STOP Worrying About These 5 Things in Audio!

Рет қаралды 60,004

Күн бұрын

In this video I discuss the top 5 things audiophiles NEED to stop worrying about. These topics come up often from our viewers on KZfaq and forum members as well as direct emails to us from readers of the Audioholics website.
0:00 Introduction
0:58 AV Receiver Impedance Selector Switch
2:30 Cables and Audio Tweaks
5:05 KZfaq Listening Demos
7:10 Purchase Validation from Others
9:03 Dress it up!
9:23 Waiting for New Models
For the full written reviews, please visit:
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Recommended Subwoofers:
SVS SB-1000 Pro: audioadvice.io/36Pea3a
SVS PB-1000 Pro: audioadvice.io/3sreeyk
SVS SB-3000: bit.ly/SVSSB3000Sub
Paradigm Defiance X12: bit.ly/ParadigmX12
Perlisten D15s: bit.ly/PerlistenD15s
Perlisten R212s: bit.ly/PerlistenR212s
Perlisten R210s: bit.ly/PerlistenR210s
👉 Perlisten R18s: bit.ly/PerlistenR18s
Arendal 1723 1S Sub: bit.ly/Arendal17231Ssub
Recommended AV Separates
Trinnov Altitude 32: bit.ly/TrinnovAltitude32
Trinnov Altitude 16: bit.ly/TrinnovAltitude16
Trinnov Amplitude 16: bit.ly/TrinnovAmplitude16
Trinnov Amplitude 8: bit.ly/TrinnovAmplitude8
Anthem AVM 70: bit.ly/AnthemAVM70pre
Anthem AVM 90: bit.ly/AnthemAVM90
Anthem MCA 323 Gen 2: bit.ly/AnthemMCA325
Anthem MCA 525 Gen 2: bit.ly/AnthemMCA525
Recommended AV Receivers:
Denon AVR-A1H: bit.ly/DenonAH1
👉 Denon AVR-X6800H: bit.ly/DenonAVR6800h
Denon AVR-X3800H 9.2CH AV Receiver: bit.ly/DenonX3800h
Marantz Cinema 50: bit.ly/MarantzCinema50
Onkyo TX-RZ50 ($1,599): bit.ly/OnkyoTXZ50
Yamaha RX-A2A: audioadvice.io/3ppWFg9
Sony STR-AZ5000ES: bit.ly/SonySTRAZ5000ES
Sony STR-AZ7000ES: bit.ly/SonySTRAZ7000ES
Anthem MRX1140: bit.ly/AnthemMRX1140
Anthem AVM 90 15.4CH Processor: bit.ly/AnthemAVM90
Monolith M8250x 8CH Amp: bit.ly/8CHamp
NAD M23: bit.ly/NADm23amp
Recommended Powered Speakers:
Kanto YU6: bit.ly/KantoYU6speakers
Kanto TUK: bit.ly/KantoTUK
Kanto Sub8: bit.ly/KantoSub8
Recommended Center Channels:
SVS Prime Center: bit.ly/SVSPrimecenter
Paradigm Premier 500C: bit.ly/Paradigm500C
Revel C208: bit.ly/RevelC208
Recommended Speakers:
👉 SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Tower: bit.ly/SVSUltraEvolutionPinnacle
SVS Prime 5.1 Speaker / Sub System: audioadvice.io/3JZJOt5
JBL HDI-3800: bit.ly/JBLHDI3800sale
Polk R700 Tower Speakers: audioadvice.io/3C0TK2B
Heco Aurora 1000 Tower Speakers: bit.ly/Aurora1000
Monolith Encore T6: bit.ly/EncoreT6
Klipsch RP-8000F II Tower Speakers: audioadvice.io/3445l4A
Arendal 1723S Tower Speakers: bit.ly/Arendal1723s
Focal Aria K2 936: bit.ly/3zVAxi5
Focal Kanta No2: bit.ly/Focalkantano2
👉 SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf: bit.ly/SVSUltraEvolutionbooks...
SVS Prime Elevation Surround: audioadvice.io/35aZCdR
MartinLogan Motion XT F100: bit.ly/MartinLoganF100
MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bit.ly/MartinLoganF200
MartinLogan Motion F10: bit.ly/MartinLoganF10
MartinLogan Motion XT B100: bit.ly/MartinLoganB100
Perlisten S7t Limited Edition: bit.ly/PerlistenS7tLE
Perlisten S7t: bit.ly/PerlistenS7towers
Perlisten R7t: bit.ly/PerlistenR7t
Perlisten R5t: bit.ly/PerlistenR5t
Perlisten S3ic: bit.ly/PerlistenS3ic
Perlisten R3ic: bit.ly/PerlistenR3ic
Recommended Headphones:
JBL Tour One M2: bit.ly/JBLTourOneM2-headphones
👉 Focal Bathys: bit.ly/FocalBathyswireless
Focal Celestee: bit.ly/Focalcelestee
Mark Levinson 5909: bit.ly/MarkLevinson5909
Sony WF-1000XM3: bit.ly/SonyIEMs
Audioholics Recommended Cables:
250ft CL2 12AWG Speaker Cable: amzn.to/2vwS9QH
50ft 10AWG Speaker Cable: amzn.to/3DeMTT5
Locking Banana Plugs: amzn.to/2ZQt15x
9ft 4K HDR HDMI Cables: amzn.to/2WiIXeD
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#audiophile #advice #hometheater

Пікірлер: 760

@laurocantu3324 Ай бұрын

I think my truck always runs and handles better after I wash it...I think once you purchase your products and are happy with the sound and performance, you should immediately stop watching reviews on new and upcoming products. All they do is leave you second guessing your decisions.

