Welp. As usual, I missed a couple points that I wanted to make in this one-take vid. First, about Negative Reviews: It sounds like I'm against them in the video, which is totally NOT the case. No product is perfect and criticisms are necessary to set the right expectations for potential buyers. Even negative reviews provide value in that they hip people to major problems while also providing manufacturers with a lesson learning opportunity. When done right, negative reviews can add a tremendous value to the community as a whole. The problem arises when those negative reviews stem from either a reviewers mistake or from less than noble intentions. As I always say, the best thing to do is to check out many reviews instead of relying on just one person for all of your audio purchasing decisions. Unless of course that person knows you really really well and / or you frequently agree with em'.

I am an audio nut for about 30+ years. Rule #1, in world of audio, the law of diminishing returns is a very common place. Plus technology evolves. Current $5k speakers may sound as good as $20k speakers 20 years ago. My biggest tip is this: Upgrading can be a Neverending journey. One day, put a huge stop to it. And enjoy the music itself, not constantly analyzing the sound quality.

Advice: do not begin a serious listening session with high volumes. Your hearing naturally shuts down a bit during and after loud volumes; and then if you try to listen to a softer song, you’ll have to crank it to levels it’s not meant to be cranked to.

I have had systems that cost as much as a very good used car and find I struggled to enjoy them, NOT because they didn’t sound good, in fact they sounded great. It is just, for me, once I passed a certain dollar amount, I wanted the system to sound magical all the time with every recording. I would think “for this much money, everything MUST be perfect” and it never was. The slightest imperfections would bug the hell out of me. I now have LS50 meta and a decent mid-priced integrated and am much happier. It sounds awesome in my room and for the money, it’s minor shortcomings hardly bother me at all.

great analogy with photography. someone who knows how to photograph well will be able to do it with just about any rig: a phone, SLR, etc. having the most expensive thing doesn’t mean the best results, and that totally applies to audio as well.

I started when I was 17. I’m now 64. I’ve learned a lot. It comes down to listening. Take your favorite music that you know well, and listen. I did this when I bought speakers. Regardless of the electronics if it sounds good to you that’s all that matters. Try to listen on a system that is considered the best and then find something in your budget that comes close to it. Even if it’s a low cost system, if it sounds good and makes you want to keep listening, your done! Nothing is perfect, so sometimes it’s a matter of what makes you smile and say, “ that’s sounds fantastic”. 👍

I myself have been a fan of High-end and music for 35 years. I've learned to arrange the listening room as best as possible, and then take the time to listen to how the music sounds. Of course with the years many different equipment, speakers, cables etcetera... My music taste has expanded enormously. So for me, sound is obviously what it's all about. Actually, you are never done with this hobby. But, I did reach a peak, what I might call this is what I want to hear. So in terms of satisfaction..... Yes, I am sure. So everyone has to walk this road for themselves, and then hopefully you'll get to where you want to be. Lots of fun and success to everyone in this hobby. Greetings from the Netherlands Limburg Maastricht... ✌🏾🌍😘

Great one!

Biggest mistake I made was being lured into the audio science cult for a couple of years, ended up buying a few dacs and a couple of amps that left me with a system that didn’t excite me. Spent money unnecessarily and sold some gear I actually liked in the process. Lesson learned. Listening > measurements.

This is a hobby that can easily become an obsession. I buy new and used gear. Getting the "deal" is invigorating! Reading about new equipment and watching KZfaq videos about "the latest" is addictive. Finding the" right gear" that creates synergy within your system is never ending. Sourcing the right movie scenes and songs so that you "can test" your latest acquisitions is really flat out fun.Talking to your audio friends about "everything audio" makes you feel inspired. I have a true "love hate" relationship with audio and I believe that now and again it is just best to set it all aside. Listen to what you have and enjoy it. After all it is just a hobby, right?😮‍💨

My best advice; before you decide that the sound of your speakers 'suck'....Take a whole week and every day change the placement. I would higly advice to listen to placement with the eyes closed! It's the ONLY way to listen honestly when doing it. Looking at speakers will bias your ears. F.e.; Not enough bass-> Move them closer to each other, or the distance from the wall. Go back to listening position and close your eyes.... Too much treble-> experiment with toe-in and width, again close your eyes! My Tannoy's are bass heavy by nature, and after 2 years of experimenting with placement, I finally have what I need. There are always small issues that you do not hear at first. In my case , they needed way more width inbetween, and more distance from the wall. Even better , the bass-response is SO much better in the room, you can avoid a lot of standing wave issues , just take your time. Comparisons/ switching between headphones/speaker are also good indicators. Take your time! It can be baffling to hear what a few milimeters of change can do. Peace from Holland my fellow audio-freakazoids

Awesome video. Excellent advice. I'm in my seventies and am still on the "journey" but truth be told, in the autumn of my life, I just want to enjoy the music.

