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Audio Lessons Learned - post your best advice for the newer members!

Hi,
I thought it would be great to have our longtime audiophiles post their "lessons learned" along the way.

This is not a thread to start arguments, so please do not do that.
Just a repository where newer members can go to get a few good tidbits of knowledge.

I'll start - I have been an audiophile for 50 years now.

1. Learn about how humans hear sound, and what frequencies SHOULD NOT be flat in their response.. This should be the basis for your system. "Neutral" sounding systems DO NOT sound good to the human ear. You will be unsatified for years (like I was) until you realize this.

2. I do not "chase" DACS anymore.. (I went up to 30K Dacs before realizing the newest Dac chips are now within a few % of the high end Dacs.) Do your research and get yourself a good Dac using the best new dac chips. (about 1000.00 will get you a good one) and save yourself a fortune. - This was one of the best lessons I learned (and just recently) . It allowed me to put more of the budget into room treatment, clean power, and cables which are much more important.

3. Do you want a pleasant or unpleasant sounding system?
I had many very high end systems with NO real satisfaction, until I realized
why a certain company aimed for a particular sound..

4. McIntosh:
As a high end audiophile, I regarded McIntosh as just a little above Bose for about 40 years.-- (not good)
I thought I was an elite audiophile who knew way too much about our hobby to buy equipment that was well made, but never state of the art and colored in its own way.

This was TOTALLY WRONG, as I realize now.
McIntosh goes for a beautiful sound for HUMAN ears, not for specification charts. This is not a flat response, and uses autoformers to get this gorgeous sound. If you know enough about all the other things in our hobby, such as room treatments, very clean power, and very good cables, you can bring a gorgeous sounding McIntosh system to unheard of levels. I have done this now, and I have never enjoyed my music more!

Joe55ag


joe55ag
lhasaguy's avatar
lhasaguy
342 posts
 
Do lots of research before you open your wallet.  Take what others say with a grain of salt.  Speakers will drive your amplifier choice in many ways.  Synergy is important.

I like Maggie’s and they need lots of current.  You may like K-horn that are far more efficient.

Find good source material for your testing / auditioning of equipment.

Streaming is now the big new thing in audio.  Remember what you get is from an unseen source as opposed to vinyl, CD, etc.  

Find the sound you like and match your new gear to that, again research.  A road trip or two is very worth your while before you commit your budget, at whatever level.

Most of all, listen to your own ears as it will be you in the chair most of the time (plus SO hopefully).  Yes, remember the WAF!
hobo1452's avatar
hobo1452
85 posts
 
Don't build your system with the goal of impressing your friends. Everyone hears things differently and those differences determine what THEY think a great system should sound like. Determine the sound signature that you like, and build your system for YOU. Read all the reviews you can find for the equipment you are interested in. Learn to weed out the whiney butt audiophool BS and concentrate on the reviews that give an honest uncolored description of it's sound signature strengths and weaknesses. Live demonstrations aren't that important because the equipment will never sound the same in your home as it does in the showroom. Last of all, never make the mistake of thinking your dream system will make everything sound perfect. Crap recordings sound like crap no matter what they are played on.
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,204 posts
 
WPC ratings ,as well as , ratings in  Loudspeakers
many Amplifiers may say 150wpc for example but at  full 20 hz to 20 kHz , many start distorting way before, as well as suck at low impedance levels, many Highquality amplifiers like Hegel for instance play clearer and with more dynamics then  many much higher advertised specs,  the power supplies,transformers  have a lot to do with it  as well as output devises like Mosfets just for example.
with Loudspeakers many may have a so called efficient rating ,and say a 8 ohm rating ,but have crossovers and drivers that are very hard loads way down to even 3 ohms at  certain frequencies , and there is no standards as to Bass specification standards ,it may say 35 hz  for a book shelf loudspeaker,which should be a red flag  it  may hit That for a fraction of a second ,Not constant, but still stretch the rated  specs ,
do your home work read as many reviews as possible , and listen to it if possible  and a home audition period.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,433 posts
 
Understand that all recordings sound different. They run the gamut and sound they way the producers intended them to not the way you want them to or think they should.

So no hifi will make them all sound the way you think they should. If you can hear how each is produced differently and the ones you care about draw you in you are in a pretty good place.



This is the key to satisfaction and staying off the upgrade merry go round. If you are also a true music lover you will learn to appreciate the ability to hear whatever is there well and be satisfied.

Expectations must be tempered by reality.
bluorion
479 posts
 
Fun topic! Mine are:
1. Do the research--it will pay off in the end
2. Check out audio shows if possible
3. Try new things---something you wouldn't normally try like cables or power cords
4. Try to purchase where you can get a 30-60 day trial period
5. Most of all-----HAVE FUN!
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