@graysonpeddie Ай бұрын

Yeah, I had to quit watching reviews of new speakers because I'm happy with my JBL Stage A180 floorstanding speakers. Plus, I'm glad I did some research regarding the impedance switching in my Denon AVR-X3400H receiver. I purchased a discontinued model because I do not want to pay $300 for eARC at the time and honestly, if I do want HDMI 2.1 for 4K at 120Hz, I can just get an audio extractor and pass audio to my AVR and video to my TV. Plus, I'm not too much of an audiophile probably due to my hearing impairment since the day I was born. So yeah, at the end of the day, I do have to control KZfaq's algorithms so that it does not recommend speakers to buy. I have to do lots of research and spend responsibly.

@gww730 Ай бұрын

Washing my car instantly adds at least 25 bhp.

@JayDrinking Ай бұрын

I bought a Arendal 1723 THX LCR as my first setup and boy when I tell you. I had my days of thinking about returning it

@MagicTK- Ай бұрын

@@gww730 Adding pin stripes adds 10 to 15 HP as well.

@SwirlingDragonMist Ай бұрын

Wisdom

@EHiggins Ай бұрын

"I need to hear how your speakers sound through my speakers" XD It is like the old TV commercials that show you how awesome another TV looks on your TV.

@blueriverlore Ай бұрын

I have 70 year old ears and eyes. I can't hear frequencies above 13 Khz and I wear glasses. I could throw all the money in the world at a system that costs me $150K but getting old has reminded me that I'm very happy with my current setup.

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

13khz hearing is amazing at 70 years old. Be proud of that. My hearing doesn't extend much beyond that and I'm 50.

@Douglas_Blake_579 Ай бұрын

@@Audioholics This is interesting. 73 and ~14k.

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

@@Douglas_Blake_579 occupational hazard

@Douglas_Blake_579 Ай бұрын

@@Audioholics 👍 But, there's an amazing feature hidden behind every Volume Control... Amazingly they can actually be used to turn things down! Who knew?

@tedrubinstein2003 Ай бұрын

Ahh your still young

@user-ko8kx8vf1k Ай бұрын

The only thing every audiofile should concentrate on is working on room treatments not so much on equipment. 😊

@Munakas-wq3gp Ай бұрын

Even though I disagree with Dennis Foley on some details, his youtube videos and shop is a great place to start: Acoustic Fields

@vinylrules4838 Ай бұрын

@@Munakas-wq3gp Curious what details you disagree with. I have been watching his videos for a few years now.

@vinylrules4838 Ай бұрын

Agree 💯 % on room treatment. It is about 50% of the sound. I wish everyone could hear a great system in a properly treated room. I think most people would be astonished at what is possible. Aside from room treatment is speaker placement. Looking at photos across the internet, most people don't even have their speakers properly set up.

@Munakas-wq3gp Ай бұрын

@@vinylrules4838 Mainly about speaker size vs room size and subwoofers. Dampening is not the only way to treat room modes, it can be achieved by using multiple subs in calculated positions. A well designed speaker will work in any room regardless of ithe speakers size. Aside these minor details I fully agree on everthing else and I have recommended Acoustic Fields to numerous poeple who fight with their rooms.....

@kensmith5694 Ай бұрын

@@vinylrules4838 I know my speakers are not properly set up. Thats the space I have and it is good enough.

@axebeard7677 Ай бұрын

I built a decent home theater and didn’t use it for like 3 months because I was busy working all the time. When I finally sat down to watch a movie it sounded so much better than I remembered.

@edsonmenini1570 Ай бұрын

"you don't need validation from others, even from us" is very honest and revealing, thanks for that! 👋

@Mizar-XED Ай бұрын

I personally found out my system sounds better at 3:00 AM while holding a seance during a blood moon whilst reading the Necronomicon out loud.

@lexicon612 Ай бұрын

Everyone's system sound better at 3AM, why...That is one of the lowest electric consumption hour of any given day. Less usage means less noise in the raw electricity we draw from the wall. Industrial businesses (major noise producer's) are down for the night. etc. etc. You accidentally said something smart.

@Mizar-XED Ай бұрын

@@lexicon612 I said something smart?! That's too bad, I wanted to do 100% stupid but alas...

@ishkabibbledib2729 Ай бұрын

Lol

@CarlVanDoren61 Ай бұрын

@@Mizar-XED Can't win them all 😅 SR Denali 6000s v2 20amp

@Yourweakminds 20 күн бұрын

You’ll get more top end if you read the Delomelanicon - everyone knows the Necronomicon is just a little too bassy.

@doctorbritain9632 Ай бұрын

I find the type of wine I'm drinking when listening to music makes more difference than almost anything else. A fine Bordeaux sounds best.

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

💯

@raygarza6231 Ай бұрын

Single malt scotch sounds best

@doctorbritain9632 Ай бұрын

@raygarza6231 Oh yes that's good too.

@kensmith5694 Ай бұрын

Cabernet Franc with a sunset sounds the best.

@doctorbritain9632 Ай бұрын

I appear to have started something.

@markh351 16 күн бұрын

Especially the part about seeking validation from others. Well said. Everybody has their own biases and preferences.

@gww730 Ай бұрын

If you truly believe that cables (or other associated tweaks) will improve sound quality, then you will absolutely hear differences. I firmly believe that music sounds better between 6pm - 8pm in the evening, and even better when the weather is nice outside. Perception is everything.

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

Also your mood has a huge affect on sound perception. My best listening occurs late night when everyone is asleep and I'm in the solitude of my theater room.