You're looking rather happier, mate and that is a good thing! One thing I learned is decide if you want a system room with a seat or a living room with a system. Big difference.

Kudos for sharing! Missed your videos, welcome back!

Very sensible. Some people in this hobby seem to forget that a) we're doing this for fun and b) there's room for more that one opinion.

I’m showing my age now, but I’ve been seriously into audio since the early 80s. I have built 3 hifi systems. The premium system is in our family lounge. The secondary system is in our spare bedroom and is chiefly composed of components which started life as part of the lounge system, but have been upgraded. The 3rd system is a little active system I use for background music in my office. I recently undertook a major upgrade to the system in the spare bedroom. The speakers I was using. In that room were the Q Acoustic 3050I. They were impressive. It seemed natural to me that the logical progression would be the Q Acoustic Concept 500. I had watched and read dozens of reviews. All, brimming with positivity. So, I visited 3 local ‘bricks and mortar’ dealers and listened to them with a wide variety of amplification and source components. I was, disappointed. They just sounded, well, dull, lifeless, possessing no character! I was so glad I hadn’t impulse purchased them on some discounted on-line deal. So, that is my first bit of advice, listen before you buy. If you can build a relationship of trust with a dealer and get a free, unconditional home trial, then all the better. Listen to the views and opinions of others. But, remember that the end of the day, it is going to be you who will be you spending hours and hours listening to and hopefully that system, so, ultimately, it’s your opinion that is paramount. Buy components which are ‘price appropriate’. If, for example, you’ve invested £15000 in your amplification, it would be inappropriate to spend £199 on your CD player and £249 on a pair of speakers. Regardless of what you buy, or what you spend, there will always be better. Often that journey to find ‘better’ can be a bumpy ride and prove expensive. The higher up the ladder you climb, the more you will realise the severity of the law of diminishing returns. When you reach the point of contentment, that is the point at which you should stop. I am fortunate enough to have married a very attractive and beautiful girl who has stacks of other positive virtues. Are there more attractive, more beautiful girls out there? Damned right there are. Would I be happier if I traded my wife in for one of these more attractive, more beautiful girls? Maybe! But I’m extremely content with my lot, so, I’m not going to risk changing things and that’s a lesson well learned. Of course manufacturers will constantly try and tempt you with new products and new technologies, it’s how they survive. I know it’s heart wrenching when you’ve just paid £2400 for the latest XYZ101 integrated amplifier, then a month later they bring out the ‘new and improved’ XYZ101- mark 2 for £2500 and reduce the price of the original, which you purchase, to £1900. Don’t suffer from ‘purchase regret’, chances are the new amp is identical to the old amp, with a few cosmetic changes. The manufacturers do it to boost sales. At the end of the day, don’t get hung up on equipment, just enjoy the music. Remember, nothing is perfect. Not even my wife. She absolutely hates, no, detests my audiophile interest and the equipment I employ to satisfy that interest. Then again, I hate shopping. She loves it. So whenever I want to sit down to an extended, uninterrupted listening session, I give her my least maxed out credit card and send her out for some retail therapy.

Great, useful tips here. Two things I would add is: (1) that if your respected-by-all gear doesn't sound right, it could be that your listening room needs treatment WAY more than the stereo needs replacement/upgrades. A $100 pr bookshelf speaker will sound GREAT in a tuned/slightly dampened/slightly diffused/added bass-trap room but a $5000+ pr full range loudspeaker will sound TERRIBLE in a room with glass or drywall sound reflection, standing waves or null spots for certain bass notes. - and - (2) the kind of music you like and play daily (modern electronica and hip-hop come to mind) is not recorded and mastered with high end gear in mind. It will sound great on earbuds or a car stereo, but a $5000-+ pr of speakers just reveals the compression and distortion baked into the recording.

Some good advice. Insured shipping is no joke. I sold a Hasselblad on ebay, was only shipping it 90 miles away using fedex or ups and thought, "in all these years when have I actually lost a package?" well something fishy happened, buyer claimed they never got it. I don't know if it was fraud, if the package was stolen off their doorstep or what, but long story short was that it wasn't insured, and I had to reimburse the buyer. I felt like the biggest idiot and have never shipped anything uninsured since then.

