktop use I would not use bigger than a 4 or 5 inch driver, hence my choice of the smallest model. For more general use, mounted on proper stands, I would go for the biggest of speakers I was comfortable paying for and fitting in my room.

The Activ5 mentioned above is another OEM chinese speaker (Quite possibly by Seiwin, not sure) imported and sold under the Studiospares name, The same speakers are sold in europe under the Fame brand and are usually slightly cheaper than the corresponding models sold by Studiospares, though not the Activ5 at this moment.

The Activ5 at just £115 is outstanding value and I prefer the finish, textured black paint with polished red side cheeks to the mundane black vinyl wrap of the 5a and 6a. Taste aside it is a nicer finished speaker.

EQ is always a difficult one, some software players have good equalisers, the one in iTunes is quite good, others not so, EQ is currently not supported in Spotify Connect for example. Whereas this eq can be readily adjusted to suit the style of music, the EQ on the speakers is more designed for room compensation, with flexible bass eq to help with siting close to a wall or other boundaries.

Your AEX does indeed have a decent dac built in, so for now go with that. The analogue output is on a 3.5mm mini jack, so just get a cable with this on one end and 2 rca phonos on the other. This was explained above