@peterowings7233 Ай бұрын

And even better with your favorite adult beverage in your hand.

@_Chev_Chelios Ай бұрын

@@peterowings7233gene has an episode about using a little MJ to elevate your experience.

@genkifd Ай бұрын

to me believing or not does not matter - what matter is the consumer hears a difference or not. if he / she does or does not shouldnt matter to anyone else.

@robertriwden2990 Ай бұрын

Beer helps too!

@Roudaki677 Ай бұрын

I am in charge of decent size development and engineering department in a company that designs telecom equipment. I spend staggering $$$ for compliance and safety. When I see audiophile fuses that do not have a UL certification I truly freak out. I keep preaching this type of scrutiny to younger audiophiles continuously….the fundamentals of engineering will never change.

@gww730 Ай бұрын

I didn't even realize that "audiophile fuses" were even a thing. To me, power cables are the worst offenders - I've seen dozens of Hospital Grade power cords dressed up in custom housings and techflex selling for hundreds, and even thousands of dollars.

@Roudaki677 Ай бұрын

@@gww730 the closest legitimate, “possibly” better fuses that have UL are produced by “littelfuse”, a legitimate surge protection manufacturer and are available from Mouser, Digikey, etc. If one sees how quickly an item goes up in flames with incorrect or bad fuse during a compliance test, these fly by night fuse supplier would go out of business. Unfortunately, we support these weak products.

@TK-ky7tg Ай бұрын

I feel everyone, whether beginner or a veteran, in our hobby and passion, needs to watch this video. No-nonense, logical advice from a man who also understands the science of audio. Well done, Gene!

@bobtowncarguy82 Ай бұрын

I agree with everything you said. The only person who needs to love your system is you. Don't overspend on things. Most of the audio products depreciate. There are a few products that hold their value.

@user-st9wh4ed5l Ай бұрын

Almost no electronic device including speakers and AVR's retain anywhere near their value. Not even close.

@philipkershaw7918 Ай бұрын

Simple, plain words of great erudition! Delivered almost as plea to a multitude of slack jawed, gullible consumers. I do hope someone is listening. Respect.

@strykerking Ай бұрын

Came over from the 2 channel community, love the channel and approach. Building into a home theater now, your vids are really helpful.

@De132an Ай бұрын

Love it! Thank you for these tips. Even a seasoned audiophile sometimes forgets these basics. 🙏

@dcusator Ай бұрын

BJC is the only place to get cables IMHO , great prices , great customer service, and quick delivery. Great work Gene

@s.daniel9224 Ай бұрын

Yep. Good cable/terminals at a fair price.

@bocrux Ай бұрын

Yeah, they are such an easy company to recommend. I've been buying from them for 17+ years.

@craigboyd6600 Ай бұрын

I co-sign for BJC!

@davidjudd951 19 күн бұрын

A friend of mine couldn't quite fit his new receiver into his cabinet. I went over there with a rasp and widened the slot. He said that, that was the best audio file he ever saw.

@JohnSmith-qi6co Ай бұрын

The cable comments are the best. I only use the Blue Jeans cables because they aren' that much more expensive than plain zip cord when you figure in the connectors you'll need too. I like to spend that little bit more to also make sure the bananas are really REALLY well connected to the cabel. No way you are going to do that yourself the way that guy at Blue Jeans does with his equipment.

@chrisvand2678 Ай бұрын

It's pretty easy to solder and/or crimp the plugs by yourself, but you do you..

@chuckmaddison2924 Ай бұрын

Hi, It's refreshing to see someone speak the truth. I believe the only benefit of fancy, expensive cable and parts is that it allows the owner to say " I've got ,i spent." Its been said before " fashion magazines only make you feel ugly "

@Dreamediaav Ай бұрын

Great topics Gene! We always appreciate your honesty and efforts to inform consumers. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work! 😁

@TheFrogmanTV Ай бұрын

So why do you sell cable risers? Do you not think it is dishonest to sell them and claim they "reduce distortion and noise, coupling capacitance in cables, effects due to electric interference fields from floors and walls." I was really disappointed to see you advocating for snake oil.

@ken33935 Ай бұрын

I think the Crutchfield "online audition" is good at hearing the sound signature difference (warm/neutral/bright), and you can verify that with the frequency response measurement, but that's about it.

@wildmouse5888 12 күн бұрын

My comments after 50 years as a music lover. 1. If you can't hear the difference it does not matter! Exception to rule 1: some speakers sound good but will cause ear fatigue, but you cannot tell that from a short audition at a store. 2. If you have to CONVINCE yourself you can tell a difference you can't. 3. 40 years ago, a wise man told me to spend the bulk of your money on the source and the speakers once you have an amp that meets reasonable standards. 4. Once you have a reasonably good system, you can change the sound more by modifying your listening room than you can by spending more money on your system. 5. Enjoy the MUSIC; not the flashy specifications in your owner's guide.

@schaunkleynhaus5041 Ай бұрын

I'm going to bookmark the video and listen to it every time I want to buy something. Great advice man. Ons of your best.

@jimf5160 Ай бұрын

very well said....and remember those who argue against blind level matched A/B/X testing are doing so, because they know that their equipment will make zero audible difference.

@tom-nl5sj Ай бұрын

This couldn't have come at a better time. I just purchased a pair of Polk R700 speakers. I am moving up from Klipsch RF82-2's and even though I read not to switch the impedance setting on the Marantz SR7009, it was cool to hear Gene verify that...

