We Need Your Help!

[admin_exported]

Evening all. 

It’s time for me to ask for your help once again. We’re putting together the final pages for the Ultimate Guide to Systems (available on April 2nd from all good newsagents, and possibly some bad ones too) and I’d love to get your contribution. Regular viewers of these posts will know that typically I focus on a specific area of our interest – say, hi-fi – but this time around, the topic is broader: after all, the magazine will encompass every type of home entertainment product from a £300 Denon micro to a £7000 Pioneer AV pairing, with plenty of stops along the way. 

So here it is, folks: your chance for print immortality.Tell me why you love home entertainment kit – why you choose to spend your money on a Blu-ray system or a quality hi-fi rather than, say, a holiday, a new sofa or whatever else it is that people choose to spend their money on these days. What made you buy it in the first place? How pleased are you with it? How much value do you feel you’re getting from it? And what do you notice now that you didn’t get before? 

Incidentally, the forthcoming issue ought to be a rollicking good read: aside from the hundreds of products we’ve covered, we’ve secured interviews with the founder of Spotify, plus key figures at the BPI, EMI, Parlophone and a series of directorial types at Bowers and Wilkins, Cyrus,Linn, Naim and Meridian. Want to know what they’ve got to say about the future of hi-fi? You know what to do…

 

[the record spot]

God Andy, big remit!

I'd had my previous system for a while - no big changes for some time, probably around seven years. In summer 2008, I bought a new CD player - the Marantz SA7001 KI, it took me a while to get used to its' sound, but it's introduced a greater degree of insight to the music we play at home. Brilliant at the price for CD and SACD; it thrives on the detail in a good recording but it'll show up the 'warts and all' features of a bad one.

For the money, it's been a great buy for me - I don't tend to change my kit too often, so anything I do buy is going to have to last for a long time.

Why buy this instead of something else, a sofa or the like? I listen to music all the time and have done for years. I couldn't justify the spend for a high end system, so need to seek out excellent quality kit at a more wallet friendly price. However, when you calculate the cost of the player and spread it out over the number of years I'm likely to have it for, we're talking mere pennies per day. The return of that investment is found in the pleasure it brings (or, a bargain in other words!).

 

[Anonymous]

An evening with my Hi-fi is like spending time with a beautiful woman because...

actually, forget I said anything.

 

[Anonymous]

(Sorry I thought my first post would be more constructive than you deemed it was, apologies).

The reason I spend more than the price of an iPod is because I have the ability to pause, and appreciate what life can offer.

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:God Andy, big remit!

Fair comment - thing is, we're covering so much ground this issue, it's hard for me to narrow it down to a more easily addressed subject area. I just thought it'd be an interesting exercise.

Me? I started listening to punk in 1977 (thanks Vince, wherever you are) having exhibited a keen interest in music from a much earlier age, or so my mum tells me. I bought a Linn in 1983, my first CD player shortly afterwards (I was firmly in the vanguard there - I remember having to buy my CDs in a hi-fi shop because it was the only place with stock! How times change).

And why have I spent plenty of my money on hi-fi kit over the years? Simple: fashions come and go (besides, look at me, I'm hardly fashionable). Cars rust (and I love cars, but still). Music, on the other hand, lasts forever.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

*

 

[Big Chris]

All I'd say is, I know I've made the right choice in investing my time and money in my system, when I have visitors over and stick a film on. The looks on their faces is priceless. If I've heard "This sounds so much better than the cinema!" once, I've heard it a hundred times........And they're right too.

 

[Clare Newsome]

From a news story earlier this year:

"The average cost of raising a child has hit £194,000 - or £9,227 a year from birth to the age of 21 - according to research from insurer LV published yesterday. That is equivalent to £769 a month, or £25 a day, and is a 4% increase on the figure from the company a year ago"

Just think how much more enjoyment an AV system could give you for the same money

 

[the record spot]

So, at current rates, my twins are going to set us back just under £390,000...that'd nearly buy a What Hi-Fi reference system...!