If you got more hobbies, don't spent too much on hifi. Because if you have the money, you also need to have the time for listening. This is my problem. If you don't want room treatment, then don't buy expensive hifi. Scale it down to a system which isn't picky with placement and environment.

Thanks for this video. 1. Bad sound? It could be you 2. know when to call it a day(golden rule) These two points are enough for me.

Best Audio Reviewer on KZfaq ... He just is ... Cheers for the ongoing reviews and important Audio and life lessons ... Kind Regards Brother ... 🎶

..."thinking you know how a gear will sound without listening to it"....LOL....thanks for reminding me of all my failures man! Love it

Pearl Audio Sibelius speakers. Fantastic kit. Can't wait to find out what you have found out while using them. A really special sound.

I have been at this for: count em 40+ years. A big mistake I made was; not listening to the experts. This was most evident with speaker placement. My tendency was to park my speakers any old place where it was most convenient. Scoffing at the notion that I had to waste valuable time experimenting with placement. My advice find a way to have fun experimenting with placement and room treatment.

Wow, I’ve been an audiophile for the last 40 years, and it’s been expensive. One thing that I learned was that more expensive items are not guaranteed to sound better than cheaper items!

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate this video. Not just the content but just catching a glimpse on how you see this "hobby" and your journey in it. Personally, I can relate to a lot of the stuff you said and learn from the other stuff. I don think that in this ever flowing stream of reviews it is hard yo see how other people experience this hobby and their actual insights (not just about stereo). This so much call to purchase, it is easy to think of this hobby as a linear process. "I buy more expensive stuff, I'm in a better situation". When it can be something else, like a humbling, educational experience that let you grow, appreciate the things that matter and even appreciate the things you don't have. Feel a part of a community in which your system has its own voice in it.This is something that I came to learn. Every system has something to offer and appreciate. I do agree that switching to headphones or just disconnecting for a while makes you see that easily. Even if it's for a few seconds, it is a pleasure to notice your ears adjust to a new sound. Thanks Sean.

Nice video and good advice! In my 30 years as a Music Enthusiast, I have learned to ask two questions: "How much do I enjoy my music/system today?" and "How would I like it to be?". If there is a big gap between those questions, there are two paths: either you lower your expectations and be happy with what you have, or go the opposite way and do something about it, change it. If you want to change it, it might take a few small steps, but it can also bring you on a longer journey. The aim is to bring the gap between those two questions closer together. This goes for anything in life, not just Hi-Fi. Like you mentioned, music is supposed to bring emotions, inspiration, fun and something to look forward to. That is, the music YOU love to listen to, not anyone elses. That's a good place to start, or go back to, if the journey's been long =) When you have bridged that gap, stop. You have reached the destination, something some might never will, or they get lost on the way. Anyway, keep it light, love your music and enjoy!

A few years ago I updated my system ... new speakers, the rest secondhand Yamaha pieces ... and I instantly fell in love again with music ( even albums that my brain rated as "meh" excited me again ). Next came the small system in the sleeping room: from 80's Technics compact to 2000's Yamaha compact to vintage Yamaha receiver, Dual turntable and new Wharfedale speakers. Last not least: a free old flat screen from my parents ... I wanted to "upgrade" it with a budget receiver and speakers ... but ended with a 90's Harman Kardon amp & CD-player + Focal speakers ( all moveable on a free TV-table ). No idea if it's Hifi, or Audiophile ... but each system makes me enjoy music a lot and I missed them a lot while a 5 day holiday.

The mistake I make the most is the hyper focused goal. I focus only on what I want from the product, and not on the accommodations that the product will need. For example, I decided that I wanted a pair of Wharfedale 85's, so I found Linton vs Denton sound comparison videos. Based only on the sound I decided that the Denton was (dad joke intended) my cup of tea. After many hours of experimentation, I found that I needed the supplied rubber feet, a pair of raised front bases from another set of speakers, and two sets of decouplers to get them to the right height. At this point I realized that the Linton's would have given me 95%+ of the sound I wanted, and they wouldn't have needed any tweaking because they're a little bit taller. For me sound is the ultimate goal, but it's not the only goal.

Sean, this video of yours only solidified a feeling i had of why i keep coming here when i don't have enough information to help myself. Integrity lives here, and the patience and willingness to generously help neophytes like myself learn and enjoy this journey in the limited time we are given. Thank you ever so much.