@Douglas_Blake_579 Ай бұрын

THANK YOU GENE! All 5 points are right on the money... The best audio advice I ever got was: *Do all the free stuff first* Move speakers, in small increments, until you find their sweet spots. Move your listening position, in small increments to find the best sound. Clean and maintain all the connectors in your system. Learn to do dust removal and control cleaning on your gear. Listen to the music ... not your system... You'll enjoy it more. For what Gene calls Audio Jewelry ... Treat it as such. Do not expect any improvements in sound quality from cables, weights, crystals or gadgets. Without hesitation I will tell you the whole "high end" accessories industry is borne of nothing better than ripping off gullible people. All those big displays and fancy show tricks exist for one reason an one reason only ... to part you from as much of your money as they can! Ask yourself why you put your system together, Was it for you and your family to enjoy... or was it to impress your friends? It is far more likely that you are the only person who is impressed by your system. All the regular folks in your life simply don't care and are entirely unimpressed by it. Also consider the sheer folly of building an amazing system then locking it away in a private listening room that only you go to. It is likely you would make a much better impression on others by cleverly integrating a mid-fi system into your living room so that everyone can enjoy it. There is considerable value in not dumping cash on the "next greatest thing". We are at a point in engineering and design where changes are incremental and often very small. Most often you can skip 3 or even 4 generations of a product before there's any good reason to upgrade. Again... the best audio advice I ever got ... Do all the free stuff first!

@StopAndGetGas Ай бұрын

All of your points are (adjective) sage and sane advice! Dedicated senior-aged two (2) channel-er here. My upper range hearing dissolves into my tinnitus at about 8.7-9K, depending upon SPL. Before suspending my hifi habit almost 30 years ago, Monster speaker cable was about as far as I had ever gone into 'boutique' wiring (giant zip cord). I was a journeyman broadcast engineer (AM/FM radio) 'techie' back in those days, always with a focus on 'value' (...money has ALWAYS "...been an object"). The well established, secondary market for 'pre-owned' components is a rich landscape if you're nerdy and have the time to investigate, compare and shop on line. After starting back up a few years ago, I now have a couple of beautiful, premium pieces in my system (Hegel, McIntosh) that were WAY out of reach when they were the "...newest, latest and greatest". And again, this video offers great advice and value, too! Thank you.

@edsonmenini1570 Ай бұрын

I have found out that the whole music experience sounds a lot better when you are with friends drinking wine! That alone enhances everything much more than you can imagine 😀😀😀

@davetelling Ай бұрын

I recall many years ago the well-known engineer for National Semiconductor, Bob Pease, had a standing offer of (I believe) $10,000 to anyone who could tell the difference between some expensive speaker cables, and pieces of random hookup wire he soldered together in an A-B test. No one ever took the challenge!

@chrisvand2678 Ай бұрын

You're right. The bet is still up, and it's $1million..

@anonymousmc7727 Ай бұрын

I took the test he paid me the 10k that autism paid off😂

@crashedcorvette Ай бұрын

The information was extremely helpful, especially the beginning about impedance. I am mixing brands of speakers, and 4 ohm and 5 ohm and 8 ohm in an 11 channel system. I just keep the receiver cooler by running a fan cooler on the top that also helps with ventilation

@ericlozen9631 Ай бұрын

Appreciate your knowledge and recommendations, thanks!

@mikemmikem2758 Ай бұрын

Excellent and very truthful common sense (as usual from you) video. Here's an old one for you harkening back to the arrival of the CD. Putting green magic marker on the edges to increase fidelity.

@DigbyOdel-et3xx Ай бұрын

Agreed. I actually tried this on some of my CD's in the 90's. Yeah, yeah the power of persuasion is high. That said it cost next to nothing and did not damage the CD's. It did give the placebo effect though. So for the while I messed around doing such it felt good. It's like people who buy and use esoteric car polish/wax on their cars. They feel they get a better polish/wax job than using lower cost choices. I have tried the fancier polish/wax on my cars and honestly have found using the good ole orange bottle of Nu Finish gives me excellent results and is easy to use as well as less costly.🤔

@jeffsloane8628 Ай бұрын

I can be critical of Gene on some topics. I’m 100% in alignment with him on this one.

@SimplyGetPaid Ай бұрын

@1:58 🤔🧐 SO FUNNY YOU BRING THIS UP.. ..I FIRST SET UP MY RECEIVER AND SETTLED ON 4 OHMS AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 4 AND 8 OHMS BECAUSE IT SEEMINGLY SOUNDED LOUDER AT THE TIME.. ..ABOUT 6 MOS LATER, ON A BORED DAY, I REVISITED THAT SELECTION AND WAS ASTONISHED AT HOW I COULD HAVE MISSED THE ABSENCE OF DYNAMIC RANGE (AND FIDELITY)..

@liam3284 Ай бұрын

Most amps can handle reactive load, so VSWR isn't going to be an issue. Not that your amp would even notice unless the speaker cable was over 2km long.

@BTCKYLE Ай бұрын

Happy I found your channel. Going to dig in and figure out the best way to setup my Cinema 60 AVR to my LCR Martin Logan XT line. Thx man!

@shoujiki999 Ай бұрын

Great breakdown Gene, always love your honest and transparent view. Greetings from Australia.

@MK-rn2hm Ай бұрын

Spot on everything you said. Thank God for honest folks like Gene

@davemoritz2174 Ай бұрын

If your happy with how your system looks and sounds then be happy with what you have! Your system only needs to make you happy and no one else!

@kensmith5694 Ай бұрын

Yes, and listen to some music. That is what it is for.

@mfkhometheater7742 Ай бұрын

I've said it before, cables do make a difference... a negative difference to the pocketbooks of the people that buy them and a positive difference to the pocketbooks of the people that sell them. That's pretty much the only measurable difference. Great video, you are very much correct on all items mentioned.