 

[drummerman]

Here is one ... On the whole, hifi (enjoying music) is a great hobby but it can lead to dissatisfaction and sometimes even obsession once you start to seriously upgrade. Once you get there it can often cost a ton of money and many hours of doubts, even heart ache or at worst, financial difficulties. Music often comes way second to the hardware and you start buying records which you know sound good on your rig rather than what you'd like to listen to genre-wise or worse, you stop buying music altogether.

We all had systems we liked. Systems where everything just gels. Often though not always these where inexpensive ones, perhaps even an 'all-in-one' or micro. (For me it was a valve system with Ruark speakers, all purchased s/h) Far from perfect they may have been but because there where no great decisions (or expense) involved they often perform way above what one would expect (Limited band-with sound too can actually be very satisfying. Have you ever just listened to music through your tv and thought 'this actually sounds ok' or more to the point, did you listen to it and enjoyed it without thinking about the replay system at all? Problem is, rather than enjoying what you have at the time, peer pressure, magazines or forums like these make us want to 'improve' what we have, so often un-balancing a good sounding, satisfying system ... the downward spiral.

I am no different but every often something comes along that challenges the old 'value for money' issue. Recently these included a Fatman valve ipod dock with Rega speakers, The Bristol exhibition of cheap Dali speakers (though I did very much enjoy the Naim rooms, value for money aside!) and AVI's ADM9.1. The last one putting an end to cable and component upgraditis. I can afford a nice system and have money set aside for that but I have been living with a cheap denon separates system for quite a while now, thoroughly enjoying playing music on it. The fact that I buy lots of it is always a good measure, so is the fact that I have listened to many many different rigs, some very expensive and apart from one did'nt feel the urge to change what I have now.

Hifi is cool as long as the music comes first. Just trowing money at it is no guarantee for satisfaction.

My advise ... stick to a good quality all-in-one from the premium brands such as Primare, Myryad, Linn, Naim etc or something like AVI's actives. It'll make you feel smug and saves money. Alternatively spend the money on nice travel or a satisfying hobby like photography which gets you a bit of fresh air (A discussion with a friend bought this up and I very much would like to get into that again). Am I going to follow my own advise ... perhaps.

 

[Anonymous]

I done the fatal thing, went with my mate to check out a new amp he was interested in buying. Six months later I have a whole new system - I feel like a junkie ! I picked up my new Spendor's yesterday and after a few initial hours of listening to the whole system, I can honestly say that I've finally reached my Hi-Fi nirvana - it sounds incredible (my wife, who thought I was a compulsive hi-fi idiot, commented on the difference the new speakers have made)

. I can now look forward to enjoying my record collection again - instead of listening for faults in the equipment I had. Happy days.

 

[drummerman]

Interesting. What are you using with your new spendors and which model are they?

 

[Anonymous]

My set-up is now a Roksan Caspian M-1 Series integrated amp, Arcam DV135, Rega Planar P3, Spendor A6, Chord Chameleon Silver Plus and Chord Silverscreen cables. I was unable to demo the speakers at home so took the amp and cables to the shop - to at least get a handle on how they would sound together - I'm glad I did now. The A6's are very special speakers (as are the A5's which I demoed at the same time) and that is only after a few hours of listening at home.

 

[drummerman]

I haven't heard any of the components but would like to hear out the Caspian and spendors. This is probably the wrong thread for this but perhaps you can start one once you feel you know the system a bit more. Sounds like a very nice purchase and I'm sure the caspian improves on the k2's minor shortcomings. I like the look of the spendors.

 

[Anonymous]

drummerman:I haven't heard any of the components but would like to hear out the Caspian and spendors. This is probably the wrong thread for this but perhaps you can start one once you feel you know the system a bit more. Sounds like a very nice purchase and I'm sure the caspian improves on the k2's minor shortcomings. I like the look of the spendors.

You're right, I will post something on Your System forum after a good listen to them all. Must say tho' the Caspian and Spendors are a very good match indeed.

 

[Anonymous]

To the point of choice of hi-fi over holiday or new sofa : I think there few elements at work here, at least for me.

First, it is love of music (Although I am no musician - took some guitar lessons but never put the time into it to do it properly).