I feel you. I have been an audiophile for nearly 45 years. As a tweener, I learned that my ears were hypersensitive to sound. Bad audio gave me headaches. But as a kid, I was broke, so I had to buy what worked and not break the bank. That meant finding gems in mainstream brands... hell, I still have my Realistic STA2080 and it still sounds great! It all became a value game. What I did spend money on was car audio because I was driving a lot... but I was always careful with what I bought... and what I don't. Your points are very valid, and don't apply solely to hifi...

I simply like learning and I often am not watching your videos to purchase better and better sounding instruments of sound reproduction but more so, I have come to appreciate your learning and your desire to share with us in ever more profound ways. Thank you.

Nice job Sean! Having been an audiophile for about 50 years a couple of points...the room. Ah yes, the room and the WAF. They do go together. Also synergy. Sometimes components just don't sound good...together.

Starting the audiophile journey with reel-to-reel in the 1980s, I found that the music collection is the centerpiece. On average I like just 2 or 3 tracks on an album so my music collection on tape became a collection of tracks, not albums, giving hours of good music without having to change media every 2 or 3 tracks. This makes "The lower resolution is a lot easier to enjoy" even more true. The collection of tracks moved from tapes to digital files on a harddrive, but it remains the constant factor apart from adding songs every now and then. Second for me (but fun too) is to get matching gear for best playback quality given budget and taste.

I would add be skeptical if the review has no comparisons. Some companies don’t allow comparisons of their product or don’t allow anything negative to be said about the product without their permission. I’m learning more about agreements that reviewers have to sign to get product sent to them.

Hey man. That was nice a genuine. It felt honest and frank. Nicely done!

Great advice. I have two preamplifier's that I use in my main system. I use one preamp for half a year or so‚ or til I start listening less‚ then I take the preamp of the system‚ and use the other. And bliss until year's or month's later‚ I switch again. It is nice‚ almost like experiencing a new stereo system again‚ more importantly the music 😊

Appreciate the shared wisdom and perspectives on arriving at the desired system “destination”. Witnessed a few friends getting to that place with audio and motorcycles, only to soon miss the pleasure, excitement and peace of a sweet outcome by staying on the carousel. Then lamenting the re-sale or trade and realizing that the the next best thing was sexier but lacking soul and both daily & long term enjoyment. A good reminder that the truth can suffer from too much analysis and how cool it is to hit pay dirt and then, to just enjoy the ride and collecting great music.

Great video once again, I must say that we've missed you here lately. That said, I the best advise that I was ever given as an audiophile was to understand that until I tamed my room, I had never really heard my gear. So, to keep it short, if your room sucks, more than likely any component you use in there will as well.

Great video, Sean, glad to see you back in action and hope it's a regular thing again. I also can't wait to hear your review of the Sibelius speaker, something I have such a great interest in, I almost pulled the trigger on them the other night, only just convincing myself to hold off at least long enough to contact the company and have them answer some of my questions and concerns with equipment matching. It'll be great seeing how you both align and differ from Thomas's opinion.

I like these kinds of videos and rants about this and that. I also like videos regarding types of equipment, set up on different types of speakers, you know something besides just audio reviews. Maybe some conversations with Steve Gutenberg. Glad to see you back doing videos and hope your health is as good as it’s going to get. That last comment may relate to myself, maybe both of us.

So glad we have your articulate and intricate help on so many issues that happen in the audio world.

Synergy is king!! Its one of the most overlooked factor. Amazing speakers can sound ok with an amp that doesn't really match. An ok pair of speakers can sound amazing with the right front end.

I totally agree with we need to talk as adults as audiophiles. Audio is subjective and each person has a different take which isn't right or wrong. Also if we talk and not just argue might be able to help each other instead of just walking away mad. Love and Enjoyment of the hobby is the end goal for everyone.

30 years in audiophile took me to conclude pro audio equipment like Electro-Voice, Nexo or Turbosound sounds much, much better than costly audiophile gear, if you really enjoy EDM (Electronic Dance Music).

Thanks for the review, Sean. We all make failures, but with the years we can look back and laugh about it. Now we are experts in this hobby and we learn always more about hifi. Today there are many ways to get informations about products and gears and speakers and you can get more help with problems. This really helps to do it right and to find the synergy and the best sound of your system, to build your best system for enjoying your favorite music. 👍😊

... It's about 28 years for me now ... and honestly.. every part of the hobby 'offline' is the better part. During the progress of the joy in audio ... online interactions ... have been the worst part of the entire experience. Any time I am in a room with people and listening... It's the best feeling... the Most joyful.. and the most amazing and rewarding experience ... to share music. ... Something about text only conversations with strangers ... just ... missing something. Thanks for these insights. Im sure many people could use these reminders.