@Munakas-wq3gp Ай бұрын

If you have low impedance speakers and long cables, you will get treble attenuation with small diameter cables. But that can be very cheaply fixed by getting 4-6mm2 speaker cables, no need for exotic things. Of course some people have OCD and their brain would melt if they didn't have fancy gold connectors and wrist thick cables sitting on 'dampening blocks' lol. But that has nothing to do with actual sound.

@rwilcox_71 Ай бұрын

I love the point you touched upon in regards to the look of equipment or your space!

@jimhibert Ай бұрын

“The technology is already mature “. Yeh, since 1970! Great video, you speak the truth!

@chrisrizzo627 Ай бұрын

Every one of these tips are spot on. Thanks for another great video Gene. As always, I learned a few things. It was great meeting you at Maximum Audio Video a few months ago.

@Lobo243 Ай бұрын

Very true about speaker placement and acoustic treatment...That helps A LOT

@denniso9503 Ай бұрын

"Thats what we will be talking about in this video"............ famous words ..... Thank you for the insight Gene .

@SwirlingDragonMist Ай бұрын

In the distant future when archeologists dig up Gene’s tomb full of RBH, they’ll make a new Mummy movie, and that’ll be his tagline spoken in the ancient dialect of Italian Floridian.

@raulgarcia1718 Ай бұрын

Excellent summary of many of the points you’ve made over the years. The one I connected with is seeking validation after purchase. At some point I realized that I just needed to stop watching reviews and just spend the time enjoying content and getting know my gear. I took six months off KZfaq and it made a big difference. Now I can watch reviews just for entertainment while I enjoy the gear I have, a lot based on Audioholics recommendations.

@garycard1826 Ай бұрын

Good video. As an Electronic Technologist and life long audiophile I agree with your comments. 👍

@King_Dusty_Of_Pookytopia Ай бұрын

This is outstanding. And this is why I have been subscribed for years...

@ronbrock738 Ай бұрын

FINALLY, I have found 2 audio channels that I can enjoy the content. Your channel and Erin's are my chosen ones. There are too many reasons that I like Erin's and your channel much more than any others, but here is one. It appears that you both recognize that in the end, choices of what sounds good is purely subjective. Measurements, analogous terms to describe sound (warm, bright, etc) , mean little to me. In my room, how do I like it, is everything. Thank you. I look forward to watching your past and future videos.

@danlah1303 Ай бұрын

Good stuff Gene! The old PC buying advice rings true for any tech: Buy the best that you can afford when you need it. No matter how long you wait, there will always be the next big thing right around the corner.

@davidcotter4556 23 күн бұрын

All of your content & reviews are absolutely Great. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

@Roddy451 Ай бұрын

BJC... Approved, and great service to boot.

@Infidelio Ай бұрын

The most blinged audiophile systems remind me of religious altars. Everything is perfectly spaced and tiered. The holy speaker cables must not be allowed to touch the floor. The vinyl comes out like the most holy book, cleaned to laboratory perfection and zapped with an anti-static gun. But seriously, belief plays such a large role in the industry. 'Can you hear the divine soundstage, brothers and sisters?' 'You must have faith.' 'The double-blind listening test is Satan trying to test your faith.' "Believe, believe!"

@EnricoAnsaloni Ай бұрын

Always wise words from you Gene, thanks! The thing that pisses me off the most are really expensive cables. I always try to reason with cable lovers, trying to explain that their ears cannot be more sensitive than lab equipment and that they can't hear any difference but it's a lost cause

@pnichols6500 Ай бұрын

There are a few brands that have very reasonably priced cables that are just as nice looking as the expensive ones, I'll spend a few bucks for something that visually looks nicer just because it makes my system look more expensive than it is and makes me happy.

@EnricoAnsaloni Ай бұрын

@@pnichols6500 of course... I have no argument against someone choosing more expensive cables for aesthetics, that's a perfectly valid reason (if you don't go crazy with the price) especially if you already have a nice looking and expensive setup. My issue is with people that say they can hear a difference over quality but reasonably priced cables like mogami or monoprice

@dougrobinson8602 Ай бұрын

@@pnichols6500 I like nice cables, too. Not esoteric overpriced ones. Just nice looking well made cables with good terminating hardware. Years ago, I bought a huge bulk roll of very high quality speaker cable and bought some nice connectors to make my own cables the perfect length for my room. I didn't do it for sound as much as I did it because I enjoy making my own stuff. They look nice and sound almost as good as zipcord.

@bikdav Ай бұрын

I was concerned about the impedance switch issue. Thank you for mentioning this. My speakers are 4 ohms and my receiver was left at 8 ohms. Nothing complained or blew up in my system.

@JoeJ-8282 25 күн бұрын

The "worst" point is when people try to use ANY online virtual video to "evaluate" the "sound quality" of ANY component or speaker, because that is literally physically impossible to actually do accurately or effectively, simply because there are SO MANY variables in the long "chain" between the actual sound being produced in the actual room that the speaker, (or whatever component), is playing in, all the way to the sound that actually reaches your own ears when/if you're NOT in that exact same room with whatever is being tested, and whether that end result is played through headphones OR any OTHER speaker, it is a TOTALLY different sound, each and every time! (AND it's also NEVER exactly the same in every way as the sound that's actually in the same room with the speakers or equipment being supposedly evaluated!) If you use ANY online video to "evaluate" the "sound quality" of ANYTHING, then you're basically just comparing "apples to oranges", and pretending that they're both exactly the same because they're both "fruits", LOL!