Second, I listen to music everyday with very few exceptions, often more than 2 hours per day. So in a year - let's say over 700 hours. It is significant enough to invest in a good system that can deliver a pleasing sound. Also a system should be able to last you over many years, so per hour of listening, this is a cheap source of entertainment. If my system even lasts 5 years, and even with conservative estimates, this works out to about 35 pence per hour!

Third, there is a bit of geek in me. Electronics and technology are fascinating. This passion drives us to seek the best and optimize things to a n'th degree. Key will be to prevent this hobby from turning into an obsession, at which point it adds stress and financial burden.

 

[John Duncan]

tractorboy:An evening with my Hi-fi is like spending time with a beautiful woman because...

 

[Goldsmith]

I have been enthralled by the hi fi sound from a young age - an extremely rare commodity those days in my part of the world - Mind you I'm not referring to owning of hi fi components, but mere chance listening to sounds escaping to the road as I passed by - you have more chances of glimpsing a U.F.O these days ! My first album was " Anne Murray's Greatest Hits" First player was bed type Hitachi Tape-Recorder - Mono. To enhance whatever bass this 2W could produce, I used to place a small earthenware on the speaker. I was hooked to music & that was in 1982. I would sketch speakers, amplifiers and look at them because I could not have the real thing. It became an emotional thing, I needed them but couldn't have them. Large part of my childhood & teenage years were spent with a yearning to own a decent kit. Many years later getting a Sony MHC-85 (?) was considerable consolations though nowhere in the real league of hi-fi. Many summers and winters would pass by (26!!) before I could gaze at my own Marantz cd5001/pm6002 combo with Jamo c 405 floorstanders. It hurt me more to see a speaker knocked to the floor ( kids !! 3 of them) than have a bunch of coconut fall on the roof of my car smashing the windscreen.. Music is forever, nothing sooths your ears better than music. For the price PM6002 is top class. CD5001 is pretty honest and I feel it could have stayed on for longer in the market. Jamo C405s are very sweet to the ears. At approx GBP 980.00 equivalent for the lot, I think I could have done better. But I love the sound and it's nothing like I ever owned before. Finally It is more important than a tv and it is very very personal.

 

[idc]

Clare Newsome:

From a news story earlier this year:

"The average cost of raising a child has hit £194,000 - or £9,227 a year from birth to the age of 21 - according to research from insurer LV published yesterday. That is equivalent to £769 a month, or £25 a day, and is a 4% increase on the figure from the company a year ago"

Just think how much more enjoyment an AV system could give you for the same money

My son, aged 5, announcing to a shop assistant that his favourite song is The Clash 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' and at the moment his favourite album is the soundtrack to The Dark Knight; he has found the joy!

 

[plastic penguin]

For me music is a way of life. Wherever you go, whether it's a meal out, shopping centres or supermarkets you are always surrounded with music. Music is even used to help handicapped children - it helps to unit countries. There's no language barriers either.

Drummerman is right: when it come your home system you can become a hi-fi junkie. That's why I've always capped my spending on home entertainment.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, I can see the glossy front pages of the magazine now...

"Hi fi can lead to dissatisfaction. It can cost a ton of money, heartache and financial difficulties" - Drummerman

"I feel like a junkie" - Spacehopper

"There is a bit of a geek in me... it adds to the financial burden" - Chainrock

These would be my picks, were I editing the mag. Keep them coming guys 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

Getting into hi-fi indirectly caused me to give up smoking. Sounds like a joke but it's probably the best thing I ever did.

 

[drummerman]

tractorboy:Ah, I can see the glossy front pages of the magazine now...

"Hi fi can lead to dissatisfaction. It can cost a ton of money, heartache and financial difficulties" - Drummerman

"I feel like a junkie" - Spacehopper

"There is a bit of a geek in me... it adds to the financial burden" - Chainrock

These would be my picks, were I editing the mag. Keep them coming guys 🙂

 

[idc]

plastic penguin:

Music ......................- it helps to unit countries. There's no language barriers either.

UK, nil points...................

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, I feel bad now because of my unhelpful contributions to this thread. So here's my tuppence worth to make amends:

Good hi-fi equipment is to music what 3D televisions may one day be to films, except the technolgy is here - mature and affordable.

Is that better?