If I want to really get a feel for a product I will start a forum post asking people what they moved onto and why.

Trusting reviewers is something we have to do when Hifi-shops are far and few. I learnt that most of them have blind spots and will miss certen aspects. Some reviewers are more into sonic marvels like super transparency and/or gears/figures/measurements but lack the experience of live music. They don´t really know how a violin or a grand piano sounds in real life. They don´t hear when a system is off in tone and timbre. In short, get to learn as much as possible about your reviewers in order to evaluate their reviews.

Brilliant. Totally agree with all your points, being on both sides of the audio industry curtain. We are certainly on the same wavelength on this. I've subscribed. Looking forward to more. All the best.

Good content imo. I have found in my journey that you and 4 or 5 other reviewers helped me form a path to follow in my search for a somewhat modest but enjoyable hifi system. This kind of video is always appreciated in my case because most times dealers here has no gear for demo and the advice is much needed. So far I have had all hits and are having fun with them. The point on taking time with your gear and taking a break from your gear is golden in my experience so far. Since I got a second pair of speakers it's been teaching me a lot about speaker placement and just how different one company can sound to another. I like both pairs but they are different. ... I might be in trouble here lol.

Nice points about having biases, positive and negative, but also being aware enough of them so as to keep learning from new experiences and from people without the same viewpoint.

This is the first time I've heard ANY audio pundit voice the "time to get off the merry-go-round" situation. Bravo. I'm there; I got the gold ring. Long ago, I expressed the opinion that a music playback system -- first and foremost -- should NOT be annoying. (No one has picked up on that.) If your music playback annoys you, then you'll soon be back on the carousel. If it doesn't annoy you, it's OK to hang out at the audio amusement park, but stay off the equipment merry-go-round. The tickets are too expensive and the ride makes you dizzy. ..... Barring a fire or a power surge, I'm done trying to improve my music system. What I'm NOT done with is seeking new and improved recordings, by new and improved musicians, to replace the thousands of (largely pre high resolution) recordings in two big bookcases. *I'm on a music hunt, not an equipment hunt.* And that's why I have largely moved to high res streaming music. Yeah, I haven't taken my hundreds of vinyl discs to the landfill, yet. And the CDs and R2R tapes are still here and playable. It's not that I have passed on all of those kinds of vintage media. It IS that, in the face of newer and better artists and recordings, the old stuff is just that: *OLD.* Music vinyl and CDs do not get better with age. They may become nostalgic, like when I was listening the other day to a 1950s disc of the Kingston Trio at the Hungry I (and loving it). *But, I was enjoying this in spite of the ragged fidelity, not because of it.* I'm off the carousel; I caught the gold ring. Y'all have a nice ride. :)

As always, this was a very informative “podcast.” I am a big fan of all of your reviews. I have been a music lover,listener and a musician all of my life, but just recently invested in stereo equipment. I was thrilled to learn that reviews, not only written, but on YT, we’re readily available to help me sort through the vast amount of gear out there. Your cautionary tales are very helpful. I am pretty near done with my process and am one of the people you describe who just wants to get back home to listen to music. I think, however, no matter who’s saying what about which speaker or amp, one has to use common sense and take responsibility for their own choices/decisions. Hell, this stuff is costing a bundle. I feel very fortunate that I can even enjoy this hobby a little. At the end of the day, though, and listening (which is loads of fun, by the way) to everyone’s take on YT, I make my own choices. Let’s not forget how much fun the prices can be to find the great sound, and let’s not blame people who are just trying to give us their informed opinion. Again, I’m grateful to you all for you help and advice. I love what I got (3 different systems for three different rooms) and in this unsettled world, music has become a lifeline. I’m happy to stay here for a while! Thanks again!

Great video Sean! I think It would be helpful for a not-so-experienced audiophile to honest about what type of sound he/she prefers (warm, bright, detailed, solid state, tubes…etc). Searching for products would be more much easier. IMHO.

Your inner voice might be spot on! hahaha Also, the last point you made....spot on.