@jazzkatt7083 Ай бұрын

I have the Home Depot speaker zip cord cables and I get tons of detail from my setup. I recently improved vta and got even more impressive sound and I’ve heard fancy cables at shows. I’m good

@imnoone492 Ай бұрын

I agree 100%. I attended CES shows in the 90’s seeing items such as $3000.00 a foot Oxygen free cables, $50.000 turntables and not hearing very much difference in the lower cost systems.

@jacobgoerz1953 Ай бұрын

Timeless wisdom. Excellent video!

@ST-ii7zy Ай бұрын

Excellent topic, thanks for your suggestions as always.

@suppiahadnan6776 Ай бұрын

Hi... thank you for your sincere advice. Coming from you, it is certainly creditble and I do hope many of those so called "audiophiles" out there and newbies to this hobby, do take heed of this valuable advise from Gene, someone who is certainly qualified, unlike many other "experts" who make nonsensical claims that's beyond common sense. Thank you, Gene.

@randallcollura Ай бұрын

100% - Thanks for this post!

@Delius1958 21 күн бұрын

Thank you for this excellent video! - Thirty years ago I suddenly had enough money to buy a decent audio system. The first weeks of listening were very disappointing. I thought: Okay, let‘s get these suckers to work! A nice preoccupation on the horizon. I did what could be done: cared for good electricity, bought good speaker cabels and rca cabels (yes, I did!), used vibration absorbers for all the components etc. And you know what?: Every step increased the sound quality ( I swear!). And these very components are playing for me up to now, every single day. I don‘t have any interest in new stuff, I LOVE these fellas. Perhaps there may be some psychology mixing in the listening experience, but many people said the sound was not recognizable to what it was before. So: I strongly believe you CAN achieve some good results with cables and other stuff, but you have to try and try, some fit, others don’t. And it‘s much fun and doesn’t have to be expensive. I‘ve never had the money for high end things, it‘s just decent hifi. - Thanks again for the video and greetings from Berlin, Harry

@MangoZen Ай бұрын

My favorite that drives me nuts is indeed sound clips on KZfaq. There are audiophile channels where the KZfaqr has spent thousands of $ in microphones and dummy heads.😂 I’m a retired electrical engineer, yet The one area where I diverge a bit from you is cables. You put so much focus on the measurements, whereas I focus on how they sound in my system. Mind you, I bought a pair of somewhat inexpensive Nordost flatlines 20 years ago and never looked back. Thanks for your videos, Gene. You do a great job.

@georgeanastasopoulos5865 Ай бұрын

Great lecture, and very thorough in a shorter span of time than other reviewers on KZfaq. Another thumbs up, as always. I recently bought a pair of Paradigm SE Monitor Atoms, designed, engineered in Canada. And I prefer those SE Atom bookshelf speakers, on speaker stands, more to a previous pair of Klipsch R-51Ms. Atoms SE speakers are now connected to a used Cambridge Audio AXR100 Receiver, in very good condition; I thought I'd say so for any confirmation, ha. More seriously, I believe that when interconnect cables, and speaker wire are logically considered, you are no less than 97% correct! There are audiophiles out there who may think you are 79%; however, it has more to do with a perceived Placebo Effect. If anything other than physical measurement, in terms of sound, it may not be actual subjective determination, either.The most expensive cables I have, that are actually of moderate price compared to most other brand hi fi cables, are Blue Jeans Cable, mostly made in the USA. Excellent transfer of musical signals.🔉🎵🎶

@DearSX Ай бұрын

Great video with great points. All the above I tried and all ring true.

@CoolJay77 Ай бұрын

Besides the visual factor that you have mentioned, when you feel a bit chilly in the room, you might feel that your system does not sound as warm as when your body feels somewhat warm. There are psychological and physiological factors that often affect our perception of a sound systems.

@paulhalucha526 Ай бұрын

Great video. For me it is largely aesthetics once you get to a certain price point. I love looking at my Mcintosh system as much as I love listening to it. Fell in love with the look of LS-100 Classics before I ever heard them.

@PP-nh1lv Ай бұрын

Great advice, well said Gene, thank you!

@martinolson761 Ай бұрын

Great video Gene! I cannot believe people who watch you would think they can listen to sound quality on speakers through the KZfaq feed...LMAO

@user-zh5lj1ec4k Ай бұрын

It depends, if you wanna make a comparison between products. You can try to mimic the sound you hear in the speaker through KZfaq the best you can and then adjust the other as well so you have a good idea of the difference. However, if it’s fine details being presented that can only be experienced by the speaker that’ll be hard to do.

@scottyo64 Ай бұрын

@user-zh5lj1ec4k no matter what I do, and I have tried tons of things, my system on KZfaq never sounds like my system in the room. Not even close

@emmnuelj6136 Ай бұрын

This one kind of go on hands with approval. And that is the Cultists that even without research think 1 brand is the best for all scenarios and nothing else come close.

@bryanjones9952 Ай бұрын

Definitely hung up on the last one, "waiting for the next best thing". I am happy I waited for the manual supra though...😁

@bmultimate1One Ай бұрын

Thanks so much for all of videos. I recently purchased another pair of Yamaha NS 555 speakers. I connected them with the Yamaha AS 701 integrated amplifier. I bi amped and bi wired them with 10 Guage speaker cable. My question is how much is beneficial to bi amp and bi wire the speakers and how long it takes for the speakers to break in ? Many thanks , Brian

@Artcore103 Ай бұрын

You do not need to say "bi amp and bi wire", because bi-amping by definition means two sets of wires. Bi-wiring is nonsense. How are you bi-amping them? You're not sending two full range signals out are you? True bi amping means you're using a digital crossover and there's no analog crossover in the speakers (or it's bypassed) you're just sending the range of frequencies to the driver that should be sent to it. Anything less is stupid and pretty pointless IMO.

@JonasEliasson. Ай бұрын

Super super awesome adwises!! 💪🏼👍🏼 The thing i had most problem with is thinking about the ”next” product. 😊 Since three years i have a Trinnov Altitude and don’t have that problem anymore. 😁 Greetings from Sweden!

@user-es3hq5zk4e Ай бұрын

Supreme words of wisdom by great audio engineers and NOT youtube influencers and so called reviewers who dont measure...

@biglew1161 Ай бұрын

if you don't need something right-away, sometimes waiting for the next model can be a good way of getting the previous model that fit your needs for a lower price. (if it still fit your needs)

@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy Ай бұрын

Lot of good points. As an audio salesman of 20 years now, I can attest people are always waiting on new technology. I tell them, if you're waiting on technology, you'll be waiting forever. Whenever anything new is coming, the previous version is now junk, and the new one is the answer to all their hopes and dreams. This is just not true. Purchase validation is a very real thing too. What annoys me on forums is the people who immediately try to tear down their choices. "You could have got TWICE the performance for HALF the money!" ect. I see comments like that all the time. It's so beyond rude.

@rovd4433 21 күн бұрын

Thank you bro. As a low level audiophile, I was a bit hung-on on cable quality. This was because of many audio folks comments on KZfaq which made me to condemn audio copper cables sold at my local DIY store. An experience audio technician told me that my DIY store cables were no different from the expensive ones. And that he has used them in his system.

@kyleo2113 Ай бұрын

Gene - good video - I would love to hear more on addressing issues in the digital domain in regards to time, phase and channel matching - tools like REW, rephase, convolution etc. you have covered treatment extensively but would love to hear more about the finishing touch in making adjustments in the digital domain to get the most out of a system.

@Douglas_Blake_579 Ай бұрын

Don't worry about the digital domain .... We use digital signalling to send information to the furthest points on Earth and beyond... with bit perfect accuracy. Audio in that domain is just data, like any other, and is delivered just as flawlessly as any other.

@philipkershaw7918 Ай бұрын

The listening room is the single biggest cause of distortion when listening to a reasonable quality replay system. I use a miniDSP Flex with REW to EQ away [or in reality reduce] those pesky room nodes and reflections that are at the root of this problem. To be able to easily generate a 'house curve' response [without introducing phase anomolies] is only possible in the digital domain. Recommended.

@kyleo2113 Ай бұрын

@@philipkershaw7918 100% agree, room has a huge impact. I had a big improvement after adding some treatment. I have been playing with convolution using REW, rephase and a convolver in Audirvana to adjust FR and “flatten” phase - very much a novice and would like to learn more.

@don7294 Ай бұрын

Great job and I agree with every point you made. Thank you. I would like to add; Be careful where you buy your gear if you are buying used. I found a pair of speakers that I wanted the full range drivers for another project from Canuck Audio Mart, since I live in Canada and thought I could trust the site. I paid the guy $600 and we had a number of phone conversations. Then nothing for months. I even contacted the folks in charge of the site and they tried to help but, he finally claimed he sold the speakers to someone else. Lesson learned. I am retired due to a terrible auto accident so my wife supports me and I was planning on building a great set of speakers to save money. $600 is not much for audio equipment but, it is a lot for me. This incident happened a number of years ago and I still don't have a set of good speakers. Be careful.

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

Sorry to hear this.

@user-mz6lt2pr9s Ай бұрын

Gene thanks for the video. I don’t have an AVR with a switch. Agree on the cables. I do like a well made cable with banana plugs but not for crazy money. I heard the Crutchfield demos a few years ago and it wasn’t helpful. Home demo works best for me. I don’t bash other buyers choices or need validation online. Finally I like buying older equipment at about a 50% discount when the new model comes out. The only thing that does bother me is not having a price guarantee. I Don’t want to buy and then find it on sale a month later. The most controversial topic is cables based on what I hear and see online. It’s a great hobby and I love reading and hearing about the latest and greatest equipment and music (I’m not big on video anymore after years with all of the different types and sizes of TVs and projectors etc.) and all the opinions online. Rock on!

@budsmoker4201120 Ай бұрын

THANK YOU! So true! This video is great for new comers in vinyl. There is so much snake oil that it hurts the new people trying to get into the hobby. Like my Sister or my nephew who is 17.

@darylyancey5398 Ай бұрын

I stumbled over you while surfing YT. Thanks for the video. It confirmed what I thought was basically true about audio equipment and made me feel all chocolatey. 🍩 I look forward to watching more of your presentations because common sense is hard to find on YT.

@danielgeiger7739 Ай бұрын

Another nice video. You're on a roll. Huh? yep yep yep yep. No idea about impendence switch, learned something [I'm a 2 channel separates guy], O-oh. Cable company lawsuit around the corner! Room is SO important. I may add Robinson's dictum "The only person who needs to like your system is you", and the flip side of "waiting for new model": don't wait getting rid of gear you don't like.

@CORVUSMAXYMUS Ай бұрын

Yes trust in your INFORMATION that you search not from amateur.

@ddcrocky3831 Ай бұрын

Love these videos, thank you Gene 💯

@davidfromamerica1871 26 күн бұрын

I stopped worrying about social media people telling me how to enjoy listening to music years ago.