OMG me too! I am definitely happy with my current end game multichannel system Because modern DSP is a game changer. Yep I’ve called it a day

I've been wondering what happened to you, good to see you in the game again, what ive learnt in this hobby is that it's very very addicting, and almost always can't help yourself from trying something new out even if you got it sounding just perfect with what you already have, and it's hard to explain why we do this and it's so addicting, but its been my favorite hobby of my life, up there with drag racing, different motorcycles over the years, model cars, love em all, but once u go down the audio road in a serious way, I don't think theres any taking that out of that person, ever. Even in an elevator or store you find yourself analyzing the audio around you in every place you go, it changes alot of things in life and alot of people just don't get it, but for those of us that get it, you know who you are out there, and we do totally get it, your not alone!

knowing when to stop upgrading your system is very important indeed. I build my system 25 years ago and it took me 9 months of trying stuff at home. After that I just enjoyed music. Well I did add a chromecast audio for streaming when streaming was invented. Recently I moved to another home and the listening room sounded so good I decided to go for the next upgrade. The funny thing is I ended up with a recap of my speaker filters and power amp, kept my cables. This old stuff is still very good (Duntec/Krell). I swapped the preamp for a good streamer/dac, subscribed to Qobuz and Roon and I am happy as a clam. Good for the next 25 years :)

My biggest discovery and surprise was the sound of the d class. Fast, dynamic sound, controled bass other than boomy, detail at high and mid frequencies. And an unrealistic price-performance ratio.

Food for thought, and echoes some of my own much more limited experience. Great video. Thanks.

Love this direction Of the video Content Real Value !! Great Job umm no white board 😆 (cheatsheet) we all make mistakes ! example i had a bad rca cable LH side i thought the amp was bad until i rolled rca cables 😆

Excellent video….been there done that. The most profound point of them all was the last one. Because I have many audiophile friends with incredible systems, I have great base lines to compare my own, all within my budget, and 40 years of experience. I LEARNED at what point I am “satisfied” with the sound, and at what point my return on investment starts diminishing…now, that doesn’t mean I don’t try occasional upgrades, or replace old gear, or try new tech…but overall, I KNOW what sound I like, and how to maintain it. I have bought certain gear you recommended, and it exceeded my expectations, and your reviews often are in consensus with others I respect…that is GOOD for you! I run four well maintained Heresy 1’s and an old Kyrocera R651 with an outboard DAC, that sounds almost as good a MAC 4100, a beautiful rich warm sound, with great detail and clarity. The DAC made a 15% improvement in fidelity, and with 4 speaks, 1 in each corner, sound stage really isn’t an issue. I love the vintage sound. I play all genres of music. Thanks

The biggest lesson for me is that a speaker is already a compromise and worst still most people including myself do not have an acousticly treated room.... therefore it's critical to use a DSP or maybe buy a speaker with an inbuilt DSP and calibreate the speakers to the room. The difference it makes is unbelievable. I wasted so much money box swapping / cable swapping / enhancement tweaking when I should have just bought a DSP or better yet bought a DSP and acoustically treated the room. A tradional audiophile system without even basic tone controls to me is like buying a mechanical watch.... sure it's nice to look at and play with but it's really not all that accurate at keeping time. A system with a DSP can be likened to buying a modern super accurate digital watch and ultimately does a better job. I love my Genelec's

Also, similar to checking if your wires are crossed, if you are using a sub, always check the phase. For whatever reason when I use my sub with one pair of speakers, I need to flip the phases -180 and with the other pair of speakers I keep it at 0. It's not unheard of for a speaker to get it's internal wires crossed up when doing work on the crossover or re-foaming surrounds. Sometimes it just comes from the factory like that.

Loved the quick "use protection" joke.

i find being relaxed before & during a listening session helps. Just came back from the Melbourne Audio Show and never felt at anytime my system was missing something. even listening to hundred of thousands worth of equipment.

Thanks Sean. My advice is, be patient when setting up new speakers. Don’t jump to early conclusions. In that last hour of effort, you will probably stumble across the right configuration and go from “this is crap” to “I can’t believe I almost gave up!”.

I watched most of your videos and this one was very insightful. Thank you. I appreciate your work.

I have made the mistake of talking about speakers I haven’t heard, and making the comparison to the Klipsch RP-600M and the Dynaudio Emit M20, saying that the M20’s would sound dull compared to the RP-600M’s. Back then my foolish understanding was that speakers that are laid back are dull, and speakers that were more live sounding are more engaging. Man was I wrong about that! I finally got the chance to compare these speakers side by side at Dennis White HiFi in Adelaide, South Australia and I was blown away with the M20’s. So much so that I bought a pair, and have been happy with them ever since, and that was 2 years ago! So glad I went with the M20’s because though they are laid back, they are smooth but still have the sparkle and detail on the top end, and have enough bass that I don’t need a subwoofer for my room size, not to mention because they are smooth and laid back, they are not fatiguing at all, and feel that the RP-600M’s would be, with my particular set up.