@boardertrashtv8638 Ай бұрын

Top job Gene, I’m glad I found this channel a few years ago, it’s saved me hundreds of ££ and worry concerning cables. I just wish the rest of the audiophile online community would see sense but then I guess that’s marketing for you 🤷🏼

@canyonh9 Ай бұрын

Do you remember the water jacketed speaker cables. Mid to late 90s, can't remember brand, but they did indeed change the sound - 10uf of capacitance , sound not changed for better lol. Few amps even survived such a load. lol. Use quality ofc wire, good quality connectors, and solder tin the wire ends, and clean with ipa.

@liam3284 Ай бұрын

What was the water for? Cooling?

@surrender_monkey Ай бұрын

I worked for AMS in Burnley Lancashire, my main job was building the patch bay from the recording studio to the mixing desk, each unit would use typically 22 kilometres of wire around 245,000 connections. They used custom wire with higher purity levels than average copper (store bought) wires nothing special. I have worked on a good few projects for them including a Lucas studios desk modification, Sony music 88 desk, Tori Amos home studio, the "wire" problem is not a thing in reality it's horrible that ppl are being lied to about such a simple thing.

@stevengagnon4777 Ай бұрын

I've seen plenty of comments like this from people in the feild such as you. Most uf us have other priorities that should out weigh the " addiction " to spend our resources frivolously like this . Just as you needed to consider while doing your installs. I'd say for me personally shortening my way to long and tangled interconnects straightened out might be slightly audible thinking about making my own. Good enough is good enough. I believe your clients would have let you know if it wasn't good enough and you would have been fixing it one way or another.😅

@liam3284 Ай бұрын

Indeed! Any copper wire of suitable thickness will work fine. At worst, you might have to cut off tarnished ends.

@BTW... Ай бұрын

LOL... Spot on. I gave up worrying about these 5 sins long ago. Some people can blow a lot of money ..and good point - Mess with stuff in the digital realm, preferably. What I do like to focus thought on is; seeking high dynamic range output, headroom (starting with power supply rating) and driver efficiency. High quality measuring instruments is also a must, after all, how ya supposed to do good work with crappy tools? I always like to do a good job. Ummm.. with respect to the 'visual' queues - subjective perception beyond audio reproduction technology - I take it you are not shooting this video in your Proper listening room, given the family room clutter. 😂 ... and on that point... one of the most difficult things I've encountered is the Manager of Home Decor's resistance - veto - to making room arrangement and equipment mods. In the interests of domestic harmony perception it's better to do nothing sometimes. 😉

@jake24680 Ай бұрын

You remind me of something i did years ago that i only recently figured out and am ashamed of. My buddy bought my Yamaha receiver and two 15", 400-watt cerwin vega speakers. He asked if the receiver has the ohm switch for the 4ohm speakers, and i showed him and switched it to 4ohm as he wanted it to be. Once getting it all hooked up i could not for the life of me figure out why the windows were not being blown out of his house like i told him this setup was capable of doing. Lol. I never thought of it until many years later and long after i had not seen him, that the reason was that switch being moved to "4 ohm ".

@resistorstudios Ай бұрын

Something that some people totally miss. Many people with vintage receivers never heard them serviced. Its a real shame. I've done a few Marantz (recap, new transistors)...its a huge difference

@oliverbeard7912 Ай бұрын

Add in fuses, fuse directionality,cable burn in and cryogenic freezing 😊

@Audioholics Ай бұрын

Complete snake oil

@RennieAsh Ай бұрын

I did plenty of listening comparisons on KZfaq with one of my speakers sets. You can take it as a small taste of what it sounds like in relation to other speakers, assuming the recording and room is good. You should also of course look at measurements. Listen in person is good if you can get that. But not every place on Earth does easy home trials.

@6643bear Ай бұрын

Hi, great interesting video, I totally agree with you findings regards mark

@patricklixudong 23 күн бұрын

Great review, particularly the point regarding to cable. My experience, the best option to uplifting sound experience is to add super woofer. European brand Piega launched a very expense SPEAKER - it contains two tower-speakers - one is base, one is mid-hi.

@CharlieStokes-hw8rw Ай бұрын

I'm running a cheap pair of Chinese powered speakers ($68 on Amazon) by Bluetooth off my laptop with KZfaq Music. I'm disabled, living off SSI at $1200/mo. Hundreds of thousands of songs for $14/mo., thrilled at the excellent sound quality for my old ears and wonder how much better can it get? I think everyone should take a step back and marvel at this world of music we live in, available even for the less advantaged.

@redspotaudio Ай бұрын

Agreed Charlie. I'm in the same boat as you, on low income. My system was basically free. Consists of amp, speakers, turntable and stand (all free) with a $100 Bluetooth receiver listening to Spotify for $16 a month. Good times.

@liam3284 Ай бұрын

I have a couple of bookshelf speakers, simple Class AB amp. Only equipment is a small isolation transformer due to ground loop via the TV antenna. Noise floor is below my environment.

@pfslik Ай бұрын

@@liam3284 I've tried many fancy class D amps and not a one sounds as good as my vintage class AB, done trying with class D ;)

@CORVUSMAXYMUS Ай бұрын

Let dig even more: Frequency master clock from a device if is very cheap it will sound for 5 USD

@ScarletEyeMoon Ай бұрын

Great to see another video from you. I got a question, one of my surrounds is 55' of speaker cable, what gauge would you recommend for that?

@talosian Ай бұрын

There are charts for that. For such a long run I would do 12 gauge. Monoprice makes a good one.

@ScarletEyeMoon Ай бұрын

@@talosian Yeah I looked at some charts and most said 14 Awg but others are saying like 10 Awg, I'm still really confused but I think ultimately I'll go with 12 Awg for all my speaker wire included the short run of my center channel(3').