Thank you one of your best information videos please more of this 🔊🤘🙏

Hey Sean! excellent tips! loved it! invaluable help, REALLY appreciate it... nailed it with each and all "mistakes to avoid"! happy music listening everyone!

Thanks for all your reviews and advice!

This is the best video you've put out in a while! Nicely done. My best advice kind of mirrors what you said....."You don't know what you don't know." Recognize you don't know everything, and you might learn something. ;) Oh, and I absolutely believe in equipment synergy. Where the total is greater than the sum of the parts. It's rare, but it can be magical. :)

this is great lessons, general enough to apply to everyone. the first decades i only use passive speakers and integrated amps. now dsp has come a long way and i use it more and more, first tried it with only free software as in equalizer apo, it did wonders. now i have dedicated dsp gear for even better results. this is my latest lesson.

Good honest talk. Different that most. I agree we are supposed to enjoy the hobby.

(bro, Pearl Sibelius, I can't wait for the review) I've only been a home AV enthusiast for a dozen years or so, and I only just built my first proper stereo about six months ago. I would recommend that any system builder should have specific, discrete goals for any system they build, so it's clear from the start when the shopping will end. Also, with regard to budget, I think your audio system should be something you have to work (by saving up, trading other valuables, etc.) to have. If you can put your hand on it the same day you first thought of it, then you could probably aim higher. It should be special _from your own perspective._

Great video! Would definitely like to see more videos like this.

Well said man. Maturity is a lifetime process as is music listening. Your last point is what works. My opinion doesn't mean I know better it just means I know something. Thanks for your words

Firstly, I really enjoyed you sharing your lessons learned in this video. I would be interested in more! I am relatively new in this hobby and living with my first new hi-fi system, (in a small room) after a break of more than 20 years, and treat videos like yours as part of my ongoing education. Really appreciate your efforts.

As a noob, I really appreciate these types of videos.

A fault that I’ve fallen into a number of times is to be too hasty in judgement of a new piece of gear. I’ve sent stuff back after only putting in a matter of hours listening. Another is to immediately look to replace something in your system when you’ve had one “bad” listening session. I’ve had to step back recently from considering new gear because I just can’t afford the constant buy-it-sell-it-at-a-loss and then buy the newest shiny object.

I’ve only pursued higher level audio the past 3 years; I’m 68 now. I still have the original stuff I’ve purchased since then. I realized that I need to set a budget for the total system, allot so much to each element in the system, and purchase accordingly. It makes no sense to put most money in, say, a crackerjack amp and then have to scrimp on the rest of the system. I go for “bang for buck” instead of falling in love with one piece and splurging - it all plays together, and the weak links hold the system back. Second, I know my audio listening room is sub-optimum for best sound, so it makes no sense to me to spend top dollar for equipment when my room won’t allow that equipment to shine - no, I’m not adding a dedicated listening room to my house. Third, as Im an old guy, I need to realize that my survivors might not care anything for this equipment and hope to sell it. The more expensive and esoteric the gear, the less likely someone would buy it for anything close to what I paid for it. A lot of people never heard of Pass or Harbeth, and probably think it’s a bargain version of Marantz or Sony. I don’t want my family to lose big money selling off my gear for pennies on the dollar. Most Americans want to buy something-for-nothing used gear.

I’m a firm believer in finding the best sounding speakers you can afford and use your money to feed them the best source signal you can afford, but leave the speakers alone ! Once you max out the sound quality the speakers can deliver, THEN move up the ladder with the speakers. Basically that’s find how strong the weakest link is, then, upgrading it. Just my $0.02.

Audiophilia (and yes, I call myself an audiophile!) is a glorious obsession!

I had that "off the merry-go-round" experience in 1997 with the ProAc 2.5s. I would think about them and music while at work, out with friends, etc. I would even sometimes walk by the music room and just look in at them. Weird. A number of years later I had the same experience with Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors. Now I'm having it with Buchardt S400 MKIIs. And still have my trusty E.A.R. 890 Paravicini tube amp. This is the one I bought from the late great reviewer Art Dudley.

I'm in Audio for 52 years and as you can imagine I had a few systems on the way and each system had its own sound some a warmer some are more revealing, however, in the end, a masterful recording made them all shine. In the old days you visit an Audio shop and listing to certain systems with music you knew well and that was a process that could take a week or more to come to a conclusion and even then you still had to take into consideration the room's acoustic. As I frequently change working /country working places I did experience how the system can be affected with the room set up . However, one has not to spend a million to compensate for it. Synergy with components plays a big part and I did learn a great deal from an Audio salesperson back then.

One shot video skills - epic! Great video 👍

I always notice a pretty good jump in sound quality from cold equipment to fully warmed up equipment. I've done comparisons many times and warmed up (playing at medium volume for 30 min) is almost always better. The bass will be fuller and the mids and highs will be smoother. Have you guys noticed this? Is it my imagination? I never hear anyone bring it up.

Your voice, your wisdom, your sage advice and even your weird humor is sorely missed when you don't create content. I don't think you realize how much we depend on you (for better or worse) to keep us on the correct path. No, you don't owe us anything. But as with any great instructor or professor, we are richer for your advice and learning from you. You have knowledge. Please continue to share so the next generations will not think that Airpods and Bose are the endgame. Peace.

OK, just came to me...another one....READ THE GEAR INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND, WHEN POSSIBLE, GIVE THE MANUFACTURER A CALL, ASK THEM HOW TO GET THE MOST JUICE OUT OF THIR PRODUCT....whenever I did this I did not regret it!

Nice. All valid points. One I always think of is does twice the money give you twice the sound quality.

48yrs here...love your channel, Sean.

Reviews in magazines are usually directly correlated the amount on money the manufacturer spends on advertising.

Advice to those beginning their hi-fi journey: The sound you think you want is not necessarily something you're actually gonna like. So go out of your way to listen to as many different systems as you can. Travel to big cities that still have brick-and-mortar audio stores. Don't buy just one pair of speakers. Budget gear is very very good these days! So try living with a few different speaker types before making your mind on what works best in your room.

As we age, that treble knob moves clockwise more and more.

Back in 1978 I assembled my first Hi-Fi system I had a pair of DLK speaker with two 8-in woofers and a tweeter and I had a pioneer SX 550 receiver with the sl23 techniques turntable. To be honest I was perfectly happy with that system for years. I miss those DLK speakers and the vintage sound I have spent years trying to recapture that nostalgia that I remember back in those days. And I experimented with different systems different receivers different speakers different setups and that was never quite satisfied. I have to say that I have had a stereo shop called "Music for Pleasure" With their help I have put together a system now that I am completely satisfied with. I combine my own experience with sound systems with their expertise and I have put together electronics with speakers that match wonderfully in my surround sound home theater that I have in my basement. I have a combination of vintage and modern technology combined together. I can listen to stereo as it was meant to hear and also watch movies and surround sound Dolby Atmos DTS whatever format in movies and and live music concert venues. I won't take the time to tell you what my system is unless somebody is curious enough to ask me and I would be more than glad to share. Thanks to zero fidelity you have kept up my interest to be curious enough to find out what other people think about their systems. Again thank you very much Sean.

1) Pay attention not just to what reviewers say, but also what they DON'T say. It takes time to learn this. You can read reviews that sound absolutely glowing (and many in Stereophile or on the Audiophiliac do, for example), and then later find that the product reviewed has ended up in their "Class C" rather than "Class A" ranking. They may focus on certain very positive aspects of performance to make their review sound good (thus pleasing manufacturers so they can get more product in for review) even when the overall experience isn't that good for them. 2) Learn to understand measurements -- and what aspects of measurements have value to you. For me, listening at very close range, off-axis speaker measurements are VERY important. For most people, listening at a greater distance, they may not be. For me, resolution is key in DACs. For you, it may not be. 3) Don't believe it when people say that ONLY measurements matter, that you can't trust your ears. You CAN, but one quick listen isn't enough. 4) A final thought. Ask yourself, do "gorgeous" level meters (as on Accuphase amplifiers) do anything for your LISTENING experience? (Sorry Sean, it needed to be said.)

YES! I made some costly mistakes with non-returnable gear that I thought would be great for my system…but it wasn't. 😬 Audio is challenging, that is what makes it interesting and fun. I learned a LOT about components and how much that they each can effect the chain AND I learned a LOT about what sound that "I" prefer. I am back on track and can’t wait to find time to listen to my system. It sounds GREAT "to me"! My wallet will recover eventually! 🤓

I had an issue a couple months ago with receiver settings where no matter what I did, the base on my speakers were NON-EXISTANT. Checked my cables, checked the connections, checked the equipment, nothing seemed to work. Then I checked the settings on my receiver and it turned out it was on a special "center channel" mode I had tested out that I forgot about that without a center channel present, it caused the sound stage to drop out flat. Once I restored it to the original "pure stereo" setting, it worked just fine as before.